Dapur Darling — Restaurant in Shah Alam

We recently visited this restaurant and unfortunately had a very unpleasant experience that left our family feeling deeply uncomfortable.

One of our family members is a person with disability (he is deaf). In an urgent situation, he was desperately looking for the toilet and did not notice a floor sign asking guests to remove their shoes near the prayer area where the toilet is. He did not intentionally step there with shoes on, he may overlooked the sign due to the urgency and the fact that the area was dimly lit. This was a mistake at his end but it was not done with a bad intention, instead it was an accident due to the circumstances.

He was in the toilet for quite some time and the staff repeatedly knocked on the door, but of course, being deaf, he could not hear. Instead of handling the situation with understanding and compassion, the restaurant owner came to our table several times to school us on this. What was especially inappropriate was that she addressed her remarks directly to a teenager (the daughter of the disabled person) rather than to the adults, making the child uncomfortable.

Even after explaining the situation that it was not intentional and clarified that our family member has a disability, the owner continued to confront us repeatedly in a manner that makes us uncomfortable, as if she was dissatisfied with our explanation. Later, when our disabled family shared his disappointment through a google review, the owner returned to our table again, openly ranting about it and accusing him of defaming the restaurant. At this point, we felt harassed and bullied, rather than treated as valued customers.

A restaurant should be a place of hospitality, where every guest feels welcomed and respected. Mistakes and misunderstandings can always happen, but how management responds is what truly defines the customer experience. Sadly, in this case, compassion was lacking, and the way our family—especially a disabled person—was treated was unacceptable.

We hope this feedback serves as a reminder of the importance of sensitivity, patience, and professionalism in conflict management. To the owner please take this experience as an opportunity to reflect. A restaurant is not only about food, but also about how customers...

They only open at 12:00 noon.

Hence, that became a bit of a challenge for my wife and I, as we normally go for brunches instead of lunches. But since this also happened to be a gathering of our old college mates, as Iowa State University is our alma mater, everyone made it a point to meet here.

We were the first to arrive. Some other customers had been patiently waiting outside the cafe, and we were so glad to be allowed inside 10 minutes before noon. The inside of the cafe is a gorgeous sight to behold! The beautiful English decor boasted plenty of flowery images, and it made us felt like being in a lively garden setting.

And just our luck, we managed to meet Datin, the Owner of the cafe. We had already made a booking for our party of 13, and we were assigned to the long table right in the centre. Apparently, my wife used to be a former dormmate of the Datin's sister, so they did have some stories to catch up with. Soon more of our friends started to arrive, and the friendly chats became more lively.

After going through the menu, my wife decided to order the Curry Mee, which was amongst one of the highly recommended dish. A few other friends went for the same, while another favorite dish ordered was the Nasi Goreng Petai. I decided to go for the Teriyaki Chicken Rice, as I was assured that it would not be spicy. Another favored dish was the locally inspired Seafood Char Koey Teow, which turned out to be quite delicious, as relayed by our friends.

As with any college reunions and gatherings, none of us felt like leaving early. After all it was also raining outside. Hence, we waited until 3:00 pm to finally call for the check, and continued with the mandatory photo taking session.

It was such a memorable experience, and we were very thankful to Datin and Dapur Darling for...

Dapur Darling, a contemporary vibe, along with a cozy feeling of home already gives a good impression. A waitress greeted me at the entrance and the sound of classical music dancing through my ears as i walk in.

I scanned the Selangkah QR code, got my body temperature checked and was given a pump of hand sanitiser to clean my hand. Respect to the workers who follow the new norm of wearing mask. 10 stars!

The menu overwhelmed me mentally and physically made my stomach grumbled. My eyes ran through the menu, still not able to decide what should be ordered

From their authentic malaysian cuisine (chef recommendation: char kuey teow) to western cuisine (chef recommendation: chicken chipotle), i can't decide what to choose! Thus i went with both recommendation dishes. By the way, i can "tapau" if it is not finished. No harm.

The amount of garnishes that went with the Char Kuey Teow were alot! That's a bargain. The scrumptious chicken chipotle was so crunchy though i had it 3 hours later (tapau, kan.) The sauce was flavourful with the sweet honey and other spices which made me asked for extra sauce.

Dessert, chocolate pudding specially made by Chef Darling. The creaminess of the pudding covering my mouth palates, all the tastebuds were drown by the chocolate taste. It is incredible!

Service wise, 10 stars! The waiter would come and ask if would like some plain water and will come again after some time. Hydration is key! I had 4 glasses of water thanks to her.

The location is just in my neighbourhood and having a good place that feels like home to chill and relax myself is something to be...