After asking for recommendations from my Malay colleague, she filtered through all the places she has been and recommended her favourite Ayam Gepuk. She told me this place sit right at the top of her list.

Yep. I ended myself in Gesek Geprek to kick start my Ayam Gepuk journey.

Gesek Geprek

Tucked away in Ampang, Gesek Geprek is the spot for ayam gepuk/ geprek. Correct me if I am wrong but I think they lean more towards geprek style, given their crispy battered chicken. My colleague told me, “You must get their Set Special Tauhu Tempe!” So, here I am, twice within a week, and yes I love it.

Set Special Tauhu Tempe (RM 13.5)
It comes with white rice, sambal, tauhu, tempe, fried egg, ayam crispy, fried cabbage, cucumber and kicap. The nasi (white rice) and sambal are refillable for free, which is always a bonus. Add on Ayam Goreng at RM 6.

You can choose your preferred level of spiciness, from Manja to Pedas and Extra Pedas; and have the sambal put on your rice or have it asing (separately). Often, I will go for the Manja level, it is already very ass-kicking spicy enough for me.

Crispy chicken and fiery hot sambal with aromatic creamy nutty cashew nut sauce, also runny fried egg. This combination works wonder. The chicken was very crispy and flavourful. A mix of hot sambal creamy nutty sauce hit the syok factor. Then comes to the runny fried egg—the oozy yolk and crispy egg white help mellow the heat while making everything richer!

And that drizzle of kicap manis? A must! That touch of sweetness brings everything together and level up the whole dish!

Gesek Geprek
Blok A12-G, 10, Jalan Mewah 4,
Pandan Indah, 68000 Ampang, Selangor
Opens from 11am to 9pm

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Don’t Tell Mama

Don’t Tell Mama is a trendy café and steakhouse offering comfort food and budget-friendly steaks. Housed in a warehouse space, it features a playful retro industrial vibe that gives this place plenty of character.

The interior is filled with raw concrete walls, quirky posters and dim lighting, creating a cosy atmosphere that’s perfect for good food and great conversation.

During the day, they serve beef ramen and Japanese curry rice; while after dark, the menu shifts to steaks and claypot rice. We’d heard they offer affordable steaks that won’t break the bank! That’s what brought us here in the first place!

Best in PJ Steak (RM 34.9)
Grass-fed striploin, sunny side up, fries, black pepper sauce
The striploin was tender and succulent, with beautifully smoky, charred edges that we really enjoyed. It came with a generous amount of fries and a sunny side up, and final dressed with the black pepper sauce.

What impressed me even more was how quickly the steak was served. It was extremely fast! We got it like less than ten minutes after placing our order, despite the restaurant being packed. At such an affordable price, this is definitely a good steak I’d come back for!

Rich Kid Wagyu (RM 88.9)
Australian Wagyu Striploin, fries, black pepper sauce.
It was with a softer and fattier texture but we still preferred the earlier one over this. This one didn’t have the smoky charred edges that we loved. LOL.

Cholesterol (Engawa) Claypot Rice (RM 68.9)
Their signature dish—torched engawa served over a bed of fluffy white rice, then garnished with furikake and ebiko—was delicious. I was hoping to get some of the crispy, scorched rice bits from the bottom of the claypot, though. Perhaps we mixed everything together a little too early, as we didn’t get any of that prized crispy rice.

Get Rich Instantly (RM 18)
Vodka, gin, tequila, sourmix, elderflower, sparkling water
Wanna “get-rich-instantly” and so I ordered this LOL. However, the colour of the drink was different from what I saw on the menu, so I wasn’t sure if it was the correct one. It also didn’t quite taste as described. Gave a feedback but I was told it was the one. Anyhow, it wasn’t really my kind of drink, as it was a little too sweet for my liking; needed extra ice for the drink.

Life Saving Drink (RM 25)
Vodka, elderflower, oolong tea, sparkling water. It was refreshing with floral note, and had the highest alcohol content compared with the others. This was better than the Get Rich Instantly, with a hint of tea that added a pleasant depth to the flavour.

