Zukkini – Oasis Ara Damansara, Aussie Brunch, Dinner & More KL
Words: Jacob Weber
Photos: Rich Callahan
Zukkini has to be one of the best brunch spots in KL that I’ve been to in a long time.
(And thanks to The Yum List, I’ve had some brilliant brunches in this fine city.)
This Asian-Australian restaurant and bakery is in a prime location in the central plaza of Oasis Ara Damansara, and is itself an oasis indeed. The spacious, double-storey indoor courtyard is light, bright and full of natural greenery. Creeping vines sprawl over exposed brickwork. Trees — not plants, actual trees — tower over the terracotta tiles towards the skylight. It’s all very pleasant.
The concept is based on the Aussie brunch culture with a contemporary Asian twist, celebrating local ingredients as much as Western techniques. “Everyone is doing brunch, so we’ve got some different flavours from different cultures to make it really unique,” says Chef Hun, who has done a wonderful job with this menu.
There are two separate kitchens: one ‘hot’ for the brunch, lunch and dinner menus and one ‘cold’ for the bakery items, which look incredibly indulgent and seriously tempting. Everything’s fresh, baked to in-house recipes, and “usually gone by the end of the day.” I’m not surprised.
Coffee & Cold Drinks Menu & Prices
We start small, with a Flat White (RM13) that’s just right. The beans are a premium Arabica blend of Brazilian and Ethiopian, supplied by Union Roasters, who know a thing or two about good coffee.
Next, some signatures from the beverage menu. The “Maverick” (RM15) is certainly an interesting concoction: a shot of espresso topped with tonic and finished with a lemon slice. It’s sharp, tangy, and refreshing. (It was a little peculiar for my taste, but I was the odd one out—everyone else loved this.)
The Pure Black Cold Brew (RM14) is exactly what a cold brew coffee should be: mild, smooth and less acidic than the hot version.
There’s a long list of smoothies, juices and other blended beverages. It’s hard to decide where to begin, so we go with a sensible, healthy-sounding option. The Avocado Smoothie (RM18) is made with Niko Neko Matcha. It’s rich and smooth, but the massive dollop of whipped cream on top somewhat defeats the purpose of a ‘healthy’ smoothie. Maybe best as a weekend treat …
I’m a huge fan of the Kaffir Lime Passion Cooler (RM16), which goes down very well on a hot day. It’s certainly cooling, with a nice citrus edge and plenty of juicy fresh passionfruit pulp for body and flavour. The Purple Serai Kombucha (RM16) has a lovely floral taste and just a little hint of vinegar at the beginning of the sip.
If you like coconut, you’ll love the Coconut Pandan (RM16), another blend with an espresso base. It’s creamy, sweet and well worth a try. Purists need look no further than the Fresh Coconut (RM14), which is possibly the nicest coconut I’ve ever had in my life. It’s smaller and sweeter than the big green island variety and absolutely bursting with flavour.
The Tropical Basil (RM16) isn’t exactly what you’d expect to appear after ordering it. It’s bright red, with grenadine and sugar syrup (and a little hint of basil garnish). It’s intensely sweet — far too sweet for our table. I’m sure some people will love it, but I can’t personally recommend it.
Zukkini Menu & Prices
Stomachs rumbling, we get started on the food. First up, a signature special straight from the oven: Charcoal-grilled Zucchini Bread (RM22). It’s fluffy and moist and just awesome, baked with candied nuts for a sweet edge and served with a delightful homemade pumpkin spread. It’s a very generous and filling portion—you could easily share this starter between two to three people.
The Apple Overnight Oats (RM26) would take pride of place on any foodie influencer’s Instagram feed. ‘Feed’ being the operative word; this is a massive, luxurious, decadent bowl of sweet and savoury goodness. Rolled oats, apple juice, both almond and oat milk, homemade granola topped with fresh mixed berries and other seasonal fruits, finished with honey and chia seeds. This could have kept me full for the rest of the day, but there’s a job to do, so we dutifully power on.
The Korean Baked Eggs (RM34) is a perfect example of the Aussie-Asian fusion food Zukkini is going for. It’s beautifully presented (like everything else) in a cast-iron skillet with a flatbread base, smothered in a thick, rich tomato sauce (made with gochujang) with lamb meatballs, kimchi, kale, and some edamame for good measure.
The Brunch Beef Ramen (Dry) (RM25) is another phenomenal fusion dish. The braised minced beef is deeply seasoned, the ramen noodles are cooked just right, and daikon pickle, fresh ginger, spring onion, coriander, furikake, tobiko and seaweed add incredible depth and umami. Oh, and there’s zucchini in this one too.
It’s hard to recommend the Truffle Japanese White Corn Ribs (RM29) as a sharing platter — because it’s too good to share. Fresh and sweet white corn is served with luxurious trimmings like truffle mayo and parmesan, with lime, tobiko and seaweed rounding out the flavour profiles.
The Sous-vide Australian Grain-fed Ribeye (RM89) is a personal highlight (as any good steak tends to be). 220 grams of prime Aussie beef is cooked in the sous vide to tender, juicy perfection, and there’s a nice seasoning on the crust to add a little extra to every bite. The salted kelp mustard cream sauce is very good, too; it is sharp and salty and adds plenty of dimension.
Then the Pulled Beef Burger (RM35) arrives and takes our collective breath away. It’s huge. Slow-cooked braised pulled beef in an Asian-style barbecue sauce overflows from a fresh homemade brioche bun, complete with garlic aioli, coriander, and a mound of parmesan on top of — guess what? — zucchini. Crispy sweet potato fries complete the pretty picture.
The Zukkini Chicken Rice (RM26) leans much further towards the Asian side of the spectrum but still showcases Chef Hun’s expertise in elevating these classic local dishes. Soy-glazed chicken roulade and soy-marinated egg combine beautifully with ginger scallion rice and ginger chilli sambal, topped with seaweed and spring onion. It’s classy comfort food—the best kind.
We’re full to bursting at this stage — having also sampled some cheeky slices of cake from the bakery, which taste even better than they look — but we manage to squeeze one more signature dish in. Jay’s Truffle Ponzu Capellini (RM56) is a light and luxurious dinner item that also looks and tastes absolutely stunning. Crusted seared tuna and Japanese octopus are the stars of this delicate pasta dish, dressed with truffle-infused oil, ponzu, mentaiko and bonito, finished with seaweed crackers—definitely a high note to finish on.
A few more minutes basking in the bright light to digest before dragging ourselves slowly out of our comfortable chairs and home. (For an afternoon nap.)
Reasons to visit Zukkini: cheerful and charming cafe in Oasis Damansara with lots of greenery and natural light; friendly service; extensive menu of unique Asian-Western combinations with something to satisfy all tastes; generous portions, beautifully presented; a huge selection of baked goods and other treats.
Zukkini – Cafe Oasis Damansara
R07, Ground Floor, Jalan PJU 1A/7, Oasis Ara Damansara
47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
+6 011-6105 9163
@zukkini.asia
Zukkini Opening Hours
Daily 9 am-10 pm (including public holidays)
* Vegetarian options
** Halal friendly
Find more cafes in Kuala Lumpur here and stay up-to-date on the latest happenings in KL’s food and beverage scene at The Yum List on Facebook here.