Probably the prettiest cafe in Jaya Shopping Centre, Nosh Up opened up this month with a menu infused with intriguing twists.

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Instagrammable Interior Décor

Kudos to the artistic talents who constructed this tastefully colourful restaurant that’s owned by the people behind Puchong’s This & That Cafe; it features a plethora of photogenic flourishes, making it distinctively identifiable & definitely Instagrammable.

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Browsing through the menu easily elevates expectations; the cafe says it bakes its own bread (oregano buns sound tasty), signals that it wood-smokes its salmon & proclaims it shuns preservatives & artificial colouring in favour of natural seasoning.

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Experimental Dishes

We respect Nosh Up’s spirit of experimentation; there are interesting ideas & the chefs have encouraging sparks of inspiration, so the challenge is ensuring the flavours are effectively composed & consolidated to leave a memorably positive impression. The slow-braised lamb ragu ‘pie’ with mixed veggies & borlotti beans is robustly savoury, partnered with puff pastry slices (RM25), but the topping of oven-baked mashed potatoes needs fine-tuning to rescue it from becoming a lump of bland carbs.

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Open-Faced Sandwich

A lot’s going on with this open-faced sandwich (RM26++) – pulled beef in a kitchen-made BBQ sauce with melted cheese & tomatoes on mint toast, cutely accompanied by syringes containing three types of mayo (original, wasabi & orange-flavoured). But there’s a lack of lively complexity in the dimensions of flavour; it’s a recipe piled with layers of stuff that pack scant punch – the meat tastes simply of a sweetish sauce, the mayos seem merely creamy, making the sum not much greater than the parts.

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Potato Rosti

The menu lists this as potato rosti, but it turns out to be the texture-deficient baked mashed potatoes once again, paired with smoked salmon that might have been better left uncooked & more of the mayo that would be redundant if only the potatoes & salmon were strong enough to shine on their own. RM15.

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Smoked Duck Fettuccine

In all fairness, the food here is not bad; we finished everything we ordered. It’s just that we think this place has the potential & ambition to be even better. There’s hope, for sure; it takes thought & effort to create a repertoire that includes the likes of this smoked duck fettuccine with miso sauce, tomato salsa, seaweed flakes & poached egg (RM25). Some customers will rightfully enjoy this, even though the end result is not quite something we’d still remember in a fortnight.

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Elderflower Lime Cheesecake

Nosh Up’s big sister, This & That, supplies cakes to various cafes in the Klang Valley, so there’s familiar fare in the chiller here, including this elderflower lime cheesecake (flavoured subtly). Maybe This & That’s avocado cheesecake will also make an appearance someday at Nosh Up, which is ultimately worth a stop if you’re in this neighbourhood & looking for a new cafe.

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Full-Bodied Espresso

Save space for coffee: Nosh Up’s is engaging enough to sample; the blend is Javanese & Brazilian, easy to drink, producing a less full-bodied espresso than expected but with tantalising nuances nonetheless.

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Peanut Butter Latte

Nosh Up’s peanut butter latte is surprising too; we like it. It’s more peanut than peanut butter, with a natural nutty taste that works convincingly well to complement the coffee. Oh, bonus points for a service team here that’s helpful, obliging & friendly.

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Location and Contact Details

Nosh Up

LG-26, Jaya Shopping Centre, Section 14, Petaling Jaya

Monday – Sunday, 1000 am – 1000 pm

Find: Nosh Up directory page here.