Amaze K Cafe, Kota Damansara

The deal: RM15 for RM30 cash voucher for food and drinks at Amaze K

What we got:

Amaze K is a hidden gem located in the more industrial part of Sunway Damansara (a street away from where Ad Hog is). We were pleasantly surprised by how affordable a lot of the menu items were.

Cement, steel and bricks - rather standard set-up for cafes nowadays, but one we like nonetheless

Mushroom soup (RM5.90)

Tastes somewhat run-of-the-mill, but thick and creamy enough to keep us satisfied.

Smoked duck spaghetti (RM11.90)

The smoked duck spaghetti was done aglio-olio style, but the pasta suffered from being too wet. Not our favourite spaghetti, but we appreciated the amount of smoked duck thrown in despite the dish costing only RM12.

Hainanese chicken chop (RM15.90)

Amaze K's Hainanese chicken chop fared much better - crispy deep-fried chicken drenched with tomato sauce, topped with shredded onions and diced carrots, with sides of fries, tomato slices and chopped green beans. Portion is commendable, and the sauce was good too (give me tomato sauce over brown sauce anyday). Yup, we liked this dish.

Iced latte (RM9) and carrot juice (RM5.90)

Amaze K's coffee is Espressolab-supplied, so rest assured that your caffeine fix will be, at the very least, decent. The fresh carrot juice, thankfully, wasn't (overly) diluted, which we get sometimes when restaurants try to skimp on quality and make a quick buck.

Sa-yung (RM12 for 6 pieces)

Before we made our way to Amaze K, we contacted the cafe to pre-order their sa yung, or 'Chinese doughnuts' (a one-hour pre-order notification is needed so that they may prepare and serve them fresh). We specifically asked that it be packed for take-away before we left, and we were pleasantly surprised when they handed us our doggy bag when we were almost done with our meal. Not only were they observant, but they didn't need any prompting as well, so kudos for that. 

No photographs of the sa yung, sadly, by the time we got home several hours later after running some errands, they were not as pretty to photograph. We had some in the car while they were hot, and they were a delight to eat - crispy on the outside, light and airy on the inside. 

Value-for-money would be the most appropriate phrase to sum up our experience at Amaze K. Would we return? Yes, definitely. 

Tax: None

How much we paid: RM30.60

Marufuku Udon, Jaya One

The deal: RM12 for RM20 cash voucher for food and drinks at Marufuku Udon

What we got:

We've been frequenting Sanuki Udon in Taman Desa for several years now, which we love for its simple, fuss-free, affordable meals and speedy service. So when we decided to check out Marufuku Udon, Sanuki's sister restaurant located in Jaya One, we couldn't help but make comparisons with our favourite udon place in KL.

Gyuniku nabe (RM13)

Tempura seafood nabe (RM12)

Marufuku has, no doubt, a lot more choices when it came to the menu. There was a bigger variety of udon, side dishes and drinks, and they also serve donburi and dessert which are not available at Sanuki. Prices are generally RM1 or so higher than Sanuki, which is understandable given its location.

We got the gyuniku (beef) nabe and tempura seafood nabe, both of which are not offered at Sanuki. Served in a claypot, both nabes were rather substantial in portion, with more than sufficient servings of beef/tempura. While most people would welcome an egg in their noodles, we would have preferred doing without it so that we could enjoy the light, sweet taste of the broth. Aside from that, we were pretty much satisfied with our main course.

Kakiage (RM2)

The kakiage here was surprisingly cheaper (by RM1) than the one at Sanuki, despite Marufuku being housed in a shopping complex. The vegetables were cut thinner than what we're used to and have come to enjoy, but that's just us nit-picking.

Chicken katsu (RM5) 

Chicken katsu with wasabi mayonnaise, also not available at Sanuki. We would have enjoyed it more if the wasabi flavour was more prominent.