Don’t Tell Mama
9, Jalan 51a/243, Seksyen 51a,
46100 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

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Sake stanD 凛

Sake stanD Rin is located in Nishi-Shinjuku area and is a casual standing bar offering more than 200 kinds of sake from all over Japan. The place has a great vibe, with nice music playing in the background while you enjoy your sake tasting.

Getting here:
About 3 minutes’ walk from JR Shinjuku Station from the West Exit

At the back of the bar, there are refrigerator showcases filled with sake bottles. We picked up our selections from the fridge and brought them to the counter to be poured. The prices are clearly displayed according to the colour of the mizuhiki (the decorative cord) on each bottle. Just choose between 60ml or 120ml, and the friendly staff will take care of the rest.

For 60ml, blue indicates ¥ 599, red is ¥ 699, green is ¥ 799, gold is ¥ 999 and that bottle that carries the most premium red green gold mizuhiki is priced at ¥ 1299.

There is a sake map on the wall, allow you to compare different varieties as if you were travelling across the country.

Happy us! There were so many bottles I have not seen and tried before. We got to sample many kinds of sake! And yes, I also picked up bottles based of the nice appearance of the labels LOL.

They also offer a small selection of bar bites and snack to go with the sake. We had the Offal Stew using Sake Lees (¥ 599) and Fresh Fish Yukhoe (¥ 499).

A special thanks to Suzy for taking time to bring us to this amazing sake bar. It was such a fun place, filled with great vibes, good music, and, of course, plenty of delicious sake!

Sake stanD 凛
東京都新宿区西新宿1-4-11 宝ビル 1F
Weekdays: 5pm to 12am
Weekends and PH: 2pm to 12am

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RAYs

RAYs at Steppes Mont Kiara is their second home following the first outlet in PJ’s B.LAND. Here, they serve all-day comfort food, including burger, brunch dishes and indulgent milkshake.

A quick glance at the menu makes one thing pretty obvious – the burgers are the star of the show. There is a generous selection to choose from, each sounding pretty tempting. But the rosti was what caught our attention.

One thing I really liked is that each dish on the menu comes with its nutritional breakdown – showing the amount of protein, fats and carbohydrates. It is indeed a nice touch, especially for those who are on gym and people who like keeping track on their macros.

Latte (RM 14)

Rosti (RM 25)
Duck bacon, sunny-side egg, crispy potato rosti, house crème fraiche and chives
The rosti was really good; pan-fried to crispy, golded edges, with a lovely crunch and that irresititible toasted buttery aroma. Definitely one of the better rostis I have had in KL.

Pulled Beef Ragu (RM 30)
Pulled beef brisket, Italian tomato sauce, fried parsley, yellow onions, grated cheese, chili flakes, sourdough crumbles and linguine.
A comforting and hearty pasta dish layered well with flavours. Pulled beef brisket came generous too!

RAYs
LG3-01-3, Steppes @ 32,
Jalan Kiara 3, Mont Kiara,
51200 Kuala Lumpur.

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Glad to see this DOUHUAT 豆發 pop up nearby my neighbourhood! Now I can easily grab some whenever I feel to have one!

DOUHUAT 豆發

Tucked away at one corner at Jalan Cerdik, Cheras; DOUHUAT is a small dessert shop specializing in all thing soy – from Tau Fu Fah and Soymilk to Soymilk Soft Serve.

I must say, their Tau Fu Fah is silky smooth, while the Soymilk is creamy thick and rich, with a lovely, full-bodied soybean flavour. Both the Tau Fu Fah and Soymilk come with a choice of sugar syrup, ginger sugar or gula Melaka. I personally always go for the gula Melaka in my Soymilk while the classic white sugar syrup with a hint of pandan scent into the Blackbean soymilk.

The prices are pretty reasonably, at RM 4.5 for a bowl of simple hot Tau Fu Fah, RM 5.5 for bottled Soymilk and RM 6.5 for bottled Blackbean Soymilk.

