hallyu hit the global stage in 2oo9 and took the world by storm as the korean wave swept us off our feet in 2o11.

like the rest of the world, i was taken by everything k-related -- k-pop, k-drama, its language and the delectable foods, which was evident when korean fusion recipes hijacked my blog entries. the biggest highlights were my trips to seoul that solidified my love for its culture and country.

when i left seoul, i thought that was the end of my relationship with korean fried chicken and i had to force myself to forget about its yumminess although the cravings occasionally struck.that was what i thought until kyochon chicken {교촌 치킨} entered into my life in an unexpected way. thanks to {mh}, who had the same desire to taste that sweet, savory, succulent delights again; i yelped with joy at our find on the internet search (social media to the rescue once more!) to find that kyochon wasn't too far from us.

we were almost yodelling "korean fried chiiiiiiiiiiickiiiiinnnnnnnn" as we drove excitedly to the new wing of one utama, raced down to the lg floor across from cold storage to find our coveted chicken shack!much to our delight, there wasn't a queue, which was awesome cos we were starving. we knew that all we wanted was chicken wings but that was as far as we got as we looked at the menu. since we couldn't narrow it down, we just ordered all three of the flavors and waited patiently as we mumbled 'korean fried chiiickiiiiiinnn' under our breath.

beverages -- premium teas | natural sparkling yuza fruit tea (rm 5.9o)a pleasantly refreshing drink, yuza fruit tea (which i am guessing is yujacha {유자차} in korean ) is a citron tea sweetened with honey, which was highlighted in the essence of tangy citrus accented by a balanced fruity sweetness makes this a irresistible drink to put down on a warm day.

beverages -- premium teas | natural sparkling plum fruit tea (rm 5.9o){mh} picked the other premium tea on the menu but i had the better luck with my drink choice. this was slightly off putting and it didn't taste natural as the name would suggest. however, it was possible that it was an acquired taste to get used to the combination of tea and plum. i had a quick sip - it wasn't what i would have imagined the flavor to be -- i wouldn't have discerned it as plum in tea for my first taste but it was okay.perhaps it was the hunger. maybe it was us being impatient. or probably kyochon was fulfilling one of its three promises : no fast food, all natural and honest goodness because it felt like it took more than a couple of minutes before the chiiiickkkiiinnnnn finally made it to our table. i suppose that's justification enough. lol.what remains is the taste test!

original soy series :: wing & drumette (s) | crunchy and crispy chicken coated in our exclusive soy garlic glaze. warning: highly addictive! (rm 9.9o)a classic asian flavor profile, the original soy series was slightly sweet but stronger with the umami and soy saltiness with garlic nuances that was difficult to discern with its subtlety. it wears the familiar favorite flavors on its semi-crispy skin that encased the well seasoned meat that remained succulent and moist but not greasy. the small order consisted of 5 pieces of the chicken wing/drumette.

red series :: wing & drumette (s) | glazed with the original hot sauce made from korea's hottest chilli peppers! recommended only for the brave ones! (rm 9.9o)a departure from the usual, this would be a quick favorite with the heat seekers. the red series pack a spicy punch with a korean flair, highlighting their famed hot peppers where the heat persists after the sweetness of the sauce mellows out. a mouth-watering treat of sweet and spicy coating the slightly crispy skin that wraps around well seasoned moist chicken wings. it was a good amount of spicy (i love spicy food btw) and perfect intervals to go in between the savory sweetness of the other two series.

honey series :: wing & drumette (s) | marinated for 24 hours in our special seasoning, then fried to perfection and coated with natural honey sauce. sweet and sticky, but never runny. (rm 1o.9o)my favorite of the three! in comparison to the other two series, the chicken wings appears to be slightly bigger in size (also the reason why the extra dollar on the price tag). as i bit into the crispier skin, this series was prepared differently with a coating over the marinated chicken wings to give a satisfying crunch that was finished with a sweetness that countered the savory pieces of moist meat. the honey sauce left its sweet and sticky mark on the fingers -- ending with us licking our fingers as testament to its tastiness.honey series :: honey stick (s) | marinated for 24 hours in our special seasoning, then fried to perfection and coated with natural honey sauce. sweet and sticky, but never runny. (rm 1o.9o)similar to the chicken wings edition, the honey sticks are just the bigger version in the drumstick form. however, my personal preference is the wings just because the crispy skin to the meat ratio is higher in the wings makes it a more guilty but yummy pleasure.

kyochon 1991 has compelled chicken lovers with so many reasons to visit their establishment considering they are the no.1 chicken brand including winning the new york nbc's best wing award and was consistently chosen as the "best brand" for 11 consecutive years in south korea, to name a few. more than just chicken wings, their menu also offers salad and classic rice dishes for some variety.

for us, it's for the finger licking good, not-so-greasy, crispy yet moist chicken that would keep us coming back. especially when our korean fried chiccckiiinnnn cravings comes knocking.

