Straits Food Company, Bangsar

"It feels like being young again just by sitting in this restaurant" says my mother.  This restaurant is one of the latest blooming restaurant with fancy concepts that one can find in Bangsar. Nostalgic, Rustic and Elevated. The restaurant brings in Baba and Nyonya food; un-extravagant which to me is good because people love to eat classic food as it is, maybe some improvisation but not too much. 

I believed they walk the talk because the price here is rather cheap, for a restaurant in bangsar.

Simple and spacious

It is just the opposite of Institut Kesihatan Umum, so you won't possibly miss it

Food wise, I came here with an empty stomach so I enjoyed food more than usual.

Pai Tee RM 5.50.

Traditional peranakan snack of crispy 'Tophat' pocket packed with chopped vegetables, egg strips and fried shallots. It is recommended that you take the pai tee with the sambal provided because it is quite bland on my tongue if pai tee alone. But with sambal it is a good starter. 

Popiah Peranakan RM 4.50

Turnip stuffing, fresh corriander, fried shallots, bean sprouts, egg strips, cucumber, a dash of gula melaka sweet sauce, garlic and grounded red chilli. 

Just by looking at the wraps, immediately you will know it is home made wraps. Again, maybe a malay's tongue needs something spicy all the time. One good thing about the dishes so far, they are fresh and felt original. They are not fancy, they are not extravagant and they are not exclusive. But they are delicious as it brings back the taste bud that almost vanish in urban areas. 

Mee Siam RM 6.

Spice-fried bihun with cucumber and egg stripss, hard-boiled egg, fried shallots, lime and fishcakes. Topped with home made tamarind dressing.

I know it kinda resembles Pad Thai in the Thai cuisine, of course with some notable differences in the ingredients and the preparation method. Some may find this a bit overly spiced. For me the best way to eat this is by tossing everything on the plate evenly. Yummy. If one thing worth criticizing, maybe the noodle shouldn't be soaked with hot water. Soaking bihun with hot water will cause the strips to break while cooking. So soak with cold water, will take some time but you will notice the difference. 

Nyonya Laksa RM 7.

A choice of noodle(bihun or mee kuning or kuey teow) served with spicy gravy, a touch of coconut milk with cucumber, beansprouts, shrimp, cockles, fish balls and egg.

Unlike the laksa of the malays, we usually mix shredded fish in the gravy. Here is smooth. Good flavour. However I wished the gravy to be a little bit thicker.

Sambal prawn RM 8.

Prawns cooked in special sambal.

What is so special? I know the sambal is basic but it is good actually. It is that peranakan sambal. I am not quite sure myself how to make sambal the Nyonya style but the end result is fantastic. Not that spicy, not that sweet, not that salty. It is a balance sambal. 

Ayam goreng kunyit/tumeric fried chicken RM 7.

Normal ayam goreng kunyit but the plus point is the chicken though cuts into pieces, were tender and moist inside. Crispy on the outside. 

Cendol. RM 4.50

Dark green pandan cendol, shaved ice, flavoured with fresh coconut milk and gula melaka.

Again, nothing is fancy. But please do learn that sometimes, less is more. And this is exactly the case. 

Straits Food Company is still new compared to its brother, Baba Low. I wish to see more authentic but still elevated Baba and Nyonya food here in this restaurant. Especially the desserts. Can't wait for it. 

Chemistry Cafe + Lab, Seksyen 7 Shah Alam

As I was reading a local newspaper the other day, I came across a small column about a chain of cafes with a chemistry-science concept. One located in Shah Alam, why not give it a try? There is no harm travelling for good food. 

What is so attractive about this cafe is the concept of chemistry lab, which is the first in Malaysia. 

The entrance, kinda remind me of Wood & Steel cafe

Feeling like exploding? Highly corrosive dining tables is here!

Seriously!? What is chemistry without periodic table? I feel smart already.

Though this is a chemistry lab cum cafe, this deco can use a little bit of touch. Plus what is the keyboard doing there? If you don't use it then keep it away.

Indoor dining area

This one is quite eye-catching

The lab counter where you need to line up and they'll take your requests. No waiter or should I say lab assistant is going to take your order at the tables.

