Serai @ Paradigm Mall

It was a lovely Saturday afternoon when I booked myself in for a haircut at Hair Texture, Taman Megah. It was about time I give my tangled locks a trim and trust me, you can't go wrong at Hair Texture. 

After 2 hours of snipping - I was ravenous. You see, I only had an orange and some biscuits for breakfast and lunch. Don't ask - woke up late, no food at home, late for appointment. Period.

Plus, there's no way I would let myself go home without flaunting my new hairdo right? 

So, my next pit stop brought me to.....

Serai

Serai (or Lemongrass) is known for its classic Malaysian menu - from Nasi Kerabu and Rendang Tok to Mee Goreng Mamak and Sang Har Yin Yong.

Fret not if you're in the mood for something apart from the typical Malaysian delights, there's also a wide range of Western mains, pastas and English desserts to tickle your tastebuds.

The menu is typically half Asian and half Western - a confused combination I know, but I ain't complaining. The more the merrier right? 

For those unfamiliar with Paradigm Mall, there's a high chance that you might get lost looking for the place.

Oddly, this restaurant is not connected to the main mall, but rather accessible via an escalator at Oasis Boulevard, next to Uncle K and where Bulgogi Brothers, TGIF and The loaf is located. 

Notwithstanding, I have always thought the Mall to be badly designed anyway - I wasn't surprised, really. 

I immediately felt at ease upon stepping into Serai. The place was clean, cozy and sleek. The light wooden furnitures and symmetric counter tops complemented the theme altogether. It did reminded me fondly of Lavender in 1 Utama - once upon a time.

I snuggled into a cushioned seat at a cozy corner right away.

 

This narrow walkway, with warm rays of evening sunlight, beaming in at the right angles - was just so picturesque. 

Apparently, I wasn't the only one who thought so. There were many others, who stood right at the same spot, trying to get a similar shot as well!

It was merely 6pm when we arrived and the place was still quite empty. But by the time we were halfway through our meal, the place reached its full seating capacity and there were still a steady stream of people walking in and out of the restaurant - betting on luck I guess, trying to get a seat.

Creamy Penne Pesto Chicken. Rm21.00.

My creamy pesto was a total dinner-stealer. The pasta cooked al-dente and the pesto sauce was done creamy. I had so much fun scooping up the penne with a spoon rather than a fork, two at a time, before popping it into my mouth - It was a delish.



After rounds of scooping and stopping for small chit chats in between, I looked down at my half-finished plate and realised - I will never be able to finish this. It got a little too overwhelming and creamy. A great start to the meal though.

Sang Har Yin Yong. Rm19.00.

First and foremost, I wouldn't call this dish Sang Har Ying Yong. Those are merely prawns, not sang har and where's the yin to the yong? where's the kueh teow? (Trying hard to withhold sarcasm)

Okay, apart from the baffled naming convention, the dish was delicious. The prawns were bouncy, the thick gravy exude flavors of savory sweetness and the dried noodles added a crunch to the overall experience. I've always enjoyed crispy noodles, hence I'm a little bias.

Pandan Banana Fritters. Rm13.00.

While I was placing my order earlier, I took a sneak peek at the adjacent table and saw the most equisite looking banana fritters being served, hence I decided to call the dessert together with my mains - I rarely do, but this calls for an exception.


Pandan Banana Fritters or in other words, Pisang Goreng. A pretty hefty price to pay for pisang goreng don't you think? The crumbed coating was crispy and a little on the thicker side compared to what I usually prefer, but the banana was very fresh. That said, I wouldn't rush to order this again.


I was feeling so sleepy afterwards - probably from the creamy pesto, I decided to head over to Pacific Coffee for a cuppa since there really isn't much places that serves decent coffees in Paradigm Mall. I have placed a self-ban on Starbucks. Needless to say, it didn't wake me up but it did gave my taste buds a bitter wake up call.

Full menu available Here.

Overall Rating: 7/10. The prices aren't the cheapest, but our meals were substantial. I think most diners don't mind paying a bit more for the comfort of a cozy environment nonetheless. I'd like to return on another weekend for a leisure dinner.

Serai is located at:
Lot 07, Level 1 Boulevard, Paradigm Mall,
No.1, Jalan SS7/26A, Kelana Jaya,
47301 Petaling Jaya.
E info@seraigroup.com.my
P +603.7887.3707

Exit from The Loaf, you will see Uncle K next to it. Right next to Uncle K, there's an escalator hidden at the side that will lead you up to Serai. Dying to try Uncle K next!