Monday, July 28, 2014

Malaysia and Singapore Dining (as of July 2014)


Malaysia and Singapore Dining

Dishes in italics = good
Dishes in italics and bold = make a special effort to order

Kuala Lumpur

Acme Bar and Coffee:  On ground floor of Troika building.  Bistro, café, bar mash up.  Modern take on Western dishes for lunch, brunch and dinner.  Two stories.  Lots of young Chinese on dates.  Interesting menu – some things work better than others.  Deconstructed nachos was a noble effort, but not a classic.  Drink menu looks good, but execution is middling.  Still, interesting and inventive food, some of which is pretty good.  (03/04)

Smoked duck breast
Deconstructed nachos – homemade chips w/3 sauces – caramelized onion, mushroom and duck chorizo and minty yoghurt and crab
Mushroom and leek quiche w/semolina crust

Al Amar: Excellent Lebanese on 5th floor of Pavilion Mall. Attracts large Middle Eastern crowd, with lots of burqa-clad women enjoying meals with their families.  At same time, has plenty of expats and Chinese women in short skirts and serves alcohol.  In the evenings, has a small band playing Arabic tunes on the synthesizer. Can eat inside in air conditioning or outside in the warmth overlooking the crowded pedestrian scene on Bukit Bintang.  Quick service. Well-spiced and tasty.   Cold salads refreshing.  Mhammara nicely balanced richness with a little zing. Lamb was tangy and potatoes had a kick. Shawarma was a little dry.  You can arrange take out for a large group or they do catering.  (04/14)

Mhammara (tomato, chili and walnut spread)
Hummus beiruti – w/chilis
Lebneh
Pita with olive oil, sumac and za'atar (complimentary)
Batata harra (spiced, fried potatoes)
Spicy lamb cutlets
Lamb sausage over tomato sauce
Mixed shawarma platter

Antipodean:  Menara Tan & Tan, Jalan Tun Razak.  Started in Sydney, with another restaurant in Jakarta.  Close to embassy but on other side of Tun Razak (also a popular branch in Bangsar).  Focus on breakfast/brunch and lunch, though also open for dinner.  Very popular on weekend mornings.  A bit loud for a work lunch.  Menu on blackboard.  Mixed quality, though I like the Burmese chicken salad.  Popular with expats and the Chinese Malay community.  (10/13)

Oatmeal
Lamb burger
Shredded Burmese chicken salad
Open faced smoked chicken sandwich

The Apartment: Cafe attached to KLCC. Several other branches around the city.  Outdoor seating with view of fountains and passers by in park. Mixed menu. Food pricey and only so-so at lunch, but seemed like a good place for an after work drink and people-watching. (10/13)

Seared tuna salad - bland capers
Duck and mango - not very spicy, duck a bit fatty
Pan-fried shrimp with pineapple salsa

Beast:  In Intermark complex.  Upscale steakhouse, with burgers and seafood.  Cool, dark bar.  Expensive, but with decent happy hour drink prices.  Can combine with a trip to the Tate next door.  Steaks are sold by 200 gm.  With a group, we ordered an 800 gm on the bone porterhouse.  Nicely charred and juicy.  Dinner cheese burger was good, but they are serial under-cookers.  Lunch burger was well-seasoned with a spicy ketchup.  Had Christmas Eve set menu.  Pricey, but very good.  Good fish, but had to order one night as they were out of burgers by 8 pm – at a burger restaurant.  Service can be a bit slow, which can be a problem for a work lunch. (06/14)

Cheeseburger with mushrooms
Cheeseburger with spicy sauce
Pumpkin soup w/arugula pesto
Porterhouse
Cauliflower and cheese
Potato wedges cooked in duck fat
Brussels sprouts
Cod on spiced pumpkin puree
Beef carpaccio
Steak
Berry pavlova
Sticky date pudding

Ben's: part of the Ben's food empire in KL.  Same owner as Beast, B.I.G., the Tate etc. one of 5 branches, in KLCC. Stylish decor. Western cuisine with a UK base and a few Asian twists. Focus on fresh ingredients for upscale comfort food. Well-presented and put together. Mixed crowd. Not cheap, but not too pricey.   Had one bad dish – mushroom lasagna, but other than that, solid.  Go to place for dinner before or after movies at KLCC.  (03/14)

Portobello burger w/fries (nice and crispy)
Roasted tomato soup
Softshell crab w/spicy papaya salad
Softshell crab with curry leaf pasta
Pasta puttanesca with crab
Belgian fries
Spicy Chicken wings
Strawberry mint julep
Mushroom lasagna

Bijan:  3 Jalan Ceylon, just past blocks of western bars and restaurants.  Maybe our favorite place for Malay cuisine.  Perhaps the most expensive place for Malay food, but most Malay restaurants are hawker stalls or down market.  Pleasant dining room and the restaurant serves alcohol, which many Malay places do not.  All in all, not too pricey by U.S. standards.  Broad and interesting menu with some dishes I have not seen elsewhere.  We’ve liked almost everything we’ve tried (except for Liz’s venture into durian desserts – we ate there on vacation in 2009 and again after moving to KL in 2013.  Great place to take guests from out of town.  Serves a buffet during Ramadan.  (01/14)

Spicy mango salad
Fern salad with prawns
Fern salad with beef
Barbecued snapper -overcooked
Prawns in curry
Stewed beef short ribs
Fried vegetables and chili sauce

Satay
Seafood mousse- a bit spicy, similar to Thai version (not quite as good second time)
Prawn croquettes
Pancakes stuffed with spiced beef
Slow cooked lamb shoulder in spices
Chicken curry
Palm sugar cake with ice cream
Banana fritters
Durian cheesecake – abandon hope, all ye who enter here. 

La Boca: On Pavilion walk, just outside the mall.  I was leery at first as it is along a row of loud restaurant/bars, some of which seem rather cheesy.  However, I was pleasantly surprised by my dish – the Chilean lamb stew, which was pungent with vinegar, capers and tomato.  No pork, so I would not recommend the Cuban sandwich, for example.  Can get very loud with live band and music from neighboring restaurants.  Menu is pan-Latin America, though it seemed to have a focus on Argentina.  Can also just go for drinks and people watching as mall patrons and bar hoppers pass in front of you.  (06/14)

Cordero Estofado (lamb stew)

Bombay Palace:  215 Jalan Tun Razak.  Across street from embassy.  However, need to drive or walk 15 minutes do to high-speed traffic on Tun Razak.  Stand-alone restaurant, a bit of a rarity now in KL.  Can eat downstairs or upstairs.  Could use a little sprucing up.  Traditional Indian cuisine.  Mid-scale pricing.  No standout dishes, but I’ve liked everything I’ve tasted.  (02/14)

Variety of curries
Lamb saagwala
Palak paneer
Spicy mango and chicken salad
Stuffed peppers (spicy)

BreadFruits: 17 Jalan 26/70a, Desa Sri Hartamas.  As address connotes, can be hard to find.  In strip mall in Mont Kiara.  Off of main road, so reasonably quiet with some outdoor seating in front.  Can be a bit difficult to find when traveling from KLCC.  Popular for weekend brunch – TimeOut KL mentioned it prominently in its write up of KL’s best brunches.  Expat families and groups of young Chinese and Indians.  Bright, but a little crowded and can get noisy due to the crowds and the very busy juicer.   Great looking menu, with a focus on fresh ingredients.   Breakfasts, sandwiches and pastas, with an extensive list of juices over the counter.  Reasonably priced, though portion sizes are moderate.  Nothing too heavy, even the dishes with pork.  (02/14)

Smoked salmon platter with avocado salad and scrambled eggs
Rye French toast with roasted banana, Canadian bacon and honey/passion fruit sauce
Beet, celery and pineapple juice

Brussels Beer Garden:  Next to Hari Hari Detang and across the street from Ampang Grocers just off of Jalan Ampang.  Several other branches around town.   As name implies, focus on Belgian cuisine and heavy on the meats, particularly pork.  A large selection of Belgian beers on tap and in the bottle.  Given pork-focus, largely ethnic Chinese and Western clientele.  Food can be heavy and a bit salty, but it’s a reasonably authentic taste of northern Europe.  Mussels apparently flown in from Europe.  (03/14)

Roasted pork belly
Mussels in white wine
Sausage plate with mustard and aioli
Chicken roulade

Cafe de Paris: on Pavilion walk, closer to Bukit Bintang entrance. Designed like a French cafe with seating spilling out into the walk with tables set up for people watching. Can also sit within the restaurant in air conditioning. Also can order pastries from the counter. Serves liquor and beer on tap. Menu filled with tartines, salads and other French specialities. No pork. (06/14)

