one of the relatively newcomer that opened in july is beam cafe, located in bandar sri damansara, which is a little ways away past one utama shopping mall on the ldp heading to damansara. unfortunately, the rain decided to 'rain on my parade' as i was hoping for the beautiful stream of dusk light to illuminate my photos with a lovely flair.capitalizing on the vast space and high ceiling, the cafe is dressed in a industrial chic decor with its main hues of cement grey walls, black detailing of the inner structures that contrasted with the home-y rustic wooden furniture, exposed red brick walls and several potted plants to bring that punch of needed color to the cafe. the walls were adorned with whimsical art pieces, which breathed a special charm to the place.

oh, how i crave for natural lighting for my photos.the space was oddly cozy.. one that i wouldn't mind spending hours in. my favorite features have got to be the lights fixtures and the coffee-related one-of-a-kind hand drawn graffiti/ art pieces..it was not difficult to see where beam cafe's passion and respect lie - the coffee. elegant coffee machines flaunted themselves on the shelves that line the walls and a couple of tables. red coffee roasters revealed themselves grandiosely on the second floor. a centerpiece table where the barista offers hand-brewed or by siphon technique (love!) in brewing freshly ground, aromatic blend of coffee beans.[#protip] pick a table and once you have your chosen table number, order and pay for your food&drinks at the counter. the drinks list on the blackboard at the back of the counter is only a fraction of what they have offer - a complete menu book can be found at the counter.

[#protip] oh btw, it's cash only!from its limited offerings of entrees (four variations of both panini and salad - that's eight to choose from) on top of the many options of sweet pastries and local kuih, we opted share one of each with a nice cuppa joe for me and a cup of hot chocolate for {mh} to drown the rainy blues away.ang mo pattern | latte (rm 11)i always crave for caffeine especially in a cafe that pays meticulous attention to its coffee conception. the best way for a coffee taste test is the basic espresso+milk combination - the latte. crowned with a lovely foam art, that familiar coffee aroma wasn't prominent but the first sip more than compensated for that. the temperature was just right, the bitter undertones of the espresso lingered with the creaminess of the milk. smooth finish. a well done cup of latte which i would rank as one of my favorites after its counterparts from espressamente illy and azzurro.

hot picks | hot chocolate (rm 12)this was worthy of a cheer-me-upper for {mh}, which was depicted accurately by its foam art in the form of a heart. her thoughts on the cocoa goodness was "the chocolate drink was quite nice. very rich." so if comforting sweetness is what you're looking for as a pick-me-up booster for the day, this might be the beverage for the job. ;)

panini | roast chicken panini (rm 18)it was a panini kinda day. well, more precisely, we were both starving and craving for carbs to hit that hungry spot. toasty sandwich, served with a side salad of tossed greens in a rather thick italian dressing. a little lighter on the vinaigrette would have done the salad a whole lot more justice but i really liked the mix of the peppery arugula (it's called rockets here) to contrast that burst of sweetness from the sweet cherry tomatoes. the potatoes were seasoned - cooked through perfectly but slightly chilled.if i had to describe the panini in three words - chicken pizza sandwich.

with slices of roasted chicken with more than a handful of julienned raw onion + green bell pepper, the usual suspects of tomato slices and lettuce, glued together with a generous amount of perfectly melted mozzarella cheese, sandwiched in between perfectly toasted bread.

simple and light on flavor but seasoned aplenty while featuring the individual components in a wonderful manner. the chicken was almost borderline dry but i loved the melted cheese that came to the rescue, done just right where the melted cheese pulled satisfyingly as i took bites. a great play on the textures although i am not a huge fan of raw onions - but granted that is really a personal preference.

salad | japanese seafood salad (rm 18)we were very much looking forward to the salad - we are suckers for seafood, after all - especially after a successful session with the panini. a mixed seafood bounty of shrimp, flaky cooked tuna and scallops with edamame to complete this japanese-inspired salad, rested atop a bed of coleslaw...

