18 New Restaurants to Visit in KL and Selangor in January 2015

You can view a list of our most recent new restaurant features here. This is part of a monthly series.

1. Drift Dining at 38 Bidara

Ring in the New Year with new restaurants. A slice of Sydney surfaces in KL: Four Australians combine forces to launch Drift Dining in the city centre. Chef Angus Harrison helms the kitchen, the latest move in a career that has taken him from Tetsuya’s in Sydney to Luke Mangan’s Salt tapas in Seminyak, Bali.

Address: 38 Bidara, Jalan Bedara, Off Jalan Nagasari

Find: Contact details and map for Drift Dining at 38 Bidara

See Also: Drift Dining at 38 Bidara, Jalan Bedara: Restaurant Review

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2. Oribe Sushi at ViPod Residences

He’s back! Chef Hideaki Oritsuki mysteriously vanished from Sushi Hinata several months ago, but thankfully, he never left KL – the sushi maestro’s legion of fans can now find him at Oribe Sushi for everything from roe-flooded Seiko snow crabs to briny-juicy Hiroshima oysters.

Address: Ground Floor. Block C-1, Vipod Residences, 6, Jalan Kia Peng

Find: Contact details and map for Vipod Residences

See Also: Oribe Sushi at ViPod Residences, Kia Peng: Restaurant Review

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3. Organica Lifestyle in Bangsar

This health cafe & store, hidden on a row of homes in Bangsar, marks a fresh chapter in the personal journey of Malaysian-born, Melbourne-based Shantini Ingkaran, a former lawyer who reinvented herself as a wellness trainer. Organica Lifestyle is meant to be an ‘urban sanctuary’ with a private garden, offering not only nourishment but yoga & Pilates classes. Head here for cold-pressed juices, Proud Mary coffee & Paleo-friendly breakfasts (beetroot hummus & gluten-free cakes?), plus shelves of organic nut spreads & vegan-suitable tea from Aussie entrepreneurs. Shantini endured a health scare last year, & the experience reinvigorated her focus on promoting a wholesome lifestyle.

Address: 15 Jalan Tempinis 1, 59100 Bangsar

Find: Contact details and map for Organica Lifestyle

See Also: Organica Lifestyle at Bangsar: Restaurant Review

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4. DR.Inc at Bangsar

Twenty-two-year-old Neil Liew hated coffee until he turned 16. Now he’s the head barista at DR.Inc, a soulful little refuge where people can come for a slice of peace & leave with their spirits refreshed. Ask Neil to prepare a Presso Bomb – an espresso combined with made-in-Malacca ice cream soda, a comforting taste of nostalgia, simultaneously familiar & strange. Neil first turned to this drink to nurse a wounded heart; it might work for others facing a similar need too.

Address: 8, Jalan Kemuja, 59000 Bangsar

Find: Contact details and map for DR.Inc

See Also: DR.Inc at Kemuja, Bangsar: Restaurant Review

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5. Enorme at Petaling Jaya

Wood-fired pizzas are the speciality at this new Italian restaurant, with a twist – customers can choose between XXS-sized, five-inch servings or XXL-sized behemoths.

Address: Ground Floor, PJ Centrestage, Jalan 13/1

Find: Contact details and map for Enorme

See Also:Enorme Italian Restaurant at PJ Centrestage, Section 13: Restaurant Review

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6. A’Perfetto in SS2, Petaling Jaya

SS2 springs a surprise, welcoming upmarket Italian-Japanese restaurant A’Perfetto to a street where Chinese seafood & steamboat eateries have long held sway. The menu attempts a less conservative approach with bavette pasta topped with mentaiko & pizzas with scallops, mango cubes & cilantro.

Address: 22, Jalan SS2/10, 47300 Petaling Jaya

Find: Contact details and map for A’Perfetto

See Also: A’ Perfetto at SS2 Petaling Jaya: Restaurant Review

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7. The Augmented at SS2, Petaling Jaya

Also new to SS2: The Augmented, a cafe that also hopes to serve as a showcase for work by artists & photographers. It’s a labour of love that took Siew Geok & her husband Moon Ho nearly a year to create. Highlights include desserts by home baker Anne of 126 Kitchen, whose speciality is an irresistibly rich BCGT (Belgian Chocolate Ganache Tart) with dulce de leche.

Address: 149, Jalan SS2/6, 47300 Petaling Jaya

Find: Contact details and map for The Augmented

See Also: The Augmented at SS2 Petaling Jaya: Restaurant Review

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8. Roost at Bangsar

Danish chef Albert Frantzen, his Taiwanese partner Tung Wei & Malaysian friend Priscilla rule the roost at this new restaurant with a ‘farm-to-fork’ philosophy that propels its applewood-smoked, free-range duck breast & breadcrumbed deep-fried frog legs with kitchen-made tamarind jam.

Address: First Floor, 69-1, Jalan Telawi 3, Bangsar Baru

Find: Contact details and map for The Roost

See Also: Roost at Telawi, Bangsar: Restaurant Review

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9. 3 Bags Full at Kota Damansara

Crispy mochi waffle with beetroot sauce. Battered mushrooms stuffed with blueberry mascarpone. Jellyfish salad with poached egg & avocado. Sizzling brownies with double chocolate gelato & peanut butter sauce. Can’t say ‘baa’ to this eccentric new cafe.