Frankly speaking, I was quite disappointed with the execution of the concept. They should differentiate what is a concept and what is a decoration. Especially the dining tables, as if they took it from somewhere and simply put it there. And there was this rustic table with a pot of flower, it should not be there. And the cleanliness, the furniture were dusty all over. Sad. Since the chemistry lab concept is what they are selling actually, they should have delivered it well. 

Enough with the concept. Let us go to the food. I didn't sample many dishes, just a few. And I misplaced the receipt so I can't include the price. Sorry. But nonetheless the total price is RM54.50. 

Apple pie.

The last apple pie that I want to eat is sad cold apple pie. Which exactly what it is all about. I can accept if it is under room temperature. The crust was soggy. If they wanted to serve it cold then they should go with Tarte Tatin which is another variation of apple pie form France. The taste of the apples was okay. Can use a little bit of cinnamon or nutmeg to taste. Apple pie, though not that hard to make, one should be careful because it carries a long culinary history, so one should never make it half-heartedly. 

Spaghetti Carbonara.

The taste was extremely BLAND. I felt sorry. Some of the spaghetti were sticking to each other. I infer they are using bottled white sauce. 

Chocolate lave cake

It was quite good actually, the taste. But I have a big issue with this one. While I understood that NOTHING in this restaurant is freshly made, except for the waffles, I do hope that they pay a little bit more attention to their food. A lava cake is supposed to have that lava-ish runny chocolate in the inside. When you slice the cake, it is supposed to be runny, that is why it is called lava cake. I'd appreciate if they take sometime to put the cake in the oven or microwave so that it is hot inside out. The one I had was an almost solid chocolate. But I do like the taste, nevertheless. Right amount of sweetness. Spot on. 

Caramel Macchiato. 

Normal coffee and normal taste. 

Creme Brulee

Another let down. I was puzzled as they listed down this one under the beverages category. I love creme brulee. It is a french dessert. Usually vanilla scented custard topped with glazed sugar. The only recipe that I would use the real vanilla pods, though expensive. But this baby here is not a dessert. It is a drink. A beverage. I was intrigued to taste it. And it tasted nothing like creme brulee. Instead it tasted like coffee. Tasted like tiramisu to be exact. A liquid tiramisu. I have no problem if the name was Tiramisu. 

Before I decided to come here, I read commentaries on the internet before hand. I saw many bad critics. But I came all the way, anyway. The serving was quite fast. Friendly staffs, most of them. Forget the chemistry lab concept, not that I can eat them. At the end of the day, a cafe is still a cafe. Food is what important. A cafe cannot rely on its concept forever but with food they can. I do hope for Chemistry Cafe + Lab to improve on their food. They need it and they need it quick. 

Jamaicablue, Mid Valley Megamall

If you are a coffee lover, then you must know what is Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. To those who do not know, the least that I can tell you is the beans is grown in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. This notable coffee bean is known for its mild and less bitter flavour. Protected under Geographical Indications law, this particular type of coffee bean can only be grown in the aforesaid area and no others. 

The Jamaicablue source: jkdrooling.blogspot.com

Assorted of cakes, muffins, scones, lasgana et cetera. source: wanista

Jamaicablue is more than just a coffee shop, though still primarily a coffee shop. It is good to compare Jamaicablue with The Coffee Bean. 

Wallenford Latte RM19.90 but I upgraded to medium with an additional RM2.40

I usually go for espresso to feel the real taste of the coffee bean, but it was 5.30 in the evening and I needed something else other than plain black coffee, hence latte it is! Unlike any other lattes, the above latter is the Wallenford latte. Wallenford is one of the estate in the Blue Mountains that harvest coffee beans. Though I seldom take coffee but I love coffee, especially the good ones. And THIS is GOOD. The taste of the coffee was overwhelming in the good way! The mild taste which was so apparent. A balance acidity too. So it didn't upset my tummy. Well, there are also options for non-wallenford's coffee bean. You can order for the normal beans, which gonna cost you much lesser, less than RM10. 