"wait...wha.."

-- yes. coleslaw. tossed in a creamy sesame dressing.

the coleslaw threw me off -- like, a lot.

i suppose it's probably because coleslaw wouldn't be the first thing that come to mind when i think of japanese salad.this salad rendition was disappointing after a promising start with the panini. the main stars of the salad - the seafood - could have benefited from slightly less cooking time and a tad more salt/seasoning, which was resonated throughout the muted/mild flavors of the rest of the salad. we agreed we would have been happier with another order of panini to be shared.

with its coffee in the spotlight, BEAM - which is actually the abbreviation for 'bean expedition at manufactory' - displays such love and respect for every stage of their coffee masterpieces creation. and while i haven't tried their sweet offerings, i have read that 'when tea meets coffee' seemed to reign as the crowd favorite. in all, it's a great place to get your caffeine fix.

while you're at it, consider getting a panini too ;)


more details and pictures check it out at: http://sians.blogspot.com/2014/09/beam-cafe.html

ori-udon. highlighting the flavored sanuki {さぬき} udon, ori-udon collaborated with the renowned udon expert, fujimoto-san of sanuki udon in taman desa in paying tribute to the noodles that is characterized by its square shape and flat edges.located on the lower ground floor in the mid valley gardens mall, the noodle shack sits right next to cold storage. its decor has taken a liking to the modern wood theme as it mimics the interior of noodle shacks in japan. coupled with the open dining area with an open kitchen, it creates a more casual and relaxed ambiance.there wasn't any waiting for seats since it was without a crowd attributed by the fact that it was still early for dinner. the menu was predominantly udon and with sides of tempura/karaage as well as kushiage {串揚げ} or deep fried skewers for your choosing.

fresh handmade udon - soup :: niku beef udon (rm 9.9o)swimming in clear warm broth, the udon were crowned with thin slices of beef which were slightly under-seasoned but overdone, which was a tad disappointing. the yolk from the soft cooked eggs dispersed its richness throughout the soup as i pierced the chopsticks into the yolk. the soup had a simple, clean flavor profile that allowed the noodles to shine but i thought i detected a slight hint of ginger in the soup. the freshly handmade udon makes a difference with its springy, chewy texture that was pleasant. it was cooked el dente that granted lovely, satisfying slurp-fuls. i thought the soup needed more of a punch of flavor.

ori udon set menu :: set 4 - mentaiko + karaage + green tea (rm 13.9o)served with a dollop of the coral colored yumminess, seaweed strips, a spoonful of mayonnaise and finally completed with a soft cooked egg.stirring all the ingredients together, the el dente noodles were coated with a thickened, rich sauce of mentaiko and mayonnaise, decorated with speckles of dark green from the seaweed. the mentaiko 'sauce' had a rich, salty, savory, subtly spicy, briny seafood flavor that created a celebration on my palate. it may not be for everyone though especially if they are not one for prominent flavors of the sea. personally, i have not eaten this version of yummy mentaiko udon before which i think is rather special.a side of fried chicken which was marinated in ginger, garlic and soy aka karaage { から揚げ} was served with teriyaki sauce sassed by hot japanese mustard. while the dark meat chicken remained juicy and moist, the coating could have been crispier and less greasy. the sauce is a saving grace that compensated for the chicken's shortcomings especially the hot japanese mustard that gives a kick similar to its traditional counterpart of wasabi coupled with the savory, tangyness but with a tinge of sweetness.

side dishes :: kakiage (rm 3)a basket of shredded vegetables, prepared tempura style. a combination of thinly shredded vegetables - which i guessed are carrots, onions and burdock root meant a natural sweetness, with the satisfaction of biting into the slightly crispy tempura shell that encased the soft inside. addictive, especially when dipped in the teriyaki-hot japanese mustard sauce.
however, the greasiness quickly became evident which may have attributed to the tempura shell being less crunchy. the flavors are nice but execution had some room for improvement.

