COMFORTING TAKEOVER AT CHAPTERS URBAN BISTRO

Pizza, pasta and crowd-pleasing comfort food rule the roost at Chapters Urban Bistro. Opened about eight months ago at the Empire Damansara enclave, chef at the helm of Chapters, Vicneswara Thenamirtham aka Chef Vic banks on his inimitable use of aromatic spices, Asian herbs and as much as possible, locally sourced produce to draw in the drink & dine clientele.

The retro-inspired brick-and-mortar façade on both sides evokes a casual, inviting feel with ample seating while the elongated narrow interior is dominated by a huge, dramatic mural depicting a sultry lass. 

Suspended overhead is a singular row of geometric pendant lights to lend shine to the chalkboard of 'punny' quips. Nip upstairs and you'd find two floors outfitted with pool tables, cosy seating area and a stage for live music performances; a multi-purpose event space for parties and gatherings.

A popular outpost for tipples after work, Chapters wades into the mixology realm with boozy gems like Emperor Sirk – a cocktail of gin, kahlua and campari (RM34), Lychee Martini, Jazz Jager - Jagermeister, triple sec and pineapple juice (RM28) and some mocktails like Cub Royale (RM12) - fresh apple juice with crushed mint.

The drinks are complemented by loads of simple, homey fare to satisfy hunger pangs and hearty appetites. Chef Vic and his team even go the extra mile by baking bread, smoking salmon and making mayo on premise. 

Instead of fish coated in fried batter, Chef Vic has tweaked the familiar fish & chips into Grilled Fish & Chunk Chips (RM34). Coated with an aromatic rub of smoked Spanish paprika, ground cumin, dried mustard and fresh herbs, we were instantly smitten with the bright, sublime flavours from the grilled, locally sourced seabass fillet. The chunky thick-cut chips with garlic aioli proved a worthy match for it.

We recommend greening your meal with a serving of Marinated Mango & Avocado Salad (RM18). It's almost a no-brainer to marry chunks of fresh local mango (marinated with local herbs & lime juice) together with locally grown, organic mixed lettuce leaves and avocado. Drizzled with honey lemon vinaigrette, textural layers came from the addition of pea sprouts, pickled chilli and almond flakes in the salad. 

Chapter’s spice rub lent zingy fragrance to the crumbed and fried local seabass fillet, hooking us at first bite when we sampled the Posh Bass Sliders (RM24). Sandwiched between two brioche buns slathered with basil pine nut aioli and bedecked with fresh greens, the sliders were hearty enough to satisfy.

You don’t need to go to Morocco for tasty lamb meatballs. Chef Vic dished up a mean version using ground NZ leg of lamb tossed with seven spices, parmesan and egg. Braised in chunky tomato sauce, the Moroccan Lamb Meatballs (RM26) disappeared in a jiffy and we even wiped the plate clean, soaking up the scrumptious sauce with the accompanying buttered toasts.

Jostling for limelight was a slab of delectable Charbroiled Leg of Lamb (RM52). Again, the meat was sufficiently redolent with heady spice accents; its herbal smoky overtone rendered by brown butter and rosemary. Crispy crushed potato and summer vegetables completed the ensemble, giving the dish some homespun flair.

Another dish that went swimmingly for us was the Spiced Grilled Salmon with Pesto Conchiglie (RM36). A simple but likeable offering, the salmon was well-flavoured by the house rub with a tangy punch provided by a dollop of mango salsa and sour cream. The generous serving of shell-shaped pasta tossed in house-made sweet basil pesto should leave you replete.

Thin, blistered and crunchy, the fresh-from-stone-oven Salmon & Alfredo Pizza (RM28) left us gushing praises in its wake. We love the crisp dough base laden with voluptuous creaminess of the house-made alfredo sauce, flakes of cherry wood smoked salmon, tart pips of capers, sliced red onion and wild rocket leaves.