Chicken karaage (RM3) and tempura oyster mushroom (RM2)

The chicken karaage was pretty consistent in quality with the one in Taman Desa, albeit being rather small. The tempura oyster mushroom was fine.

One significant difference I found between the two outlets is the service. While service was efficient at Sanuki, with food usually served within five to ten minutes of placing the order, the waiters at Marufuku seem unable to cope and appear to be working somewhat haphazardly, resulting in food reaching our table rather slowly.

All in all, considering the amount of food we had, the price we paid was certainly more than worth it.

Tax: Service charge of 10%

How much we paid: RM24.70

Fatty Cat Steamboat, Dataran Mentari

The deal: All-you-can-eat steamboat buffet at Fatty Cat Steamboat for RM21 (adult)

What we got:

Steamboat is perfect for cold, rainy days--but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy it in our current hot and dry weather. Fatty Cat Steamboat's air-conditioned interior provides a comfortable environment for those wishing to indulge in steamy affairs (of the food variety!).

Unfortunately for us, we were given unstrategic seats--right in front of/blocking their storeroom. We had to shift our chairs several times just so they could access the entrance of the room; pretty inconvenient,really.

Famous double boil soup and tom yam

On to the food. We chose to try two soup bases; their famous double boil soup (essentially pork bone broth) and tom yam. While the pork bone soup was good, the tom yam suffered from being too salty and rather lacking in spiciness but it was, weirdly, kind of addictive in its own way.

There were 5 types of sauces provided: belacan, red chilli, green chilli, satay peanut and one that which was rather reminiscent of taucu (fermented black beans).

They started us off with a set, comprising items such as cocktail sausages, seafood tofu, mussels, scallops, bamboo clams, fish noodle, fish fillet, and enoki mushrooms,amongst others. We could add on other items such as pork slices and beef slices with a limit of 2 plates per round (but no restrictions on the  number of rounds). Fatty Cat Steamboat also had fried items like fried squid and crispy pork (pictured above) but they were nothing to shout about.

Menu

We had a chat with (who we think is) the owner, an affable man, who informed us that the outlet had only been open for a month. His concept of having customers place orders with the employees, rather than to have all the buffet items laid out, was so everyone could enjoy their meals without having to get up from their seats to get the items or battle amongst themselves when an ingredient gets refilled. We like this concept too (as well as the conveyor belt format some hotpot outlets offer, though we've had experiences where items run out on the belt and the staff were unhelpful in filling them up again) for its convenience.

The buffet came with an option of ice lollies, which you'd have to walk to a nearby freezer to take, but without drinks. Towards the end of our meal, we observed that some tables had orders of cooked crab. After checking with the staff, we  were told that they offered items such as fried rice, fried noodles and fried crab as well--which we were not aware of as this wasn't stated in the menu. The fried crab was limited to half a crab per person, though there was no limit on the number of (raw) crabs you could order for your steamboat. Alas, we were too stuffed by then give it a try.

Was it good? Although we wouldn't quickly rank it our favourite place for days when cravings for hot, soupy meals hit, I'd say yes, we wouldn't mind visiting again. They've got variety, and we like that it's done buffet style (the price for a la carte steamboats can really add up especially if you've got a good appetite). 

Tax: None

How much we paid: RM42 (RM21 per adult)

Wood & Steel, Kota Damansara

The deal: RM10 for RM20 cash voucher for food and drinks at Wood & Steel

What we got:

French onion soup (RM7)

Thick and rich, the French onion soup (the only soup choice available on the menu) was a decent pick. If we had to nitpick, I would say we would've preferred garlic butter over melted cheese on the baguette slice, and the soup could do with being hotter instead of just lukewarm.

Champion's breakfast (RM15)

Chef's recommendation - Stuffed chicken (RM20)

For the main courses, we had the champion's breakfast and the stuffed chicken. The baked beans in the breakfast set was interesting--it didn't taste like the normal baked beans you get straight out of the can, and somewhat reminded me of chili con carne minus the meat. I really enjoyed it. The cocktail sausages were lightly spiced and also tasted good, while the scrambled eggs and accompanying button mushrooms and cherry tomatoes were decent. The toast, on the other hand, was rather plain, with parts of it slightly burnt.

