The Place – This café interior has a striking combination of contemporary lines, clean, warmth and rustic charm. Adding to the cafe’s rustic flair, a number of bean bags imprinted with words like “play”, “passion” and “creative” adorn the walls.

The Menu – Printed on a corrugated cardboard, the menu item is created with quirky names such as The Nutty Professor (tiramisu), Shroom Shroom (mushroom fettucini), Beef Me Up Scotty (grilled beef fillet) and many more. Apart from serving all day breakfast, there’s also main meal such as pasta and burger.

The Food -We stared with the RBB Signature Breakfast (RM 19.90) with poached, fried or scrambled eggs on toasts, sauteed mushrooms, grilled tomatoes, beef/chicken sausages, beef bacon, baked beans and hash brown(RM 19.90). Everything was decent (but not exceptionally good) except for the rubbery and tasteless scrambled eggs. I am secretly hoping for pork bacon too; but The Red Beanbag is a pork free eatery. Savings grace came in the form of Egg Benedict (RM 15.90). The perfectly runny yolk surrounded by nicely cooked egg white is the greatest part of the pleasure of Eggs Benedict. We poked through the yolk and enjoyed the runny hot mess. RBB’s Specialty Baked Eggs (RM 17.90)was pretty good too; with eggs cracked into a baking dish of lamb bratswurst, sundried tomatoes, potatoes and cheese, baked to perfection and served with crusty bread.

The piece de resistance is Classic French Toast (RM 13.90) coated with almonds, served with seasonal fruits and maple syrup (RM 13.90). It was so soft and fluffy! The almond coating gave it a nice, pleasant crunch too. However, RM 13.90 for ONE piece of roti is quite a steep price to pay.

Since there were 7 of us, each of us picked a dish and somehow Shaun is craving for risotto. Don Scallopino (RM 24.90) is seaweed risotto served with seared scallops and seaweed. A generous hand with the scallops but the risotto were on the bland side. My Crustacean Cousin (RM 27.90) on the other hand; was quite good. With tiger prawns and mixed seafood served with freshly pressed pasta, I felt like having lobster bisque with pasta. The lobster/prawn gravy was probably the key to this delicious seafood pasta. We don’t quite like the Shroom Shroom (entree RM19.90/main RM 24.90), creamy mix of mushroom and beef bacon bits on a bed of creamy fettucini. Those mushrooms and beef bacon bits had appeared for the third time (first & second time in our order of signature breakfast & egg benedict) and we find the pasta to be bland tasting.

Like for all caffeine oriented antipodeans, the key to a treasured breakfast haunt is the coffee. No complains! I also love how the barista tried to create coffee art for everyone around our table.

How do we like The Red Beanbag? It was a tough call. We loved the ambiance, the service (which was way beyond excellence), the vibe but the food was somehow disappointing. Don’t get me wrong. Food was actually decent, but it was a case of setting our expectations too high after reading some of the rave reviews.

p/s: will revisit for the Classic French Toast though.

p/s: still think Antipodean Cafe serves best breakfast

THE RED BEANBAG
Lot A4-1-8, Solaris Dutamas
(opposite Publika’s open space/Ben’s)
Jalan Dutamas 1,
50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +603-6211 5116
Tue – Fri: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Sat – Sun: 9:30 am - 6:00 pm
Pre-booked dinners for functions available.
http://www.facebook.com/theredbeanbag

The RBB Signature Breakfast – poached, fried or scrambled eggs on toasts, sauteed mushrooms, grilled tomatoes, beef/chicken sausages, beef bacon, baked beans and hash brown(RM 19.90)

Egg Benedict – poached eggs with hollandaise, asparagus, mushrooms and streaky beef bacon (RM 15.90)

RBB’s Specialty Baked Eggs – eggs cracked into a baking dish of lamb bratswurst, sundried tomatoes, potatoes and cheese, baked to perfection and served with crusty bread (RM 17.90)

Classic French Toast -coated with almonds, served with seasonal fruits and maple syrup (RM 13.90)

Don Scallopino – seaweed risotto served with seared scallops and seaweed (RM 24.90)

My Crustacean Cousin - tiger prawns and mixed seafood served with freshly pressed pasta (RM 27.90)

Shroom Shroom – a creamy mix of mushroom and beef bacon bits on a bed of creamy fettucini (entree RM19.90/main RM 24.90)

Happy Birthday to my dearest Ivy and Wenchng! No prize for guessing their age right =)

my striking yellow top from The Patbingsu – a Korean Fashion blogshop that carries 100% designed and made in Korea apparels and accessories.

sweet couple no. 1 from eatonlylar

sweet couple no. 2 from broughtup2share

cafe by Haven Cafe

coffee by RAW Coffee

groceries by Little Green Planet

fresh bread & juice bar

beauty & skincare products by Bodybar

spa treatments by Organique Therapies

mom & baby products by Tiny Tapir

Housed in a standalone building, the casual and family-friendly restaurant features its own private lot with ample parking. It has an outdoor patio outfitted with seating too.

