Spending the whole of Saturday morning running errands after the hill walk had left me spent, and with me wanting to loll around the house. When news had arrived that an acquaintance wanted to treat us to dinner on the very same day, it left me a little apprehensive.

But I threw on myself a graphic tee and a pair of Uniqlo jeans and we headed out anyway. The restaurant was not of my choice; it was the acquaintance's, and seeing that she's an adventurous foodie who's willing to sample new restaurants, it was best that she made the call.

Which she did.

And brought us to ... The Carpenter's Daughter in Taipan. Have a look around their bakery section....... where you can find a variety of artisan breads.

Oh, what's this?It says here, Multi-grain Country Bread. Should've bought a loaf as a sample, but Mama Carrie mentioned that the texture was too soft and the weight was too light for her liking.

Don't look at me.The variety of desserts offered: Red Velvet Cupcakes, Plain Cheese Cake, Crème Brulee and Apple Pie among others.Looks lovely. Should've stayed with the original order instead of changing my mind at the last minute.

Sigh, talk about being deeply in love with the plain version. I'm a born and bred cheesecake lover, what. >.<This is where their baked goods are for sale.

Have a peek around table. Who knows what you might just find?I found this lovely dish, Chocolate Croissant, which reminds me of something that I had sampled in Shah Alam; and no, I didn't bring this home.Seafood Flat Noodle (15.90)

Not to say that I didn't have any chance to sample this; my stomach would've exploded if I did. The acquaintance kept offering a portion to Mama Carrie, hoping to indirectly convince her to eat more.

Mama Carrie had a taste, added that although the soup leaned on the salty side, there was a generous serving of seafood, especially the squids. Aglio Olio (15.90)

I'm so sorry, there's nothing special to scream about this dish. It lacked that touch of an extra teaspoon of salt but the taste was still alright.

I polished the plate clean and it filled the space in my stomach, almost to its maximum capacity.Apple Pie (7.90)

It so happened that there was a clash of tastes. I felt that it leaned towards the sweet side whereas Mama Carrie commented that it was perfect; the amount of sugar used was just nice and didn't overpower the natural taste of the apples.

She even polished the plate clean!Baked Plain Cheese Cake (9.90)

Everyone at the table complained that it was terribly too sweet for their liking at the first bite, and I must say that I have to agree with them. Even after setting aside the crust and glaze, it didn't do much to decrease the amount of sweetness.

How I wished that the baker had omitted the sugar; it may just allow the crust to make up for the lack of taste. Here's to hoping that he'll do something about it. Peppermint Tea (5.00, part of desserts promotion)Matcha Latte (5.00, part of desserts promotion)

This was my favorite drink, hands down; I love how the maker incorporated two favorite drinks of mine: skim milk and green tea.

My personal opinion? Would I return for another meal? I'm not sure, actually. The dishes suit my palate and I wouldn't mind spending an afternoon here over a cuppa and a conversation with my elementary school pal, but the parking hell of USJ 10 (Taipan) would send me back thinking twice and thrice.

If it was just me alone, I'd have ordered more dishes and brought home the leftovers for our next meals. =D

Address: The Carpenter's Daughter,

46G, Jln USJ 10/1E,

47620 Subang Jaya,

Selangor

Tel: 03-80811218

Business Hours: 9 am - 9.30 pm (for weekdays); 9 am - 10 pm (for weekends)

Landmark: It's opposite Ampang Yong Tau Foo and behind PappaRich. Within walking distance from RHB Bank.

Update - 9th December 2014: The figures marked in bold are the new charges for both lei cha and salad sushi.

