18 new restaurants and bars to check out in KL and Selangor in June 2016

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

From slow cooked meat to contemporary sushi, vegan spreads to Sarawakian fast food and more. Here are some new restaurants you can check out:

1. Flint at Persiaran Ampang

Flint resets the conversation for where to eat in Ampang – this is one of our favourite destinations so far in 2016, representing another triumph for the Vintry family of restaurants. The sister outlet to Medan Damansara’s Stoked is similarly focused on smoky, sultry cooking, but with a no-pork pivot that spotlights a heftier range of red meat, poultry and seafood.

This warm-toned, welcoming venue marks a metamorphosis for Persiaran Ampang’s long-entrenched Vintry outpost, recast as a rustic two-storey retreat with a hunting-lodge motif, complete with witty game-animal portraits and even a play section for kids. Local acacia firewood sets the scene around the open kitchen and bar, destined for charcoal-and-kindling ovens.

Address: 24, Persiaran Ampang, Kuala Lumpur
Read review: Flint at Persiaran Ampang
Find: Contact details and map for Flint

2. REI Contemporary Sushi Pop-Up at TTDI

REI marks an opportunity to celebrate the talents of two promising young Malaysian chefs as they embark on a fresh path in KL – this unconventional pop-up sushi bar is spearheaded by Perlis-born Eddie Ng, who honed his craft in Japanese kitchens in Tokyo and London in recent years before returning to Malaysia.

For the next few months, you’ll find Eddie and his buddy, Barcspain Nea, who trained in Gallic cuisine in France, manning a 10-seat counter at Taman Tun Dr Ismail’s DC Restaurant, crafting their own memorable take on sushi for omakase-style dinners with resourceful techniques and intriguing ingredients.

Address: Inside DC Restaurant, 44 Persiaran Zaaba, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur
Read review: REI Contemporary Sushi Pop-Up
Find: Contact details and map for DC Restaurant

3. The Raw Power House in Desa Sri Hartamas

The Raw Power House is a labour of love, born of the determined vision of Ryoko Yen Watanabe, who lived in San Francisco until several years ago, when she resettled in KL with her three children to take care of her Malaysian mother.

This cafe is all about honest and healthy food, painstakingly prepared with heart and imagination, complementing a personal authenticity infused throughout this place – signboards woven out of bamboo blinds were sourced from traditional Penang craftsmen, wood tables came from Ryoko’s own collection, and colourful labels for takeaway snacks were hand-drawn by her four-year-old son.

Address: 58, Jalan 27/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur
Read review: The Raw Power House at Desa Sri Hartamas
Find: Contact details and map for The Raw Power House

4. Sugarbun at Menara Hap Seng

SugarBun, Sarawak’s enduringly successful fast food franchise, with scores of offshoots across Borneo, has resurfaced in peninsular Malaysia, now launching in Menara Hap Seng.

Expect many of SugarBun’s best-known ‘Borneo Asian’ staples, plus new recipes for KL, where the theme tilts toward a food court-style premises, with each stall promising specific signatures.

Address: Level 1, Menara Hap Seng,, Jalan P Ramlee, Kuala Lumpur
Read review: SugarBun at Menara Hap Seng
Find: Contact details and map for SugarBun Restaurant

5. The Canteen by Chef Adu

Malaysian museums have never been gastronomic attractions (with the exception of the Islamic Arts Museum), but Chef Adu Amran could help change that – the previously London-based MasterChef Malaysia personality has launched a hideout filled with family heirlooms at the National Textile Museum, reflecting his love for fabrics.

The Canteen is a cocoon of curious calm in the afternoon, belying the bustle of traffic outside Merdeka Square, with strains of Edith Piaf soaring over the cafe’s speakers.

Address: 26, Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, Kuala Lumpur
Read review: The Canteen by Chef Adu at National Textile Museum
Find: Contact details and map for The Canteen by Chef Adu

6. Bali & Spice at Subang

Bali & Spice is wrapped in warm smiles, courtesy of the cheerful service team and the black-and-white portraits of Balinese residents that were taken specially for this restaurant.

It’s no surprise that this is becoming one of the Da:men mall’s busiest eateries, with the sight, sound and scent of grilling from an open kitchen setting the scene for a fun feast of Balinese flavours.

Address: LG-17, Lower Ground Floor, Da:men USJ 1, Subang Jaya, Selangor
Read review: Bali & Spice at Da:Men, USJ
Find: Contact details and map for Bali & Spice

7. GravyBaby at Taman Desa

A strange foreign invasion has unfurled in Taman Desa: GravyBaby offers Blighty-style pies baked by a British former military club chef and inventive cocktails mixed by a French bartender who flew into KL from a stint in Buenos Aires.

Address: 5A, Jalan Desa Jaya, , Taman Desa, Kuala Lumpur
Read review: GravyBaby at Taman Desa
Find: Contact details and map for GravyBaby

8. BLVD House at Naza Tower

Endowed with a handsomely polished setting that evokes a cosmopolitan brasserie and a pretty tempting food selection that spotlights contemporary-minded fare, BLVD House seems poised to be a seductive destination for restaurant lovers at the recently launched Naza Tower in KL’s city centre.

Address: NAZA Tower, Platinum Park, No. 9, Persiaran KLCC, Kuala Lumpur
Read review: BVLD House at Naza Tower, Persiaran KLCC
Find: Contact details and map for BVLD House

9. Superthai at Damansara Uptown

Superthai fulfils its pledge of serving ‘appethaizing cuisine’ – expect robustly hearty Thai-inspired offerings with tantalising twists.

