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Banh mi monsters, bookmark Banh Mi Om Nom Nom: Helmed by a HCMC chef, this small space packs a big punch, serving PJ’s most customisable range of porcine Vietnamese sandwiches, stuffed with your choice of roast pork, cinnamon pork ham, pork head cheese, pork skin and more. Our choice: a comfor...

Celebrate this Stranger Things weekend with a close encounter with Homesick Alien, which is taking reservations Saturday and Sunday for the soft launch of a Kota Damansara cafe inspired by 1960s space-age aesthetics, serving extraterrestrial-themed novelties like prawn patty burgers with UFO in...

Tucked inside the Marino Academy barista training facility, Cafe Marino serves up coffee on weekdays, catering discreetly to Sunway Damansara’s industrial enclave. Its latte is well worthwhile (RM10), harnessing the Caffe Vergnano 1882 blend for a delicately aromatic brew with a subtle acidity. ...

From scarves and scented candles to plush toy bunnies: Corakandpattern is Telawi’s lifestyle retailer with a new in-house cafe, a tranquil refuge from Bangsar’s bustle - its espresso-based coffee relies on Penang-roasted Frank Laurent beans for a fragrant, full-bodied flat white. An event space i...

If sambal is the cornerstone of a captivating nasi lemak for you, bookmark Balüt in Kota Damansara for your spiciest, most satisfying experience.This four-month-old restaurant specialises in nasi lemak matched with four distinctive sambals, including one that's slow-cooked for eight hours and two...

Boink is Puchong's new bright spot for fans of bakery-cafes. Snack here on flaky croissants and sip on fragrant lattes while scouting for the cheerful cartoon toasts that charmingly peek out of bread baskets and plant pots on multiple shelves and corners. Boink BakeryOP-1F-10, 2 Rio Office Park, ...

Fantastic cafes and where to find them: Named for the Wizarding World's long-snouted, fluffy-furred creatures that hunt for hidden treasure, The Niffler is TTDI's terrific new haven for the hungry, tucked in a leafy condo clubhouse by the pool, thankfully open to public patrons.Founders Jon and W...

More than two years after we first visited Gesuto, we returned recently to find a completely refreshed menu, still elegantly infusing European inspirations with Japanese inflections but with more poise, precision and purpose than ever. Start with pearls of the ocean - sushi, topped with creamy ...

Why visit Why Roastery Cafe? A fair question to ask Anson, the roaster-barista behind the counter - not a man of many words, his reply might suffice with a satisfactory cup of coffee. Why Roastery Cafe MAHSA Avenue, Block B, 3-13, Kedai KL, Jalan Ilmu, 59100 Kuala Lumpur,

Chicken rice might actually be more popular in Malaysia and Singapore than Hainan, but it's still worth seeking out in this Chinese province for a taste of free-range island chicken.

It's 5:30 PM on a Wednesday at Evoke Gastrobar, minutes after a thunderstorm has cleared. This lush alfresco space is springing to life for dinner, with tables set beside the leafy pathways of The Stories of Taman Tunku. Evoke's founders, Celina Wu and chef Ryan Teh, are ready to recommend their ...

Bukit Jalil's coffee enthusiasts have recently welcomed a familiar face and a beloved brand to their neighbourhood: Veteran barista Masahiro 'Masa-san' Aoki can now be often seen behind the counter of Artelier Coffee's newest outpost in Pavilion Bukit Jalil.It has been six years since Artelier Co...

Founders Dylan and Suet Teng beckon customers to come together and bond over bacon sandwiches layered succulently with house-made onion jam, paired with a pleasant hojicha latte, at their homey new Cheras neighbourhood cafe. Bond Cafe 10A, Jalan Kaskas 4, Taman Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.

Ten years ago, BreadFruits first opened in Desa Sri Hartamas, offering its distinctive take on fresh, vibrant meals, bursting with wholesome, tasty ingredients. KL's cafe landscape has evolved endlessly since then, but BreadFruits remains committed to conscientiously crafted nourishment.If you ha...

Bukit Jalil's cafe fans will warmly welcome Afloat Coffee Roaster next week, slated to open 24 May, helmed by husband-and-wife team Jimmy and Leng Leng, two baristas with nearly a decade of experience in KL's coffee scene. This discreet destination seeks to offer a soothing sense of space and s...

In scarcely six months, Sushi Mastro Nikkei has stamped its mark as KL's new purveyor of Peruvian-style Nikkei cuisine, with a wide variety of fresh seafood jazzed and juiced up with Japanese and South American influences.Now, Sushi Mastro Nikkei is diving even deeper into this gastronomic genre,...