The spacious interior is bright and airy thanks to the impressive front bay glass door looking out onto the garden.

Apart from being a nice, calm place for brunch; Little Green Planet groceries is also available here.

free water

RAW coffee runs a kiosk here, serving fresh roasted coffee using a Kees van der Westen lever espresso machine. The beans were roasted in house too, to ensure the best of quality.

Flat White & Mocha (RM 10 each)

RM10 is a steep price to pay for a cuppa, but not for a cup of small but strong flat white topped with very creamy, well-frothed milk.

Garlic Bread (RM 6); the smell is great and it’s an ideal tummy filler.

French Toast (RM 12); classic french toast made with free range eggs, served with organic jam and raw rainforest honey. Warm, fluffy and absolutely satisfying!

Fluffy Pancakes (RM 12); stack of traditional pancakes served with butter, organic jam and raw rainforest honey. Straight off the griddle and served fluffy and hot with raw rainforest honey, these pancakes were the crowd’s favourite.

Grilled Free Range Chicken (RM 18); warm free-range grilled chicken, organic greens, tangy orange dressing.

Mushroom & Onions (RM14); white button mushrooms, sauteed onions, organic greens.  These fresh, no-frills sandwiches were perfectly toasted on the outside and soft and warm on the inside. My other gripe is the lack of sandwich filling; we were expecting a generous and fuller version for the price which we are paying for.

Have it Your Way (RM18, choose 3 items). We chose fresh mushroom, poached free range eggs  and turkey ham to go with our bread. Our selection was nothing to shout about and and the portion was a tad too small. Smaller portion = Healthier lifestyle?

Chicken & Mushroom Pot Pie (RM 18); kampung chicken, mushrooms, mixd root vegetables, cream sauce, puff pastry. The pot pie reminded us of Dome’s signature Gourmet Chicken Pie. Both version was equally creamy and satisfying.

Gift Exchange Time

Let’s have a look at some happy, jolly festive pictures!

The many faces of KampungBoy

All in all, Haven Cafe serves good coffee, decent food but with pricing a bit on the high side (I suppose organic food is generally more expensive than intensively-farmed food?) The quiet and calm atmosphere makes it a very nice place to chill out and have a light snack too.

Haven Cafe
12, Jalan Ampang Hilir, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-4252-3100
Opens daily from 930am to 9pm.
http://havenkl.com/

Don’t you know that dreams come true
Love is just a second away
(Better take a look inside)
Make that magic rule, let the miracle stay
(You gotta take a look inside)

Dreams Come True, Westlife

The dream of running a small cafe has nothing to do with the excitement of entrepreneurship or the joys of being one’s own boss—it’s all about one’s passion and enthusiasm. Such is a case of Dreamz Bakery. It is a love story about a pastry chef (the boy) and a designer (the girl). They both shared the same dream – opening their own cafe. That dream came to fruition when the boy had decided to return home from Singapore where he received training and the girl graduated from a design school.

Dreamz Bakery is small but warm. Customers can choose to sit on a bar top table on the right with high stools or a floor seating area on the left. The affable staffs and owner always smile brightly and the cafe design is kitschy without being cliche. The interior is quite simple; there are no fancy lampshades, mass-manufactured furniture or expensive paintings, but they focused on delivering personal touches. I love the wall adored with portraits of the café’s regular, the pink polka dot table cloth and the quirky guest book which allows us to sit in one corner scribbling and drawing.

Apart from specialising in artisan cakes and desserts, wedding cakes and occasion cakes (birthday, anniversary), there are also cookies for sale. We tried quite a variety of those cookies, and boy they tasted good! My favourite was the kitty almond cookies and chocolate chip nut cookies. I got my Latte (RM 7.50) while Ivy got her Cappuccino (RM 6.90). I thought my coffee was nothing to shout about. The yam cake (RM 9) was moist and dense, but surprisingly leave a light feeling in my mouth, and just sweet enough. Chocolate Mille Crepe (RM 9) was a tad too “flourly” and thick to my liking.

All in all, Dreamz Café is open for anyone seeking great company to come together and enjoy a leisurely afternoon. Here are some photos of this cozy cafe design:

Dreamz Bakery (3rd floor)
No 32-1, The Strand Jalan, PJU5/20D
Pusat Perdagangan Kota Damansara
47810 Petaling Jaya.
Tel: 012-2003441
Monday :10.30am-7pm
Tuesday : CLOSE
Wednesday to Sunday :10.30am-9pm

Do check out Dreamz Bakery facebook page for more info!

