Pop Up Dining KL

Pop Up Dining KL is a collaboration of young chefs, putting their food out there to serve to a group of guests in pop up venues [source]. It is almost as if they are ninjas appearing whenever they so please to serve a fine dinner for private guests, and once they leave, they disappear with the night till the next session.

Monday happens to be their favourite day of the week to set up their pop up diner. Which Monday to be exact? You've got to check their Instagram for that. As for the location, they have been based at Jaslyn Cakes for a few dinners now but intend to do their next pop up at another location, perhaps still within the Bangsar suburb.

* I apologise if the lighting in the photos may seem "off" to you. The location had low-key lighting and I for one am not an expert on that, unfortunately.

So my friend, Lydia, and I got to experience this:

Price: RM75

I noticed that they don't name their foods but rather simply include the ingredients which work as both the title and description. Quite clever.

A plate of rice crackers with a certain tomato-based topping greeted us upon arrival.  Not the best ice-breaker but it was a start - a minimally seasoned snack to kickstart those tastebuds.

I absolutely love sourdough bread and am particularly glad it was served with more than enough butter, though I wish I had an entire slice of bread rather half. Crusty with a soft, warm and dense middle, this was the perfect tummy warmer. Also, is anyone else a fan of those slightly burnt edges of breads that gives off the most profound flavour? Because I am.

Prawn, sorrel, chicken and onion sauce.

Had to Google up what a sorrel was and it's apparently used in cooking for its acidic flavour. Combined with the sweetness of the onion sauce and the prawns, it added freshness to each bite taken with it.

Tomatoes, lala, pegaga, pickled shallot, cured egg yolk, sea butter.

These various types of tomatoes were blanched, giving that burst of elegantly refreshing juice upon arrival in your mouth. The cured egg yolk was used as garnish on the top but the highlight, I believe, was the sea butter base made with obviously butter and also flavourful juices from the lala. It sounds like a handful putting salt into butter but that did not threaten the freshness of the entire dish. This has to be one of my favourites of the menu.

Rice congee, ikan bilis (anchovies), egg, local greens, fish sauce caramel, spring onion

"Congee? Really? What possible greatness can it hold besides being just ... congee?" My exact thoughts pre-dinner. And guess what? I took back what I said.

There's nothing much to be said about the rice congee itself other than it being well done - not too watery nor chunky. The fish caramel sauce was slightly peculiar. Typically, I enjoy congee with soy sauce and just soy sauce so having some sweetness was an interesting experience for something savoury and fishy. Also, do you see that egg? It is a sous vide egg - also pretty much like a poached egg but rather having vinegar in the water, the egg is slow-cooked at a certain temperature. Dear restaurants who do not know how a proper runny egg is like, please find the image above your reference. 

This could be one of the better congees so far but I'm sorry, nothing beats my mom's homemade one. 

Duck breast, beetroot, cucumber, cashew nut leaf.

The congee was filling but there was still space for one more. This beautiful duck breast, which was tender enough to render a phrase of weak-in-the-knees, claimed the final course before dessert. For someone who is not a fan of beetroot, the sauce was a surprising delight. You can tell it's quite thick from the way it can potentially run all over the plate but just refuses to.

Rose apple, milk, meringue.

Dessert was a milky ice cream with apple slices with a subtle rose flavour and meringue. The ice cream melted fairly quickly and became cream-like at the end. I'm not sure how to describe the apples. The texture is comparable to the blanched tomatoes but it was more like having extremely juicy and cool apples. I would've very much preferred the ice cream to be the highlight.

Dinner ended with hot rose tea and financiers a.k.a. tiny French cakes which are such a delight with tea. We got to take more home as well!

Thank you, Pop Up Dining KL for having us :)

If you're interested, follow their Instagram or 'like' their Facebook page to get the latest announcements and menu for the next session. 

F.I.Q. Gastronomy, Subang Jaya

Gastronomy - the study of food and culture, with a particular focus on gourmet cuisine.

Setting

The concept is simple: let's pair black-tie-event food along with a casual, rustic environment.

If you may notice, all the chairs and tables are wooden (quite coarse wood so there may discomfort when you dine in) with back and butt cushions, thankfully. 

Wall art - something to admire if you're seated outside.

