Donutes Coffee & Cake Baking @ Puchong, Selangor

Donutes Coffee & Cake Baking is an excellent cafe cum bakery that is located in a number of locations in the Klang Valley. I have heard a lot about this place but never really got an opportunity to visit them until this evening. 

This Outlet In Bandar Puchong Jaya

Amazing Decor

This outlet that I had visited is the one that is located along Jalan Kerani 6, Bandar Puchong Jaya. Being a cafe that is open 24 Hours a day, they have thought it all out and the place was managed with utmost efficiency. There was a huge bakery section that was being consistently topped up. Bakers would literally stand in this section and observe what get's sold out and immediately, they would top it up with freshly baked stuffs. Similarly, there was another section with a variety of cakes and then another section where coffee was being made. The entire set up was perfect for dates as well as families. Despite being mildly lit, there were some sections with table lamps and I could see students sitting there and doing their homework while their parents were chatting over a coffee. Totally amazing concept and I was mesmerised by the entire set up. 

Classic Donutes Coffee @ RM 10.00

Cappuccino @ RM 11.00 

As for the drinks, you have to place the orders at the cashier, pay for them and then a number is issued to you. Then you would need to wait for your number to be called and then you can head to the coffee section which is facing outside the cafe and collect your drinks. I was here for about two hours and within that short period, the ticket numbers were literally running by the hundreds. Coming back to our coffee, we had tried their Signature Milk Coffee and their Cappuccino and both were excellent. They didn't come in large mugs like some of the cafe's but it was just nice. As for their coffee, I would rate them both at 9/10. 

Pure Cheese Cake @ RM 8.50

Milky Tiramisu @ RM 8.50

They had a good variety of cakes and they were reasonably priced. The cuts were huge as well. We tried their Pure Cheese Cake and Milky Tiramisu Cake. Both were heavenly! My rating for these would be 9/10 for the Pure Cheese Cake and 10/10 for the Milky  Tiramisu Cake. Excellent stuffs!

Bill

Being one of those bakery / cafe's that is open 24 hours daily, Donutes Coffee & Cake Bakery is definitely doing one amazing job and it clearly shows looking at the crowd that is there round the clock. Amazing cakes & pastries, excellent coffee, reasonable prices and a wonderful set up that just let's you wind down after a long day. A lovely place that I would look forward to visiting again. 

Address: No. 8, Jalan Kenari 6, Bandar Puchong Jaya, 47100  Puchong, Selangor.

Business Hours: 24 Hours 

Nesan Curry House @ Rawang, Selangor

Ask anyone from Rawang and they would have definitely been to or heard of Nesan Curry House. Located along Jalan Welman, this establishment has been around for many years so much so, along that very same busy road, they have two restaurants. I used to frequent here often some time back as the food is so good. After a long sabbatical, I am back this afternoon. 

Banana Leaf Rice Meal @ RM 5.00

We were here at around 2.30 pm and the place wasn't too busy. That being the case, we were quickly attended to. Their basic Banana Leaf Rice meal is priced at RM 5.00 and it comes with 4 vegetables and free flow of curries. 

Vegetables

The food here used to be so good and sadly, the quality has dropped tremendously. In fact, all of us were in shock when we tasted the food. The vegetables were nothing to shout about. Though there were four different vegetables, none of them tasted anywhere close to what it used to be. My rating for these shall be 6/10. 

Sambar

Chicken Curry

Rasam

Both their Sambar and Chicken Curry weren't up to the mark as well. Besides this, they were so watery and the curries had lost it's taste. If I were to rate these, it would be 6/10. Their Rasam was slightly better but still nowhere close to what it used to be. 7/10 would be my rating for this. 

Chicken Varuval @ RM 5.00

Mock Mutton Perattal @ RM 4.00

Tofu Sambal @ RM 1.50

Their Chicken Varuval was very bland and lacked spices. The cuts were too large and the overall spices did not properly blend with the meat. I would only rate this at 5/10. The Mock Mutton Perattal again wasn't one that impressed us. Sadly, this too shall only deserve a rating of 5/10. Tofu Sambal was a tad too oily and the cuts were too big to enjoy the dish. Moreover, the gravy wasn't quite there as well. 6/10 for this. 

