Bangsar Shopping Centre (BSC) was established in the early 90s and has been a quiet fixture within the affluent Bangsar area. Even though BSC faces stiff competition from other malls, their ability to continuously reinvent itself has made them relevant even after 20 years. Here are 10 of the upscale and exclusive dining spots in BSC. (The restaurants below are arranged in no particular order. Some of the establishments are not halal.)

1. Busaba Heavenly Thai

Busaba Heavenly Thai is located on the first floor of Bangsar Shopping Centre, and it is part of the Seacuisine Group, which is the same group that brought you Absolute Thai. Busaba serves the best of Thailand’s street food but with a tinge of luxury. Take for example the humble Green Curry with fish balls, which Busaba has taken to new heights by stuffing the fish balls with egg yolks. The fish balls are freshly handmade and springy to the bite. Steamed fish is also a staple Thai dish and the Steamed Sea Bass is highly recommended. Richly seasoned with garlic, onion, and ginger, this dish is very appetizing while the fish’s flesh is firm and meaty. Complete your meal with a signature Thai dessert, the mango sticky rice and steamed tapioca with coconut cream

2. Champ’s

Champ’s is one of the more recent additions to BSC, which began operations in 2013. Named after the owner’s beloved St. Bernard, Champ’s is proud to serve authentic Penang food that are created and crafted by the owner himself such as the Hokkien Mee. The Hokkien Mee is so rich in flavour because the owner insists to import the best ingredients from Penang. Besides that, the Pork Noodles is also very tantalizing and can be served in pork broth or dry. Champ’s also have a great selection of alcohol, so for a great beer snack, go for the Stinging Bacon; which is streaky bacon in wasabi sauce; or the Charsiew and Siu Yuk platter; which is also the chef’s secret recipe.

3. Dancing Fish

Drawing inspiration from West Java, Joshua Teoh and his business partner established Dancing Fish in November 2010. Since then, Dancing Fish has also branched out to Setia City Mall in June 2011. Named after its signature dish, the Dancing Fish is an absolute must try. In Indonesia, the Dancing Fish is prepared using Gourami fish; which is not available in Malaysia. Therefore, Joshua and his chef ingeniously swapped the Gourami with Red Tilipia, which is taken live from the tank and deep fried in hot oil for 3 – 4 minutes. The fish comes out golden and crisps till you can eat the fins, tail, and bone. A customer can have the same Dancing Fish served in a variety of different sauces such as the sambal terasi with kecap; all which were carefully tested and tried by Joshua and his team to ensure that patrons enjoy the Malay-Indo cuisine offered at Dancing Fish.

4. House + Co.

House + Co. initially began as a home décor shop that began in December 2001. Slowly, House & Co began to introduce a small café with 6 tables to showcase food presentation on crockery that was sold in the shop. Demand grew and the home décor shop turned into a full fledge restaurant serving comfort Malaysian food with a twist. From their dinner menu, do try the Dry Curry Lamb Cutlets that is packed full of flavour. Another delicious dish is the Caramalized Ming Ha Prawns that is sweet and spicy. Do not leave House & Co without trying the Deep Fried Cod Fish with Garlic & Soy Sauce Dip, which is lightly covered in batter and served with a fragrant dip. House & Co serves breakfast all the way to dinner.

5. Just Heavenly

Just Heavenly is a café that is true to their motto “Designing Dreams. Serving Pleasure”. Situated on the 2nd floor of BSC’s West Wing, the café has a casual ambience and great for quick lunches and informal dinners. Start your meal with a delicious Detox Salad with organic quinoa, roasted Mediterranean vegetables and Greek yoghurt. Then move on the Squid Ink Pasta that is stir fried with aromatic garlic and chili flakes, which is sure to work up your appetite. Try the Lamb Burghini with homemade lamb patty balanced with a yoghurt-mint sauce served with chips and salad. The Tiger is great for teatime with hearty chunks of beef in rich sauce with a side of mash potatoes and gravy, certainly worth the 15 – 20 minute baking time.

6. Kuriya

Kuriya in Japanese translates to ‘aristocratic kitchen’ found only in homes of the noble class. It is the place where the dishes are prepared for important guests. Kuriya offers a wide selection of authentic Japanese dishes and menus featuring seasonal ingredients that are air flown from Japan every week. Start your Japanese fine dining experience with the Omakase Sashimi, which includes toro, salmon belly, scallops, prawns and red snapper. If you are not a fan of the raw sashimi, Kuriya also has a selection of creatively designed sushi such as the Australian Wagyu Roll. For a full bodied meal, go for the Premium Set that comes with a seafood steamboat pot, grilled fish, mixed tempura, and various condiments.

7. Le Midi

Situated on the 3rd floor, Le Midi is a French & Italian restaurant that has been in operations for the past 5 years. Le Midi is named after a locality in the southern part of France covering the Pyrenees to Spain & Italy. It is an elegant restaurant with a wide selection of wine and coffee. As an appetizer, ask the servers for Chef’s special, which is not in the menu, the Ravioli Stuffed with Foie Gras. The foie gras is wrapped in a handmade ravioli and cooked in a red wine reduction. It carries a sweet note and garnished with raisins. Two popular main dishes are the Wagyu Beef Tenderloin Rossini with Foie Gras topping served with red wine sauce and Roasted Lamb Rack in Pistachio Crust served in its own juice. End your elegant dining experience with a Classic Tiramisu & Tender Heart dessert.

8. Monte’s

Monte’s is a veteran restaurant in BSC, and they have won many prestigious awards from the likes of Malaysian Tatler. It also has an extensive wine list from all around the world. A very popular appetizer in Monte’s is the Escargots that are baked in Chablis and Garlic Sauce. On Mondays & Tuesdays, there is a special in store promotion for the Escargots that you may want to check out. For main course, meat lovers can try the Ribeye that is prepared in Monte’s special way and served with seasonal vegetables. Those who fancy seafood should try the Grilled Hallibut served with eggplant and potato salad. It is one of the more modest restaurants in BSC with simple furniture and open spaces

9. Vineria.IT

Vineria refers to small wine shops in Italy. Vineria began operations in January 2010 and revamped their menu 3 months ago. To ensure that they serve the very best Italian food, the management and chef of Vineria imports special cheeses and truffles from Italy. When in an Italian restaurant, you must try their pizza & pasta. Tricolore is highly recommended and it is named Tricolore because it takes after the Italian flag. In the centre of the pizza is cherry tomatoes, followed by quttro Formaggi and at the crust is spinach. The Linguine Al Frutti Di Mare is a mixed seafood pasta with large succulent prawns and scallops. It is cooked in white wine, garlic, & olive oil.

10. WIP

WIP does not stand for Work In Progress. It stands for Whipped Into Place. WIP has a warm and cosy interior that is inspired by countries such as Nice, France & Santorini, Greece. WIP serves pan-continental cuisines as well as a Western and North Indian selection. Their house speciality is the Espetada, which originates from Portugal, and features skewers of meat and seafood grilled to perfection and served at your table on a special stand. Lovers of innovative beverages will be excited to know that WIP has a resident mixologists creating liquid perfection before your very eyes at the uniquely shaped Clam Bar. Those who are peckish drinkers can also try the Trio Burger and Watermelon with Feta Cheese, which are very good bar snacks.