The Sri Lankan cuisine will stun your palate with its liberal use of 52 spices such as cardamom, coriander, cumin, plenty of chili and the unique dried Maldives fish. It is this wide range of spices that gives the cuisine its therapeutic quality and spiciness. Do not fear the spice or the heat – simply allow your palate to embrace this cuisine with its unique tastes and textures. Sir Lankan food tends to be spicier than the more popular Northern and Southern Indian cuisines. After all most, if not all, of their dishes are peppered with different varieties of chilies.

Aliyaa Restaurant & Bar is credited for serving up exceptional Sri Lankan food. The restaurant is perhaps the city’s best place to familiarize one’s self with the flavors and tastes of this cuisine. There are not many Sri Lankan restaurants in the city but the dishes that come out of this particular kitchen tease and surprise your palate with its exotic, authentic and traditional flavors. Aliyaa Restaurant & Bar has long established itself as one of the city’s most durable restaurants.

Photo courtesy of Arjuna Wijasuriya

The range of dishes is a great example of the cuisine’s rich diversity, showcasing the country’s regional flavors through the use of distinct ingredients from different parts of Sri Lanka. The restaurant’s five chefs – all of whom originate from the island itself- cook with military precision and efficiency, sending out dishes that explode with spice and flavor.

Photo courtesy of Arjuna Wijasuriya

Begin your culinary adventure with lamb cutlets and string hopper veggie – a sweet and sour broth rich with the sea’s treasures. For mains, opt for Jaffna prawn masala, mutton paal porayal (mutton in spicy milk stir fry), or the delicious Jaffna crab curry with pittu or rolls of red rice flour and coconut. Sambols are the perfect accompaniment to these dishes. There’s coconut sambol -also known as pol sambol- (a concoction of ground coconut, chilies, dried Maldives fish and lime juice) , the curry leave sambol, red kattu (a mix of chilies and tamarind), and seeni sambol (an onion relish).

The Sri Lankans love their desserts and it’s no wonder sweets and pudding feature strongly in their daily diet. The combination of coconut and jaggery (dark refined palm sugar) is a particular favorite. Another favorite is wattalapan (steamed pudding enriched with coconut milk, eggs and jaggery).

The Sri Lankan people in Malaysia make up a minority group. They consist of Sri Lankan Tamils and those of Sinhalese ancestry.

Aliyaa Restaurant & Bar
No 48, G&M, Medan Setia 2, Bukit Damansara, 50490, KL.
Tel: 603 – 2092 5378

Photo Courtesy of Tourism Malaysia

Forget chic eateries or hip boutiques, Port Dickson is not that sort of a town. This sleepy town is popular for its white sandy beaches and laid back feel. You’ll find Chinese shop lots typical of a bygone era and temples along your coastal drive. The only reminder that PD has always been a favorite among holiday goers from KL and Singapore are the countless hotels that pop up along its coastline. Some of PD’s popular beaches are at Tanjung Tuan (on the 11th mile of PD’s coastal road) and Teluk Kemang (on the 5th mile of the coastal road).

Photo Courtesy of Tourism Malaysia

Tanjung Tuan
The Blue Lagoon – shaped like a crescent moon- is a quiet beach along Tanjung Tuan with breathtaking views of the lush greenery and the expansive sea. Water sports enthusiasts can keep busy with a range of activities such as boating, windsurfing and water skiing. About 500 meters away from the beach is Monkey Bay – ideal for snorkeling.

Here you’ll find the Cape Rachado Forest Reserve – rainforests and mangrove swamps that cover stretches of the beach. The forest is home to a number of bird species including jungle fowls which often scurry across jungle trails, and birds of prey. The forest also brims with insects and reptiles, including large monitor lizards, snakes and crocodiles.

The Lighted Lighthouse gives you unrivalled views of the sea (unfortunately it’s not open to visitors but the keeper may be happy to give you a tour if he’s around). Built by the Portuguese, the lighthouse’s searchlight still illuminates the shores of Tanjung Tuan till this day.