Chapters are renowned for two local mainstays: Mutton Tossed Basmati (RM28) and Mamak Mee Goreng (RM26). The basmati rice is bound to keep carb lovers returning for more as the rice is fully imbued by the Indian spices and curry leaves used to braise the mutton shoulder in. Accompanied by pickled onion & cucumber raita, it’s a surefire hit among Malaysians when late night hunger pangs hit. As for the latter, I'd say the noodles passed the taste test thanks to the squid, prawns and organic egg to enhance its tempting allure.

Dessert options boil down to either Salted Caramel Chilled Cheesecake (RM18) or Oozing Chocolate Cake. Let's not dwell too much on the decadent quotient of the cheesecake and take comfort the slice is enough to ensure the sweet-toothed leave in a good mood whilst toning down on the guilt factor.

For reservations, call Chapters Urban Bistro, tel: 03-7732 9484. The restaurant is

located at Lot 13, Heritage Lane, Empire Damansara, Jalan PJU 8/8a, Damansara Perdana, Selangor.

SWEET ON BUTTERFLY DESSERT CAFÉ

Afternoon tea at the Butterfly Dessert Café is a nice way to escape the crazy traffic choked madness of Sri Petaling. Parking is available at the multi-storey carpark nearby but Malaysians are too stingy/lazy/selfish (pick one or all) to bother hence the double/triple parking nightmare within the commercial area.

Our frazzled nerves were instantly calmed when we stepped into Butterfly Dessert Café which is one floor up down a lane of shoplots and a boutique hotel. Modern bulbous pendant lights and multi-pronged chandeliers add a touch of class to the minimalist interior. A towering floral arrangement at the display counter lends a cheery touch whilst clusters of tables and chairs are found throughout the elongated space.

Opened in April this year, Madame Butterfly (as the owner prefers to be known) told us Butterfly Dessert Café is a tribute to their mother who had a penchant for dessert.

“We grew up eating Mom’s tong sui (dessert broth) and both of us eventually morphed into avid home bakers,” she said. “Like the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly, we have now transformed to become café owners. Our aim is to attract social butterflies to come and enjoy our lovely dessert at Butterfly Dessert Café.”

Besides plated desserts and afternoon tea, the sisters also accept orders for customised cakes and caters to small private parties on the café premise.

“Our Afternoon Tea set proffers savouries and sweets at RM48 for two persons. Available on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays, the set includes a pot of tea of their choice but customers can change it to any beverage of their choice at extra surcharge.”

Presented on a triple tier stand, the assortment of savouries and sweets may look dainty but our first-hand experience proved the selection was no lightweight fluff.

We relished the lush deliciousness of the triangular crust-less Egg Mayo Sandwich and Cucumber Cheese Sandwich – a classic afternoon tea mainstay.

My personal favourite was the feather-light, subtly tangy Lemon Macarons. Similar fresh tangy-sweetness was noticeable in the juicy Chocolate Dipped Strawberries, helping us to refresh our palate before we sampled the remaining morsels.

Madame Butterfly explained they take great pride in making light, flaky Croissants. We love the crisp, extremely flaky outer crust that shattered once we bit into it. The buttery taste was delicate yet discernible whilst the internal warren of tender, stretchy layers was good enough to eat minus butter or jam.

We smeared the house-made strawberry preserve and butter onto the Scones instead. Although clotted cream won’t be remiss with the burnished gold goodie, Madame Butterfly explained it was impossible to serve such a luxurious item due to its high cost.

Luckily, sweet distractions came in the triumvirate of Passionfruit Meringue, Earl Grey Cheesecake and Orange-Mango Trifle. Each of the offerings stood out for their playful flavours, tickling our tastebuds with fruity overtones juxtaposed against a mildly creamy canvas.

Saving the American Chocolate Cake for the finale proved wise as the voluptuous cocoa taste easily eclipsed lighter nuances. This was the perfect counterpoint to cups of freshly brewed tea. Take your pick from English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Spring Green Tea, Kiwi Berry, Chamomile Blossoms, Lemongrass Ginger or Genmaicha.

For reservations, please call BUTTERFLY DESSERT CAFÉ, tel: 03-9054 0289. Address: Unit 3-1, Jalan Radin Bagus 6, Bandar Baru Sri Petaling, Kuala Lumpur. Open daily except Wednesday from 2pm to 10pm