Photos by Ivy, Edit by Citygal

How it all happened?

Well, every trip to Hartamas in KL, we would pass this secluded hidden corner tugged right after under the bridge and everytime we wonder what it is and how it’s like if we did a make-over ! …calling to us to come right in and browse.

And so we did !

In Autumn 2010, we finally stopped by. …. and many visits after that.

And finally here we are. A cosy little hidden cafe is being born.

I’m glad their curiosity got the better of them! Hence, the birth of such an artsy cafe. The coffee was decent; not to strong and not too light and we really like the distinctive flavours of these cupcakes - Lemon Poppyseed, Dark Chocolate with Salted Caramel, Peanut Butter and a Guinness (RM4.50 each).There is also free WIFI so feel free to have a seat with your laptop or pick up a book and relax over a cuppa. You couldn’t find a nicer more relaxing atmosphere in the heart of the city. My only gripe about sitting outdoor is the humidity of our tropical climate and the lack of cooling fans.

COFFEE IN LOVE @ EASTERN NURSERY

Off Jalan Sri Hartamas 1,
Kuala Lumpur.
Business hours : 2pm – 7pm (Tues-Fri), 12pm – 7pm (Sat-Sun)
Closed on Mondays.
Tel No : Helen : 012 3139831, Alison : 019 3828074
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/CoffeeInLoveCafe

Directions :
In Desa Hartamas. With Plaza Damas on your left, go down the road, after about 150m, you will come to an underpass. After the underpass, on the left is the plant nursery, Eastern Nursery. Go right in. Cafe is called “COFFEE IN LOVE”
(From their Website)

ADVERTORIAL

Are you ready for iPhone 4S? Celcom is launching the iPhone 4S this 16 December at La Bodega @ Bangsar Shopping Centre. Queue starts at 10.00pm on 15 December 2011. Midnight Sales start at 12.00am on 16 December 2011.

Check out this link for the package plan and the list of outlets where you can get the iPhone 4S from Celcom: http://www.celcom.com.my/smartphones/where-to-buy.php. Device value starts RM 558!

Peaches ‘n’ parma (RM 22). It is an amazing starter where one experiences the explosion of flavours between the salty attack of Parma ham with the sweetness of peach slices.

Special pigs in special blankets (RM 24) is a typical pub grub that works every single time. It’s hard to go wrong with these tender flesh and luscious fat combination that makes us yearned for more after each bite.

Asparagus under prosciutto (RM 22). Prosciutto (or parma ham) is probably one of the most versatile and widely used ingredients in Italy. I’m liking this marriage of young, crisp asparagus with salted parma ham.

Angels in parma (RM 32). Who would have thought about parma ham wrapped oyster? Plump, juicy and briny; the freshness of the oysters were further enhanced by salted parma ham. I also like the addition of tastebud-tickling sambal on top!

Cut, pickles, jams, mustard and bread (RM 54). With a little of everything, this platter is great for sharing.

Kim, Gareth & Huai Bin having a jolly good time!

Shu Min has 3 varieties of Racks of Ruin (RM 200 for 12 shooters) in store for us. The Illusion is a mix of Midori melon, pineapple juice and vodka. The Molotov is made with vodka, tequila, Jack Daniels and Tabasco sauce. It’s a strong as hell shooter, you should look at our priceless expression upon downing one shot. We also tried the Test Tube Babies, a concoction of Vodka, peach schnapps and a dash of cranberry.

Pulled Pork Burger (RM 24). Though flavourful and substantial in size, the pull pork was a tad too dry for my liking.

Racks pork burger (RM 28). It was a decent burger stacked with a myriad of ingredients. The 7 oz patty was distinctly meaty, with a slightly burnt overtone.

Racks big BAD sandwich (RM 26). BAD stands for back bacon, avocado, and dried tomato. Crisp bacon and creamy avocado makes this grilled sandwich extra special. It’s destined to be a crowd’s favourite!

Sweet & Sticky Pork Ribs (RM 52 full rack, RM 32 half rack). The piece de resistance being the beautifully caramelized, fork tender and juicy ribs.

Hot & Spicy Pork Ribs (RM 52 full rack, RM 32 half rack). The spicy version gives your usual ribs an extra little zing.

Racks is a new kid on the block (of changkat BB) and I hope it is here to stay! The food is good, pricing is decent and services are warm and attentive.

