Levain Boulangerie Patisserie, Kuala Lumpur

Levain Boulangerie Patisserie, also known as the "Stone Oven" bakery is located in Jalan Delima, Kuala Lumpur. Instead of being Melbourne inspired, Levain is more keen on serving up delectable and beautiful pastry. The ambience itself was charming and cosy, letting me reminisce the feeling of being in Paris - it is not quite there, but you just get a little nostalgic.

Pastries were arranged artfully on the array of trays in the corner of the shop. You will be spoilt for choice.

Peach Pastry

Flaky and buttery. And just right. Love the crunch to it with the softness of the peach.

Apple Danish

I am a fan of apples, herbs and cinnamon. At first glance, I knew I had to try out the apple danish. The apple danish was surprisingly mild in taste. It could have been better if they were more generous in terms of the filling.

Cappuccino

I am quite surprised with the quality of their coffee. I was expecting something rich and aromatic. However, it was relatively disappointing on my first sip, I didn't bother finishing my cappuccino. 

Tuna Croissant with Hash Brown

The croissant was flaky, buttery and rich but I though Yeast Boulangerie's serves up a better croissant. It was definitely more flavorful. The tuna was just canned tuna mixed with mayo, so I guess there's not much to offer on this platter either.

Levain Boulangerie - after much of the hype, I felt it was a tad too overrated. Perhaps its their "Stone Oven" competitive advantage place them on top of the list. However, the food was pretty much average tasting and left not much of a memory.

-thevanillapudding-

Oregi Restaurant, SS15

Those living or studying in Subang area would definitely heard of Oregi Restaurant. A popular restaurant for delicious and cheap Middle Eastern food, with a ShiSha service available too. Oregi will be unusually packed during dinner and after hours where all the youngsters are out for their usual chillout session.

Oregi Signature Drink

I can't really recall what was the exact name, but it is Oregi popular and signature drink. It was a mixture of soda, mint leaves and lime. It is delicious and pretty addictive, especially on a hot night.

Lemon Honey

Lime Juice

Fish in Herbed Oil and Tomato Coulis

Fish in herbed oil and tomato coulis

This was my favorite. The fish was baked to perfection and tenderness, the tomato coulis and the herbed oil was a great combination to bring out the taste of the fish. The seasoning on the fish was kept minimal, allowing the tomato coulis and herbed oil to show its beauty and taste.

Mushroom chicken

A typical grilled chicken with thick mushroom sauce. Taste wise, it was average and nothing to shout about.

Lamb Kabsa Rice

Lamb Kabsa Rice

The lamb kabsa rice was delicious with a two thumbs up. The lamb was seasoned generously and cooked to tenderness. The long rain rice was also well cooked. It was a great dish, something so simple but yet so addictive. The rice was especially addictive.

Fahsah Arabic Lamb Stew

Fahsah Arabic Lamb Stew

This was another mouth watering dish. The lamb stew was generally cooked till bits and was so good when mixed together with rice. It was a little spicy though. However, I do recommend it for first timer.

Araees

Araees

This was the highlight of the night. It is really a good munch on for a late night out with friends. Basically, araees are charcoal toasted Arabic Bread till it is crisp and then filled with a rich flavorful minced lamb kebab meat. It is served with a garlic dip but I thought it was delicious on its own. Definitely a two thumbs up.

Oregi would be a good place for a night out where your budget is tight and you're craving for something exotic. 

-thevanillapudding-

LOKL, Kuala Lumpur

LOKL, pronounced as Local. Apart from being an indie cafe, it is also a bed and breakfast hotel where backpackers can be seen lounging around. It was cosy with both internal and outdoor sitting area. On normal weekdays, it was filled with office workers getting a good hearty meal to fuel their remaining day in the office. Getting a seat within the air-conded premise was difficult, so my colleagues and I sat at the open air area. Pretty cosy with trees shading us from the sun.

Tomato Soup

This is a classic case of tomato soup, definitely not canned soup. The broth was rich, thick and chunky. It was well seasoned enough for you to want to finish the whole bowl. Definitely not the watery tomato soup you get from other restaurants in town.

Tea

Latte

Refreshingly rich and aromatic, the coffee is as good as it looks.

Quiche

My colleague ordered it and he said it was pretty good, not too rich but just decent enough to satisfy your stomach.

Rosemary Chicken Thigh Panini with Salad

Firstly, it wasn't a panini. They should probably reconsider renaming it. The chicken thigh was well seasoned with rosemary, it wasn't overpowering but subtle enough to bring out the flavor of the chicken.

Spicy Lemongrass Beef with Salad

Coated with a layer of batter and seasoned with lemongrass and chilli, it was something different. Spicy but nonetheless makes up a good meal.

Apple Crumble

The apple crumble was good. Finger licking good in this case, though I did not used my fingers. It was served in a small ramekin and definitely just out from the oven. It crumbly with a generous amount of warm apples. Two thumbs up.

I had the set lunch which was priced at RM 30 inclusive of a drink, soup, main course and dessert. I thought it was pretty decent. I am quite happy and satisfied with their food. It wasn't great, but good enough for round two.

On a side note, the waiters here are really friendly and go all out to make your day. Definitely another plus point!

-thevanillapudding-

YouMiQi Cuisine @ Old Klang Road

The name itself pretty exotic, doesn't it? This isn't your typical Chinese restaurant such as with the likes of Oversea Restaurant. It offers something more exotic, a Chinese Shunde-style cuisine where you won't get it anywhere else. It is definitely an eye opener for first timer. It is easy to miss out this restaurant as its location is no where strategic, other than a small two story building tucked away before the Valenza budget hotel. Parking can be difficult and seatings can be even more difficult without a booking. 

Homemade Chilli 

Unlike your typical chilli served in Chinese restaurant, YouMiQi serves up chopped chili in a slightly sour base. It's watery and seem like a harmless seasoning, however, a word of caution - it can be quite spicy! 

Rice Noodles

Fascinating isn't it? Most of us will know it as "chee cheong fun". The rice noodles was thin and surprisingly chewy. There was not much seasoning to it, where soy sauce act as the main seasoning. It wasn't too bad, despite its blandness.

Stir Fried Clams

The clams were stir fried with a micture of onions, shallots, carrots and bittergourd. The bittergourd taste was quite strong though and the sauce was salty.

Herbal Chicken

This taste like the herbal sauce chicken my mom prepares every week. Nothing to rave about.

Water Spinach with Pork Slice

This was quite good. Instead of using milk for the soup, YouMiQi uses rice water. It was surprisingly addictive despite its lack of taste. The pork slice was a wonderful addition to the soup.

Wax Rice

Wax Rice

This is definitely a must try. It is so wonderfully seasoned and prepared that you can't help but going in for the second round. But it doesn't do well with those who have digestive problem because its generally quite oily and heavily seasoned with lard. So, you can imagine the amount of grease.

Pan Fried Fish Slice

Pan Fried Fish Slice

Another simple delicacy with wonderful seasoning. Fish was sliced to bite size and pan fried till the exterior was crispy and the internal flesh was soft and juicy.

Handmade Pork Balls with Preserved Vegetables

Another orgasmic dish - pork balls. First of all, you don't say no to pork balls. Second of all, what beats handmade pork balls? Well seasoned and juicy, that's what you need in a pork ball. Seasoned with preserved vegetables, that's a pretty well combination. Definitely a must try.

YouMiQi Cuisine sets the bar pretty high and you will want to come back for another round, but after you give your wallet a break. The price itself is not cheap. However, it would be an eye opener and a taste bud opener.

-thevanillapudding-