for fans of green tea, rejoice because the tea (hot or cold) is refillable.ori udon has called mid valley gardens home since the end of 2o13 so it is a mystery that i haven't notice this quaint noodle shack until last week. the phrase "better late than never" aptly describes the discovery of ori udon because i foresee a follow up visit when the cravings strikes, especially for its mentaiko udon.

for the full post and more photographs, you can find it at http://sians.blogspot.com/2014/07/ori-udon.html

frisky.
adj. energetic, lively, playful, high spirited.
frisky goat.
noun. bakery cafe.
"this is the story of 3 girls & one goat sharing the same passion...eat, drink, chill"a new addition to the ttdi neighborhood that started about two months ago.
a.k.a. sian's mission o2.
an intriguing name, indeed. at the mention of frisky goat, curiosity grips onto our interest. that and their promise of waffles and other brunch plates.
however, reading their 'about' section on their facebook page that says "3 girls and one goat", it got me wondering which particular goat?a very petite cafe, located right next to public bank. it pays ode to the rustic style with a modern farm chic accentuated by main hues of blue, white and black. the focus is the red brick wall, on which was interestingly adorned by picture frames of animated animal faces and ironically was missing the goat. its light fixtures danced perfectly with the theme in a loving manner which was also my favorites of the decor.there were also a few patio seating, if you arrive early enough or don't mind the humid heat.as it is a bakery as much as it is a cafe, a myriad of croissants and breads sat proudly displayed at the front of the store with the homemade dessert options just around the corner.
with a healthy amount of breakfast classics as well as lunch selections to choose from, i was there for one reason: waffles. i have had this weird obsession for waffles for a few months now - searching for the one to rival the best waffles i've ever had thus far from the publican in chicago.
and if you are here for the same reason as i do, the kitchen is closed from 3pm-6pm. be sure to be there prior to 3pm. and they are closed on mondays.
coffee & tea :: latte (rm 9) & twg's creme caramel tea (rm 9)i consider my brunch is incomplete without caffeine. basic and simple espresso & milk: latte. the coffee in general tasted alright with nuances of bitter notes at the end. still not close to the best i've had.if you like twg teas flavors, frisky goat has a collection of some interesting as well as classic tea flavors served with a pot of hot water; refillable as long as your tea leaves still impart enough flavor - perfect for the long conversations with friends. {mh} seemed to think her selection was just alright..
almost all day breakfast :: eggs saumon royale | seared salmon & poached egg over waffle, served with sauteed mushrooms, tomato hollandaise sauce & toast. (rm 21)
wafflesssssssssss. oooo!i was a bit skeptical on the whole savory waffles type of deal but i love myself a savory brunch plate. something was amiss about the dish - why were there toasts on my dish? with no butter nor jam. and what were i to do with it since there already is a waffle? carb overload? i think a lightly tossed green salad would have made more sense in adding the much needed color to the presentation and perhaps bring the dish to its full circle.
the waffle was lightly savory, stacked with a some vegetables and a nicely poached egg that lavished its rich yolk to the creamy hollandaise sauce which was slightly tart from the tomatoes; essentially, a creamy tomato sauce. the waffle itself reminded me of a cake-like texture but i was hoping a more airy within encased by a crisp shell.the seared salmon flaked effortlessly with retained juiciness but wished it had a crispy skin and a touch more salt. the mushroom was sauteed with a bit of garlic and salt although my personal preference would be a combination of different types of mushroom. however, all these ingredients combined in a bite did work together - not in an outstanding way but it was good.
almost all day breakfast :: salmon scramble | creamy scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, cherry tomatoes, salad & toasts (rm 17.9o)
when {mh} picked this out from the line up, i realized it was not a good day of salmons out there. lol. i loved the color splash from all the fresh ingredients.the smoked salmon was slightly over cured when eaten on its own but was ideal with the slightly under seasoned eggs, which was probably the whole intention. it was also strong on the smokiness for me, taking away the natural flavor of the fresh salmon but {mh} liked it better that way. the toasts on the other hand: she was left wondering if they deliberately had one toasted and one semi toasted - the perfectly toasted piece won her over while the salad left a bitter taste with the choices of greens that it made {mh} pushed it aside, untouched except for the cherry tomatoes.
frisky goat tries to create a culture of eat, drink, chill but the last seemed to be a challenge with hungry diners staring at my table that i could almost feel them willing us to pay the check so they could begin their own brunch session (in our case, we were seated almost next to the door). the staff were attentive and eager to help, which is a plus and despite there was a line waiting for table, they didn't pressure us to leave. the cafe has gathered quite a following that the petite sized shop is too small of a space to contain the number of diners that it could get a bit noisy for conversations.the cafe strives to bring innovation and creativity into some of their renditions of brunch classics, which is a welcoming change to the almost saturated cafe scene but i think it could go either ways based on the execution of their ideas. it is still probably worth trying to find your favorite brunch dish here.

