Fari & Ali’s Kitchen – Persian Bakery, Deli & Café in Bukit Damansara
Words: Jacob Weber
Photos: Monica Tindall
From home-baked cream puffs to a homely neighbourhood cafe in Bukit Damansara, it’s fair to say that Fari & Ali’s Kitchen has been on a successful journey so far.
And just one delicious bite of anything on this vibrant, wholesome, Middle-Eastern-and-Mediterranean-inspired menu will tell you exactly why.
Fari & Ali’s Kitchen Menu
Beginning as a home-based bakery during the pandemic, the two cousins behind this venture have put their heart and soul into maintaining that sense of family-friendly comfort cooking. Stepping through the pretty Persian-blue exterior and into the cafe feels like entering someone’s living room. Textures and textiles have been hand-picked and personally sourced from Iran, from the art on the walls to the patterned plates. There are even framed family pictures from their late grandparents’ home. It’s all very warm and welcoming.
Since they introduced food to the menu, simple, tasty and wholesome food has been the philosophy. From all-day breakfast items to the mouthwatering morsels tempting us from the bakery counter, we can see that philosophy colourfully coming to life. And it’s not just artwork that’s imported; they try to bring in as many authentic ingredients from Iran as they can.
All-day Breakfast Bukit Damansara
We start with a Persian Omelette (RM22): eggs scrambled in a fragrant, rich tomato sauce with caramelised fried onions and spice. A perfectly runny egg yolk on top completes the picture. The consistency is perfect. Every bite feels more nourishing than the last. The Iranian taftoon flatbread is perfect for mopping everything up. It’s a seriously satisfying start.
The Kashke Bademjan on Toast (RM16) is even better. The caramelised eggplant, sauteed with Iranian cream cheese and topped with a few plump pomegranates, is so rich you’d think there was lamb in it, but it’s totally meat-free. It’s usually served with taftoon, but they’ve elevated this for the Bukit Damansara brunch crowd by serving it on buttered sourdough. An excellent touch.
A special treat next: a sneak preview of a new item for the November menu to celebrate the cafe’s one-year anniversary. The Pistachio Pancakes (off-menu at the time of writing) is a generous stack of fluffy, chewy pancakes with a lovely nuttiness to them. They’re topped with fresh kiwi slices, strawberries, coconut shavings and a sharp raspberry compote, so they look as healthy as they do hearty. There’s even a rich saffron cream for an extra little touch of luxury.
The Persian Love Cake (RM14) is one of the more unique slices of sponge cake I’ve ever had. The recipe features rosewater, cardamom and almonds, and the icing is topped with rose petals and pistachios. The consistency of the sponge is perfect, and the fragrant, delicate flavour is just beautiful.
I’m intrigued by the cake, but I’m blown away by the Scones (RM10). As a Brit, I’m qualified to say that these are absolutely outstanding. These are proper English scones with a spot-on consistency (not too chewy, not too crumbly) served with fresh cream and a brilliant, vibrant raspberry jam. (Oh, and to settle any debates, the cream always goes first. Anything else is incorrect.)
Deli Lunch at Fari & Ali’s Kitchen
We’re here on a Saturday, so we have the good fortune of feasting on a hot food selection from the deli counter. These are good old-fashioned home-cooked favourites, available from 12 pm until they sell out. The menu changes every week to keep it fresh and interesting, and everything looks very fresh and interesting indeed.
The Roasted Pepper Hummus (RM12) is the perfect consistency for scooping up with more delicious flatbread. The recipe uses Iranian sesame paste, which really brings out the flavour.
The Hearty Palestinian Musa’qa (RM20) is hearty indeed, and there’s another clever touch in the recipe: In addition to chickpeas and sweet potatoes, ground chickpeas are added to the recipe to add a little nuttiness without changing the consistency. It’s served in a rich tomato sauce and topped with cheesy Béchamel. This is one of my favourites.
One glance at the Kale, Lentil & Pomegranate Salad (RM14) and you’ll feel healthier already. It’s a vibrant green-and-red dish, light and fresh, and a perfect complement to everything else on the deli counter. We have it with the Saffron, Lemon & Garlic Roast Chicken (RM18), which is excellent. It’s marinated in saffron yoghurt brine overnight for 12 hours — no wonder it’s so juicy and tender.
Drinks Menu
The drinks selection is equally good. We have to try a Persian Cha’ee (RM8), which is like an intense Earl Grey, refreshingly floral and aromatic. There are alternative milk options, so an Oat Milk Latte (RM12 hot; +RM3 for oat milk) is next. Even through the oat milk, you can taste the strength of the coffee beans. Good stuff.
There’s an in-house kombucha selection (RM16), so we grab a couple of bottles: Raspberry, and Lemon Lime & Mint. One of the bottle caps almost takes an eye out when we open it, so exercise caution — but at least it shows it’s fresh!
It’s a hot day in Damansara, so we finish with a Fresh Coconut (RM13) — which washes the cakes and scones down nicely — and stroll into the sun to burn off those pancakes, wondering what the deli selection will be the next time we visit.
Reasons to visit Fari & Ali’s Kitchen: authentic, hearty Persian-inspired fare made with love (and imported Iranian ingredients); incredible small-batch bakery; delicious deli selection with home-cooked-style hot food options (Friday & Saturday only); lots of vegetarian options; casual, cosy cafe setting, perfect for a slow morning, with traditional decor and relaxing ambience; great service.
Fari & Ali’s Kitchen – Persian Bakery, Deli & Café
65G Jalan Medan Setia 1,
Bukit Damansara, Malaysia
@fari.and.ali
www.fariandali.com
+6 011 2408 9838
Fari & Ali’s Kitchen Opening Hours
Monday – Saturday 8.30 am – 5.30 pm
Closed Sundays
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