fat spoon had me at its decor.

well, at least enough to get my attention

my story with fat spoon started with a friend's instagram picture. like its decor, i found the whimsical creativity of using story book favorites we used to grow up with somewhat endearing . probably a blasphemy to book lovers though >.<

located in damansara uptown, its exterior is reminiscent of the petite colonial houses in penang island and malacca, with detailed accents - a home-y feel that is inviting.

i am kind of a sucker for vintage inclined decor in a modern setting, which was its main theme. it's interesting how fat spoon is able to make disjointed pieces of decor work tastefully together, which i loved. almost eccentric but artsy.



to capture the cozy ambiance, the presence instax of happy moments centralized at the wall as you enter the restaurant, the rustic feel of the furniture pieces with the backdrop of walls of exposed clay bricks completes the whole stage.

i was expecting the story book menu so i wasn't taken aback when i was handed peter and jane books. the menu was an interpretation of malaysian homemade classics with a fusion of different cultures, which i have yet to decide whether it was good or bad.





grandma's recipe :: sambal fried rice | wok fried rice with sambal belacan and dried prawns served with kunyit fried chicken (rm 11.90)

a favorite at fat spoon, i usually try to not take huge chances with food choices when it comes to my first time at restaurants. i was expecting a plate of spicy fried rice but instead was surprised by the sambal belacan served separately in a little dish. on the upside, you could decide if you'd want it to be hot or just mild. the fried chicken dusted with the lovely pinches of salt, pepper and tumeric was fried to perfection resulting to crispy skin encasing the moistness inside. but i did wish the piece of meat was a tad bigger.

the fried rice sprung pleasant surprises of the chopped up dried shrimps in some bites, lending the occasional seafood-y burst of saltiness but in general could have used a bit more seasoning.. the undercooked long beans could have definitely used some more time in the pan. the main star of the dish - the sambal was a spicy yet delicious accompaniment that worked so well with the rest of the ingredients on the plate.

grandma's recipe:: spicy beef macaroni soup | a comforting bowl of spicy beef broth over served over macaroni (rm 11.90)

{wy} was in the mood for something soup-y and i was more than happy to give it a taste when she offered. from the one sip, i thought the taste was lackluster and would have benefited from the additional seasoning. it was missing the robust flavor that i was searching for when it was neither here nor there with the spiciness but it did offer some comforting warmth.


{wy} requested for a couple more of lime halves to try to spruce up the flavor profile which helped give it a tart note to the otherwise monotonous broth.

grandma's recipe:: dry spicy beef macaroni | dry version of our signature spicy beef macaroni garnished with coriander & topped with medium boiled egg (rm 11.90)



this was probably my least favorite of the bunch. the under seasoned noodles was topped with equally under seasoned beef which rendered the dish bland. so much so that the coriander was a pleasant addition even though i am not a huge fan of the herb.

spicy... ever so slightly. 

dry... yup, perhaps too dry that i had to shower the noodles with the bowl of soup on the side (which was also the intention to add flavor).

i even had to ask a couple more lime halves to salvage the bowl of noodles but even after the addition, i just couldn't finish it. the medium boiled egg was cooked very well though but not enough to make up for the rest of the dish.

desserts :: red velvet cake (rm 9.90)

one of my favorite cakes, i'm always searching for one that blows me away. the classic pairing of cocoa infused cake with cream cheese frosting, this one did not have the right proportions of sweetness (it was too sweet) and the tartness of the cream cheese to counterbalance. the other flavors were so pronounced that it took the cocoa flavor out of the equation. and what surprised me even more was when they served the cake warm - it was probably heated the microwave for a few seconds. i chuckled at the first warm bite...never have i had red velvet cake warm especially with cream cheese frosting and it threw me of in a not so good way. 

fat spoon serves malaysian classics which we have grew up eating in our homes slightly updated with the chef's personal twists. as the decor is reflection of its foods, it was almost as if fat spoon's intention was to invoke childhood memories but just with a touch of sophistication, tugging at heart strings as you dine at the cozy restaurant. unfortunately, i think i was more besotted by its decor than by its food. if you're interested in trying, i'd say keep to the classic favorites.
 

fat spoon | location
73 jalan ss21/1a
damansara utama,
47300 petaling jaya

disclaimer this is written based on personal experience and opinion. experiences and taste buds may vary for others.

antipodean.

defined as: 

o1. relating to new zealand or australia; or

o2. being on completely opposite ends or opposite sides of the earth.

antipodean cafe. 

defined by:

o1. its motto - coffee . cafe . culture

o2. it being shortlisted for time out kl food awards' best coffee 2011 and 2012 and in 2011 for best new restaurant. 

perhaps that's the reason behind the hype for this cafe.

my stumble upon this cafe was not intentional - sorta. the original plan to try a french patisserie in the area fell through when it declared its own public holiday last monday. plus, the crowd at antipodean cafe lured us closer, filling in as a substitute for our much anticipated brunch.



with the huge parties waiting ahead of us, i assumed it might be a rather long wait but surprisingly about 5 minutes after we put our names on the waiting list, we were seated in the petite cafe that was a borderline fire hazard as a result of it being overcrowded. proof: there were barely room to sit comfortably between tables. the decor was simple with the coffee bar lined with silver bags of fresh coffee beans against the bright hues of red and orange.


sunlight streamed in the wall lined with windows, highlighting the opposite wall painted as a blackboard where the menu was handwritten. loved the wall menu idea but it sorta irked me that they didn't have printed menus and instead had to strain our necks to read the cafe's one and only menu.


