jane.jiaen: Alexis Ampang, Birthday celebration.

it's raya holiday and i had my best belated birthday celebration at alexis bistro and wine bar at ampang with kah yan and her brother (jia wei). i really thank them for making my big day big and awesome. my NOSE high heels was broken on the way to KLCC. i had to change another pair of shoes from home and i was half an hour late because of this girl's problem.

having a pair of broken high heels on the way to KLCC is really a joy killer but dining with the best friends, laughing like a lunatic, having the best tiramitsu cake in the town and listening to the best jazz music with a cup of decaffeinated coffee in a decent and fine bistro really made my day.

location:
Alexis Ampang
Lot 10 & 11 Great Eastern Mall 303
Jalan Ampang 50450
Kuala Lumpur
T 603 4260 2288

details:
-live performances: friday and saturday, 10:30pm (closed at 1:00 am)
-free admissions and table bookings are for diners only. do make reservations for public holiday. there's so many people on that night. we didn't make any reservation and there's no vacant table when we reach there. we actually have to queue up for the vacant table.
-dress code applies. smart casual. no shorts and slippers allowed. i would consider this as decent place to go as most visitors are foreigners and working adults with decent taste.

overall rating: 4-excellent
rating scale: 1-poor, 2-moderate, 3-good, 4-excellent
Alexis Ampang wouldn't be the largest branch in Kuala Lumpur but it's the one and only branch with live jazz performances every friday and saturday. it's pretty much a good, decent, relaxing and romantic place for a candlelight dinner or even a friend outing. There's a small candle light on every table and it's just perfect if you're on a simple casual date. you've got that romantic candlelight dinner feeling over there when the lights are off during the performances.

we've got to keep our mobile phone in silent mode and keep our conversation at a minimum level during the performances. this is the best moment to whisper our table partner to stay cosy and close. the air condition is slightly cold if we're sitting there for an hour or two. it's better to bring a jacket or shawl along.

they do serve liquor but no one drink, drank and drunk at there. the smoking area is outside and the area near the entrance. it's nothing like club. the place won't be stuffy and smoky. The sound system at alexis was good. my friend and i were sitting at the 3rd row. the music volume is just nice. it's not too loud or too light for jazz music.

Alexis is a fine bistro with decent patron. no one walks around, everyone stay in their table. everyone got their table to see the live performances. everyone does it in a gentleman way. unlike the live performances in Chinahouse Penang. The live band will be surrounded by the crowd and i see nothing but the crowd.

overall i love this place and i would bring my future boyfriend here for a date! I guess dining in a bistro, spending time chit chatting, having a cake with a cup of coffee or a glass of champagne, listening to live music band which plays heart melting jazz music would be a perfect candlelight date. as i grew older, i've got this old fashioned and geeky taste you see.

average price for food and drinks (on menu) : RM10 - RM45++
they do serve beer, cider and wine. the wine list is not stated in the menu. if i'm not mistaken they've to order it from the wine bar. The price is quite similar to the food and beverage in Chinahouse Penang but i like Alexis Ampang more. Of course if we're comparing alexis to mamak shop. alexis is bloody overpriced. A bottle of mineral water (in glass bottle) can cost RM10.00.

alexis bistro and wine bar at ampang

the stage for live band performances at alexis.

the candle light for every table.

my friend was snapping me when i was looking at the menu. ( i know i've that elegant look) hahah!

the menu of alexis bistro

kah yan's brother (jia wei) was playing with his samsung galaxy note.

the cakes in Alexis. look at the brownies. they decorated it with the name of the bistro.

kah yan and her alexis cakes. some of the cakes and pastry are not listed on the menu. we can actually walk to the counter and see the cakes that are available.

the alexis cakes and i.

the Alexis counter.

most patrons are foreigners and working adults.

our dining table for three.

kah yan's brother was acting like a professional photographer.

kah yan and i

tiramitsu , RM16.00
rating: 3-good
scale rating: 1-bad, 2-moderate, 3-good, 4-delicious
i like their cream in the cake. it's fresh, smooth and milky. it's quite similar to the nadeje melaka cake. there's lot's of mixed and crushed nuts as toppings. the nuts are simply too hard to bite and it might spoil my teeth but it simply tastes good.

by the way, that's not a chili dressing beside the tiramitsu. i think it's some sweet berry dressing.

Pavlova: RM16.00
rating: 2-moderate (edible)
scale rating: 1-bad (inedible), 2-moderate, 3-good, 4-delicious
this pavlova is pretty weird. it has a bubbly uncooked and soft texture in the cake. (maybe it's suppose to be like that) it tastes like durian after an hour. the solid cream at the edge of the cake is too soft, it melts immediately in my mouth and i can't feel any strong taste from that solid cream. maybe i just like the palova in chinahouse penang more. the solid cream has a stronger taste.

Black forest: Rm13.00
rating: 2-moderate (edible)
scale rating: 1-bad, 2-moderate, 3-good, 4-delicious
in the terms of price and size, this is worth to eat. this cake has the chocolatey taste and it's pretty dry. i don't really like it. i think i contains alcohol. the fresh cream has that weird and sour taste. i've eaten that weird taste some other places before. maybe blackforest will always have that weird taste.

the black forest portion is pretty big compare to other cakes.

kah yan and i

kah yan and her brother. kahyan's holding her pinky samsung galaxy note 2! she bought it because of that pinkness. she's as mad as i do.

i'm not the only one who doesn't really like alexis pavlova and black forest. 3 of us didn't like it too. we love the tiramitsu the most. if there's a rating scale , the tiramitsu comes first, followed pavlova then black forest. it took us forever to finish the black forest.

Decaffeinated coffee RM 11.50
rating: 2-good
scale rating: 1-bad, 2-moderate, 3-good, 4-delicious (i'll craft for it)
i'm not a coffee expert. what i would say is, it tastes like the kopi-o we used to have. the taste would be moderate but the serving style is good. they serve it together with a bowl of sugar cubes. there's brown and white sugar cubes. a pretty healthy drink though. there's no caffeine in the coffee.

cappuccino RM 11.50
this is Jiawei's. i've never tried this

watermelon juice RM12.50
this is kahyan's. i've never tried this too. the portion is pretty big compare to my coffee.

Roasted potatoes. RM 13.00 (this is our favourite)
rating: 4-delicious
scale rating: 1-bad, 2-moderate, 3-good, 4-delicious (i'll craft for it)
the baby potato is roasted with their skin. each and every pieces are finely roasted. it was dressed with spices and salt. the salt is not too rough, it melts immediately in my mouth. this is bloody good and it's so far the best potato i've eaten!

Bihzhu, the local singer is performing tonight ! it was pretty entertaining listening to her voice. they've different performers every weekend and we could check it on the Alexis website.

listen to this song by Bihzhu,( the singer) and you'll understand how i feel. i love this kind of song and rhythm. it makes me happy! i love the part that's played by the clarinet ( it looks like a saxophone to me, but bihzhu said it's a clarinet)

snapshot in the toilet with kah yan. they've a real big mirror.

painting the town with blue and black tonight.

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the wine and liquor bar.

we snapped a few more photos at the entrance before we left.

parked at the roadside and went for a walk at KLCC around 1.00am and of course for my photography session. my friend told me that they'll off the lights of KLCC at night to save electricity. i was lucky enough to reach there before the lights off curfew. there's still some people slacking at that area at late night.