Edo Ichi, Solaris Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Gyu Suji Omelette

Yaki Gyouza

Yaki Soba

Tofu Steak

Not to my taste, but something I haven't seen before - tempura batter bits served as a snack.

My Japanese cuisine repertoire is somewhat limited to sushi, sashimi, soba, curry, shabu shabu, teppanyaki and teriyaki. And even with those dishes I can't proclaim to have profound knowledge. With this humbling fact in mind, I usually rely on my lovely Japanese buddy to order and explain what's being eaten. But... with her not around, hubby and I were left to fend for ourselves at Edo Ichi in Solaris Dutamas. While wanting to branch out a little from our usual order, but being positively clueless, we chose randomly. I guess we were in luck this evening (or very hungry) as everything seemed to be uber good. Japanese tofu, yaki soba, gyu suji omelette and yaki gyouza were more than enough to fill our tummies and satisfy our taste buds. A total bill of 62RM seems to be reasonably priced Japanese food to me. The place was full when we dined, but the service fast. A large fish tank dividing the dining area made for more intimate spaces and you can't go wrong with an open sushi bar where you can see it all being made fresh to order. This was our first visit, but I would definitely go back again.

Edo Ichi Japanese Restaurant
A4-G1-1, Solaris Dutamas
1 Jalan Damansara 1
50480 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
+6 03 6205 5228

Which fish?

I love seafood! I would choose fish over any land animal any day. Our over consumption of products from the sea and unsustainable fishing methods, however, are causing great harm to our oceans. By unconscious eating we are putting the sea and our whole eco system out of balance. The World Wildlife Fund Malaysia has published a great resource to help us make informed choices when it comes to purchasing those delectable sea creatures. Colour coding enables you to see at a quick glance what it's okay to eat, what you should eat only occasionally and what you should avoid buying altogether.

Here's the link to find out a little more information about the why and how:

http://saveourseafood.my/about/index.html

And here's a link to the downloadable guide: (available in Bahasa, English and Mandarin)

http://saveourseafood.my/sustainableSeafood/whereToGetGuide.html

And yet another resource to help us make sustainable choices is the blue MSC label, indicating certification through the Marine Stewardship Council.  www.msc.org

So, look out Pacific salmon, South African hake and Western Australian rock lobster! With MSC approval you might just be making a star appearance on my dinner plate very soon.  

Tate, The Intermark, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The entrance. Look for the hat.

Yes that is a pole at the end of the table. We were assured though that it's not THAT type of bar. Lots of comfy loungy seating and a little standing room.

Besides the lively Mexican tunes, Patron was the star of the evening.

Dedicated barmen preparing for the crowd.

Tate is the new bar at the Intermark. It's cosy and intimate and tricky to find. Go to the ground floor and basically look for the hat! You feel as though you're entering a secret club as the door is unobtrusive giving no indication at all that there is a funky little bar behind it. I visited for a fun event sponsored by Patron with tequila inspired cocktails and lively Mexican music. Unfortunately I haven't had time to revisit so can't report back on pricing or what a regular night looks like. It certainly appears to be a promising nook for an intimate evening out. Please let The Yum List know what you think when you visit.

Tate
Ground Floor (Look for the hat)
The Intermark
Jalan Tun Razak
50450 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia

Persian Palace Supermarket, Ampang, Malaysia

A friend recommended the Persian Palace Supermarket near Ampang Point for buying dates. She said they are fresh, there's a good variety and that they are very reasonably priced compared to other places around town. I dropped into this market over the weekend and found lots of other reasons to visit too. A decent range of both fresh and packaged products from the Middle East and a lovely owner, who is very willing to help you with your selections, can also be found here. One of my favourite discoveries was a huge variety of Clipper organic and fair trade teas. With flavours such as ginger & lemon, green tea & strawberry, and orange and coconut it will be hard to leave with just one box. The prices are fair too - less than 10RM for 20 bags. I also found more varieties of feta than I've seen in any one place in KL. So if you like this salty softer style cheese you'll be spoilt for choice. Persian Palace also has an entire shelf dedicated to rock candy - great swizzled in a strong cup of coffee. Damas sweets is just two doors down, so there are now two very good reasons to go exploring the side streets of Ampang Point.