A word of warning: Some of the words were copied directly or paraphrased from my Writer's Craft portfolio on Organic Freshmart. To those who've read it from cover to cover or seen glimpses of it, please refrain from making remarks about the stark familiarity.Feeling exceptionally lazy to whip up the dinner, we remained behind in the restaurant after purchasing the bi-weekly ingredients. There may be a belief or stereotype that organic meals are not only pricey but bland, but that is not the truth here; the owner intends to break that label by introducing a variety of healthy, cheaper and tasty dishes for the diners. The atmosphere, on the contrary, is homely and welcoming; it is reminiscent of families coming together at the dining table and sharing the juiciest events of the day. Among the many decorative items reminiscent of it are the gas lamps and wooden table and chairs. The loud buzzing of conversations can be heard as soon as you enter the restaurant. Depending on the hour, you may have to wait before you can be brought to a vacant table, and for all of you, meat and egg lovers reading this post, you'll have to consider giving this restaurant a miss because soy and tofu are being used as meat replacements in the making of all dishes.Raw ingredients: seaweed, tofu, carrot, corn, rice, cabbage, beans, black wood ear mushroom and tempeh (fermented tofu)

The bowl of lei cha (RM 8.90) [as of 9th December 2014, it is RM 9.90 per bowl] that we ordered was delivered in a matter of minutes to our table with the accompanying soup. The various tastes of all ingredients have been combined into one homogenous blend but the flavors aren't overriding each other or fighting for supremacy; it intermingles perfectly. There are two ways of consuming this: it's either you eat the vegetables and end the meal with the soup or mixing the soup and vegetables together. I personally prefer the second option because we can be greedy when it comes to this dish and like to have a bite of everything. The lei cha soup contains a refreshing taste as the inclusion of basil herb lays the foundation and the strong scent of sesame oil plays its part by lifting the dishes higher, coating the throat with its whiff. You can feel the ideal tang with each sip (or spoonful).

What about the salad sushi (RM 7.90) [as of 9th December 2014, it is RM 8.90 per plate]? Well, it is the restaurant's remake of the ever-popular Japanese sushi that contains vinegared rice rolled with cucumber slices, imitation crabsticks and a selected type of fish such as unagi or tuna. In this vegetarian twist, carefully chopped and rotated inside a sheet of Chinese rice roll - chee cheong fun - is a variety of raw, sliced vegetables: carrot, turnip and cucumber. The slight addition of vegetarian mayonnaise, which uses silken tofu and copious amount of soy milk instead, enriches the dish by integrating all of the contrasting flavors into a homogenized one. It surprisingly tastes so great that you will never be able to notice the absence of eggs. A spoonful of sweet acar is included, consisting of sliced and fermented carrot and cucumber with an added punch of chili powder and a slight dash of chopped peanuts. Name: Organic Freshmart Restaurant

Address: 17 and 19, Jalan SS 18/1B,

47500 Subang Jaya,

Selangor

Telephone: 03-5636 2468

(16/12/2014 - Updated the post with more pictures and included the prices for the dishes)Spot the blogger?

With Mama Carrie ravenous and I famished from the early breakfast, we diverted from the original destination - a good twenty-minute drive away - and landed at Chef Low Organic Kitchen, a haunt we once frequented whenever we were in the vicinity. I still remember but vaguely the area when Chef Low Organic Kitchen took residence; it was awkwardly serene with less than a handful of shops taking the same gamble.

That was at least five years ago when it was under a different ownership and look at how prosperous the place is now! There are more retail tenants, especially the ones dabbling in the food and beverage arena and just weeks ago, a meatball restaurant opened its door to the public at the adjacent block, as reviewed by Sean at Eat Drink KL.

Mind you, this is a meat-free and egg-free restaurant. Anyone in the mood for some crackers? One is greeted by a reading section the moment s/he enters; to the left, there is a built-in bookshelf with Chinese and English reading materials for the bored diner. Towards the right is a tiered shelf with the merchandise such as tidbits and organic oats for purchase. The drinks and dessert section are next to the cashier with the refrigerated deli case being the divider; lining the kitchen counter-top is a tray of shot glasses for their house specialty and a basket of goodies. Ceiling-to-floor windows act as the natural source of light, illuminating the restaurant with brightness from the front and back on melting, scorching afternoons. The furniture in the seating space is placed in such a way that it accommodates everyone on a busy day yet it does not obstruct the service flow at all.Seaweed Roll (RM 7.90): wrapped with raw julienned purple cabbage and carrot in nori (or laver in English-speaking countries) and served separately with mayonnaise

There is nothing like raw vegetables to begin a meal as it prepares the stomach to accept the heavier parts of the meal - such as the main course and desserts. There is a light coating of mayonnaise on the nori layer, complimenting well with the fresh aroma. As you bite into the roll, you can hear the crunch with each subsequent mouthful with the flavor continuing to emanate and mingle with the taste buds.

