Yeast Boulangerie, Bangsar



Instead of following suit of all the budding Melbourne-inspired cafe, Yeast was somewhat different. It was like a breathe of fresh air, no more typical breakfast menu of salmon, big breakfast and poached eggs with hollandaise sauce. I would never imagine myself saying that I'm bored of all these Melbourne-inspired cafe which was once my favorite go to places.

 

Yeast, true to its name, focuses very much on croissants, bread and pastries which requires yeast in the process of making that perfect bun. Their interior was simple but yet classy. It reminds me of cafe in Paris where classy table and chair deck the walkaway. The smell of bread and pastry was even more intoxicating.

 

Unlike Antipodean, the crowd in Yeast is definitely smaller than the former, smaller and different. But that doesn't mean their food is horrible, just different without mushrooms, toast, sausages and baked beans. The crowd here appreciates good pastries and buns for breakfast, or sometimes, it could be just because Antipodean is too packed. 

 

Pick your buns

Breads decking out beautifully on the rack

Classy little cafe deck out in the streets of Jalan Telawi 2

Cappuccino

Definitely not illy coffee for sure, but its good enough. The cappuccino was rich and the taste of coffee wasn't subdued by the overwhelming steamed milk. It was froty and light, but at the same time rich enough for you to crave for more.

Long Black

Yeast's long black has been pop's favorite. Of all the places we visited, dad still love their coffee the best with the rich amount of crema and a suitable amount of acidity.

Croissant and Cappuccino

Almond Croissant

Their croissant was good. Buttery, flaky and rich in almond. Behind the simple fascade of this croissant, do not underestimate its taste. The almond taste was not strong, but it lingers in your mouth for a fair bit, urging you to take another go at it. I've tried Tous les Jours and Levain's croissant, but Yeast wins hand down.

Croissant with Tuna

See that glossy top? Just as the almond croissant, the plain croissant wins for its simplicity. Buttery, flaky and just so good.

 

The smell of fresh bread and pastry filling your senses can be one of the best things on earth. Alright, I might be exaggerating, but I like a change from the usual big breakfast and salmon. And, Yeast is the perfect way to do so.

 

 

-thevanillapudding-

Onsemiro, The Intermark

As much as I love Korean food, Korean fine dining is just not my thing. I guess I'm more of a Korean street food person - give me a simple pajeon, jajangmyeon or dobukki, I'm a happy girl. 

Celebrated my 22nd birthday with a Korean fine dining dinner at Onsemiro. Located in The Intermark, Onsemiro is an epitome of stillness and silence. The restaurant itself was quiet with just a few patrons. Not the usual noisy Korean BBQ houses you go to where from far you could smell the heavy scent of smoke from the BBQ platter or the noisy chatter of the patron.

Onsemiro has a limited menu of dishes - they serve the typical Korean stew, Beef BBQ, noodles and pancakes. Nope, dobukki (rice cake in spicy sauce) and black sauce noodles didn't make the cut for this fancy fine dining restaurant.

Complimentary Tofu Stew

It was a complimentary dish from the chef. Do not expect any regular tofu in it, rather it was mashed tofu or rather mashed bean curd stew. It was a little weird as it felt like we were having some rather sandy soup with cabbage thrown in. It was good nonetheless, but the taste only really settle down after a few spoonful of soup. The waitress explained that it is rather rough in texture as it was made purely out of bean curd.

Side Dishes

Their side dishes were decent. I wasn't very satisfied with it though. I personally thought Dao Rae had a better set of side dishes. Their kimchi was mediocre as I prefered it to be more well seasoned and preserved. 

Bean sprout

Have no idea what this was

Preserved radish slice

Kim Chi

Complimentary Dish

It's either they were really generous or they felt bad for my family. We went there the week before but a short circuit occured before our food arrived and we were left to wait for a while till we decided to leave since we were hungry. They took down my name in the event I decided to return the next time.

This was a fried dish platter - fried oyster, fried seaweed with filling and fried brinjal.

Prime Saengdeungsim - Grilled Prime Beef Sirloin @ RM 98

This don't come cheap. Just two mini ribs grilled to perfection, well partial perfection. It was slightly rare for me, I prefer mine to be close to well done. However, it was tender and juicy and sizzling hot. You have order above certain pieces in order to BBQ it by yourself, or else the waiter will prepare it for you in the kitchen.