Lemon Sugar Muffin RM6.90

Muffin and coffee seems like a good pairing. Though I prefer madeleine with coffee. Sugar on top, lemon custard(I think?) underneath the surface and whipped cream on the side. A fair dessert. But I asked for more whipped cream and they gave me another cup. They apparently gives you a cup of whipped cream together with dry desserts like muffins and scones. Which is a good thing. 

Beef and Vegetables Lasagna RM18.90

I am not a fan of reheated foods. Taking that into consideration, this one is okay I guess. Lotsa veggies like cucumber, cherry tomatoes, arugula, radicchio etc. The lasagna itself might be wonderful if eaten fresh from the oven. 

Jamaicablue is still new in Malaysia. But it already has membership cards (which I have one) that gives you advantages like a free coffee after online registration, points rewards system, a free slice of cake in the month of your birthday, newsletter and so on. I will definitely be back for its Wallenford's coffees. 

Urbano e Fresco, Publika, Solaris Dutamas

Hello people! As I was browsing my Facebook feeds the other day, I came across with a status update of a friend showing the photos of pasta and according to her, 'that' place serves the best Italian food in town. 'That' restaurant is, as you already know, Urbano e Fresco. Urbano e Fresco is not new in the sense that the restaurant has several other branches in the world.

What is so special about Urbano e Fresco are they claimed that their pastas are home made and they only serve the freshest ingredients available. Well, I would love to explain a bit about Italian cuisine, only a bit since Italian cuisine is very broad in its historical background and profiles. Firstly, Italian cuisine is more than just food you can find on the table. Since this particular cuisine relies so much on the freshness of its ingredients rather than the presentation(that is why Italian cuisine is quite generous on the plate), hence PREPARING those ingredients is also part and parcel of Italian cuisine. For example, winery, cheese, vinegar, pasta etc all require a traditional way to make them. Secondly, there are a few common ingredients that one can find in Italian cuisine:- cheese, black pepper, garlic, olive oil etc. Thirdly, Italian cuisine is regional in nature. I mean you can find one way to make carbonara in one place and different way in the other place.

Bruschetta: panini bread, butter, olive oil, tomatoes, basil, garlic, rocket salad and parmesan cheese. RM 12,50

Bruschetta is simply bread with toppings. Usually tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and herbs. If there is one thing I can say, is the bruschetta was good. Complete ingredients and taste, generous portion and reasonable price. What more to ask? There were six packs of bruschetta on the plate. 

Pesto Italian Spaghetti: spaghetti, tiger prawns, parmesan, pesto, salt and pepper RM 26.90

The plus points for this dish are they use home made pasta, fresh prawns and generous amount of olive oil. The minus point for dish is I wished the pesto to be a little bit stronger because the taste was quite mild over there. Pesto is simple the combination of basil leaves, olive oil, roasted pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper, (cheese if intended). It is in my opinion a pesto should really deliver what a pesto really is, a basil leaves paste. I don't say it must be really strong but enough if it leaves you with a slight basil after taste. 

Como Panini: panini bread with roasted chicken strips, provolone cheese, sun dried tomatoes, avocado, basil and garlic mayonnaise, roasted potatoes and salad. 

It may look simple because it is simple but it was quite good actually. If there are something to criticize then may be they need to reconsider the roasted potatoes (whether it really play any significant there?). I'd prefer if they replace the potatoes with batter onion rings. Then I wished the panini to be a little bit moist in the inside. I know panini is a grilled bread, that is why it is hard but 15 seconds of steaming is not wrong. Only to soften it a little bit. That would be great. My 2 scents opinion. And I drizzled some balsamic vinegar onto the salad just to make it edible as I was quite full. 

Verdurina Pizza: mozarella, olives, broccoli, spinach, onion, garlic, tomatoes, rocket salad and some other unidentified ingredients. RM 27.90 for 9"

This is a vegetarian pizza. A perfectly cook pizza. Perfect dough, nice crust, fresh toppings. Try this. Enough said. 

Tiramisu: mascarpone, lady fingers, coffee powder etc RM 10. 

Well, this a good but normal tiramisu. Decadent, sweet and perfect texture. A great finishing. 