Our Bill

Nesan Curry House was a restaurant that I used to adore.The food was so good that I used to wait for an opportunity to visit Rawang solely for this reason. Today, the experience that we had was totally the opposite. Food quality has tremendously dropped. Not only that, even the reception that we got from the waiters wasn't a good experience. They were in a rush when there weren't that many customers in the restaurant to the extent that they were spilling the curries outside the banana leaf which is something that I am very particular about. Even the side dishes that we had ordered were quite bland. Sadly, a disappointing experience at en eatery that used to be my favourite.

 Address: 54 & 59, Jalan Welman, 48000 Rawang, Selangor, Malaysia.

Business Hours: 0700 - 2200 Daily

Om Shakthi Chello's Appam Stall @ Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur

Om Shakti Chelo's Appam stall has been around for about 29 years now. Most KL'ites living around Bangsar would be very familiar with this stall. This stall is located along Lorong Ara Kiri 3 in Lucky Garden.

Om Shakthi Chello's Appam Stall

This stall is located at the far end of the Lucky Garden Hawker Centre. There is another stall in the middle that claims to have the best Appam in KL. I am not too sure about that but the stall that I am referring to is the one located at the end where most crowd could be seen at any time. What makes this Appam unique is that it is prepared according to the Ceylonese (Sri Lankan) style of preparation which is moist at the center unlike the Indian style which is dry and you would have to add coconut milk while eating. Here however, the coconut milk is added while cooking making the taste completely different to the Indian one. Besides the plain one, they also have the one with Brown Sugar added.Those days, cooking is only done by the lady boss but due to expansion, she has trained a few Filipino helpers to assist with the preparation and they seem to be doing it well too. We were here around 6.30 pm to order 10 Milk Appams and we were told to wait for 40 minutes as they have orders pending. This is very common here as business is really good.  

Plain Pal Appam @ RM 1.50 each

Brown Sugar Appam @ RM 1.70 each

We wanted to take away and they had skilfully packed them with layers of plastic between the Appam's so that they do not stick on to one another. I have not seen this Sri Lankan variety of Appam made elsewhere except in Ceylonese homes and functions. Except that of late, we do have some Sri Lankan restaurants that do have these but they are sold at premium prices.  I believe that this is the only place where you could get them in a stall like concept. The Appam's were perfect. The plain Appam's were priced at RM 1.50 each and the ones with Brown Sugar are priced at RM 1.70 each. I would rate these Appam's at 9/10 . Definitely some good stuff !

Vegetarian Curry Puffs @ RM 0.80 each

Another good one at this stall is their Curry Puffs which should not be missed. Do note that all items here are vegetarian. The puffs have a filling of curried potatoes which is mildly spiced and tastes very good. These puffs deserve a rating of 9/10 as well .

If you are an Appam lover or just happen to be in Bangsar, it is highly recommended that you give this place a try. You would definitely love it and quite possibly become a regular customer. The food is so good that people don't mind waiting in line. Good food and reasonable prices. 

Address: 6A, Lorong Ara Kiri 3, Lucky Garden, Bangsar, 59100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Business Hours: 1215 - 2100  Closed on Friday & Sundays

Makanan Daun Pisang Chettinad @ Kalumpang, Selangor

Makanan Daun Pisang Chettinad is a new eatery that had recently started in Taman Musabika, Kalumpang. Despite being a new place that had only opened it's doors for about two months now, they have already started having their regular customers who have been hooked on to the food. I too have visited them once before this and I fell in love with the food and hospitality.  At present, they only do lunch and they are open from 11 am till 4 pm and they do have plans to extend the business hours to dinner in the next few months.  