One of Telawi's most enduring venues, T Club has been part of Bangsar's landscape for three decades now, but it's now completely revitalised under new ownership. Take a culinary trip from Mexico City to Madrid to Manchester at this resto-lounge, which finally has a kitchen with full-fledged capab...

It's been a long time since we had a full-blown pizza party, but US Pizza's parade of pizzas is the perfect way to sink our teeth into a crust-worthy, crave-worthy feast!US Pizza celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, a major milestone after it was first founded in Penang in 1997 by Donald Du...

A car-themed cafe called Octane that sells miniature automobile models might sound like a high-energy hive of hustle - but thankfully for those of us seeking a calm, cosy space, Octane is mellow on Monday mornings. Octane founder David is happy to chat while serving up satisfying coffee and kombu...

Chachi offers a fun take on Mexican-inspired tacos, especially for those of us who prefer crispy corn tortillas instead of soft wheat flour ones. Feel the flavoursome crunch, stuffed with choices like prawns with pineapple, red cabbage and salsa verde (three for RM26) or battered cauliflower with...

Could one of KL's best new cocktail bars be tucked within a grocery store? AlcoHall by Wholly Spirits in Qra Arcoris Mont Kiara leaves us shaken and stirred with its skills and sensibilities, represented by sensuous takes on classics like the Sazerac, healthier low-alcohol temptations ...

BYTZ might sound a bit like a tech start-up, but this new Chinatown cafe tackles croffles, not crypto, pairing these croissant-waffle hybrids with savoury and sweet Chantilly cream spreads, some laced distinctively with herbs and spices.  BYTZ has a bite: Its croffles are densely crisp, a firm...

The dust has settled on construction at Rust KL, a new Chinatown cafe by day and bar upstairs by night, many months in the making.  With stripped-back walls straddling a two-level, decades-old building, Rust showcases the rustic edge of Petaling Street, turning another former brothel into a pl...

Celebrating 60 years of a Malaysian family's culinary legacy, Raman Spice offers a rich, robust repertoire of blended spices, spanning a UK accolade-winning Garam Masala to powders for everything from Madras Curry to Masala Chai, korma to rasam and sambar. Raman Spice's founders - Madam R.S. Letc...

From the all-time favourite ABC to pork ribs with peanuts and lotus roots, Boiling Mad Soup confidently conveys the comfort of cherished Malaysian Chinese classics - free of MSG and stock cubes, these soups are light but not thin, delicate but not bland, brimming with the honest essence of lov...

Eight months ago, we found Superbolt running as a pop-up in a Sri Hartamas fitness studio. This week, its friendly founders launch their own PJ cafe, sharing a striking new space with a neighbourhood florist in Taman Mayang Jaya. Superbolt promises purely coffee for now, including Costa Rica...

Soothing bowls of Japanese-inspired noodles and rice, served with stellar matcha and coffee beverages under a leafy shade: Over the past six months, Mori Kohi has become a true oasis in the city centre, an urban sanctuary that's only a five-minute drive from KLCC, promising a lush retreat to calm...

Billed as a beef noodle cafe hidden in a Sri Petaling art studio, DaYeh Food Gallery's Taiwanese-inspired claypot of tenderly braised beef, tendon and honeycomb tripe is soulfully savoury - sumptuous rainy-day sustenance for beef buffs (RM31.90). DaYeh Food Gallery12A-1, Jln Radin Bagus 8, Band...

Barista Experience Academy, which holds latte art workshops and other coffee classes at Mahsa Avenue, runs a caffeine bar every weekend - head here for interesting experimental concoctions like the aerocano, a spin on the americano that's evokes the smoothness of nitro cold brews, prepared with e...

Harnessing roe-filled flower crabs flown in from South Korea, Onsemiro - one of KL's most respected Korean restaurants - does justice to its current seasonal special of ganjang gejang: Raw marinated crabs that wed their soothingly light, natural crustacean sweetness with the umami of soy sauce an...

If the urge for ganjang-gejang strikes, OMG Crab in The LINC KL offers a convenient fix of Jeju-inspired raw crabs marinated in a chilli-laced, soy-based brine.OMG Crab's XXL-sized crab (RM53, estimated at 200-250 grams), sourced live from the Straits of Malacca, surfaces slightly smaller than ...

Seeking soulful Seoul food? Ju Ga & Cook is just what you crave - this Korean-run restaurant does drop-dead delicious versions of sujebi, Korea's equivalent of a hand-torn pasta soup (RM20), and other brothy noodles made thick and rustic-textured with perilla seeds (RM22). Ju Ga & Cook Pl...

With three clicks of the heels, Yellow Brick Road has left Plaza Batai after seven years, travelling over the rainbow to its new home in The Five complex, a plant-powered emerald cafe that continues to serve with heart, smarts and courage. Munchkins have much to munch on here: We’re off to ...