I caught myself leaning forward and sniffing it, imitating the four-legged brother with my eyes closed; I was instantly brought back to the time when I was collecting chestnuts and the Carries sampled a couple of bites from the ripe ones in a New Zealand farm years ago. Jade Roll (RM 16.90): deep-fried, rolled fu chuk (bean curd sheets) with seaweed and topped with pineapple cubes; sauce includes orange juice, chili slices and chili oil

This is one of the specialties for Chef Low Organic Restaurant - being one of the most popular dishes as well. The bursting fragrance gently penetrates into the taste buds when you gnaw into it, laying the foundation for the sauce to coat the palate. The strong taste of bean curd as well as the carrot and celery sticks wrapped inside attempts to balance the numerous elements found in the dish. The pineapple cubes provides a sweet tang to it, careful not to overpower the subtle yet scented sauce.

Considering that most deep-fried dishes contain excessive oil, this dish will not leave you feeling like you consumed a bottle of cooking oil - or at least that's how I felt. You won't find yourself downing glasses after glasses of the accompanying drink that you may have ordered.

It's not something that I'll sink my teeth into often, though. Fruit Tea (RM 16.90): as the name suggests, it is a fruit blend with thinly sliced green and red apples, orange juice, passion fruit and lemon with lemon slices

Like the Jade Roll, this is one of the restaurant's best-selling items. A quick look around illustrated that most of the diners ordered this and some even went to the extent of going for seconds. The similar acidity of the fruits revolves with each other; none of which are competing to stand out as it seeks to satiate the diner's thirst in pleasure. It invigorates the body as it swims down the throat and replenishes the body of the nutrients it needs, specifically Vitamin C.

I have tasted their coffee during my first visit there and hands down, I'll recommend this fruit tea instead to all of the diners, future and current alike. Be sure to inform the waitress that you don't want extra sugar or honey to be added. Cheese Cake (RM 9.90): cream cheese and cream with graham/digestive biscuits

I can't believe that the cheesecake is sweeter now than before; not only is the sugary filling terribly tough to digest, it felt like my teeth were about to be attacked by the nasty saccharine. The addition of the chocolate and strawberry syrup may have increased the level of presentation to beautify the dish, but taste wise, it became a tragedy. It was supposed to be a shared dessert between Mama Carrie and I; she could only sustain for a couple of bites before she surrendered, forcing me to polish the plate.

Maybe if the baker had gone slow on the sugar and chose a sugarless digestive biscuit as the crust or perhaps allowed the sugared crust to be the only source of the sucrose for this dish, it'd have been a better confectionery experience for myself and Mama Carrie.

If you're particular about exceeding your daily sugar quota, don't have this for dessert.

There were definitely hits and misses about the dishes that we ordered, especially the aforementioned cheese cake. Service wise, it is swift, but be forewarned that the waiting period can be lengthy during the peak lunch (starts from noon until around 1.30pm) and dinner hours (starts from 7pm onwards) - especially if the crowd suddenly begins to swell without any warning. Taste wise, it satisfies both the palate of the commercial crowd and health-conscious customers. Name: Chef Low Organic Kitchen

Address: C-G-43, Block Camilia,

10 Boulevard, Lebuhraya Sprint,

PJU 6A,

Kampung Sungai Kayu Ara,

47600 Petaling Jaya

Tel: 03-77257154

Business Hours: Tue - Sun: 10.30am to 9.30pm

"There's nothing I want more than to be in my favorite haunt, watching the traffic increase and decrease like an electrocardiogram in the serenity."

Read here for my first visit earlier.

It was an impromptu trip to Chilla Cup after running the weekly errands at Cold Storage and Justlife on a cool yet mundane Saturday hence the mini review. The slow lull of the day's melody greeted me with a familiar embrace as I entered the coffeehouse, my order at the tip of my fingers and waiting for the employee to process the payment.

