Here comes a week of celebration comprising lemang, serunding, ketupat and rendang — it’s Hari Raya. That also means that KL city folk will be enjoying traffic-free roads, making your trips from KL to PJ smooth. So there’s no reason for you to not want to make your way to Bangsar to check out some of the latest restaurants and cafes that have opened in the recent months — yes, we are talking about Urban Daybreak, Drift and Flow, Zoe and Mangiiare Dine & Bar. If you’ve already covered all of the above, allow us to enlighten you with two newest additions in the Telawi area namely Hong Kong 97 and Borneo.
Scroll down to find out the latest restaurants and cafes that you can head over to this month simply to pass time during the long weekends in June 2019. (Featured image: Chewie Mellow)
If you’re looking for a new place to hang out with your buddies over Japanese tapas, sushi and sake, Peko Peko is where you should be heading to this weekend. Come here for its chilled sake that is best paired with a wide selection of deep-fried Japanese fare. Try also its chirashi bowl that is generously topped with thick slices of sashimi.
You’ve probably tried every pizza joint in town — Enorme, Proof, Atlas and My Pizza Lab — and you’ll be happy to know that there is now a new pizzeria town, located in the quaint neighbourhood of Seksyen 17 where Happy Mansion is. Pizza Mansion serves up a nice variety of pizzas on handpressed crusts — expect rustic style dining here where you should at least get your hands dirty instead of using cutleries. It is mandatory to try its Truffle Mac & Cheese especially on your cheat days.
Enjoy classic burgers, eggs benedict and other brunch options with a glass of iced lemon tea or coffee. But once you’re done with the savoury items, it’s time to treat yourself with some sweets. The artisanal cakes and pastries are both beautiful to look at and indulgently delicious. There is also an adjoining cake shop under the same brand if you’re thinking of taking away some petit gateau. (Credit: Ivy Kam)
Borneo brings a new perspective to the dining scene here in KL with an unfamiliar cuisine among the city folks here. The restaurant, previously where Ashley’s is, takes diners on a journey into the flavours of indigenous Bornean food. Don’t just expect the regular tuak (fermented rice wine), hinava (lime-marinated fish), and mee kolo served with Sandakan dried pork — you should try the exotic dabai (an olive-like fruit from Sarawak served in salads) and the tuhau wild ginger that are both used in Borneo’s specialty cocktails.
Southeast Asian influences run deep in Timothy’s menu with crowd-pleasing favourites like chicken rice, lei cha, butter chicken and eggs on toasts, all reimagined with a contemporary twist. Its signature dish, called ‘Gayithri Feels Nauseated?’ (named after the restaurant’s co-founder), comprises mushroom risotto with chunks of paneer cheese, baby spinach and toasted pumpkin seeds. The food and people there both have a fun personality and it is reflected in the ambience as well.
Those with a knack for plants and succulents, you’d probably have heard of Plant & Pot Studio in Puchong where you can find a good mix of outdoor and indoor plant species like staghorn ferns and the rare Calathea Zebrina. And we know that shopping for plants can be rather exhausting (have you tried it?) — the reason why the green thumbs behind the studio has opened a little cafe serving cakes and coffee. Sipping Corner Cafe is also a great space to satiate your social media needs.
Chewie Mellow made quite an impression on social media with its ‘upside down ice cream’ comprising silky milk mochi with a cone when it first open. But there are more than just soft gooey mochi here — there are an assortment of sweet items from the cult-favourite boba milk tea to colourful shaved ice desserts. There are also pork-free Taiwanese rice dishes like the oyster mee sua and lu rou fan served here at Chewie Mellow.
Martin Teo
Editor-in-Chief
Martin has a bent for history and food culture, especially of the Peranakan heritage. Since the pandemic, he finds joy in plant parenting and continues to expand his collection of Philodendrons, Anthuriums, and Syngoniums. On his free time, he finds time scouring through the latest cafes in search for the best croissant in the city.