The stuffed chicken would've made a good option for the health-conscious, if it weren't for the fact that it was a bit too oily to be termed healthy. The chicken wasn't 'stuffed', per se--it was basically veggie sandwiched between two slices of chicken breast, topped with cheese and sprinkled with herbs. The chicken was accompanied by slices of garlic bread, cherry tomatoes, baby carrots and brussel sprouts. A small bowl of sauce was also provided, but I thought it rather unnecessary as the heavy taste would drown out the milder taste of the chicken. As pointed out earlier, it was oilier than I expected, but proved to be a decent dish nonetheless.

Cappuccino (RM10)

Piccolo (RM8)

We are no coffee connoisseurs, but we found the cappuccino and piccolo to be good enough.

Tax: None

How much we paid: RM30

Cupcake Chic, The Curve

The deal: RM10 for RM20 cash voucher for cupcakes and macarons

What we got:

Green tea macaron (RM4)

Red Velvet, Marble and Rich & Cool cupcakes (RM5.50 each)

This trip to Cupcake Chic can be summed up in one word: disappointing.

Macaron: the shell lacked the green tea taste I'd expect from a green tea macaron, and what happened to the macaron feet? I found the red bean paste to be too paste-y (they would benefit from a creamy texture instead) and thought the proportion of filling to shell was too much.

Cupcakes: I only tasted the peppermint one (that's Rich & Cool, if it isn't already obvious) and was immediately put off by how incredibly sweet the frosting was--it felt like biting into hardened icing sugar. The texture of the cupcake wasn't great either; it was rather dry. While I didn't sample the other flavours, the consensus feedback I got was that they were all way too sweet.

Tax: None

How much we paid: RM10.50

Cross-Legged, Kota Damansara

The deal: RM8 for RM16 cash voucher for food and drinks at Cross-Legged.

What we got:

Upon stepping into Cross-legged, we were greeted by a very cheery lady. That gave us a pretty good first impression of the place--until we saw the menu, that is. While the prices weren't what you'd call exorbitant, I was taken aback by how much the price of the menu items have increased compared to the menu provided by the deal site--from RM15 to RM20 for a plate of pasta? Talk about a 33% increase! 

We had considered giving their broccoli prawn soup a try, but scraped that idea in view of the price increment. 

 Lemongrass chicken pasta (RM20)

Cream chicken potato pasta (RM20)

While we've got to give them props for being inventive and choosing to dish up pasta that isn't your typical aglio olio/bolognese/carbonara, we though both pastas were only decent bordering on average. It got slightly cloying towards the end, truth be told.

French toast (RM13)

The French toast, however, was a different story. Topped with sliced sausages and diced tomatoes, and drizzled with a bit of maple syrup, it was both light and fluffy--a delight when eaten warm. Cross-legged's version of this generally simple dish was unlike any other I've tried. Despite it not being a main course, the French toast was hands-down my favourite order.

All in all, Cross-legged is a decent place to visit; a cosy cafe with nice hostesses, but we felt the more than marginal jump in prices may come as a surprise to those who'd visited the cafe only a month before.

Tax: None.

How much we paid: RM29

Ayami Korean Chicken BBQ, 10 Boulevard

The deal: Korean dak galbi meal for 2 people for RM38

What we got:

Dak galbi for 2 (RM44) with an add-on of fried rice (RM7, not pictured)

  

Ah, our virgin taste of dak galbi. Having not had Korean food in a long while, it couldn't have come at a better time. 

The deal entitled us to two servings of dak galbi (chicken meat, cabbage, pumpkin, sweet potato and rice cake) with a choice of accompaniment and a choice of soup. We chose fried rice and sun dubu jigye, a Korean-style soup with beancurd, clams, prawns and vegetables. 

