18 new restaurants to visit in Greater KL

They’re back: French Feast heralds the rebirth of KL’s beloved La Vie En Rose following its closure on Raja Chulan. Founder Jean-Michel Fraisse, chef Mickael Cornutrait and their team now have a new home on Tengkat Tong Shin, turning a former residence into a restaurant with a ravishing old-world charm. It’s the kind of venue where the hours will float by effortlessly, as dish after dish of honest, hearty Gallic cooking emerges to remind us why the French are masters of the gastronomic arts.

Address: 20, Tengkat Tong Shin, Bukit Bintang, 50200 Kuala Lumpur
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Chef Isadora Chai’s second restaurant isn’t what some might expect. Five years after first bringing modern French flair to PJ with Bistro a Table, Isadora has stretched out into the city centre, taking up two floors of a nearly century-old restored building on Raja Chulan.

Antara Restaurant is an exquisite space with profoundly personal touches – its terrace and walkway remind Isadora of her late father’s home in Teluk Anson, and her selection of furnishing and a batik-print menu was carefully considered, culminating in a one-of-a-kind centrepiece upstairs of 50 portraits of Tunku Abdul Rahman that reward close contemplation.

But while Antara’s charm and character seem decidedly steeped in nostalgia, with Saloma and Sheila Majid echoing through the halls, it nonetheless stirs to life as a fresh, vital venue, turning the past into prelude for a restaurant that speaks to the present.

Address: Lot 2, 66-68 Lorong Raja Chulan, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
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Seven years ago, Venezuelan teenager Sebastian landed in Malaysia on an art scholarship; now 25, he’s made KL his home, opening a restaurant this month that showcases soul food from his homeland. Sebastian’s is a real hole in the wall in Ampang, with a laid-back, anything-goes vibe – walk in at 7:30pm on a Wednesday night, and the kitchen might not even be open yet, so you’ll be left to your own devices for awhile, admiring the artwork on the walls (painted by Sebastian himself) or chatting with one friendly server while the music blasting from the speakers swings from what sounds like dramatic Portuguese-style fado to Men At Work’s unmistakeable Down Under.

You’ll begin to doubt whether the restaurant takes its fare seriously, but once the food finally starts coming (prepared by Sebastian’s brother), it becomes clear that this is cooking worth loosening your belt for.

Address: 32 Persiaran Ampang, , Desa Pahlawan, 55000 Kuala Lumpur
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Soul food and cocktails, a partnership we can’t resist: Mr Tush has the potential to be a genuine attraction at Bukit Damansara.

Address: 37, Ground Floor, Plaza Damansara, Jalan Medan Setia 1, Bukit Damansara, 50490 Kuala Lumpur
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Satisfyingly sloppy hot dogs, served in hefty portions that convey substance and weight, constructed with succulent, real-meat sausages, blanketed in richly flavourful, interesting toppings: Weiner ticks pretty much all the right boxes for a winning wiener.

Address: G-25, Ground Floor, Da:Men, USJ 1, Subang Jaya, 47500 Selangor
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Meet KL’s next favourite hidden bar: The nefarious-sounding Skullduggery, surprising us with some of 2016’s tastiest cocktails.

Address: 2M Plaza Damansara, Jalan Medan Setia 2, Bukit Damansara, 50490 Kuala Lumpur
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There’s a whimsical charm to this idyllic new cafe, which could become quite an attraction for several of its specialities. If you’ve been scouting around for mizu shingen mochi – the Japanese ‘water cake’ – Terracotta serves its own crystalline version of the wobbly, jelly-like dessert, calling it a ‘unicorn teardrop.’

Address: P-1-15, Tropicana Avenue, 47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
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Tiki Taka is a handsomely sleek hangout that ambitiously tackles mainly Asian-accented tapas. On a cool night, its alfresco section makes for a breezy and beautiful setting for wining and dining in Bukit Damansara.

Address: 138, Jalan Kasah, Medan Damansara, 50490 Kuala Lumpur
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Meet the potential future stalwarts of Malaysia’s culinary landscape at Athanor, a new lunchtime restaurant that serves as a real-work training ground for senior students of Sunway University’s Centre for Tourism, Hospitality & Culinary Management.

Address: Level 8, University Building, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, 47500 Selangor
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UoVo heralds the birth of an intriguing new F&B enterprise – it’s the first of three restaurants that’ll open one after another on the same street in Damansara Kim, spearheaded by a contract farming business whose reach extends from Japan to Spain.

Address: 8, Jalan SS 20/10, Damansara Kim, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
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Bangsar South’s most irresistibly ravishing restaurant is open – Botanica & Co is a sumptuous vision of Ficus trees standing tall amid a soothingly lush setting that’s ideal for leisurely lunches and serene dinners.

Address: The Verticals. G3A/G5 Podium, Bangsar South City, 59200 Kuala Lumpur
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This laid-back cafe mainly welcomes folks from around the neighbourhood with crowd-pleasing fare (pizzas and pastas). But even if you’re not in Taman OUG, it’s worth checking out Chaplang, an overhaul of the former Butter + Beans – this is currently the sole venue that offers G-Lat, a new range of ice cream in playful Malaysian flavours, created by local brand Forty Licks.

Address: 53, Jalan Hujan Rahmat 3, 58200 Kuala Lumpur
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13. Kukus Stim Habis at Taman Tun Dr Ismail

Kukus casts the limelight on Malaysia’s quintessential rice platter, nasi lemak, featuring freshly steamed basmati grains, aromatic with coconut milk and accessorised with all the imperative anchovies, peanuts, fried chicken and water spinach, plus a customisable array of add-ons, from fried and boiled eggs to Kukus’ true secret weapon: Four tasty types of sambal tumis.

Address: 26, Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad 1, Taman Tun Dr. Ismail, 6000 Kuala Lumpur
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The name may sound familiar: Patissez Down Under surged to fame nearly one year ago as the progenitors of the epic Freakshakes phenomenon – monster-sized milkshakes heaped high with out-of-control toppings – that sparked a slew of sincerest-form-of-flattery reconstructions across the globe.

Address: 42, Jalan Telawi, Bangsar, 59100 Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur
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A worthwhile destination for Teochiew traditional cooking, brought to Sri Petaling by the Lim family, whose matriarch oversees recipes they’ve served to customers in Ipoh for over two decades. Their first outpost in KL opened this year, offering classics galore, from sour plum soups to steamed and stir-fried staples, with a smattering of Hakka and Hing Hua favourites in the mix too.

Address: 41, Jalan Radin Bagus, , 57000 Sri Petaling, Kuala Lumpur
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Miss Rose promises gelato-inspired creations with a horticultural twist (sort of) – cones filled with ice cream crafted into the shape of rose petals.

Address: 70 Jalan SS15/ 4D, , 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor.
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17. Martin Kary Japanese Salt Cave Restaurant at Solaris Mont Kiara

A Japanese restaurant in a man-made salt cave: Martin Kary might be worth a stop for novelty hunters, if the thought of savouring sashimi while surrounded by rocky saline walls sounds fun.

Address: 3A, Ground and First Floor, Block H, Jalan Solaris 5, Solaris Mont Kiara, 50480 Kuala Lumpur
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The sight and scent of baking welcome customers entering this lovely little retreat, tucked in a tranquil residential neighbourhood of Shah Alam. Grab a warm lemon bar or a slice of fruitcake as it emerges fresh out of the oven, or choose a baklava and cheese tart to complement some Kedah-roasted coffee. Staffed by a friendly team, this is one place where it’s easy to linger.

Address: 3, Jalan Sukun, 4/7, Section 4, 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor
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Source: Eat Drink