Haven @ Ampang Hilir

Haven: Round Two. Since our breakfast at this cozy organic-focused cafe proved so satisfying, we were happy to have a leisurely weekend lunch here too.

Earlier entry on Haven: July 24.

Our meal transformed into a carnival of carbs, kicking off with this Mahogany Fried Rice, comprising wok-fried brown rice with mahogany leaves, French beans, carrots, spring onions & shiitake mushrooms. Got wok hei? More or less.

Organic macaroni, parmesan & corn kernels. Comfort food, pure & simple.

Stir-fried beetroot vermicelli with shredded veggies, cherry tomatoes & free-range egg strips. Nearly as flavorsome as street food, but certainly less oily.

More beetroot? Munching on these Aussie organic chips nearly left us in a carbohydrate coma.

Haven uses a special juicer to squeeze out every last drop of fruity goodness (fruits = sugar = carbs, right?). Try the Melon Thirst Quencher (watermelon & more watermelon) & For The Bones (organic broccoli, spinach & pear _ it doesn't taste as weird as it sounds).

How do you like them apples: a duo of juices a day _ Full of Fiber (red & green apples, extra pulpy) & Jumpstart Your Tummy (red apples, lemon & honey) _ keeps the doctor away.

Haven is a calm space _ except when loud children sometimes invade. Pray they stay away.

Haven Cafe,

12, Jalan Ampang Hilir, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-4252-3100

Souled Out @ Ampang

Souled Out has opened its second outpost, storming into Ampang with the kind of food, cocktails & vibe for which its long-entrenched Hartamas trailblazer is renowned.

A familiar fusion favorite: the Sake San wood-fired pizza, abundantly topped with salmon sashimi, cherry tomatoes, lolorosso, mayo & a touch of wasabi. This seemed more impressive when we first tried it several years ago in Hartamas, but it still nicely encapsulates Souled Out's doctrine of dishing out comfort food filled with fresh ingredients.

Sunset Beach (vodka, melon liquor, amaretto, cranberry juice) & Strawberry Dreams (vodka, bailey's, strawberry ice cream, strawberry puree, strawberries).

Cosmopolitan Long Island & Watermelon Mojito. Souled Out's cocktails are potent enough to please, though the current selection at Ampang is not as wide as Hartamas'.

For even more challenging cocktails, take a five-minute drive to Tate at The Intermark, where manager-mixologist Kevin's latest creation is his own spin on the Bloody Mary, featuring the freshest of tomatoes, roasted capsicum & a triple whammy of pepper, chili flakes & Cayenne pepper for a spectacularly complex spiciness that lingers on the palate.

Earlier entries on Tate: June 30 & July 27.

To wrap up, some more shots of Souled Out, our recent refuge from rain.

Souled Out,

Menara HSC, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2181-1626

Tatsu

Tatsu: Round Four. Earlier entries: April 1, July 8 & July 15.

Amaebi sweet shrimp in a ripe avocado shell with spicy pollock roe, marinated in herbed olive oil. One of the most gorgeous starters we've enjoyed in recent memory. Every scoop supplied a soft, savory mix of top-tier ingredients.

More mentaiko to feed our mania, lightly & impeccably broiled on its outer surface.

Queen crab chawanmushi. A big bowl of piping-hot pleasure. We ordered this because we were curious about queen crab, but it tasted similar enough to king crab.

Japanese mizuna mustard leaves & fried bean curd with mesclun greens. Another whopping portion; not the night's most memorable dish, but the healthiest.

Deep-fried sea bream neck. We had to use our fingers to polish the flesh off the bones, but it was worth the effort, thanks to the superbly sweet flesh enhanced with ponzu bitter orange sauce.

Seafood & veggies stewed in tomato concasse. Mussels, clams & scallops, complemented by a gentle gravy that was only subtly tangy, keeping the spotlight on the fresh seafood.

Teppanyaki foie gras & parmesan cheese omelet with bonito flakes. Could be better; the egg wasn't fluffy enough and the bits of liver within made minimal impact.

