Marmalade Kafe (again!) @ Bangsar Village 2

Theory of relativity, law of attraction, chemistry, the black hole, karma, destiny, Chumbawamba, Kawabunga or whatever you call it, I am always drawn to Marmalade Kafe whenever I’m in Bangsar Village 2, even when I'm not looking for healthy, comfort food. It happens so naturally. This is my 5th visit to Bangsar Village 2 and 4th visit to Marmalade. Goosebumps? Personally, I have nothing against this lovely cafe and actually find some of the dishes like the Moroccan Lamb Shank and Carrot Cake very delicious. Ranked among the best in town (in my books, at least), if I have to be more specific. But no matter how great it is, I wouldn’t intentionally spend so many weekends visiting the same cafe and neglect other potentially great eateries, right?

This time around (last Saturday afternoon), I intended to pay SuChan a visit as I wanted to confirm if the Tiramisu is really the same as Alexis’, a thought that has been haunting me for awhile now. But as I entered the restaurant, I could feel a bad vibe and the waiter confirmed that by saying that they ran out of Tiramisu. Feeling rather disappointed (to put it mildly), I came out of the restaurant, wandered about the rather quiet mall and actually stopped right in front of Marmalade!

I surrendered to fate, but promised to make full use of my visit this time around. That means having other specialties besides the lamb shank.

I’ve tried the Sounds of Havana Salad (RM14-light portion) before but since I brought along a first-timer, I thought it was only appropriate to introduce this popular item. The salad, which consisted of mainly freshly cubed juicy red & yellow capsicums, pineapple & coconut salsa, tender chicken meat, haloumi (grilled cheese) and crisphead, was visually appetizing. Lets not forget the signature alfalfa sprouts topping too. A dressing of mustard vinaigrette was almost inconspicuous, an indication of the right amount of dressing applied to the salad. A dressing drenched salad can be a nightmare. A spoonful of the colourful mixture revealed an explosion of taste, including sweetness from the vegetables and pineapple, slight richness from the dressing and savouriness of the haloumi. Textures were also aplenty, thanks to the vegetables, grated coconut and chicken meat.

Next up was the Turkey Mushroom Quiche (RM16). I have heard so much about the quiche but somehow, never tried it before. The portion was quite huge, I must say. It was warm and filled with a generous serving of mushrooms and turkey ham. Though some might find it slightly bland due to the addition of milk in the egg mixture, I actually thought the savouriness was well-maintained, with a touch of freshness (from the milk) to boost. The only thing lacking, I thought, was a dash of freshly ground black pepper. The side greens, lightly dressed in balsamic vinegar, were commendably fresh.

Consistency was well-maintained in terms of the quality of the Carrot Cake (RM9 per slice). The generous amount of ingredients such as shredded carrots and walnuts contributed their distinctive aromas and textures to the cake. I can't be sure if butter was used, but the moistness of the cake (which was just right, by the way) suggested the replacement of butter with oil. The layer of cream cheese coating on the cake was rich and slightly tangy, a good contrast to the sweet cake. Decorations or not, the crushed nuts and pumpkin seeds gave the cake even more texture and flavour. The candied orange zest was a nice touch as it exhibited a totally contrasting taste and scent to the cake. A pleasurable dessert.

I must confess that despite all the hype about cupcakes (which is now so passe, due to the emergence of donuts), I have never had one before. Since I planned to order the right dishes at Marmalade this time around, I had myself my very first cupcake (with vanilla icing) at RM5.00. At first, I scraped away all the icing (how silly of me) and directly attacked the cake, which crumbled slightly as I took my first bite. Sensing the inappropriateness of the taste (bland, I guess), my sensible mind told me to apply the icing on the cake and eat it. And I was glad I did because it tasted so much better. The icing was not too sweet nor overpowered by the vanilla flavouring. Overall, the cupcake was alright for me, but not a dessert that I would have preferred.

The ladies seemed to have enjoyed their Homemade Tea at RM7 each. The Chrysanthemum Orange Tea was richly flavoured with both the ingredients while the Chamomile Lavender Tea was rather soothing. The unadventurous me had the Ice Lemon Tea (RM6). Sad to say, that was the only beverage I managed to take a snapshot.

We also bought a piece of Strawberry Friand (RM4) for supper. I didn't have a chance to taste it as Dad snacked on it a few hours later.

The bill came up to RM88.55 for 3 pax, including the friand.

Quiche, checked. Carrot Cake, checked. Sounds of Havana, checked. Cupcake, checked. Lamb shank, checked. Lamb kofta, checked. Other non-specialties, checked. Despite the healthy, comforting yet delicious dishes, I really hope that "fate" will lead me to other eateries when I visit Bangsar Village 2 again.

Do check out my first (more optimistic and obliviousness to "fate") review on Marmalade here.

Marmalade Kafe
Lot 1F-18, 1st Floor,Bangsar Village II,
2, Jalan Telawi 1, Bangsar Baru,
59100 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: +603-22828301