Mao, Taman Melawati

Mao's menu makes it worth the march to Melawati: Bao and rosti come together for the steamed bun stuffed with a Japanese purple sweet potato fritter, crowned with a prawn cake and circled by pumpkin puree, plus Belgian-inspired waffle fries flavoured lightly with salted egg yolk - a border-smashing ensemble that works tastily together (RM20).

The cafe has equal success with bread, both savoury and sweet - the pulled beef sandwich features six-hour slow-cooked short ribs, brisket and sirloin meat in sourdough toast (RM24; add RM4 for Gouda cheese), while the brioche with honey, mascarpone and jam is a treat for fans of French toast, piled with caramelised bananas, dragon fruit and pomegranates (RM16), showcasing the kitchen's effort to come up with meaningful offerings for customers.

The house-baked chocolate cream pie merits mention on its own, lushly layered - it's so compelling, you won't want to share this, calories be damned. Down the dessert with a flat white or kombucha.

Mao

344, Lorong Kedah, Taman Melawati, 53100 Kuala Lumpur. Daily, 8am-12am. Tel: 03-4161-1766