9 BRUNCH DISHES TO EAT AT THE DAILY GRIND

Fluffy Waffle & Fried Chicken (RM22++) for brunch? If the thought of hunky crispy fried chook paired with waffles leave you crowing with delight, then make haste to The Daily Grind for your share of this delectable dish every weekend from 9am to 2pm.

 

This long-standing casual eatery has a cheerful and laidback vibe about it so feel free to saunter in with your brood or besties in tow for a good chow-down.

Served with spicy tomato chutney and maple syrup, the boneless chicken fillet was flavoursome; the outer layer of skin coated with crumbly, crunchy batter. Several slices of briny beefy 'ham' drizzled with maple syrup complete the delish platter.

 

Top placing went to crumbly Smokin' Seaside Scones (RM28++) - a creative, savoury permutation of classic English scones which formed a solid flavoursome basis for a pair of poached eggs with hollandaise sauce alongside smoked tuna and swordfish, and fresh peppery rocket.

My personal fave of Goddess Bowl (RM22++) edged in at third place...it could have easily trumped the rest just on looks alone especially the generous pool of smooth house-made Vietnamese yoghurt in plain and blueberry flavours. A milieu of colourful edible flowers, fresh berries, mango dices, macadamia nuts, pumpkin seeds, goji berries, oats, coconut flakes and berries coulis surrounded the lush, tangy yoghurt.

Neck to neck in terms of subtly sweet appeal would be Pancake Soufflé (RM23++). The stack of pillow-soft pancakes resembling soufflé drenched in lemon cream was feather-light, with textural interest lent by scatterings of wild berries and assorted nuts, and shards of honeycomb. Ideal for the sweet-toothed without loading up on too much guilt.

  

Named after two historical heavyweights, the Napoleon & Churchill (RM25++) was anything but. A fallback for those who prefer their brunch along the perennial pairing of sausage and eggs, this plate of savoury cheddar cheese-filled crepes drew us in with seared chicken sausages and a salad of fresh rocket and green apple slices with romesco aioli.

The savoury crepes made a nice change from the usual bread or potato hash found in most brunch platters. A shoo-in for less adventurous eaters who like the tried-and-tested with just that slight twist. 

Tickle the funny bone of prankster friends or family members with a sense of fun and humour with The Mockery (RM18++). It looks like a classic English breakfast but doesn't taste anything like it at all! Suffice to say we had a good laugh digging into the inventive, mind-bending creations.

Since The Daily Grind's reputation is built on burgers, it's inconceivable something like Burger Me Breakfast (RM27) would appear in the brunch array. Burger fans can rejoice for this delectable dish comprises brioche bun bearing a juicy beef patty and crisp slices of beef bacon, livened up with tomato jam and hollandaise sauce. Satisfying fare to start lazy Sundays with.

Salty and sweet accents reigned in the Herb Brioche Pudding (RM29++). Laden with salted caramel, walnuts, sultanas, air-dried beef and rum, we were nonplussed by this unconventional speciality. Frankly, I wasn't gaga over the busy mixture of flavours but go ahead, give it a go and decide for yourself.

Rum & raisin ice cream is so hard to come by these days that I'd steer towards Captain Morgan's French Toast (RM23++) in all likelihood. Studded with plump rum-soaked raisins, the heady, faintly spicy sweetness was splendid once it started to melt onto the thick slices of French toast. Crushed pistachios and maple syrup provided the finishing touches.

 For brunch reservations at The Daily Grind, please call: 03-2287 6708. Address: LG8, Lower Ground Floor, Bangsar Village 1, Jalan Telawi, KL. 

EATS SO PUN-NY AT HUCKLEBERRY AFTER DARK

Heh, Chuck Norris (RM21.90) stole the show on our maiden visit to Huckleberry After Dark. The Hollywood action hero's name probably doesn't ring a bell with today's young ones but never mind, Let's Ta-co 'Bout It...for the dish of beef Barbacoa tacos, served with BBQ-root beer sauce, pico de gallo, fresh coriander and sour cream was a bona fide showstopper.

