Yoshinari is my absolute favorite Japanese restaurant in Kuala Lumpur. It is small, simple, and beautifully understated, often filled with Japanese diners who know that the truest expressions of flavor need no fanfare.

The chef believes in seasonality, not spectacle. Every omakase is affordable, changes monthly, and is guided by what is freshest and most inspiring that season. There is something profoundly honest about that. The food is clean, precise, and deeply satisfying, each bite feels like a moment of quiet.

I go there alone sometimes, just to breathe. It is where I celebrate, where I unwind after long weeks. And there is a little magic to the ritual, when you order sake, you can choose your own sake cup. Each cup is unique, paired with delicate handcrafted plates that frame every course.

Yoshinari reminds me that restraint can be luxurious, and that simplicity, when honed with care, can feel as rich as the most extravagant banquet.

Visit them on Instagram to see their beautiful, seasonal dishes and the quiet art of Japanese dining done right.

Life feels like a blur: takeaway boxes, dinner dates in loud restaurants, calendars overflowing. Somewhere along the way, we have forgotten that the simplest, most meaningful act is to cook for each other.

So often, people meet in restaurants, families gather outside of their homes, and cooking is left to someone else. But it is different when you open your home and invite people in. Cooking a meal, laying a table, sharing fresh food, these are gestures that create true comfort. They carry a love that no restaurant can replicate.

Yotam Ottolenghi’s new book Comfort is a beautiful reminder that food is more than fuel. It is how we connect, how we slow down, how we show love. To cook for family, for friends, or even just for yourself is sacred. It is giving with love, and it makes love and appreciation tangible.

In our bat-shit crazy world, this book calls us back to the table: to cook, to share, and to find comfort in food made with care.

I discovered Ghost Bird Coffee Company at the Good Coffee Festival at The Campus, where I met Thomas, its founder, for the first time. He had reached out to us a long while ago, and finally meeting him in person was such a nice surprise.

The coffee is simply amazing, home-grown, home-roasted and presented in packaging that is just as thoughtful as the taste itself. Beyond the coffee, Thomas has built an incredible community around his roastery, one that brings people together through passion, design and craft.

I can highly recommend a visit to the Ghost Bird roastery in Kuala Lumpur. Go for the coffee, and you will stay for the community.

One of our favourite family moments in KL — learning how to cook salmon rice with crispy veggies at @masakwithmiwa.

Her workshops are calm, beautiful, and full of heart. Every chop, every stir feels intentional. And her home? Filled with NALA — of course. Her husband @ifzan.ibrahim runs Saudagar General Store, and creates the most stunning floral arrangements — true everyday art.⁠

Highly recommend this for anyone who loves good food, good energy, and good design.

IG: @masakwithmiwa

Fish Butchery by Josh Niland

A gift from my sister that’s been sitting on my shelf like a piece of art — Fish Butchery is not just a cookbook. It’s a masterclass in creativity, sustainability, and radical design thinking.

Written by Josh Niland, this award-winning book reimagines fish the way butchers treat meat — from fish sausages to pâtés, mortadella to bone broths — using every part of the catch, with zero waste and maximum beauty.

As a vegetarian, I haven’t cooked from it yet. But this book inspires me deeply — proof that innovation starts when you dare to look differently at what’s right in front of you.