Lancelot Tea-Guild @ Bandar Sunway

Although my friends and I are more of a coffee lover, we decided to have tea for a change when we met up last Saturday (since our last tea meet up was more than five months ago at Two Scones One Cup).

I chose this place, Lancelot Tea-Guild @ Bandar Sunway, after spotting it featured on eatdrinkkl...and remembered being enchanted with the looks of the place.  A check on their Facebook Page revealed that they've been around since December last year.

Stepping into this English-inspired tea house, I was pleasantly surprised to find a cafe of two halves with contrasting decor and ambience between the front and inner part of the cafe.  The front portion of the cafe was modern and sleek with clean white lines (from the walls to the counter, table and chairs).  I especially loved the pristine white wallpaper on the walls.

The inner portion, on the other hand, was medieval in style with portraits of knights in shining armour and shields adorning the walls.  It was dark and warm with comfortable plush red sofas and armchairs.  It was like a medieval kingdom set in a modern world! ;)

It was 3.30pm by the time we got there and the place was packed at that hour...that's because they have high tea sets (3pm - 6pm during weekends) @ RM68 (Tea for Two).  Probably the seats of choice for the afternoon tea would be those big plush sofas and armchairs that are really comfortable for you to sink into and relax. But, if you intend to have a meal, I would suggest those white table and chairs instead that seem more comfortable since the seats aren't as low.

Since there weren't such seating available, we had to take the last table with these tufted couches instead.  In the end, it wasn't all that bad...and we ended up having our late lunch in really comfortable chairs...hehe! :D

Unfortunately, that table also happened to be beneath a chandelier with surrounding blue lights....so, my apologies if the photos are tinged with a blue hue >.<

Their a la carte menu offers anything from starters to soups, salads, snacks, sandwiches, main courses and desserts.  When I got down to ordering, I quickly noticed that none of the dishes on the menu were the ones that first enticed me on eatdrinkkl's blog.  I immediately gestured for help and a pretty young lady (one of the owners, perhaps?) came to my aid.  I told her, "your dishes are different from the ones I saw on a blog"....and 'lo and behold', she completed my sentence...."different from the ones you saw on eatdrinkkl?"  She then told me that those dishes are part of the revised menu which will only be available starting next week (which should be launched by the time this blog post comes out).

It was my mistake for "jumping the gun" and not taking note of the date in eatdrinkkl's blog.  She later came back with the 'soon to be launched' set meal menu offering three of the dishes I saw on eatdrinkkl.  And then, like 'music to my ears', she said they were willing to prepare them for us if that's what we want.  Yes, yes...that's what we want....all three sets, pleeeeeze!  Hmmm, I wonder if that makes us the first paying customers of the new menu :)

Since there were four of us, I ordered an extra dish of Fish & Chips @ RM19.90 featuring almond coated crispy fish fillets served with french fries and tartar sauce.  No complaints on this simple dish which my friend's little kid was happy to help wolf down.

All the set meals came with a starter of Mushroom Soup.  Although we ordered only three set meals, four mushroom soups came which I highlighted to the server.  In the end, the server told us 'no worries' and to consume the extra bowl with compliments from them.

I found the soup to have the right thickness and consistency...just nice and creamy.  The meal started promisingly with a very decent mushroom soup.

The first main course of our set meal to arrive was the Pan-Fried Chicken with Rosemary Gravy @ RM25.90 served with slivers of a medly of softened vegetables comprising of eggplant, yam bean, carrot, green and yellow zucchinis.

The rolled chicken thigh was tender and well seasoned.  I loved the rosemary infused brown gravy which was nice and flavourful...so good!  You can't go wrong with a simple dish of pan-fried chicken with a good jus.

Next up was the Salmon Infused with Apple & Pomegranate @ RM29.90.  You get a thin slice of poached salmon topped with a mixture of cooked, softened fruits and some greens.  The plating and presentation was certainly a feast for the eyes with bursts of colours...of red cherry tomatoes, black olives, yellow sauce, green frisee and some red, blue and yellow flowers thrown in.

