ONE might think that having to drive along the perpetually congested Lebuh Ampang, on which a busy bus stop is located, would deter diners from heading to Speakeasy Restaurant, but the outlet has been thriving since its inception two years ago.

Executives working in the surrounding skyscrapers make a beeline for the outlet, while a multi-storey car park at the back helps overcome the biggest deterrent to dining there.

The restaurant, located on the ground floor of Bangunan Ming, was opened by the building’s owner, an epicure who simply did not want to leave the lot vacant anymore.

Speakeasy Punch, with its dominant orange flavour, complements the cosy restaurant's diverse array of food.

Now enveloped in a warm Christmas atmosphere, the outlet brings to mind the homely eateries in small Western towns where the operators and diners address each other by name.

A resident band belts out light music every evening while a large wooden board with scribblings by diners tells of fond memories. A bar runs in the centre of the spacious blue-grey hall while unpretentious furniture is arranged neatly around the room, lending the outlet a cosy atmosphere.

“Hence our tagline ‘where friends are made’,” said manager Tan Pit Yen. “We have regulars who come three times a week; they are so familiar with us that they will even specify who they want to cook for them.”

Tan, who is also the restaurant’s head chef, contributed the recipes for more than half the dishes on the menu. She was 20 when she embarked on her culinary career in a five-star hotel, working her way up until she could claim to “specialise in everything.”

Now 35, Tan insists that the dishes served at the restaurant are of hotel standard.

“I would say Speakeasy serves modern Malaysian cuisine. There are more than 50 items on our menu, which offers Asian and Western favourites. You can find dishes which taste similar to what mum used to cook, or you can opt for our interesting creations,” she said.

All ingredients are fresh and all sauces homemade, she stressed.

“The sambal would be the best example; customers love our dried shrimp sambal as it has 'kick.' Our Speakeasy Fried Rice, cooked with our sambal, has been our best-selling item since the very first day,” Tan enthused.

She gave an assurance that orders would be served within 10 minutes.

“We do not pre-cook the dishes but we can still serve them in such a short time because our kitchen is open all day. Our cooks do all the necessary preparation be-tween lunch and dinner,” she explained.

The spacious outlet exudes a cosy atmosphere.

Speakeasy Fried Rice is cooked with petai and dried shrimp sambal and garnished with fresh marine prawns and shredded sour mango.

Wild Mushroom Soup is made of two types of mushroom and is served with a drizzle of cream.

Speakeasy Fried Rice has always topped the bestselling list thanks to its homemade dried shrimp sambal.

Butter Chicken Rice is an Indian dish. The creamy chicken is prepared with tomato sauce and yoghurt and served alongside butter rice with raisin.

Seabass with Chilli Coriander Sauce is tangy and slightly spicy, presented with vegetables and French fries.

Cheese Sausage Prata is an alternative to Roti Canai. Lightly seared cheese sausage is wrapped in Roti Prata with mayonnaise and diced vegetables. This, StarMetro learnt, is one of the owner’s favourite dishes.

The appearance of the Thai-Style Squid Kerabu’s green sauce belies its spiciness that is felt only in the aftertaste. The sauce is made of cili padi.

Cheese Sausage Prata, a Malaysian specialty.

Rice and noodle dishes are priced under RM15, while the Western main courses cost about RM20 each.

Those who are too busy to enjoy a cooked lunch can opt to grab a quick bite at the restaurant’s sandwich bar, where one can make one's own version of sandwich with the ingre-dients provided.

The restaurant, which has a seating capacity of 130, also caters for functions.

The Speakeasy Restaurant, 9, Jalan Ampang, #05-00, Kuala Lumpur (Tel: 03-2078 8830). Business hours: 10.30am to midnight or 1am (closed on Saturday and Sunday).

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