Chicken or fish? Time to investigate two reputable names that specialize in one or the other, starting with Puchong's Kong Sai, where fowl is king of the roost. Kong Sai's chicken rice is unmemorable, but it's still better than plain white rice. Pork tries to hog the limelight, but pork rib curry with potatoes and pepper pork stomach soup, while both serviceable, might not be stars in their own right. Lap cheong omelet, filled with sweet-savory sausages that fortify the flavor of the egg. Yau mak in fermented bean sauce and taugeh with salted fish, all fresh and crunchy.

Chicken or fish? Time to investigate two reputable names that specialize in one or the other, starting with Puchong's Kong Sai, where fowl is king of the roost. Kong Sai's kampung chicken might be the toast of the village, slick and smooth, served with the restaurant's signature ginger-chili soy sauce. Steamed chicken with salted fish, for something more flavor-packed. Chicken feet, free of bones, soaked in a tangy-spicy Thai-influenced kerabu sauce. Stuffed tofu balls, steaming hot and meaty. Kong Sai also has branches in Paramount Garden, Subang's SS15 and Dataran Mentari Sunway.

The Troika's Acme Bar and Coffee, which has scrapped its weekend buffet and replaced it with a "Breakfast Club" that runs 9:30am-5pm. Happy to see us: organic eggs with potato hash, sweet onions, chopped peppers, mushrooms, cheese, turkey ham and sea salt. Crunchy French Toast, boasting brioche bread coated with corn flakes (snap, crackle, pop!), vanilla pods and sliced fruits, drizzled with pomegranate reduction syrup. Can't call it a complete brunch without Eggs Benedict, made extra savory with kitchen-made salted beef. Frittata with fresh ricotta. Most of these cost in the mid-twenties range. Addictive bundles of pleasure: flaky pastry crusts with chocolate filling. Brunch cocktails: Fizzy Bucks (freshly pressed orange juice, sparkling wine, grenadine) and Pomegranate Wine Cooler (pomegranate juice, sparkling wine, sprite). Add a bottle of Santero Moscato, and it's clear that the West is wonderful too. It's a tie; both win!

Malaysia's first Grand Hyatt has officially opened, occupying highly coveted real estate within a five-minute walk of the Petronas Twin Towers. The star restaurant here, Thirty8, takes up the hotel's entire 38th floor, showcasing a 360-degree view of KL's skyline and exuding a calm, confident elegance. Thirty8 isn't as immediately striking as, say, Marini's on 57 at Petronas Tower 3 nearby, but it's a risk-free bet for folks seeking a spacious venue to mix business with pleasure. This sushi-sashimi platter supplies pure and simple satisfaction. Sure, it's less memorable than what top-breed Japanese restaurants offer, but it's still impossible to criticize. Two can share a RM120++ serving. Thirty8 probably charges up to 40 percent more for its food compared to earthbound establishments. Half a duck roasted with Chinese five spices, served with pepper compote (RM60++). Other Oriental offerings here include wok-fried Szechuan tiger prawns, double-boiled chicken soup with wolfberries and soon hock fish with soy sauce and spring onions. Hot off the Western section: uber-creamy, ultra-sweet pumpkin soup, with notes of walnut oil singing through each slurp. Sunshine in a bowl. Macaroni and cheese, filling and fulfilling. Like the soup, it's also RM20++. More elaborate (but extravagant) options on the menu include a whole Boston lobster salad and Australian Wagyu and Black Angus steaks. Sacha Lichine Merlot (Languedoc, Fr, 2009) and the most potent vodka martini (RM30++) we've sipped this year. Bucking the trend for hotel outlets, Thirty8 serves still water for free. Thirty8's wine is costly (five reds are available by the glass _ the cheapest is RM29++, with each subsequent one priced progressively higher up to RM69++), but the choices are inspired and the pourings are generous. Thirty8's executive chef is Swedish-born Tommy Fransilla, who has toiled at Hyatt hotels in London, Melbourne, Bangkok and Sao Paulo. Not sure whether he was around when we visited Thirty8, but his Kuala Lumpur team worked very well nevertheless. A battalion of workers whips up a melting-pot cornucopia of Chinese, Japanese and Western specialties at Thirty8's open kitchens. Something for everyone, since Grand Hyatt KL features relatively few F&B outlets.

Service at Thirty8 is award-worthy by every possible measure. To get here, take the elevator from the ground floor to Grand Hyatt's Sky Lobby, where guests check in. Grand Hyatt has two excellent other eateries: the Malaysian-centric JP Teres and the alfresco Poolside.

KL's ice cream scene keeps heating up: the future looks deliciously cool, thanks to a big freeze of budding brands that'll have customers chilling out with funky flavors. The Potong Artisan Pops, which many enjoyed at Jaya One's Food Bites now available at Bangsar Village's Wondermama and Section 17's Food Foundry. We haven't met The Potong's founders, but their creations leave little doubt about their passion, leaving us feeling like six-year-olds in a kindergarten playground, sucking on sweet popsicles to keep our spirits high. Nutella and coconut make for a fun mix, while mango, grapefruit and rose water combine for terrific tropical temptation. A booster shot of flavor and less of plain ice ensure that customers won't scream 'potong stim.' Our recommendation: A&W classic root beer, vanilla cream and maraschino cherry. Chic-a-cherry cola, I want you, indeed!