This is one beautiful restaurant, especially after sunset, filled with crackerjack flourishes that benefit from shadowy lighting.The high-profile choices on the menu: Niu Taste's take on Taiwanese red-braised beef noodlesPrefer porridge? Niu Taste has a fish-flooded version of that too, mixed with tiger grouper meat, stomach & liver that might be an acquired taste (RM28+).Eel liver? Yep, find it here: Skewers of grilled unagi liver teriyaki (RM18+). A very interesting option, slightly more concentrated in flavor than eel flesh. For plain protein, the tender-tasty lamb loin saddle with garlic mustard provides pure pleasure. RM16+ for two slices.Century egg with tofu (RM8). Elegant simplicity. Sake, wine, whisky & beer are all available.

Eight Ounce Coffee, which has launched its first two outlets at The Gardens & KLCC.The Gardens branch replaces Espressolab at the first-floor corridor link to Mid Valley Mall.Luscious-looking mille-crepes are offered at Eight Ounce ...... plus other tempting cakes. Maybe next time.

L'esprezzo, operated by The Loaf bakery-cafe chain as part of its bid to capitalize on the Klang Valley's spiraling demand for better-tasting coffee.L'esprezzo taps the services of Barista Guild Asia industry trainers & relies on single-origin beans, combined for a signature blend of Brazilian & Colombian that was available for this visit, to keep standards relatively high.Try the tasty 'Cube60c' (RM12), featuring frozen espresso cubes poured over with hot milk in perfect proportions, for satisfying caffeine-dairy synergy.'Artisan sandwiches' are listed on the menu, apparently exclusive to L'esprezzo to keep the brand distinct from branches of The Loaf. Choices include chicken wraps with feta cheese, red onions, lettuce & tzatziki sauce (RM22).Regular pastries are offered too. L'esprezzo is likely to open its next branch at a Cheras mall.

Si Chuan Dou Hua, the Parkroyal hotel's Sichuan-&-Cantonese restaurant, serves lunch & dinner everyday with several crowd-pleasers in store.Customers can order from a roughly 60-dish selection that looks promising on paper, featuring plenty of prawns in kataifi pastry wrap.Roast chicken. Patrons should probably request dark meat, since the breast & wings provided here border dangerously on dryness.More prawns, steamed this time.Fish of the evening, with hot bean sauce. Could have been fresher & less muddy-tasting.Ending with more prawns with cashews & chili. Each ends up being less than memorable though, whipped up with competence but little complexity or flair.

Talent rises to the top: Launched this past month at Damansara Perdana, Talent Lounge is a place that's difficult to define but easy to recommend, thanks to its cool concept, welcoming setting, friendly people & satisfying food.Food is what we're focused on here; on that note, Talent Lounge's cafe delivers, with Sarawak-born chef Shaik Rhyszard (formerly of Mukha) commanding a kitchen that specializes in nutritious favorites _ like this combo of smoked salmon & quinoa (RM23) _ tackled with skill.Poached eggs with alfalfa sprouts & hollandaise sauce over spinach (RM18), also pure pleasure. Other potential highlights on the all-day-breakfast menu include pancakes & French toast (customers can choose a savory version with beef bacon & mozzarella cheese or a sweet sensation with honey & homemade jam).Many thanks to Talent Lounge's event manager Azlan for inviting us here; these baked eggs (RM18), creamy with ratatouille & coupled with rye bread, proved a very pleasant breakfast, exactly the kind of food that helps to boost our spirits.Snacks include what's simply & deceptively labeled 'chicken wings' (RM12) on the menu. What emerges is more interesting, glazed in stickiness with an unexpected kick (it's mustard!) & with crispy breadcrumbs for extra texture. Sandwiches, pastas, burgers & meat & fish mains are also available; it's a full-on, something-for-everyone menu.Italian coffee is currently served; expect Ethiopian single-origin to be considered in the future.Finally, affogato, with a fun surprise: Pillowy-sweet Turkish Delight on the side.