Hock Kee, a breezier outlet with a greener view & brisker business.Hock Kee's specialty: Ulu Yam loh mee. A bit bland but not a rip-off, considering the low RM6 price tag for a single portion.So much starchy, steaming-hot soul food, suitable for cold, wet evenings, from mun fun (RM6), also in need of more flavour, & claypot noodles with yam (RM11, we love yam, so no complaints for this one).Wok-fried kampung chicken in Hakka wine (RM23), bony & saucy, for better or worse.Salted egg yolk mantis prawns are available too, as are Marmite chicken wings.Green with enjoyment: Claypot kangkung (RM10) & complimentary jelly.

Meeting up with Rondaevoo, a new cafe at Bandar Sri Damansara's Ativo Plaza, a promising complex where interesting eateries have sprouted in recent weeks. It's probably only a 15-minute drive in off-peak traffic from Bandar Utama & Taman Tun Dr Ismail.Rondaevoo stresses wholesome, nutritious recipes; its 'burger' comes in the form of a house-made prawn patty with chopped avocados, crisp veggies & roasted potatoes at a wallet-pleasing price of RM14.80 before taxes. Rondaevoo's pastas comprise whole-wheat spaghetti, while its Malaysian-style 'bee hoon' vermicelli is built with red rice.The all-day breakfast (RM17.80) is also well-executed; have your eggs either poached, scrambled, sunny-side-up or as an omelette, partnered with accompaniments like Rondaevoo's own chicken meatloaf (made with herb-laced thigh & breast meat) ...... plus baked pinto & broad beans that feature a firmer bite & fresher, more natural flavour than canned varieties.Rondaevoo's pumpkin soup (RM14.80) is exemplary. Beautifully creamy, with terrific texture from finely cut carrots within. The combination of pumpkin & carrots makes this a delectably sweet beta-carotene powerhouse. Served with wholemeal garlic breadRondaevoo serves Puro fair-trade coffee; the soy latte (RM10.80+) is not bad. All in all, this is a nice venue with twists in its food that we're thankful for & an enjoyably casual, relaxed vibe.

Thirdwave is set to spark a sea change for caffeine lovers in Bangsar South, helping to turn the tide against mediocre coffee as part of 2014's first wave of fresh faces in Kuala Lumpur's cafe scene.Like many of today's coffee bars, Thirdwave's super-serious about what it serves, ensuring its Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, Kenyan AA & Tanzanian single-origin beans receive nothing short of tender, loving treatment from a Chemex coffee-maker, Coffega cold-drip system & Kalita 102 ceramic dripper.We blacked out for our coffee choices this time. Nice, nutty nuances.Thirdwave operates on the first floor of the obscure-for-now Nexus complex, which isn't luring many visitors so far (indoor parking's still free). Expect to hear much more about Nexus in the year ahead, but since it's still crowd-free for now, Thirdwave's owners have time to stroll around & hand out cute samples of their coffee in test tubes.Thirdwave's own banana cream pie, pulpy & full of fruity sweetness.

Nabe Bakery Cafe recently launched its second branch to complement its original outlet in Ampang.Dutch Coffee cold brew, perhaps more mass-market than artisan.Nabe is extremely well-stocked with cakes, bread & biscuits; looks lovely, though nothing stood out sufficiently for us to snatch.

Conveniently spacious; not the most soulful cafe around, but it's a very practically outfitted enterprise nevertheless.By-the-numbers descriptions, so customers know what they'll be getting.Savannah Street espresso, confidently full-bodied with non-punishing acidity & a pleasing balance of sweet & bitter nuances, exactly how we like it.Savannah Street espresso, confidently full-bodied with non-punishing acidity & a pleasing balance of sweet & bitter nuances, exactly how we like it.But we'd skip the hot chocolate, constructed with Korean-origin chocolate that tastes one-dimensional & far from robust.Lots of cakes here, from cheesecakes to yam cakes to red velvets.