Lai Po Heen at Mandarin Oriental Welcomes Chef Thomas Fong from Doha
April 24th, 2024
This venue boasts a notable back-story: Chef Mune was overweight for much of his life, but he chose a couple of years ago to get fit. He succeeded, shedding tens of kilograms, & has now opened this restaurant that targets folks who want to eat healthy.
This first-floor outlet features an unorthodox set-up: At first glance, it’s an elegant space with warm, exposed-brick hues & soulful paintings that would fit into an upmarket Italian restaurant. But the shelves signal that this is a quirky eatery, lined with Radiohead CD sleeves alongside men’s health magazines, sport shoes & protein powder tubs.
The menu manages to be both succinct & eclectic, spanning West & East, the former represented unsurprisingly by salmon, pan-fried with grape seed oil & served with a bountiful harvest of avocados, rocket leaves, tomato, capsicum, onions, lemon, parsley & Greek yoghurt, flavoured with liquid amino seasoning (RM30). Nutritional info is furnished: this totals 335 calories, comprising 30 grams of carbs, 23 of protein & 12.7 of fat. Meets the mark; capably executed.
We like the nasi ulam too – brown rice that’s simultaneously fluffy & firm, fragrant with ulam raja, daun salom, bunga kantan, lemongrass, onions, garlic & winged beans, served with a thick slice of chicken breast & some pretty tasty sauces. RM15.
Desserts could profit from fine-tuning though; the pancakes, built with organic buckwheat flour & chocolate protein powder (!), proved rather dry, aided a bit (but not enough) by bananas, berries, yoghurt, honey & no-added-sugar peanut butter. RM14.
For fans of grapefruit, have it in a milkshake with honey & vanilla ice cream (RM13) or an ice-blended with red apples & watermelon (RM12). Service here is both efficient & pleasant; all in all, not a bad stop if you live or work in Mont Kiara.
Eat With Mune
Jalan Solaris 5 (Opposite Cold Storage), Solaris Mont Kiara
Daily, 12pm-1030pm.
Tel: 03-6211-1308