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

frisky.
adj. energetic, lively, playful, high spirited.
frisky goat.
noun. bakery cafe.
"this is the story of 3 girls & one goat sharing the same passion...eat, drink, chill"a new addition to the ttdi neighborhood that started about two months ago.
a.k.a. sian's mission o2.
an intriguing name, indeed. at the mention of frisky goat, curiosity grips onto our interest. that and their promise of waffles and other brunch plates.
however, reading their 'about' section on their facebook page that says "3 girls and one goat", it got me wondering which particular goat?a very petite cafe, located right next to public bank. it pays ode to the rustic style with a modern farm chic accentuated by main hues of blue, white and black. the focus is the red brick wall, on which was interestingly adorned by picture frames of animated animal faces and ironically was missing the goat. its light fixtures danced perfectly with the theme in a loving manner which was also my favorites of the decor.there were also a few patio seating, if you arrive early enough or don't mind the humid heat.as it is a bakery as much as it is a cafe, a myriad of croissants and breads sat proudly displayed at the front of the store with the homemade dessert options just around the corner.
with a healthy amount of breakfast classics as well as lunch selections to choose from, i was there for one reason: waffles. i have had this weird obsession for waffles for a few months now - searching for the one to rival the best waffles i've ever had thus far from the publican in chicago.
and if you are here for the same reason as i do, the kitchen is closed from 3pm-6pm. be sure to be there prior to 3pm. and they are closed on mondays.
coffee & tea :: latte (rm 9) & twg's creme caramel tea (rm 9)i consider my brunch is incomplete without caffeine. basic and simple espresso & milk: latte. the coffee in general tasted alright with nuances of bitter notes at the end. still not close to the best i've had.if you like twg teas flavors, frisky goat has a collection of some interesting as well as classic tea flavors served with a pot of hot water; refillable as long as your tea leaves still impart enough flavor - perfect for the long conversations with friends. {mh} seemed to think her selection was just alright..
almost all day breakfast :: eggs saumon royale | seared salmon & poached egg over waffle, served with sauteed mushrooms, tomato hollandaise sauce & toast. (rm 21)
wafflesssssssssss. oooo!i was a bit skeptical on the whole savory waffles type of deal but i love myself a savory brunch plate. something was amiss about the dish - why were there toasts on my dish? with no butter nor jam. and what were i to do with it since there already is a waffle? carb overload? i think a lightly tossed green salad would have made more sense in adding the much needed color to the presentation and perhaps bring the dish to its full circle.
the waffle was lightly savory, stacked with a some vegetables and a nicely poached egg that lavished its rich yolk to the creamy hollandaise sauce which was slightly tart from the tomatoes; essentially, a creamy tomato sauce. the waffle itself reminded me of a cake-like texture but i was hoping a more airy within encased by a crisp shell.the seared salmon flaked effortlessly with retained juiciness but wished it had a crispy skin and a touch more salt. the mushroom was sauteed with a bit of garlic and salt although my personal preference would be a combination of different types of mushroom. however, all these ingredients combined in a bite did work together - not in an outstanding way but it was good.
almost all day breakfast :: salmon scramble | creamy scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, cherry tomatoes, salad & toasts (rm 17.9o)
when {mh} picked this out from the line up, i realized it was not a good day of salmons out there. lol. i loved the color splash from all the fresh ingredients.the smoked salmon was slightly over cured when eaten on its own but was ideal with the slightly under seasoned eggs, which was probably the whole intention. it was also strong on the smokiness for me, taking away the natural flavor of the fresh salmon but {mh} liked it better that way. the toasts on the other hand: she was left wondering if they deliberately had one toasted and one semi toasted - the perfectly toasted piece won her over while the salad left a bitter taste with the choices of greens that it made {mh} pushed it aside, untouched except for the cherry tomatoes.
frisky goat tries to create a culture of eat, drink, chill but the last seemed to be a challenge with hungry diners staring at my table that i could almost feel them willing us to pay the check so they could begin their own brunch session (in our case, we were seated almost next to the door). the staff were attentive and eager to help, which is a plus and despite there was a line waiting for table, they didn't pressure us to leave. the cafe has gathered quite a following that the petite sized shop is too small of a space to contain the number of diners that it could get a bit noisy for conversations.the cafe strives to bring innovation and creativity into some of their renditions of brunch classics, which is a welcoming change to the almost saturated cafe scene but i think it could go either ways based on the execution of their ideas. it is still probably worth trying to find your favorite brunch dish here.