The slow-cooked salmon (without skin) was respectably executed and remained moist and juicy.  The accompanying saffron sauce had zesty and refreshing notes and complemented the salmon perfectly.

Our third and final main course was the Honey Glazed Lavender Lamb Rack @ RM29.90 for two lamb racks served with mint sauce.  My friends loved the tenderness and flavour of the lamb racks (although not beautifully frenched like the ones I saw in eatdrinkkl but, then again, there's no cause for complaint since they weren't even supposed to serve this menu until the following week).

The vegetables of purple, orange, green and yellow (eggplant, carrots, green and yellow zucchinis) again was aesthetically pleasing and added a splash of colour to the dish.

The meal came to a befitting end with a dessert of Scones with Tea Ice Cream. 

We weren't told and couldn't quite make out what house-made tea-flavoured ice creams were served that day with the set meal.  One tasted cherry or strawberry like (menu says it's cherry blossom) while the other, very mild in taste, could possibly be Morrocan Mint or Apple Elderflower Tea (based on the colour and the menu)...but it was all good! ;)

Of course, as the name of the cafe implies, you can't leave without tasting some of their teas and here were our choices.  Check out this cool apparatus for brewing teas.

The first was from their English Tea menu, Very Very Berry @ RM16.90 which is a blend of elderberries, grapes, blueberries, blackcurrants and hibiscus flower.  This obviously had an intense fruity berries flavour, otherwise it wouldn't be called Very Very Berry...hehe! :D  If you like your teas very fragrant, fruity and strong, then this one could be for you.

We also tried one of their Cold Brew Teas, Gunpowder Green @ RM12.90.  I think this is more suitable for someone who likes their tea really, really light.

Finally, we went with two Tea Mocktails, the first was Berry Promegranate @ RM14.90 coz you know how I like my berry-licious drinks! ;D

The second was the Jasmine Lemonade @ RM14.90.  You can taste the berries flavour in the first and lemon in the second.  Both drinks were truly refreshing and absolutely lovely on a hot day.

My Personal Opinion

This place offers accessible "atas" (luxury) dining but at affordable prices (check with offpeak.my for discounts) with a great decor and ambience to boot.  Service is friendly and engaging.

The portions of food may be a tad small (for hefty-eaters) but know that they come in wallet-friendly prices. What more can you ask of a main dish that's priced under RM30 which also comes with a starter and dessert. My favourites were the salmon and chicken dishes.

So, if you want the feel of medieval dining atmosphere, why not go on a knight's quest to Lancelot...it'll certainly be a knight (or, in our case, an afternoon) to remember! ;D

Lancelot Tea-Guild
No 5A Nadayu 28 Dagang

Jalan PJS 11/7 Bandar Sunway
47620 Subang Jaya
Selangor
Tel: 03-5613 6639

Revisit: Map's @ Bandar Sunway

My first visit to Map's @ Bandar Sunway was when I attended a cousin's (on my husband's side) daughter's first birthday celebration (a private function).....you can read my earlier review here.
 

As I was very pleased with the food on that visit, I wanted to revisit and (so) brought my friends there for a late lunch last Saturday afternoon.  This time I got to sit at this somewhat secluded corner which was aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
 

The last time I was here, I had a taste of their pork meatballs (as it was part of the pre-prepared food) and I remembered that it tasted awesome.  So, I ordered the Map's Pork Balls @ RM15.  For this, you get 6 pcs of house-made meatballs with a brown stock herbed gravy, roasted potatoes and salad.  I can't gush enough of their meatballs...it's flavourful and moist...and that brown gravy is just oh-so-delicious!

