Morganfields

Morganfields is a higher end restaurant with the appearance of an old basement-level coffee shop in a run-down part of town. But in KL, it is located on the 4th level of Pavilion, above the alfresco dining area. There is dining on the balcony, at the long bar, on bar stools up front, or tables in the back. No matter where you sit, though, you get some pretty good food.

I would classify the restaurant as a steak house without an emphasis on steaks...kind of like a mix between Tony Roma's and T.G.I. Friday's. There are steaks and pastas and even a few Tex-Mex dishes. We came here for a buka puasa meal as it was one of the only places with available seating at that time. After ordering (and subsequently deciding that we didn't care), we found out that was because it serves pork!

There was almost nothing for vegetarians so I had the beer-battered fish and fries. Simple and fairly plain-tasting. I've had better elsewhere, but nothing bad about this dish. The coleslaw, which I normally don't eat very much of, was quite good. I also ordered a bowl of corn chips and salsa as an appetizer since we were hungry and didn't want to wait until the main course came to eat. Unfortunately, it arrived after the mains. Other than the slow and erratic service, we couldn't really figure out why it took so long to "cook" a bowl of corn chips. We were full after finishing and, even though the desserts looked nice, couldn't put anymore food down.

Generally, the prices are a little more expensive than Tony Roma's and Friday's, but I think the food tastes better at those other places. And the service is a bit better there too. Morganfields has a nice concept, but it still needs to work out its kinks. I'd eat here again if someone specifically wanted to try it, but I'm not sure I would recommend it enthusiastically.

My rating: 3 stars

Morganfields
C4.03.00, Level 4,
Pavilion Mall
55100 Kuala Lumpur

Web site: http://www.morganfields.com/
Telephone: (+6) 03-2141 3192
Open from 10am until 12am

Amarin

Amarin is a Thai restaurant located on the 2nd floor in the North Court of the MidValley Megamall. The mall is just off the Persekutuan and East-West Highways and has a KTM train stop (just one stop away from KL Sentral on the Seremban line). There are also free shuttles from beneath the Bangsar LRT station (which is walking distance to the mall if you are a little crazy and don't mind walking alongside the highway and crossing its onramps).

Inside the restaurant, the ambiance is nice and modern with Thai touches. It has that sort of look...made to look really fancy, but done on the cheap. Still, sitting on the sofas with colorful cushions makes it easy to sink back and get comfy after finishing a meal here.

Service was OK and the staff was friendly. I believe they were mostly Filipino, and not Thai, though! On weekdays it is fairly empty, but it does fill up on weekends.

The food was good overall. It is not the best Thai food in Malaysia, but there was nothing to complain about either. I'd recommend trying the Mieng Kam as an appetizer. It won't fill you up, but it will definitely wake up your the taste buds. As for mains, the usual range of Thai fare is on offer. I had the most common dish--pad thai...yes boring, but it was flavorful.

The cost for the dishes was similar to the other restaurants neighboring it. Prices for mains, however, start at about RM17 and go up so it is not a cheap dining option compared to what you can find elsewhere. Still, if you are in MidValley and have a craving for good Thai food, this is the place to get it.

My rating: 3 stars

Amarin Thai
Mid Valley Megamall
Level 2, North Court
59200 Kuala Lumpur

Web site: http://www.midvalley.com.my/
Telephone: (+6) 03-2938-3187
Open from 10am until 10pm

Annalakshmi

Annalakshmi is an Indian restaurant attached to the Temple of Fine Arts in Brickfields. It takes about 5-10 minutes to walk here from KL Sentral Monorail station. Otherwise, there is parking beneath the building or on the streets in front of it near the Vihara.

The restaurant is quite large and fancy-looking. There is a basic dress code in place (no open-toed shoes and so on), but I did see a few delinquents dining there anyway. The concept is a buffet and drinks can be ordered from the waiters (and water is provided).

The choice of food was quite wide. Throw some rice and pappadom on your plate and go from there. Stir-fried cauliflower and potatoes, seasoned veggies, sambhar, dhall, and several curries give you plenty of options. If after stuffing yourself there is still room left in your belly, the desserts (caramelized bananas, warm tapioca pudding, etc.) are phenomenal too.

Yes, this is an all-veggie fare, and it is one of the best non-banana leaf Indian veggie meals I've ever had. At the end of the meal, you pay however much you feel like. There is no bill presented. It is up to you to pay what you think is fair. I'm sure there is a lot of abuse in this system. For me, I tend to over-pay out of guilt of paying too little. Then my friends scold me for being too generous! Either way, it is highly recommended for a good, clean Indian vegetarian meal.

My rating: 5 stars

Annalakshmi
116 Jln Berhala Brickfields
Temple of Fine Arts
Kuala Lumpur
Open 11:30am-3pm, 6:30-10pm on Tue-Sun
(closed Mondays)