Was My High Tea Experience At Nobu KL Worth It?

Last weekend, I visited Nobu Kuala Lumpur, and sampled some of their exquisite High Tea offerings, alongside the spectacular skyline view. It was also my first time stepping into the restaurant, after the hype and the gravity which came to light, when it first opened in 2015. I have been admittedly slow to catchup nowadays.

The High Tea experience is available on weekends only, from 1pm to 4pm.

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BLVD House @ Persiaran KLCC - Flaming Chicken and Great Steaks.

"The place is gorgeous and check out those revolving doors!" I exclaimed to my friend.

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Passage Thru India @ Jalan Delima KL - A True Indian Experience.

This was a biryani-fic meal that I was seriously looking forward to having, and telling you about the entire week.

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Mama San @ KLCC - Dendeng Balado!

That's right, that's the famous MamaSan you're looking at.

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La Scala @ Jalan Yap Kwan Seng KL - Affordable and Pork-Free Italian Fine Dining

My first time having 24K Gold Risotto and cheese - loads and loads of cheese. Talk about luxury treats.

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Rocku Yakiniku @ Pavilion KL - Affordable Japanese BBQ Buffet & Boost Juice Malaysia

You know you're in for a feast when food comes unlimited.

Rocku Yakiniku Japanese Barbecue Restaurant

I was trying my best to contain my hunger during lunch time, knowing that I will be going on a barbecue fiesta later in the evening. So what better way to fill me up than having a healthy Boost fix. I wanted to try out something new this time and had a go at the Caribbean Green Smoothie, a definite thirst quencher this one.

I will be giving away 10 Free Boost Juice Vouchers. One voucher is entitled to Any Boost juice of Any size at Any Boost outlet nationwide. Click Here to find out how to win. Don't worry, its easy.

Moving on.

I was at Rocku Yakiniku Japanese BBQ Restaurant for their grand launch that evening. Located at the new Dining Loft on Level 7 of Pavilion KL, alongside Serai, Village Roast Duck and Pigs & Wolf to just name a few.

This restaurant is a fusion of traditional Japanese dining in a modern entertainment setting, or aptly named Restaurantainment - a mouthful I know, will tell you more about that shortly.

I stepped into a bustling restaurant, intrigued by the colorful wallpapers, rows of wooden communal tables, high ceilings, and spotlights that shone on center stage. Expect to be entertained by live music performances while gorging on those juicy barbecue meats. This looked more like a bar than a restaurant to be honest.

Exciting isn't it? Though I have to note that these settings are not for everyone. I, for one, prefer to eat in peace. If you're planning on a cozy dinner date, this ambiance will stray you far away from that. That said, the performers will only be on stage from 7pm onwards and there are smaller, non-sharing tables at the side.

For 100 minutes of Classic Japanese Yakiniku (BBQ) experience, I've included the buffet prices below.

Lunch Buffet (11am - 5pm)
Price: Rm32.90++ for Adults, 50% off for Child

Dinner Buffet (5pm - 10pm)
Price: Rm49.90++ for Adults, 50% off for Child

Rocku Yakiniku Menu Here. Every 20 minutes of exceeded time, incurs additional charge of Rm9.90.

You'd get to pick from a premium selection of Japanese appetizers from the designated buffet spread. I really enjoyed the baby octopus, seasoned jellyfish and scallops. I couldn't help myself but go back for more. Don't over-stuff yourself though, they've got some really good quality meats lined up for you. There's also a selection of The Last Polka ice cream at Rm4/scoop, which is not included in the buffet prices above.

There's a BBQ order form on each table, where'd you get to pick from an assortment of barbecued meats - beef, pork, lamb, chicken, seafood, including vegetables and some other sides like ramen.

My favorite among the lots would have to be the pork bacon, the beef ribeye and you have to try the delightful butterfish! They'd probably dabbled some special sauce on it, for it to be this sweet and scrumptious!

They call this the Total Flaming Charcoal Grill experience.