Japchae - Potato Noodles Stir Fried with Vegetables @ RM 35

The potato noodles tasted averag in my opinion. The chewy texture of the noodles was far from my liking and it was a tad too oily too. Despite the savory potato taste of the noodles, I personally think street noodles tasted way better!

Nakji Somyeon - Noodles with Stir Fried Baby Octopus @ RM 45

As red as it look, it is no joke in terms of spiciness. For my level, I felt it was fine but it could be quite spicy for most people. The noodles were overdosed with baby octopus. A little of baby octopus is fine, but this plate was literally drowned with it. 

Kimchi jjigae - Kimchi Stew @ RM 25

Rich in cabbage, kimchi and sardine fish, this kimchi stew was good, but not great. It would have been better if the kimchi stew was richer in taste. The sardine fish was disappointing, it tasted much out of the can sardine fish. I had some rice with the stew but the rice itself was hard and disappointing.

Samgyetang - Chicken Ginseng Soup @ RM 45

Too little ginseng. I couldn't taste the ginseng at all, they deemed to use expensive Korean ginseng for the soup but it's just missing in terms of taste. I've tasted better samgyetang in the Korean restaurant in Ampang.

Hae-mul Pajeon - Seafood and Green Onion Pancake @ RM 32

This was my favorite dish throughout the night. I guess you can rarely go wrong with pajeon. The pajeon was thick, rice and generous in terms of filling. It taste just darn good.

Complimentary Dessert

Persimmon Sorbet

I read in blogs that their persimmon sorbet was one of the best but now that I've tasted it, I frowned upon it. It wasn't sorbet, it was pretty much frozen persimmon. It was so hard and cold that poking a fork through it was literally impossible. Stuffing the whole persimmon in the mouth wasn't really a good option either.

Yakgwa - Traditional Fried Honey Filling Rice Cake

This was good apart from the excessive sweetness. Fried to a perfect crispiness which tasted much like a chinese biscuit and dosed with honey, this was the epitome of sinfully sweet. 

Cooling Melon Drink

I had this in almost every korean restaurant. A typical double boiled melon drink to cool down the body after a heart meal.

Onsemiro was a decent dining place but I doubt I will be back any sooner. Perhaps I wasn't used to these type of Korean food, I didn't really fancy the dishes either, neither did my family.

Ratings : 2.0/5

Price : 2.5/5

Onsemiro

Address : Second floor, Intermark Mall, The Intermark, Jalan Tun Razak, KL

Tel: 03 2161 2461

Opening times: Open daily, 11.30am–2.30pm; 5.30pm-10.30pm

-thevanillapudding-

Lai Foong Beef Noodles, KL

One of the oldest hawker in down town KL and one of the best. I rarely take beef but this was recommended by someone and I decided to give it a go and boy that was one of the best decision I ever made.

Located along the bustling street in KL, it is located in one of the corner coffeeshop on Jalan Tun HS Lee. This hawker has been around for quite a while and the place will be jammed pack with office employees, so if you want to have a taste of it - better be prepare to sweat and get sticky! Well, I went in the morning, so the coffeeshop was literally empty.

I bet you are already drooling because I am! What's so special about this bowl of beef noodles? EVERYTHING! The noodles are known as "lai mien" meaning pulled noodles - it is a traditional way of making the noodles by hand. Not many people make their own noodles these days and you can taste the difference so badly! The noodles was really chewy and there was a type of taste to it, a very homely delicious taste that makes you go back for more!

The soup was W.O.W. Thick, rich, aromatic and flavorful. It was rich in beef taste that I could just drink the whole bowl of soup alone. The beef balls were decent but the beef loin was so ohmygod. It was prepared, marinated and cooked till tenderness. Each bite of the beef was a burst of flavor and juiciness - so tender that it just falls apart after a bite. That's how good it was.

It is a pretty big bowl and for about RM 7, I think it is so worth it. 

Ratings : 5/5

Price : 5/5

Lai Foong Beef Noodles

138, Jalan Tun HS Lee 
Kuala Lumpur  (right next to KotaRaya)

Tel : 03 2072 8123

Operating hours : Early morning till lunch time

-thevanillapudding-

Coffeeshop in Jalan Batai, Pusat Bandar Damansara

This coffeeshop is quite popular among office workers, especially for the Chinese since they served pork loaded dishes. It is located behind the row of Hock Lee Restaurant, it is quite a distance from the offices located in Menara Millenium. 