Address:
Racks Bar & Baby Backs,
18-1, Changkat Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2110 1550

This cafeteria-like eatery is stunning in every way. The space is simple and clean, with long communal tables, metal chair and vintage(y) milk cartons that remind me of my old school days.

Pizza is No. 1 word search in Google? Is it? Look up and you can see puns, and witty quotes adorning the chalk boards.

Apple Crumble recipe for your perusal

B.I.G Lasagna (RM 18.90). It was huge indeed, with cheese and minced meat layered between lasagna cheese and drenched with a delicious pasta sauce. What an ultimate comfort food.

Every order of hot deli item comes with a side of salad. We chose the pineapple and codfish salad, but it was really bland

Salami Pizza (RM 19.90). It was great. The tomato sauce is neither too sweet nor acidic, the salami has a decent kick and the mozarella is served in a generous manner.

We were stuffed to the brim, but could not resist having something sweet. The carrot cake (RM 9.90) was dry and crumbly, which was disappointing.

There were hits & misses from the menu but Ben’s General Food Store is such a charming price that serves up simple, hearty fare with a decent price tag.

Bangsar Village I,
G17 & G18, Ground Floor,
No 1, Jalan Telawi Satu Bangsar Baru,
59100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2284 8790
Website: http://www.thebiggroup.co/

Opening times: Open daily, 10.30am-10.30pm

Priced from RM 4.50, these cheap drinks help cushion the blow to our wallet. We all loved how smooth the coffee was and how there was no bitter after taste. This was attributable to double ristretto, which forms the base of their coffees, is a sweet lingering combination of nutty aromas and lively acidity.

The cafe also specialises in Peruvian dishes, and according to the wait staff, the chef hails from the north of Peru. We ordered some dishes to try and Papa a la huancaina persona (RM 18) is actually boiled potatoes and eggs served with a spicy, creamy sauce. It tasted like ordinary potato salad to me, and RM 18 is actually a steep price to pay for such a simple dish.

Jalea Mixta (RM 35), on the other hand, was actually very good! The crisp and non-greasy mixed fried seafood platter was very addictive.

With such delicious and huge portions, the pricing is quite reasonable too.

Arroz con pollo (RM 25), literally chicken rice which is an original Peruvian recipe. We did not enjoy the dish at all, as the fried chicken was dry and hard.

While the Peruvian dishes were disappointing, Ristretto Cafe is a great place to chill out. The coffee is really good and affordable!

Ristretto Cafe
Unit 3A @ 10 Mont Kiara,
Jalan Kiara 1, Mont Kiara,
50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Directions: After Plaza Mont Kiara, turn right into Jalan Kiara 1. Drive till the end and you will see MK 10. Ristretto is located in the building on your left, on the Ground floor. Parking is FREE.

http://ristretto.com.my

Business hours:
Open daily from 9am to 11.30pm

Do you know that Godiva Pavilion KL is the world’s very first Godiva cafe?

Ciki, Suanie and Citygal…

Pic credit to Ciki

The cafe offers a wide range of confectionery products including chocolate assortments, truffles, fudge, toffee, chocolate bars and seasonal novelties.

There are also cakes and macarons where you can choose from the counter to go along with your coffee/tea.

Luxurious truffles anyone?

The event kicked start with a showcase of Godiva’s dessert selection. We were also being fed with some finger food before we make our hands dirty making some chocolate goodies.

chocolate macarons

Surprisingly, the macarons were not too sweet! The shell broke and shattered immediately we put em’ into our mouths and the inner part of the macaron was so soft and moist!

*blink*

Our chocolate tasting session began shortly after Yazeed, the brand manager of Godiva gave us an introduction on Godiva Chocolate.

Do you know that like wine, chocolate connoisseurs explore all the delicious details of their favourite food by the look, the smell and the taste.

We started with some mass-produced chocolate that contains much less cocoa and fats other than cocoa butter, hence the light/minimal hint of cocoa taste. The surface of the chocolate appears to be mottled and matte due to uncontrolled crystallization of cocoa butter.

Good chocolates should have a glossy shine, with a strong smell of cocoa butter and melt easily in your mouth without sticking all over.

The bloggers were given opportunities to learn about tempering chocolate. This is the technique used to melt and cool chocolate so it sets firm and shiny at room temperature. We also dip, decorate and package our chocolate treats into our own gift box.

melt the chocolates…

make our own chocolate lollipops…

the finished products…

chocolate fondue in the making…

Ciki, Su and Citygal…

KampungBoy reviving his childhood memories with these chocolate lollipops…

with the gorgeous Kimberly…

with Su, my dedicated team mate who does most of the work (hehe)…

Godiva is also debuting The Ramadhan 2011 Collection with three different sizes of beautifully wrapped hampers – Jubilee, Impression and Jewel de Nile. The selection of chocolates and gift boxes were carefully hand picked.

