#6 Ah Wah Hokkien Fried Mee

Warning: *Non-Halal post*

Perhaps when it comes to a certain well-known Hokkien Fried Mee joint at Petaling Jaya, fingers will no doubt be pointed at Ah Wa's of Jalan 222. However, I and the gang were dare enough to decide and go against the common culinary demography by unleashing our rather inner sense of hipster(ness). As being different means venturing into foreign territory of another side of the map, we went for another Ah Wah's instead (Yes, with a slightly alphabetical tweak in the name, an extra 'H').

Hokkien Fried Mee

Greasy and smooth, the noodles were fried with sufficient 'wok hei' to warm up your appetite. Furthermore, this dish just couldn't go wrong if you're a fan of pork lard. Imagine the a joyful outburst of burning oil in your piehole upon crunching these sizzling pieces of porky goodness. In conclusion, this Ah Wah might come close as a strong contender in this race (P.s. 'might' 'as I have yet to give the other Ah Wah a try).

'Wat Tan Hor' (Cantonese fried flat noodles)

However, the dish fell short of being underwhelming and extremely slimy. Nothing to shout about.

The stall is located in Restaurant Millenium Eighty Six. Do drop by for dinner if one happens to be loafing around Taman Paramount! (P.s. Sorry for not posting the price this time due to the fact that my memory loss is getting worse, but I do remember the bill ended up RM 8 something for each of us four.

Ah Wah Hokkien Fried Mee,

Restaurant Millenium Eighty Six,
Jalan 20/22, Taman Paramount,
Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Business hours: Evening till late daily.

#5 Namoo Korean Dessert Cafe & Bistro On The Park

As if K-Pop fever isn't dissipating anytime soon, South Korean's cultural impact is still immense and ubiquitously felt. Nowadays, Korean fashion has somewhat made a de rigueur fashion statement among local youngsters with all the glitz and glamour channeled by K-Pop artistes (You don't say!).

To me, a Korean dessert cafe does, indeed sound like a breath of fresh air. Don't get me wrong, I have null ideas and knowledge regarding what's hip and what's not when it comes to the trendy Korean scene. Now that there's a Korean dessert cafe, it's good to explore a thing or two about these foreign desserts (at least to me.)

Located on Level G3 of Publika Solaris Dutamas, Namoo Korean Dessert Cafe & Bistro On The Park is a great place to chill out with friends. Dimly lit and cosy, the cafe's simple interior design casts a rather ruggedly laidback spell with its wooden tables and cold, hard grey cement walls and floor.

Shortly after having a big-portioned lunch, most of us were already having our sweet-toothache and nothing, and I do mean nothing (not even our heavily satisfied appetite..) can ever stop us from having this self-imposed toothache cured. The only remedy to our gustatory thirst seems to be another fun postprandial round of guilt-inducing desserts.

We ordered two items. The service was rather bad here as it took almost a lifetime for the waiter to come by and take our orders. Oh, the place is well known for its rice burgers.

Sweet Potato Cake (RM 12.90)

"KOREAN special recipe cake made from 100% natural ingredients with fresh cream" was the description written in the menu. To me, it tasted no difference to eating a sweet potato. It's starchy, pasty and I just couldn't get used to the texture and mouthfeel of the cake. However, the ambrosial taste of sweet potato will certainly be one's favourite bit.

The King's Bing Soo (RM 17.90)

As grandeur as the name might suggest, Bing Soo, or 'patbingsu' is a Korean shaved ice dessert enjoyed during the summer season. It's a wholesome bowl of smooth shaved milky ice base embellished with rice cakes (my personal favourite!), red bean, mixed fruits and ice-cream sprinkled with multi-grain powder and nuts.

Piquant and extremely delectable, the bingsoo is a delightful treat served in a huge portion. Great for sharing indeed!

We took a couple of snapshots under author Steven Denn's quote on the wall.

So, that's a place worth another go, trust me the rice burgers...they're still in my to try-list.

Namoo Korean Dessert Cafe & Bistro On The Park
Lot 4A, Level G3,
Publika, No. 1 Jalan Dutamas 1, Solaris Dutamas.
50480 Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia.
Tel: 03-64116698

Business hours:

Sunday -Thursday: 11.00 a.m. - 10.00 p.m.

Friday - Saturday: 11.00 a.m. - 11.00 p.m.

#3 S.Wine Cafe

Warning: *Non-Halal post*

Hidden at the secluded corner of B.I.G. Ben's Independent Grocer deli counter, S.Wine cafe is a dining spot deemed hard to locate. Judging from the playful twist on the cafe name, diners who bear voracious appetite towards pork dishes may find this place essential to their to-eat list.

After attending Stef's graduation ceremony, I and the gang decided to brave the thunderstorm (and massive traffic jam as well...) to get to Publika at Solaris Dutamas for lunch. By the time we reached there, everyone was practically famished. Without hesitation, I rather let my hunch be the guide, thus leading us to this non-Halal joint.

Dark and chic, the interior deco maximizes its limited space by cramming up the dining tables and metallic chairs, rendering the whole cafe to look like a marketplace diner. Fortunately, all seven of us were seated on a quiet yet algid table spot.

The wall design even features a nobby collage of quirky quotes and peculiar images (featuring different meaty, roseate pork dishes..) inspired by piglets and pork. Nonetheless, the entire dining environment is redolent with contemporary feel and style.

The menu.

We eventually ordered five dishes with me opting for a burger platter. The items arrived were big-portioned and definitely served more than enough to satiate one's gastronomic desire.

Olio Chorizo Chunks & Broccoli with Blue Cheese. (RM28)

Olio style spaghetti with chorizo, pine nuts, broccoli and chilli flakes, topped with chunks of blue cheese.

