VCR Mont Kiara — Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur

This latest spot from VCR is probably my favorite of them all. Good pastries, decent coffee and excellent brunch dishes. What makes it really worthwhile is their dine in area is all outdoor which has good ventilation without feeling the heat. Services was also really on point, with good natured staff always extending their hospitality. While their brunch dishes may seem limited, each one is a gem on its own. The smoked salmon bagel with cream cheese with its classic combination works really well and the famed sweet savory french toast is to die for. Even the "boring" omelette is silky, creamy.

Of course, one cannot miss the pastries and baked good while being here. A lot of very good/interesting items. Their umami stick with savory sweet combo really works, the almond croissant were also a hit. Most will probably complain about the matcha croissant being pricey but I find that if you treat it like a treat item, you will find it really well worth the price. Neither the matcha nor the white chocolate dominates each other but ended up complementing each other.

From this review, you could probably tell that I have been here more than once and definitely a winner in terms of attracting a crowd at 8 am on a weekend!...

VCR Bakehouse is one of our go-tos whenever in KL. The branch we frequent is located at Shoplex in Mont Kiara right in front of the condo we stay at whenever visiting.

This Danish inspired cafe/bakery helmed by Ivan Koh and his young crew now has a growing line-up of European breads and pastries. The VCR brand is well-respected and patronized. It now has several shop locations.

We came for brunch. It went beyond my expectations. Reminded me a lot of Wildflour back home, only cheaper. The Manzkes may have their Michelin star already with one of their US restaurants but given time, this group of young bakers and food wizards just might snag their own.

We had the following items for brunch: Croissant Loaf Benedict MYR35, Omelette MYR25, Beetroot and Market Greens MYR25, Sourdough Toast with Maple Butter MYR12 and a couple of Flat Whites MYR14 each.

The ingredients were fresh especially the salad greens. The taste was fantastic. The layering of flavor and texture, well executed. I ended up liking a lot the dish I initially thought I'd hate, the Beetroot Salad. There was no earthy flavor or "lasang lupa" at all. It was nicely pickled and came off...

The most horrendous and overpriced brunch I ever had. Looks like a patisserie, smells like a patisserie but the taste of the food is lacklustre. Spend your money in that famous patisserie in Pavillion.

Breaking down why this place is a sham:

The croissant is RM8.00 before tax, it is dry, too many layers till it crumbles, no hint of French butter, not even chewy on the inside I don't know what I ate.

The pastry selection looks great and again all too dry and some are just plain sweet with no balance, and lack of French butter. All pastry are nicely worded and described nicely, but just fail miserably in taste. Pricing is at least RM 12.00 before tax per piece

The meals, the omelette sourdough , the egg looks cooked on the outside but undercooked inside, raw eggs don't taste that great. The salmon bagel, the texture of the bagel was hard, can't even cut in with the knife and just dry. Pricing for each dish which is as small as a kids platter average at RM20.00 before tax.

The brunch was so uninspiring and disappointed that I had to drive down to gardens for roast duck at another...