Thanks to Godiva for having us up for such a fun and well organized event!

Godiva Chocolatier Cafe
Level 2
Pavilion
Jln Bukit Bintang
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 – 2142 5252

The best part of this place were the cute drawings that adorned the walls.

Sam Hepburn’s cute and cheeky illustrations were spotted too.

Mocha (RM 9)

Flat White (RM 8.50)

Cappuccino (RM 7.50)

Haute Food Co,’s coffee is brewed from Genovese coffee beans from Melbourne.

Ice Honey Lemon Tea (RM 8.00)

They have a variety of freshly made sandwiches that taste great! The smoked salmon sandwich and the roast beef sandwich were our favourites.

Specials of the Day – Slow Roast Lamb Wrap with Mint Yoghurt Sauce (RM 18.90)

Smoked chicken, sundried tomato pesto & cheese (RM 11.90)

Smoked salmon, red onion, capers & cream cheese (RM 14.90)

Roast beef, caramelised onions & mizuna (RM 13.50)

Special of the Day – Penne Pasta, Chili, Garlic and Seafood (RM 15.90)

Caramel Pecan Cheesecake

Dark Chocolate with Whiskey Cherry

Scones with Clotted Cream & Jam

Oh, it’s my birthday!

Thank you for celebrating my birthday. You guys are simple the best friends that anyone could ever ask for!

Not to forget KampungBoy, the most amazing and perfect boyfriend in the world!

wonderful gift from my wonderful friends.

The Hauta Food Co. is a prime example of simple food done well.The breakfast menu ranges from your toasts, to croissants, cereals and sandwiches, all for under RM20. The dessert menu rotates daily; and some of the selection that we had that day were a tad too sweet for our liking. The scones, on the other hand, were moist, light and fluffy. The combination of great food at reasonable prices, served in a warm and friendly atmosphere, offers a perfect dining experience for us.

Getting Here:

I text-ed Ivy almost immediately, “let’s do lunch at Nathalie’s!” and she replied promptly “OK”. I know that my lunch companion is as excited as me; for our love for all things fine (but could not afford it most of the time :p).

While some may find Nathalie’s Gourmet Studio hard to locate, just look out for Pink Sage and take the escalator all the way up. There will be signs that guide you to the restaurant.

The interior is simple and tasteful; with exposed steel beams, simple wooden furniture and beautiful, glowing lightning.

At one side of the premise, we spotted a fully equipped, professional kitchen where Chef Nathalie conducts cooking classes.

I love the open kitchen concept which allows diners to witness the careful preparations of Chef Nathalie and her team in a pristine and busy kitchen.

salt & pepper

complimentary bread & butter

Apple Tatin Tart, on a Brioche Base, Pan Fried Duck Liver, Apple Juice Sauce (RM 32).

Think crumbly and crunchy brioche, slabs of rich creamy pan fried duck liver that literally melts in your mouth, caramelised slices of apple tatin and saliva inducing apple juice sauce – and you get and explosion of flavors and textures in your mouth.

Green Capsicum Tagliatelles, Gorgonzola and Chives Sauce (RM 33)

After the good start we continued towards the main courses. Our hand made tagliatelles was rough and porous in texture; almost akin to our local pan mee but less dough-y and chewy. The gorgonzola and chives sauce was rich, but not too overwhelming. Overall it was a simple and decent pasta dish but we found it to be lack of surprise/excitement in comparison.

Duck Breasts Stuffed with Blueberries and Italian Parsley, Creamy Hazel Nut Polenta, Hazelnut Emulsion (RM 40)

Our duck breasts were tender and soft to the bite, and the blueberries and chives stuffing accentuates the flavor even more. The bed of hazelnut polenta was soft, creamy and soft; it almost felt like we are indulging on some form of dessert.

Foam sauces seems like a norm in Nathalie’s cooking; and we usually mop up all the delicious sauce with some fresh crusty bread.

Mont Blanc, Chestnut Sorbet (RM 22).

Probably one of my all time favourite desserts because I LOVE chestnut puree. And I really adore Nathalie’s version. The meringue base was crunchy on the outside with a soft, airy texture on the inside. The chestnut puree was soft and creamy, with a sweet nutty flavor.

A meal at Nathalie’s is not complete without tasting some of her signature macarons. So colourful and pretty that they were practically calling to me through the glass window!

macarons – Praline & Pistachio

Having tasted too many sub-standard macarons in the past, I was a bit skeptical. I mean how good can a macaron be? It’s always sickeningly sweet, with thick jaw breaking shells. It turned out, I was wrong! When our teeth meet the thin, delicate shell, it breaks and shatters immediately. The inner part of the macaron is soft and moist. And the best part is, none of these lovely round morsels is too sweet.

flat white – a comforting way to end the meal

All in all. the food is exceptionally good and the menu changes every month but do prepare to leave with a lighter wallet.