Frites
Tartines
- roast beef and blue cheese, Brie and nuts, salmon and capers

Cantaloupe:  On top of the Troika building on Jalan Binjai, one of three dining areas.  Modern design.  I believe you can get drinks outside, though we were there for brunch and all service was indoors.   Views of the Petronas Towers or of over the park.  We had special Chinese New Year brunch.  A mixture of traditional dishes and fusion dishes.  Expensive.    Reasonably inventive, but not perfect.   Breads were very good.  Appetizers brought to table or from other table.  Three mains.  Decent desserts.  Expensive dinner destination.  Food was better than I expected, though Liz felt did not justify the high price.  (02/14)

Jerusalem artichoke soup with scallop
Barramundi wrapped in nori and steamed in salt crust

Champ’s:  Sounds like a US sports bar, but a branch of PJ original restaurant located on first floor in Bangsar Shopping Centre.  Very pork-centric menu –ribs, belly, liver, lard, cracklings, roasted, fried, boiled, grilled.  Plus, lots of noodles.   Not for someone on a diet.  I had the prawn mee, with giant prawns, mini prawns, pork ribs, and roasted pork.  Can add in spicy paste.  Perhaps not the best choice for a working lunch as it takes a bit of effort.  But, broth was rich, ribs were tender, and prawns not overcooked.  Oh, and the blood thickening cracklings added a lot of flavor.  (05/14)

Chynna: upscale Chinese on second floor in KL Central Hilton. Acrobatic tea pouring to start meal. Pricey for KL, but good for expense account lunch. Dim sum the best option.  Colleague who served in China agreed food was quite good. (03/14)

Dim sum platter
Black pepper beef
Tofu with crab
Chicken and eggplant
Stir fried bean sprouts
Fried rice with shrimp and anchovies

Ciao:  On Jalan Kampung Pandan off of Tun Razak.  A five minute drive from the embassy.  Open since 1991, it is the oldest Italian restaurant in KL.  Has onsite parking in front.   Situated on Royal Selangor golf course, so nice views.  Food not so impressive.  Potato soup had little seasoning, croutons were dry.  Pizza was ok, but crust nothing special.  Pistachio ice cream was grainy.  Still, a quiet place for a work lunch.  (07/14)

Potato soup with truffle croutons
Pizza Napolitana
Pistachio ice cream

Danielle:  Bakery and lunch place close to the embassy.  Run by an expat French woman.  Pastries are quite good.  Sandwiches are small but cheap.  Not a huge fan of the savory dishes.  One hot dish I tried – chicken moussaka – had lots of green peppers, not what I associate with moussaka.  (01/14)

Chicken sandwich
Chicken moussaka
Ratatouille
Mushroom soup
Pastries

Da On:  Korean on the sixth floor of pavilion.  Large, open.  Full menu, but focus on barbeque.  Staff grills meet over charcoal in front of you.  Tasty and garlicy, with traditional sides, including kimchi.  (01/14)

Grilled beef
Squid pancake
Seafood soup

Delicious:  Several branches, plus catering.  I went to restaurant on Tun Razak across from US embassy.  A bit better than I expected.  Like many places, mixed menu – western, Malaysian, fusion.  Reasonably priced.   Gets a decent lunch crowd. (12/13)

Chili crab pasta

De Maw:  18 Jalan Pudu Ulu in Cheras.  Old school Chinese, complete with brusque waitstaff.  Small dining area and you need to book.  Family style, big portions and quite cheap.  About $90 for a huge meal for 8 people.  Southern Chinese cuisine, so focus on sweet and sour, rather than spicy.  Favorite restaurant of food loving embassy KL staffer.  No knockout dishes, but everything was good.  (06/14)

Sweet and sour pork
Tamarind fish
Tofu and vegetables
Grilled shrimp with barbecue sauce
Sauteed eggplant with pork

Gingko nut, cloud fungus and longan in broth
Kailan with roasted garlic and yam

Din Tai Fung:  On top floor of Pavilion mall.  This place is so good, it doesn’t matter that it is part of a growing global chain and now available in the U.S.  Incredibly popular with ethnic Chinese community, many of whom call this Taiwanese import the best Chinese in KL.  Always a crowd waiting, but they move the line fast.  Specializes in dumplings, particularly soup dumplings.  You can watch staff roll out and fill dumplings in glass encased area in front of store.  All options good and the soup dumplings are memorable.  Great for weekend lunch.  (04/14)

Soup dumplings with crab
Soup dumplings (xiao long bao)
Shrimp and pork dumplings
Pork and vegetable dumplings
Mushroom dumplings in spicy sauce
Hot and sour soup
Stir fried vegetables

Dome: Mid-scale chain throughout the city and region.  Closest one to us is in Suria mall at KLCC.  We’ve done take-away.  Manager was very accommodating to Liz, so that’s a point in their favor, but I haven’t been impressed by their food.  (09/13)

Meat lasagna
Pasta Aglio Oglio

El Cerdo: 43/45 Cangkat Bukit Bintang, in a strip of bars and restaurants aimed at expats. Spanish restaurant focused on pork. Like many of our choices, popular with Chinese residents of KL.  Not a place for dieters. Large portions. Enjoyed the food, but no absolute can't misses.  Ordering the whole roast suckling pig is a production, involving a special way to carve up the meat and smashing plates to ensure good luck.  (02/14)

Chorizo in red wine sauce
Cold cut platter- prosciutto, chorizo, salami etc.
Bacon-wrapped anchovies
Japanese pork steak
Baby back ribs
Roast suckling pig
Roasted banana

El Sids:  1 Jalan Setiapuspa, Bukit Damansara.  Mexican restaurant.  Extensive drinks menu, some of which weren’t bad.  Mexican food no worse than at most mass-market US restaurants, though not particularly authentic.  If you crave a margarita and you are in the area, it’s not bad.  (05/14)

Chips and salsa (store bought chips)
Chicken chorizo quesadilla (actually alright, not greasy)
Jalapeno poppers (quite spicy)
Enak: In Feast upscale food court in bottom of Star Hill Gallery.  Upscale Malay.  Not cheap by KL standards.  Kitchen stays open late, but by 9 pm was out of several items.  Halal, but serves alcohol.  Food was good, but I think Bijan better for non-food stall Malay.  (03/14)

Pepes Goreng Enak - mackerel and candlenut fried in pandan leaf
Salada percik - chicken salad
Mango kerabu
Ikan terutup - seabass grilled in banana leaf
Ayam lemak cili padi - chicken tamarind coconut and chili
Kambing masak merah - lamb shank in stewed tomato

Fahrenheit 600: Pizza place in Publika mall.  You can watch them stretch out the dough and make the pies as you walk in.  Also, an Italian menu.  Crust didn’t seem to turn out completely authentic, but the topping was fine.  Cheese appeared mixed in with the tomato sauce.  (03/14)

Margarita pizza
Greek pizza
Tropical pizza
Green salad
Chocolate and mint drink

Fuego:  Troika Sky Dining -24th floor of Troika building on Jalan Binjai.  Start with the view, all seating is outside with a great view of KLCC park and the Petronas Towers.  Many creative drinks on the menu, and I think they largely succeed, particularly as they do not rely on sweetness to cover up the alcohol.  Small plates and big plates.  We had a couple smalls with drinks and this is an excellent place for happy hour to start the evening.  The food was good, but pricey.  (06/14)

Soft-shell crab
Guacamole with vegetable chips
Grilled watermelon salad with haloumi cheese
Buttered rum flavored with popcorn
Whiskey sour made with smoked whiskey

Gem:  3 Jalan Gasing, Petaling Jaya.  Also, branch in Brickfields.  Small chain that started in Chennai.  Specializes in southern Indian cuisine, including several Chettinad dishes.  Our ethnic-Indian dining companions said it was very authentic.  In any event, the food was very tasty.  Spicy enough to wake up the tongue, but not overpowering.  Lots of different flavors.  Not light dining, as much was fried, but an enjoyable meal with several unfamiliar dishes on the menu.  I didn’t do the ordering, so don’t recall the exact names of the dishes.  Atmosphere a little worn, but filled up nicely on a Wednesday evening.  (06/14)

Masala fried prawns
Cauliflower
Lamb
Chicken
Naan
Mango lassi

Gobo Upstairs:  Steakhouse on 6th floor of Traders Hotel.  Went there on recommendation from 2 friends who independently said it was their favorite place for steak in KL.  Some of the tables have a view of KLCC park.  We told them it was for our anniversary and the staff put rose petals on our table before we arrived.  I thought it was a good steak.  Well-cooked and at a moderate price (though you can go to town with expensive Wagyu0.  Best in KL?  Questionable, but the sides were well done and it is a quiet place for a dinner  which you would like to talk to your table.  (06/14)

