Eat Drink KL

Fukuden is a spin-off of KL's long-enduring favourite Fukuya; the two restaurants are located across the road from each other, but Fukuden, which opened this year, isn't exactly a crowd magnet so far.

Prices could be a problem here; Fukuden has a distinctive hook, offering robatayaki cooking in the evening, but its mainly imported seafood is budget-busting, with a scallop on the shell at RM70, king tiger prawns for RM42 each & assorted fish at 'market prices' that can easily exceed RM100 apiece.

Plenty of air-flown beef & veggies available as well at the atmospherically alluring robata counter.

Everything's charcoal-grilled slowly in a traditional fashion; take your time to linger here.

We settled for the cheapest fish we could find: Three pieces of Hokkaido shishamo (RM15 before taxes).

Miso-marinated chicken (RM30). For what it's worth, the food is flavoursome & well-prepared, with a succulent smokiness.

That was about all the protein we could afford, so we moved on to Japanese sweet potatoes (RM18) ...

... a whole onion (RM22) ...

... & leeks (RM8). For lunch (as well as dinner), Fukuden serves no-pork ramen, sushi rolls & tempura.

Amazingly, alcohol will likely prove more affordable than the food at Fukuden.

Fuku Den

10 Jalan Delima, Off Jalan Imbi, Kuala Lumpur

Lunch & dinner, except Sundays (lunch only). Tel: 03-2141-6939

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As a separate initiative, the latest edition of Eat Drink KL: 100 Favorites for January-March 2014 is now online, featuring 100 pretty nice eateries, including more than 20 new entries for this quarter. This eBook of restaurant recommendations is available for free, convenient reading on computers, tablets & smartphones at this link: http://eatdrinkkl.publ.com/Eat-Drink-KL-100-Favorites-Jan-March-2014 (This link expires March 31, 2014; see blog entries after that date for new link).

Returning to Subang's Jibby & Co, this time to try its lunch & dinner selection. Earlier entry on Jibby's breakfast: March 23.

Start with salads: Jibby serves fresh, hearty ones with fun twists, such as this visually tantalising version of Salad Nicoise (RM28 before taxes) that substitutes tuna with blue swimmer crab meat (a step up, for sure), combined with tomatoes, corn, new potatoes, half-boiled eggs, french beans, baby romaine, onions & boiled eggs with a sesame dressing.

Panko-crumbed boiled egg with salmon, asparagus spears, zucchini, dill, edamame, ikura & seeded mustard dressing (RM29), a princely portion that could easily work as a main course.

An eclectic list of light bites is also available, ranging from salted egg yolk chicken 'popcorn' (RM22, leaning a little more toward wet than creamy) to hummus with minced lamb & pine nuts.

Whole soft-shell crab burger on brioche (RM29), a big treat for fans of this crispy crustacean, coupled with Asian coleslaw, spicy mayo & sweet potato fries.

Not everything here's a smash hit though; we wanted to like this appealing-looking pizza, topped with Moroccan-inspired lamb shank meat, pine nuts, roasted aubergine, za'atar herbs, natural yoghurt & baby spinach (RM35), but it was less punchy-tasting than expected, with a base that evoked supermarket-variety crusts. But no point being negative & dwelling on this.

Lots of cakes in the chiller; temptations include Vogue (RM16.50, fraisier genoise sponge, mousseline cream, vanilla & strawberries), Meteora (five-layer hazelnut dacquoise, praline & paste), apple cakes with almond crumble, chocolate pavlovas, lemon meringue tarts, nutella cakes & more.

Jibby & Co is strictly halal, as is much of Empire Shopping Gallery; there seem to be only four or five outlets in this mall _ such as Italiannies _ where customers can unwind in the evening over wine & cocktails.

Italiannies _ mercifully less than a three-minute stroll from Jibby & Co _ has a lounge at the back that's hidden but spacious, ideal for escaping the crowds.

The house wines at Italiannies are OK, but the cocktails aren't, barely befitting their deceptively low RM20+ price tag. The Mojito is more fizz than liquor, while the Sangria is artificial-tasting & cloying.

Jibby & Co

GK11, Empire Shopping Gallery, Subang Jaya

Tel: 03-5613-7070

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Craving carbs? Pretzel Power to the rescue! California-based chain Wetzel's Pretzels has opened its first Malaysian outpost in Sunway Pyramid, promising doughy delights that taste fresh & hot from the oven.

A different kind of pretzel for every type of taste bud, from plain salted/unsalted ones that start from RM3 to premium varieties enriched with garlic butter, sour cream & onion, cheese, pepperoni, cinnamon, chocolate or almonds (up to RM5 per pretzel).

These flavoursome pretzels are the soft-baked sort but they still supply a pleasant chew, substantial but not strenuous. Hearty enough to be filling meals, not simply a snack. Our only possible complaint: they're pretty oily.

Sure, these are entirely empty calories of the fast-food variety, but they sure put the pleasure in 'guilty pleasure.'

Also fun to try: Wetzel Bitz, convenient RM5 bags of bite-sized pieces of pretzel.

We have to confess to also liking the Wetzel Cheese Dog (RM9), a thick-&-long beef frankfurter wrapped in cheesy-crusty pretzel dough. A trillion calories consumed in 10 minutes.

Wetzel's Pretzels Malaysia

LG2, Sunway Pyramid, Petaling Jaya. Near McDonald's, near skating rink.

