Camel Qabuli, Oman

Camel meat has long been one of Oman's traditional proteins and remains popular today in recipes like qabuli (essentially similar to rice preparations across the Gulf). Fun fact: Camel is reputedly healthier and lower in cholesterol compared to lamb; it's a little less gamy too (think venison) though perhaps chewier (think mutton).

This post first appeared on eatdrinkkl.com

Planter Chin x TamanHati, Bangsar

Coffee, cacti and cats: KL's greenest indoor destination for a flat white and ficus-shopping is home to a sleek espresso machine, soothing plants from Peru and all across the globe, and stealthy rescue felines named after pop and rap stars.

All of them share this hidden first-floor space in Bangsar with colonial inspirations that include British-era broad-brimmed hats, rattan furniture, and vintage knickknacks from family collections.

The potted paradise of Planter Chin brings together coffee wizard Jeremy Chin's Outcast Coffee mobile caffeine service and garden fairy Jan Zainal's TamanHati purveyor of plants. It's currently still a work in progress, with clutter and crypthanthus in equal measures, but Planter Chin has barely blossomed - when it sprouts further in the months to come, expect this evolving space to harbour many more surprises.

If you've followed Outcast Coffee in its various pop-ups and venues over the years, you know its baristas nail their shots. Planter Chin is by far our favourite location for this service so far, a leafy oasis that might eventually turn into a full-grown tropical jungle, with plenty of playful sections to explore while sipping your latte and savouring the afternoon sunshine that streams through the windows. The founders have prepared the seeds for the beverage selection to expand soon and for some refurbishment to let in even more light, so Planter Chin is a place to keep watching.

Planter Chin is a natural habitat for Jeremy and Jan, since both are passionate about plants. Jan ran TamanHati elsewhere in Bangsar in recent years before embarking on this collaboration with Jeremy. She sees this as a place to find yourself in tune with nature and to learn more about plants, with terrarium workshops and other regular flora-focused activities.

For those of us who can barely tell our begonia from our bromeliad, Planter Chin offers a peek into a lush world. Most of the plants here are for sale, covering every need - from a RM10 peperomia argyreia to a nearly RM4,000 slow-growing Monstera Albo, from popular, lower-maintenance arrowhead plants to Jan's personal favourite, the old-school Episcia  with faded colours that reminds her nostalgically of childhood memories.

Jeremy and Jan might have created this sanctuary, but the true masters of the domain are SE7EN, Biggie and Jenny, three rescue cats who slink mischievously through the pots and people. Come for the piccolo and peperomia, stay for the purrs.




Planter Chin
6a, Jalan Kemuja, Bangsar, 59000 Kuala Lumpur.  Currently open Tuesday-Sunday, 10am-5pm.

This post first appeared on eatdrinkkl.com

Wild Yeast Bakery Cafe, Damansara Jaya

Bassoonist-turned-baker Terence Chong orchestrates a symphony of sourdough at his new cafe, conducting a choir of crusts in sandwiches with names like Smoked Salmon Concerto and Egg Mayo Mushroom Sonata, played in the keys of Beef Minor and Chick Major.

Crisp, densely textured toasts hit the right notes with a reasonably deep tang, harmonised with fillings like chilled prawns with ebiko, wasabi and mustard in the Singing Shrimp (RM23). Open-faced tartines might strike a chord with fans of fromage, jazzed up with heady goat's cheese and honeyed fig jam (RM20). We're even thrilled to trumpet the calamansi juice (RM8), which stays mellowly and melodiously on tune with Wild Yeast's philosophy of honest, homemade comfort.

Wild Yeast Bakery Cafe

15, Jln SS22/11, Damansara Jaya, Selangor. Open Tuesday-Sunday, 930am-5pm. Tel: 016-621-8492

This post first appeared on eatdrinkkl.com