Teluk Kemang

Photo Courtesy of Tourism Malaysia

Teluk Kemang’s Bagan Pinang Beach is a hive of activity. Here’s where you’ll find most of the area’s resorts and hotels. Find a shady spot under the casuarina and coconut trees lining the beach and enjoy the sun. Or rent a banana boat, canoe or jet ski and head out into the sea. At the end of the stretch you’ll find a mangrove swamp where you can hunt for mussels and crabs during low tide as well as take short strolls on the rocks. The beach gets especially busy on weekends.

Hot Tip: The best ‘Malaysian’ thing to do – after sometime in the waters, pack a typical lunch of rice and crabs from any nearby restaurant and savor a picnic on the beach; then take a snooze.

Prime indulges – try their fantastic filet mignon, or their sirloin, or for something quite different order their sublime Wagyu burger. You will find the prized Black Angus 200-day grain-fed steaks and Australian Blackmore Wagyu 120 and 80 day aged steaks on their menu. The Blackmore Wagyu beef, though reared in Australia, is bred with Japanese wagyu beef genetics, which results in a grade 9+ marbling. The cattle are grain fed for 500 to 600 days.

One of the restaurant’s signatures dishes is the Wagyu Prime Rib served with Idaho steak fries, wild forest mushroom fricassee and a light black summer truffle jus. The best part about it – you have the freedom to choose. You can be as specific as you want about your choice of meat, its age, feed and cut, how it’s cooked, where it’s grilled (either on imported charcoal or on lava stone), your desired dressing and side dishes. Your dining experience at Prime may burn a hole in your pocket but it’s a small price to pay for exquisite beef.

Prime’s interior is dramatic with plenty of red and brown; is comfortable with super cool dining chairs, an open and visible kitchen from which you can observe the chef at work. For an exquisite dining experience, choose to dine at their private dining room with a view (seats ten) for an up-close and personal look at the goings-on in the kitchen.

Come March, Irish pubs all over the city get into the green to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with massive parties and festivities.

Here are the city’s top two favorites:

Finnegan’s Irish Pub & Restaurant

Photo Courtesy of Finnegan’s Irish Pub & Restaurant

You’ll find Finnegan’s located at the Mid Valley Megamall, Desa Sri Hartamas and at Changkat Bukit Bintang. It’s a popular hangout amongst locals and the expat community. Enjoy a pint of your favorite beer – a Kilkenny, Guinness or a Tetley – and catch live sports on their flat screen TVs. Or savor their ulster fry for a typical Irish breakkie, pork snackers (a medley of ham, bacon and sausages with English mustard), and beef and Guinness stew.

Every Thursday is ladies night (from 8pm onwards). Revel in live music, a game of pool, darts, theme nights and their well-renowned friendliness.

Healy’ Macs Irish Bar & Restaurant

Photo Courtesy of Healy’ Macs

The people behind Healy’ Macs know all there is to know about pints and Irish hospitality. Theirs’ is not merely a business but an authentic Irish pub, with Liam Healy himself mending the bar (Liam comes from a generation of pub owners back in Ireland). The best part about this pub is its all day-long happy hours that you simply can’t beat. Expect a bustling and jovial atmosphere, your favorite Irish brews and cocktails; typical Irish pub grub; live entertainment and warm service.

Cuisine Gourmet by Nathalie

Photo Courtesy of Cuisine Gourmet by Nathalie

You’ll be blown away by Chef Nathalie’s Arbefeuille’s cooking. The food is exquisite; flavors are sublime. Her mod French dishes come with a subtle Asian touch. Each dish is a delight – textures and flavors are varied, layered and plentiful. Chef Nathalie uses a range of interesting ingredients in her dishes – identify the flavors of Szechuan pepper, pearl beans and espelette chili popping up in your dishes. The menu here changes every month so chances are, you’ll be eating something different at every visit. The last time I dined here my palate was treated to delicate morsels of tuna on blini, lightly seared scallop with Szechuan pepper foam and onion jam, and gingerbread and foie gras cremeux; lamb loin stuffed with fresh mint, roasted garlic and espelette chili, pearl beans in a broth; and lemon and thyme marinated ikan kurau (a local fish), scallops and oyster tartar, cress emulsion. Her desserts are to die for – imagine Jivara and orange chocolate tart; apple tatin tart with caramel ice cream; and matcha green tea tiramisu with a touch of chocolate.