Shochikubai sake (Seishu, Kyoto).

Tatsu,

InterContinental Hotel, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.

Boys' Night Out @ Fukuharu

Fukuharu has launched "Boys' Night Out," in which male customers enjoy one complimentary serving of sushi and a free flow of the restaurant's signature cocktail through 9pm Thursdays.

Earlier entries on Fukuharu: June 10, 2009 & Jan. 21, 2010.

Everyone's favorite: mentaiko tamago sushi, on the house tonight for men. Equal rights are ensured, since ladies who visit Fukuharu on Wednesdays receive this without charge too.

Mochi Caesar salad with ponzu mayonnaise. Deliciously different from regular Caesar recipes; the rice cakes supply a glutinous feel that some might prefer to the crispness of croutons.

Luscious avocado, blanketed in brilliantly light tempura batter.

Sea bass with pepper seeds & dried seaweed. Bored of typical sashimi preparations? Mix everything on this plate up for a crunchy, sharply spicy treat.

Breaded tuna, served rare. No complaints, but not the highlight of this meal.

Claypot rice with unagi. Might work better with a bit more eel in the bowl.

Three intriguing ice cream flavors: white sesame, miso & dashi (kelp & bonito flakes). Plenty of sweet-savory sensations here, reminiscent of cocoa & salted caramel.

Blue Twilight, a surprisingly potent sake-&-shochu-based cocktail. We were only here for an hour, but the two of us downed six of these, thanks to the free-flow. Kudos to the service team for always replenishing our drinks without us even asking.

Fukuharu,

Terrace @ Hock Choon, Off Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.

Haven @ Ampang Hilir

Haven has replaced Earth Food at Ampang, but health-conscious customers shouldn't worry: this cafe's recipes remain reliant on free-range eggs, chemical-free fish & organic veggies.

We set our alarm for an early start to the weekend, reaching Haven safely at 9:30 a.m. for a sunshiny reward: fluffy, flavorsome French toast with rain forest honey & organic jam.

Breakfast is offered all day long, so sleepyheads can stroll in later and still have a hearty set of scrambled eggs, chicken chipolata sausages & portobello mushrooms.

Creamy and dreamy: honey yogurt parfait with fresh-cut fruits & organic muesli.

Caffeine lovers will be happy to hear that RAW Coffee runs a kiosk here, serving a marvelous macchiato with organic bon soy & a lovely latte (OK, the latte looks a little weird because we left it on the table for too long).

Earlier entry on RAW @ Wisma Equity: February 9, 2011.

Also available: Little Green Planet groceries, Bodybar beauty products, Organique Therapies spa treatments & Tiny Tapir baby products. Organic wine will be sold soon (wheeee!).

Earlier entry on Earth Food: January 17, 2011.

Haven Cafe,

12, Jalan Ampang Hilir, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-4252-3100

Forbidden Kitchen

A fresh hideout in Ampang for customers who want to flee to a space that feels like it's a hundred miles away from the city.

Forbidden Kitchen is housed in a two-story bungalow in a residential enclave, complete with leafy gardens, a swimming pool and lots of alfresco seating.

The food is a mixed bag of recipes from around the world. The Asian component of our supper snack: green papaya salad with squid, mint & spring onions. Refreshingly sweet and tangy.

For the European experience: Italian bruschetta topped with chopped Cameron Highlands tomatoes, basil & garlic. Everything we tried was well-prepared, with prices that won't hurt the wallet (expect to pay below RM50 per person for a full meal).

From the Middle East: Persian kashk-e-bademjan _ pureed eggplant with onions & curd, served with pita bread. Tasted like olive tapenade, with savory overtones.

Bad news: no booze is served. Good news: last orders are only at 11pm daily.

We usually pay minimal attention to the music at restaurants, but this one had fascinating chill-out tunes ranging from Stravinsky to Enigma. Surreal, with this backdrop.

Forbidden Kitchen,

498, Jalan Lima, Taman Ampang Utama, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-4266-3195