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Only four or five restaurants are open so far at the One City Skypark 10th-floor rooftop, so hungry customers have few options, making Khrua Thai a venue that can get crowded as the evening progresses.

Folks mostly head to this rooftop to take in the view; some stay on to eat, but others might be wary of the higher prices here.

Steamed mixed seafood in foil (RM28 before taxes). The food's OK, though portions are certainly not generous, so customers might need to either spend at least RM40 per person or risk leaving a bit peckish.

Deep-fried soft-shell crab. RM48 before taxes for three flat ones? Not cool, though to be fair, the illustrated menu did indicate that there would only be three pieces of crab served.

Salted egg yolk squid (RM30). Lots of squid recipes on the menu, from butter-fried to curry to steamed with lemon, tom yam to kam heong. For better or worse, the menu extends beyond being purely Thai.

Stir-fried chicken with cashew nuts (RM20), a dish that leaves no lingering impression here.

Stir-fried paku-pakis with garlic (RM18). Capably prepared is probably the easy description for this.

Note: Patience will be a virtue if the kitchen finds itself swamped. During this restaurant's early weeks, customers sometimes had to wait more than an hour for their food, but the situation has likely improved since then (we hope).

Khrua Thai
Sky Park, One City, Jalan USJ 25/1, Subang Jaya, Selangor

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The Atlantic, a bustling seafood restaurant in Melbourne's Southbank, prides itself on an “ocean-to-plate” philosophy of serving wild, sustainable fish and top-drawer oysters flown in daily from all across Australia.

The ocean’s bounty shines here through recipes that respect their delicate ingredients and preserve the purity of their flavours. “We treat our seafood like a lady. You absolutely can’t mess around with it,” declares Donovan Cooke, The Atlantic's executive chef since 2010.

Still, for this meal, the restaurant proved that it's no slouch with meat, displaying all the discernment of a well-honed kitchen with this Wagyu bresaola with quail yolk & heritage cauliflower.

Truffled chicken wings with hand-rolled macaroni & broccoli crumbs. A dish that delivers delicious complexity.

The star of the show: Olive oil confit of Ora King Salmon with etuve of spring veggies, diamond clams, artichoke essence, confit tomatoes & soft herb emulsion.

Even the sides are well worth finishing: Crushed kipfler potatoes with parsley, black olives & olive oil, plus radicchio salad fennel with pears & lemon olive oil dressing.

Desserts emerge in sweet succession: Berry cheesecake trifle, featuring raspberry cheesecake foam, cream cheese ice cream, vanilla cookies, strawberry jelly & berry marmalade.

Nougat with Valrhona white chocolate, pistachios & cranberries.

Salted caramel peanut crunch.

The Atlantic
Crown Entertainment Complex, 8, Whiteman Street, Southbank, Melbourne.

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Bangsar's Hidden Cafes, Part I: This month, Bangsar welcomes not one, not two, but three new cafes hidden in unlikely locations, each extremely different from the others. Let's start with PULP, the one that has opened with the biggest buzz.

PULP rests in the shadow of Riong's Balai Berita building, the head office of the New Straits Times Press. It occupies a site that was previously the paper-cutting space for the nearly 50-year-old Art Printing Works factory & storehouse.

PULP is run by respected Singaporean coffee boutique Papa Palheta, the people behind the city-state's Chye Seng Huat Hardware & Loysel's Toy cafes; it might be the patriotic responsibility of every Singaporean expat in KL to support this place.

PULP's opening afternoon proved the most well-received of any KL cafe's in recent memory; the owners of numerous other establishments _ from Brewmen to Wondermama, Thirdwave to VCR _ could be spotted here, mingling with curious cats & eager beavers, ahead of an official launch in the evening by Singapore's high commissioner to Malaysia.

The pedigree, experience & expertise of the people behind PULP ensure that it's well worth visiting. This is a welcoming cafe with a friendly team, easygoing vibe, singular look & clean layout; even with the legion of coffee bars stirring in the Klang Valley every week, PULP looks poised to be one of 2014's best bets.

PULP _ a name with links to both paper & coffee _ will mean different things to different people: For most, it'll be a hangout where we can nibble on light bites & sip top-flight coffee or buy freshly roasted espresso blends & single-origin beans. But PULP also aims to be a sales & service centre for coffee gadgets & a space for professional training, cupping sessions & workshops.

It was a fortunate coincidence that we shared a table with Art Printing Works' Ee Chong Kok, one of the three brothers who've spearheaded the company since the 1960s. He explained that PULP is part of a vision _ led by younger members of his family _ to create a place that pays homage to the time-honoured traditions of printing while keeping the business relevant at this turning point of history when nearly everyone relies more on smartphones than paper.

This was the only cafe that had a press release prepared for its launch. Its current menu is kept simple & elegant _ accessible & not intimidating at all for casual coffee drinkers, but fascinating enough for people who might instantly associate phrases like "Brazil Cerrado"& "Indonesia Ratawali Valley" with coffee.

It's a beautiful balance _ the same description that's applicable to our coffee. You'll currently find La Cupula & La Flor Del Cafe (both Antigua Guatemala) & Blue Batak (Lake Toba) here ...

... plus medium-bodied cold-brew (Suke Quto, Ethiopia Sidamo) of _ according to the official description _ a candied sweetness & citrus acidity.