Mushroom soup with truffle oil
Grilled mushrooms
Sirloin
Brocolini

Hakka: Large open air Chinese restaurant around corner from Pavilion shopping mall. Covered, but with fans it remains pretty cool.  Management will roll back the ceiling to allow a view of the sky if the weather is ok.  It's been around for decades, serving ethnic Hakka food from southern China. Mix of the local Chinese community and tourists.  Has beer girls in relatively short skirts – just an objective observation, not a subjective judgment.  Pork seems to find its way into most dishes. All good, nothing great. (06/14)

Spicy noodles with crab
Crab and lettuce
Soft and crunchy noodles with vegetables
Noodles with pork, dried squid and chives
Mashed tofu with pork
Pork pancake
Sweet and sour pork
Beef with ginger
Hakka noodles
Butter prawns

Hokkaido Ramen Sentouka: located on "Tokyo Street" on top floor of Pavilion Mall. Advertises several international awards for Ramen. Based on my experience, they are deserved. Deeply flavored broth and tender, juicy meat. (03/14)

Grilled pork
Pork ramen(can get it with soy, miso or spicy broth)
Vegetable gyoza

Ippudo Ramen:  On second floor of Pavilion Mall, just underneath the movie theater.  More modern than Hokkaido ramen in décor and with a broader menu.  Western pop on the soundtrack.  Crowded with noisy Japanese greetings from the staff for newcomers.  Warm and filling with tasty broth and flavorful meat.  Three styles of ramen, that you can then individualize with add-ons.  (06/14)

Ramen
Shrimp and avocado salad
Fried shrimp bun
Cucumber
Tofu salad

Kampachi: ground floor of the Troika building on Jalan Binjai. Modern, dark wood. Weekend brunch for roughly $50 a great deal for what you get. Includes special cuts of tuna and amberjack flown in. Can choose wagyu beef, king crab, prawns, plus shared dishes like grilled scallops, oyster cakes, tempura, grilled fish. Plus, a small buffet of high-quality sashimi, sushi and sliced beef. Attentive service.  Weekday sushi lunch special is good, but not as special.  (03/14)

Kelantan Delights:  On second floor of food court across from KL Sentral train station.  Was fairly empty on a weekday night, but seems like a place that does a good lunch business with the office crowd.  One of my Malaysian co-workers recommended it and the food really was good.  Specializes in dishes from the northern peninsula state of Kelantan, so some influences from Thailand across the border.  Halal, so no pork.  Malay dishes.  Moderate price.  (01/14)

Nasi kerabu daging
Mien kam
Squid with chili
Mango chicken salad

La Mexicana: The Terrace at Hock Choon.  Lorong Nibong off of Ampang.  One of our favorites.  Authentic Mexican food. -- not US Tex-mex, but the real deal. I believe the chef is the chef for the Mexican embassy and I know that Mexican embassy staff like to eat there.  Many dishes with hard to find components. As comparison, this is better than upscale Mexican restaurants in US like Rosa Mexicana. Drinks also are good.  While the British owner and the staff are always welcoming, service can be a bit relaxed, so be careful if a work lunch.  (05/14)

Guacamole
Spinach salad w/roselle dressing
Fish tacos
Tortilla soup
Huitlacoche crepes
Snapper ala Veracruzana
Chicken enchiladas
Chile Relleno
Chicken enchiladas with mole
Pork tenderloin in pumpkin seed/habanero sauce
Peneques
Chicken tamale
Mackeral – the first thing I have had that I did not really like
Tamarind margarita - nicely tart, with spiced salt rim

Limablas: Melaka/Penang Nyonya style restaurant at 15 Jalan Mesui next to No Black Tie jazz club. Decor, along with food, like you would see in Melaka or Penang, including old Chinese signage. Modest sized menu on blackboard over the bar. One of the few places we have yet found for Nyonya cuisine in KL. Food was good but not great. I think others at dinner liked it a bit more than I did. Still, a good place for groups, particularly before hitting some of the nearby nightlife, or taking guests who won't make it out of KL. (03/14)

Kangkung
Tamarind shrimp
Chicken curry
Spicy shrimp with broad beans
Cendol
Ais Kacang

Little Penang Kafe: in upstairs dining court at KLCC Mall. Casual Malay dining. Seems cheap compared to US prices, but expensive for Malay food due to location. (11/13)

Nasi lemak Penang
Mee Penang with crab and chicken
Nutmeg juice - tasted like a flat Coke

Little Thai: In complex of hawker stalls just off Jalan Ampang near Ampang Grocer. Despite being open air, stalls are well ventilated and fans keep patrons comfortably cool, even during mid-day. Food prepared In front of you by skillful team. All ingredients very fresh. Thai staff. If you ask for spicy, be prepared for the real deal. (10/13)

Steamed fish with chili, garlic, lime and cilantro
Fried tofu with long beans and ground pork

Living Food: In Menara Tan & Tan on Tun Razak next to Antipodean. Small, healthy eating place. Lots of vegan and raw food items, but also some meat alternatives. Many smoothies and energy drinks. Avocado smoothie was intriguing as it mixed basil, olive oil and honey. Very creamy.  One of Liz’s favorites, particularly after a run.  (11/13)

Banana and blueberry pancakes
Fruit and granola parfait
Turkey burger
Duck sandwich – a little dry
Avocado smoothly

LOKL: Coffee shop with hot lunches at 30 Jalan Tun H.S. Lee.  On a street of older shophouses near Chinatown.  Owners renovated a couple for the coffee shop and attached modern hostel.  Would be nice if the rest of the block also gentrified.   Cement floors, exposed brick walls.  Relatively short menu, with cakes and pastries displayed in back.  Fine for lunch.  Not too busy on the weekend.  (05/14)

Arugula salad with goat cheese, nuts and pomegranate
Linguini with beef bacon

Maison Francaise: 5 Changkat Kia Peng.  Fine French dining in one of the few remaining villas in our neighborhood.  Upscale and expensive for KL.  Good place for romantic meal.  Souffle was terrific and I enjoyed the soup.  The bouillabasse was a bit bland with so-so seafood.  (05/14)

Asparagus soup
Smoked salmon and sea bream
Bouillabaisse
Pistachio soufflé

Makan Kitchen: On 11th floor of Doubletree hotel at Intermark.   Lunch buffet for about 90 ringgit per person.  Huge selection primarily of Malay, Indian and Chinese dishes, plus Nyonya and other indigeneous cuisines.   Some misses, but enough choices that you can eat very well, particularly the Indian.  Also, a selection of fruits and salads.  Desserts include ice cream, Malay cakes and cendol.  Free flowing teh Tarik.  Halal, so no pork.  Excellent place to bring a group from the office for lunch, since something for everyone.  (06/14)

Mandarin Grill:  Ground floor at the Mandarin Oriental.  Some tables look out over the park, where you can do some people watching.  Very high end.  Known for its steak, though I was on a work lunch with a fixed menu.  Very attentive service.  Top notch ingredients, exacting preparation.  Mixed international cuisine.  (06/14)

Swimmer crab cake
Salmon
Lavender crème brulee

Marble 8:  163 Jalan Binjai.  Just across the park from where we live.  Freestanding 2 story building overlooking the park (unfortunately, as of 2014, major construction in that area of the park).  Outdoor bar, which plays 80s hits, indoor restaurant, lounge and private dining upstairs.  Reportedly, one of the most expensive restaurants in KL, though I did not pay the bill.  Owned by the people from Marini’s.  Very high-end steaks and luxury foods.  It’s an indulgent meal – dollars and calories.  Very good, though not the best I’ve ever had.  Very attentive staff.  A place to show off.  (07/14)

Foie Gras (not my thing)
Blue chees salad with pear and walnuts
Tomato salad
Bone marrow
Tenderloin –nicely charred, but a little chewy
Truffle fries
Baked Portobello mushrooms
Roasted carrots
Creamed spinach
Chocolate lava cake with salted hazelnut gelato

Mei Keng Fatt: On Lorong Awan 6.  Past Ampang Point.  On a street with several Chinese restaurants.  Title says it all, this is a place to eat a lot.  Can eat outside under fans or indoors in air conditioning.  Fish tanks in front display all manner of fish, crabs and lobsters.  Excellent place to bring a group, particularly if looking to drink a few beers (and if you have a designated driver, it’s too far to walk from most housing and taxis might be tough).  Popular for crabs and shrimp.  (10/13)

