18 new restaurants to visit in KL and Selangor, March 2017

From fine dining Indian food to French, Japanese, and Peranakan restaurants.

1. Nadodi, Jalan Yap Kwan Seng

A meal at Nadodi is meant to be an odyssey, traversing the rice paddies of Tamil Nadu, the coastal fisheries of Kerala and the crop fields of the Jaffna Peninsula – this is a restaurant of ambition and adventure, named for the Malayalam word for ‘wanderer,’ rooted in an intrinsically Indian heritage, restlessly forging a fresh path.

Address: First Floor, The Mayang, 183, Jalan Yap Kwan Seng, 50450 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review for Nadodi.

2. Ra.Ft Café/Bistro, Lorong Binjai

There’s every reason to be thankful for a space in the city centre where we can flee the ruthless multitudes, find a few friendly smiles, and be nourished in both body and spirit. Ra.Ft’s Italian founders Andrea Rossi and Filippo Tomelleri (the first letters of their names form Ra.Ft) can be credited for creating this happy place.

Address: Binjai 8, Lorong Binjai, Off Persiaran KLCC, 50450 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review for Ra.Ft Café/Bistro.

3. Cocott’

Fans of French fare, check out Cocott’, where everything from crusty house-baked bread to beef bourguignon is served in small, cast-iron cocottes for feel-good, fuss-free communal feasting – Rui-Yang Monico (an alumnus of the top-rated Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne school of hospitality), Geoffroi Herin (who formerly cooked at Annecy-le-Vieux’s two-Michelin-star Le Clos des Sens) and their young team have cultivated a beautifully distinctive sanctuary for soulful roasts, stews and casseroles.

Address: 1-1, Greens Terrace, The Greens, Jalan Wan Kadir 3, 6000 Taman Tun Dr Ismail, WP Kuala Lumpur
Read review for Cocott’.

4. Flour

Meet our favourite new North Indian eatery in KL, helmed by husband-and-wife team Yogesh and Natasha, in a tribute to Yogesh’s restaurateur father. Natasha, a Malaysian, fell in love with her Mumbai-born soulmate’s cooking, and it’s easy to comprehend why.

Address: 69-71, Jalan Medan Setia 1, Plaza Damansara, Bukit Damansara, 50490 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review for Flour.

5. Hinata Café

Fans of hidden cafés, check out this cosy one, tucked inside the offices of the Eco Sky property sales gallery, offering interesting Japanese-inflected temptations.

Address: EcoWorld Business Hub, Eco Sky Gallery, Batu 6 1/2, Jalan Ipoh, 68100 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review for Hinata Café.

6. Ingrained by Ironwoods at Cellar Eighteen

Ingrained by Ironwoods & Cellar Eighteen herald a collaborative effort that currently promises everything from Australian-roasted coffee to Argentine wine, croissants and bagels by one of KL’s best-loved bakeries to salmon and caviar by an award-winning Scottish smokehouse, in a one-stop setting where customers can comfortably shop, eat and drink, enjoying a thoughtfully curated collection of gourmet temptations.

Address: P-G-12, Tropicana Avenue, No.12, Jln Persiaran Tropicana, PJU3, 47410 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Read review for Ingrained by Ironwoods & Cellar Eighteen.

7. Tujoh

With a soaring skylight set over a soothing space, Tujoh’s leafy interior isn’t what you’d expect of a Section 17 shop-house – this PJ neighbourhood’s newest café seems set for social media success, a credit to its founders who’ve gone the extra yard.

Address: 617 Jalan 17/10, Section 17, 46400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Read review for Tujoh.

8. Owlganic Café

A meatless reinterpretation of bak kut teh, brimming with bean curd, mushrooms and a kampung egg in a light herbal broth; nasi lemak made with brown rice cooked with extra virgin coconut oil, served mainly with vegetable sides; sticky millet dumplings, stuffed with chestnuts and black eyed peas – Owlganic (cute name!) promises herbivore-friendly food that tastes both nourishing and nice.

Address: 35 Jalan SS2/64, SS2, 47300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Read review for Owlganic Café.

9. The Embassy Café

The Starling’s latest envoy for cuisine from East and West succeeds in negotiating a diplomatic detente of something for everybody on one menu.

Address: S-230, Second Floor, The Starling Mall, Jalan SS21/37 Damansara Uptown, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Read review for The Embassy Café.

10. Naughty Nyonya’s

Peranakan pleasures sashay into the spotlight.

Address: 28-G Jalan 24/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review for Naughty Nyonya’s.

11. Granite Kitchen

Granite’s tagline – Heaven Is Upstairs – holds true if you’re seeking a potential paradise for pork; the menu seems to be ever-evolving, but when we visited, highlights included a wide range of house-made sausages and roasts that spanned East and West, with Indonesian-inspired babi guling & Filipino crispy pata sharing the menu with European suckling pig and German knuckles.

Address: First Floor (above money-changer), Centrepoint, Lebuh Bandar Utama, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Read review for Granite Kitchen.

12. WOP Coffee & Bread

Any café that has ‘Ethiopian chicken’ on its menu could be worth investigating.

Address: 7-1, Jalan PJU 5/3, Dataran Sunway, Kota Damansara, 4781 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Read review for WOP Coffee & Bread.

13. The Banker’s Draught

Desa Sri Hartamas’ latest pub debuts with tasty Southeast Asian temptations that we scarcely see in KL’s watering holes.

Address: 41-1 Jalan 23/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review for The Banker’s Draught.

14. Dragon Co.

Tongue to tail eating, with everything in between, at Cheras’ current hotspot for Chinese Hunan cuisine.

Address: 26-A, Jalan Jejaka 7, Taman Maluri, 55100 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.
Read review for Dragon Co.

15. The Enclave

The Enclave’s founder Vig sought to create the sort of cosy and soothing space where his fellow Bangsar residents could hang out for an honest, hearty meal.

Address: 1 Lorong Kurau, 59100 Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.
Read review for The Enclave.

16. Modi & Rosa

The latest Italian effort by Modesto Marini, the founder of Modesto’s and Marini’s On 57.

Address: Lot 06-07 Glo Damansara, 699, Jalan Damansara, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, 60000 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review for Modi & Rosa.

17. Brasserie 25

The flagship restaurant of YTL’s latest luxury hotel is this French-inspired outpost in downtown KL, bringing a brick-and-copper burnish to the bailiwick of Chow Kit.

Address: Hotel Stripes, 25, Jalan Kamunting, Chow Kit, , 50300 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review for Brasserie 25.

18. Sushi Kinmedai

Sushi Kinmedai heralds the first KL offshoot of a family of restaurants that includes Tokyo’s Roppongi Taira, Shirokane Taira and Yakitori Taira; the brand also operates Sushi Mairu at KLIA’s Mitsui Outlet Park, with seafood here sourced from Tsukiji market and handled by Sushi Kinmedai’s resident Japanese chef.

Address: A2-G2-09 Solaris Dutamas, No,1 Jalan Dutamas 1, 50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review for Sushi Kinmedai.