Address: 38A-1, Jalan PJU 5/10, Dataran Sunway, Kota Damansara

Find: Contact details and map for 3 Bags Full at Kota Damansara

See Also: 3 Bags Full at Kota Damansara: Restaurant Review

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10. 44 Cocktail Bar at Bangsar

“All that matters is that drink in your hand.” That’s the tagline of this new pop-up bar that runs four nights a week in a grungy-grimy factory-warehouse space – perfect for drinkers who find their typical taverns & taprooms too stereotypical & sobering. Try the Bakon Vodka, a bacon-infused potato vodka by Seattle’s Black Rock Spirits. Sniff it, then sip it – it smells like Marmite & tastes kinda like pork. Lots of other interesting American craft spirits are available – Alaskan & Virginian-made whiskey, plus vodka from distilleries in Massachusetts, Oregon & Missouri, alongside gin from New York & Washington & rum from California & Colorado.

Address: Art Printing Works, 29, Jalan Riong, Bangsar

Find: Contact details and map for 44 Cocktail Bar

See Also: Liberty Spirits Cocktails by 44 @ APW Art Printing Works, Bangsar: Pop-Up Bar Review

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11. Lorem Ipsum at Bangsar

For another new secret sanctuary in Bangsar, check out Lorem Ipsum, perched without a signboard above a dentist’s office, helmed by Lynette, Christopher & a band of their fellow advertising executives. Lorem Ipsum features food from local entrepreneurs – try the Gula Melaka Egg Tarts by home baker Ling’s Kitchen or the KuihKaras + Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream by Finespun, KL’s newest artisanal ice cream maker. Lorem Ipsum plans to eventually introduce a wider Naughty-or-Nice menu (nasikerabu with ayampercik for the former, quinoa salads for the latter). Art Jamming sessions will be offered here soon too.

Address: 59-1, Jalan Bangkung

Find: Contact details and map for Lorem Ipsum

See Also: Lorem Ipsum at Bangkung, Bangsar: Restaurant Review

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12. Jaslyn Cakes at Bangsar

One of KL’s hottest new dessert parlours: Ask for the madeleine, financier, blondie & chocolate chip cookie; JaslynRangson, who trained at Le Cordon Bleu London, might have secretly stashed them behind the counter.

Address: 7A Jalan Telawi 2, 59100 Bangsar Baru

Find: Contact details and map for Jaslyn Cakes

See Also: Jaslyn Cakes at Telawi, Bangsar: Restaurant Review

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13. Eat Me at Bangsar

From patties to pancakes: The team behind Bangsar’s beloved KGB burger outlet have launched an ambitious initiative – a dessert parlour that specialises in a carefully curated selection of plated treats.

Address: 23, Jalan Telawi 2, 59100 Bangsar Baru

Find: Contact details and map for Eat Me

See Also: Eat Me Dessert Club at Telawi, Bangsar: Restaurant Review

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14. Foodlogy at Sentul

French & Italian fare, carefully prepared by two Malaysian sisters coached by a respected French F&B consultant, surfaces at this casual restaurant in Sentul’s Viva Residency, not too far from the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre.

Address: B-01 Viva Residency, Jln Suppiah Pillay, Off Jln Ipoh

Find: Contact details and map for Foodlogy

See Also: Foodlogy French-Italian Restaurant at Viva Residency, Sentul: Restaurant Review

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15. Kelvyna Café at Kelana Jaya

‘Angelic’ could be one description for this cherubic cafe; there’s a cool photo opp here – stand in front of the wings on the wall by the entrance.

Address: PS-G-03, Wisma PJ5 Soho, Jalan SS5D/6, Kelana Jaya

Find: Contact details and map for Kelvyna Cafe

See Also: Kelvyna Cafe at PJ5 Kelana Jaya: Restaurant Review

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16. Eight Gourmets Gala at Bandar Sunway

Eight is enough at this new dining destination that brings together eight eateries in a single space, including Hakka Crab for Chinese hawker fare, Hook & Cook for seafood, Malt Berry Ape for wine & whisky, Chiyo Sushi for Japanese cuisine, Yi for vegetarian fine-dining, Nibbles for salads & Confessions of Lady Laura for desserts.

Address: Suite G-01, Ground Floor, The Pinnacle Annexe, Persiaran Lagoon, 47500 Bandar Sunway

Find: Contact details and map for EGG: Eight Gourmets Gala

See Also:EGG: Eight Gourmets Gala at Bandar Sunway: Restaurant Review

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17. Vvaffle at Jaya One

Vvaffle is all about Belgian Liege waffles with experimental toppings, like a Japanese-spiked savoury recipe with torched takoyaki sauce, mayo, dried bonito flakes & chilli pepper, or a sweet one with white chocolate, pure vanilla cream &Nestum flakes.

Address: Level P1, The School Complex, Jaya One, Jalan Universiti

Find: Contact details and map for Vvaffle Waffles

See Also: Vvaffle Waffles at The School, Jaya One: Restaurant Review

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18. LA/PA at Bangsar

Bangsar’s New Year baby springs into action, showing great potential to grow into something special. LA/PA – a catchy play on ‘lapar,’ the Malay word for ‘hungry’ – is a spin-off from Taman Tun Dr Ismail’s Quar/Tet, serving a more adventurous menu that includes French toast with kale-&-basil pesto, buttermilk pancakes with quinoa-&-orange compote & baked duck eggs with garlic sauce.

Address: 15, Jalan Telawi 3

Find: Contact details and map for LA/PA

See Also: LA/PA at Telawi, Bangsar: Restaurant Review

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Read more:

• 15 New Restaurants To Visit In KL & Selangor: December 2014
• 14 New Restaurants To Visit In KL & Selangor: October-November 2014
• 12 New Restaurants to Visit in KL & Selangor: September – October 2014
• 8 New Restaurants to Visit in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor: August 2014