Serai House, Kuala Lumpur
Opened last April, Serai House breathes new life into Seri Negara, a colonial-era mansion originally built in 1898 as the official residence of the British High Commissioner in Malaya.
Situated on two adjacent hilltops within the verdant Perdana Botanical Gardens, Seri Negara has hosted key moments in Malaysian history – the Malaysian Constitution was partly drafted within its halls and the estate later served as a luxury heritage hotel until 2015.
Serai House is the sister restaurant of Semuka Cafe, another eatery housed within the historic mansion.
Set beneath Seri Negara’s lofty ceilings and surrounded by century-old trees, the restaurant has a “Contemporary” aesthetic, honouring the mansion’s regal past while providing warm, understated sophistication for today’s diners.
Signature dishes include Ikan Merah Bakar, a red snapper charred over open flame, lightly smoky with a delicate spice rub that lets the sweet, flaky fish shine and Udang Sambal Petai, marrying fresh prawn and bold petai beans, slow-simmered in a fragrant, spice-laden sambal.
The Rendang Tulang Rusuk is a standout: slow-cooked in aromatic herbs and spices until meltingly tender, it offers a modern take on a classic while preserving its depth of flavour.
Encik Tan, Subang Jaya
Singapore’s hawker fare restaurant chain has finally landed in Malaysia, opening its first outlet at the Subang SkyPark.
With 21 outlets in Singapore and one in Indonesia, Encik Tan aims to introduce halal-certified Chinese hawker fare to Malaysians, especially Muslim diners.
This new restaurant, with a bold orange-and-white palette, spans an area of 1,800 sqm and can accommodate up to 50 diners.
Be sure to check out the chicken cutlet curry rice, a clear crowd favourite thanks to the crispy cutlet and rich curry gravy. Encik Tan has apparently sold 1.5 million plates of this!
Other than that, keep an eye out for the fishball noodles, prawn Hokkien mee, claypot chicken rice and signature noodles.
Bean Here!, Ipoh
Local cafe brand, Bean Here! Coffee & Pastries (Bean Here!), has officially opened at Kolej Poly-Tech Mara Ipoh, offering hot drinks and cold soft-serves to the campus community and surrounding public.
The cafe is actually a Perak state government community initiative, aimed to help youth learn how to run a F&B business of their own.
Here, you can find house-roasted as well as freshly made pastries such as croissants, muffins, sandwiches and curry puffs. Even their ice-cream is homemade!
This new outlet in Ipoh has introduced many new menu items such as chicken tenders, nachos, Black Forest Spanish latte and cinnamon latte. It also serves as a relaxing space for studying, discussions and interaction.
The basement level has been dedicated as an area for students to study, discuss and carry out community activities, including arts and music programmes.
Village Grocer, Bukit Mertajam
Malaysia’s leading premium supermarket chain has added on to its expansion into the Northern region with the grand opening of its newest outlet at the prestigious Vangohh Eminent.
Residents and visitors in the Seberang Perai area can now enjoy convenient access to quality fruit, vegetables, seafood, meat, artisanal baked goods and gourmet meal solutions.
At present, Village Grocer has over 30 outlets throughout Malaysia, with the Vangohh outlet being the fourth in Penang. It is also Bukit Mertajam’s first-ever Village Grocer outlet.
Village Grocer at Vangohh Eminent is located on the ground floor and is open daily from 10am to 10pm.
So, if you are in Penang and need to get some shopping done, Village Grocer at Vangohh Eminent should be your next stop.
Village Grocer, Met Galleria Mall
This new flagship store at Met Galleria Mall (KL Metropolis) features a modern aesthetic and operates with a plastic-free-at-checkout policy.
It is located at Lower Ground 1 (The Marketplace) of Met Galleria.
The outlet also has dedicated areas for vegan, keto, sugar-free and gluten-free lifestyles, alongside an artisanal deli for fresh bakes.
Village Grocer is open from 10am to 10pm daily.
Kissa Cafe & Diner, Menara Alliance Bank
Start the day right with a hearty breakfast ranging from freshly baked pastries, toasted paninis and chilled selections including cold salads or yoghurt parfaits.
Kissa Cafe & Diner also has Kissa Power Lunches with hearty rice bowls, comforting pastas perfect for a quick and satisfying midday meal.
Kissa Cafe and Diner also has signature desserts such as Valhorna chocolate brownies, tiramisu Verrine, molten chocolate fondant and chef’s seasonal cake slice.
The cafe is open on weekdays from 7am to 6pm.
Senjaa Bakery Cafe, SKS City Mall
Senjaa Bakery Cafe’s first outlet is now open at SKS City Mall, bringing a refinement and approachability to diners.
The cafe has a 100% no-pork, no-lard concept and it offers freshly baked French artisanal pastries and well-presented comfort foods with local flavours.
Signature creations include the Hainan chicken au gratin and chicken sambal sando.
Check out hearty dishes such as the slow-braised lamb tagine, signature nasi lemak with ayam berempah and signature asam pedas.
Also worth trying are the chicken satay banh mi and the mackerel banh mi.
Senjaa Bakery Cafe is open from 10am to 10pm daily.
Hock Kee Kopitiam, Aeon Mall Kota Bharu
Hock Kee Kopitiam has opened its first outlet in Kota Bharu, located at Aeon Mall Kota Bharu, Kelantan.
This is the chain’s 20th outlet overall, with the others located primarily in the Klang Valley as well as Johor.
The certified halal kopitiam offers a variety of classic Malaysian dishes, including Hock Kee’s signature favourites such as nasi lemak banjir, curry laksa, steamed chicken rice, satay and fried kuey teow.
For Johorean folks working in Kelantan, the distant taste of home can be found here in the form Classic Laksa Johor Asli and Soto Ayam with Nasi Impit and Lontong.
Hock Kee Kopitiam is open from 10am to 10pm daily.
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