What went into our tummies

RM8.00 cappuccino. A little hard to get quite decent ones under RM10.00 nowadays. This one isn't the best I've had but it's not too bad. 

Beans used: Digayo

Roasted Carrot Soup with bits of bacon which was already so filling for RM12.00. Can't entirely judge on the taste because it was my first time having carrot soup (didn't event know of its existence, to be honest). Guess mushroom soup is too mainstream?

FIQ's Club Sandwich of chicken breast, beef bacon and sunny side up. Massive portion for RM15.00! They make their bread from scratch, by the way.

Turkey Ham Sandwich for RM20.00.

I must say their fries are amazing despite them being quite oily (eat first, think later). It's not the most appetizing at first sight but you can tell it isn't mass-produced fries. I'm personally really into salty food so this was perfect. 

My order: Hand Made Ravioli [RM25.00]. I actually expected more filling than what was served. Not recommended for big-eaters unless you intend to have dessert. I personally wouldn't order this again though. 

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This is overall a great place to chill if you're looking for one that isn't crowded with people parking themselves at a table all day with a drink and a laptop. I'd certainly return to give it a go at their desserts!

Address: 34, Jalan SS19/1D, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor.

Closed on: Monday

Operating hours: 12.00 noon - 11.30 p.m.

Facebook page: Click here!

Caffeinated March

- On Thursdays, the grumpy cyclist consumes butter and beans with his flat white as he tries to rekindle his interest in the recent upstanding theory on brew and bread. -

Spot the names of 7 coffee places!

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Hi everyone! Apologies for being MIA. It's been a hectic month of so many events. I'm just thankful I can finally sit down and write.

Just to update you guys, check out my lists on Foursquare if any of you are interested in places I'd like to visit / have visited. I'm not the most updated with new and upcoming places but I hope the coffee list will make your caffeinated lives easier (:

Lately, I've been checking out these places:


1. Rekindle, SS2

There's something so humble about this cafe that makes me not hesitate to return. Its rustic ambiance and decorations may perhaps be the main contributing factors; sewing machine tables, bean bags, brick walls, etc.

Cappuccino. I've had it twice and the house blend (beans from Brazil, Guatemala, Indonesia & Australia) isn't as sour as most types you'd typically experience. The second try being too hot for immediate consumption but other than that, I'd have this cuppa any other day. 

Chai latte. It was an impressive glass with the right balance of cinnamon flavour to the milk, none significantly overpowering another - and this is coming from a person who rarely has chai latte.

Soy cappuccino. Thought I'd give it a shot but it seems as thought they're catering to the way Malaysians would expect a cup of soy coffee to be. The market here seems to picture this as having soy-flavoured coffee which is odd to me. 

Hot mocha in which I enjoyed. Truth be told, I prefer the iced version. Even mom loves it!

I love how the chocolate part isn't sweet or taste evidently like sweet chocolate milk. They use cocoa in which its bitterness when mixed with the coffee blend makes a perfect marriage. I personally do not drink mocha often because of how rare a few places would get the balance to my preference. If you're the type who loves a super sweet cup of mocha, I recommend you skip this one. 

Hats off to my good friend who made the cappuccino, chai latte and mocha for me!

p.s. Their cakes are to die for - red velvet, Nutella hazelnut, banana pecan, peanut butter chocolate and apple & cranberry. Do not ask me to choose.

Address: 25, Jalan SS2/64, Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Closed on: Mondays 

Operating hours: 12.00 p.m. - 12.00 a.m. (Tuesdays - Thursdays & Sundays), 12.00 p.m. - 1.00 a.m. (Fridays & Saturdays)

2. Standing Theory, SS2

Located at one of the shop lots in the middle of SS2, the area wasn't very well lit and couldn't spot the place at first sight especially at night.

Their menu as well as their blend of the day.

Their signature round table which gave the impression of a medieval meeting area somewhat.

Their cappuccino which came with a piece of chocolate chip cookie rather the usual biscotti. Not my most favourite blend because it was extremely lemony and sour but not bad for a capp.

Address: 26, Jalan SS2/103, Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Closed on: Mondays

Operating Hours: 11.00 a.m. - 11.00 p.m.

3. Butter and Beans at Seventeen, Seksyen 17

First coffee place I've visited that closes its kitchen at around 8.00 p.m. - earlier than the typical night coffee hour.