No lack of food, thankfully: Familiar, well-executed fare that ranges from chicken pies to mushroom quiches, carrot cakes to raisin scones & fruit tarts.

The Yin & Yang of PULP's desserts, one Eastern, the other from far West. We liked the lovely, fresh-tasting steamed pumpkin rice cake & the creamy-rich chocolate tart. Come right in, the food's fine.

We'll probably explore Bangsar's other two hidden cafes in this blog's next two entries. Want to find out even sooner? Subscribe to the Eat Drink KL weekly newsletter for free before midnight, Monday, March 31, for an advance peek. Subscription link here: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/5106C196432BB23D

PULP By Papa Palheta currently opens 9am-7pm weekdays (except Mondays) & 9am-10pm on weekends.

PulpbyPPP

Pulp By Papa Palheta

29-01, Jalan Riong, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-2201-3650

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Bangsar's Hidden Cafes, Part II: This month, Bangsar welcomes not one, not two, but three new cafes hidden in unlikely locations, each extremely different from the others. This one, Monkey Garage, is fuelled by both the passion & the playfulness of its co-founder Farah Janis & her two partners, all of them born in the Year of the Monkey.

Thousands of motorists drive past Maarof's Regal Valet auto specialist centre everyday, but few might peer deep within & realise that something surprising has stirred here.

Monkey Garage, yet another very friendly cafe, is partly inspired by Farah's travels _ specifically her visit to a cafe behind a train station in Zurich that served Swiss fare in a setting that seemed like a sanctuary for locals.

The cafe serves daily specials _ come on Tuesdays, when a lip-smacking Laksa Johor is available, the straight-from-the-south recipe with spaghetti & creamy fish-&-coconut gravy (RM13.90). On Wednesdays, there's nasi tomato & ayam masak merah, while Fridays are currently reserved for nasi lemak & rendang.

Sandwiches are offered too, everything from butter gipfel stuffed with scrambled eggs (RM7) to pumpkin wholegrain ciabatta with hot beef salami & baguette with chicken & cheese. Note that not everything is always available; Monkey Garage is not operating at full capacity so far.

And of course, desserts. The speciality seems to be the Congo Bar (RM5), basically a nutty blondie with chocolate chips ...

... though the milk chocolate cake with marshmallows, banana cakes & other confections might also tempt the sweet tooth.

Italian coffee, definitely drinkable. Lattes cost RM8 here, edging slightly toward the lower side of Bangsar's prices.

All in all, we spent a very pleasant couple of hours here. It's a nice place, certainly worth a visit for folks in this neighbourhood.

Part I of Bangsar's Hidden Cafes: PULP By Papa Palheta.
Part III: Coming up tomorrow.

Monkey Garage Cafe

Regal Valet, Jalan Maarof, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur

Weekdays, 930am-7pm; weekends, 930am-5pm

Tel: 03-2282-1282

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Bangsar's Hidden Cafes, Part III: This month, Bangsar welcomes not one, not two, but three new cafes hidden in unlikely locations, each extremely different from the others. The one that's the most secretive could be PCLO Cafe, an outdoor hangout on a Taman Bukit Pantai hill slope.

PCLO makes crafty use of a narrow space between a wall & the new Modvier hijab-&-jubah boutique, which (for extra privacy) conceals the cafe from the view of passers-by. Directions: From Maarof, driving from the Hindu temple toward Telawi, turn left on the tiny road immediately before the Petronas station. You'll see Modvier on your right.

For now, this partly shaded cafe might mainly be a one-man-show; on a recent weekend afternoon, Jeremy, an amiably chatty chap who says he's had eight years of experience in coffee distribution work, efficiently tackled everything from taking orders to making coffee & serving customers.

We liked the latte & double-shot espresso; both hit the spot for our personal preference in terms of taste, texture & temperature.

PCLO serves simple, satisfying snacks sourced from local independent F&B businesses, including no-frills shepherd's pies, well-made cakes & very pleasant brownies. Churros are on the menu too, though PCLO had run out of them when we visited.

Preservative-free popsicles by Pops Malaya, perfect for beating the heat. Flavours include pulpy orange-&-dried-apricot & honeydew-vanilla, made with real fruits & organic sugarcane sugar.

PCLO operates in collaboration with the colourfully stocked hijab shop. Interestingly, PCLO _ a reference to the piccolo latte _ has another cafe that might be more masculine-skewing in Bangi, at the Bikers Rendezvous motorcycle merchandise store.
Bangsar's Hidden Cafes, Part I: PULP By Papa Palheta. Part II: Monkey Garage by Regal Valet.

PCLO Cafe
Modvier Boutique, Jalan Riong, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur
Open Wed-Sun, noon through 9pm

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Also, take a look at the latest edition of Eat Drink KL: 100 Favourites, completely redesigned with a revamped look, featuring 100 recommended restaurants for April-June 2014, including more than 30 new entries for this quarter. This eBook is available to read or download at this link: http://eatdrinkkl.publ.com/Eat-Drink-KL-100-Favourites-Apr-Jun-2014 (Link expires June 30, 2014; see blog entries after that date for new link).

Hand-brewed coffee & hand-painted craftsmanship collide at Findars, a Chinatown space that's both a cafe & an art gallery.

Findars relocated this year from its former home in Wangsa Maju to this fourth-floor shop-lot on Panggong Road; a coffee bar tended by a sole barista was only partly operational when we visited on a serene Sunday afternoon in January, but it should be fully up & running now.

