Tapas Club
As its name suggests, this restaurant is all about tapas – the perennial Spanish favourite of delicious small eats. With branches in Singapore and Jakarta, the opening of the Tapas Club here offers diners a great option to indulge in dishes like grilled pork ribs, mushroom or ham croquetas, chipirones (deep-fried baby squid), Padrón peppers and of course, Tortilla de Patatas, amongst many more. There are five types of paella – vegetables, chorizo, squid ink, seafood and chicken, and Fideua Negra (with noodles instead of rice). And if there’s still space, dessert comes in the form of churros, Crema Catalana and the intriguing chocolate tart with orange and olive oil ice cream.
Level 7, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur
168, Jalan Bukit Bintang
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2110 2718
tapasclub.com
Eatomo Bangsar
With outlets in Taman Desa and Publika, the natural progression for Eatomo was to open in Bangsar. Eatomo’s popularity stems from its Japanese / Californian-inspired dishes, fresh seafood (including live oysters) and interesting décor – especially in their latest restaurant. If there’s one thing diners keep returning for, it’s their seared mentaiko (roe) salmon poké bowl. There are other rice bowl options as well, topped with all manner of seafood, beef or chicken. If you’re a fan of their Wok-Fired Spicy Gyutandon (beef tongue), try the Gyutan Aglio Olio. Their Fin de Claire oysters are flown in fresh weekly and well worth the price!
21, Jalan Telawi 2
Bangsar
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2202 3280
eatomo.com
Alta
In a neighbourhood where there are enough cafés to eat every day of the week, Alta brings something a little different to the scene. It opens early for breakfast (8am) and offers a succinct menu with options for breakfast, brunch, lunch and afternoon tea. There are four egg dishes with the fluffy scrambled version on sourdough well recommended. Those on a healthy kick can opt for their hearty, wholesome bowls; and tartines (open-faced sandwich) entice with varied toppings like Bresaola, Buffalo chicken rillettes and Spanish tuna Provencal. For something different, try the homemade ricotta or stracciatella with toppings.
59-1 Jalan Bangkung
Bangsar
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2201 0725
altacafe.com
Joloko
Here’s something different – a Caribbean / West Indian restaurant and bar in a funkily refurbished heritage shophouse. The menu is eclectic by usual KL standards with influences from Africa, Cuba, Jamaica and all those fun places in the Caribbean. Here, you can find goat curry, Ropa De Vieja (Cuban dish of pulled meat with rice and vegetables), Jamaican Jerk Chicken and a variety of starter / snack plates covering the flavours of the region. The bar’s specialty is mezcal (agave-based liquor) and their party nights include the upcoming Pablo’s Disco Bar, which could be reason enough to go.
43, Jalan Kamunting
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2694 1100
bar-joloko.com
Super Saigon
Vietnamese cuisine is known for being relatively healthy in terms of the ingredients used and recipes. Super Saigon was the first halal-certified pho restaurant in KL and has proven popular enough to warrant opening an outlet in the city. Offering Vietnamese favourites like báhn mi (baguette sandwich), bun cha (grilled meat with rice noodles), com tam (broken rice) as well as their Melbourne-style signature pho, this new outlet could be your go-to lunch treat in the city. A good bowl of pho is all about the stock, and here they use beef or chicken to produce a broth that goes perfectly with the rice noodles and fresh condiments of Thai basil, beansprouts and lime.
34A & 34G, Persiaran Ampang Hilir
Taman U-Thant
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-4265 3853
supersaigon.com.my
Long Napir Kitchen
An authentic Sarawakian restaurant is hard to come by and Long Napir intends to change that. The restaurant was started and is run by a group of East Malaysians who obviously take pride in their cuisine. It’s named after a group of Penan and Kelabit settlements in Sarawak, and food here are full of the flavours of the state; yes, their Sarawak Laksa is a crowd favourite. Other specialties to look out for are the Manuk Pansuh (tender grilled chicken cooked in bamboo), Kelabit rice (rice cooked in leaves with side dishes), jelly fish umai and Mee Kolo. There are also daily specials, a snack menu and Tenom coffee.
31G, Plaza Crystalville
Desa Sri Hartamas
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-6211 1323
fb.com/longnapirkitchen2018
Rawsome
Rawsome made a name for itself in the healthy eating scene with their organic chia puddings, which have become their signature offering. They then moved on to Asian- and Malaysian-inspired meat-free meals served alongside yoga and wellness classes. Their latest café recently opened in Bangsar – their other outlets are in Sungai Buloh, Gleneagles Hospital KL and MyTown Shopping Centre – offering meat-free bowls including their famous Vegetarian Ulam and their extensive range of chia seed puddings flavoured with everything from fruit to beetroot to Nutella! There are also smoothies with the option of soy, Greek yoghurt, coconut water or low-fat milk. A great option for vegans and vegetarians in Bangsar.
7, Jalan Riong
Bangsar
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 012-683 4943
rawsome.co
