New Restaurants, Cafes And Bars in KL: October 2015

A well-loved franchise hailing from Los Angeles, The Counter has opened up all over the U.S, and has just begun its foray into South East Asia with its outpost here in Pavilion KL. These guys are all about custom built burgers, and is certainly no fast food restaurant. Everything is made to order, and you can build your burger from choices of beef, ahi tuna, turkey, chicken breast or vegan veggie patties. Choose from six types of buns or three salad bases, and countless toppings, cheeses and sauces! Because everything is customisable, not to mention, fun, The Counter is the perfect spot for families (the kids would love this) and big groups of friends. Be sure to order a side of shoestring fries (RM7) imported from Idaho, which boast a crunch so addictive. The Counter is a pork-free restaurant and have their proteins certified halal!

One of Singapore's most popular spots for lobsters has arrived in Kuala Lumpur! With its cosy bar-resto setting, Pince & Pints opened its doors in Bangsar armed with few yet high quality dishes (RM158++ per dish), each cooked with one whole lobster shipped from US and Canada. Don't miss the irresistible Lobster Roll — generous chunks of succulent lobster meat coated gently in a garlic sauce and stuffed in a lightly toasted sweet bun. Unlike its Singapore counterpart, this KL outpost has an extra dish created for the local tastebuds called the Lobster Noodles, a rendition of the popular Chinese dish 'sang har mee'. This is the kind of place that's just great for a casual date night or a fun night out with friends, so loosen up and grab a cocktail! Oh, don't forget to make reservations, just in case.

It has finally hit our shores and your life might just change from here on out — Llaollao is here. This Spanish brand has been making waves all across the globe for years, and they certainly know how to stand out in a crowd with those signature long, green spoons. Get your monstrous froyo cravings fixed at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, and we say get yourself anything as long as it has speculoos cookie sauce on it. Starting from RM4.90, your choices are endless from crunchy nuts to fresh fruits. They also have smoothies with frozen yoghurt like Golden Plus (with a mango base) and Split (with a banana-caramel flavour) for RM18.90 each!

Hanbing Cafe strives to bring proper Korean food and desserts to Malaysia. They specialise in bingsu, where ice is shaved so smoothly it feels just like snow. Go for their blueberry cheese snow ice (RM26) or the oreo (RM24), two of the most popular choices. Before you dig in, don't forget to ask them how to do it the Korean way! Other than icy desserts, Hanbing also has a savoury menu. Give the Toppoki (RM26) a try, a classic Korean dish that is best enjoyed with cheese. Come here with a fellow Korean food loving friend, and share their set lunch for two (RM65) which comes with 3 types of toppoki, 3 types of crispy fried chicken, Korea tea and a snow ice of your choice!

The Eighth Avenue is a new bar and restaurant in Publika run by a couple who lived in Perth for 10 years. Inspired by their experiences and an interest to venture into the F&B scene in Malaysia, they create quality dishes at a decent price point. Start off with Angels & Demons (RM14.90), a super popular salmon and bacon bar bite. For mains, go for their rendang pork rice served with charred nasi impit (RM37.90) or Cheeky Beef (RM35.90) — tender braised beef cheeks served with sautéed vegetables and potatoes for something mind-blowing yet comforting. Come here after work with your colleagues, or gather your friends here on a Friday night, there are plenty of drinks on The Eighth Avenue's menu cure your weary soul.

For those of you who just can't get enough of soft serve, p.s. Tokyo, located at an upper corner shoplot in SS2 should be next on your list. Located at an upper-corner shoplot in SS2. The soft serves go at RM9.90 for regular-sized cups or RM6.90 for smaller portions, with flavours such as hojicha and matcha! Pair your soft serves with hot tea — matcha, hojicha or genmaicha (RM6.90) — to finish off with a warm tummy before you leave.

The next time you're craving a seriously good steak, consider this humble curbside stall. There really is no need for a white tablecloth or candlelight, all you need is one succulent, flawlessly-seared steak to render a party in your mouth, and this is exactly what you get at Wild Wild East. Its straightforward menu comprises a spread of meats from beef to chicken and lamb, all cooked on the spot at their humble stall by the street. A minimum order of 200g is required for their wagyu (RM26/100g) and angus (RM18/100g) steaks, which are accompanied by sides of grilled vegetables and either garlic bread or soba. Open from 6.30pm to 1am everyday (except Sunday), this is THE place to be for a casual after-work dinner or supper to satisfy those steak cravings without burning a hole in your wallet!

One step into Rak Somtam, and you'll be transported to Thailand. Not only does the decor boast authenticity, the food here is bound to hit the spot every time you crave a good Thai meal. The food here is great for sharing, and the setting allows for groups 8-10 to dine comfortably together. From something steamy and comforting like a bowl of hot and spicy tom yum (RM19.90) to a simple, flavour-packed Papaya Salad (RM12.90), you and your friends are up for a good meal! Don't miss their sinfully crispy Thai Prawn Cakes with Sweet Chilli (RM16.90) and their Braised Pork Leg (RM21.90) which is so tender that it falls apart at the gentle touch of a fork. Finish off with their coconut ice cream (RM10.90) for a perfect ending.

Bean Brothers is a cafe concept hailing all the way from Korea, and is fast becoming a favourite spot for those who need a good caffeine hit. This two-storey warehouse lot boasts and industrial, unfinished vibe, and is a cool sanctuary with plenty of seats and picture-perfect corners. Their coffee, be it black, white or filtered, is sold at a flat rate of RM12 each! Go for either one of their house blends, Black Suit or Velvet White, both of which are great for black or white coffees. If you're a fan of filtered coffee, their single origin is changed monthly to ensure a new experience each time you come back! Best part is, there are power points at almost every table, and stable Wifi to boot. Now you know where to go to catch up on some work, or have a group meeting!

From Singapore to Penang to Kuala Lumpur, 1 Mont Kiara Mall is now home to Real Food, a meat-free cafe and grocer catering to your organic and health food needs — cooked or raw. This is a great spot for groups who prefer a healthier, more organic food options. For something tummy-warming to begin with, go for the Pure Pumpkin Soup (RM12) which comes with some sourdough to dunk. Pick a pasta as your main, a good choice would be the Mushroom Aglio Olio (RM22) served with a good handful of organic mushrooms. Finish with their vegan Brown Rice Ice Cream (RM13 per scoop) — who said you can't have healthy ice cream?

Slappy Cakes believes that you should have fun not only when you eat but also while cooking your own food! Imagine being able to design and cook your own pancakes — without needing to do any dishes. All you have to do is select a batter, add the fillings, flip, and eat! Their batters range from whole wheat to peanut butter and even chocolate (RM12 for each serving). You can then flavour your pancakes with a variety of sweet and savoury toppings like granola, blueberries and chicken sausages (RM3 - 3.50)! Perfect for a fun family meal, treat the kids to creative, tasty experience.