Barbacao refers to the unique Mexican-Caribbean steam-smoke meat cooking technique which ensures meat so tender, it can be easily shredded or sliced into strips. We were thoroughly smitten by the soft tacos filled with that sweetish gamey pulled beef, accented with dollops of refreshing pico de gallo (chopped tomato, onion and coriander relish) and tantalising sour cream. Superbly yummlicious!

After creating some buzz with its wide range of French-style baked goods (popular stuff like croissants and rustic breads are usually sold out post-lunch), Huckleberry made more waves when the outlet introduced its pun-tastic dinner menu. 

For a Wholly Guacamole opener, crunch time never tasted better than The House Guac (RM13.90). Now, a lot of stuff is made in-house from scratch so the guacamole was creamy yet partially chunky; a scrumptious blend of avocados, onion, tomatoes, cilantro, green chillies, jalapeño and lime juice. Served with two types of nacho chips, this starter was irresistibly addictive.

 

Non-beef eaters may opt for Drop The Bass (RM19.90) as a viable alternative. Expect a tamer flavour profile from the chunks of battered fish in soft tacos. Rescue came in the form of some house slaw, jalapeño and pico de gallo so they should pass muster.

Burger She Wrote was a plot to bring out the carnivore in us. Okay, Cheesus (RM19.90) sounded kinda blasphemous to some holier-than-thou folks but clearly, its main pun-ny intention was to elicit a smile or a chuckle. The towering cheeseburger stacked with 3 combo beef patty should lead dieters astray, thanks to its slathering of Huckleberry secret sauce, oozy American cheese, sliced tomato and fresh lettuce.

We then slipped into The Beast Mode (RM26.90) to devour the hefty barbecued burger consisting of housemade brioche buns with 3 combo beef patty, housemade BBQ sauce, Barbacoa pulled beef, duck bacon, lettuce and fresh tomato. Accompanied by a generous helping of thick-cut fries, it was enough to leave hearty appetites happily replete.

Two beloved American classics: macaroni & cheese and hot dog came together to form Return of the Mac (RM24.90). Dawg-gone it, such a simple masterstroke yet nobody had thought of it before?!!

Gooey cheese fans would melt at the sight of  mac & cheese blanketing a hot dog encased in a split long bun. Covered with even more melted American (cheddar) cheese  and chopped fresh cilantro, this offering was wickedly indulgent to the max. 

The Bird Waffle (RM24.90) got our clucks of approval too. Amply supported by scrumptious pieces of buttermilk-fried chicken thigh, the 'waffle-wich dipped into hot honey sauce had us crowing with much delight.

Competing for our attention was Lord of the Wings which came under the guise of K-Pop Frenzy (RM19.90-6 pcs, RM37.90-12 pcs). Most apt seeing how spicy gochujang sauce with black and white sesame seeds were employed to rustle up the Korean-style chicken wings. Our only grouse was the sweetish-zingy hot chicken appeared a tad over-fried. 

A Whole Lotta Dough - well, more precisely sourdough - went into the breakfast pizza
with tomato sauce, chicken sausage, mushroom, mozzarella and egg. Proclaimed as Another One Bites the Crust (RM32.90), its rustic albeit briny savouriness left us chomping at the bit for a tinge of sweetness to balance things up.

The Mad Batter (RM19.90) came to the rescue just in time. We dug into the skillet of chocolate pudding laden with chocolate fondant, slightly scorched, melty housemade marshmallows, cookie crumbs and butter biscuits. A lush, richly satisfying offering to sweeten us up as the meal drew to a close.

It was disconcerting to trifle with the beautiful mess of Rollie Pollie’s (RM16.90). Luckily the housemade churros smothered in Nutella and crushed Oreos were easier to eat than photograph. Expect to get down and dirty with this dessert but heck, food was meant to be fun sometimes so just go for it.

Parched throats will find ample succour here as the extensive beverage list veers between handcrafted mocktails such as Maui Waui (RM9.90) and The Ultimate Slushie (RM9.90) to bottled craft beers. Say 'cheers' to a 10% discount off beers during Happy Hours from 5.30pm-8pm.


For reservations, call HUCKLEBERRY AFTER DARK, tel: 010-960-0498. Address: 2G & 4G Jalan Medan Setia 2, Plaza Damansara, Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur. Biz hours: 5.30pm till late except Mon