KAMPUNGBOYCITYGAL A MALAYSIAN FOOD & TRAVEL BLOG

Nestled in a 100-year-old building in the heart of Chinatown, Ril’s Steakhouse opened its door last December with the aim of providing KL-ites with the best meat in the city. We chose to have our Christmas dinner here after hearing some good comments about the food. Parking could be an issue. We parked at an open car park on a back alley about 50 meters before Ril’s Steakhouse and the 50 meters walk was pretty terrifying. We felt as if we could get robbed/mugged any time because Jalan Tun HS Lee was dead quiet at night.

Taking the parking issue aside, The Warehouse Gallery and Cafe which houses Ril’s Steakhouse is a nice place. One can take a stroll to admire the art work on display or simply enjoy a cuppa.

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Famous for their aroma and taste, truffles are the jewels in Italy’s gastronomic crown and Garibaldi is offering a special menu as part of white truffle season, which started in October and lasts till January.

Haiing from our neighbouring country of Singapore, Garibaldi is perhaps one of the most renowned Italian restaurants in town.

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With stylish new cafes popping out by the dozens since late last year, Publika @ Solaris Dutamas is my current (f00d) playground. This time we found ourselves at The Red Beanbag, a modern contemporary Australian-inspired café situated same row as our favourite French Bistro – Nathalie Gourmet Studio.

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

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Antipodean – pronounced “an·tip·o·de·an” (adj)

means

(1) coming from or relating to Australia or New Zealand

(2) Ancient Greek: anti “opposed” pous “foot” opposite points on the globe.

Antipodean is a kiwi style cafe that has taken the city by storm.Serving good coffee and delicious breakfast spread, this little premise is packed to the brim almost every morning. Expect to see expats with kids and/or their pets in tow, as this place is extremely child/animal friendly. Hence securing a table can be a difficult matter, so it is better to come in a group of 2-4 as they have only 2 tables which catered to a bigger group.

Antipodean Cafe carries an Aussie vibe – filled with lifting coffee aroma, cramped but cozy interior and buzzing with activities.

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Merry Christmas to our dear readers! The festive season has left us a pound or two overweight, so an organic post Christmas brunch is just what we needed the most. Even our good friends felt the need to cleanse after the inevitable Christmas excesses too, hence we agreed to meet up at Haven.

Haven is not just a cafe, it is a green space with wholesome food, healthy juices, good coffee, organic fresh produce and even skin/body care:

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/

Set among the tranquil greenery of Eastern Nursery in Sri Hartamas, Coffee in Love is a place to sit back and relax whilst enjoying a delicious cup of Columbian coffee with home made cupcakes. The café is a mixture of retro, nostalgia, and quirkiness. I love the charming table settings and the travel collectibles and toys which the owners have collected over the years. I read about the start up story from their website:

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)

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Located inside a shop lot behind Viva Residency; Tommy Le Baker is a hidden gem of a great taste experience. Having live in France for over a decade, Tommy returned home and started his own pastry venture here. I was there on a rainy evening and chatted with Tommy about the place. Desserts are taken very seriously in French culture, Tommy said. He also deters mass-producing desserts with artificial colouring and flavouring. Hence, Tommy’s creation are 100% au natural with no preservatives or sugar added. He is also a traditionalist, with emphasis on craftsmanship in bread making.

When I ate that sourdough bread I could taste his passion for his product, and the heart and soul that turned mere dough into a masterpiece. My only gripe was the limited choices available – sourdough country bread, wholemeal bread, normand bread, grains and cereal bread, traditional French baguette, croissants, quiches and the occassional sweet offerings. I was told to come back towards the end of December as his apprentice is coming back to join Tommy.

I can’t wait!

Tommy Le Baker,
Viva Residency, Jalan Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur.
Open Tues-Sun, 10am till evening.
Tel: 03-4043-2546
Facebook page here.

