Three new spots in the Malaysian capital are putting the emphasis on the first meal of the day.
By Adele Chong
THE KITCHEN TABLE
The Scandinavian-inspired interiors of this bijou K.L. eatery come as a stark contrast to its exuberantly presented signature dishes. The brainchild of Marcus Low and Mei Wan Tan, the Kitchen Table first emerged as a limited-seating supper club before reopening as a full-fledged restaurant and bakery in the leafy suburb of Damansara. The thoughtfully curated menu, which sees mod-American fare reinterpreted with carefully sourced Malaysian produce, is a direct product of the couple’s impressive culinary credentials as well as their travels abroad; Low trained in the UK, while Tan, a pastry specialist, has worked at an array of top-tier London restaurants, including Marcus Wareing’s Michelin-starred establishment at The Berkeley hotel. While Tan’s chewy chocolate-chip cookies have become the stuff of legend for loyal bakery patrons, it’s the restaurant’s Sunday brunch—French toast with macerated strawberries and palm sugar; a fry-up embellished by edamame and tomato jam—that is quickly making the venue one of the most popular late-morning spots in town (23 Jl. SS20/11; 60-3/7733- 4000; thekitchentable.com.my).
FRISKY GOAT
With three lady owners at the helm—Leesa Tan, Angeline Yap, and Kenix Lim—this recently opened café and bakery in Kuala Lumpur’s thriving Taman Tun area draws a lively weekend brunch crowd for its modern European food with a punchy Malaysian flair. Its hip young clientele hails from all over the Klang Valley, often lured by social media sightings of signature plates such as Monsieur Ben Wafels—a delectable marriage of eggs Benedict and Belgian waffles—and eggs en cocotte, a ramekin of silken yolk and gently baked whites swirled around a glut of cheese and cream. Decently brewed coffee aside, Frisky Goat’s cozy, vibrantly hued interiors and brickwork also add to its appeal (72 Jl. Burhanuddin Helmi; 60-3/7731 2965; friskygoat.my).
FANCY BREAKFAST CLUB
This deliciously quirky endeavor by young Swiss-trained chef Basira Yeusuff is quietly taking Kuala Lumpur by storm. Together with friends Aida Azwar and Edan Hasan (the husband-and-wife team responsible for the decor) and seasoned barista Faris Chen, the Fancy Breakfast Club operates out of Yeusuff’s own suburban home in Bangsar. Themed weekend brunches and daily breakfasts are inspired by, say, a pastry-oriented spread laid out for Marie Antoinette or, more recently, Wes Anderson’s Grand Budapest Hotel, with desserts such as the Boy With Apple crepe and an artfully concocted Mendl’s Courtesan Au Chocolat (Jl. Limau Manis; 60-12/200-4301; fancybreakfastclub.com).
This article originally appeared in the October/November print issue of DestinAsian magazine (“KL’s Best Bets for Brunch”)