The guys loved the pork noodles and urged us to give it a try. Hey, I'm always up for good food even it means walking across the busy road in stilettoes. Hahaha. The place is scorching hot and you'll be sweating even before you ordered your food! During lunch hour, it is so packed that you would have to wait for a table, so if possible, head out from your office by 11.30a.m. to get a seat.

I'm unsure about the name of the coffeeshop since I never took notice of it, but it is the last shop behind Hock Lee Restaurant. You wouldn't miss it since the other end is a mamak stall.

They served a variety of dishes but what was claimed to be really good, finger smacking good was the duck wanton mee, wanton mee, fish head noodles and pork noodles.

The pork noodles that looks utterly good which I regretted not ordering!! The girls loved this better.

I ordered the wanton mee since I'm a huge fan of it. But to be honest, it wasn't that good, I've tasted better. The aunty selling wanton mee in TTDI did a better job at it. Maybe its a choice of personal preference - this was more chewy and the pork was generous in amount.

Ratings : 3.5/5

Price : 4.5/5

-thevanillapudding-

Chili Espresso, Sooka Sentral

I am officially in loved with this place. They serve decently priced coffee which actually tasted good! I am currently working at my client's place in KL Sentral and I am so glad for Chili Espresso existence. I've been venturing into this coffeehouse for my dose of caffein and I am never disappointed with.

Located directly opposite of Olive in Sooka Sentral, it is run by the same owner as Olive. The food and drinks are relatively cheaper compared to Olive and this place is usually crowded with the lunch crowds. You get a pretty big portion at a reasonable price. Taste wise, I guess it fits the price!

Latte @ RM 7.20

This was total yumz. I had it a few weeks back and it felt like haven. It may not taste like a million bucks, but it was thick, rich and not too sweet. It was the way I like it. It felt even more heavenly as I was having my morning coffee while people watching in the morning, the air was cooling and the restaurant was relatively empty (I sat outside the pathway) and I was blasting jazz songs in my ears. I felt as though I was in Manhattan!

Apple Ginger Watermelon Juice @ RM 8++

I had this on one of the days where I was feeling bloated in the morning. So instead of getting caffein, I opted for their fresh blend. It was a very refreshing juice especially with the presence of the ginger juice. I could taste all elements and neither was it too sweet. It is quite a good option if caffein isn't on your list.

Long Black @ RM 7.20 (I think?)

I couldn't remember the price for the long black. I had coffee with dad here when he dropped me off at the clients place. I am not a fan of black coffee but I could tell it was rich and thick, just how my dad loves it.

Cappuccino @ RM8.20

Their cappuccino was no disappointment either. Simply a bliss topped with rich coffee powder on the top. I love how it has a strong tinge of bitterness but it doesn't overwhelm your taste bud. I love their coffee art too! It was so pretty. I would definitely recommend their coffee. No regrets for me!

French Toast @ RM 4.50

I had this somewhere during the week. Cappuccino with french toast. The french toast was simple, nothing fancy. It is good enough for me with enough cinnamon to tantalize the taste bud. However, the maple syrup wasn't sufficient, I asked for more instead or else it would have been a tad too dry.

French toast with maple syrup, turkey ham and poached eggs @ RM 7.90 (I Think)

Another of my breakfast adventure here. Honestly, I never get tired of these places. Love the french toast. The eggs tasted like well.... eggs? There is no big oomph or whatsoever in this plate of breakfast, but its good enough to start my morning!

Horfun IndoChine

This was basically kueyteow soup loaded with a handful of basil leaves, bean sprout, chicken meat, chinese coriander and a spoonful of their special chili paste. It wasn't spicy for me though. The taste itself was very refreshing with a strong presence of basil. It was a nice change but I think I wouldn't give it another chance. It was a little bland for me and I asked for extra chili to add more taste to it.

Chargrilled Lemongrass Chicken Sandwich 

One of the days I had this and I would definitely recommend it. The chicken was grilled to perfection with the strong taste of lemon grass and some chili flakes for an extra oomph. It wasn't spicy but I love the combination of the lemongrass. The sandwich was loaded with cucumbers and topped with a decent amount of mayo, it was pretty delicious. Filling for me but that whole sandwich was just so worth it! I must mention that the bread itself was crispy and had a tinge of rich buttery taste, it actually makes you crave more!