Butter crab
Chili crab
Mapo tofu
Green beans with pork
Fried pork
Pork fried rice
Pepper shrimp
Bok choy
Sweet and sour chicken

Meleur and Thyme On ground floor at KLCC.  Inside or outside dining.  Western and Malaysian menu.  Food wasn’t that great.  (12/13)

Neroteca:  .  Unit G-1, Seri Bukit Ceylon, 8 Lorong Ceylon. Groundfloor in office building/extended stay apartments.  Narrow and modern with bottles lined up in cubbies on the wall and salamis hanging over the bar.  Has a free flow brunch on the weekends.  Only one seating, so you can linger.  About $50 US, which is fair for what you get.  Starts with an antipasto bar, then sliced meats and cheeses, followed by 3 pastas (seafood risotto, spicy pasta with sausage and broccoli, corkscrews with tomato sauce), roasted meats, and a selection of desserts (cheesecake, pine nut and ricotta cake, chocolate cake, panna cotta, free form crème brulee).  All served family style.  Also have an ala carte menu.  (05/14)

Noble House:  19 Jalan Delima, off Jalan Imbi.  Higher end Chinese.  Went there for dim sum for work lunch, but they weren’t serving it during the week.  Large tables for groups.  Impressive menu with many interesting dishes that I had not seen before.  Pricey.  Many dishes are one portion sized, so if you have a group, make sure to order enough.  (06/14)

Grilled scallop with bacon
Crispy chicken with pomelo and mango
Crab with cheese
Fried rice
Kai lan with fried kai lan leaves

1919: Jalan Yap Kwan Seng.  Chinese restaurant near Australian embassy. Stand alone building, which is nice. Wooden decor. Food was fine. (09/13)

Sizzling tofu

Ohla: Stylish tapas restaurant in front of Intermark.  Can only use outdoor entrance.  No entrance inside the mall.  Sleek and modern with one table with about 12 chairs and about 15-20 seats at the bar.  They join parties at the table, so a nice opportunity to meet other guests (especially if your wife is chatty).  All things considered, a bit of a disappointment.  For KL, expensive – about $110 for two with drinks.  The dishes were presented beautifully, but I found several to be underseasoned and the rice undercooked.   As tapas, you select several dishes from a 15 or so item menu to share.  Several seafood and meat dishes.  (04/14)

Seared scallops
Tuna loin with caper powder
Squid ink rice with langoustine
Monkfish
Cheese plate – excellent combination of cabrales cheese and quince
Crème catalan

Pak Loh: Tried again after 3 years.  Located among the group of upscale restaurants (I hesitate to call it a food court) in the basement of Star Hill Gallery.  Recommended dishes from 2009 still excellent. (09/13)

Wok roasted pork
Fried chinju chicken
Stir fried long beans with pork
Kai lan with dried halibut

Threadfin fish
Big eye fish

Passage Thru India: 235 Jalan Tun Razak. Broad menu, with a focus on southern Indian cuisine. Music in the evenings. Large. Has won several awards. Best known for its "juicy lamb ribs," which were good. Solid all around, but few real standouts on first try. Lamb vindaloo was exception, spicier than it first appeared, with lots of garlic and chilis. Moderate price. (10/13)

Juicy lamb ribs
Lamb vindaloo

Butter chicken
Palak masala
Chicken lollipops - sauce was very good, chicken a little fatty
Lamb rogan josh
South Indian chicken
Palak pakora
Various naan
Vegetable samosa

Pinchos Tapas Bar: 18 Cangkat Bukit Bintang.  On the strip of largely-expat frequented bars and restaurants on Bukit Bintang as you start to head up the hill.  Pleasant surprise, with excellent food at a reasonable price.  Much better than the more expensive Ohlas.  Can sit outside along the street to people watch, at the bar or in seats inside.  A bit dark (they give you a mini flashlight to look at the menu), but comfortable ambience.  Check off tapas from list or order from the short list of sandwiches and mains.  4-5 items should do it for two – we got carried away and ordered 7.  Its tapas but portions are decent-sized.  Excellent quality pork.  Everything was fresh and well-prepared.  No weak dishes.  List of about a half dozen Spanish beers and sangria.  (06/14)

Chorizo stew
Iberico ham on tomato toast
Potatoes with blue cheese
Grilled sandwich with Iberico ham, manchengo and truffle oil
Eggplant and tomato stew
Grilled pork loin on toast

Prego: 199 Bukit Bintang, attached to Westin Hotel.  Higher-end Italian.   Went for a group business lunch.  Bread comes with chilled tomato sauce to dip.  Food generally enjoyable – no misses yet.  Strangely, to bring leftovers home, you have to sign a waiver indemnifying the restaurant if you get ill.  Not very confidence inspiring.  (01/14)

Antipasto plate
Mushroom soup
Ravioli stuffed with ricotta
Chicken with truffles (very fragrant)
Pistachio and chocolate mousse

Rakuzen: In basement food court of G Tower on Tun Razak.   However, it’s a real restaurant.  Wide variety of Japanese dishes.  Popular with office crowd for lunch.  Set lunches are a good deal.  Mid-level sushi and tempura at attractive prices. (10/13)

Restoran Oversea: the original, on Jalan Imbi. Old time Chinese restaurant. Popular with local Chinese population since at least the 1970's. Still fills up with tables of family gatherings. Famous char siew pork does not disappoint, though you need to get there early as they run out early in the evening.  Portions are very large.  Some locals consider it expensive, but still seems cheap to a Western wallet.  Western guests not unheard of, but not many. (09/13)

Char siew pork
Barbecue pork belly
Roast duck
Pomfret with bitter gourd
Steamed fish in soy sauce
Clay pot fish with bitter gourd (not as good as the pomfret, which I could not locate again on menu)
Shrimp with chili paste - lots of ginger chili sauce to pour over rice
Ma po tofu
Stir fried eggplant with beef
Green beans with beef

Coconut 

Rama V:  One of the very food restaurants close to the embassy on the same side of Tun Razak.  Therefore, a prime lunch option when you can’t bear the cafeteria anymore.  Serves a lunch buffet, with several salads and one main from a choice of three.  Salads are good – particularly the chicken larb.  Mains are mixed.  Good curry.  Not a great lamb dish.  (02/14)

Chicken Larb
Mango salad
Som Tam (papaya salad)
Glass noodle salad
Green curry with beef
Stir fried lamb

La Risata: Just off Jalan Ampang and a block from Ampang Grocer. On a reasonably quiet semi-residential street. Indoor or outdoor seating. Wood-fired oven. Moderate price. Delivers. Normal Italian favorites and a few specials. Not spectacular, but no weaknesses. Good for a casual dinner.  Also, they deliver pretty good pizza. (03/14)

Sliced meat platter with burrata
Grilled barramundi with eggplant - a little oily, but tasty
Zuppe di Pesce
Panna Cotta - very creamy
Parmesan cheesecake - intriguing, sweet and savory
Pizzas

Santa: Chapati House.  Off of Jalan Tuank Abdul Rahman.  Across from Sugu and the CIMB building.  Go down a few steps from the back alley.  Staff grill chapatis as you walk in.  Vegetarian or meat curries and samosas.  Very cheap.  Keep ordering more chapatis as needed.  Basic flavors, but fine.  (05/14)

Chapatis
Tofu curry
Daal

Sao Nam:  25 Tengkat Tong Shin.  Casual Vietnamese just off of Bukit Bintang on the street just past Jalan Alor.  Reasonably good, with dishes from around the country.  Has won local awards.  Vietnamese staff.  Copies of propaganda posters on the wall.  Excellent juice.  Suffers from all too common KL problem – too many dishes listed on menu actually not available.  (04/14)

Spring rolls
Soybean rolls
Pomelo salad
Shrimp in coconut sauce
Pineapple juice

SassoRosso: 25 Yap Kwan Seng. Located in one of the few remaining villas in the KLCC area on a relatively quiet street. Indoor or outdoor dining. Modern decor with lots of reds and blacks. Italian-owned. Above average prices for KL but not a splurge. Full Italian menu. We enjoyed pastas. Meats and fish. Antipasto platter for two can feed three or for and has a great variety. Though no pork, other ingredients are authentic. (03/14)

Antipasto platter: grilled octopus, mozzarella, eggplant parmagiana, shrimp scampi, bruschetta, calamari, seared tuna, carpaccio, bresaola
Burrata - remarkably creamy
Spinach and ricotta ravioli in butter, almond sage sauce
Hazelnut and stracciatella ice cream

