Haven @ Ampang Hilir

Haven: Round Two. Since our breakfast at this cozy organic-focused cafe proved so satisfying, we were happy to have a leisurely weekend lunch here too.

Earlier entry on Haven: July 24.

Our meal transformed into a carnival of carbs, kicking off with this Mahogany Fried Rice, comprising wok-fried brown rice with mahogany leaves, French beans, carrots, spring onions & shiitake mushrooms. Got wok hei? More or less.

Organic macaroni, parmesan & corn kernels. Comfort food, pure & simple.

Stir-fried beetroot vermicelli with shredded veggies, cherry tomatoes & free-range egg strips. Nearly as flavorsome as street food, but certainly less oily.

More beetroot? Munching on these Aussie organic chips nearly left us in a carbohydrate coma.

Haven uses a special juicer to squeeze out every last drop of fruity goodness (fruits = sugar = carbs, right?). Try the Melon Thirst Quencher (watermelon & more watermelon) & For The Bones (organic broccoli, spinach & pear _ it doesn't taste as weird as it sounds).

How do you like them apples: a duo of juices a day _ Full of Fiber (red & green apples, extra pulpy) & Jumpstart Your Tummy (red apples, lemon & honey) _ keeps the doctor away.

Haven is a calm space _ except when loud children sometimes invade. Pray they stay away.

Haven Cafe,

12, Jalan Ampang Hilir, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-4252-3100

Souled Out @ Ampang

Souled Out has opened its second outpost, storming into Ampang with the kind of food, cocktails & vibe for which its long-entrenched Hartamas trailblazer is renowned.

A familiar fusion favorite: the Sake San wood-fired pizza, abundantly topped with salmon sashimi, cherry tomatoes, lolorosso, mayo & a touch of wasabi. This seemed more impressive when we first tried it several years ago in Hartamas, but it still nicely encapsulates Souled Out's doctrine of dishing out comfort food filled with fresh ingredients.

Sunset Beach (vodka, melon liquor, amaretto, cranberry juice) & Strawberry Dreams (vodka, bailey's, strawberry ice cream, strawberry puree, strawberries).

Cosmopolitan Long Island & Watermelon Mojito. Souled Out's cocktails are potent enough to please, though the current selection at Ampang is not as wide as Hartamas'.

For even more challenging cocktails, take a five-minute drive to Tate at The Intermark, where manager-mixologist Kevin's latest creation is his own spin on the Bloody Mary, featuring the freshest of tomatoes, roasted capsicum & a triple whammy of pepper, chili flakes & Cayenne pepper for a spectacularly complex spiciness that lingers on the palate.

Earlier entries on Tate: June 30 & July 27.

To wrap up, some more shots of Souled Out, our recent refuge from rain.

Souled Out,

Menara HSC, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2181-1626

Tatsu

Tatsu: Round Four. Earlier entries: April 1, July 8 & July 15.

Amaebi sweet shrimp in a ripe avocado shell with spicy pollock roe, marinated in herbed olive oil. One of the most gorgeous starters we've enjoyed in recent memory. Every scoop supplied a soft, savory mix of top-tier ingredients.

More mentaiko to feed our mania, lightly & impeccably broiled on its outer surface.

Queen crab chawanmushi. A big bowl of piping-hot pleasure. We ordered this because we were curious about queen crab, but it tasted similar enough to king crab.

Japanese mizuna mustard leaves & fried bean curd with mesclun greens. Another whopping portion; not the night's most memorable dish, but the healthiest.

Deep-fried sea bream neck. We had to use our fingers to polish the flesh off the bones, but it was worth the effort, thanks to the superbly sweet flesh enhanced with ponzu bitter orange sauce.

Seafood & veggies stewed in tomato concasse. Mussels, clams & scallops, complemented by a gentle gravy that was only subtly tangy, keeping the spotlight on the fresh seafood.

Teppanyaki foie gras & parmesan cheese omelet with bonito flakes. Could be better; the egg wasn't fluffy enough and the bits of liver within made minimal impact.

Shochikubai sake (Seishu, Kyoto).

Tatsu,

InterContinental Hotel, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.