The next entrée was a reorder (as I loved it the last time I had it)...the Porky Pancake @ RM15.  This came with 2 slices of pancake, layered with strips of crispy bacon, a sunny side up egg and roasted potatoes, served with honey on the side.  The egg was done perfectly, with crispy edges and a runny yolk.
 

Let me move the egg away :D so that you can have a better look of the nicely caramelised bacon underneath.  I absolutely loved their roasted potatoes, something so simple but made well...soft and fluffy on the inside, crispy on the outside!
 

Then we had the Piggy-Going-Nuts-Sandwich @ RM18.  This is their slow braised pulled pork with peanut sauce, tomatoes and cheese on fluffy homemade bread plus rustic roast potatoes and salad.  When you have the words 'slow braised' and 'pulled pork', you know you're in for some tender meat...and it was just that!  It was also obvious that the bottom pc of the bread would be the one that everyone would want as it has soaked up all the goodness of the braising liquid.

Our final order was the Homemade Bruschetta with Bacon @ RM13 which came topped with crisp bacon, melted mozzarella cheese, sliced fresh tomatoes and julienned fresh basil on a bed of 2 large strips of toasted bread.  I really loved the well toasted bread...soft and airy on the inside with a totally crispy crust...OMG!!  Tomato, basil, bacon and cheese.....a winning combo, for sure.  There's also a version with mushrooms...but who would want that when you have a bacon option! :D

I actually had this the last time I was here but since it was served 'buffet' styled (for the party), it was compromised due to its prolonged exposure to air but not this time (no siree)!  It was absolutely divine...served piping hot, with the mozzarella cheese just melting, the bacon well caramelised, and a sprinkling of chopped basil and spring onions...if this pic don't sent you drooling, I don't know what would =)

As no desserts were offered on my previous trip, I made sure I saved some space (in my tummy) for it this time round.  I ordered the Gula Melaka Cotton Cheesecake @ RM11 and was blown away by the taste of it.

The layer of cake at the bottom was soft and the cheese layer was so light and airy (that's why it's referred to as cotton cheese, I reckon).  The cake was textured with bits of coconut flakes inside (according to one of my friends) but I was too engrossed eating it that I wasn't paying attention and didn't notice it in the layers.  And then, it's topped off with this incredibly beautiful "gula melaka" (palm sugar) glaze that took it over the top...and it was (surprisingly) not overly sweet.  This is one of those cakes you can eat a few pcs of and one of the best cakes I've eaten this year!

So much so, one of my friends decided to pack the other 2 cakes they have on their menu....an Almond Apple Crumble @ RM10 I think (coz it's RM17 with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice-cream)......

....and a Classic Chocolate Layer Cake @ RM11.  When we saw the chocolate cake, we wished we had ordered that too (but who knew we would still be able to taste this cake at our next destination)...and that will be in my next post!

Also, I just had to try their house special Real Vanilla Bean Ice-Cream @ RM7 a scoop which is made with real vanilla beans.  It's homemade with no preservatives and artificial flavouring (I'm assuming they mean vanilla extract from a bottle...keke)!  [#Note: For those in the know, real vanilla beans trump vanilla extract big time!!  Some would even put it in a jar of sugar to make vanilla sugar (which adds more fragrance to your regular sugar) and you can use it in your dessert recipes.]

This is one good ice-cream...it's extra creamy and fragrant ;)  We ordered 2 scoops to share (1 scoop where got enough ah, actually 2 scoops also not enough leh...muahahaha)!  If their vanilla ice-cream is that good, you know that their affogato would be equally awesome.