Persian Palace Supermarket
9 & 10 Jalan Mamanda 5
Ampang Point
Ampang
68000 Ampang
Selangor, Malaysia
+6 03 4258 118

B.I.G Ben's Independent Grocers, Solaris Dutamas, Malaysia

Not your usual supermarket entrance.  Yep, you can get live Christmas trees.

Botanical, my favourite section - fresh produce - and you can't get any fresher than picking your own hydroponic lettuce!

Bloom - live florist.

Fun, friendly guys in the Bay seafood section - all ready to recommend a fish.

 Aussie butcher - grass fed beef  - yay!

 Gourmet and spice section.

 True gourmet products! Pop a cob of corn!

Take a rest with a bite to eat at Ben's General Food Store.

Coffee... mmm.... AND Koko Black chocolate from Australia (famous chocolatier)!

 Magazine for tea time?

 Christmas turkeys!

Love the S.Wine section :-)  Non - halal of course.

Busy in the bakery.

Grocery shopping is no longer a chore but a very pleasurable activity at B.I.G Ben's Independent Grocers in Publika, Solaris Dutamas.  BIG caters to both your gourmet and regular grocery shopping needs. The design of the place makes shopping a delight. With wide isles and artfully crafted and cleverly named sections such as Botanical for fresh produce, S. Wine for non- halal products and the Barn Butchers for all of your carnivorous needs, you feel happy just strolling around browsing rather than the usual market rush to get the job over with. Besides a mind boggling range of gourmet products, there is also Ben's General Food Store where you can grab a bite to eat, Plan B for coffee, and soon to be opened a tea shop, a non-halal cafe and a chocolate bar. Wander, shop, have some lunch. Wander, shop, have a nibble. Wander, shop, finish with coffee and chocolate. Grocery shopping has become an event worth getting up for. The Plan B section will soon be roasting their own coffee on site. I'm quite the fuss when it comes to coffee and I wasn't expecting to be wowed at this spot as the brew served at Ben's in KLCC and Plan B in Bangsar is not quite strong enough for the addict that I am. The barista at Plan B in BIG though whipped me up such a delicious flat white that I will have to consider revisiting the other outlets to reevaluate. So, how much do you pay for wide isles and an enjoyable consumer experience? Well, there are a lot of expensive speciality gourmet products, but you would pay the same for those items anywhere in KL (if they were available elsewhere). There is though, also a range of regular groceries at regular prices. As for the food outlets I thought they were comparable to any other place of similar quality in KL. For me, turning what was previously just a chore to check off the task list into something I look forward to is worth a little extra.

BIG

Ben's Independent Grocers
Publika Solaris Dutamas
Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia

Damas Sweets, Ampang Point, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Damas Sweets is managed by a lovely Syrian man and his boys who bake all of the goodies on site. With at least 20 different types of Syrian pastries it's hard to choose just one. Who said you had to do that anyway? I've happily sampled at least ten. I'm a fan of nuts, dates and most things sweet and sticky so the sparrow's nest - syrupy noodles of pastry wrapped around pistachios to look like a nest - quickly won over my taste buds. The tamrieh made with almonds, cashews, pistachios, dates and chocolate is equally as good. Actually I love this type of dessert so it's hard to pick out just a couple to highlight. Friends found the creamy ghrayibah and the baklava fingers to be their favourites. The sweets are cut into small pieces so you an easily try a few in one sitting. Taste testing before you buy is encouraged and the cafe set up invites you to stay a while enjoying your treats with a hot beverage. Hand made wooden gift boxes and decorative plate arrangements make a great gift and they also cater for functions. Theoretically these sweets will last a couple of months in the refrigerator, but strangely enough they've never lasted more than a few days in my house (for reasons having more to do with a sweet tooth than an expiry date). Damas Sweets is located in a side street outside of Ampang Point, same street as HSBC and opposite Nasi Kandar Pelita. Two shops down is the Persian grocery store so you can satisfy your Mid East cravings all in one stop.

Damas Sweets

Open 11am - 11pm, 7 days

12 Jalan Mamanda 5

Ampang Point

68000 Ampang

Selangor, Malaysia

(Opposite HSBC Bank)

+6 03 4266 4646