You can also level up your Tau Fu Fah with toppings such as glass jelly, taro balls, tapioca pearls, red bean and osmanthus kuih. So if you like a little extra texture and sweetness, there are plenty of options to play around with.

三剑客 (RM 10) with 3 toppings

But what I love most has to be their Soymilk Soft Serve (RM 5.5). It is creamy and silky smooth soft serve, and yet carries the genuine soybean flavours. Definitely the kind of dessert that hits the spot in our hot weather like now!

And don’t miss their Redbean Soymilk (RM 8) – a blend of red bean and soymilk served ice-cold and blended smooth, just like a classic 红豆冰.

DOUHUAT 豆發
2, Jalan Cerdik, Taman Connaught,
Cheras, 56000 Kuala Lumpur

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Ah Hua Café 亚花茶楼

Tucked away in Taman Taynton View, Ah Hua Café is a dim sum place that combines the cosy charm of a modern café with the nostalgic vibes of a traditional teahouse. It makes a great spot of a leisurely breakfast or brunch, whether you are catching up with friends or enjoying a family meal.

Plus point, it is conveniently situated close to the MRT Station! So taking a trip down here to yum zhou char is definitely not an issue if you are afraid of the traffic and parking issue.

The menu offers a delightful mix of classic Cantonese dim sum alongside creative modern twists, all freshly prepared and beautifully presented. I particularly love their Black Garlic Siew Mai – I’ve visited many times, and it is always on my must-order list. The juicy pork filling is enhanced by the rich umami of black garlic, with a hint of smokiness.

Har Gao was good too, featuring a generously sized with a huge tiger prawn wrapped in a delicate, translucent har gao skin. Braised Beancurd Rolls with Abalone Sauce was meaty and juicy. Stir-fried Radish Cake with Signature Sauce was packed with smoky wok hei, giving it an irresistible charred aroma. Also, the Deep Fried Taro Puff was amazing – crispy on the outside with flavourful soft center of sweet savoury pork and taro fillings. Really delicious.

The portions of the two Guangzhou-style crinkle rice roll dishes — Dried Shrimp & Jicama Rolls and Curry Pork Skin Crinkle Rice Rolls — were huge, but they were just okay-ish. I will probably give their rice noodle rolls a try next time!

Tea is from RM 4 per pax, with a minimum order of 2 pax. I quite love their Chrysanthemum Tea and Long Jing

Ah Hua Black Garlic Siew Mai 亚花黑蒜烧卖 (RM 10.8)
The juicy pork filling is enhanced by the rich umami of black garlic, with a hint of smokiness. Smoky, delicious and huge too!

Tiger Prawn Dumpling 虎虾鲜虾饺 (RM 11.8)
Har Gao was good; featuring a generously sized with a huge tiger prawn wrapped in a delicate, translucent har gao skin.

Braised Beancurd Rolls with Abalone Sauce 鲍汁鲜竹卷 (RM 11.8) – meaty and juicy!

Cantonese Style Stuffed Chili 老广醸尖椒 (RM 10.8)

Deep fried Taro Puff 蜂巢炸芋角 (RM 9.8)
Deep Fried Taro Puff was amazing – crispy on the outside with flavourful soft center of sweet savoury pork and taro fillings. Really delicious.

Stir-fried Radish Cake with Signature Sauce 秘制香辣酱炒萝卜糕 (RM 11.8)
This was packed with smoky wok hei, giving it an irresistible charred aroma that I love!

Chive & Prawn Crispy Beancurd Roll 韭菜鲜虾腐皮卷 (RM 11.8)

Dried Shrimp & Jicama Rolls 虾米沙葛肠粉 (RM 13.8)

Curry Pork Skin Crinkle Rice Rolls 咖喱猪皮皱皮肠粉 (RM 15.8)

Ah Hua Café亚花茶楼
1, Jalan Mutiara Raya,
Taman Taynton View,
56000 Kuala Lumpur.
Opens daily from 7.30am to 3.30pm

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One of the latest additions is Hillside DouDou, which happened to open its door on my day off. Talk about perfect timing! So, together with my partner-in-crime, we decided to join the crowd, check out the newest hotspot!