Overall Rating: 7.5/10. I thoroughly enjoyed my barbecue feast that evening, though I'm still not quite a fan of live entertainment over food. Prices felt justified for the buffet selection and quality of food served. I didn't see any desserts however, a scoop of green tea or black sesame ice cream would do great. Withal, I thought Rocku Yakiniku to be a great find, especially if you're starving and craving for some mouthwatering Japanese meats. There will surely be a next time for me. 

Rocku Yakiniku is located at:

Address: Lot 07.01.03 Level 7, Pavilion, 168 Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur

Phone: +603-2148 8884

Opening Hours: 11am - 10pm Daily

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Acme Bar and Coffee (ABC) @ Jalan Binjai Troika KL

I've been suffering from one of the longest diarrhoea streak - Ever. Literally causing me to lose my appetite, forego my taste buds, suffer from acute bloating, dehydration, and not to mention, frequent visits to the loo. Merely thinking about it gives me the shivers and makes me feel awfully dreadful.

Apologies for the diarrhoea-ramblings, definitely not the wisest move right before a food post. Recovery has been prolonged, but I'm glad I'm on my way to a better and post-detox-me now.

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The Smile Of Korea MISO & Taste Enclave @ Avenue K

I have to tell you about this Fan-Tentacles feast I had in MISO.

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Melur and Thyme, KLCC

If you've yet to read about my pre-experience of this place, please do - Here.

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The Apartment @ KLCC

I've been to The Apartment on a number of occasions and had enjoyed the ambiance and the ease of not needing to wait for a table during peak dinning hours. My restraint to go any further on the quality of food being served - speaks a thousand words.

Wanting to prove myself wrong once again, it was really just a matter of time before I stop for a bite then writing a review on this place. 

The Apartments

The Apartment is situated right at the end of the boulevard of eateries in KLCC - directly facing the lake and along the likes of Dome, Svago Limoncello and Chinoz to just name a few.

Chandelier hanging from the ceiling and abstract wallpaper adorn the walls inside the restaurant. It was a little industrial looking on the outside, but I guess the whole stretch of restaurants here, are all the same.

Normally I wouldn't opt to sit outside simply because of the afternoon heat. But today, the weather was a little cloudy and gloomy - perfect for outdoor dining.

Menu available Here (No prices).

Malones Beef Burger. Rm29.90.

This 200lbs grilled beef patty topped with melted cheddar and lean bacon slices was such a delightful sight to the eye - it looked incredibly scrumptious. Living up to it's standards, the patty was juicy and a sloppy goodness. It was not overbearingly flavourful and was overall decent. However, the fries came off a little undercooked for me. It did not have the slick, golden brown colour to it.

Apartment Burger. Rm27.90.

At first, I was tempted to get the fried potato chicken main, but was yet again, drawn to the burger section of the menu. I contemplated for a moment, but settled with the Apartment burger in the end. Considering that this is one of their classic dish, I thought I was in for a treat.

When I sliced through the ciabatta bread, my heart fell - the crust was way too hard. I was on the verge of sawing through the bread. I gave up after awhile and used my hands instead.

The centerpiece of the burger - the medium rare beef patty was a massive let down. It was mushy, not medium rare like I ordered - just mushy and bland. The patty wasn't packed well also, it was loose and broke into pieces whenever I slice through it. If I weren't starving or rushing for time, I would've send it back to the kitchen. Please don't ever order this - ever.

Baked Fish. Rm26.90.



I have to admit, I've never seen baked tilapia cook this way before - with a blanket of grated mozzarella and parmesan cheese on top. Not going to delve much on this since I did not sample.

Beer Fish and Chips. Rm26.90.

The fish was cooked just right - it was firm yet not tough. The batter tasted mildly savoury and crispy when the dish arrived though I thought the it was a little on the thick side.

Chicken and Mushroom pasta. Rm29.90.

Spaghetti with sautéed chicken and mushrooms with white wine garlic, chillies, cherry tomatoes and rocket. My friend gobbled up whole plate within 10 minutes (true story) - not too sure if she was starving or because it was that good.

Guinness Beef Stew. Rm36.90.

