KL City Centre

Love a good curry and Isabel’s red curry with duck did not disappoint. An instant fave, the fragrant coconut-based red curry combines so deliciously well with succulent five-spice roasted duck and sweet lychees. Although a little pricey at RM46 for a bowl enough for two, it’s truly something spesh that will please your dinner date. Best enjoyed simply over hot egg rice.
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Opened by the same folks behind Alexis, Isabel has a focus on Asian food (mostly Thai and Malaysian) and share plates, as well as a delightful selection of cocktails. The dishes are made with fresh ingredients, and it really shows in the curry, as well as my other orders of the Ulam Platter and Steamed Okra with sambal belacan (this was yummy!). Decor is stylish and it gets packed with expats (thanks to the location), so be sure to book a table if you’re counting on your next date night here.
#Burpple

A welcoming addition to Jalan Sultan, this beautiful and airy cafe is part of Tian Jing; a new boutique hotel with an old Shanghai vibe. For now, no savoury food yet as the building is still under reno, but there’s a huge range of simple but delicious-looking housemade cakes on offer as well as coffee with beans from Illy. Keep an eye on their Facebook page — you might just find yourself with a too-good-not-to-miss buy cake, free coffee deal!

This Buddhist temple’s canteen in the heart of KL will keep both your tummy and pockets full with their vegetarian buffet-style food. At Dharma Monastery, you can get a quick hearty meal of rice or noodles of the day (I got bihun), topped with your choice of veggies and tofus (brinjal and okra are my faveeee) and a drink for less than RM10 a meal. Total score!

It’s all about building your own bowl here and I like that they are not stingy with their servings! Ordered a bowl online to be delivered during a stay-in lunch and had the same generous portion as this dine-in experience. My salad fix this time is filled with raw toppings and truckload of shredded poached chicken, drizzled with honey mustard and onion vinaigrette.

You can choose between three types of customisation:
Baby Salad (RM15) - 6 main toppings and 1 dressing;
Adult Salad (RM19) 6 main toppings, 2 supplementary toppings and 1/2 dressing;
Or go big or go home with the Monster Salad (RM24) - 6 main toppings, 2 supplementary toppings, 1 prime topping and 1/2 dressing.

Supplementary includes items like dory fish and sundried tomatoes whereas prime consists of items such as turkey ham and roasted chicken.

In my opinion, order the Adult Salad. Just enough to bust your hunger! (Pork-free)

This place needs no introduction. One fateful conversation with Tastemaker Navina (@navina28) led me on a hunt for Boat Noodle’s infamous Cha Keow Yen (Thai Iced Green Tea, RM6.9) in Navina’s books, that is. And boy was it refreshing! It’s mellower than the original cha yen in terms of the taste of tea but still as tasty (most likely the sugar and milk). And while you’re at it, dig in to Boat noodles’ bowls of oodles. Priced at RM1.90 per bowl, my pick has got to be their noodles in Pathumtani dark soy broth served with thin slices of beef and beef meatball. The Ayutthaya cream broth will take some getting used to as it's a lot intense in terms of flavour, with the cream and all. Wash them all down with the Cha Keow Yen and you'll be satisfyingly full.