New Restaurants, Cafes and Bars in Kuala Lumpur: June 2019

File this cafe away for the next time you’re looking for an office away from home. This spunky new cafe in Menara UOA, Bangsar, is equipped with ample tables for you to get some work done, plus they brew mean cups of coffee to fuel you. RAGE offers alternative kinds of milk like coconut, soy and oat at no additional charge. Also good is the signature Dirty Chai Latte (RM8) made with Melbourne’s Prana Chai – a cup of comfort on rainy days. Oh and FYI, you can even blow off some steam by taking a few hits on their punching bag.
Photo by Burppler Calie Tang

You have a hot date coming up, and you want to impress. Look to this new addition nestled on the 50th floor of the Naza Tower that overlooks the KL skyline. There are a plethora of different cuisines available on their menu from Japanese to Italian and Asian. To start, Burppler Jesius Enamourez recommends the Crispy Nori Crunch (RM28), seaweed topped with spicy salmon and parmesan shavings which she says is utterly addictive. For the main event, the Indonesian Bebek Goreng (RM42) served with a sambal trio, urap vegetables and fragrant coconut rice is a must-have. Blackbryd also makes their pasta from scratch. See it shine in the decadent Truffle Tagliolini (RM42) with fresh truffle shavings.
Photo by Burppler Jesuis Enamourez

The brains behind KL’s well-loved ice cream spot, Inside Scoop, have a new concept in TTDI highlighting guilt-free scoops. Think yummy flavours made with fresh milk, organic unrefined sugar and blue agave syrup. The ice creams here are also 30 percent less sweet compared to the ones at Inside Scoop. Look forward to some of Inside Scoop’s bestsellers but in healthier versions like everyone’s favourite durian ice cream, Skinny King (RM12.10) and The Dark Side (RM10.20 a scoop) made with Valrhona Chocolate, fresh milk and cocoa powder. For a little indulgence, plonk a scoop onto their signature Buttermilk Waffle (from RM15.40).
Photo by Burppler Alyssia Yu

Perfect Sundays are made of coffee and simple eats. Thankfully, this newbie in Happy Garden offers them both. Keep this spot in mind for your next catch-up sesh with your best pal on weekends. First-timers, Sunday’s sandwiches are a must-have, especially the Tamagoyaki Sando (RM18). These perfectly toasted finger sandwiches are stuffed with thick cuts of tamago and finished with a light spread of homemade wasabi-mayo that adds a fiery punch. Black (RM10) and White (RM11) coffees are brewed well, and Burppler Rueann Dass finds the latter highly enjoyable for its creaminess and chocolatey notes.
Photo by Burppler Rueann Dass

Coffee and Japanese grub go hand in hand at this casual eatery perched on the first floor in Kelana Jaya. You might recognise the team running this joint – they previously owned Setia Alam’s popular Comma Cafe. The small menu they currently offer focuses on Japanese dons and ramen. Dive straight for the recommended Oyakodon Rice Bowl (RM18) with juicy chicken and egg on a bed of fluffy Japanese rice. On noodles, the Chicken Miso Ramen (RM18) is a hearty, savoury bowl of goodness. Coffee is good here, and on our visit, we got to sip on a fruity Black coffee (RM10) brewed with beans from local roasters, The Hub.

Hidden in a clubhouse in Damansara Perdana is this swanky 60-seater restaurant dishing out delicious Western and Asian delights. We hear the owners are also fresh produce suppliers, so you can expect top-tier ingredients. Come with your makan buddies and tuck into a slab of Iberico Ribs (RM170) that’s good for sharing. Note that this dish requires pre-ordering a day in advance. Other yummy offerings include the Pan Seared Iberico Gyoza (RM23) served with a tangy and spicy dipping sauce and Japanese Oyster Omelette (RM29) with amazingly plump oysters. For a sweet finish, the silky and creamy Lemongrass Panna Cotta With Mango and Coconut (RM18) is a delicious flavour bomb of sweet and sour.

Our Singaporean neighbours bring to our shores another food court concept that's going to be big. What’s cool about 13 Stages is that they offer 13 flavours of chicken rice and 13 kinds of coffee that feature a variety of beans from different Malaysian states. Some standout chicken rice flavours worth trying are the Cereal Chicken (RM14.90) and flavourful Crispy Salted Egg Chicken (RM16.90). Coffee buffs, Burppler Jamri Aizat recommends the rich and velvety Terengganu (from RM5).
Photo by Burppler Calvin Lam Tuck Mun

We'll let you in on Puchong's latest opening: tucked inside of Plants & Pot Studio is this cafe corner serving cakes and coffee. On hot days, the signature Cream Coffee (RM16), a sweet iced coffee drink topped with salted cream, is an interesting combo that works pleasantly well. Otherwise, there's also Hand-Brewed Coffee (from RM15) made with beans from around the globe – we spotted some from Thailand and Guatemala. Pair your coffee with a slice of homemade cake like the Earl Grey Grapefruit (RM17) or Lemon Thyme (RM15).