for more photos: http://sians.blogspot.com/2014/04/frisky-goat-ttdi.html
 

it is very natural to want to fit in.

in fact, garage51 seemed to have taken the notion of fitting in the neighborhood to another level - down to its very name. located in bandar sunway, this cafe under coffee societe's repertoire, drew whimsy decor inspiration from its car workshops/garages neighbors. hence, the name garage and 51 is simply the building number.

firstly, finding a parking space here is almost just as bad as trying to find a parking spot in midvalley on the weekends :: CHALLENGINGLY DIFFICULT just like finding one of the golden tickets to willy wonka's factory. i'd say it's a good idea to bring a leprechaun or a rabbit's foot with you for luck or simply have a ton of patience.the line out the door and extensive waiting list as we requested for a table for two, confirmed the cafe's popularity. the space was petite with a quarter of a second floor to accommodate more tables. the hues were kept to the basic black & white, echo-ing the whimsical industrial approach with its smooth concrete floor, while being the ideal background for some bright colored oil barrels, converted into seats. these were complimented by the rustic tables and metal chairs.with publika's coffee societe's grabbing the coveted award by time out kl for the best place for coffee 2o13 and my love for coffee, i had to get me one of those.

white coffee :: latte (rm 8.9o)

soy latte - my usual go-to cuppa joe for new cafes to confirm the skills of the barista.

the good: a perfect ratio of foam to coffee for latte.the lacking: unfortunately, the espresso was overbrewed, leaving an unpleasant bitter aftertaste and dominating my palate that i was completely distracted, followed by distraught that i didn't notice the other elements of milk and temperature of the drink. the coffee beans were so blatantly over brewed, noticeable via observation when i compared my glass of late to {owy}'s regular latte - the shade of my latte closely resembled a mocha instead.

oh, the inconsistencies :/

to be fair, {owy}'s latte displayed a better balance of bitterness mellowed by the creaminess of the milk. however, not enough to displace my top favorite from its pedestal.

weekend's brunch :: roll-with-a-hole | smashed avocado on bagel with salsa, sliced salmon, cream cheese (rm 18)
the bagel was somewhat fresh with a nice chewy softness but surprisingly the upper half displayed a different texture that was a tad dense. a thin slather of cream cheese spread (wished for slightly more) to impart a creamy tanginess to counter the sweetness of the diced tomatoes, and the mild saltiness of the thin, raw salmon slices. the dish worked as a whole but a few more slices of the salmon would have bring a balanced ratio of fish to bagel.the side salad was a mix of greens and cherry tomatoes tossed in a garlic-y sweet vinaigrette which did not connect with the flavors the bagel had to offer.

tldr: the dish as a whole was okay.
room for improvement: a better salmon/avocado/tomato ratio to bagel and perhaps a pinch of salt.


