The Art Cafe

The Art Cafe's concept is simple: Malaysian artist Christian Lai welcomes strangers into the living room of his home & cooks for them.

Call or text Chris to make a reservation at least one day in advance, then show up at this SS2 venue & select your food from what's available on his blackboard. After that, sit back & relax or browse through Chris' collection of paintings.

Chris' signature recipe seems to be grilled pork cutlets with spicy chocolate sauce, pumpkin, mushrooms & almonds. He's not a trained chef, but his food is well-prepared _ heartier & more wholesome than what some formal restaurants serve.

Pasta alla Norma, a Sicilian favorite that features a topping of tomatoes, eggplant & cheese, with Chris supplying slices of pork bacon for a meatier bite. Everything is cooked on order, so a little patience is essential (though it really won't take too long).

Pork Diablo, a classic recipe with mustard sauce that we rarely see in KL. Prices are fair; a two-course meal without alcohol won't cost much more than RM50.

Wine is available on request. Or bring your own (corkage is RM20, if we recall right).

A collage of photos, depicting Chris' East Asian travels. Housekeeping notes: cat haters might want to steer clear of this place, since Chris keeps a few friendly felines. They're usually locked up when customers come, but some can sometimes get loose.

The Art Cafe,

97, Jalan SS2/74, Petaling Jaya.

Tel: 010-2045-295