Sek Yuen:  315 Jalan Pudu.  KL’s oldest Cantonese restaurant.  Since 1948.  Older dining room is under fans.  Newer is 70s style air conditioning.  We did under the fans.  Lots of black and white photos of the restaurant’s history.  Around Chinese New Year, many families gather together to celebrate.  Still family run.  Food is reminiscent of Chinese food growing up in the States, much of which was Cantonese-style.  Not amazing quality, but a bit better than most Chinese restaurants in the US.  However, atmosphere is worth it and the price is right.  Plus, they make their own sweet and sour sauce, redolent of citrus.  A huge step up from the packaged glop in the US.  (01/14)

Sweet and sour pork
Kai lan
Pork ribs
Roasted duck

Shook!: In bottom of Starhill Gallery. 4 kitchens in 1 restaurant - Chinese, Japanese, Italian and Steak. Big wine list. Quite pricey. Food was good, but better values for money available. Jazz band plays on stage abutting seating - can be good or bad depending on band. A bit ostentatious. (09/13)

Sashimi platter
Pasta with tomato and smoked duck

Sikh Club:  Sikh community clubhouse on sidestreet north of Ampang.  Popular for lunch.  Dirt cheap.  Good for a group with large round banquet tables.  Northern Indian food.  Some say it is their favorite in town.  I enjoyed it, but wouldn’t rank it that high.  (04/14)

Dal
Spinach and cheese
Aloo gobi (cauliflower)
Tandoori Chicken
Eggplant
Spicy mutton
Paratha
Mixed naans

Souled Out:  Jalan Ampang, around corner from Jalan Tun Razak.  On ground floor of office building, an offshoot of the original Sri Hartamas venue.  Apparently, an evening hangout, though I’ve only been there for lunch so far.  Good place for office lunch as it is close to the embassy, halal, and has a mix of Malaysian and western dishes.  People say the northern Indian food is good, but only served after 3 pm.  Outdoor seating attracts many locals for lunch, though indoor a/c also available.  I thought my mamak mee goreng was pretty tasty, if not low cal.  A bit spicy, with tofu and shrimp mixed in.  My Malaysian co-worker pronounced it “ok.”  Fills up in evenings as well, with happy hour specials.  (06/14)

Mamak mee goring
Spicy Chili prawns (on Indian menu in evenings)

Spice of India: in KLCC mall, but other branches, as well. A little hard to judge since we were seated during the Ramadan break fast rush. All was ok. Nothing stood out (07/13)

Shrimp with curry leaves
Kheema, garlic and butter Naans
Tandoori chicken
Chicke tikka
Lamb Vindaloo - rather mild

Sri Nirwana Maju: 43 Jalan Telawi 3.  Banana leaf curry restaurant in Bangsar.  On main drag on Talawi 3, a door or two from Tous le Jours. Extremely popular, cheap Indian food served family-style on banana leaves.  Tables spread out in front of the restaurant and down the block as the crowds grow in the evening.  If you get there late, you may sit too far away from a fan.  All food was good, though nothing particularly stood out.  You can pick and choose whatever dishes you want.  Also, a good mango lassi.  Good for out of town guests, after a few areas walking around Bangsar.  (12/13)

Daal
Fish curry
Chicken biryani
Lamb curry
Fried okra
Spicy calamari
Grilled fish
Chicken

Strato:  Sky dining at Troika on Jalan Binjai.  Upstairs from the other dining establishments (women, you might consider pants given the winding staircase can give patrons in the lounge next door quite a view).  Not a huge dining room.  Some seats against the window overlooking KLCC park.  Fancified Italian menu with pastas, salads and pizzas, along with some meat dishes.  At same time, maintains a somewhat casual atmosphere and prices, while not cheap, are not too bad considering the venue.  My pizza had a nice crust, though not charred as you would get from a wood-fired oven.  (06/14)

Pizza with lamb loin, brie, garlic oil and lettuce
Ravioli stuffed with beef cheek and trotters

Suzi's Corner: set of hawker stalls just off of Jalan Ampang about 10-15 minutes (without traffic) from KLCC. On a Saturday night, packed with a mix of expats and local Chinese and Malays, attracted by high-quality, cheap steaks and a mix of Indian, Malay and Middle-Eastern dishes from the other stalls in the center. It may not be the best steak you will ever have, but a good steak becomes a great steak when it costs under $10. Tenderloin, sirloin and ribeye all come with bread, veggies, fries and a sauce (I had the brown gravy). Lebanese mezzo and Indian breads consumed during the 45 minute wait for the steaks were tasty. Halal, but serves alcohol - a cold beer goes great with the steaks and the bottles of wine (no glasses) are decent and affordable. Covered, but open air with no AC. Fans help, but it can get warm. (02/14)

Spicy hummus
Fattoush salad
Tenderloin
Cheese naan with veggie curries
Chapati

Taj Garden: in brick fields. Upstairs. Indoor and outdoor dining. Indian, but some other dishes on the menu. Perfectly acceptable and quite affordable. (10/13)

Goan fish curry
Chicken 65
Vegetable jalfrezi
Kofteh malai
Lamb curry with spinach
Okra curry

Tamarind Springs (Mandi Mandi and Samadhi):  Located in green area just outside KL in Selangor.  Indoor/outdoor dining.  Tastefully decorated like a restaurant at a high-end Thai beach resort.  Great place to watch the sun go down.  Be careful of area monkeys, who can get aggressive.  Indo-Chinese cuisine upstairs and Thai-Malay downstairs.  Both benefit from high-end cocktails.  The Thai-Malay was surprisingly good, as was the Indo-Chinese upstairs (Lao, Cambodian and Vietnamese).  They did not dumb down the spices or the tang and the chef made a crispy and crunchy fried catfish salad – a dish I’ve never seen in a Thai restaurant in the US.  Presentation also very nice.  A bit on the pricey side, but pretty good value.  They kindly let us eat lunch one Saturday afternoon after we walked in hot and sweaty (and stinky) after a nearby hike.  (07/14)

Seafood kerabu
Yum Plaa Duk Foo (fried catfish salad)
Steamed squid with lime and chili
Giant river prawns (really giant) and curry
Chicken in pandan leaves
Seafood green curry
Spicy softshell crab
Fried jungle fern (with spicy dipping sauce)
Papaya salad with sun dried beef
Ricotta cheese cake

Tasty Chapati: Viva Residency, off Jalan Ipoh, about 15 minute drive north of embassy. Authentic Punjabi food. Popular with Indian families, a few of which were celebrating birthdays. Still seating people at 9:30 on Sunday. We did not stray away from mainstays, but every dish was very good. A little spicy, but not too hot. (03/14)

Mint lassi
Aloo Gobi (cauliflower)
Chickpeas
Okra
Spinach
Dal
Butter chicken
Tandoori fish
Gulab jamun (fried milk balls)
Kulfi (ice cream)

Thai Restoran Seafood Somtam: 88 Bukit Bintang.  Not sure of exact name, but it has red writing on yellow background.  On Cangkat Bukit Bintang right around the corner from Jalan Alor.  Thai staff.  No air conditioning, but fans.  Moderate price, but not super bargain.  If you ask for a dish spicy, you will definitely get spicy.  Tasty and authentic.  You can choose size of dish to tailor portions to size of your party.  (04/14)

Tom Yum Goong – with plenty of head-on shrimp
Chicken larb
Unripened mango salad – ask for no dried shrimp if you don’t like
Pak Bung Fai Daeng: spicy stir-fried morning glory

Thirty8:  On 38th floor of Grand Hyatt.  Spectacular views over the Petronas Towers, downtown KL and the mountains in the distance.  Mixed menu – western, Chinese, Japanese.  Can go very pricey for shellfish and steak or more moderate.  With such a broad menu, quality suffers a bit.  Nothing was bad, but nothing spectacular.  Also has a breakfast buffet.  A good place for morning or lunch meetings.  (04/14)

Mezze platter
Crab cakes (these were good)
Sushi rolls
Bruschetta
Whole steamed seabass
Butter prawns
Pasta with seafood
Chicken picatta
Kai Lan

Tous le Jours: Korean chain of French style bakeries. In heart of Bangsar on Talawi 3. Sweet and savory Pastries, breads, and sandwiches. Many with Asian twist. Sit down or take away. New outlet opened across from Lot 10 on Bukit Bintang.  Large and crowded.  Can order brunch dishes upstairs.  French toast with sweetened ricotta and banana was eggy and filling.  (04/14)

Strawberry bread
Four grain bread with walnut cream
French toast with sweetened ricotta

Urbean: In basement of Avenue K mall.  Coffee shop with breakfasts and lunch dishes.  Small.  A bit of a focus on healthy foods.  Some western dishes, eggs, Mexican.  Ok.  (04/14)