There coffees are all good...I've had quite a few, so (this time) I went with one of their triathlon awesome mix called "Bike" @ RM10 which is a combo of DHL (dragon fruit + honeydew + lychee).  It was thick...and awesome with the predominant flavour of dragon fruit (just look at the vibrant colour in the pic).  If you like to "Swim" (grape + watermelon + blackberry) or "Run" (orange + carrot + passion fruit), you can order those too ;)

Of course, there were coffees:

Iced Cappuccino @ RM10

Hot Cappuccino @ RM9
Iced Mocha @ RM12

Hot Green Tea @ RM6 per pot

(for a friend who was feeling a bit 'under the weather')

My Personal Opinion

On the top of one of their walls, I noticed 3 words---cook.bake.froth---and they certainly did just that.  They cook (some awesome breakfast staples), bake (some delicious cakes) and froth (some good coffee) :D

I guess I love their food coz I'm biased when pork bacon is involved.  The "must order" dishes here are Map's Pork Balls and Homemade Bruschetta...also their Porky Pancake and Eggs Benny.  As for dessert, their Gula Melaka Cotton Cheesecake and Real Vanilla Bean Ice-Cream get two 'thumbs up' from my eating party! 

Although some may find their all day long breakfast/brunch menu not as extensive as some other cafes, even if you do a few but you do them right (coz almost everything is good here), then it's a resounding success (in my opinion).  And what's even better...the prices are really affordable (with everything under RM20).

So, make sure that Map's is in your map of places to go! ;-)

Map's Café
9G Jalan PJS 11/2
Bandar Sunway
46150 Petaling Jaya
Selangor
Tel: 010-219 3882

Map's @ Bandar Sunway

Last Saturday, I was at my husband's cousin's daughter's 1st birthday celebration held at Map's @ Bandar Sunway, a newly opened breakfast and brunch café.  Opened for just 2 weeks (since 18 July 2014), it's going to have a massive appeal in the near future.
 

If you find the pic of the café with its shutters half drawn, there's a pretty good explanation for it, it's because they're not opened for dinner service (the café closes at 6 pm) and that this was a private function they had catered for.

Map's is the latest chic brunch spot where you can get-together with your friends over a good conversation, a good hearty breakfast (from 8.30 am) and (what else) a good coffee.

I liked Map's picturesque interior down to the tiny details which made the ambience cosy and inviting.  On one side of the wall, you'll find this greyish charming drawing of kitchen utensils...how creative!

In another corner, there's this beautifully crafted, hand painted artwork, which resembles a cherry blossom tree, that's truly scenic and cheerful at the same time.  The high tables and coloured stools added a burst of colour to this quaint little corner.

Towards the back of the cafe, I found this charming little poem - the confession of an addict...it sure rings true for all coffee addicts out there!

Throughout the cafe walls, you'd find little touches of the cafe's owners personality (and sense of humour) adorned on the walls with tastefully done DIY decorations.

As this was a 'catered' private function, there was a mix of pre-prepared food and food that we can order from the menu.  The pre-prepared food comprised of small bites of Map's homemade bacon and mushroom bruschetta and pork balls.
 

This was the homemade bruschetta with bacon crisps + mozzarella cheese + tomatoes + basil.  [#Tip: Bruschetta is just an Italian term for a piece of grilled bread, rubbed with garlic, drizzled with olive oil, and often topped with tomatoes and herbs (or any other toppings) and served as an appetiser.]
 

And this was the homemade bruschetta with mushrooms + blue cheese + mozzarella cheese + Italian herbs.

Both the bruschetta toppings were ok except that the bread was kind of hard as it was exposed to air (since it was served 'buffet' style).  So, it would be unfair to judge the flawed bread as it has been compromised due to its long exposure on the buffet table.

Map's offers this Homemade Bruschetta @ RM13 on their menu.

The final small bite was their homemade pork meatballs with a slow cooked brown herbed gravy.  One bite of Map's meatballs and you'll be hooked!  The meatballs were succulent, juicy and extremely flavourful from the added chopped herbs (probably thyme and parsley, I think).  I liked the brown gravy that accompanied the pork meatballs.  [#Note: Eating this reminded me of Ikea's signature Swedish meatballs (except no pork meat was involved, horse meat, maybe?...yikes!]  Map's version was better...loads better (but without Lingonberry jam)!

