Amethyst Restaurant, Publika

The deal: Western breakfast set for 2 at Amethyst Restaurant

What we got:

All-day breakfast platter for two (RM32)

For this deal, we got to choose between one all-day breakfast set (portion for two) or two brunch omelette casseroles. Wanting variety for our brunch, we opted for the breakfast platter, which featured a garden salad, glazed sausages, cocktail sausages, two sunny side-ups, toast, ham, a slice of bacon, hash brown, more sausages, mushroom and baked beans. 

I'd have to say we were a little bit disappointed that the portion above was for two. The group-buying site which featured this deal wasn't very specific about the portion, and perhaps it was partially our fault for not writing in to clarify, but the deal page (in its vagueness) somehow led us to believe that the portion shown above is for one.

Size aside, the breakfast items turned out to be fairly good--save for the beans and the hash brown. They were served in a small cup of very watery, what I presume to be sauce/gravy, which was pretty bland. The hash brown, on the other hand, were fried so much that they became hard and rather hard to eat. 

My favourite item on the platter would have to be the glazed sausages. The sauce tasted like sweet, thick barbecue sauce--which we loved. 

Our drinks were a glass of freshly-squeezed orange juice (which tasted diluted) and a cup of cappuccino.

Tax: Service charge of 10% (included in the deal)

How much we paid: RM25

Mr Dakgalbi, Bukit Bintang

The deal: RM10 for RM20 cash voucher for food and drinks at Mr Dakgalbi / RM20 for RM40 cash voucher for food and drinks at Mr Dakgalbi

What we got:

Banchan

Starting off with the appetisers: the banchan consisted of the customary kimchi, slices of radish and a salad reminiscent of coleslaw. The kimchi was more sour than spicy, but it was addictive enough that we asked for a refill. The dressing for the salad was rather unusual--I couldn't quite place the taste but I knew I wasn't a fan. The radish was, well, pretty average.

Mr Dakgalbi (2 servings) 

We got the set meal for 2, which consisted of 2 servings of Mr Dakgalbi (chicken, potato, onion and rice cakes) + ramen + rice + cheese. To avoid over-stuffing ourselves with carb, we asked if we could switch the ramen + cheese (RM6 each) to octopus (RM12), to which they politely obliged. 

Taste-wise, my partner and I thought Mr Dakgalbi's dak galbi proved to be slightly tastier than the other place we visited, although our experience at Ayami will always be remembered fondly for its lovely service crew. 

Tax: Service charge of 10%

How much we paid: RM30

Burger Bar, Kuchai Lama

The deal: RM15 for RM30 cash voucher for food and drinks at Burger Bar

What we got:

Spicy pork burger (RM11.90) and BBQ pork burger (not pictured, RM10.90)

With the boom of 'hipster' burger bars in the past year or so, it isn't surprising that one is bound to show up in Kuchai Lama eventually. However, if you're looking for creative burgers the likes of myburgerlab or Burger Junkyard, Burger Bar's not your way to go. While the menu may look extensive, you'll find that the burgers aren't that different from each other--the main difference is likely the sauce your burger comes with (though we spotted some cheese-stuffed patties too).

The burger pictured above is the spicy pork burger, my order, while my partner went for the BBQ pork burger. I was expecting the spicy sauce to taste tangy with a bit of kick (described in the menu as 'spicy tomato gravy') but unfortunately my expectations fell short. There was just something lacking that I couldn't quite pinpoint. My partner's BBQ pork burger fared slightly better, with the sauce tasting somewhat like a lighter version of the barbecue sauce that typically accompanies an order of McNuggets.

6 pieces of chicken nuggets (RM6.90)

There was an option to add on a side and a drink for just RM4, but because we were utilising vouchers, we were not entitled to purchase this add-on, so we got a side of nuggets (topped with cheese sauce) instead. These were nothing to shout about, really. 

All in all, worth a try (we've to give props that they did not skimp on the size of the patty) but we're not quite sure if the price is justified for such a normal burger.

Tax: None

How much we paid: RM15

Kaffe Cafe, TTDI

The deal: All-day big breakfast set at Kaffe Cafe 

What we got:

All day breakfast (RM20)

When I chanced upon the Kaffe Cafe deal, I thought it was a pretty good one--two all-day big breakfast sets at Kaffe Cafe, TTDI for just RM25. After all, some of the cafes in Bangsar/Publika serve up 'big breakfast's for about 20 bucks per person sans drinks, so at RM12.50/pax, the deal seemed reasonable enough. As you can see above, the plate had scrambled eggs, 3 cocktail sausages, 2 slices of ham, 6 coins of pepperoni, 2 mini hash browns, baked beans, mushrooms, toast and half a tomato on a bed of lettuce--value at first glance, I'd say.

While the cafe's environment was decent (cosy and inviting), unfortunately we couldn't say the same for the food. The first thing I reached out for turned out to be the worst--the scrambled eggs. It was so salty that I could taste the egg only after I'd tasted the salt. It was practically egg-flavoured salt! To say it was a chore to finish the eggs would not be an exaggeration; my partner decided he could not finish it because it was too salt-laden to bear. Truly the worst eggs prepared any style I've ever had.

The mushrooms didn't fare much better. They were wet--not in a good way--and tasted like they'd not been cleaned/had the juice squeezed out of them properly, if you know what I mean. Thankfully the rest of the breakfast tasted all right; the sausages, ham, pepperoni, hash browns and baked beans were fine, while the grilled half-tomato and toast were average. 

Cappuccino and flat white (RM9 each)

For drinks, we got the cappuccino and the flat white. Nothing to complain about here.

All in all, it was a rather disappointing breakfast. Whatever was good on the breakfast platter was marred by how bad the scrambled eggs were; we went searching for more drinks after just to get rid of the salty aftertaste in our mouths. Based on this first impression, we doubt we'll be revisiting anytime soon.

Tax: Service charge of 10%

How much we paid: RM25