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)

Baba Low's, Bangsar

The deal: RM15 for RM30 cash voucher for food and drinks at Baba Low's

What we got:

Located in Lorong Kurau, you'll find Baba Low's nestled within a cosy neighbourhood in Bangsar, a slight distance from the bar-lined area of Telawi and mere steps away from the BIG Group's Hit & Mrs. Don't expect a fancy establishment; Baba Low's kopitiam-like setting and one-page menu makes for a simple, fuss-free dinner.

Pai tee (RM5.50)

Popiah peranakan (RM4.50)

What better way to start off a nyonya meal than with a plate of pai tee and popiah. The pai tee was pretty average, while the popiah turned out to be rather yummy--the skin was thicker than usual (may be a plus for some, minus for others) and the spicy-sweet sauce they used provided a nice change to your run-of-the-mill popiah.

Nyonya laksa (RM7)

Pong teh (RM7) and white rice (RM2)

Baba Low's nyonya laksa would be perfect for someone who loves a good, lemak curry; the laksa, which comes with half an egg and several beancurd puffs (we asked for no cucumbers please!) was absolutely creamy. It may not, however, satisfy someone looking for a curry with a kick, because the laksa wasn't big on the spicy. 

The pong teh chicken proved to be value-for-money. The dish came with several big chunks of chicken and potato, more than enough for one diner. Taste-wise, although not the best we've had, it was tasty enough and went very well with the white rice.

Cendol (RM4.50)

We expected more from the cendol though. We could taste the fragrant gula melaka in the first few bites of the frozen dessert, but once we mixed everything up, the taste became rather  weak. Too much ice, perhaps?

Tax: None

How much we paid: RM15.50

Ayers Rock Butcher & Grill, Avenue K

The deal: RM20 for RM40 cash voucher for food at Ayers Rock Butcher & Grill

What we got:

200 grams grainfed tenderloin steak (RM58)

Located on level 3 of Avenue K, Ayers Rock was pretty quiet when we stepped in--there was only one other customer at one-thirty in the afternoon. 

I ordered the 200-gram grainfed tenderloin steak, which came with a side of potato salad and garden salad. While it may not have been translated well in the above photo, the steak turned out pretty small--just compare it to the size of the sauce bowl. I asked for the meat to be done medium; they gave it to me well done instead, with only the middle-st of the middle of the steak medium-well. While the overcooking could be due to how thin the cut they gave me was, you'd think a steakhouse would know how to get the meat's doneness right. 

280 grams premium striploin (RM48)

My partner got the 280-gram premium striploin, medium doneness, which likely due to the fact that it was thicker than my smaller tenderloin, was done somewhere between medium to medium-well rather than my medium-well to well-done. So while his steak didn't suffer from overcooking as much as mine did, we both faced the same problem--the meat lacked flavour. For 50 bucks a cut, we expected decent, juicy steaks, but were left disappointed. We also felt the sauce the steaks came with were out of place; wouldn't it have been better served au jus rather than with a creamy sauce that will drown out the natural flavour (or lack of it, in our case) of the meat?

The staff also did not appear to be well-trained; a diner at a table near ours asked the waiter what the difference between two different cuts of meat were and  his answer was 'it's the same to me but one is just more expensive than the other'. What?

We also weren't particularly pleased that the menu stated a service charge of 8% but we weren't charged any. Don't get me wrong, I'd rather not be charged for service, but they should've told us upfront so we could order an extra side or something instead of wasting the rest of the voucher value.

Not a good experience overall. It was a good thing we were eating on vouchers, because I would've popped an artery if I had to fork out full price for such mediocre food. Even for what we paid, we still felt overcharged.

Tax: Menu stated a service charge of 8% but we weren't charged any

How much we paid:  RM60

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