Meticulously prepared single-origin coffee, paired with raisin cereal cookies ...

... or almond dark chocolate cookies. Other food was not available at that point.

Hide your children! January's exhibition at Findars looked violently bloody; let's hope peace has since prevailed.

Findars is also a venue for Monday movie nights, Friday music performances & more. See www.facebook.com/FINDARS.

Findars shares its building with another art gallery downstairs, Lostgens' ...

... as well as Aku Cafe & Gallery on the first floor of this building, which will host an intriguing exhibition of experimental artwork titled "Off Gravity: Into Contemplation" by Penang contemporary artist TC Liew on April 25-June 29.
Entry on Aku Cafe & Gallery: July 22, 2013.

Findars @ Jalan Panggong

Findars
4th Floor, No. 8, Jalan Panggong, Kuala Lumpur
Mon-Fri, 6pm-midnight; Sat-Sun, 2pm-midnight

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Featuring Colombian coffee in uncommon preparations & an imaginative menu created by chef Nathalie Arbefeuille, this Colombian coffeehouse chain has opened its first Malaysian branch at The Intermark. This one could be a big, buzzy hit.

This Kuala Lumpur outpost is reputedly also the first Juan Valdez Cafe in Southeast Asia; it's a supremely photogenic hangout, colourfully spacious with beautiful flourishes, helmed by a helpfully friendly team. The Juan Valdez chain was created by Colombia's National Federation of Coffee Growers to promote their country's beans; through fair-trade policies, Juan Valdez's customers supposedly support some 500,000 farmers who grow their coffee on small farms.

The menu here is uniquely designed for this Malaysian branch, comprising European & South American elements. The lovably luscious salmon blini works wonderfully as a refreshing snack; certainly not cheap for RM10 per piece (especially when each piece can be finished in one mouthful), but this is top-notch. By the end of this week, Juan Valdez Cafe will also feature other tapas such as foie gras cremeaux on ginger bread & cod fish brandade tartine.

The selection will expand eventually to include interesting salads with ingredients like refried beans & gorgonzola cromesquis, as well as egg-bountiful brunches, but for now, customers can try waffles with coconut praline, chocolate sauce & cream (RM20) ...

... or fluffy pancakes with dulce de leche, maple syrup & whipped cream (RM18). Note that patience is a virtue here this week; the cafe's point-of-sale system is still wobbly & the kitchen takes longer than expected to prepare the food. Whiners, stay away.

The coffee? Juan Valdez uses beans from the Colombian coffee regions of Huila, Cauca & Santander; for something that's meant to be quintessentially Colombian though and more affordable, there's tinto (basically black coffee, RM8.50 for 9oz) with panela (whole cane sugar) for a light sweetness. Might provoke contentious debate; some might like this, some certainly won't.

Macchiato with a hint of milk caramel, alongside the South American traditional 'granizado' crushed-ice beverage. If nothing else, Juan Valdez's offerings are distinctive, a trait that should always be appreciated.

Beans & macarons for takeaway; here's hoping more branches of Juan Valdez will sprout all over Malaysia in the years ahead.

P.S. Juan Valdez might be in the process of securing a liquor license. Crossing our fingers.

Juan Valdez Cafe

Ground Floor, The Intermark, Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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Seeking Japanese fare in Kota Damansara? Sunway Giza's Sozo could prove a satisfactory stop.

Sozo's selection is wide & well-prepared; for a fairly priced order that's filled with fresh Japanese flavours, the heartiest bet might be this bara chirashi (RM25 before taxes), boasting plenty of chopped-up salmon, roe, tuna, crab stick & pickles over sushi rice.

The sashimi section supplies succulence in the shape of the hamachi belly (RM17.90), young yellowtail flesh that's one of the more intriguing items on the menu here.

Sozo's chef, who reputedly spent several years as the chef at Wisma Cosway's Ton Chan, recommends the tonkotsu ramen (RM25), complete with cha-siu, chunks of tender braised pork belly, corn & the soft, seasoned egg.

Gyoza is available too, meaty pan-fried ones that are reasonably juicy, with a competently executed exterior crisp.

Chinese influences also come into play in some of the recipes here, such as the Chinese cabbage.

Butter-fried squid (RM22.90), something nourishing with a pleasant home-cooked feel.

Comfort food, soul food, especially for egg lovers: An omelette-wrapped medley of crab stick & veggies.

Prefer eggplant to egg? There's that too, prepared with minced meat (RM15) to prove robustly tasty.

Many thanks to Sozo's Gavyn & Wee Kiat for hosting us for lunch at their very likeable restaurant.

Sozo Japanese Cuisine

Ground Floor, Sunway Giza Mall, Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya

Tel: 03-6150-7128 or 03-6143-7128

Sun-Thurs, 11am-1030pm, Fri-Sat 11am-midnight

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It's the sort of ambition that might be applauded: Respected Chinese restaurant Chef Choi launched its long-gestating sushi bar this week, seeking to put its own stamp on how to serve Japanese fare in KL.

Chef-owner Chan Thye Seng says he's striving to mainly showcase specialities that remain unavailable at Japanese outlets in this city. The four-seater bar, tucked at a corner of the main Chef Choi restaurant, is expected to eventually expand to comprise a teppanyaki counter & an udon compartment too.

