Hello By Kitchen Mafia & Xiao By Crustz @ Happy Mansion Section 17 PJ

Here's a look at some of the gastronomic highlights of my weekend.

Who would have thought that a place as quiet as Happy Mansion have got so much to offer now!

We started with lunch at Hello by Kitchen Mafia, a Malaysian Fusion restaurant that I have been wanting to visit for awhile. Despite being noticeably busy and packed that afternoon, we found ourselves a table near the entrance, where we were seated for the next two hours. The glaring sun beams made me a little uneasy at first but I think I got used to it as time passed - thank god I brought along my sunglasses too.

After that, we went for dessert at the newly opened Xiao by Crustz, situated behind the block from Hello. Read about my visit at the bottom of this writeup.

Hibiscus & Lime Tapping Tapir (Rm9). Lemonade & Lengkuas Taping Tapir (Rm9). 

Duck Jerky (Rm10).

Tortilla Smoked Duck Margarita (Rm14).

100gm Minute Steak (Rm16).

Salted Egg Buttermilk Pasta With Squid (Rm22).

Overall Rating: 8.5/10. The Duck Jerky drew interest and I knew I had to order that. Despite being a tad oily and in need of an added sweet glaze, the jerky had toothsome textures and was a great appetizer to share. The Tortilla Smoked Duck Margarita and Minute Steak were equally scrumptious, though what I really liked the most was the Salted Egg Buttermilk Pasta with Squid. Generous portion that came packed with balanced yet distinctive flavors. Incredibly delicious! I'll definitely be back!

Hello by Kitchen Mafia is located at:
Address: BG7, Jalan 17/13, Happy Mansion, Section 17, 46400 Petaling Jaya.
Phone: +603 – 7932 1929
Opening Hours: 12.30pm - 11pm Daily. Closed Tuesdays.

Tea time pleasures! There're only 7 types of pastries available for the time being - it's difficult not to try it all! 

I have to note that the lack of space in this teeny-tiny dessert cafe made it impossible for me not to cringe. The indivually partitioned seating arrangements may seemed private and cozy in the beginning, though definitely not comfortable for someone as tall as me - limited leg space.

Nevertheless, the beautifully done desserts and great customer service made up for the setback.

Sweet Camomile (Rm9). Early Grey (Rm9).

Pa-Macha (Rm12) - Pate a choux, Green tea creme diplomat, Passion fruit jelly.

La Vie en Rose (Rm16) - Sable breton, Raspberry jam, Pate a choux, Rose chantily.

Earl Grey (Rm15) - Early Grey bavarois, Earl Grey ganache, Sable breton, Sacher sponge.

Overall Rating: 8/10. The sophisticated pastry descriptions probably made no sense to you - neither did it to me. All I know is that the pastries we sampled were delectable, creatively crafted and beautifully presented. That said, like all new eateries, there were some trifling problems. The La Vie en Rose was fabulous - both me and my friend agreed, however the choux pastry of the Pa-Macha was a little too crumbly for my liking, and the Earl Grey came with a biscuit base that was far too tough and dry to poke through. Neverthless, we polished everything up. For a young pastry chef heading the patisserie, I think Xiao by Crustz is off to a great start. I will be back to sample the remaining pastries soon!

Xiao By Crustz is located at:
Address: B-G-6, Section 17, Happy Mansion, Petaling Jaya, 46400 Petaling Jaya.
Phone: +6016 211 0932
Opening Hours: 12pm - 10pm Daily. Closed Monday.