it was off to a bad start when one of the staff stood by the table instantly after we were seated and asked if we were ready. it's good to be enthusiastic but seriously, how can i be ready the minute i walk in and haven't even had the chance to glance at the rather extensive menu selections. i responded with a "i'm not ready yet" and off she went to attend to another diner. less than 2 minutes later, another wait staff paused at our table with a notepad and pencil out and before he could utter the words, i impatiently repeated "we're not ready to order yet". less than 2 minutes later, i gave up when another came to get our order and i ordered something even though it felt so rushed. it put a slight damper to the rest of the meal but i brushed it off.


drinks :: latte (rm 9)



appreciating the beautiful coffee foam art, i took a sip and was greeted by a good amount of bitterness from the espresso (although lacking that tart note in the end) mellowed by the creaminess of the milk that shone with a crown of foam. warm and satisfying. but if i had to compare to my favorite-st cuppa joe, it was missing the same smoothness and richness. however, overall a yummy mug of caffeine goodness.


breakfast :: smoked salmon omelet (rm 20)



a huge portion of omelet served with a side salad of greens and sweet cherry tomatoes tossed lightly with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. when i picked out this dish, i expected the smoked salmon to be semi raw but was slightly disappointed when i noticed the salmon pieces were cooked completely after my first bite. the smoked salmon sprinkled saltiness in between each bite of the soft fluffy eggs which was otherwise slightly monotonous in flavor and lacked textural difference. the dish's saving grace was the crunchiness of the salad with occasional flavor injections of sweetness and tartness from the lovely tomatoes.

 
breakfast :: all day breakfast | toast, bacon/chicken/beef/pork sausage, baked beans, scrambled egg, grilled tomatoes (rm 20)


{hr} selected the chicken sausage from the list of proteins and also found out that any extras of mushrooms or hashbrown, to name a few, resulted to an additional rm 9 to the price tag. while {hr} was happy with the huge serving portion, he concluded that the food itself was lackluster. i had a bite of the 'grilled' tomatoes - if you can even call it that. the open-faced thick sliced tomatoes lacked grilled marks and caramelization that i was hoping from being grilled. it literally tasted like they seared one side of the tomatoes for 30 second.

a quick glance at the offerings of food on the adjacent table, i was appalled by the doneness of the bacon - it looked like the bacon could have spent more time in the pan to get it crispier >.<

i began to understand the reason behind the quick turnover of diners. as soon as we took the last bite of our food, they cleared the plates off the table. some might construe that as effective and efficient but it got out of hand that they wiped the table before we even asked for the bill - almost like they were hinting for us to leave.

oh, my suspicions were confirmed when the wait staff came by to ask (i suppose it was done politely) if he could bring us our bill so that they can accommodate the patrons on the waiting list. without even asking if we wanted more food or desserts.

i paused and thought. "wow. i think i was just 'kicked out' of the cafe" i don't think i've been ever asked at any restaurants or cafes to pay the bill and leave just minutes after i finish my meal, no matter how busy or popular the place is.



was the cafe worthy of all the hype?

my response: honestly, its popularity boggles my mind.

the food, in general, was mediocre at best. however, the combination of the overly effective service that annoyed rather than impressed me as well as my first time ever being "kicked out" from a cafe/restaurant (even though it was done in a polite manner) have left a bitter taste in my dining experience at antipodean cafe.

as i described my experience to {mw}, she captured it rather accurately - it sounds more like a stressful, brisk morning brunch. definitely opposite from how i'd imagine myself spending my free mornings.

antipodean cafe | locations

no 20, jalan telawi 2

bangsar

59100 kuala lumpur

disclaimer this is written based on personal experience and opinion. experiences and taste buds may vary for others.

a continuation of the seoul #throwback travelogue series. and this time, as promised in the last entry: samcheong-dong

just a flight of stairs from bukchon hanok village, samcheong-dong is where tradition and modern artistry intertwined. not typically on the priority list for tourists, sam means "three" and cheong for "clean or good" in the samcheong where its name is given in reference to the three things it has plenty of: clean water, beautiful neighboring mountains and kind-hearted residents.

 

its traditional calm beauty shone amidst the integrated modern petite, chic and artistic galleries, restaurants, shops and cafes. i'd probably not have found this place if it wasn't for my homestay mom to have recommended this place.

since i spent most of my time at bukchon hanok village, i've only managed a short time at samcheong-dong since i already made plans with my hk buddy {lst} as well as the homestay family for dinner. a quick walk around the area highlighted its serenity, comfort, personality as well as character that radiates through every turn of the street.

hidden in one of the alleyways was a lovely little cafe which had an odd mix of eccentricity and coziness: cafe yoonbi's salon {윤비네 싸롱}

the decor did not exactly consist of all things cute-sy but more of a blend of action figurines with artistic pieces both modern and vintage which strangely worked together.

all the walking in the warm weather called for a chilled drink to fuel the rest of my journey and what's better than a cup of freshly squeezed sweet green grapes. definitely the perfect thirst quencher of honey-like sweetness with a soft tart ending and a burst of freshness while i tried to find my way out of this minor maze with the help of my trusty map.

eventually, i was greeted by a serene corridor arched by a line of green trees on the humid-end-of-summer day. a few sign boards along the way indicated i was walking towards the direction of insadong - the hub of traditional souvenirs which i will be covering in the very near future.  :) 

personally, i've only managed to experience two of the three abundance as its namesake implies since i've only encountered a snippet of what samcheong-dong can offer . in comparison to bukchon hanok village, samcheong-dong featured a more modern artistic range of petite shops frequented by art lovers, tourists and adventurers alike while still paying homage to the tradition of the old architectures.