Vietnamese tuna sandwich
Orange carrot juice

Win Heng Seng:   A collection of hawker stalls in an old shophouse on the corner of Jalan Imbi, near where I get my hair cut.  Malaysian food expert Sharon Tan recommended the pork noodles, which were quite tasty, especially for 8 ringgit.  Sit outside under an umbrella or at a small table inside after ordering from the stall.  They will bring your food to you.  Fresh noodles had great texture with salty, seasoned ground pork meat.  Accompanying clear noodle soup with pork balls and pork sausage was an excellent complement.  The balls were light, yet not too soft, the sausage flavored with five spice powder.  (04/14)

Yeast: 24G Jalan Telawi 2.  In the heart of Bangsar on a street full of trendy restaurants and bars.  Yeast is a boulangerie and bistro serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Design is sort of traditional Parisian, sort of global modern.  Open kitchen and bakery area.  Checkered floor, red banquets, wood tables.  French owner.  Sunday brunch attracts a crowd and they don’t take reservations.  Seemed to slow down around 1:30, so maybe best on the late side.  Everything we had was excellent.  Food tends to be rich, so not for the diet conscious.  (05/14)

Duck Parmentier (duck confit topped by mashed potatoes with gruyere)
Eggs, smoked duck and cheese
Calamansi tart
Almond and pear tart

Yut Kee: 35 Jalan Wang Dangi. Hainanese coffee house that has been around for years. Overhead fans, a bit loud with chatter from tables of multigenerational Chinese families who have waited patiently in line. Friendly family owns and runs. Jack, the owner, likes to stop by tables and chat. Reflecting Malaysia's colonial history, cuisine is a mix of Hainanese takes on British staples and other Hainanese or Nyonya cuisine. We tried the British/Hainanese dishes.  While all pretty good, nothing (except pork roll) really stood out, though marble cake fresh out of the oven was a homey touch.  Still, the experience was nice.  Maybe noodles next time. Soon to move to new facilities nearby. (12/13)

Fried pork chop in gravy
Roasted pork roll - crispy exterior and moist fatty interior
Roti Babi - pork, sausage and onions stuffed in fried roll. Served with worstcheshire sauce
Marble cake - warm out of the oven
Swiss roll

Zenzero:  St. Mary Place, 1 Jalan Tengah.  Reportedly, the best homemade pasta in KL and rescomeded to us by an Italian who has lived in KL for years.  Several friends love it.  I thought the amuse busche of eggplant parmagiana was great.  My chicken, however, was overcooked, with little truffle flavor.  Very nice atmosphere.  Good for business lunch or dinner with friends.  Friendly chef came out to chat with us.  (07/14)

Eggplant parmagiana
Burrata
Chicken breast stuffed with ricotta and truffle


Food Stalls:

Hari Hari Datang:  Collection of covered hawker stalls near Ampang point and around corner from Ampang Grocer.  Little Thai reviewed above.  Well-ventilated, with lots of fans.  All stalls seem quite clean.  Mostly Chinese, but also some Malay and Thai.  (10/13)

Jalan Alor:  Off of Bukit Bintang.  Packed on weekend evenings with locals and tourists.  Touts for each of the restaurants try to lure you in.  Tables spill on to the street, where pedestrians vie with slow moving cars for room.  You have to fend off guys trying to sell everything from laser pointers to plastic helicopter toys.  Every kind of food, primarily Chinese, but also Malay and seafood specialties.  Lots of fruit, juice and grilled meat carts.  Hard to tell one place from the next, but they all seem pretty good, especially with some cold beers. (01/14)

Jalan Padang:  A few blocks from Jalan Alor, but a world apart in style.  About 20-30 stalls packed under a corrugated tin roof.  Almost all locals.  Food primarily Malay, but some Chinese, Indian, Thai and Middle Eastern.  Very cheap – a nice sized plate of char kway teow (noodles) with cockles for under $2.  Lots of families, sitting underneath the fans.  Order at a stall and they bring it to your table. (09/13)

Lot 10:  Not exactly the “authentic” food stall experience as it is indoors in the bottom of a mall in Bukit Bintang.  However, it is a collection of hawker stalls from around KL, gathered together to provide a wide variety of cuisines, from Penang noodles, to dim sum, to Korean barbecue.  Stall serving beef noodles (ground, spiced beef over egg noodles) and beef meatball soup is excellent – on left, towards the back.  Excellent roasted duck stall.  Pork barbecue was good, though I’ve had better.  Penang curry was spicy (watch out of chunks of congealed pig’s blood).  Lo Weng Kee: char siew wanton noodles.  Kim Lian Kee: Loh Mee, savory with crisped pork.  Good with German beer, which you can get from the next stall.  Lots of options in air conditioning and still quite cheap.  In the middle of central shopping district and a block or two from Jalan Alor. (4/14)

Not yet tasted: From Jeya from AmBank: Sangeetha’s – Indian veg and Marco Polo – dim sum

Bars:

Bakita:  One of dozens of restaurants/bars lined up just past Jalan Alor.  Bakita is just off of Cangkat Bukit Bintang and has an electronic signboard counting down the minutes for each rotating drink special.  (12/13)

Black Bull:  Located in the recently (2014) remodeled Avenue K.  On the third floor.  Combination bar/bowling alley, game room.  4 alleys in back.  Bar games (pool, darts) in a separate room.  Large  dining/drinking area in front.  Full menu along with drinks –burgers, pizzas, tapas.  Pizzas were home-made and not bad.   Decent happy hour prices.  Couch seating by the bowling lanes can accommodate large parties.  The bar rents bowling shoes.  (07/14)

Heli Lounge:  34th floor on Menara KH, Jalan Sultan Ismail.  Head to the top of a non-descript office building and enter the bar.  Order your drink and walk up two flights of stairs to the helipad on top of the building.  360 degree unobstructed views, but don’t get too close to the edge – its open air and there is no fencing.  The helipad functions during the day, after which they bring up lawn chairs, tables etc.  After your first drink, you can order at your table.  Also, have snacks.  Great place for photos at sunset.  Its casual, so shorts are ok.  I understand it gets crowded later and you can only get bottle service.  Expensive, but not overly so.  (07/14)

Marinis on 57: On 57th floor of Petronas Tower 3.  Bar is loud, but has great view of the two main towers.  Also, a small open air section.  The lounge is more quiet, with a view over much of the rest of downtown KL.  They make some custom cocktails at roughly US prices, but not so bad for such a view.  (07/14)

No Black Tie:  17 Jalan Mesui.  A block or so from the cangkat bars.  Small jazz club.  Seats about 50 downstairs, plus a balcony.  Intimate venue to watch music.  Small restaurant in front and you can order food and drink in the club.  Matt Ingeneri, the ECON deputy, played there often with his trio.  There is a cover, so prepare for that.  Drinks aren’t too expensive.  Adds some variety to evening entertainment.  (05/14)

Pisco: 29 Jalan Mesui.  Jammed on a Saturday evening around midnight.  Can sit at communal tables in front or fight to get inside or up the stairs.  Yes, you can get a pisco sour.  Mix of young ethnic-Chinese and Malays, expats and younger tourists.  Passed the AITOPITB (am I the oldest person in the bar?) test.  Very good for people watching.  TimeOut KL lists it as of KL’s best bars.  (06/14)

Skybar:  At Traders Hotel, next to our apartment.  Semi-open air on 33rd floor.  Can get seats next to pool looking out over KLCC park and the Petronas Towers or sit at tables in the middle or looking out the other side.  Attracts a younger crowd with some loud music – early in the evening primarily US classic rock.  Later in the night switches to a DJ.  Drinks possibly more expensive than at the Hyatt and I would avoid most of the food.  Single worst cocktail I have ever had – a martini that was all water, not even a hint of vodka.  Still, quite lively. (03/14)

Taps:  Jalan Nagasari.  CNN listed it as one of the top 10 beer bars in Asia.  Dozens of small-batch beers from around the world.  A shifting list on tap, with many more in bottles.  Some great options.  Low-key décor with main bar in middle and tables and chairs around.  Big TV for sports.  Often have live music.  Food was better than expected.  Roasted wings and earthy potato wedges with barbecue sauce.   (05/14)

Tate:  Hidden entrance along a wall behind Beast in the Intermark.  Speakeasy style with excellent made to order drinks.  Classics and some inventive selections.  A lot of effort goes in to each drink.  Pricey for KL, but not as expensive as in the US.  Can reserve couches/tables with minimum drink order or if the manager likes you.  (1/14)