For the most part, the sushi bar will be run by a sole chef, Ah Wai (though he might prefer to be known by his nickname 'Kimura'), who's had more than a decade of experience at restaurants ranging from Fukuya to Kaihomaru to Kin Shui Tei.

Take a chair at the counter to observe the meticulous preparation; note nevertheless that customers can still place orders for the sushi from the restaurant's regular tables.

Hirame sushi (RM22+ per piece). We wish we could say our meal was an unadulterated success, but there were issues that may require fine-tuning, including the rice. Chef Choi prepares the grains with less vinegar to preserve the spotlight on the flavours of the fish, but the batch of rice we tried was exceedingly bland _ not complementing the raw seafood in the slightest _ & strangely similar in both taste & texture to plain steamed rice.

It's tricky to tell whether these problems were a one-off thing or not, but freshness was also hit-or-miss; while it was interesting to order this Hokkaido scallop (RM78+), anatomically sliced for better differentiation of each section, it tasted slightly but recognisably past its prime. And while it's likely that future customers will have better luck once the sushi bar finds its stride, there's no certainty that we'd return, since prices here can be prohibitive.

Chef Choi serves chilled seafood instead of frozen, hoping that makes a discernible difference for the botan-ebi shrimp sushi (RM45+ each).

Baby, it's all in your head: Squishier sections of the shrimp aren't wasted, employed instead to crown another serving of sushi.

Kinki sushi (RM25+ each). Chef Choi claims it's the only one in KL that currently serves this; that might well be true. A distinctive choice, with a slice of rockfish that melts in the mouth.

Otoro sushi (RM42+), perhaps not quite as top-flight as anticipated.

Negitoro bowl (RM38); ultimately, the hurdle is probably the disconnect between the prices & our level of enjoyment for the food _ a conflict that isn't customary at KL's top Japanese eateries.

Sea urchin sushi (RM42+). Yep, this has all the makings of a budget-busting meal.

The coup de grace: Uni with Russian Beluga caviar. RM125+. Probably never again, for more reasons than one.

Chef Choi's marinated ginger is pungently punishing; more of a palate-killer than a cleanser.

P.S. On a positive note, Chef Choi possesses a friendly service team. And though this meal missed the mark, this restaurant's still a solid choice for Chinese cuisine & could certainly overcome its sushi bar's teething troubles. It wouldn't be too surprising to hear praise for Chef Choi's sushi in a matter of months or less.

Chef Choi

159, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.

Sushi available for lunch & dinner. Tel: 03-2163-5866

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Toying thoughtfully with contemporary notions of what KL's most memorable cafes can be, MainMain opened recently on a backstreet row of decades-old flats, perhaps a 200-metre walk from the Maharajalela monorail station; it could transform swiftly from a hidden secret to a huge success.

MainMain seems to be run by former newspaper reporters who spent many months creating this cafe, filled with salvaged furnishing for a playfully nostalgic effect that's well bolstered by a jukebox-era soundtrack that spans 'California Dreamin'' to 'Wooden Heart,''Oh! Carol' to 'Save The Last Dance For Me.'

The food here is mainly Chinese fare that's meant to feel comfortingly home-cooked, like this pumpkin-laced rice (RM9.90).

Chicken soup with Shaoxing wine (RM10.90). The menu's not wide, but there's enough for lunch here.

Desserts might also look reassuringly familiar, with the likes of pumpkin cakes ...

... plus pistachio cakes & chilled mascarpone with rum & raisin, all brought to us by the folks behind Poco Homemade.

MainMain steers clear of coffee, concentrating instead on a selection of premium Oriental tea. This one's rose-fragrant indeed.

Lots of lovely details here; worth a stop for customers seeking a calm little hideout for an hour or two.

Main Main Cafe
Jalan Choo Cheng Khay, Off Jalan Maharajalela, Kuala Lumpur
Daily, 11am-8pm. Tel: 03-9274-1124

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A haven for steak-lovers, Marble 8 is one of two new outlets opened this past month by the people behind Marini's On 57.

This bungalow restaurant is an impressive-looking space, elegantly stylish with dramatic flourishes; it also ranks among the most darkly lit fine-dining establishments in KL's history. Try to reserve a table with a Binjai park view of KL's glittering towers.

Marble 8 Steakhouse's pride is Diamantina Wagyu beef supplied by revered Australian breeders Stanbroke, dry-aged right here in this restaurant for between 21 and 40 days. The slabs are a sight to behold, for sure.

Chef Joshua Clunas, formerly of The Brisbane Club & working in KL for the first time, tackles the meat, a master-class in tenderness, sliced & seared by the table.

Boneless filet mignon (Marble Score 5+, RM280 before taxes for 180 grams), the most affordable choice for the dry-aged category. Other options: boneless rib-eye (RM420 for 350 grams), New York short loin on the bone (RM480 for 450 grams), tenderloin on the bone (RM650 for 450 grams) & tomahawk (RM2,100 for 1.8 kilograms).

Wet-aged Black Angus & Wagyu beef is also available, vacuum-sealed for at least 21 days. The most budget-friendly one: Black Angus centre cut tenderloin (Marble Score 3+, RM148 for 200 grams).

Each steak comes with one sauce & one condiment; the selection spans red wine jus, mushroom ragout, spicy tomato chutney, creamed horseradish, house-made barbecue sauce & assorted artisan mustards.

