Everything Random

I went on a short trip to Malaysia’s capital and wanted to sample some of its culinary charms.

First stop: Brasa Grill and Wine Bar

Brasa is one of those restaurants in Plaza Damansara, located in Bukit Damansara, a posh neighborhood in Kuala Lumpur. It is not a surprise that outfits such as this one can thrive in this location, given that affluent families reside in the area.

It was recommended to me by a friend, and so I reserved a table for 2 for dinner. A friend of mine from Jakarta is also in the city for some meeting that week.

Brasa is decorated like an upscale Italian restaurant, like a wine cellar of sort accentuated by red brick walls and black furniture and furnishings. It has a narrow dining area, dimly lit, but cosy enough to be a venue for intimate conversations.

The food is delicious. Brasa’s chef, Chef Rafael, curated a relatively lean menu of essential bits, mixing seafood, meat and vegetarian options into one cohesive offering. We had a burrata salad, burnt butter scallops, lamb chops, and tenderloin steak paired with red wine.

Verdict? 9/10

Service? 10/10

Worth coming back to? Definitely yes.

Second Stop: Kafe Kleptokrat

We wanted to sample good coffee and while Kafe Kleptokrat may not necessarily be the best choice in a city like KL which is awashed with so many options, I was just intrigued by the pictures I see of this cafe. There is a pool inside what seemingly like a century-old building and there’s a sense of eccentricity in the way its interiors are designed. So yeah, place first before coffee this time.

Indeed, there is a pool inside, and even a kayak that one guy was riding on when we arrived. There is a bicycle that’s suspended on one of its walls, and old typewriters, a sewing machine, and ice-grinder decorating one of the desks near a coffee table.

As most of you who have visited this blog several times, you know that I am fan of repurposed buildings. This one along one of the oldest streets in central KL, Jalan Tun H S Lee, does not disappoint. This street used to be called High Street, and it is also home to one of my favourite local bookshops, Riwayat.

For some reason, I ordered a Vietnamese coffee. It was okay. Not phenomenal. We did not try any of the food on offer. Brasa filled us up to the brim.