Thirty8:  On top of Grand Hyatt.  Cocktail bar/restaurant on 38th floor with 2 story windows overlooking the Petronas Towers.  A Filipino group can sing just about any song you can name.  Drinks weren’t cheap, but not bad compared to US prices.  (10/13)

Whisky Bar:  46 Cangkat Bukit Bintang.  Has huge selection of whiskeys and bourbons from around the world.  Served with huge ice cubes and small beaker for squirting water into the drinks.  Comfortable chairs indoors, though you can also sit outside and people watch.  Also, sells cigars for those who like.  Serves food from next door steakhouse.  The beef ribs were excellent, meaty with a taste like pastrami.  Prices are not cheap for KL.  (05/14)

Cameron Highlands

Cameron Highlands Resort:  Possibly the most high-end hotel in the Highlands, across the street from the golf course.  Like the hotel itself, the restaurant has an early 20th century feel to it.  Can get pre-dinner drinks in the bar or in the library – both by the working fireplace – before dinner.  We had lunch and two dinners there.  Not cheap, but for a resort, not too expensive.  There’s also a hotpot restaurant in the back.  I had heard mixed reviews, but thought the food was better than expected.  Primary western dishes, with very good soups.  It is a bit formal, but not overbearing.  On the Chinese New Year weekend it was packed, but not too loud. (02/14)

Cauliflower soup
Chicken pot pie
Steak

Ipoh

Ipoh Central:  Down the street from Ming Court on the corner.  A collection of hawker stalls under one roof.  Traditional white coffee (coffee and sweetened condensed milk), milo or tea to drink.  All for less than 60 cents.  Also, crème caramel and ais kacang for less than a dollar.  Ais kacang loaded with gula Melaka.  Bathroom a bit of an adventure.  (07/14)

Ming Court Hong Kong Tim Sum:  32/34/36 Jalan Leong Sing Nam.  Clamorous, lively, crowded with families on a Sunday afternoon.  Tables turnover while employees noisily dry plates a few feet away.  Waitstaff bring dim sum to your table for you to pick and choose.  Not all speak English that well, but easy enough to figure things out.  Lots of traditional dumplings with a few things I hadn’t seen before.  Great mix of fried, steamed, baked.  Everything was good, particularly the ginger rice, mushroom dumplings and fried turnip cake.  Plenty of food for 4 people for less than $20.  (07/14)

Oversea:  Jalan Seenivasagam.  Ipoh branch of KL chain.  Seems upscale with air conditioning and table cloths.  Menu is the same as in KL.  Food is of similar, high quality.  (07/14)

Char Siew
Roasted suckling pig (just crispy skin and fat.  Delicious, but can only eat so much fat)
Tofu skin and potato
Crystal jade shrimp
Bean sprouts with dried scallops
Marinated chicken

Kuala Terangganu

Tanjung Jara Resort:  We visited in 2009, so its been a while.  I don’t remember most of the dishes, but the butter prawns with curry leaves were fantastic.  We kept ordering and reordering.  Crunchy, sweet and a little spicy.  We actually have a framed photo that I took on our kitchen wall.  (01/09)

Butter prawns

Langkawi

Bon Ton: Near lively Cenang beach. Low key resort restaurant. A bit rustic in appearance, but comfortable. On the water, though we got there after dark so not sure if a view. Several rescue cats and dogs, so opportunities to pet them before or after meal. A mix of western and Malay-Chinese dishes, both cuisines executed well. Well-spiced and well-cooked with fresh seafood. Not particularly cheap, but a reasonable deal in a resort area. (03/14)



Mediterranean mezzo platter

Nyonya platter (beef, lamb, chicken, prawns, curries with briyani rice)

Planters:  Restaurant in the Danna.  Serves buffet breakfast and dinner.  Breakfast was fine.  Decent selection of dishes.  Nothing great, but not bad and all you can eat.  Dinner was  disappointment.  We expect high prices in a resort, but we paid nearly $60 for four medium grilled shrimp (“market price”).  Shrimp didn’t even have that much flavor.  (03/14)

Indian tomato soup
Grilled shrimp

Privilege: In mall next to The Danna Hotel on northwest of island. Upstairs, across way from yachts in harbor. Clientele largely comes from the Danna to eat upscale Malaysian dishes.  A mix of Malay, Chinese and Indian influences.  Considering the captive audience, prices not bad.  Food was well-seasoned and if you ask for spicy, they will give you spicy.  Nice variety of meat, seafood and vegetable dishes. Solid across the board with no weak dishes.  Since Langkawi is a duty free island, beer and wine very affordable.  (03/14)

Softshell crab salad
Salmon umai
Wingbean salad with scallop – very spicy
Satay
Chicken arisa – savory ground chicken and oat cake. Interesting texture and really tasty
Five spice duck
Ostrich rendang
Seafood curry
Kuah Longton veggie curry
Spiced shrimp
Bok choy
Cendol
Gula melaka creme brulee
Tofu and chocolate cheese cake

Tapaz:  In pedestrian mall behind the Danna.  Can sit outside overlooking the yacht-filled harbor.  Lunch and dinner.  Tapas and Spanish focus.  All was ok.  Nothing special.  Moderate price. (03/14)

Lamb meatballs
Spicy potato
Flatbread with tomato and basil

Melaka

Medan Selera Tengkera:  Located at Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock opposite the Pay Fong Chinese school.  Food court on way out of town.  Chinese dishes.  Local crowd.  Under giant tree.  Order from each stall and have it served at your table – pay as you receive food.  Order drinks separately – no sodas, only teas and juices.  Very tasty. (01/14)

Char kway teiou
Long bean pancake
Carrot (turnip) cake

Nancy’s Kitchen:  Peranakan restaurant just off of Jonkor Walk.  Popular with Singaporean tourists looking for good Malay-Chinese dishes.  In old shop house.  Crowded on weekends.  Food is authentic and tasty, with lots of herbs and spices in the dishes.  (02/14)

Candlenut chicken – a bit spicy and tangy
Peranakan braised pork – interesting combo of Malay spices to pork dish
Brinjal with chili – spicy

Shrimp with tamarind
Honey lime juice

Sek Yow Fook:  In non-descript block of restaurants and offices away from Jonkor walk area.  Directed there by our homestay host, who said his relatives ran the place, it was better than expected.  Most dishes were very tasty and the bill was quite low.  All locals and Singaporeans, though its sign noted that it was written up in Lonely Planet.  High value for the money, though not a beautiful dining experience.  (02/14)

Marmite chicken – very interesting, tasted like chicken and waffles with syrup, but with the saltiness of marmite mixed in.  Somehow, it worked.
Nestum shrimp in yam ring
Stir fried beans and okra
Black pepper deer
Roast pork

Sin Yin Hoe:  Read about it in Bangsar Babe blog.  Across the bridge from main square.  Serves specialties after 5 for dinner.  Regular buffet before then.  Local crowd.  Cold beer.  Food cooked in front of restaurant.   (01/14)

Oyster omelette
Soft shelled crab

Penang

D'Dapor: 7 Lebuh Union.  Malay cuisine inn Georgetown. Pretty good. We ordered for a group, so did not have chance to try a la carte. (11/13)



Sweet and sour crab

Butter shrimp

Spicy soup

Mango salad

Potato salad (with mayo - a bit incongruous)
 
Goh Tew Chik: Jalan Chulia.  Written up on Penang food blogs.  Specializes in Hainanese chicken rice.  Moist meat, piquant sauce.  Savory rice.  Cheap. (03/14)

Hainanese chicken rice. Steamed and roasted.
 