Marble 8's side dishes comprise temptations like horseradish-battered onion rings with English cheddar dip (RM18), rosemary salted rustic steak fries with truffle aioli, dressed momotaro tomatoes with sweet onions & basil, mashed potatoes with truffle pesto & whole baked potato with crispy beef lardons, sour cream & chives.

The menu nevertheless extends far beyond steaks, featuring the likes of Wagyu beef lasagna (RM88) & other red-meat recipes like beef tartare & grilled lamb rack.

Hand-rolled macaroni with smoked duck, shimeji mushrooms & veggies (RM58). Steakhouse staples such as crab cakes, Caesar salads, oysters, prawn cocktails, foie gras, butternut pumpkin soup, spring chicken, grilled lobster & cod fish are also available, all in more elaborate recipes than usual.

Desserts? Three options for now, of which the dulce de leche cheesecake with coffee-perfumed buttercream, pistachio nut praline & blueberry gel (RM32) certainly reads as the most intriguing.

No worries though; customers won't need to eat in order to visit Marble 8. The venue also features a separate M8 bar that comprises an indoor lounge & better still, a garden site that's ideal for a breezy night. It was still pretty peaceful when we visited on a recent weekend, but expect that to change soon.

Cocktails here ignite the imagination: Our best bet's the Ragged Ocean (lavender-infused Cragganmore 12 years, sugar, angostura bitters, saffron-infused orange bitters, for RM57), a masculine-skewing concoction with memorable complexities.

Wolfberry 8 (gin, wolfberries, grapefruit juice, passionfruit pulp, simple syrup, for RM38), a sweeter creation.

By the bottle, the wallet will be wounded the least by the Italian Montepulciano D'Abruzzo (RM168).

All in all, the perfect place to head to right now if your entertainment expenses have a higher-than-the-norm threshold.

There's one more new Marini's venue nearby; check back later this week to read about that one.

Marble 8 Steakhouse & M8 Bar by Marini's

Jalan Binjai, Persiaran KLCC, Kuala Lumpur. Beside The Binjai.
Daily for dinner. Tel: 03-2386-6030 (number works erratically)

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A punchy name & a massively meaty menu hold the key to inevitable notoriety & potential prosperity for this Hartamas newbie.

Pigs & ducks hog the limelight throughout both the restaurant's setting & the kitchen's selection; it's a cool, clever look for a casual neighbourhood nook, certainly a notch or two above the average pub, hamstrung only by a schizophrenic soundtrack that careens from Atlantic Starr to The Killers.

Naughty Babe Dirty Duck seeks to specialise in grilled pork ribs; half a slab here turns out to be stunningly humongous, more than sufficient for two to share & costing only RM38 before taxes.

Reasonably tender & fairly flavoursome; a porky pleasure with terrifically tasty accompaniments of tomato salsa & spicy sauce. Customers can also order more expensive Iberico loin ribs if they're willing to splurge.

Signature 'Dirty Duck' (RM32), featuring duck leg confit with deliciously crisp skin & not-too-dry flesh. One of the nice things about Naughty Babe Dirty Duck is that the sides for its main courses are surprising: this one comes with zucchini & sauteed yam laced with pork bacon.

Other attractions include a hearty char-broiled Sakura pork chop (worthwhile for RM28, though a tad on the tough side) with sweet potatoes, broccoli & what was meant to be cranberry sauce but tasted like mushroom sauce.

The pork burger's not bad (though a sunny-side-up might make it more enjoyable), with a juicy patty that proved thicker than expected. RM21. But what's really addictive on this plate ...

... is the hot-stuff mix of sweet potato fries (increasingly popular in the Klang Valley) & French fries; we'd happily eat an entire bucket of these freshly fried, crazy-crisp, insanely flavourful fries.

A bottle of Chilean Merlot clocks in at below RM100 here, poised to be a pleasant partner for the rest of this restaurant's unique offerings, which range from pork-&-duck soup to duck leg stuffed with turkey ham & pork bacon.

Naughty Babe Dirty Duck is currently open 4pm-1am daily but is likely to start operating from lunchtime next week.

Naughty Babe Dirty Duck Hot Stuff

42, Jalan 25/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-6211-9966 (a possibly unreliable number for now)

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Cold pasta, chilled seafood & cool cocktails constitute the hottest attractions at Suria KLCC's M Marini Caffe, one of two new venues unveiled this past month by the people behind Marini's On 57. For a look at Marini's other fresh offspring, the beef-loving Marble 8 Steakhouse & Bar at Binjai, click here.

M Marini Caffe takes up space amid big-ticket businesses like Versace, Cartier & Georgio Armani, so it might cater best to shoppers at those stores; the first page on the menu here features a selection of caviar, ranging from the roe of Petulama ocean trout & pike to top-flight Sevruga, Ossetra & Beluga that'll cost as much as plane tickets.

A crustacean bar occupies a place of pride here, with lobster & shrimp taking centre stage. Crudos are available, spanning raw servings of fresh Hokkaido scallops, tuna & more.

A variety of cold pasta comes recommended; this one features delicate strands of capellini mixed with 'ama ebi' spot prawns, salmon, avocado, yellow tomatoes & salmon roe (RM42).

Other pasta options can be crowned with the likes of momotaro tomatoes & burrata cheese; patrons willing to splurge can order a RM228 pasta with Sevruga caviar, oysters, truffle oil, chives & creme fraiche.

