PETALING JAYA, June 29 — Global economic uncertainties have made everyone watchful of their spending, especially when dining out.
Perhaps a solution is to look for unconventional concepts, like a hybrid cloud kitchen offering well-priced meals for delivery and dine-in.
With menu prices ranging from RM18 to RM22, Dbites Kitchen, which operates out of Seventeen Mall’s Coox Kitchen, is a concept calibrated for these difficult times.
The trade-off for casual dining with friendly prices is sacrificing ambiance for a no-frills space resembling a food court.
Dbites Kitchen’s main man is Oscar Wo who traded his chef’s whites from the contemporary French restaurant Enfin by James Won for this more casual concept.
A good starter like soup sets the tone for any restaurant meal, and their Soup of the Day (RM9.90) does not disappoint.
Their Tomato Soup is brimming with natural sweetness coaxed from the tomatoes while the Pumpkin Soup has a velvet-like texture and sweetness from the golden vegetable.
What makes it even better is pairing it with their in-house Levain Truffle Toast, which has golden-brown edges and a soft, airy interior, all thanks to using a nine-year-old levain.
The soups are easily on par with any good restaurant and reasonably priced, as most places easily cost double the price.
Among the chicken-centric menu, the French Whole Duck Leg Confit with Spaghetti Aglio Olio (RM22) nods toward Wo’s French culinary background.
The slow cooking in duck fat makes the meat easily tear apart and results in a less salty profile, making it palatable to locals who often complain this cooking method produces saltier duck.
A classic spaghetti aglio olio tossed with oil and dried herbs pairs well with the duck meat too. Currently under the Coox promotion, it’s RM18.70.
Blackboard set meals can also be ordered, with a choice between the Classic (RM15.90) or Premium (RM18), served with a free drink.
The Classic Set usually has chicken for protein, accompanied by sides.
Instead of using the frozen breaded chicken chop favoured by many Western food stalls in coffee shops, they prepare their own chicken thigh and grill it on the stove for a caramelised crust and smoky flavours.
That day, the sides were roasted roots and potato persillade served with an onion cream.
The Premium Set typically uses New Zealand sea perch, which has a finer texture and is covered with a thin crispy batter.
Unlike those heavy with batter and an uneven ratio of fish to batter, this crust is thin and delicately crispy.
A thin crispy cracker is also added on top to give the fish a double layer of crunch.
Classic Fish and Chips (RM22) uses the same sea perch and thin batter, giving the golden fillets a lighter touch that may not satisfy those who prefer a crunchier bite.
The golden fries do their job well, each piece has a golden crunch when eaten with their housemade tartar sauce.
Keto diet followers can also order their Borneon Herb Roast Chicken, which features chicken infused with Ipah Kayu, a Borneo-sourced root herb, and is accompanied by cauliflower rice.
Pasta dishes also include Nam Yue Chicken Karaage with pomodoro pasta and a creamy Grilled Chicken with truffle mushroom cream sauce.
Pizza is also available, cooked using an Ooni Pizza Oven.
The menu is also on GrabFood, allowing easy access to food delivery.
Dbites Kitchen
Lot L2-17, Coox Kitchen,
Level 2, Seventeen Mall
998, Jalan 17/38,
Section 17, Petaling Jaya.
Open: 11am to 3pm (Monday to Saturday), 6pm to 8:30pm (Tuesday to Saturday). Closed on Sundays.
Tel: 017-2705576
Facebook: @dbiteskitchen
*This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
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