Jawi House: Beautifully restored shophouse in heart of historic Georgetown by mother and son team eager to show off peranakan cuisine - mixed Malay, South Asian and Arab. Open until 6 or available for private dining after that. Photos of prominent family members dating back to the 19th century dot the walls and the proprietress knows the history of Georgetown well. Food was well prepared, properly spiced and tasty. (03/14)



Roti Jala

Beef Rojak

Chicken biryani

Fish laksa

Beef curry 

Lemoni rice and chicken curry
Lamb and okra stew
Pineapple coconut tart

Nutmeg juice



Joo Khooi:  Cendol (shaved ice, gula Melaka, beans, noodles) sand.  A local favorite.  Order at stand outside coffee shop in alley. Staff will take you to seat down alley.  Refreshing on a hot day.  (03/14)

Cendol
 
Kebaya: At the Seven Terraces Hotel.  Beautifully decorated dining room in boutique hotel converted from traditional Chinese shop houses.  Music in the evenings.  Pleasant bar.  A great place to cool down after a long day walking through historic Georgetown.  Relaxed service.  Food was delicious.  Upscale Chinese-Malay dishes.  Normally a set menu, but with choices for each course.  If you go with a group, you can eat family style and sample all dishes.  Great variety of flavors.  Not a weak dish.  For what you get, very reasonable – maybe $30-40 per person.  (03/14)

Chao tom
Wonton skins with shrimp
Pork buns with pickled vegetables
Wing bean salad
Roasted pork
Lamb
Duck confit with star anise
Snapper in spice paste in banana leaf
Pork satay
Gula melaka mousse
Pandan creme brulee
Chocolate cake with passionfruit sauce
Passionfruit panna cotta
Rice balls in coconut milk
 
Kheng Pin: On Jalan Penang on edge of old quarter, down the street from the E&O.  A collection of stalls w/in an open air restaurant.  Lunch and dinner.  Chinese dishes.  Written up in a couple of food blogs and we concur that the dishes were excellent. Dirt cheap.  (03/14)

Char kway tieow - a little spicy, not greasy, very savory
Pak lok- roast pork fried in tofu skin with fish and tofu. Hint of 5 spice powder. Sweet or spicy dipping sauce
Won ton mee - a little sesame oil with roast pork
 
Macalister Mansion (The Dining Room): Located in chic new hotel converted from huge, historic mansion. Off the road and about 15 minute taxi ride from historic Georgetown.  Very modern dining room with an abundance of white decor. Hotel also has swanky wine cellar and (what it claims to be) the second largest whiskey selection in Southeast Asia. European cuisine with modern techniques (sous vide) and tastes (truffle). Playful presentation (peanut foam in egg cup). Huge wine list and whiskey based cocktails. Mostly hits but a few misses. Still, a bargain for the quality at roughly $50-60 per person. (03/14)



Cauliflower soup

Peanut/truffle foam

Duck confit

Chocolate cup with peanut mousse and salted caramel ice cream


Ocean Green: As name says, on the water, though in urban Georgetown, not in a resort. Chinese with an emphasis on seafood. Fine. Nothing special. (11/13)



Shrimp with garlic

Hot and sour soup with crab

Fried spring rolls

Mixed vegetables

Steamed fish

Maps tofu



Sky Hotel:  On Jalan Chulia in historic quarter.  Focus on roasted meats.  Proprietor cuts up portions from cart in front.  Guests sit at tables inside.  No A/C, but fans.  The char siew (roast pork) is absolutely fabulous – what bacon would like to be when it grows up.  Rich, savory, a bit sweet with enough fat that it melts in your mouth.  Other dishes also good.  Staff is very friendly.  Open for lunch from 11-2 or when they run out of meat.  (03/14)

Char siew
Roast duck
Chinese sausage
Roast chicken
Khai lan


Tek Sen: Popular local eatery. Lunch and dinner from 6 to 9 only.   Usually a line.  Lots of local families with several generations, plus a few foreigners.  Female hosts and waitresses always yelling out to the kitchen, so it’s not a quiet evening.  Open air, so a bit warm, but with fans.  Recommended by our hotel manager.  Chinese with some Nyonya flavors.   We enjoyed every dish.  Some spice, but not overwhelming heat.  It’s Penang, so very affordable.  (03/14)



Fried tofu - plain sauce but tofu like custard

Kam Heong prawns - hot and spicy with chilis and curry leaves

Sambal Kangkung - morning glory sauteed with shrimp paste and chilis

Belacan chicken - fried

Fish assam curry - spicy and sour. Chunks of fish with okra in broth.

Roasted five spiced pork sliced

Lime juice



Singapore
Breadtalk:  on Orchard street, near the malls A take away pastry shop, part of a growing SEAsian chain, with western and Asian dinner and dessert pastries. Smells great walking by. (2002)

Coconut custard pastry 
Apple pastry 
Pumpkin pastry 
Spicy shrimp pastry
Shrimp pastry

DB: Daniel Bouloud bistro offshoot in Marina Bay Sands Mall: no bargain, as you pay US prices +, but food very good.  Had lunch.  A wait, even at 2:30.  Imagine must be a long line for dinner. (01/14)

French onion soup
Duck hash
Frenchy burger

Jumbo: Located in the midst of high-end shops in former barracks on Dempsey Hill. Specializes in Chili or Pepper crab. Inside or outside under a tent. Can get a little warm. Many Chinese seafood dishes. (08/13)

Chili crab
Noodles
Kai Lan (similar to bok choy)
Scallops in XO sauce

Hali: in botanical gardens.  Pretty, outdoor seating, next to the Orchid gardens (2002)

Nasi Goreng

Indochine:  Outdoor seating along the Singapore River next to the Asian Civilizations museum. Views of the Fullerton Hotel and modern skyline. Pricey, but better than expected. Thought we were only paying for location, but tasty food. Mix of Southeast Asian cuisine, but all fairly authentic. (08/13)

Seafood curry mousse
Mango and duck salad
Ground shrimp on sugar cane
Shrimp and pomelo salad

Roast duck

Indochine: Second branch – I think there are more.  -Club Street, near the business center On a street of restored shophouses, now bars and restaurants. Sleek, mixture of Lao, Cambodian and Vietnamese food. (2002)

Fresh spring rolls 
Beef in betel leaves 
Squid in spicy sauce
Duck curry 
Beef in butter and pepper 
Chicken laab
Lamb Pumpkin custard

Jaan: On top of Swissotel (level 70) with breathtaking view of Singapore from picture windows.  Very fancy, modern French cuisine.  Exquisite plating – the best I have seen, every dish a work of art.  Very creative and, at times, playful.  Only degustation menus.  We had the 7 course, but they also have 5 and 10 or a veggie option.  Delicious.  You pay for it – one of the most expensive meals you will ever have unless you are rich.  But a great option for a special occasion.  Menu changes all the times, but lots of seafood, foie gras etc. (01/14)
Jones The Grocer: High end Australian grocer and restaurant in Dempsey Hill. Next door to Red Sea art gallery, which has great but very expensive art. Popular for weekend brunch. Can sit inside or out. Surprisingly cool January evening allowed us to sit outside. Western menu with mains and bar snacks. Pricey, but very good, especially desserts. (01/14)

Cheeseburger
Sticky date pudding
Rice pudding with mango and almonds

Marche: At movenpick. Across street from Raffles. Outside dining with nice view of Raffles during nice weather.  Fairly affordable.  German and northern European.  (01/14)

Bircher muesli
Smoked salmon and sundried tomato tarting


Maxwell Center Hawker Stalls: Near China town. Very clean. Mix of cuisines. Locals line up for their favorites.  Singapore is very expensive.  This is not.  A fun change of pace and a real representation of Singapore.  (01/14)

Oyster omelette (delicious food stall across from famous chicken rice stall)
Fried carrot (turnip) cake
Chicken rice from Tian Tian Fan (made famous by Anthony Bourdain.  It really is good.  I think the chili sauce makes it.  Chicken is moist – though note that it is served at room temperature.  Also, very moist and tasty rice)
Plum juice
Mango and soy shake
Sugar cane juice with lime

No Signboard:  414 Gaylang.  The original, not one of the tourist branches.  Lots of locals, plus expats.  Seems to have grown organically with lots of seats on the side in converted garage area.  Sit on plastic stools.  Very casual.  Best with a group.  Specialty is crab and it is great – very spicy.  Best served with lots of cold beer. (01/14)



Chili crab

Black pepper crab

Khaki Lan with garlic

Hokkien mee
 
Ocho: in Chijmes, near Raffles Spanish, tapas in a beautiful restored monastery, now a collection of shops, restaurants and bars. Very good food for lunch. (2002)

Gazpacho 
Stuffed mushrooms
Spicy shrimp 
Spicy beef tostada 

Salt:  Tapas restaurant from Australian chef.  In front of Fairmont Hotel.  Lunch special is a good deal, with lots of food.  Variety of Spanish dishes.  Quality was better than expected.  Not sure about dinner crowd, but popular for lunch.  Can sit overlooking the street with Raffles across the way.  (01/14)
Pork and veal meatballs over fontina mash
Shrimp tacos
Patatas bravas
Zucchini salad

Northern Indian restaurant (name?)-- off of Orchard, near California Gym Outdoor dining, among several other restaurants in food court. (2002)

Mango lassi 
Chicken masala 
Chicken curry 
Garlic naan 
Kashmiri rice 
Rogan josh 
Cauliflower curry 

Bars:


Anti:Dote:  In lobby of the Fairmont.  Excellent drinks.  They make their own tonics.  Creative mixtures – some quite potent.  Stylish.  I went early, so not sure if it draws a crowd or not.