Purple and gray overwhelm the interior and lend a quiet sophistication to the restaurant – a great balance to the food that arrives at your table.

Ben’s

Photo Courtesy of Ben’s

Delicious home-style cooking is what you’ll get when you’re at Ben’s. And it’s the very reason why it’s hard to get a seat at Ben’s, especially on weekends. The menu is largely continental, brimming with familiar but delicious pastas, sandwiches and salads. A small section of the menu is dedicated to Asian favorites. Portions are big. Be sure not to skimp on dessert – you’ll find moist coconut cake, macadamia cheesecake sundae, toffee date pudding and other classics such as the blackforest, strawberry shortcake, scones, bread and butter pudding, tiramisu, walnut brownie and baked cheesecake too hard to resist.

Ben’s bright, yellow décor puts a smile on your face. Prices are reasonable; service is warm and efficient.

Antipodean Cafe

Photo Courtesy of Antipodean Cafe

Their home-brewed range of coffees and an all-day breakfast of bacon and eggs are what draw in the crowds. Antipodean Café carries an Aussie vibe. Spot your favorites on a huge chalkboard wall, displaying all the dishes the kitchen prepares. You could possibly be enjoying the best breakfast in town – a choice of chicken, pork or beef sausages, scrambled eggs, herbed hash brown and bacon. There’s also an array of sandwiches – imagine open bacon, rocket, tomatoes-, salads and Kiwi lamb burgers. You can also enjoy Asian delights such as their Burmese shredded chicken salad. If you’re in the pursuit for some of the best coffee, you’re at the right place. Antipodean Café takes their brews seriously. Sip on invigorating Arabica blends from Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi and Bali that go into your order of latte, mochacino or doppio.

Everything about this place is mod and contemporary. Red and black rule the interior. Antipodean Café gets my vote for carving out a little’s kid’s play area complete with toys, games and a television.

Bistro a Table

Photo Courtesy of Bistro a Table

French-trained Isadora Chai churns out experimental flavors that are a sheer treat for the palate. The menu displays mod-French dishes adapted with Asian-inspired ingredients. Expect invigorating dishes such as maple syrup egg with asparagus spear and crouton dust; duck liver parfait with cornichons and caper berries; the eight-hour-cooked duck confit with lentils, beetroot orange salad and candied kumquats; and hillside lamb rack with pink pepper jus and savoy cabbage. Chef Isadora gives just as much attention to her desserts, churning out treats like kaffir lime and lemon tart; apple tart tatin with Mexican vanilla ice cream; chocolate mousse with Milo and hazelnut praline; and white jasmine tea and champagne poached pear in sabayon-like cherry cream. The interior is humble, with suspended bulbs and French prints plus a central common table that seats strangers together. The menu changes according to what’s freshly available. You can be certain there’s no other restaurant in town with a menu as exotic as the one you’ll find at Bistro a Table.

Acme Bar & Coffee @ The Troika,
Ground Floor, The Troika, Jalan Binjai, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2162-2288

Photo Courtesy of Acme Bar & Cafe

Acme Bar & Coffee is the newest kid on the block, having opened its doors in the last quarter of 2011. It’s everything you want in an upper-class coffee bar – hip and minimalist surroundings, great food, and warm service. Though located in a condominium, Acme Bar & Coffee affords you stunning views of the outside because of its high floor to ceiling windows. Dine on Burrata cheese, sake-marinated cherry tomatoes and basil salad; grass-fed tenderloin with Acme’s “Alamak” sauce (a local flavor of soy and cumin). Find a range of tapas such as seared tuna escabeche with red and green capsicum; whitebait with artichoke, garlic and lime; grilled zucchini with oregano and ricotta; roasted carrots with honey, sherry vinegar and cumin garlic yogurt. The food is fresh and delicious.

Acme Bar & Café also does Sunday brunch. Doors open at 11 am, staying open with all-day dining till midnight.