The Stall In Taman Musabika, Kalumpang

Very Clean Environment

Food Is Prepared In Claypots

Teh O Ais

Currently, they operate from a temporary structure in Taman Musabika, Kalumpang which is just beside the Shell Station. Despite being a humble stall, the place is very comfortable, well ventilated and it is clean. The chef is from India and food is cooked in earthenware. They have both Banana Leaf  Meals as well as Thapalakatti Chicken Briyani. Choices of curries were good as well. I believe that they have outsourced the drinks to another vendor and for me, their Iced Tea was nice. My rating for this shall be 8/10. 

Banana Leaf Rice Meal @ RM 5.00

Their Banana Leaf Meals were very impressive. Priced at RM 5.00 per set, it comes with three vegetables,  Appalam, Moor Milagai, Rasam and free flow of curries. You could top up your rice as well at no additional costs. And being a Friday, they also served us with complimentary Payasam. 

Vegetables

I was very impressed with the vegetables. They were not the usual one's that you get at most South Indian restaurants and moreover, they were very generous with the spices. For me, all of them tasted great and I would rate them 9/10.

Sambar

Keerai Curry

Their curries were equally good and the amount of vegetables that had been added to the Sambar was quite impressive. They even add a generous amount of Moringa drumstick into their Sambar. The curries were thick and the flavours were just right. Even the Keerai Curry was good. I would rate them at 8/10. 

Rasam

Payasam

Their Rasam nice and the blend of spices were perfect. Their Payasam was very thick and tasty. Once again, very generous with the ingredients and I just loved them both. My rating would be 8/10 for both. 

Mutton Perattal @ RM 5.00

We also had a plate of Mutton Perattal. Firstly, I was surprised to hear that these chicken dishes were priced at RM 4.00 only and their Mutton at RM 5.00 . Most places in town charge much higher prices for these. Coming to their taste, it was totally mind blowing. Not only did the meat cuts taste good, the gravy that was provided in was heavenly. Based on my taste buds, I would rate their Mutton Perattal at 9/10. 

Enjoying Our Lovely Meal

Despite being a humble set up, Makanan Daun Pisang Chettinad does offer some fantastic food at very reasonable prices. Being a returning customer, I was very happy with the consistency in quality. Quality ingredients were used and they were very generous with the spices. If you happen to be in Kalumpang, I would highly recommend visiting this place. Even from Tanjung Malim, it's not too far a drive and it is totally worth the drive since the food was quite impressive. 

Address: Taman Musabika, 44000 Kalumpang, Selangor, Malaysia.

Business Hours: 1100 - 1600 Daily

Telephone: Mr. Murugan +6019 337 7220

Restoran Bala's Banana Leaf @ Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur

Another South Indian restaurant that had started not too long ago in Bangsar is Bala's Banana Leaf. Located in the congested area of Lucky Garden, this restaurant has managed to make a name for itself and has a steady flow of loyal customers. 

Bala's Banana Leaf Along Lorong Ara Kiri 1

Outdoor Seating Area

Curries Station

This restaurant is located along the same row as TLC Supermarket. Parking is an issue here but if you try driving along the houses, then you should be able to find a spot to work. Nevertheless, it's still quite a walk. The set up is posh, very typical of what you would find in an upscale community like Bangsar and they have both indoor and outdoor seating areas. Service is speedy and each waiter is responsible for a table.He would take the orders, serve you and is responsible for the billing as well. 

Banana Leaf Rice Meal @ RM 8.00 + Iced Water @ RM 0.50

Their Banana Leaf Rice Meal is priced at RM 8.00 and it comes with Rice, free flow of curries, four vegetables, pickles, Moor Milagai, Appalam and Rasam. My drink was a glass of Iced Water and this was priced at fifty cents a glass. For that kind of spread, RM 8.00 is cheap for Bangsar. And the same for the drink as well. 

