The Yum List

03/09/2026

Can you really put blue cheese, truffle and olive into a cocktail and make it appealing? If you are the team at JungleBird, you can. If you are a true foodie (or cocktailie?), you must try the Blue Bird #2.

That and much more, including a cocktail list that now has more than rum, a speed cocktail-making competition (happening today), Jolly O'Clock (best value full-strength cocktails in town), and a new nosh menu on theyumlist.net today.

01/09/2026

Semuka Café at Seri Negara, KL

We went to Semuka Café at Seri Negara expecting a quiet brekkie. Arriving shortly after 9 am without a reservation, we got a table. By the time we left around 11 am, the place was packed.

The setting is beautiful. Seri Negara’s restored heritage rooms make dining feel rather grand. Dress up. The location warrants it. There’s plenty of free parking, and it’s worth a walk around the outside of the building to admire the views.

We tried the Claypot Duck Rice (RM33.64), with roasted Bidor duck, kailan and chicken broth. The duck was delicious, but despite the claypot presentation, there was no crispy rice crust underneath. It was also a slightly awkward dish to tackle elegantly in the refined setting, given the bones, fat and fingers required.

The Cekodok Pisang (RM17.40) was more straightforwardly successful. Small banana doughnuts. Sinful. Yum.

Coffee: a Flat White (RM13.92), a dark, robust roast with a bitter-chocolate finish. Well-made, although a darker roast than I personally prefer.

Service was polite but a bit hesitant during our visit.

Would we go back? For the food and coffee alone, probably not (don’t get me wrong, the food was not bad at all, just not destination worthy on its own). For the chance to sit inside one of Kuala Lumpur’s most interesting heritage properties, enjoy a decent meal and spend a morning at beautiful Seri Negara, yes.

Reservations are advisable, particularly at weekends. Semuka Café serves no pork and no alcohol.

We’ve put the full review, menu prices, what we ordered, parking and practical details on theyumlist.net. Read it before you go.

29/08/2026

Chef Rodrigo Serrano on Nikkei Cuisine, Michelin Recognition, and Bringing Peru’s “Todas las Sangres” Story to Kuala Lumpur
https://www.theyumlist.net/2026/08/rodrigo-serrano-chef-de-cuisine-dip-nikkei.html

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26/08/2026

Finally! A great cup of coffee in Perdana Botanical Gardens, Kuala Lumpur. Jaga Café at Kiosk Teratai pours Curate Coffee Roasters' Monday Blues blend, a Brazilian roast with nutty, cocoa notes. Flat whites, savoury and sweet bagels, and a lakeside deck under the trees.

Parking, walking routes, prices and full review on theyumlist.net.

23/08/2026

Federico Asaro, founder of Samadhi Retreats and Tamarind Restaurants, on the Adriatic roots behind Warung Putih Cucina Italiana, his family-style Italian restaurant in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.

https://www.theyumlist.net/2026/08/federico-asaro-on-warung-putih-italian-food-in-bangsar.html

21/08/2026

Riverview Village Restaurant, Ampang

A word of warning first. The turn-off for Lorong Embun 2 is easy to miss. If you do, there’s no quick way back. You have to continue on the Ulu Kelang, loop around and come back down, and cross your fingers that the Middle Ring Road doesn't add too much traffic to the fun. Go when the roads are quieter and keep an eye out for the turn.

Once you get there, it’s worth the effort. This is a Cantonese restaurant best known for its Roasted Goose (Upper, RM79), served with plum sauce and jus. We also ordered the Homemade Spinach Beancurd (RM35) - very yum.

Food was decent, but the setting was a real surprise. Staff were clearing debris from the stream beside the restaurant when we arrived. By sunset, the water was running clear through the greenery. It's a pretty view as the golden sun sets.

Service was exceptional, worth celebrating especially in this city.

We visited in early March, and this post is later than usual, so take the prices as a guide rather than gospel.

If you’re planning a visit, go when traffic is lighter, watch for the turn-off and try to arrive before sunset - part of the appeal is the picturesque view. The Roasted Goose and Spinach Beancurd are both good orders.

Open daily, 11:00 to 15:00 and 18:00 to 23:00. Non-halal. Private rooms available.

6 & 8, Lorong Embun 2, Kuala Ampang, 68000 Ampang, Selangor. +6 012-681 0168

17/08/2026

Almaty in summer: wide tree-lined streets, mountains on every horizon, and a dining and wine scene we did not expect.

Eight nights here and we were not ready to leave.

Read the full guide on The Yum List — where to eat, drink, stay and everything in between.

15/08/2026

Michael Spariosu, Wine Director of Cinnamon Group, on fair pricing, low-sulphite viticulture, and pairing wine with South Asian spice. Full interview on The Yum List.

13/08/2026

Inside Arba Wine, the Almaty estate turning Soviet-era, phylloxera-free vineyards into some of Kazakhstan’s most awarded bottles. Full story on The Yum List today.

10/08/2026

TheM Amalty – A sommelier-run bistro where the wine list gets the headlines, but the pasta earns its own. Full story on The Yum List.