Here are my top five favorite romantic restaurants -

Photo Courtesy of Tamarind Springs

Tamarind Springs – Jungle romance
It’s the perfect start to your romantic night – a wooden door leads you down a candle-lit path that meanders into the restaurant’s rustic interior, enveloped by a tropical jungle setting. As you sit down to eat, you will be awestruck by the beauty that surrounds you. Tamarind Springs with its Asian inspired décor (imagine wooden sculptures and warm colors) is utterly gorgeous. Tamarind Springs serves some of the best Lao-Cambodian and Vietnamese fare. Try salmon parcels with Asian pesto, Vietnamese soft shell crab, stir-fried crab and spicy tom yam.

Café Café – Parisian Amour
Step into Café Café and you’re instantly reminded of Parisian glamour – this restaurant is the city’s best kept secret. The restaurant’s discreet entrance leads you into its opulent French interior. Café Café is all Parisian decadence and whimsy, dressed in luscious silken drapes, soft plush carpets and chairs. Get mushy over escargot, tender wagyu beef cheeks, duck confit, rack of lamb, scallops with black truffles, mussels in white wine, honey truffle king prawn or crème brulee – warm and torched to order.

Photo Courtesy of Frangipani Restaurant & Bar

Frangipani Restaurant & Bar – Romantic Chic
Frangipani Restaurant & Bar is ultra-chic and adds just the right dose of sophistication to your romance. It’s enviable interior of subdued lighting, steel walls, luxurious drapes, columns and indoor pool sets the mood instantly but it’s the food that’s the star. The restaurant’s mod French menu has been wooing food lovers for some time now. Dine on pan seared foie gras with apple rendang (coconut-based, spicy gravy), tea smoked salmon and basil garlic infused snails with garlic peanut crumble.

Photo Courtesy of Tamarind Hill Restaurant & Bar

Tamarind Hill Restaurant & Bar – Mystical Romance
It doesn’t get more romantic than this – imagine flickering oil lamps lining up the steps that lead you to a bungalow perched on a hill. The restaurant’s interior is all tropical splendor complete with water feature, wood and soft lighting, lanterns and Thai statues. The food (contemporary Thai) accentuates the mysticism and charm of the restaurant – try raw mud crab and squid cured in lime juice, green chili and aromatic herbs, lime-cured tiger prawns rolled in salmon sashimi and deep fried cod red curry and pumpkin custard with chili chocolate ice cream.

Photo Courtesy of IL Lido Italian Dining & Lounge Bar

IL Lido Italian Dining & Lounge Bar – Intimately Luxurious
Swoon over the service and setting but it’s the food that will make you weak in the knees. Expect immaculately presented dishes, prepared with properly sourced ingredients, to arrive at your table such as the Crudita’ Veneziane- a salad with citrus marinated seafood carpaccio, the Chef’s homemade Ravioli al Miele Tartufato, the exquisite beef ravioli with mushrooms, the decadent veal ossobuco with saffron risotto. Private rooms are available for romantic dining. Take your romance up to their roof-top bar to enjoy chic cocktails and a stunning view of the iconic Petronas Twin Towers. IL Lido Italian Dining & Lounge Bar is truly a restaurant for special occasions.

Lot 140, First Floor, Suria KLCC

B4-5-1, Solaris Dutamas

To Eat Is to Love – Could they be referring to their desserts?

I just can’t help it but time and again I find myself returning to Ben’s – the latest addition to the Big Group empire. The Big Group tickled taste buds with restaurants such as Plan B and Ben’s General Food Store but they seem to have scored big time with Ben’s.

Photo Courtesy of Ben’s

The bright, sunny yellow décor puts a smile on your face but it’s their range of desserts – sitting pretty at the dessert counter – that makes every day feel like a sunny one (even during KL’s rainy afternoons). Their desserts are truly decadent right to the last spoonful; most are clever interpretations of classics while others come with a slight Asian twist; others are classics that you simply can’t resist.