Would I go back? Yes for special occasions and if you’re buying, I will accompany you!

Nathalie’s Gourmet Studio
Unit 4-1-5 Solaris Dutamas
Jalan Dutamas
50480 Kuala Lumpur
contact@nathaliegourmetstudio
03 62 07 95 7
019 666 05 28

Complementary Salad – a creative combination of mandarin oranges, jambu air & leafy greens but the dressing tasted bland. It probably needs more seasoning to intensify the flavor.

Wild Mushroom Soup – thick, creamy, earthy with a velvety, slightly chunky finish.

French Onion Soup – lovely combination of crusty bread with melted cheese and rich, flavorful broth.

Lamb Cottage Pie – velvety smooth mashed potatoes with generous portions of chunky succulent lamb cubes hidden beneath. So comforting and satisfying!

Baked Fish topped with Cheese & Oats – a crispy, non greasy delicious piece of fish over a bed of spaghetti coated in tomato sauce.

Huck Seng – the chef

Pot-roast Meatloaf (chicken) – thick slices of juicy meatloaf & chickpeas served in a tangy tomato based sauce. I find the sauce a tad too sour for my liking.

Yam Basket – The rich and velvety yam basket, fried to a golden crisp, contains chicken fillets and assorted greens was delicious. The food portion is humongous too!

Undivided Lemon – Huck Seng told us that this dessert was created by accident and it became a hit among friends & families! The cake was name as such because every part of the lemon – the juice, the zest, the pulp is used.

the undivided couple with their undivided lemon cake.

hope you guys like the pressies!

Chris can’t wait to try on his new shirt!

kbcg & Christine

Deinhard & Co. Green Label QbA 2008 from wineactually.com, a Malaysian online wine merchant site.

There isn’t a better reason to celebrate good time with a glass of good wine. Look for Shaun or Wilson from wineactually.com, and trust me to trust the wine enthusiasts’ recommendation!

A toast to the birthday boy & girl! May this next year bring you the very best of happiness, health, and fortune.

For a more detailed review on Huck’s Cafe, read here.

Word spreads just as fast as bush fire because Plan B looks like it’s crowded ALL the time, at least in peak hour. Well, what’s not to like about Plan B?

It is an experience to simply browse through the extensive selection of pastries and breads displayed at the island and savoring the beautiful delicacies inside the glass dome cake stand. Tempting customers by the front door is a large glass display of jewel-like displays of mouth watering desserts.

simple menu with dog clips

The furniture and decor had a sort of vintage industrial feel to it. We spotted some old school black round electrical sockets, chandeliers made of steel pipe, and the wall mounted TVs were playing black and white P Ramlee movies.

Watermelon Lychee & Lychee Lime (RM 8 each). These drinks reminds me very much of my favorite thirst quenchers from Delicious Cafe.

Moroccan Lamb Meatballs with Spaghetti (RM 19) in smoky eggplant and tomato sauce. The meatballs were amazingly juicy and delicious, and the pastas were well coated in a delightful tangy tomato pasta sauce. What a tantalizing combination!

Spicy Crabmeat Linguine (RM 19). There’s a lot of briny and sweet crab in our simple pasta dish. The clever use of kaffir lime and lemongrass gives it a subtle yet crisp citrus taste. And the flavor of the spicy prawn oil is very pleasant.

Duck Confit Ciabatta (RM 24) with caramelised onions, radicchio, watercress & toasted walnuts. It was another main course that we thoroughly enjoy but the chef is a little too stingy on the duck confit.

We had such a hard time picking a dessert, everything look so good! We settled with a Chocolate Fudge Cake (RM 10) but it was a bad choice! Imagine sweet fudge on top of a very sweet cake, it was just too sweet. And the inside of the cake was stale.

Macadamia Caramel Cheese Cake (RM 13). Light, creamy and nutty, the cheesecake was a crowd winner. However, I find the price a little too steep for its dainty size.

CL, LP & me. My hot friends (on the left) are both single and available!

Plan B is brought to you by the ex owner of Delicious Group, who is currently running the BIG group, who also owns Canoodling and For Goodness Sake. They seems to have the winning recipe in running a F&B business. I love the food, the concept and the ambiance that Plan B creates. However, I hope that the management can do something to improve the quality of the restaurant service. Service was painfully slow, and we had to continuously ask for water, cutlery and menu.