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If you are going to be stuck in traffic along Jalan P Ramlee or Jalan Sultan Ismail, why not make a detour to Nagomi Japanese Restaurant? Every weekdays from 6pm to 10pm, one gets to enjoy shabu shabu buffet with over 80 varieties for only RM 32.80++ here. The buffet is also available during weekends and public holidays, from 12noon to 230pm and from 6pm to 10pm.

At-Nagomî Shabu-Shabu, each person has their own individual pot, allowing them to choose their own broth and customize their meal. One can opt to add in kimchi paste, ginger paste or spicy miso toban paste into their Nagomi signature soup base for that extra kick too.

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Few weeks back, I braved the rain to attend a food review session at Racks, a newbie in Changkat BB which specialises in porcine goodies. Racks is owned by Paul Corrigan, Shu Min Lim and Paul James, who also run The Magnificent Fish ‘n Chips and Havana Bar along the same road on Changkat Bukit Bintang. The place boasts a casual interior and a laid-back vibe. Look up and you can see witty quotes adorning the brick wall.

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

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Focusing on non halal local hawker fare, it is not difficult to guess that the newly opened E.A.T Food Village at Publika shopping gallery became my favourite lunching place. It brings together some of the best hawker food vendors from Klang Valley and North Peninsular Malaysia under one (air-conditioned) roof.

The decor reminds diner of yesteryear; with shop facades that look as though time freezes at 1950’s, Chinese calligraphy, poems, paintings and lingering Chinese oldies.

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Gourmands celebrate the opening of Samplings on the Fourteen in Berjaya Time Square Hotel six months back. It wasn’t until recently that we finally stepped into the restaurant upon Siew Yee’s gracious invitation.

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This is a much-belated review of our dinner at the Rama V on our seventh anniversary a couple weeks ago.

Thanks to KampungBoy who made it home in time. There’s almost nothing in the world as sweet and romantic as my boyfriend.

We chose to dine at Rama V, as we are looking for a taste of something different. Quietly tucked away from the busy district of Kuala Lumpur, Rama V offers traditional Thai cuisine in a fine dining atmosphere.

The interior is decorated with an effort towards elegance. There is some subtle Thai cultural iconography that endorses the room as well.

We were seated by the glass panel, overlooking the water pond which was nice for a date night.

As far as the food goes, it was what you would expect from your average Thai establishment: various stir-fried options, soups, grilled items, etc.

Thai Ice Tea (RM 12). My choice of drink was horrible; overly sweet with only a mild hint of tea flavour.

Chor Ladda (RM 28) – Flower Shaped Dumplings Stuffed with Minced Chicken and Peanut

The blue colored flower shaped dumplings were beautifully presented. I loved the sweet-savory taste of the minced chicken and peanut filling but the skin was too thick and chewy for my liking.

Tom Yam Kung Mae Nam (RM 25) – Tom Yam River Prawn served in Young Coconut

The hot and spicy tom yam soup was brimming with seafood but the ingredients were not fresh as it should be.

Our order of Roast Duck Curry (RM 28) with Lychee turned out pretty good. The spiciness of the red curry, the sweetness of the lychees and the saltiness of the duck, combine to make a delicious simmering dish.

Thai Steamed Fish with Lime Juice (RM 65). It was served over a portable furnace of smoking embers in a fish shaped metal dish.

This enables the sauce to bubble away and stay warm while we eat it. We really enjoyed the spicy, sour and tangy flavours of the soup based sauce and the fresh, succulent fish.

Our total damage was RM 180++, can’t complain given that it is a Thai fine dining restaurant. Though there is some hits and misses on the food, the low lighting and lovely decor make this a place to remember.

Last but not least, I just want to take this chance to tell KampungBoy how much he means to me. Happy anniversary my love! I’m glad I found you.

Rama V
No. 5 Jalan U Thant
55000 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-21432663
Opening Hours: 11am-3pm, 6.30pm-11pm

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