for more photos: http://sians.blogspot.com/2014/04/frisky-goat-ttdi.html
 

ttdi.

hipster. but in a good way, of course.

it has become a trendy and popular rendezvous for new cafes to prove themselves with their brunch offerings and coffee.

in fact, the ideal hunting ground for a caffeine lover such as myself in search for THE perfect brunch.

let's call this mission o1.

quar/tet.

 

you might have guessed the reason behind the name but interestingly it represents four friends from different indie bands who came together to play a different kind of song - a quaint, charming cafe that serves brunch classics.

however, it was a challenge to find the cafe without a proper signboard to exclaim "you are here!" since i had to guess where it was based on gps. (please put one up - it will be good for the directionally-challenged)

perhaps the best clues to help with locating the cafe are:

one - look out for a black canopy; and
two - it is behind the row that faces the main road.

hopefully it will help you find the place a little easier....that and good luck! ;)in spirit of its name and true to its hipster neighborhood, the vintage-like contemporary and minimalist decor houses a collection of vinyl records and the record player spinning some almost forgotten tunes. in fact, the music corner was probably my favorite spot of the cafe that suggests a laid back ambiance that is suggested throughout the rest of the space with their choices of comfy furniture.

quar/tet manual: useful food purchasing tips.o1. the menu: its on every table - limited selection of the usual brunch suspects as well as some sandwiches. oh and bagel too.

o2. food and drinks are ordered at the counter and pre-paid (the sign asks nicely enough ;) ) and cash terms ONLY.o3. semi-self service. the drinks should be collected around the corner at the drink station where you have the power to choooooseee! sugar syrup, honey, vanilla sugar, cocoa! take your pick! and you can get complimentary water here too.

btw, food is delivered to your table....hence the semi-self service. drink - counter. food - table.o4. check out dessert on the way to your table so you would know if you should save some tummy space for some sweet endings after the meal.

the menu is limited that the handful of food offerings and drinks could all fit in a single page but there was a mix of sweet and savory brunch options.

the coffee department :: latte (rm 9)commonly this was my measuring stick to test the skills of the barista with the coffee. not bad but not my favorite. mainly overcame by bitterness. off to the next latte.

other beverages department :: iced chocolate (rm 10){mh}'s insight: very similar to local's cocoa drink - the milo and she would have preferred more richness in the chocolate.

the food department :: french toast | soaky eggy bread served with golden syrup and berries compote (rm 12)two pieces of white toasts in thick cut triangles, basked in the pool of golden sweetness and punctuations of red and deep blue hues from the berry mix of blueberries, raspberries and strawberries reduced in a sweet and tart compote and finished with the mandatory sprinkle of powdered sugar. the serving size was huge considering the price which is a plus point. it was as tempting as i remembered from my friend's instagram of the same french toast that induced immediate cravings - i just couldn't wait to dig into it.while some crispiness bordered the rest of the soft toast, as i cut into one of the edges revealed white insides of the bread. i was anticipating for an almost-bread pudding-like consistency in the middle so perhaps a longer soak in the sweetened egg mixture jacuzzi could have done a lot of good! the berry compote was borderline cloyingly sweet on its own but was a great accompaniment with the french toasts. even so, it was almost monotone that it left me seeking for the occasional contrasting exclamation in both flavor and texture. two triangles in and i was done - granted that the serving size was huge.

the food department :: eggs ben | turkey ham, poached eggs & hollandaise sauce (rm 15)presentation was simplistic..minimalist, if you will. it looked rather drab but sloppy on the huge, bare white plate, somewhat clunky. definitely could have used a side salad to bring some color and brightness to the dish to elevate the dish further with an injection of freshness. the under-seasoned eggs benedict was served in the most literal sense to its description on the menu on the too lightly toasted english muffin halves.the positive, the poached eggs were done beautifully with its rich bright yellow yolk
streaming down the layers of turkey ham and english muffin in the sexiest way. all the
ingredients were there but the dish itself was just mediocre.