Singapore Fried Bee Hoon

Duck Noodles

Chicken Pie with Salad and Potatoes

Fettucine ala pesto

Curry Set

Those were the other dishes that were picked by my colleagues. They had no qualms about it and the portion was pretty huge except for the fettucine pesto which I find it a little small. But hey, less carbs!

I would personally recommend this place not only for the coffee but their food too, its decent if you know what to order!

Price : 4.0/5

Ratings : 4.0/5

Chili Espresso, Sooka Sentral

G-5, Sooka Sentral 
Jalan Stesen Sentral 
50470 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03 2785 1938

Business Hours : Monday-Saturday 8 a.m to 8 p.m

-thevanillapudding-

Greenview Restaurant

I bought dinner for my family today. I just received my first salary from my first official job, so I guess its a tradition to buy a meal for the family. After all, they have been there to support me all the time. Dad decided to have Chinese seafood for dinner, I wasn't expecting it honestly.

Where else other than the ole faithful Greenview Restaurant? Most of the foodie would at least have tried Greenview once in their lifetime, so I guess they don't need much introduction. Greenview is located in the most un-strategic place where parking is nasty and the road is horrible. 

Greenview Restaurant is popular for their tiger prawn noodles aka "Sang Ha Mee". Everyone who goes there will order that particular dish. It was basically noodles in thick gravy and loaded with tiger prawns. Mind you, the price ain't that cheap either!

Look at the size of the tiger prawn! The noodles was a sinful indulgence of thick starchy gravy. But the main attraction would still be the tiger prawns. Juicy, fresh and mouthwatering. Each bite was bliss. Tiger prawns for the win!

Another one of my favorite dish of all time. Stir fried mixed vegetables with macadamia. I love the crispiness of the macadamia to the crunchiness of the celery, sweet pea and lotus. It is as good as it looks apart from the slight oiliness.

This whole crab is imported! It ain't cheap either. Introducing the imported Indonesian crab cooked in sweet sour sauces. What I love about this crab was their claws, compared to the local crab which has small claws and little flesh, this was the complete opposite. It has huge claws with a whole chunk of yummy flesh soaked in sweet and sour sauce.

Introducing the stir fried chili clams aka "Kam Hiong Lala". This wasn't as good as I expected. Their "kam hiong" wasn't very good honestly, I personally think hawkers serves the best "Kam Hiong" dishes!

Overall, their main attraction was their Tiger Prawn Noodles. Their food is generally good but slightly expensive.

Price : 3.5/5

Ratings : 4.0/5

Greenview Restaurant

No. 6 & 8 Jalan 19/3 
46300 Petaling Jaya 
Selangor 

Tel : 03 7958 1076, 03 7954 9263

Operating Hours : 11.00am – 11.00pm

-thevanillapudding-

Panettone, KL Sentral

Met up with an old friend today and we decided to have lunch at Panettone, KL Sentral. Well, it was his recommendation and I wasn't familiar with the places around KL Sentral. So, he was La Food Guide. It is located in KL Sentral, tuck in a row of restaurants and cafes. 

The tiny secluded restaurant was stuffy and crammed. I was literally sweating sitting in one corner with my friend. I wonder how he could have not sweat! Haha. Their menu wasn't very extensive, but the focus were mainly on sandwiches and pasta. They have set lunch too.

I had the Tango Twister. Honestly, I don't remember what was it. It was a very forgetable plate of wrap. It was a basic grilled wrap stuffed with vegetables and black peppered chicken. Nothing special about it though.

The pita bread was alright either. Stuffed with vegetables, ham and cheese, it was decent. There was nothing special about it. Really. It was that forgetable to me.

As pretty as it looks, the taste was disappointing. I was expecting so much from it, that was why I was so disappointed. The cheese wasn't rich enough, there wasn't much "ooomph" or flavor to it. Each bite doesn't makes you crave for more. And the tomato and coriander is just really an awkward decoration.

A very forgetable place. I guess it is packed because of the lunch crowd and their sets are pretty reasonable. But if you want a good meal, a good satisfying meal, I guess Panettone doesn't fits the bill.

Price : 3.5/5

Ratings : 2.0/5

Panettone KL Sentral

Unit 7B, Level 1, KL Sentral Station 
50470 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tel : 03-2279 8733

-thevanillapudding-