Hillside DouDou

This is their second home after their original outlet in SS4 – which, embarrassingly, I still have not visited LOL #failme.

By day, Hillside DouDou serves up coffee, baked bread and pastries, and also expands to hot food offerings. Come evening, they will transform into GlouGlou at DouDou, a steakhouse concept specializing in aged-meat. Ahh, I would love to try out their evening menu too!

Latte (RM 16)

Iced Latte

Smoked Beef Fat Shiopan (RM 14) – good chewiness with a very mild hint of smokiness.

Beef Tongue Brioche (RM 78)
48 hours slow cooked beef tongue (150g), sauce gribiche, Dijon mustard, brioche loaf
Delicate layers of beef tongue sandwiched between pillowy brioche, with savoury, zesty sauce gribiche and sharp, tangy Dijon mustard adding the brightness to every bite. Pricewise, it is definitely on the stepper side. But since we’d just got our monthly paychecks, we felt lux to indulge a little.

Hillside DouDou
Lot LG 2-01-1, Steppes,
32, Jln Kiara 3,
Mont Kiara,
51200 Kuala Lumpur.
Opens daily from 7.30am to 5pm for day service.

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Hakata Yakitori Yoka Yoka Do博多焼鳥よかよか堂

A new izakaya has landed at The Row! Hakata Yakitori Yoka Yoka Do 博多焼鳥よかよか堂 brings the true flavours of Fukuoka to Kuala Lumpur with expertly grilled Yakitori and comforting Japanese izakaya small plates.

The menu covers two pages of dishes and another two on the drinks. Their signature dishes to try include Hakata-style crispy chicken skin, pork lettuce wraps, liver and rare chicken hearts; also specialty dishes like Hakata Mizutaki (chicken hot pot) and Mentaiko Rice Pot.

Also get to know that this outlet is opened by a Japanese couple who successfully operates 8 restaurants in Japan! WOW! If there is a chance, I would love to visit to their restaurants in Japan too!

Fun lady boss with her staff in their signature pose! This izakaya is filled with great fun vibe!

My friend Jean went straight to a glass of iced cold Suntory Draft Beer (RM 23).

While I got myself a glass of Kaku Highball (RM 20)

Moscow Mule (Rm 30) – vodka, lime and ginger beer; ginger beer is Jessie’s weakness.

Lychee Margarita (RM 35) for Sze; tequila, Cointreau, lime and lychee made up a fun concoction that fits her personality.

We also got a treat from the boss!

On our second visit just recently, we had sake! Oh yessss, now we get to enjoy a great option of namazake here! They offer interesting labels of namazake – the unpasteurized Japanese sake that are fresh, lively and fruity flavour profile! *happy dance*

Kamonishiki Shiboritate “Kisuisen” (RM 300 by bottle)

Houou Biden “Mikumari” Namazake (RM 40 by glass)

Senkin “Kabutomushi” (RM 40 by glass)

Soup to start

Seared Hakata Mentaiko (RM20)
Perfect bites to go with the drinks! Lightly charred mentaiko was savoury and aromatic, with light sandy popping bits. It was so good I wish to have another round of this. LOL!

Hakata Fried Chicken (RM 25)
Deep fried into perfection and packed with ginger punch!

Hakata Specialty Chicken Skin Skewer (RM 35 for 5)
The must have!!! The skin was coated with sweet coating and crunchy on the outside with slight chewiness on the inside. Seriously addictive! I never like any kind of chewy kawa but this version is an exception. One is never enough, please order more! I could easily finish up five of them by myself. However, seeing that I wanted to try out more variety, I hold myself from this.

Liver (RM 10)

Chicken Breast (RM 10)

Bonjiri (RM 8) – Chicken tail

Tsukune (RM 12) – flavourful and with great aroma.