Plan B
Gr Floor, Bangsar Village I.
Opens from morning to 10pm.

The house is beautifully converted to a cafe like setting, with beautiful garden and Balinese theme man made pond.

The owner/chef, Huck Seng learns cooking to impress his three children (ya la! he’s married!). He is not trained as a chef, but he improvised along the way and his cooking is a hit among friends and families! Soon enough, friends came over for dinner and eventually they brought along more guests (friends of friends). That’s how the whole idea of starting up a home cafe was borne.

We made a reservation for a Sunday night and showed up a little late. We sipped on a refreshing drink (Basil Seed Mint Soda) while touring the place.

snacks – mini wonton with spicy shrimps

It was a rainy night and coincidentally, we were presented with two types of soups as our starters.

Sweet, rich and creamy; the pumpkin soup was a great tummy warmer. Instead of squashing everything together, the chef has thrown in some bite sized pumpkin cubes in there.

However, the asparagus soup was “lifeless” in taste and a tad too salty for me.

The Grilled Salmon Garlic Asparagus with Lime Rice was cooked perfectly and was delicious. And the crackly crispy salmon skin is the best bit!

Chicken Cordon Bleu with Baked Apples. The cheese was oozing out as we sliced it across – a picturesque scene! The chicken meat was plump and juicy. If you noticed, Huck’s version of cordon bleu is baked as a healthier and less greasy alternative compared to the original recipe that ask for deep frying.

Lemon Roast Chicken (whole bird, feeds 4) is the house specialty. I told Huck that the chicken dish is very “Jamie Oliver” and he laughed, admittedly told me that Jamie Oliver’s recipe is a source of inspiration for him as a chef. It is a simple and fail-proof recipe – just push  garlic cloves, whole lemon, rosemany and thyme into the cavity, then put the chicken intoa roasting tray. However, timing is crucial, and it is based on your experience most of the time.

As easy as it sounds, the chicken dish turned out to be amazingly juicy and flavorful

Wild Rocket Chili Chicken Spaghetti. Looks can be deceiving, as the mild looking pasta dish turned out to be quite spicy! It was delicious; and we enjoyed slurping up the spicy strands.

House Wine

Ginger Ale

By the time we were done with our food we were stuffed to the brim but Huck brought in more desserts! The Banana Chocolate Brownies with Ice Cream was really good. I haven’t had a good brownies for a very long time and their version surprises me! Soft, moist, buttery, nutty, and chocolaty with a hint of banana flavour; it was a big hit at our table.

Same goes for the rich, decadent and delicious Chocolate Mud Pie Ice Cream, it was so good!

The Creme Brulee was so smooth, rich and creamy! And the sugar coating is caramelized beautifully!

There’s no better way to end a big meal with a cup of brewed coffee!

the comrades

All in all, Huck’s Cafe is a beautiful hidden gem that serves quality food at a very reasonable price. Huck’s Cafe charges RM68 nett per pax for a three course meal with beverages included. Reservation is a MUST and can be made via their FB page.

Huck’s Cafe
26, Jalan 5/58,
Gasing Indah,
46000 Petaling Jaya.
Selangor.
Tel: 603-7781 2781

It was the answer given by Hans, one of the owners of D Legends Bar when we asked him why is everything in the menu so reasonably priced (below RM 18 for all items).

Touted as a neighbourhood bar, D Legend Bar always believe in giving their customers the best value under the sun. It is also a place where you can just come in your shorts and slippers and dine with all the great legends like James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, Michael Jackson and the likes.

The sleek and functional bar, where all the action is, with flair bartenders, flaming cocktails and a killer menu.

And in D Legends Bar, every night is ladies’ night!

Drop by and enjoy the ladies only promotion – 3 cocktails of the day for RM 50 nett. Everyday a different cocktail is offered.

Monday
Batidas – Your choice of strawberry or passion fruit flavour.
Havana rum, Fresh lime, Fruits

Tuesday
Martini
Bombay Sapphire gin, Dry Vermouth, Olives, Lemon twist

Wednesday
Cosmopolitan
Absolut vodka, Triple Sec, Cranberry juice, Lemon squeeze

Thursday
Margarita – Your choice of original, strawberry, or green apple flavour.
Jose Cuervo tequila, Triple Sec, Lime juice

Friday
Long Island Tea
Absolut vodka, Havana Club rum, Bombay Sapphire gin, Jose Cuervo tequila, Triple Sec, Lemon juice, Coke

Saturday
Mojito
Havana Club rum, Mint, Lime, Soda

Sunday
Sex on the beach
Malibu, Orange juice, Cherry syrup

If you’re adamant and you want a beer then you can opt for 3 full pints of Kilkenny, Guinness or Tiger for RM50 nett every night. And you are allowed to mix.

