Tuesday, September 21, 2010

O Cafe, Empire Shopping Gallery, Subang Jaya

OVERALL: ***

Food: ***
Price: ***
Ambience: ***
Service: **

The newly opened Empire Shopping Gallery, Subang Jaya located behind Subang Parade has already been swarmed with excited shoppers eager to explore the mall. When I passed by O Cafe on the lower ground floor, next to Pasta Zanmai, the place was quite empty with only a table occupied, whereas the restaurants around were all packed with customers. I decided to give the organic vegetarian restaurant a try anyways, thinking that maybe the concept is ‘too healthy’ for most people, we all had our fair share of horror experience in organic restaurants after all.

They claimed that they use fresh vegetables and no msg in their food. We ordered tom yam bee hoon (RM 11.90), crispy sesame mushroom (RM 7.90) and Jasmine Rose Tea in a pot (RM 8.90). To my delighted surprise, the tom yam soup was quite nice, not oily with a generous amount of veggies. If you like something crispy for a snack or side dish, you will certainly enjoy the crispy sesame mushroom. It is not too oily either even though it is deep fried, and served with dipping sauce and fresh salad, and I really mean FRESH.

Tom Yam Bee Hoon (RM 11.90)
Crispy Sesame Mushrom (RM 7.90)
Jamine Rose Tea (RM8.90)
This is definitely the place to go if you are looking for healthy organic food. The only unfavourable aspect is that the waiter was not knowledgeable about the restaurant's menu, he was not even sure if the food they serve is vegetarian, but I am going to give him a chance since the place is still very new. The lady manager came to help us out gave us good recommendations.

Most people will head to the restrooms after their meals. They will be very disappointed and disgusted to find that the toilet is extremely smelly and dirty for shopping mall standards. The management of Empire Shopping Gallery should really improve on the cleanliness.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Buka Puasa at Subak, Bukit Lanjan

OVERALL: **

Food: *
Price: *
Ambience: ****
Service: ***

I was invited to a buka puasa dinner at Subak, Bukit Lanjan. The restaurant is currently having a Ramadhan buffet. The restaurant was not easy to locate as it was quite isolated and the roads there were bumpy and hilly. However, I was delighted upon reaching the place. The restaurant had a tranquil and close to nature ambience as it was surrounded by lush greeneries with a man made pond in the middle. We could enjoy the scenery while dining al-fresco on the wooden deck. The only problem with dining outdoor was when it started drizzling and we had nowhere to go, as we came in a big group and the restaurant was already packed. Luckily, the weather got better after an hour.

Much to my disappointment, of all the buffets I had been to, it had the least variety of food and they did not taste very well either. The price was slightly above average and in my opinion, it was not worth the price. I cannot really judge on customer service as it was a buffet dinner.

If you enjoy nature, this is definitely the place to go. But remember to choose a day with good and cooling weather, because we were sweating profusely throughout that stuffy night. Perhaps the a la carte menu present better options to satisfy your palate.


Restaurant Address:
Subak
Lot 3213, Jalan Penchala Indah,

Bukit Lanjan 6000,
Kuala Lumpur.

Contact Details:
Tel: 603-7729 9030/31
Fax: 603-7729 9036
Email: info@subak.com.my

Opening Hours:
Mon to Sun including public holidays: 11 am to 12 midnight +

Click here for their website with map and driving directions.