St Valentine Needs To Eat Too, Part 2

so here’s my next 5 best restaurants in KL to have a Valentine’s Day dinner.

for part 1, click here!

1. Rahsia

true to its name, it can be hard to miss this beauty of a restaurant when you’re driving down the quiet suburban street that effortlessly camouflages it amongst embassies and residential bungalows. but get down from your car and peek past the shrubbery-clad fences, and you will find Rahsia, its shady trees and path of pebbles welcoming the curious diner in.

Rahsia offers three dining areas. the first and my favourite is the terrace, where the weaved basket lights overhead throw swirls of intricate shadows all over the ceilings, creating a gossamer underwater feel. candlelight, cotton tablecloths and rattan chairs turn the terrace into a very relaxed and complacent area, almost beachlike in its casualness.

step inside the bungalow and it’s a whole different setting - all crisp and suave with its white tablecloths and white-clothed chairs. here, soft lighting and delicate wineglasses offset the white walls and smooth carpetless floor. slow jazz music is piped throughout the room. overall, very run-of-the-mill but still tasteful. and beyond a set of wooden doors, the third area is a tiny intimate patio with only three tables, perfect for customers who are big on privacy.

the fare here is Nusantara cuisine - Malay, Indonesian and a little bit of Nyonya. i’m not too keen on their appetizers like the satay and spring rolls etc, you’ll find them all just a tad too oily, but their salads are amazing. my fav is without a question the soft shell crab salad with pesto cream dressing! as for their mains, i’d think that the Balinese Suite and Chicken Kashnas are the best. would totally not recommend the Ning Noodles. the more worthwhile desserts are the bread and butter pudding and the brownie. check out their website for more menu details and pricing.

service here takes its time, good if you wanna linger over your courses with a loved one. all staff are polite and give you your space, but always attentive.

for Vday, Rahsia is having a 4-course dinner menu at RM120++ per pax. click here for the full Valentines Day menu.

Rahsia Bistro & Wine Bar (map!)
13, Jalan Damai
Off Jalan Ampang
55000 Kuala Lumpur
Tel : 03-2142 5555

2. Hajime

let us welcome with open arms the latest Japanese restaurant in town, Hajime! looking at Hajime, it’s hard to tell its a restaurant, because it looks exactly like a residential bungalow from the outside. so thank goodness for its quirky pufferfish signboard which immediately catches the eye as you drive past. and it’s not just for show either - Hajime is one of the few Jap places in KL that serves fugu.

i discovered this place by accident while i was on my way to Basil Leaf (which i shall forever boycott), and boy am i glad i did. nicely done up in concrete walls, slate tile floor and floor lighting, the whole place feels very contemporary and sophisticated. yet the ‘tatami’ seating area, featuring a polished wood floor and red cushions, retains a little bit of traditional Japenese essence for the restaurant.

patrons can also choose to sit at the sushi bar, where it is livelier. not only are the young men who work behind the bar chatty and friendly, they are also clearly trained well! i asked one of them about fugu, and his knowledge on the subject was most impressive. and another guy, i was told, is the one responsible for making the delightful sesame and azuki ice cream i thoroughly enjoyed.

service is absolutely fantastic, and that is surprising since Hajime has only been open about 2 weeks. the waiting staff are so warm and polite, AND they give good menu recommendations. i am a complete sucker for waiters who know what they’re talking about :D

food here is gooooooood. there is a noodle dish called the Inaniwa Udon, and i first tried it in hongkong. i dont think there this is a place in KL that serves this (though i could be wrong, do inform if there is any jap rest in KL that does!), so you can imagine my excitement when i saw it on the menu! you MUST have this noodle served cold - they serve the udon noodles (really kway teow) on a plate of ice, and you are given a soy sauce which you mix with finely-diced ginger and shallots and wasabi. you mix all those together, then you dip your noodles in it, and you eat. absolute heaven in your mouth :)

the last time i checked, Hajime’s chef hasnt decided on the Valentine’s Day menu, but i was told it will not exceed RM80++ per pax, and will come degustation-style with 9 small courses instead of a few big ones. i urged them to include the Inaniwa Udon, haha i hope they heed. if they dont, order it anyway!!!