Sun dubu jigye (RM15)

While we have no prior dak galbi experience to compare the food with, we thought the dish tasted pretty good. The chicken was flavourful and not overcooked, and the vegetables and rice cakes provided crunch and variety to the dish. The fried rice, which was cooked after, was decent. My partner also enjoyed the soup (I couldn't taste it as distinctly as my tongue was overwhelmed by the stronger-tasting kimchi), although it wasn't spicy like what Wiki says it should be. 

Banchan

What I'd really like to rave about, however, goes beyond the food--it's the amazing service at Ayami. Despite arriving an hour to closing (which is not very much time considering dak galbi takes a while to cook), the staff did not turn us away. They made sure the food was cooked sufficiently and did not rush us when we ate. When asked if they could increase the spiciness, they obliged and the owner--so we suspect--came out to personally add the chilli paste, at no extra charge. One of the things that surprised us most was how they refilled our banchan without us having to ask for it, even when it was already ten minutes to closing and they have pretty much cleaned/packed up the rest of the restaurant. 

Throughout the meal, we were pretty awed at the level of service given. We have encountered horrible attitude before when dining with vouchers, with some establishments treating voucher users like second-class customers; cutting corners by serving minuscule portions of cold, crappy dishes and looking to add charges wherever they could. With good service such a rarity here in Malaysia, the fact that we were treated so hospitably despite using vouchers was a very pleasant surprise indeed. 

Great first impression,  Ayami; here's hoping you continue to thrive.

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

How much we paid: RM38

Opika Organic Market & Restaurant, 1 Utama

I thought it'd be nice to start off this blog by featuring something healthy, which is also something I practically never have: organic food.

The deal: RM25 for RM50 cash voucher for food and drinks at Opika Organic Market & Restaurant.

What we got:

 Pumpkin soup (RM9.90)

I've only had pumpkin soup several times in my life, as I have a tendency to order mushroom soup (this being the most common Western-style soup restaurants here normally feature) and wouldn't normally have it unless it comes as part of a set meal, but this came recommended by a friend. 

Hearty and rich in flavour, the soup was delicious. This is definitely something I'd order again.

Quinoa salad (RM17.90)

The picture above was taken from Opika's website, because I'd accidentally deleted the picture I took of my salad. This salad marked my first taste of quinoa--I didn't dislike it, but I didn't love it either. I guess I'd say it's something interesting to try if you haven't yet have it. The avocado and mango layers work to provide a twist to the salad which might have tasted slightly one-dimensional otherwise. The prawns were fresh too.

Confit of free range chicken, raw honeyed mashed sweet potato with pineapple salsa (RM29.90)

I actually asked if they could debone it for me, AND THEY DID. Can I say I'm impressed? I don't believe many restaurants do this ('oh sorry we can't', 'it's served with the bone, miss') so props for them. I tend not to order bone-in meat because I'm not very good at eating them, so I was clearly delighted that they were willing to have it deboned for me. 

The sauce for the chicken tasted somewhat like rendang, which was not too bad although I would've preferred, say, a mushroom sauce. The pineapple salsa was decent, and they were generous--a bit too generous, really--with the mashed sweet potato.

Chicken bolognese (RM19.90)

Again, picture taken from Opika because my partner has already dug into his food because I could snap a picture, but it looked, and tasted, average.

Buttermilk pancake (RM14.90)

Served with caramalised bananas, maple syrup and butter, and came with a cup of tea/coffee.

Soft yet crisp around the edges, with yummy ripe bananas. Our choice of tea instead of coffee, though, came tasting like plain water. 

Others: 2 glasses of filtered water, RM0.50 each.

Tax: Service tax at 6%.

One thing of note at Opika is the very pleasant wait staff. They were friendly and accomodating and overall a joy to interact with. 

How much we paid: RM50