Address: 29, Jalan SS21/1A, , Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Read review: Superthai at Damansara Uptown
Find: Contact details and map for Superthai

10. Bedouin Arabian Cuisine in Taman Tun Dr Ismail

Fans of Arabian fare need not wander aimlessly: Bedouin’s spirit of hospitality burns bright in Taman Tun Dr Ismail.

Address: 6 Jalan Wan Kadir, , Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur
Read review: Bedouin Arabian Cuisine at TTDI
Find: Contact details and map for Bedouin Arabian Cuisine

11. Bakso Monster at Bangsar

Rampaging into Bangsar, Bakso Monster offers behemoth-sized bowls of Indonesian-inspired meatball soup with noodles at non-terrifying prices. The easy-to-navigate menu is basically all about bakso.

You can mix and match a choice of noodles (glass, yellow or hor fun) with your favourite broth (herb-laced consomme, sup tulang or tomyam), which comes with a huge, tender beef ball. Flavours are agreeably mellow, with the possibility of firing up the taste buds with sambal mentah, sambal hijau or sambal tumis.

Address: 16 Jalan Telawi 5, Bangsar Baru, Kuala Lumpur
Read review: Bakso Monster at Telawi, Bangsar
Find: Contact details and map for Bakso Monster

12. Old Malaya at Raja Chulan

Everything old is new again: Old Malaya aims to be an address to admire, converting an atmospheric cluster of crumbling city shop-houses into an ensemble of contemporary restaurants and bars on Raja Chulan. Open so far: Pampas (the steakhouse that first carved its brand in Changkat Bukit Bintang), Kapitan Bar (for wine and cocktails indoors) and 1919 Bar (for a beer outside; the number refers to the year this building was originally constructed).

But the best is still to come: According to Old Malaya’s staff, the founders of Bistro a Table, Zenzero, Vin’s and Passage To India will launch various offshoots here in the months ahead.

Address: 66-68 Jalan Raja Chulan, Kuala Lumpur
Read review: Old Malaya at Raja Chulan
Find: Contact details and map for Old Malaya

13. The Straits Estate at V E Hotel & Residence

The Straits Estate, the flagship restaurant of Bangsar South’s new V E Hotel and Residence, takes inspiration from cuisine that mainly spans the breadth of peninsular Malaysia’s west coast.

Its selection specifies highlights like Penang’s Gurney Drive pasembur, Perak’s Ipoh noodle soup with Tualang prawns, Selangor’s Kajang satay, Malacca’s Jonker Street cendol and Johor’s Muar otak-otak.

Address: V E Hotel & Residence, No 8, Jalan Kerinchi, Bangsar South City, Kuala Lumpur
Read review: The Straits Estate at Bangsar South
Find: Contact details and map for The Straits Estate

14. 8 Jugra off Old Klang Road

8 Jugra’s chief allure is its unique setting, evoking a restaurant in a cottage, balanced somewhere between rustic and elegant. Its Italian-dominated menu comes close to competent.

Address: 8 Lorong Jugra, Off Old Klang Road, Kuala Lumpur
Read review: 8 Jugra at Old Klang Road
Find: Contact details and map for 8 Jugra

15. Churros & Co at Petaling Jaya

Churros N Co puts a playfully unique spin on the popular deep-fried pastry – specialities include churros in savoury flavours that imaginatively span both East and West – Oriental-style chilli crab churros and salted egg yolk churros with curry leaves for the former, Coney Dog churros and cheesy churros for the latter.

Address: Ground Floor, VSQ PJCC, Jalan Utara, Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Read review: Churros N Co at Petaling Jaya
Find: Contact details and map for Churros N Co

16. Donkey & Crow Irish Pub at TREC

Irish eyes are smiling at Donkey & Crow, a friendly pub where Dublin’s delicacies take centre stage, with a supporting boost from other parts of the UK – expect braised lamb stew, corned beef and cabbage in Guinness, and bangers with champ and beans.

Address: E-G-05, Electric Boulevard, TREC KL, Lot 434 (South), Seksyen 90, Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur
Read review: Donkey & Crow Irish Pub at TREC KL
Find: Contact details and map for Donkey & Crow Irish Pub

17. Messrs Barley, Malt & Hops in Ampang

A friendly retreat for craft beer fans, a couple of kilometres from the city centre. Kick back, pop a few (perhaps Mikkeller’s Peter, Pale & Mary pale ale or Brewers Reserve Barley Wine, aged in Bourbon barrels).

Address: Hyde at Hock Choon (formerly Terrace), Off Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur
Read review: Messrs Barley, Malt & Hops at Ampang
Find: Contact details and map for Messrs Barley, Malt & Hops

18. DaYung’s Tea at Sunway Putra Mall

Fans of tea-based beverages have a tantalising new destination – Taiwanese brand DaYung’s Tea, which runs more than 200 outposts in East Asia, has embarked into Malaysia – perfect for a convenient splash of ice-cold, aromatic liquid sustenance while shopping.

Address: Sunway Pyramid, No.3, Jalan PJS 11/15, Bandar Sunway, Selangor
Read review: DaYung’s Tea Malaysia review
Find: Contact details and map for DaYung’s Tea Malaysia