Just off one of KL’s arterial roads lies Persiaran Ampang, a short row of mid to upmarket eateries including La Risata, Sapore, and Super Saigon. I’ve intended to visit The Daily Grind for a while, ever since I finally realised it was a burger restaurant, not a coffee shop.
It’s owned by the same group as La Risata, the upmarket Malay restaurant Bijan, and cocktail/tapas bar SPG (Sarong Party Grill). They also have another outlet of The Daily Grind in Bangsar. The Ampang branch is small but but quite attractive inside – apart from the fairly garish graffito of a burger and the lurid slogan ‘burger me senseless’! There were also little touches such as the cogs etched onto the table (which I thought for a while were ring stains…). Staff were good.
Wife had the G’Day burger, an Australian themed option with egg, beef bacon, cheese, pineapple, and beetroot (of course), served with three types of sweet potato crisps. She was very pleased with it, and the crisps were tasty.
Daughter had grilled salmon on a bed of roasted squash, carrot, and courgette. This came surrounded by a tomato and oregano sauce which was apparently a little salty, but full of flavour.
I went for the ‘Green With Envy’, the vegan offering. The chips on the side were covered in spice and herbs, the bun was sweet and sesame dotted, the roasted beetroot was very tasty, and the avocado added creaminess. The only thing wrong with it was the patty of mushroom, chickpea and tempeh (allegedly), which was poor, sadly. Too soft and wet, it tasted oily perhaps because it had been overfried to help it stay together.
Drinks were worth mentioning. At least mine was. Not pictured, I had the rum and raisin milkshake. It was exactly as it should have been. Sweet and sticky from the raisins, and a rich flavour from the rum. Very good. The family shared a root beer float, which was fine, I’m sure.
There’s not a huge range for vegetarians, but I think I would like to go back some time. Overall the experience was good enough I could forgive the weak veggie burger (and my loved ones liked their food), though I would try something else instead. Worth a go if you’re nearby and fancy a burger.
Address: 26 Persiaran Ampang, Desa Pahlawan, 55000 Kuala Lumpur
Telephone: 0342657600
Website: http://www.thedailygrind.com.my/ampang
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