Ori-Udon, a newbie at The Gardens Mall's lower ground floor, where several casual eateries have launched these past few weeks.If Ori-Udon's selection seems familiar, that might be because its consultant chef appears to be Seiji Fujimoto, the founder of Taman Desa's well-respected Sanuki Udon.Have a bowl of chilled udon coupled with a smidgen of mentaiko & soft-boiled egg (RM8.90), plus side dishes of wakame seaweed (RM1), fried tofu (RM1) & warm, tender beef (RM3, no taxes). A filling, fulfilling sampler, well-executed in Sanuki's signature style.Ori-Udon's compact menu also includes hot, fresh skewers of chicken & quail eggs (RM3 each) that are breaded instead of grilled, for a surprisingly nice change.Plus, there's sake here; we're thankful that Ori-Udon's friendly manager cheerfully serves this even at 10:30 in the morning. It wakes us up better than coffee.

Manmaru at Mid Valley Megamall, a spacious restaurant with a wide-ranging menu that partners udon with the likes of pickled plums, creamy curries & even sweet corn soup.A small portion, pleasantly chewy, with smoked duck in savory gravy costs RM13.90; most other varieties here are cheaper. Side dishes include velvety eggs as well as tempura squid, tempura prawns, tempura chicken, tempura enoki mushrooms, tempura sweet potato, tempura pumpkin, tempura eggplant (the tempura compilation clearly rivals that of the udon).

Coffee Sprex, a Petaling Jaya cafe that's notably owned by two deaf & mute friends; Kent bakes & cooks, while Angie prepares beverages.Coffee from around the world is taken seriously here, with Vietnam, Brazil, Sumatra, Colombia, Tanzania, Guatemala, Honduras & Ethiopia all featuring on the menu.Steamed lamb, pork or beef burgers are among the hot food served here.For sweet treats, there are blueberry pies & sugee cakes, plus tiramisu.

Launching a new brunch outlet in Bangsar is riskier than it sounds; folks flock here for big breakfasts on weekends, but the few restaurants that truly thrive require the combination of (in no particular order) buzz-worthy food, a compelling concept & a dynamite setting.It's unclear whether Luscious, which replaced Belgian establishment Brux-Ale this month, has the right stuff or the X Factor to flourish (it might not be flashy enough), though its food achieves the 'good enough' mark. Tastes competently executed; no complaints.We went hog-wild, ignoring the beef salami & turkey & chicken ham, opting instead for pork bacon & pork ham, plus a pork sausage, all of which proved plenty juicy.Eggs can come poached, hard/half boiled, scrambled or turned into omelets or sunny-side-ups. Perfect for people who want the decision firmly in their own hands.Luscious also serves 'omelet pizzas' with an entirely eggy base, a potential hit among carb-avoiding patrons. Possible toppings: pepperoni, lamb sausage, capsicum, olives or blue cheese.Bread here is partnered with Luscious' house-made organic strawberry jam.The plate comes with either Earl Grey or English Breakfast tea, or juice. It's worth noting that service at Luscious is earnest & attentive.Hazelnut latte (RM14.90++). Coffee's not half-bad, but we're looking forward to the time when wine will be available, likely starting later this month.

The Pullman Kuala Lumpur Bangsar has opened; its main F&B attraction is Mediterranean restaurant La Cucina, a cushy venue with several interesting ideas emanating from its open kitchen.Meals here start on a confident note, with bread, olive oil & tapenade that would fit in well at many trattorias & tavernas.We have mixed feelings about some of the dishes though. These scallops are excellent but the risotto, while aromatic with both saffron & truffle oil, is unsettlingly mushy.Salads can be selected from a display counter (two for RM34++).Pumpkin gnocchi with beef short ribs, kale, boletus mushrooms & shaved pecorino in pomodoro sauce. Not terrible, though the gnocchi could be a bit less stodgy.The menu calls this taglioni, though it's really closer to ravioli, stuffed with smoked duck & topped with crumbled feta, spinach & pine nuts.This pizza, nicely crowned with house-made lamb sausage, avocado, rocket leaves, cherry tomatoes & buffalo mozzarella but let down by a not-crisp-enough base, illustrates the potential of this place; La Cucina's recipes sound sensational on paper but need a bit more finesse in execution.Desserts come from a chiller; cool-looking range, with no lack of figs, fruits & nuts.Pullman Kuala Lumpur Bangsar also currently features all-day-dining establishment Link for buffet hunters as well as pastry-&-coffee shop Le Petit Cafe; more outlets may open next year.