Vegetables

Rasam

The selection of vegetables were good and they were prepared reasonably well. They had in fact wanted to serve me a larger portion of vegetables and it was I that had stopped them as I did not want to waste. That itself shows that the management does not restrict the waiters from serving larger portions. This is the total opposite of some very famous Banana Leaf Rice restaurants that serve limited portions and charge you for refills. I loved the way the veggies were prepared and my rating for these shall be 8/10. Their Rasam was good as well. Generous with the spices and it did taste good. This too shall get a 8/10 from me. 

Fish Curry

Sambar

Both the curries that I tried this evening was excellent. Their Fish Curry had a lovely blend of flavours and their Sambar came with lots of vegetables. Both deserve a rating of 8/10. 

Mutton Perattal @ RM 10.60

I had also ordered a plate of Mutton Perattal and this was priced at RM 10.60 . Portion wise, I felt that it was a little expensive. The cuts were fatty too but the gravy was delicious. Still, I felt that it was overpriced. Perhaps I would try some other meat dish the next time. My rating for this preparation shall be 7/10. 

My Bill

If you're looking for a good vegetarian Banana Leaf Rice Meal, than Bala's Banana Leaf does offer some good deals. They are very generous with the vegetables and their curries are pretty good. On the contrary, I felt that their meat dish was slightly pricey. Service levels are exceptionally good and the ambience is lovely. Definitely a place that I wouldn't mind coming back. 

Address: No. 25, Lorong Ara Kiri 1, Lucky Garden, Bangsar, 59100 Kuala Lumpur.

Business Hours: 0800 - 0000 Daily

Restoran D' Hainan Kitchen @ Cyberjaya, Selangor

One of the new restaurants to open in Cyberjaya is D' Hainan Kitchen. This restaurant specialises in Halal Hainanese Cuisine and they are located on the CBD Perdana 2 area. Located along the row of shops facing Centrus Mall, this restaurant is conveniently located with ample parking spaces. 

D' Hainan Kitchen In CBD Perdana 2

The restaurant itself is quite spacious and elegantly designed. Clearly the owners have spent quite a bit on renovations. Not only do they have a beautiful indoor dining hall, they do have some stalls that are located outside selling items like Yong Tau Fu, Chee Cheong Fun and Ais Kacang. There is a small outdoor seating area too for those who smoke. 

The menu is quite comprehensive covering a range of dishes. However, some of their core dishes here are basically their Roasted Chicken, Chicken Rice (using the same Roasted Chicken), Wantan Mee that again comes with the Roasted Chicken and Hainanese Bread. Prices seemed very reasonable as well. 

Hainanese Tea @ RM 2.30

Since it is a Hainanese Restaurant, I decided to go for some Hainanese Tea and this was priced at RM 2.30 . I felt that the Tea was nicely fixed except that it took way too long for it to arrive. Since they are rather new, the staffs have not got into the tune yet. I am sure that they were trying hard and eventually would get there. Taste wise, my rating for this shall be 7/10. 

Roasted Chicken Wantan Mee @ RM 7.90

Dumplings In Clear Soup

For me, this Wantan Mee was above average and seemed pretty decent. The portions were huge and they were quite generous with the sauces. The dish also came with some Roasted Chicken which seemed a tad too dry for me. I would have expected one that was a little juicy. Noodles wise, I would rate it 7/10 and for their Roasted Chicken, I would rate it at 6/10. There was some Wanton Dumplings as well that was served in clear soup and I found it to be pretty good. For the latter, my rating shall be 8/10. 

Being a new Halal Hainanese Restaurant, they do have some customer service issues which they would need to fix. I guess the staffs have still not got in sync yet and give them a few weeks and I am sure that that would be sorted. As for the Tea that I had tried, it was quite good. Their Wantan Noodles was decent as well and so was their dumplings. Their Roasted Chicken could have been better. Still, the ambience is one that I totally loved. Elegantly designed and perfect to even entertain clients. 

Address: CBD Perdana 2, 63000 Cyberjaya, Selangor, Malaysia.

Business Hours: 0800 - 1800 Daily