Kerry the miniature kerbau maintains a silent, stoic posture in front of a vertical garden wall of oregano, parsley & rosemary. Sunshine streams from a skylight above, casting a warm glow across tables set against a backdrop of recycled timber. The languid sounds of Bon Iver cause time to slow to a sleepy crawl, in defiance of a city outside with scant patience for snoozing. Colour-saturated raw tomato soup with chia seeds & shiitake salad with carrots & black rice pour casually out of the kitchen. Bangsar's latest restaurant is a breeding ground for idyllic contentment, conceived to nourish the body & soothe the spirit.
Fittie Sense's menu raises serious doubts over whether a can opener might be found here, flexing its muscles with clean, clear evidence of cooked-from-scratch meticulousness, for a real-food meal where even tarts & pancakes can certify themselves to be wholesome, the former constructed of kampung eggs, spinach & pumpkin with a quinoa crust (RM17) & the latter conveying the textured chew of gram lentils, balanced with berries & kefir curd (RM24). Soups & salads prove a fertile proclamation of depth & nuance - a grass-fed beef bone broth bears soulful testimony to 48 hours of simmering (RM18) & a Levantine salad of Lebanese slaw, sumac salsa, marinated beetroot & cauliflower tabbouleh (RM21) confirms the conviction that health-conscious recipes can placate more than merely a rabbit's palate. Each offering is obsessively labelled, so patrons know precisely what to order for gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, paleo-friendly, keto-friendly or diabetic-friendly nutrition.
A little zing, a squeeze of tang, for flavours that do a song & dance - Fittie Sense's greatest hits span a sprightly 'red laksa' of konjac noodles topped with a mollet egg (RM18), poached chicken breast with asparagus & bok choy in buckwheat congee, bolstered by a lively garlic-ginger dressing (RM34), & skewers of salmon, squid & prawns with a feel-no-guilt mix of millet pilaf, baby spinach, watercress & rocket (RM55). The determinedly extensive selection encompasses distinctive desserts - a coconut pound cake is assertively pronounced with heavy accents of kaffir lime (RM15), while banana-based 'nice cream' in flavours like cherry-&-cacao (RM8) aims to be an antidote to Ben & Jerry's addictions. Sip on a signature Fittie Coffee (RM14; black coffee with fair trade beans from northern Nicaragua, slick & smooth with coconut oil), kefir sodas spiced up with ginger & turmeric (RM12) & kefir smoothies that promise protein & probiotics, powered by cacao, natural whey & egg whites (RM23).
Fittie Sense
23A, First Floor, Jalan Telawi 3, Bangsar Baru, Kuala Lumpur.
Currently open 10am-5pm, closed Tuesdays (will extend hours to 10pm eventually). Tel: 03-2858-4023
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