Kitchen Creatures

July 2011

I rather like frills, so it was with mixed feelings that I entered Kitchen Creatures with their tagline of 'No Frills Dining'. However, with prices like RM8 for chicken kebab with fried rice, I concluded that I could get by without frills for at least one meal.

The prices all fall in line with this, ie incredibly reasonable. Cuisine is western with pastas, stews, burgers and the like. I started with a cracking little homemade mushroom soup that was the equal of many I've had at far more salubrious locations. However, the highlight for me was a simple spicy aglio olio spaghetti with shrimp that bustled with tingling flavour, packing a rich punch and in a portion size big enough for two. Or one if they are someone with the appetite that I have.

The price for this mammoth bowl of terrific pasta and shrimp is just RM12. Phenomenal. But don't get sidetracked by the price. It isn't just the fact that the food at Kitchen Creatures is good value. It's very agreeable in terms of quality too. The ingredients are simple – I'm not about to claim that my spaghetti was homemade or that the spices came from anywhere other than a packet/jar – but the cooking of them is excellent. Whichever Creatures inhabit their Kitchen, they certainly know their way around the hob.

Part of the No Frills pledge involves not adding tax or service to your bill, a welcome move but in some ways it's almost like they are trying too hard. I'm all in favour of saving money but these prices just look, well, cheap. I mean, a rib-eye steak for RM16? Why would anyone order that?

In summary, for pizzas, pastas and burgers, Kitchen Creatures is a fine outlet with exceptionally good prices. But for steaks and similar items, sometimes it pays to go for the frills. Matt Bellotti