Asparagus and Pork Belly Roll (RM 10)

Enoki Mushroom and Pork Belly Roll (RM 10)

Lettuce and Pork Belly Roll (RM 9)
Another must order! The fats from the pork belly brilliantly cut off by the lettuce. It was such a refreshing roll with a hint of sweetness from the lettuce and the sauce.

Hakata Mentaiko Rice Pot (RM 50) made with Koshihikari rice from Niigata Prefecture. Fluffy and glossy cooked rice served with mentaiko, a cut of butter and nori (seaweed) flakes; give everything a perfect stir and it was dosed with umami-ness. Next time we gotta add on extra mentaiko cos we love it to be extra pack with more briny rich umami hint!

Spicy Chicken and Pork Ramen (RM 30) was extremely warm and comforting; a soupy need for after drinks.

Peach Soda (RM 25) to end the meal

Hakata Yakitori Yoka Yoka Do博多焼鳥よかよか堂
Ground & Mezzanine Floor, The Row,
No. 44–48, Jalan Doraisamy,
Chow Kit, 50300 Kuala Lumpur.
Opens from 5pm to 11pm
Closed on Mondays

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Kushi Sakaba Daisho

Kushi Sakaba Daisho is a lively and affordable izakaya that is specializing in offers quite a variety of kushiyaki and delicious bar bites that pair perfectly with drinks.

We noticed salarymen come straight in their suit here after work; munched bites and with a glass or two. And then, they left. That’s the true after-work culture, I guess.

That night, I think we ordered almost everything on the menu. The draft beer was sweet and refreshing, and every dish was incredibly comforting, and price was affordable too. It ended up being the warmest meal we had throughout the whole trip — LOL.

Draft beer (¥ 530), Sake (¥ 880), Highball (¥ 660 each) and Yuzu Soda (¥ 660)

Appetiser are all priced at (¥ 300) each; we had this Mayo Shio Kombu Cabbage.

Homemade Potato Salad (¥ 420)

Grilled Mackerel (¥ 1,280)

Grated Yam on Hot Plate (¥ 700)

Sagari Steak (¥ 800)

Momo, Negima, Tsukune, Kawa, Butabara, Nasu (eggplant), Negi, Mushroom; each skewer is priced at (¥ 180)

Kushi Sakaba Daisho
石川県金沢市堀川町5-10
Opens daily from 5pm to 3am

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Zakka + Sake Bar DEARYOU Omotesando

Tucked away in a quiet alley near Omotesando, Zakka + Sake Bar DEARYOU Omotesando is truly a place that stores lots of gem. The front of the shop showcases handmade crafts and unique souvenirs, but the real treasure lies at the back—a cozy sake bar featuring an impressive selection of rare and highly sought-after bottles.

I was thrilled to find several names from my sake wish list on the menu, including Aramasa, Juyondai, Ubusune, Heaven Sake and Sogge pere et fils, along with a few special pours. Every bottle felt like a gem, even the tap water tasted exceptionally good! (I am not exaggerating! LOL).

Thanks to a sommelier friend for recommendation. The friend told me about it, I wasn’t aware until I passed by this shop when I did shopping here, and instantly… I recalled my friend told me about this place! So whenever I happen to be in Tokyo, I will run down to omotesando for a glass or two. So far, I have visited twice to this place.

During my November visit, I was lucky to get this flight set of Juyondai, Jikon and Aramasa (¥5,800), each at 50ml; it came with 3 types of snacks! – Juyondai Nakadori unfiltered, Jikon Special Junmai Pasterurization, Aramasa Earth

Heaven Sake

Tenbi Junmai Ginko Nama Genshu

Shichiken Shoshu Junmai Namazake

Such a beautiful sake cup!

Ubusuna 2025 Homase Yonnojo

Sogge pere et fils – Le sake Erotique Numero Six
A rare piece and it was sooooooo delicious!

Zakka + Sake Bar DEARYOU Omotesando
4 Chome-9-1 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo 〒150-0001

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