Some of its interior:

Traditional dough roller

They actually sell some ingredients

In short, Urbano e Fresco is a good rising Italian restaurant. Though the cuisine is not complete but they are good with what they are serving. I hope there is risotto in the future. A good place for muslim since there is no pork or lard. 

Muugu Garden Bistro, Jalan Bukit Bintang

In the recent years there are more and more hidden cafes and restaurants in the amid of Kuala Lumpur. Usually one has to relay the information and people come. Muugu Garden Bistro is one of them. With the concept of rustic elevated, Muugu promises quite a serene environment to the diners, It is a bungalow situated at a corner of maze roads with spacious area. Your arrival might be celebrated by a flock of geese.

Simple and modern concept of dining

The Bar area, boozes are available.

With the fact that Muugu operates in a bungalow, it fully utilizes the whole area for dining

As a fan of comics, this has to be my favourite section

Enough with the interior design, let's jump to the food, shall we?

In brief, the concept for the dishes is similar to many rising restaurants that you can find in Kuala Lumpur. Muugu serves beef steaks (three cuts are available: tenderloin, New York strip and ribeye) take note that you can choose the doneness too, medium-medium rare usually the best. Muugu also serves lists of dishes using chicken, fish and lamb. Too american? Don't worry, if you feel you wanna go Italian they have it. they have pastas (penne, spaghetti, fettucine, linguine and capellini) for seven different dishes of pasta. To my surprise, Muugu also serves risotto. Risotto(ri-zo-to) is a type of italian rice dish. Unlike our Malaysian rice dish, risotto is creamy usually while serving. Italian does eat risotto as it is or with sides and garnishes, many flavours are available because risotto is plain, it gives a big room for chefs to create flavourful risottos. Other than that, Muugu serves several desserts, milkshakes and boozes.

The first photo is french fries scented with truffle oil. RM 8. As I always mention one of the character of a good restaurant, always serves the customer with fresh potatoes for french fries and Muugu did just that. Using the most suitable type of potato which is russet potatoes, the real deal was the truffle oil. Truffle is a type of mushroom or fungus that a good kitchen needs to have. It produces a a complex smell that is contentious to some chefs in the world, including Martha Stewart. Hence some dislike the usage of truffle oil. However, most truffle oil in the market weren't made from the real truffle but rather synthetic ones. 

The second photo is crispy golden mushroom. RM 12. Made from oyster and button mushrooms, this dish has more downs than the ups. Reading from the menu, I thought it would be tempura-likes. However they made fritters instead. Nonetheless it goes to the taste which the batter could use some more seasoning. 

Pesto risotto with red snapper and mixed salad. RM 27.

I loved the risotto. I loved the fish. I am okay with the salad. But I am not sure whether I love them, together. One of the major flaws while serving risotto is the sides should be tougher in texture compared to the risotto. The red snapper should be a little bit crispier(not too crispy) so that the texture is not so bland together. One of the downs is in its portion. I wished for more risotto on the plate. In every plates, there should be one hero and the hero usually appears a lot. But my plate was like on a diet or something. If risotto is the hero, then give more risotto. Judging from the presentation, it is lacking of furnace. But the pesto was delicious. 

Rack of lamb. RM37.

Three racks of lamb, medium cooked, mint sauce, ratatouille(hidden, my bad), baked potatoes and some garnishes. The lamb has a good seasoning but the seasoning didn't blend well with the lamb. Unfortunately. I say it blended about 80%. Another 20% may be caused by time insufficiency. I didn't feel the flavour to the bones. Loved the baked potatoes(they left the skin on, which was good). The ratatouille was quite messy but the taste was okay. Presentation was just an okay. I loved the fact that this was actually a balanced diet dish. 

Tiramisu for dessert. Good tiramisu. Not the best that I have had but it was definitely good. RM 12.

Since I had an Italian entree, it is only right to finish it with an Italian dessert. They used lady fingers which is a plus point. Creamy and sweet. What can I say. 

Overall Muugu was quite good. some down sides which is normal. What Muugu needs to do is to correct the details of its food. I need more furnace on the plate, also. And since they serves Italian then I would love to see Panna Cotta in the menu card, someday.