Update: M1 Star Cafe has unfortunately closed down early 2017.
The visit to M1 Star Cafe was prompted by The Worthy Book which had discount vouchers of 25% off the bill. Located in Damansara Uptown, it's closer to the Damansara Hokkien Mee shop so park closer to that end of the shoplot row or be prepared for a long walk.
M1 Star Cafe, a fairly new cafe opened in June 2015, originated from Melaka with the original outlet named One Star. The head chef in Melaka, Datin Kathy Wong earned 1 Michelin Star in 2013 for Laut, a Malaysian restaurant in New York City. Searches online can't confirm whether Laut has managed to maintain that Michelin Star since then but they remain on the Michelin Guide with a Bib Gourmand rating.
We decided to order a main dish each with 2 ala carte dishes for some variety. The portions here are huge and worth the money - good for families who want to share dishes.
Fried well but not seasoned well, the Saba Shio lacked shio (salt) but was easily corrected by some soy sauce. The fish itself was fresh, flaky and not oily.
The Chicken Kiev is their specialty - boneless chicken thigh wrapped around some parsley garlic butter and fried to golden perfection. I have to admit - my mouth watered just looking at that beautiful breaded shell.
When you cut into it, the butter will start to ooze out revealing tender and moist meat on the inside. Buttery flavors with a hint of freshness from the parsley, smooth chicken meat with crunchy breadcrumbs is a new medley previously foreign to me. The butter stays encased in the chicken until you cut into it and comes with a 'caution hot!' warning.
All sets come with rice or fries (to change to fries or mash potato, add RM1.20), a salad and a drink. For drinks, there is an option of Lemon Tea, Green Tea, Passion Fruit Juice (actually cordial) or Honey Lemon for the set.
Japanese Curry Katsu Chicken (RM15.90) set came with rice, coleslaw and a drink. It was a nice portion of boneless chicken which was not too oily but I needed more curry sauce to go with it. They gladly obliged with my request.
LC's Chicken Butter Garlic Teriyaki (RM15.90) set came with rice, a salad with onion dressing and a drink as well. I'm not particularly fond of teriyaki sauce because it's usually quite sweet. This teriyaki sauce however had butter and garlic slices in it which balanced out the sweetness and added a new dimension to it. No wonder this dish is recommended.
We had no problems at all using the Worthy Book voucher here. Presented the voucher and at the snap of the fingers, 25% off the meal. I can't complain about a the quality of the food and the price paid. (I may have exaggerated the snap of the fingers bit)
Despite having ties to a 1 Michelin Star restaurant, M1Star Cafe is a no-frills outlet with simple, wholesome food without causing you to break the bank. Their menu options are pretty extensive covering both western and Japanese dishes so there's plenty to choose from. If you're in the area, do drop by for a decent meal at a decent price.