20 new restaurants and bars to visit in KL and Selangor, December 2016

Wrap up the year on a tasty note with a visit to one of these venues, for everything from fresh Japanese eels to cocktails made of water chestnut rum with a pumpkin pie infusion.

1. Hikari-Ya at Desa Sri Hartamas

Eel enthusiasts, be excited: This new venue serves unagi sourced from Japan’s coastal city of Nishio, where eels have been farmed for over a century, conveying the flavours and textures of unagi at its most unadulterated. The eels are flown live into KL, with Hikari-Ya’s chef Moroi Kunihiro slaughtering them in his kitchen and slicing them with his special eel knife of two decades.

Address: 54, Jalan 27/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review of Hikari-Ya.

2. Case Study Bar at Bangsar

I could drink a case of you, darling, and I would still be on my feet: Joni’s lyrics express our feelings about Bangsar’s latest watering hole, a true study in the art of compelling mixology – we downed seven cocktails here within an hour, and were still eager for more. Dapper bartenders Alvin AuYong and Joel Poon have made a meaningful return to Malaysia after years away in Singapore, Bali and Melbourne, offering KL’s drinkers an experience that’s fresh, relevant v reinvigorating.

Address: 29, Jalan Riong Bangsar , 59100 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review of Case Study Bar.

3. Define:food at The Boulevard, Mid Valley

Define:food translates into a meaningful interpretation of fun, casual dining, with restaurateur Ryan Yeoh and chef Malcolm Goh articulating a confident spin on mainly Western crowd-rousers – if you’re a fan of pastas, burgers, salads, soups and steakhouse fare, here are fresh, contemporary renditions that do justice to the classics.

Address: 29-1,Level 1, Signature Offices, The Boulevard, 59200 Mid Valley City, Kuala Lumpur.
Read review of Define:food.

4. The 19th Suzuki Shoten at Solaris Dutamas

This new sake shop conceals a beautiful secret – a gleaming bar where customers can sip and snack on Japanese liquor and food.

Address: A3-G2-6 Publika, No 1, Jalan Dutamas 1, Solaris Dutamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review of The 19th Suzuki Shoten.

5. The Crazy Chef at Subang

The Crazy Chef heralds a homecoming for its founder Teik Suan after a decade abroad, training in Toulouse and honing his craft in Singapore’s restaurants. It’s an eatery that makes the effort to be worth checking out, projecting honest, wholesome flavours with slivers of sophistication, propagating Asian ingredients by dint of European-inflected preparations.

Address: 57-1, Jalan SS 15/8, Ss 15, , 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor.
Read review of The Crazy Chef.

6. Makan at the Basikal at Bangsar

Hold on to your handlebars – this new hidden rooftop cafe is the wheel deal: Perched atop a weathered Bangsar shop-house, Makan At The Basikal is a rustic refuge that’s set to speed up its evolution from quirky neighbourhood secret to hip hangout.

Address: Backlane of 90, Jalan Bangsar, 59200 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review of Makan at The Basikal.

7. Meat The Porkers at Solaris Dutamas

Babiryani? Trust the folks of Fierce Curry House to come up with a new theme as playfully irresistible as this, propelling their brand of Indian fare to non-halal heights with siew yoke biryani and other unconventionally hog-loving riffs on cherished classics.

Address: D1-G3-5, Publika Dutamas, 1, Jalan Dutamas 1, Solaris Dutamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review of Meat the Porkers.

8. SALT at Menara Amplewest

SALT may be smack in the heart of the city, but it succeeds in being a welcome sanctuary from the cosmopolitan bustle, furnishing a slice of serenity for the frazzled urban soul. For extra reassurance, the venue is helmed by seasoned professionals – SALT heralds a new collaboration between the show-runners of Ciao and Ciccio (two of KL’s most enduring Italian restaurants) and chef Andrea Zanella, formerly of Chiaroscuro, il Lido and Zenzero (our three favourite destinations of the past decade for a taste of la dolce vita). This isn’t an Italian establishment though; the focus is on casual eats that encompass global influences – Spanish anchovies on garlic bread share the menu with Levantine baba ghanoush and Thai spicy basil beef.

Address: A-G-1, Menara Amplewest, Jalan Puncak, Off Jalan P. Ramlee, 50250 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review of SALT.

9. Mat Salleh at Bangsar

True to its conspicuous name, Mat Salleh is spearheaded by two expats – an Australian and a Frenchman – with a European-inflected repertoire that might channel the flavours of home for some other non-Malaysians in KL.

Address: 7 Lorong Kurau, Bangsar, 59100 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review of Mat Salleh.

10. Outcast Coffee at Bangsar

KL’s coffee nomads are on the move again, transforming yet another unexpected venue into an oasis of flat white fantasies. This is no mirage – stride into the showroom of Johnson Tiles in Telawi and you’ll find the latest home of pop-up purveyors Outcast Coffee. This soothing two-storey space, featuring cosy corners that feel like a cross between a home, a cafe and a gallery, showcases Outcast’s penchant for cultivating intriguing spaces with character and charm. It’s a cool counterpoint to the bustle of Bangsar – customers are welcome to come in, order a bite or drink, and relax with their friends or tackle some work.