If you’re in KL, squeeze in a visit to Ben’s. Here’s what’s in store for you- desserts you’ll not typically find anywhere else:

Moist coconut cake – imagine a luscious bite of this utterly delicious cake with its layers of young coconut jelly frosted with fresh cream and coconut flakes.

Macadamia cheesecake sundae – these are chunks of macadamia cheesecake, caramel and ice cream in an utterly delicious and crumbly mess.

Toffee date pudding – the sweetness of toffee mingles with butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream

Other favorites include the classic blackforest, strawberry shortcake, scones, bread and butter pudding, tiramisu, walnut brownie and baked cheesecake.

Antipodean Café
20, Jalan Telawi 2, Bangsar
Tel: 603-2282-0411

Antipodean Café carries an Aussie vibe. It buzzes with activity – you’ll spot waiters serving breakfast while baristas eagerly brew the coffee of the day. You won’t find a menu here; just a huge chalkboard displaying all the dishes the kitchen so expertly churns out. What it is – it’s a classic café that serves breakfast all day; perhaps maybe even a café masquerading as a diner (nothing greasy or grimy here). Everything about this place is mod and contemporary.

You could well be ordering the best breakfast in town (available all day long) – a choice of chicken, pork or beef sausages, scrambled eggs, herbed hash brown and bacon. There’s also an array of sandwiches – imagine open bacon, rocket, tomatoes- salads and Kiwi lamb burgers. You can also enjoy Asian delights such as their Burmese shredded chicken salad.

If you’re in the pursuit for some of the best coffee, you’re at the right place. Antipodean Café takes their brews seriously. Sip on invigorating Arabica blends from Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi and Bali that go into your order of latte, mochacino or doppio.

Plus points – portions are adequate; prices affordable enough; and a little’s kid’s play area complete with toys, games and a television.

Photo Courtesy of Plan B

Plan B

Bangsar Village 1
G5, Ground Floor
No. 1, Jalan Telawi Satu
Bangsar

Plan B – A modern coffee shop with its specialist coffee blend; beans are roasted and ground fresh in-house daily. Their Aussie –New York deli menu brings hearty breakfasts, mod salads, wholesome sandwiches, pastas, rustic cakes and desserts to the table.

Plan B doesn’t disappoint – they’re all about consistency, good, fresh flavors and affordable prices.

Here are my top five favorites –

Photo Courtesy of Arjuna Wijasuriya
Garibaldi Italian Restaurant and Lounge
Garibaldi Italian Restaurant and Lounge is the baby of the fine dining scene. It’s garnered quite a following for its classic Italian cuisine. The restaurant’s chef, Giuliano Berta seems to know his customers and what they want to eat. Try spinach cappellacci stuffed with cod fish mousse; pumpkin and potato gnocchi with walnut and gorgonzola cheese; and pan seared sea bass fillet; or veal ravioli with Porcini mushroom cream sauce. There’s also a separate dessert menu promising a sweet ending to your dining experience – sample the apple pie with vanilla gelato; the decadently creamy zabione (mixed berries with pistachio gelato and gratinated marsala wine sabayon); or mille foglie (thick custard cream and raspberries sandwiched in between crisp puff pastry). A wooden staircase leads you into the formal dining room, complete with rich dark seating and drapes. The staff is friendly, attentive and knowledgeable.

Cilantro Restaurant and Wine Bar
This award winning restaurant serves up swanky dishes prepared by Chef Takashi Kimura. Expect well-cooked French- Japanese dishes, using exotic Asian ingredients that have been carefully selected. These include dishes such as unagi with foie gras, wagyu tail hochepot and challandais duck with wasabi. The space is all strong good looks, with a serene Zen-like interior. The tones are earthy neutrals and the seating is plush. Try their degustation menu – bite size morsels- and finish with a nightcap at their cool bar. Cilantro, one of the city’s first real fine-dining establishments, was recently listed in the Miele Guide as one of Asia’s top 10 restaurants (2011/2012).

