After One KL — Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur

Leave so much to be desired ... But worth checking out

Long weekend and school holiday - with many people going out of town to celebrate the long holiday, what is more appropriate than going for cafe hopping? Initially feeling worried that it would be jam packed by the time we arrived at 10am - you know, because everyone might want to visit this refurbished bungalow-turned-cafe off Jalan Yap Kwan Seng - I took my chance and it wasn't as bad as I imagined it would be.

Occupying the entire building on a rather big piece of land in this premium location, After One might soon be the social media magnet for its tastefully decorated interior plus exterior. I was afforded to take pictures of the premise as there were not many customers of the day, yet! With many instagram-able corners, inside and outside, there are bound to be someplace where one can unleash creativity.

◾A.O. Big Breakfast RM40 - 2 eggs your way, nurnburger chicken sausage, beef bacon, fines herbed mushroom, blistered cherry tomatoes & sourdough toast. While they complied with my request to change the beef bacon to Turkey ham which I appreciated, the whole assemble just didn't work well for me. Firstly, the scrambled egg was overly done which was already a turn off because I love my eggs. Secondly the sausages were a tad salty - and this was conveyed to me by my daughter. ◾Egg in a hole RM29 - tomato shokupan, turkey ham, cheddar cheese, strawberries salad. The feedback was "cheese tasted too pungent and generic" from the eldest daughter. She just focused on the sweet potato fries and salad instead. ◾Soup du Jour RM18 - it happened to be pumpkin soup which they nailed in terms of flavour and texture. ◾Coffee - she wasnt impressed by her flat white which priced similar to some of the good coffee roasters out there, and my long black was a bit diluted. ◾Jawa Pandan Coffee RM15 - espresso, pandan, milk & homemade gula melaka. The kid loves it.

The positive factor was their team who tried to make our visit welcoming. The food definitely needs fine-tuning and hope they get everything right soon. Their pastries and cakes look...

To whom it may concern,

I am writing to express my utter shock and deep disappointment over the appalling negligence displayed at your establishment, After One KL Café — a place that boldly markets itself as "pet friendly," yet has rat poison visibly placed and smeared on the floor within reach of animals and potentially children.

During my recent visit, my senior dog — who was happily roaming, as any pet would in a so-called pet-welcoming environment — came dangerously close to the poison. Had I not noticed it, she could have easily ingested or come into direct contact with the toxic substance. In a panic, I had to immediately leave and rush her home to wash her down in fear that something might happen. No pet owner should have to endure that kind of anxiety, especially not in a place that claims to be safe for animals.

When I raised this with your staff, the response was even more disturbing: I was told that placing poison is part of your “SOP.” I am astounded that placing poison openly in an accessible area — in a pet-friendly café, no less — is being justified as standard practice. So what now? Will you only revise this grossly irresponsible policy when a dog falls ill, a cat dies, or worse, a child picks it up?

This is not just careless — it is dangerous, reckless, and inexcusable.

To offer me a dining voucher in return is an insult. There will be no "next time." I would never endanger my pet again by stepping foot in your establishment. Your management should be held accountable, and unless immediate changes are made, I will not hesitate to raise this issue publicly and with the relevant health and safety authorities.

This kind of negligence should not be tolerated by any customer — pet owner or not.

Attached with a picture that I have circled ( rat...

I remember my first time going to After One KL. They had just started operation for a few days when I visited on the weekend. At that point of time, the food wasn't memorable probably because the kitchen was still new and needed fine-tuning.

Fast forward 2 years later and I revisited this bungalow-turned-cafe once again after finished shopping spree at Popular's Book Fest in KLCC nearby. Everything is just the way I remembered it to be. But let the food did the talking.

◾Moroccan Chicken RM34 - Marrakesh spice chicken breast, tri-color quinoa, sweet potatoes, capsicums, chermoula. ◾Tuscan Salmon RM52 - 7 oz Norwegian salmon filet, tuscan kale, roasted baby potatoes, sun-dried tomato cream. ◾Lamb Merguez Quesadilla RM33 - Australian lamb shoulder, emmental cheese, pickled jalapenos, guacamole, tomatoes salsa. ◾Chicken Paillard | RM34 - Mediterranean bean stew, pounded chicken breast, frisee salad, toasted almond ◾Smashed Beef Burger RM42 - Australian ground beef, yellow cheddar cheese, caramelized onion, plckles, burger sauce, herbed potato wedges, simple salad. ◾Keto Cauliflower Bowl RM34 - Caulifower rice, roasted chicken breast, feta cheese, purple cabbage, French beans, edamames, cherry tomato, avocado, sumac dressing ◾Chelsea | RM24 - French croissant, smoked salmon, poached egg, tomato hollandaise, guacamole, arugula ◾Chicken Meatball Pasta | RM24 - Semolina spaghetti, parmesan cheese, house made marinara sauce ◾Tomato Soup RM14 ◾Autumn Peach Tea RM16

The food was much better now, in fact above average as 11 of us praised the overall quality of the food. No coffee this time as we were there to fill the tummy - we left...