quartet's comfortable, laid back ambiance and friendly staff stole the limelight at this brunch establishment. while it is awesome that the price tags are in the lower end compared to similar brunch counterparts, it was reflected in the basic and very classic intepretation of their menu items where a few tweaks in flavors profiling and execution could elevate the flavors to another level.

located in troika, acme bar & coffee (abbreviated to abc) is just a couple of blocks away from ampang park lrt station. as i entered the cafe (which btw has a splendid outdoor patio - sadly, not ideal with the noise and dust from the kl traffic), i was awed by the high ceiling, the essence of a rustic industrial decor approach peppered with vintage chic accents. to top it off, ceiling high windows all around the cafe where the natural lighting filled the room entirely in a grandoise manner.utterly and completely right up my alley...

needless to say, i fell in love with the place.

i've been meaning to come here since i first heard about the cafe like months ago. i was so excited that i did some research on what the other foodies had to say about their food - i even had a dish in mind before i even entered the cafe.

as luck would have it, the dish that i wanted was no longer offered on the menu.

bummer.it then took me twice as long to order since i was still trying getting over my disappointment of my disappearing dish that i wanted from the menu that i had to triple check to make sure i was certain that i didn't miss it.

tea :: honey yuzu | natural renewal green tea. bright, exotic citron flavor of yuzu and special reserve green tea sweetened with full blossom bee pollen (rm 15)as the menu aptly described it, the tea was light with a mild citrus flavor which was sweetened slightly from the honey. my first whiff of the tea highlighted the yuzu in a gentle manner and it was a refreshing warm tea, perfect for a rainy afternoon.

tea :: coco truffle | a deeply rich chocolate brew, airy with fennel, licorice and cardamom to produce a soothing, guilt-free indulgence. seductively delicious that delights the palate and treats the soul (rm 17)i definitely had tea envy and vowed to get this brew for my next visit to acme. a steep price for a cuppa tea but it's just so yummy! (yes, the pun was intended.. hehe ;) )

pots & pans :: root vegetable truffled fries | mix of sweet potato, lotus root & yam fries lightly drizzled with truffle oil (rm 13)it is because i missed truffle so much i was willing to try my luck with this one. a colorful mix of thick cut starches with the offerings of purple and regular yam in addition to slices of lotus roots and sweet potato. it was so greasy that even the bowl was coated in oil. and unfortunately, they weren't crispy as i would have expected BUT it was completely cooked through. on another positive note, the touch of truffle flavor was sufficient to affirm its presence but not overwhelmingly so.

my favorite was the lotus root which was crispier than the rest followed by the purple yam with its natural sweetness that contrasted the sprinkle of salt in a very delicious way.

main :: mushroom pot quiche | vegetarian - creamy mushroom chunks, leek in semolina crust pot (rm 27)

served with a side salad of mixed greens and red & yellow bell peppers slices tossed in a light and citrus-y vinaigrette, topped with fried little drops of dough spiced with cumin for textural difference but the spice threw the flavor combinations a little off balance.the pot quiche in general was disappointing. the bottom crust which was nutty and crumbly was alright but the top crust with cheese baked on the quiche was slightly off putting texturally and in taste. the generous serving of mushrooms were cooked and seasoned beautifully, weaved in the egg "filling" but the quiche as a whole was not agreeable with me. just not a fan.we saved room for dessert from the beginning and despite their tantalizing selection of cakes, our final pick was acme's signature cake which was given the thumbs up by a couple of food bloggers.

desserts :: jackfruit cake | depends on availability (rm 15)

a signature creation of the cafe, probably because of its novel and interesting choice of flavor of jackfruit. crusted with chopped pistachios on the sides, the sponge cake was layered with this local tropical fruit frosting.perhaps it was an off day for the pastry chef, but while the cake was airy, it definitely required the frosting to compensate for the slightly dry texture of the cake. the cake tasted vanilla and the jackfruit flavor was too mild that it lacked that floral fruity sweetness you'd expect. to top it off, it was too sweet for my liking. this spelled a second strike for acme :/

acme bar & coffee's ambiance and decor and its amazing selection of tea is sufficient to entice me to return for a second time, perhaps with an interesting story book in hand. its lackluster food, however cannot justify the price it asks for although it could be the choice of dishes i picked may not have worked for my taste.