You can find Map's Pork Balls @ RM15 on their menu served with roasted potatoes and salad.  Can't wait to try this in a complete dish on its own!

Our first order from the menu was the Eggs Benny @ RM19 which is Map's version of eggs benedict that comprised of 2 poached eggs, bacon strips and ham accompanied by sautéed mushrooms, a side of sweet corn with bacon bits and some greens.  This was served on 2 slices of their house-baked bread (which looked like ciabatta to me) although it usually comes with a homemade brioche bun (as stated in their menu).  It is then topped with a creamy and tasty Hollandaise sauce.

I absolutely loved this dish as the eggs were cooked to perfection (even when done in a mould) with the yolks just runny enough.  And we all know that to poach an egg perfectly is not an easy task to execute, especially when the kitchen is super busy, but Map's did it flawlessly (at least mine was).  The oozy goodness of the yolks, the burst of sweetness from the corn, coupled with the saltiness of the bacon, all worked together to create a winning mouthful!

Next up was the Porky Pancake @ RM15 which comes with double pancakes, strips of bacon, roasted potatoes, topped with an egg sunny side up, and served with some not-too-sweet honey.  The pancakes were fluffy and the sunny side up egg was done perfectly (with a wobbly runny yolk).  But it was the immensely savoury rustic roasted potatoes that 'wowed' me on the plate....mmm, comfort food at its best!  The combination of flavours, from the savouriness of the bacon and roasted potatoes to the sweetness of the honey and pancakes, was truly outstanding.
 

Another dish that I tried was the t3 Omelette @ RM13 which is just 3 eggs cooked with sliced bacon, mushrooms and mozzarella cheese.  The eggs were (again) cooked just right (with a very slight runny middle) and served with their house bread and salad.  At the price of just RM13, this was a 'so-worth-it' dish.
 

The final dish that I managed to try was the Creamy Carbonara @ RM16.  The fettuccine was cooked with some sliced bacon (of course), mushrooms, parmesan cheese and topped with a poached egg (which, when broken, oozed further creaminess to the pasta).  If you like carbonara (to start with) and you like it creamy, then this dish will be to your liking (though I'm not a fan of carbonara personally).

Our drinks for the evening included:

Hot Latte @ RM9 (nice coffee with simple latte art)
 

Iced Cappuccino @ RM10 (I likey)
 

Iced Chocolate @ RM11 (with much needed chocolate swirls)
 

After all the sumptuous food, let's get back to the 'main agenda'...the celebration of a little one's 1st birthday...and, of course, cute cupcakes must be involved.
 

And let's not forget the 'cutest' birthday cake for the 'sweetest' birthday girl!
 

Last but not least

Cakes and Cupcakes

Candles and Balloons

Joy and Laughter

Family and Friends

Gifts and Surprises

Time for Celebration

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

to the sweetest little one-year old I know!
 

H A P P Y   B I R T H D A Y,   S W E E T   B E L L E

My Personal Opinion

This place is especially endearing to pork enthusiasts as it will definitely satisfy their pork cravings.  Although the menu here is simple and straightforward (with not many choices, around 10), it doesn't really matter coz even if you do only a few dishes but you do them right, it's the taste and consistency that everyone will keep coming back to.

Map's serves good food (and equally good coffee), at reasonable prices, with a friendly crew, in an aesthetic yet stylishly fashionable interior and atmosphere that I totally dig.

The perfectly done poached eggs, the succulent meatballs, the flavourful rustic potatoes, the yummy bacon (and much like the lyrics in Julie Andrews' song).....these are a few of my favourite things!!

I am definitely returning to Map's...in my 'pursuit of happyness' (or rather 'porky' deliciousness) as I'm hungry for more....oink, oink!  This is one brunch place that ticks all the right boxes!

Map's Café

9 Jalan PJS 11/2
Bandar Sunway
46150 Petaling Jaya
Selangor
Tel: 010-219 3882