Apart from the abundance of tender and juicy chunks of beef in the stew, it was nothing but bland. In fact, the stew was on the brim of being tasteless. I will definitely not recommend.

Colleagues.

Overall Rating: 5.5/10. The servers were really down to earth but the food have been, and still is, rather  subpar to me. Will not revisit.

The Apartment is located at:
Lot 139, 1st Floor, Suria KLCC, 50088 KL
+603 21662257
theapartmentklcc@chaswood.com.my
Opening hours: 11am to 10pm

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Melur and Thyme @ KLCC - A Bad Experience

Revisit - Read about my review Here.

When a friend told me about Melur & Thyme, I was extremely eager to sample.

Opened barely a month ago, this place is the newest addition to the crowd of unique and established eateries in KLCC along the likes of Svago Limoncello, Chinoz and right next to Harrods Cafe to just name a few.

Doing it slightly different this time round; In this post, I'm not going to delve much about Food, but rather on Service. 

Anticipating a busy Friday lunch crowd, I called in to make a reservation for 6 a few days prior. My booking was confirmed - on the spot.

At peak Friday lunch hour, we joined the fidgety crowd at the front entrance. 

Upon mentioning my name, the hostess casually skimmed through her notepad for a good minute before responding: "No table."

When that happens, you might be startled by how agitated you’ll become - with a 99.99% chance of having a bad time at a supposed good restaurant.

We got turned down. Well, so was the long queue of eager patrons behind us - but that is not my point. My point is - I made it a point to make a reservation and the hostess made it a point to confirm my booking. Not getting a table thereafter will make you wonder if this place is even worthy for a second visit.

More than likely in new establishments - poor service is inherent; either by the lack of training or in this case - a casualty of incompetence for me and my friends due to a miscommunication amongst themselves.

Normally, I would always insist to wait as long as it takes to get whatever service the restaurant is capable of providing.

This time round, I decided to walk away - with utmost disappointment.

The hostess made no effort to retain us nor did she display any sense of urgency and was not at all apologetic even after we asked numerous times, when will the next table be available.

Even after all that, of course I will give Melur & Thyme a second chance - in due time.

The food may very well be a stunner but my first impression towards the restaurant was memorable possibly for the wrong reasons.

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Umaiya (Umai-Ya) @ KLCC

My first time stepping into Umai-Ya was for a reunion dinner amongst a few of my Australian schoolmates - that was two years ago. Read the backtracked review Here.

Umai-Ya

It wasn't exactly a planned visit to Umai-Ya this time round. Matter of fact is, the lunch queue of the restaurant of choice was simply intolerable and would probably whoop up half of my lunch time. My friend suggested that we hopped next door instead and voilà - konichiwa Umai-Ya.

Umai-Ya has a seating capacity of about 75 at one time and for those opting for a more authentic dining experience, there are tatami seating areas right at the front of the restaurant - can't be too picky during peak hours nonetheless.

Umai-Ya offers a cool 200 choices of traditional Japanese cuisine and fusion dishes - one would only be spoilt for choices.

Sushi masters are constantly whipping up new rolls of sushi, slicing up fresh slabs of salmons and sashimi and not forgetting the occasional toss of cocktail shaker up in the air, all happening right behind the designated sushi bar.  



The menu was extensive and it took us a while to choose our set meals and some side dishes to share, plus ocha.

When the dishes arrived all at once, we struggled to find room for everything. Constantly manoeuvring bowls and plates around the table to make room for my so-called food-shots, things got a little handful for a moment there.

Tori Cheese Fried. Rm18.90.

This reminded me of a cute caricature of an egg - at first look of course. Deep fried to a golden brown, stuffed with cheese then garnished with ebiko. Perhaps it was my fault for devouring it only towards the end of the meal - I was instead greeted with a slightly tough and rubbery cold tori. Consume while it's still warm!

Gyu Tan Teppayaki. Rm24.90.

Have you ever tried beef tongue before? Well, this is definitely a first for me and I was exceptionally eager to sample this. These raw slices of  meat needs about a minute of heating before it crumples into a grey-colour, juicy slice of cooked meat. Texture wise, it was slightly tougher than the typical slice of BBQ beef and tasted very much like innards.

