Brunch at Kenny Hills Bakers

My brother Kenny – short for Kenneth – has nothing to do with Kenny Hills Bakers except that he was the gracious host who brought me there for brunch on my birthday.

Facade of Kenny Hills Bakers viewed from the carpark

Now based in Kuala Lumpur, he has discovered new places to dine and whenever I visit, he enjoys showing me his new discoveries.

That morning when we set out on the drive to brunch, Kenny was smiling knowingly, hugging a little secret to himself, not quite willing to tell me where we were going to eat.

All I knew then was that we were heading out to brunch.

After a long drive – at least it felt like such a long, long drive – we reached our destination in a fenced-in and tree-lined compound for apartments with an outdoor carpark.

I was told this area was Kenny Hills. I remember this name, not only because my brother shares the same name, but because some 30 years ago, this address was considered a seriously posh place to live in.

A range of plump pies

As we approached the ground floor shops from the carpark, I spied the floor tiles (mosaic squares!) a style that was trendy ages ago, and knew that this was indeed an older block of buildings.

I read its name, Kenny Hills Bakers – Organic Artisan Breads – Patisserie – Coffee, boldly painted on the bamboo chinks, lowered to shield from the slanting rays of the morning sun, and got an idea about where we were brunching.

We snuck in through the bamboo chinks, side-stepping a padlocked Pos Malaysia post box cemented onto the pavement and suddenly my nostrils were assailed by wafts of mouth-watering, freshly baked aromas!

Assorted savoury tarts

Diners were seated at tiny tables arranged on the shadowy pavement while a human jam was blocking the entrance into the bakery. I guess they were probably buying takeaways or placing their orders.

Still enjoying the delightful smells, I stepped aside to allow the others to pass/clear the path, before I managed to squeeze inside.

The cashier’s counter, a shelf spread with pies, puffs, tarts, cakes and loaves, and a chiller (I could see through!) filled with cakes and pastries, occupied a tiny square shopfloor while the rest of the room to the left was the dining hall with diners at their tables.

I spied activity in the bakery just behind the shelf. The helpful staff advised us to place our orders at the counter first and then find a table, either in this hall or in the adjacent (related) café.

Our freshly-baked half-and-half sourdough pizza

“Wow!” I drooled at the spread and thought: “So much food and so little space (in my stomach!)”

Everything looked and smelled so good! But we had to make some serious decisions here.

We were familiar with Chicken and Mushroom pie so we opted for one each of the Beef Cheek and Mushroom and the Moroccan Lamb pies.

Staying with the savory, we also picked the Mushroom Tart and the Spinach and Goat’s Cheese Tart.

Sourdough pizza would be made upon receiving the order so we agreed on a choice of half-and-half of Beef Peperoni pizza and Al Funghi pizza.

The dining hall is a bit of a tight squeeze

Kenny, the gentleman he is, quickly placed his coffee order and proceeded to secure a table – which he found in their sister café next door, Kenny Hills Bistro.

Meanwhile, Veronica, my sister-in-law, was shown to a corner table in the dining hall and there we were waiting for my brother, who went missing.

This was but a tiny hiccup. It took a while before we figured out what had happened and a telephone call tracked him down and brought him back to join us.

By this time our orders were being served and our tiny table for four was jam-packed with our pies, pastries and coffee, and the pizza was on its way!

A slice of Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake

The experienced serving staff smartly suggested that we lift our coffee cups from the saucers and she swiftly removed the saucers to instantly create more space on the table.

It was sheer delight as we savoured the warm and delicious pastries and pizza, shared among the four of us. Then it was time for the sweet.

My choice was a slice of Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake and the other was a classic Chocolate Éclair.

Classic Chocolate Eclair, chockful of real cream

It had been too long since I tasted a classic éclair with crispy choux pastry filled chockful of real cream…mmm… One bite and I savoured it, simply speechless with bliss…

Never mind the compact space and tiny tables. Our wonderful dining experience resulted in satisfaction and a lot of smiles.

Then someone remembered that we did not receive our order for a Spinach and Goat’s Cheese Tart. Veronica checked her bill to confirm the order and asked the busy serving staff about it.

The stack of raisin scones

The staff verified the order and apologised for the error because in the rush, their last Spinach and Goat’s Cheese Tart was served to another table. Oops!

While this was disappointing, it gave us (me – all the way from Johor Baru!) reason to come back again for the Spinach and Goat’s Cheese Tart and other interesting items on their daily bake list.

As we were leaving, we walked pass the stack of raisin scones. They seemed to beckon me with silent voices and looked so irresistible that I had to buy a couple back.

So the next morning, I continued to have a taste of Kenny Hills Bakers when I warmed-up these lovely scones to enjoy with butter for breakfast.

Open 8am to 7pm, Kenny Hills Bakers is at Lot 1-1B Taman Tunku, off Langgak Tunku, 50480 Kuala Lumpur. Tel: +603 – 6206 4111.