The Daily Grind @ Bangsar Village

Another new restaurant in Bangsar Village area that's taken over Du Viet's old spot....

[ BEGIN EDIT ]
(Nov 2009)

I've been back recently and the burgers are still good... :) ... but there are no more free flow of french fries.
(Apparently that was just a promotion they were having when they just opened)

Oh well. Less carbs is not necessarily a bad thing, right?

Cheers,
J

[ END EDIT ]

Had read about this new gourmet burger joint in Bangsar Village and was dying to check it out (despite the mixed reviews from bloggers)... but as I walked up the Daily Grind, I was very upset to see that it had taken over Du Viet's spot in Bangsar Village Shopping Centre.
:(
(I like Du Viet!)
(I guess that's just how the F&B business is though - super dynamic and very dog eat dog... survival of the fittest!)

Anyway, onwards to the review.....

The Dinner:

The Daily Grind is located on the LG floor of the Bangsar Village shopping centre (pretty much opposite FOS). From the outside, it looks fairly unassuming with its earthy brick facade and simple glass panelling:
The Exterior of the Daily Grind ...
The seating area inside was nice and cosy - your choice between more conventional tables or cute little booth seats, all set in the dimly lit and comfortable environment:
The Interior of The Daily Grind...
(There are also a few tables outside in the "patio" area but that's the smoking section and you'll also be subjected to the sound of passing traffic on the (often) busy road)

One highlight of this eatery is the home made tomato ketchup and chili sauce:
The Home-Made Tomato Ketchup and Chili Sauce...
I guess I was expecting too much (so I was a little let down) but the chunky sauces are quite nice - tangy, fragrant with spices, not too spicy (the chili sauce) and tastes very fresh.

That night, we started our meal with the Smoked Salmon Cakes (RM 18++):
The Smoked Salmon Cakes...
The deep fried patties of smoked salmon and potatoes was mildly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside (tasted ok) - I found the serving a little small for the price though....

Ahhhh... and now for the highlight of the Daily Grind - their freshly made patties and buns (with a variety of different topping/ sauces). That night, we tried the Italian Beef Buffalo Burger (RM 34++) and the Chicken Norway Burger (RM 32++):
The Italian Buffalo Beef Burger and the Norway Chicken Burger...
The toppings for the burgers were interesting... although there were a few hits and misses (in my book):
- the Beef Burger was topped with pesto and cheese (but couldn't really taste the pesto), and
- the Chicken Burger was smothered with a pungeant cheese sauce (suspect there's blue cheese in there) and a hearty serving of smoked salmon (but I wasn't too wild about it... not sure that blue cheese+chicken+smoked salmon go so well together)

I have to admit though - the patties are wonderfully juicy! And tastes very fresh indeed.
(Both the chicken and the beef)

I'm not sure if the serving size of the burger justifies the price though...
(I mean I felt full after eating the burger but it's pretty expensive to pay about 35 bucks for it)

If you are one of those people with a voracious appetite, don't fret if you don't feel full after eating the burger - they serve a "free flow" of french fries with your order of a main
Endless bowls of yummy french fries...
Mmmmm...
And those fries were really yummy - chunkily cut, crisp on the outside and moist on the inside...
(Just the way I like 'em!)
(Me and Pat must have emptied out 2 and a half servings of it before we came to our senses)

Do try your best not to fill up on fries when you are there, as the desserts are worth a try. We sampled the Dark Chocolate Mousse (RM 12++) and the Peanut Butter Banana Pie (RM 16++):
The Peanut Butter Banana Pie and the Dark Chocolate Mousse...
I liked both the desserts:
- the chocolate mousse was silky, dense (without being too thick) and indulgent (without being too sweet or decadent),
- the peanut butter banana pie was thick, heavy and indulgent with its thick layer of sticky peanut butter balanced by the slightly lighter cream layer and sliced bananas (made me feel like a kid again).

Note: Pat and Jolyn did not like the pie very much.... They say the texture is too thick for them. I found it ok although I admit I prefer the chocolate mousse much more.

Overall, I enjoyed the food/ experience there.... It may have been a bit pricey but I suppose it's a good place to pop by for a fresh juicy gourmet burger once in a while (or more often if you can afford it - it's your bank account!).

So it's: Interesting selection of juicy gourmet burgers with interesting toppings, friendly service, cosy setting BUT nothing much bad except the food only tastes ok for the price (although the unlimited french fries helps make up for it some what).

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

The Daily Grind @ LG Floor, Bangsar Village

Taste: 6
Ambience : 6
Service : 7
Price** : RM 60/++ per person
Parking: Difficult on weekends

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-2287 6708
Opening Hours: 12pm till late

NO PORK SERVED

OTHER REVIEWS:
- A Whiff Of Lemongrass:
- She, the epicuriousgirl
- Chong's Loft
- Lots Of Cravings
- Pillow Talk With Bangsar Babe
- Christopher Sam.com


TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Reviews, The Daily Grind, Gourmet Burgers, Shopping Centre, Bangsar Village II, Bangsar Village 2, KL, Kuala Lumpur