This is one of the favorite haunts to hang out in because not only is the atmosphere welcoming, it has the power to allow me to gather my thoughts and reflect - even with the buzzing crowd around me. The furniture were well-placed so as to prevent any mishaps happening. The ceiling-to-floor glass windows eliminated the use of extra lights during the day. The baristas are friendly and if you're unsure of what to order for your meals or drinks, they will recommend the house specialty and best-selling ones. The menu has been upgraded - with the use of Photoshop, methinks.A partial view of the indoor seating space

The overall aura of the coffeehouse doesn't leave you constricted for space at all. No matter where you sit in the indoor seating area, you still have a view of the baristas making rounds after rounds of different coffees but the main kitchen is hidden from view. There are couches placed around the windows fronting the main road and the walkway outside of the café for those long chats and tired legs.Hot Cappuccino (RM 11.00)

The sweet-smelling aroma of the coffee drew me into a world where there's nothing but pure happiness as the waiter delivered the fresh coffee to our table. After nodding my thanks, I sank my face into the cup; the deliciously tantalizing taste of the roasted coffee smoothly glided down my throat, coating my taste buds with each sip. For me, I don't pay much attention to the stencil because I believe that the flavors are more important and it is capable of making or breaking the caffeine experience. The accompanying cookie was a sweet contrast; it carried with it just the right amount of sugar. The first bite prepares you for the introduction of the sugar explosion with each succeeding bite. Original Pretzels (RM 4.90)

The hot, made-to-order pretzel was a lovely addition to the strong cappuccino we had. The fragrance is enough to tempt one to delve into the dish and suffusing the air, containing just the right amount of salt that spanned from the pinch of sea salt sprinkled on the top of the dough. There are 5 varieties to this and if you're the one who loves the pretzels with an added punch, you can choose from 6 types of fillings.

I haven't sampled their breakfast dishes or desserts (except the scones that are now longer available) yet, though. Name: Chilla Cup Cafe

Address: G23, Ground Floor, IPC Shopping Centre,

No.2, Jalan PJU 7/2 Mutiara Damansara 47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Tel : +603-7732 0175

Website: http://chillacup.com/v2/index.php

Opening Hours: Mon - Sun 10am to 10p

It was never planned this way, but I presume that when the stars collide, surprises will occur instead.

Mama Carrie and I were happily shopping for a Christmas makeover when the caricature of someone familiar standing at the side of Oiso Korean Traditional Restaurant and Café burned itself in my brain, pleading for a sense of recognition. After throwing the image back and forth in my psyche, I finally remembered who she was: it was Mama Carrie's Korean client, Mr. Jung, who is now the current co-owner of Oiso with his wife, Ms. Vanessa. After the obligatory greetings and small chat, he invited us into the restaurant to sample their dishes... and yours truly being yours truly, the opportunity to write a food review was as bright as the glimpse of a diamond.

According to Jung, Vanessa and he were frequent patrons of this restaurant at a time when it was previously owned by a Korean lady as their son loves the authenticity of the food. The previous owner met with some struggles and the stress of managing a chain of restaurants (including the branch in Cheras and Bangsar South), choosing to sell the business to them and retaining all of the kitchen employees including the chef and waiters. The moment you step in and comfortably settle into your seat, the retail lot radiates the feel of a Korean home, welcoming you with open arms. The tidbits are sold at one corner of the restaurant behind the cashier while the Korean ornaments are displayed in a built-in wooden shelf at the back of the restaurant, never failing to attract the attention of curious diners. In the middle of the restaurant lies a life-sized tree with curving branches and acting as a divider between the two double sided seat sofas is a row of potted greenery; some with flowers, some mere plants.

It may be a little retail outlet hidden from public view but the restaurant can be sardine-packed with employees from the neighboring offices such as Nestle, hungry for something so satiating that they can survive the remaining working hours without the need to reach out for finger food. What I like about Oiso is that it harbors a complacent snug that resembles a well-behaved bug in a rug - or at least during our visit. It actually allowed us to enjoy the dishes that we ordered and savor each bite/spoonful in a relaxed manner. I'm a sensitive diner, so when the distractions in the restaurants grow louder with the inclusion of loud chatters, I tend to desire to finish my portion faster than normal and bolt from the place after payment soonest possible.