weekend's brunch :: kipferl jr | croissant with egg mayo (rm 12)

{owy} was craving for buttery and flaky croissant. i had a bite of the egg mayo and was taken aback by the taste. two words: mayo overload!the mayo was overused that it felt it was mayo with a side of smashed eggs combined together. mayo was all i could taste and the richness of the mayo becomes too much very quickly. not something either {owy} or myself would order again.

garage 51 has left us a little disappointed with the food and my coffee (well, {owy}'s latte was miles better than mine) considering the trouble we took with the parking. in fact, this experience has left me wondering if i'd return for a second visit anytime soon

for full review and more photos: http://sians.blogspot.com

one of the first restaurants under the B.I.G family that i've tried was ben's general food store in bangsar village.

it was a sunday afternoon and bangsar was bustling with people. the same was with ben's general food store but it was a good thing that we managed to get a seat without having to wait too long.i loved the decor -- cozy, inviting and somewhat rustic with a touch of vintage. the main hues were black and white on wood cladding the walls as well as wooden furniture. a couple of recipes fill the blackboard space around the restaurant..there is also patio dining but considering how warm and humid the weather is usually in malaysia, i'd prefer staying in the inside (hail to the air conditioning!). for those who are wifi starved such as i am until i get my unlimited internet (yum!), they have it! ^^ i think you may need to request the password from the wait staff.the menu was quite extensive ranging from salads and pastas to deli items and pizzas. {wy} and i kept looking at each other, trying to see what the other person was going to order... lol.

shake 'em buns :: lamb burger | served with fries and coleslaw (RM24)as i looked through the menu, i realized i kept picking out things with lamb...lamb shank pie...lamb meatballs.. and then finally the lamb burger which was what i had my heart set on. i was quite surprised that they didn't ask me about what doneness that i wanted.it came well done with excellent grill marks. could have done with more crust on both sides of the patty. the gamey flavor was rather light, probably masked by just enough seasoning and good punch of herbs and spices rooted in the mediterranean style . it was flavorful and juicy -- which was a great job since they managed to lock all the juices despite cooking it all the way through. the bread was soft and could have used a bit of a toasting in the oven for textural difference.. and the arugula lends a subtle bitter flavor but fresh touch coupled with the tartness from the sauce. but overall an enjoyable burger and i'd order it a second time..

i can't say the same for the sides..the coleslaw was overdressed and i wished it was chilled. the fries were neither all that crispy except for a couple -- but it definitely needed salt.

hot deli items :: b.i.g. lasagna | served with side salad (RM23.90)it was quite the generous serving of lasagna -- {wy} was craving for lasagna and b.i.g. lasagna was chosen. i had a small bite and thought the sauce could use some more fresh herbs and extra cheese but overall a decent lasagna. {wy} seemed pretty happy with it but it got too much as she tried to finish the whole lasagna.

{wy}'s dish comes with a side salad. she ordered the marinated button mushrooms & barley but instead they served her scorched sweet corn & crabmeat with frisee, lime and mayo. it's somewhat a good thing since as soon as she asked for mushroom salad as her side salad, she laughed and admitted that she wasn't a fan of barley lol. which was probably why we didn't ask them to take it back in exchange for the salad we ordered.i absolutely love sweet corn. {wy} offered to share her salad which i gratefully tasted. fully expecting it to be sweet, the corn lacked in that aspect -- almost flat in flavor which was disappointing. the crabmeat was scarce. the dressing was almost right. i'd give the salad an okay. i do, however, think that it's great that any salads on their menu is fair game which is a plus and you don't just end up with a garden/tossed salad with a generic vinaigrette.

ben's general food store is one of the many popular restaurants under ben's independent grocer. extensive menu of classic favorites but it definitely has room for improvement. the ingredients are pretty fresh which is the base for awesome dishes waiting to happen. not amazing but alright..