The ultimate indulgence for Japanese wagyu enthusiasts: In six months, Ushiraku Modern Yakiniku has become Bangsar's prime sanctuary for sizzling succulence, serving the highest grade of halal-certified Japanese wagyu beef with stylish flair.Ushiraku's assurance of top-notch produce is authoritat...

Fans of huge and hearty stuffed toasts, fun and fresh-pressed croffles, plus crowd-pleasing brunches paired with coffee and coolers, check out Toast & Co's newest branch that opened in Puchong Jaya in April 2022.  This is the second location for Toast & Co in only six months, compleme...

Our fondest memories of El Cerdo stretch back to its humble origins in Tengkat Tong Shin, before it moved to Changkat Bukit Bintang and conquered that street with multiple themed restaurants. This month, El Cerdo embarks out of the Changkat neighbourhood for the first time since its 2005 incept...

After months of watching ramen restaurants overrun Mont Kiara, udon strikes back: Miyatake Sanuki Udon - formerly in 1 Utama - has moved to a lovely new space in this neighbourhood, serving noodles with a bounce in their bite and a spring in their chew, prepared in a myriad of soothing, satisfyi...

Fans of Spanish fare will savour a big bite of Bukit Damansara's new Bocado - start with robust tapas such as sweetly smoked piquillo peppers, stuffed with soft, slow-baked cod brandade (RM42); scoop up every moist, scrumptious spoonful of the seafood paella (RM130); then sink your teeth into the...

Fingerprint Cafe bears the unique mark of its friendly founder Joe, a former art director who long envisioned running her own cafe. Joe (not Jo, not Joey) has assembled an eclectic mix of her personal inspirations in a riotous splash of retro colours, setting Bertoia wire-lattice diamond chairs a...

A Thai restaurant owned by a German man in the capital of the Maldives? It might not sound like the right recipe, but Sala Thai has become one of Male's most respected restaurants, thanks to its founder's hard work. Thai chefs and Thai spices have been brought into the kitchen, resulting in tasty...

A pleasant place to stay in the Maldivian capital, Sala is a warm, welcoming boutique hotel with a robust breakfast that fuels you up for an entire day of exploration.

A dozen years ago, Cindy Chan embarked on a business that would bring boxfuls of bliss to countless households. Leaving her career in a law firm, she began baking cookies for festive celebrations, sowing the seeds for what eventually became Baker's Art.If you've ever tasted the cakes, tarts, pies...

Stepping into Shu DaXia Hot Pot is a pathway into one of KL's most memorable hotpot experiences. This Chengdu-born purveyor of sultry, steaming soulfulness promises a sophisticated flourish to everything from its atmospheric ambiance that channels the adventure of wuxia fiction to its authentic a...

Tucked inside GMBB KL, Jiak Kopi serves one of Bukit Bintang’s most satisfying RM5 nasi lemak, with spicy sambal that’s terrifically tasty and textured, feeling fully homemade. Don’t skip the house-baked banana cake too, gently sweet and moist, paired with the JK Signature drink, this charming ...

Take this weekend slow at Màn Bar, a coffee counter hidden inside Kota Kemuning's first-floor Toda Hair Studio. Barista ZQ brews on Saturdays and Sundays only, a respite from his full-time career as a mechanical engineer - he harnesses interesting blends from local and international roasters, r...

An address to remember for Ampang's coffee devotees - 4:17 Coffee, at 4 Lorong Enggang 17, began running recently for nightly post-iftar sessions and should start daytime operations soon after Aidilfitri. A friendly stop for a freshly brewed cup. Empat.17 4, Lorong Enggang 17, Taman Keramat,...

DC Mall has matured over six years into a vibrant hub for food and beverages, not only for everyone working in Damansara City but nearby residents throughout Damansara Heights, Bangsar and Sri Hartamas.DC Mall's diversity of dining choices is compelling and comprehensive. Whether you crave a casu...

Nestled in KL's oldest surviving traditional village, only a 15-minute drive from KLCC, Sehidang Kopi & Buku is a lovely new home-based cafe helmed by Wira, who has lived in Kampung Padang Balang his entire life. This space, which doubles as a small bookshop, serves coffee and chocolate bever...

Juu Nana Sakaba is turning into Section 17's most tempting destination for casual Japanese dining, where customers can linger long after sunset over distinctive bites and booze. The restaurant's now-refreshed setting and selection, courtesy of a chef with creative chops, beckons us to return to a...

Olivia Deli's full-fledged kitchen seems to be coming along nicely in Bangsar. Paella should be available within a few weeks (hopefully), but for now, beef tongue carpaccio, stewed pork cheeks and other Spanish and Southern European specialities can be ordered here - tasty comfort fare, with a th...