Umaya Gozen. Rm31.90.

My tempura was fine, it wasn't drenched in oil nor was it too dry - just fine. The bowl of warm curry and potatoes, to be eaten with rice, was a flavoursome combination. It was savoury with a tinge of sweetness and not at all spicy - I would love to have a bowl of this especially during rainy nights. That said, nothing beats the curry katsu don I had in Hokkaido Ichiba.

The miso soup was left untouched after a mere spoonful, it was just too salty.

Chicken Teri Sashimi Set. Rm38.90.

I had a taste of my friend's sashimi - not being able to tell whether it was served fresh or otherwise, I shall not comment further. Apart from that, the grilled teriyaki chicken was an absolute delish - marinated well done.

Macha Ice Cream. Rm7.00.

A friend once told me: The best way to judge a Japanese restaurant is by its Unagi (boneless or otherwise) and its macha, or commonly known as green tea ice cream (authentic and smooth or otherwise). So, no unagi this time but got machaaaaaa.

I'm sitting on the fence for this one. The macha was smooth and glide straight down my throat on a spoonful. Artificially enhanced or not I don't know, but it did remind me of my all time favourite macha from Isetan. This is the shiznit - I meant the one below.

Shoga Sorbet. Rm7.00.

I didn't enjoy this at all - the taste of ginger was too overwhelming and definitely an acquired taste.

Overall Rating: 6/10. Many have asked, if I were to pick between the two Japanese restaurants in KLCC, which would I go for -  I would without a doubt say, Yuzu (the other one).

Umai-Ya is located at:
Suria Klcc Jalan Ampang, Parkson Suria KLCC, 50088 Kuala Lumpur
03-2161 3939

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Svago Limoncello @ KLCC

Just can't get enough of Italian nowadays. Being one of the only Italian Restaurants in KLCC, I head over to Svago Limoncello for another Italian feast, perfect timing to head start the weekend.

Svago Limoncello

Conveniently located on the ground floor of KLCC and directly facing the KLCC lake symphony fountains sits a newly open, Limoncello and the slightly classier Svago, upstairs.

This casual bistro like Italian restaurant is run by the same owners as Pavilion's Spasso Milano, another successful Italian eatery.

Svago

Limoncello

It was a sunny Friday afternoon and I was trying my best to avoid the heat and sun at all costs, hence, Svago it was for me instead. 

I was given the Limoncello food menu and a Svago drinks menu. Notwithstanding, there was hearsay that Svago will be coming up with its own and more refined food menu soon.

While waiting for food to be served, I noticed that though there was a fine dining concept in place, that of white table clothes and marble flooring, the place was somewhat sparsely furnished and simply lacking in a cosy and intimate feel.

The drinks arrived in a jiff.

Chinotto and Limonata. Rm13.80 (each).

I figured this was a very overpriced bottle of fruit soda. I wouldn't mind if it was a standard size one and the content did not do the price any justice at all.

Capricciosa. Rm34.80. 

This thin crust pizza is topped with chicken ham, roasted artichoke, marinated mushrooms, oives, poachedd egg, tomato sauce and mozarella cheese. Though I've been made to understand that wood fire pizza is suppose to have a slightly softer yet crispy crust, this version was simply not crispy enough and the combination of toppings was just too bland and meager overall. 

Risotto Al Salto Con Gamberi. Rm36.80.

This pan fried risotto served with grilled white prawns was delectable. The white prawns was grilled to perfection and its crispness was manifested by its freshness. The risotto was buttery and the slightly charred bits on the top made it equally scrumptious. Anyhow, I must admit the portion was seriously way too small.

Overall  Rating: 6/10. Despite having wood fire pizza being one of Limoncello's highlights, the one I ordered was quite a dissapointment. On the other hand, the risotto came up to standard and I definitely wouldn't mind another serving of. That said, Italian cuisine wise, I still think that there is better options with similar or perhaps even lower pricing out there.

Svago Limoncello is located at:

SURIA KLCC, 50088 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

03-2163 0188



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