Ibunda
Ibunda is the city’s answer to modern Malay cuisine. Local Chef Zabidi Ibrahim has fun with food, tweaking classic Malay dishes with French technique. Here you’ll find typical Malay ingredients mixing with traditional European flavors. The result – out-of-this-world tastes, textures and flavors. Try pan-fried foie gras served with ciku fruit and lemongrass roselle chutney; baked scallops with kemanggi leaf and sour Jamaican plum; or crispy lobster meat served with pink grapefruit and black caviar. For mains, opt for the aromatic char-grilled tenderloin steak with briyani rice and pumpkin curry; or steamed black cod and lobster with mixed beans, belacan (shrimp paste) and ginger-garlic sauce. The attractive mansion, just close to the Bukit Bintang area, is all colonial charm.

Il Lido Italian Dining and Lounge Bar
This is Italian dining at its best – Chef Andrea Zanella helms the kitchen, churning out culinary magic in the form of fresh pastas, veal-based mains and dishes that employ a strong use of seasonal ingredients. Try the refreshing Crudita’ Veneziane, a salad with citrus marinated seafood carpaccio-a wonderful mix of anchovies, fish and scallops; or the light and fresh crab salad with watermelon and tomato elisir; the Chef’s homemade Ravioli al Miele Tartufato –honey mingles expertly with the earthy tasting truffles; the exquisite beef ravioli with mushrooms; the restaurant’s signature dish veal ossobuco with saffron risotto. Every one of the 40 dishes presents the palate with a decadent mix of seasonal ingredients quintessential to the Italian cuisine.

Photo Courtesy of Frangipani Restaurant & Bar

Frangipani Restaurant & Bar
Here’s a true stalwart. Frangipani Restaurant and Bar is truly one of the city’s most established fine dining restaurants. This sophisticated restaurant serves a mod French menu in an enviable interior of subdued lighting, steel walls, luxurious drapes, columns and indoor pool. Chef Chris Bauer has been creating haute cuisine with dishes such as pan seared foie gras with apple rendang (coconut-based, spicy gravy), tea smoked salmon and basil garlic infused snails with garlic peanut crumble.

Twenty-One Kitchen & Bar
20-1, Changkat Bukit Bintang

Photo Courtesy of Twenty-One Kitchen & Bar

The party – Head on over Wednesday nights as it is ladies night. Ladies drink free designer cocktails from 9pm to 2am and there are also free munchies thrown in. There is great music with a live DJ to set the right mood. It’s one of the hottest ladies nights in town.

FYI – Twenty-One Kitchen & Bar serves some of the capital’s best cocktails with fruity concoctions and unusual mixes such as the popcorntini and vodka espresso.

The venue- The sleek Twenty-One Kitchen & Bar presents party goers with a relaxed, cool setting. Its upper lounge and open-air terrace is heaving and smoky with the hip and stylish. Inside, features include mirrored walls, a sultry bar, a tight dance floor and DJ console. Groove to chilled house or lounge, whichever your preference.

Sky Bar
Level 33, Traders Hotel

Photo Courtesy of Sky Bar

The party – The Sky Bar celebrates ladies all week. Pop in anytime of the week and enjoy any two cocktails (before 8:30pm) for just RM48/ USD15 ++. Choose exotic concoctions such as berry delicious, little red dress, kapitan’s treasure, sexy peachy and reddy orange.

The venue – Up on the 33rd floor of the Traders Hotel, prepare to lounge on comfy sofas by the long pool or at the sunken booths next to the open windows, or enjoy your drinks by the sleek bar while lapping up the wonderful views of the adjacent Twin Towers. Groove with a dose of daily retro before resident DJs up the tempo, spinning deep house late into the night.

Neo Bar and Lounge
19, Jalan Sultan Ismail

The party – Every ‘Stiletto’ Saturday Neo applauds ladies in heels – the higher; the louder the cheers. So put on your highest heels and strut on over to Neo. Every inch gives you 10 percent off your cocktails. Popular cocktails are Apricot Cider, Orange Brulee and Black Forest. It’s Neo’s biggest night of the week.

The venue – There’s a large bar and lounge for late night music and dancing in this rather uber cool oasis. The furnishings are slick with liquid walls, a colossal chandelier and a galactic bar (which also happens to be the longest bar in town). DJs play nightly – expect chill out, lounge and deep house.