Irish native oysters come at RM8 per piece, a worthwhile choice, served with raspberry shallot vinaigrette & horseradish cocktail sauce. The pricier oysters include French Fine de Claire & Belon ones.

Salads prove more affordable: The signature recipe comprises roasted free-range chicken, poached organic eggs, sliced apples & 23 types of veggies from Australia, tossed in a kitchen-made sweet dressing (RM28).

The main-course list is compact; keeping in line with the healthy theme, this sous-vide Petaluma ocean trout with crisp fennel salad & trout eggs (RM68) probably works well as low-guilt nutrition.

Here's what we found pretty memorable: Espresso & soy milk combined with Bailey's & truffle oil (!). It succeeds; the earthiness of the oil supplies a discernible aroma that complements the rest of this lightly sweet coffee cocktail.

All in all, M Marini Caffe is an interesting addition to Suria KLCC, with a menu that's tantalising to browse, though this ultimately is the type of establishment where the water is sold as still or sparkling, nothing less.

M Marini Caffe
LCG04, Ground Floor, Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur

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From noontime treats of beef tacos & crispy liver submarine sandwiches to evening temptations of goat's milk panna cotta with banana-chocolate wontons, Sitka is a Malaysian-Scottish collaboration that's determined to deliver innovative cooking fuelled by local produce. This is one of 2014's most promising new restaurants.

Sitka is the most ambitious initiative yet by the talents behind the Klang Valley's Butter + Beans, Feeka& Food Foundry, marshalling the experience of Christian Recomio & Barry Lindsay, the former head chefs of the highly rated Moonfish Cafe in Aberdeen. In recent months, they've sniffed out small farms & independent food suppliers in Malaysia in their mission to create an eatery that capitalises on this country's abundance of produce. Customers can expect to pay rational prices for satisfying meals that transcend run-of-the-mill recipes: A salad of honey-marinated aubergine, miso-tinged portobello mushrooms & millets will barely breach RM20.

Staying true to the ethos of its owners, Sitka is tucked away in a neighbourhood that brims with history & character. Here on Jalan Batai, it retains a long-faded signboard over its entrance, replacing a homeopathic treatment centre on a decades-old row of shop-houses out of sight from Damansara Heights' main roads. It's not a venue that most future customers can convincingly claim to have conveniently stumbled upon themselves for their 'hidden cafe' lists.

For this coming week, Sitka _ a non-intimidating, far-from-stuffy outlet where customers can relax in a casual setting _ is in its soft-opening stage, bereft of hot meals. Pastries & cakes are available, with coffee made with a Faema E61 espresso machine, a model that's reputedly legendary among caffeine buffs.

The restaurant currently opens 9am-6pm daily; come early for fresh-tasting smoked salmon quiches & enjoy a chat with Sitka's co-owner Jennifer Kuah or her cheerful baristas to learn more about what this place is all about.

Strawberry rhubarb tarts (RM11), jasmine raspberry pound cakes, walnut cinnamon rolls (RM8) & peach cobblers are among the sweet treats here, all crafted with care & poised to please.

Starting April 18, Sitka will serve its comprehensive menu, with daytime delights like tacos filled with local fish tempura, apple slaw & smoked pepper aioli (RM22). Dinner will only be served three nights a week; expect possibilities like hay-smoked beef with pickled egg yolk & salted radish.

Feeka fans will be happy to hear their favourite cafe's blend is used here. Try the flat white (RM10) or the hot mocha (RM11), both exemplary. Wine will be available by the end of next week.

Sitka's story is only beginning; expect to see & hear much more about this place in the months ahead, as folks steadily familiarise themselves with the restaurant's logo of the Sitka spruce tree that's part of the landscape in Scotland & elsewhere.

Sitka Restaurant

8-5, Jalan Batai, Bukit Damansara, Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-2011-4788

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Checking out a trio of suburban spots that work well enough for light brunches, teatime treats & cups of coffee, beginning with Butter Up, a pretty nice-looking cafe in Seri Kembangan.

A constellation of cakes, bread & pastries lights up the counters; interesting varieties include crispy buns laced with longan fruit & raisins, plus others tinged with cream cheese & walnuts or cranberries, coconut & almond flakes.

Hot food is available too; everything from pasta with chopped lamb, carrots & thyme to pizzas with shrimp & squid. Butter Up's version of Eggs Atlantic is not too bad: Poached eggs with smoked salmon on English muffins with sabayon sauce, paired with a hearty portion of potato wedges for only RM11.

Butter Up's coffee is not quite memorable except for what comes with it: a very cute spoon-shaped butter cookie.

Next up, Brew & Bread, which has opened a second branch at One City in USJ Subang following the success of its original Kota Kemuning outlet.

This one's more urbane; it would fit in perfectly in the sleekest of malls. No wonder this cafe is packed at lunch hour.

Still, Brew & Bread's popularity can't be attributed merely to its appearance; it takes its coffee seriously too.

Final stop: Coffee Factory at Setia Walk in Puchong.

Baked eggs, nice & runny, though the slices of sausage meat inside are inferior. Good accompaniment of potatoes though.

Salted caramel lattes & Ethiopia Sidamo coffee might tempt caffeine addicts; could be fine-tuned for better-balanced flavours, but OK for what they are.