Roast Pork Sandwich with Apple Sauce. (RM 28)

Chinese roast pork with apple sauce in ciabatta, served with side salad and four root chips.

Grilled Lemongrass Pork Chops. (RM 28)

Grilled lemongrass pork chops topped with a fried egg and doused with light soya sauce, served with steamed white rice and a bowl of salted vegetable duck soup.

A rather salty dish.

Hainanese Pork Chops. (RM 28)

Pork chops drenched in tomato sauce with peas, corn and carrot, topped with coriander, served on a bed of crinkled fries.

Sloppy Piggy Burger with Mexicana Pulled Pork. (RM 28)

Pork burger slopped with Mexicana pulled pork on a brioche burger bun, served with coleslaw and crinkled fries.

While the thick pork patty tasted dry and anything but succulent, the Mexicana pulled pork kind of compensated the snag by pulling off an aromatic taste. Anyways, I couldn't finish the side fries.

What can I say? It's a decent place for a decent porky meal.

S.Wine Cafe
Lot 1A, 83-95, Level UG,
Publika, No. 1 Jalan Dutamas 1, Solaris Dutamas.
50480 Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia.
Tel: 03-62091716
Business hours:
Monday - Friday: 11.00 a.m - 10.00 p.m.
Saturday - Sunday: 9.00 a.m. - 10.00 p.m.

#2 Humble Beginnings Mille Crepe Cafe @ City Square

Mille crepe, it's one of those kind of food which I just can't have enough of. I'm talking 'bout stacks of flavourful, buttery goodness served on a dessert plate.

Last weekend was great fun, most probably one of my happiest memories with her. The idea of visiting Johor Bahru, the southernmost state of Peninsular Malaysia, was pretty much of a whim. Since it's a capricious excursion, no plan was deviced, no budgetary concern was taken into account, and of course no itinerary was followed. It's just me and my impulsive soul that guided me to you.

Of course, there will always be us and dessert no matter where we go.

Located above at City Square's sixth (and top?) floor is the newly opened Humble Beginnings Mille Crepe Cafe. Humble Beginnings' Mille Crepe has been around for quite some time. The brand was rumored to be the pioneer of all things Mille Crepe in Malaysia (not sure if it's true, oh, that explains the rumor..). We picked this place for tea time out of coincidence strolling around the urban garden outside the brightly lit cafe. Few months ago, I and Keith, a friend of mine, went to the main branch at Jalan Telawi, Bangsar. Sadly, lady luck wasn't on our side since it was closed. So, I feel glad just to try it out here at such foreign territory.

From left: Passion Peach (for her), French Vanilla (for him)

We ordered two slices of Mille Crepe: Passion Peach and French Vanilla (Each slice priced at RM 9.90). Prepared to an adequate degree of sweetness, French Vanilla is a well-made twenty-layered crepe that is soft and easy to cut, yet thick and creamy on the palate. Unlike other Mille Crepes I've tried, the crepe here differs in terms of its texture and mouth-feel quality. It's definitely better tasting than the other 'mainstream' brand(s) out there. Top of my list, and I'm not even sugarcoating it (no pun intended).

Humble Beginnings Mille Crepe Cafe @ City Square
Lot. J6-05, Level 6, City Square,
Jalan Wong Ah Fook, Johor Bahru 80000,
Johor Darul Takzim, Malaysia.
Business hours:
Daily: 2.00 p.m. - 10.00 p.m.

#1 Urbean Urban Kitchen & Coffee House

Lately, there has been a surge of boutique coffee shops opening around the city. Brewing in the name of fiery passion, these quasi-arthouse coffee chains strive on serving fine espresso drinks and scrumptious desserts amid relaxing atmosphere of Minimalist interior decor and hipster music.

It was a Tuesday, a public holiday. Instead of staying indoor and be a couch potato, I called up my friends and met up with them at the Golden Triangle for an unproductive day of window-shopping, merry-making and gastronomically induced comatose. After all, that's how a well-spent public holiday should be.

When it was tea time, someone suggested 'Starbucks'. I declined, and brought them here to try out the drinks and cake.

Nestled along Avenue K's underground sidewalk (adjacent to the KLCC LRT station), Urbean is an elusively petite spot that will easily left passersby unnoticed. With fashionably hipster music playing, the coffee shop exudes style and simplicity from its quaint, empty seats and menu board, which may be something deemed attractive to coffee aficionados. Oh wait, coffee aficionados are only attracted to the essence inside the cup.

The clipboard menu was interesting.

The affable staffs were more than helpful to attend to us. Our orders included an Iced Latte (with Chocolate at the bottom), Cappuccino, Macchiato and Chocolate Mousse Cake, which was the only food item we ordered upon recommendation by one of the staffs.

From left: Cappuccino, Macchiatto.

As usual, the Iced Latte(RM 10 + RM 2 for the chocolate), being a commonplace essential in every espresso menu, delivered the caffeine kick that I've been longing for quite some time. However, the Macchiato's strong, intense taste was just too much for me. Yeah, even the hardest coffee drinker like my friend Winston couldn't take it - he diluted the drink. Classic.

The staff didn't make the wrong call recommending this to us. The Chocolate Mousse Cake (RM 10) is to die for. With all the soft, creamy chocolate greatness lingering around your palate, one couldn't help but to continuously murder the slice piece by piece.

Urbean Urban Kitchen & Coffee House
C-14 Avenue K, 156, Jalan Ampang
50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Tel: 03-2181 5781

Business hours:

Daily: 10.00 a.m. - 10.00 p.m.