Address: Outcast Coffee is currently set up at Johnson Tiles, 46, Jalan Telawi 5, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.
Read review of Outcast Coffee.

11. Ho Li Chow at Damansara Kim

Kitchen commandant Aunty Sue, whose family hails from Penang, keeps a steady watch over Ho Li Chow’s Malaysian comfort-fare offerings.

Address: 40, Jalan SS20/10, Damansara Kim, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Read review of Ho Li Chow.

12. Wild Honey at Pavilion

Brilliant news for acolytes of all-day breakfasts: Wild Honey, Singapore’s marquee name for elaborate egg ensembles – scrambled, braised, poached, baked, poached and fried – rounded out with house-baked bagels, buttery brioches and more, finally embarks into Malaysia this month. Wild horses won’t drag KL’s legion of cafe-goers away from this lovingly crafted, eclectically furnished outpost; seize a seat perhaps at the custom-built European oak table beside Australian painter Melanie McCollin-Walker’s exquisite panels of artwork, and earmark an hour or two to savour one of the city’s most satisfyingly prepared brunches.

Address: #06-645, Level Six, Pavilion Shopping Mall, , Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review of Wild Honey.

13. Lat Tali Lat at Damansara Kim

This winsome new neighbourhood cafe founded by friends Joanne (she manages stuff) and Li May (she cooks stuff) infuses a homey, personal touch into its setting and food.

Address: 73, Jalan SS20/11, Damansara Kim, Petaling Jaya, 47400 Selangor.
Read review of Lat Tali Lat.

14. Shugatori at Damansara Uptown

Shugatori celebrates the crowd-pleasing desserts that have surged in popularity among the Klang Valley’s young cafe-goers in recent years. The menu essentially showcases multiple varieties of honey toasts, pancakes and waffles.

Address: No.95G, Ground Floor, Jalan SS21/1A, Damansara Utama, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Read review of Shugatori.

15. Cheeni’s Banana Leaf at Sri Hartamas

Cheeni’s is helmed by a husband-and-wife team who honour their culinary heritage: Hubby specialises in banana leaf rice and south Indian recipes in a tribute to his late mother Cheeni, while his wife seeks to serve Peranakan recipes from her own family. For now, only the former is available; expect Nyonya-style nasi ulam, ayam pongteh and buah keluak to emerge later.

Address: K-01, Ground Floor, Dorchester Apartment, Plaza Damas, Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review of Cheeni’s Banana Leaf.

16. Dessert Bar by Stanley Choong at Sri Petaling

KL’s burgeoning breed of talented local patissiers continues to please: The latest young pastry chef to sweeten the scene is Stanley Choong, who trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Malaysia and Japan; his new cake and pastry parlour in Sri Petaling showcases a fair number of temptations worth tracking down – hunt for the bright neon bunny outside that seeks to beckon customers in.

Address: 16 Jalan Radin Bagus 9, Sri Petaling, 57000 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review of Dessert Bar by Stanley Choong.

17. Kitsuzo Izakaya at Desa Sri Hartamas

This Japanese gastropub has maintained a discreet presence in Desa Sri Hartamas, but it might be worth exploring for some tempting dishes.

Address: 30, Jln 30/70A, Wisma Rapid, , Desa Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review of Kitsuzo Izakaya.

18. Acai Lab at Solaris Mont Kiara

Acai Lab marks a respectable addition to KL’s burgeoning acai bowl scene – its experiments prove a success, with combinations like the Harimau Malaysia Bowl (a blended acai base with bananas, mangoes, vanilla ice cream, dragon fruit and house-made granola) and the Muscle Up Bowl (acai base with bananas, chocolate protein whey, coconut water, grapes, chia seeds and optional peanut butter) turning out to be enjoyable chilled refreshments on a hot afternoon, freshly prepared to order, well-balanced in textures and flavours.

Address: No.12, Jalan Solaris 3, Solaris Mont Kiara, 50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review of Acai Lab.

19. Chengkih by Norman Musa in Bangi

Bangi may be off the beaten path for many of us, but curiosity compelled us here to check out Chengkih, a contemporary Malaysian restaurant spearheaded by Norman Musa, a well-regarded chef who relocated to the UK more than a decade ago and launched a restaurant called Ning in Manchester.

Address: Bangi Gateway Mall, Seksyen 15, Persiaran Pekeliling , Bandar Baru Bangi, 43650 Bangi, Selangor.
Read review of Cengkih.

20. Takumi Craft Bar at Isetan The Japan Store

Takumi seeks to spirit us away with a distinctive diversity of Japanese wine, beer and whisky, available for retail purchases or to imbibe at this gleaming bar on Isetan The Japan Store’s food market level.

Address: Isetan The Japan Store, Lower Ground Floor,, Lot 10, 50 Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur.
Read review of Takumi Craft Bar.