For starters, we had the Samosa (RM 8 nett) served with Han’s grandmother’s home made mint chutney. It is an extremely flavorful condiment and is the perfect accompaniment to the freshly made, piping hot samosas. I just couldn’t help marveling at just how tasty it was!

The highly recommended Mushroom Tapas (RM10 nett) came next. The mushroom sauce was rich, creamy, earthy and slightly sweet. Served together with toasted baguettes, it makes a perfect finger food.

We were fortunate enough to sample another recipe from Han’s grandmother – the Chicken Tikka (RM12 nett) served with yogurt mint chutney. It came in a beautiful hue of red and the meat is well marinated and flavorful. My only gripe would be the slightly tough texture of the meat.

The Fish in Lemon Sauce (RM 18 nett) is probably the only item that we didn’t like that night. The fish slices were dry and flaky while the lemon sauce was a little too tangy for me.

Hans takes pride in the d Legends Pork Burger (RM 15 nett) but it must be really something. Made from minced pork meat, the patty was thick and juicy. Though not the best pork burger in our list, it is a simple and amazingly satisfying dish.

The fabulous Shepherd’s Pie (RM 15 nett) oozes full on flavour. It was rich and rewarding, the lamb chunky and the mashed top was cheesy.

Chocolate mud cake with vanilla ice cream (RM12 nett) was a bit typical and nothing to shout about.

The Apple Pie (not in the menu, yet) is another chef’s family recipe. Ah, don’t you just love family-run restaurant? The apple filling was delicious with hints of cinnamon flavour but the chef was pretty heavy-handed on salt that night.

Partners in Crime – Christine & Aiwei

There are some nice vibes at D Legends Bar. The beer is flowing and the people are always happy. The staffs are kind, courteous and always make you feel welcome.

D’LEGEND BAR
24, GROUND FLOOR,
JALAN DATUK SULAIMAN,
TAMAN TUN DR ISMAIL,
60000 KUALA LUMPUR
TEL: 03-7725 6270
OPENING HOURS:
5 PM – 2 AM ( WEEKDAYS)
4 PM – 2 AM ( WEEKDAYS)
(same row as Mama’s Kitchen)

From top left: two VIP rooms that require a minimum spending of  RM150, the charcoal wall that works its magic in absorbing moisture and unpleasant odour, I like how they decorate the ceiling with old flour sacks, round compressed tea and delicate tea cups.

Unlike its KL counterparts, the Ipoh outlet serves more like a tea house by serving light bites and a few main dishes.

The lady who run the place, Madam Hew is very friendly and she is a great help in recommending some specials to our table.

My Green Tea Latte (RM 5.80) was was decent, if not passable. I found it to be rather diluted and weak.

Madam Hew recommeneded their signature Sweet Potato Balls that comes with a Green Tea mayonnaise dipping sauce. The potato balls were not too sweet and not oily at all. However, I find it rathe expensive to pay RM5.80 for 8 measly size balls.

Hot Tea Soup (part of set). The savory soup is deliciously infused with Chinese tea, but not overpowering.

Set Menu

Black tea curry chicken served with choice of Long Jing green tea rice/Wan Tan Mee/Chee Cheong Fun, Rose Egg Custard, Hot Tea with choice of Cane’s Puer/Jasmine/Green Tea – RM 16.80

Cooked without coconut milk, this is a healthy and hearty curry dish that will leave you without guilt. The curry sauce was really addictive, and went really well with our green tea infused white rice.

We also tried the Fried Handmade Noodle with Lei Cha (RM12.80). This is a fun and interesting twist on classic fried noodles. Every strands is well coated with a light hint of lei cha flavour. My only gripe was that the noodles were a tad too soft.

Golden bean curd with tea mill served with green tea dipping sauce (RM8.80). Deep fried to perfection, bite through the crispy exterior and be welcome by the soft blend of vegetables and tea leaves. Excellent!

the green tea dipping sauce – cute isn’t it?

Rose Egg Custard (part of set, ala-carte RM3.80). It was served with a small cup of jasmine tea and we were told that we are supposed to take a sip after each spoonful of custard. It was eggy, soft and smooth.

The food in Purple Cane Tea House was not life changing or anything like that,  but deemed to be a good choice whenever we are craving for something healthy, light and tasty. Purple Cane Tea House is also an excellent place to chill out or to meet up with friends.

PURPLE CANE TEA HOUSE
No 2, Jalan Dato Tahwil Azar (Osborne Street)
30300 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.
Telephone : 605-253 3090/6012-668 3090.
Business hours: 9am – 10pm daily.