Seating space here, unfortunately, is rather limited; you can find yourself queuing for a vacant table during the peak lunch hour. The items for a decorative displayKimchi Soup Noodle (Cold Noodle) (RM 13.90) consists of enoki mushroom, sliced cucumbers, seaweed flakes, sliced egg yolk and white, kim chi, noodles

To be honest, I was more than apprehensive when I perused the menu as I've never tasted more than half of the dishes printed on the booklet and certainly didn't want to ruin the dining experience by ordering an item that I'm not comfortable with. Sensing my hesitation, Mr. Jung recommended that I order the Kim Chi Soup Noodle as it's a summer dish and a hot favorite among diners.

My jaw was gaping wide when the waiter delivered the dish as the portion was enormous. Although the stock was ice-cold, it contained a rejuvenating twist that soothed and satiated the thirst. The cucumber slices were a refreshing contrast to the kim chi, the cool comfort seeping into the soap and balancing the spicy flavor produced. The seaweed flakes provided a soft twinge of salt, not sweetening the Kim Chi Soup Noodle or making it saltier either. The aftertaste was in the middle of the food spectrum. The mushroom however leaned towards being uncooked. I was crammed with the lavish amount of condiments, especially the soup that satiated the hunger with ease.

If you're not famished, I'd recommend you to share this dish with a fellow food companion. [Seafood] Bibimbap (RM 15.90) contains carrots, mushrooms, purple + white cabbage, cucumber, seaweed flakes, rice, baby octopus and baby squid

It is extremely common to associate bibimbap with Korean cuisine due to its popularity worldwide, but to find authentic ones can be like finding a needle in a haystack. It is a historical dish, originating from the city of Jeonju in the 19th century as a way of harmoniously blending the ingredients into one dish before seasoning it with only chili pepper paste and, on rare occasions, a salty soybean paste to even out the tang. Bibimbap is kind of similar to Chinese mixed rice, or more commonly known as chap fan in Cantonese.

Mama Carrie adores this dish so much that she practically finished 3/4 of the portion in the silence, leaving only 1/4 for me to sample. She felt that not only was there a generous amount of elements that left a lingering but satisfying zest to the palate, it contained traces of a Korean mother's traditional cooking.

She added that the flavors of each ingredient didn't attempt to override each other or compete to stand out, retaining its distinctive attraction instead. The sliced mushroom was blanched, omitting the use of salted water whereas the small squids were chewy but not rubbery. The carrots, on the other hand, were extremely juicy and produced the natural glucose that it is known for. Chopped Spinach and Carrot SlicesKim Chi: fermented cabbage with pear slices and rich in vitamins A and C but high in sodiumChili SauceKorean Miso with Seaweed

The bibimbap was flavorsome and nutritious yet healthy with no MSG being added to heighten the flavor. It exposed her taste buds to a variety of aroma - with the aftertaste lifting you to culinary haven.

We desire to return for a second serving in the future as she has fallen in love with this dish. She believes that this is the best one so far as our first try was at Food Republic Pavilion KL and the second was in Westfield Carousel's food court, Cannington, WA. Korean Green Tea + Korean Organic Brown Tea Korean Green Tea (RM 2.90) has a mellow scent to it and does not overpower the olfactory system either. Unlike certain types of tea, this drink is instead soft on the palate and digestive system.

The flavor does not subside, be it served hot or cold. Korean Organic Brown Tea (RM 1.90), on the contrary, has an immense roasted flavor that surprisingly glides down the throat with ease, not leaving an awkward aftertaste on the palate.

The aroma evokes the afterthought of brown rice tea.

Special Promotion: For diners who quote the code OISO10, they will receive a 10% discount off their total bill. Name: Oiso Korean Traditional Cuisine and Café,

Lot LG19 and 20, Lower Ground Floor,

IPC Shopping Centre,

No.2, Jalan PJU 7/2,

Mutiara Damansara,

47800 Petaling Jaya,

Selangor

Landmark: It is directly opposite Pos Malaysia.