but i believe in second chances and the other selections acme has to offer since i wanna love this place not just for the ambiance but for its food as well. and after all, acme is defined "the point at which someone or something is best, perfect, or most successful" and i hope it lives up to its name.

nutmeg
"one of the two distinct spices from a fruit produced by the evergreen tree, native to banda islands of indonesia, often called the spice islands. best used grated fresh."

breakfast
"the first meal of the day, usually eaten in the morning. some might even say it is the most important meal of the day"nutmeg, bangsar
"a cafe, located in bangsar village 2 - adheres to their motto of 'good food from our kitchen' by serving breakfast food all day long from am to the pm (lunch & dinner options available too) and boasts of their 3 must haves - classic reuben, their namesake big breakfast and their gravlax sampler"

perhaps that's the reason behinds the cafe's name: being secretly special. my other theory is the warmth it intends to bring with their offerings in similar fashion the nutmeg imparts warm flavors.the same secretly special warmth was reflected in the nutmeg cafe's decor - an eccentric mix of vibrant artistry with hints of vintage industrial chic and modern baba-nyonya. i love the use of the mason jars as lamps at the counter where you could watch the chefs hard at work, preparing the dishes as the aroma wafted from the open kitchen into the dining area.with brunch, lunch and dinner options aplenty, surprisingly it took me no time to pick my plate of choice when my eyes zeroed in on something that i've been craving for since returning from the states and haven't really been able to find anywhere else so far.

but first...

drinks - iced teas :: nutmeg mixed fruit tea | black tea, mint, orange juice, pineapple juice (rm 9)the iced tea tasted tropical, where the pineapple dominated with the occasional orange flavor sneaking in. the main star, the black tea was as subtle as the mint - so much so that more mint infusion could take the drink to another level of refreshing goodness. {mw} wasn't too thrilled with it. my take - it was pretty nice albeit slightly too sweet for my liking.


lunch & dinner - sandwiches :: bagel & lox | toasted bagel , cream cheese, choice of house-cured gravlax, capers (rm 21)

the toasted bagel had a crispy exterior contrasting the slightly chewy insides but was almost borderline dry. what i assumed was half a block of cream cheese (would have been a whole lot better if the consistency was of a schmear) was spread on the bagel that i scraped off enough for another serving. the side salad was a delightful crisp field of greens tossed in a vinaigrette that combined light berry sweetness and tartness.HUGE kudos to nutmeg for getting the gravlax aboard on the flavor train. fresh raw salmon, which was mildly salted paired perfectly with periodic briny burst from capers and the tartness of the cream cheese granted desirable yummy mouthfuls. the one small thing (and i'm nitpicking in this case) was i wished the lox was slightly more salty, which i eventually was fulfilled when i finally reached on the last slice which i suspect was from the end of the cured salmon block. on the flip side i have to admit that the mild saltiness allowed the salmon's natural flavors to shine.

all day breakfast :: nutmeg gravlax "croissant-wich" | smoked paprika gravlax topped with scrambled eggs, toasted croissant (rm 26)not very dissimilar from my dish, {mw} offered me a bite off her croissant-wich. the eggs were fluffy and seasoned perfectly with the buttery, chewy pastry and finally made whole by the same fantastic gravlax with a hint of smokiness from being mildly paprika-ed. {mw} gave her nodding approval for the dish and from the small bite i had, i'd give a preliminary concurrence

breakfast comforts :: hotcake stack | three pancake stack . vanilla ice cream & chocolate hazelnut praline ganache (rm 16)instead of breakfast for dinner, this is more dessert for dinner! {kbg} wanted something "lighter" and was determined to get a breakfast dish when i first told him that they served breakfast options for dinner, which to him, was quite an interesting concept. unfortunately, the pancakes were probably the least successful where it ended up dense and almost chewy instead of the fluffy pillow-like airiness that it should be. the chocolate hazelnut praline ganache was delectable though - mimicking the flavors of nutella.


nutmeg cafe, which was initiated by two brothers-in-law, has turned heads for its novelty idea (probably one of the firsts in malaysia) of serving breakfast food all day - be it for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. while there were a couple of misses in execution, nutmeg's gravlax had me at first bite.

"good food from our kitchen?"
yes, yummy but not out of this world....
....with maybe the exception of the gravlax.