I believe this was a rhubarb & strawberry sort of pie.

Did someone steal that cuppa?

I absolutely love the mural on the wall! Apparently it was done by the artist responsible for the murals in Penang, or so I've been told by one of the workers.

Address: BG-1, Happy Mansion, Jalan 17/13, Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Operating Hours: 8.00 a.m. - 8.00 p.m. (every day)


4. Brew & Bread, Kota Kemuning

Drove to Kota Kemuning for the first time to meet a few friends, particularly one of my good friends who was heading back to Australia in a couple of days at that time.

I was surprised at how reasonable the prices were for some of the dishes. Fancy ones aside, the varieties of food & coffee I've tried here are all below RM10 each.

Jo Lyn's cuppa.

... as well as her omelette wrap which turned out to be an omelette but not a wrap. 

My cappuccino. Yeah, the art is cute but the coffee was just average to me.

RM6.00 french toasts which considerably cheap!

I made a second trip there with my high school girls and opted for sandwiches instead.

The ciabattas were absolutely warm and they look so cozy in the little baskets. It was no disappointing experience. 

What are sandwiches without coffee? Their cappuccino is still average to me the second round.

I also discovered their second branch in which recently opened at One City. Check them out when you can!

Address: 10, Jalan Anggerik Aranda M 31/M, Kota Kemuning, Shah Alam, Selangor
Closed on: Thursdays
Operating Hours: 8.00 a.m. - 7.00 p.m.


5. The Grumpy Cyclist, TTDI

An impromptu trip this one. Dad and I decided to head here after visiting Standing Theory because one dose of caffeine wasn't enough for the both of us.

This, and only this, was what I ordered. You should know what it is by now. Once again, being picky me, the blend isn't to my liking. On the side note, their long black is relatively cheaper than most coffee places in TTDI.

This was hanging on the wall literally above my head while dad and I were sipping our cuppas away.

Address: 36, Jalan Datuk Sulaiman, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur
Closed on: Tuesdays


6. Flat White Cafe, SS15

I've been visiting this place ever so often to get my weekly coffee fix due to distance. This is probably the best you can get within SS15 methinks.

I was quite excited when I saw this display. Spot the coffee beans from Melbourne!

I only ever recommend this: Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake, their best seller.

They have other interesting drinks in which I have yet to try because I always go there for their cappuccino. Recently, mom tried their Espresso Bomb (no image) - a variation of the jagerbomb shot. At first, I couldn't match "fizzy" and "coffee" but after trying it, it was different but a legitimate drink and not something horrid. The fizzy part of the drink comprised sparkling water, vanilla flavouring and non-alcoholic Kahlua and you must drop in the espresso shot before consumption. Another popular choice is their Nutella cappuccino. 

Address: 73-1, Jalan SS15/8A, Subang Jaya, Selangor
Operating Hours: 12.00 p.m. - 12.00 a.m. (Mondays - Thursdays & Sundays), 12.00 a.m. - 1.00 p.m. (Fridays & Saturdays)


7. Thursdvys, TTDI

As usual, I save the best for last. Thursdvys is the latest addition to the TTDI coffee culture. My parents and I visited this place after our trip to Quar/tet a couple of weeks ago.

Their concept is extraordinary. Their standard coffee is of one part ristretto (a short version of a shot of espresso) and one part milk. You may have your cuppa black if you please but I do recommend their standard.

The "v" in Thursdvys is simply for branding purposes. Thursday happens to be an important day to the founder for many significant events in his life fall on that particular day. To some it may seem ironic but I suppose in honour those events, this place closes on Thursdays.

It's interesting how there's this one orange section that stands out of the cafe. Made me ponder for some reason.

They started serving food on the 22nd March. The lamb pasta seems to be missing something in terms of flavour. Also, I expected strips of lamb rather diced pieces. 

I browse through that coffee guide every single time I visit this place because I miss Melbourne so much. Not once their coffee had put me in disappointment.

Their signature dessert: Banoffee Pie in which I absolutely love and highly recommend. I blame one of the barristers for introducing me to this. 

Address: 22, Lorong Dato Sulaiman 1, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur
Closed on: Thursdays
Operating Hours: 9.00 a.m. - 10.00 p.m.

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Happy cafe hunting! Till then, cheers.