Hajime
(i heartilly apologise, but i no longer have their address coz i gave away all the business cards i took when i was there :( but i do know it’s on Jalan Damai, just opposite Basil Leaf and Soiree)
Tel : 03-2143 0073

3. Nero Vivo

i blogged about Nero Vivo once over here, so i will cut this one short. Nero Vivo is a swanky Italian place in Ceylon Hill that is classy without being stifling, lively without being bustling. for some reason, the people who come here are really full of life - they talk loud, they laugh, they chatter away. i dont really like restaurants where everyone sits all prim and proper and are afraid to raise their voices above a whisper .. and that’s why i love Nero Vivo. easily one of the best Italian restaurants in KL - it’s right up there with Ciao. and the food here is great :)

Nero Vivo has apparently not decided on their Valentines Day menu, but it will fall between the range of RM120-150++ per pax.

Nero Vivo (map!)
3A, Jalan Ceylon
50200 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2070 3120

4. The Ivy

because it is smack in the middle of popular party district Asian Heritage Row, people tend to think The Ivy is just another bar, just another English pub. but ah! look past the black doors and the little 18th century English lanterns, steer away from the men watching footie at the bar or having a smoke on the couch, walk up the carpeted stairs, and you will find yourself in a nice and spiffy restaurant the downstairs pub was merely a veneer for.

candelabras, pastel-coloured paintings and heavy floral-printed carpets are The Ivy’s decor. nothing that screams i’m-trying-too-hard-to-be-English! but not exactly the most impressive. they could do a lot more with the interior, i think. the upstairs dining area just feels like it lacks a little soul.

food is good but not great, i hate to say it but The Smokehouse makes better yorkshire pudding. the roast beef and fish and chips in The Ivy are pretty good, though! but it’s the dessert that’s ace, wicked, bazzing, brill - as the English would say. i am in love with the double dark brownie, the bread and butter pudding (hello, Baileys sauce!) and the chocolate mud cake. soooo yummy i could die.

The Ivy’s Valentine’s Day menu is a 4 course affair, and diners are given a choice of 3 mains to choose from, as well as a complimentary glass of bubbly. and it all goes for the totally ace price of RM188 per couple! wicked! just a little over RM90 per pax. email me for the menu if you wanna take a look at it.

The Ivy
No. 48, Jalan Doraisamy
Asian Heritage Row
50450 Kuala Lumpur
Tel : 03-2693 2260

5. La Risata

for a restaurant that touts itself as ‘the best trattoria outside of Italy’, La Risata has a lot to put out to live up to their claim. i dont know if it’s really the best trattoria outside of Italy, but i would say it’s one of the better ones in KL. i’ve been going to La Risata ever since i was little, and i’ve never stopped loving it.

refurbished a while ago, La Risata now sports a cheerful interior with bright red walls and quirky paintings. very apt indeed, for a restaurant with a plump red tomato for its brand logo, and a name that means ‘The Laughter’! the overall feel of La Risata is more casual than most Italian restaurants (hence the term trattoria), and leans towards the family restaurant type, though groups of young beautiful people coming here to enjoy a good glass of wine are not uncommon.

many people say that La Risata offers some of the best and most authentic pizzas and pastas in KL, and i dont disagree :) i love the food here, especially the pastas and their 4-cheese soup. their ravioli is utterly amazing, and so is their squid ink fettucine though i must say their house specialty marinara is a tad overrated. their Pizza Carbonara is worth a try as well! for dessert, it’s the flourless chocolate cake hands down.

service here is wonderful. they are so attentive and efficient. most of the staff here have been with La Risata for a long time, so they know their menu inside out, which is a good thing when you want a good and honest recommendation. i recently had a dinner party there for 28 people, and they handled us with the utmost care and hospitality. they have my respect- i dont think we were an easy bunch to deal with that night, haha.

for Vday, La Risata has a 4-course menu with a choice of red meat or fish for mains. going at RM80++ per pax. i have the menu, so do email me if you wish to take a peek.

La Risata
26 Pesiaran Ampang,
55000 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-4252 6269

128 Jalan Kasah,
Medan Damansara
50490 Kuala Lumpur
Tel : 03-2095 9572

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6 more days to Vday :D i’m very excited!!!

Comments February 9th, 2007