Butter Up Bakery Cafe

21, Jalan PSK 9, Pusat Perdagangan Seri Kembangan

Tel: 03-8959-1117

Brew & Bread

Ground Floor, One City Mall, Jalan USJ 25/1, Subang Jaya

Coffee Factory

Level 4, Setia Walk, Puchong (inside the Grand Shanghai Food Theme Park)

Park in the basement at Zone E and take the elevator up

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This first-floor wine bar that launched this past year on Flinders Lane, upstairs from chef Andrew McConnell's immensely successful Cumulus Inc, proved to be a hive of activity on one recent Wednesday evening, buzzing with Melburnians seeking a delicious dinner to drive away the work-week blues.

This is the sort of venue where customers should come ravenous; even though the menu isn't exceptionally extensive, everything from the peppered butcher's steak with pomme frites ($32) to the pappardelle with mushrooms & pecorino ($24) sounds tempting & seems to surface in mighty portions (once we're past the olives with pickles, that is).

Cumulus Up's signature treat is its duck waffle, with confit duck meat & skin mixed with buckwheat flour for the batter, topped with foie gras parfait & prune puree. Playfully pleasurable, arrestingly addictive.

When visiting the state of Victoria, consume oysters as often as possible _ advice that we were happy to accept here.

Double-smoked 'large black' ham (RM14), marvellous for mindless munching.

Gnocchi that's fluffy with ricotta cheese, pine nuts, oregano & citrus-infused burnt butter, a terrifically tasty recipe.

Spiced lamb ribs ($4.50 each), tender & flavoursome meat with a creamy smoked tomato sauce.

Roast chicken isn't an afterthought here, hearty comfort food with grilled leeks, peas & cos lettuce ($32 for half a chicken) ...

... well-partnered with sides of potatoes (irreproachably prepared) & a basic salad made more enjoyable with hard-boiled eggs.

Desserts are simple but satisfying: Can't-fail profiteroles with chocolate sauce & house-made vanilla ice cream, strawberry Eton mess & rum baba with creme patissiere.

And of course, lots of wine & cocktails are available to keep the crowd very happy till very late.

Cumulus Up
45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, Australia

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Small-scale, independent entrepreneurs form the increasingly crucial & colourful threads in the fabric of Malaysia's F&B evolution, weaving a mouthwatering tapestry of temptations that span home-made sausages to sambal, peanut butter to fruit jams, muffins to marshmallows, ice cream to yogurt, sodas to juices.

Call them artisanal, call them ambitious, call them addictive, but most importantly, call them as soon as possible to order what they're offering.

Eat Drink KL: Small Businesses, Huge Flavours is the first online directory to help customers do that, navigating through a diversity of non-restaurant F&B businesses and narrating the stories of the people and the passion behind these brands.  

This is a catalogue of insights into what inspires our contemporary culinary craftspeople _ the reasons why they painstakingly bake & boil for countless hours in their kitchens to supply some of Malaysia's finest, most fascinating food products.

There are common ties that bind these tales.

The familial roots: Elsie and her sister Jennifer experimenting with mango recipes such as chutney, onde-onde & tong yuen. Sarah helping her mom & grandmother make festive goodies. Micheele learning the art of creating Indonesian layer cakes passed down through at least three generations.

The adventures abroad that ignited the imagination: Hui Ming's romance with ice cream in London. Eugene's & Emrys' escapades with hand-crafted sodas in Tokyo. Sookie baking for her college friends in Brisbane. Prakash experiencing an epiphany with wine in Margaret River.

And perhaps most of all, the all-consuming love for outstanding ingredients & innovation that have prompted Kenneth & his wife, Hoa, to open their home for Vietnamese-cuisine supper clubs; European expats Carina & Elke to offer deliveries of raw, organic meals; Pooi Ling to bring in coffee machines from Italy & Spain to supply to Malaysian cafes and homes; former classmates Lin & Wan Chiun to scour the country for fresh fruits to produce their bottled juices.

Thank you to these first 20 brands for being part of this eBook's launch.

This eBook will be continuously updated throughout the year with new listings, including several more this month, so check back regularly at this permanent link _ www.eatdrinkkl.publ.com/businesses _ to find out what fresh treats await.

There are six categories in this book: Savouries, Beverages, Catering & Meal Deliveries, Private Kitchens, Services, & to save the best for last, Sweets.

Fuku Den @ Delima, Off Imbi

Jibby & Co @ Empire Shopping Gallery

Wetzel's Pretzels Malaysia @ Sunway Pyramid

Khrua Thai @ One City USJ Skypark

The Atlantic @ Melbourne

PULP By Papa Palheta @ Bangsar

Monkey Garage @ Regal Valet, Bangsar

PCLO Cafe @ Modvier, Bangsar

Findars @ Panggong

Juan Valdez Cafe @ The Intermark

Sozo @ Sunway Giza, Kota Damansara

Chef Choi Sushi Bar @ Ampang

MainMain Cafe @ Choo Cheng Khay

Marble 8 @ Binjai

Naughty Babe Dirty Duck @ Desa Sri Hartamas

M Marini Caffe @ Suria KLCC

Sitka @ Batai, Damansara Heights

Butter Up @ Seri Kembangan, Brew & Bread @ One City USJ Subang & Coffee Factory @ Setiawalk Puchong

Cumulus Up @ Melbourne

Small Businesses, Huge Flavours