Australian bistro ethos, local ingredients, and a pork chop that earns its reputation — on the eve of its tenth anniversary, Table & Apron remains the standard other PJ restaurants measure themselves against.

If you ask me for a list of recommended restaurants in the Klang Valley, Table & Apron will undoubtedly be on that list. Tucked away in the Damansara Kim neighbourhood, this restaurant is one of few that has stood the test of time, constantly producing high quality food and gracious hospitality for the past ten years.

We visited on a rainy Tuesday evening for dinner. The menu at Table & Apron changes regularly, but some dishes have been long-lasting fixtures in their simple list. Staples of patrons include their famous fried chicken, ulam rice (herbed rice), and my personal favourite the pork chop.

drinks

Our server Ally briefly but informatively explained the current menu to us, and recommended one of their non-alcoholic wines — No. 2 (RM26 by the glass) to Sean who was feeling a little fruity that day. NON No. 2 finishes with noted of caramelised pear and kombu, an easy drink to sip through both summer beach days or winter festivities.

I ordered my go-to Earl Grey Milk Tea (RM16), fragrant milk tea topped with luscious layer of salted cream and finished with a sprinkling of loose tea leaves. The milk “moustache” from sipping the cream foam never gets old.

food

To start, we opted for their signature Sourdough with Butter (RM9). Table & Apron’s sister bakery Universal Bakehouse, located just next door, produces loaves of seeded and country sourdough bread that are to die for. With a substantial but not too chewy crust, and the lovely toasted crumb, it checks my boxes for a good slice of toast. Butter with served at room temperature (high appreciated for the best slathering experience) adorned with flaked sea salt.

Table & Apron never misses with their iconic vegetable dishes. Some of my past favourites were the eggplant with scallion pesto, or tempura sweet potatoes with ricotta and gula melaka (to my slight dismay, neither was available with this menu iteration).

We went with the Roasted Cauliflower with Ricotta Spread (RM27), which I must admit is a sleeper hit. The cauliflower was chargrilled and beautifully caramelised, cut with the herbaceous freshness of dill fronds and vinegary acidity from pickled red onion. Ally recommended we toss the vegetables through the ricotta dressing and taking the perfect bite of a little bit of everything.

The thing this neighbourhood restaurant does best is the family dining-style of dishes, where every menu item is crafted for sharing.

Could you have the Puttanesca Cassarecce with Anchovies (RM39) all by yourself? Absolutely, but there’s just that je nais se quois of communal dining that just can’t be beat. Speaking of the pasta, T&A makes all of theirs in-house. The current menu features twisted medium-length strands of toothsome pasta that caught the fish and spicy sauce fantastically.

This rendition of pasta a la puttanesca brings much needed fiery heat to an otherwise ultra-savoury dish (capers, olives, anchovies — all salty briny things act as the base of this sauce). There was an unspecified crunchy element laced throughout the pasta, that we think were sourdough croutons; a very nice textural touch.

My ultimate favourite item at Table & Apron is without a sliver of doubt is the Pork Chop with pork jus and watercress salad (RM78, large). I excitedly ordered this, telling Ally that it is the best pork chop I’ve ever had in my life and that it never fails me. The generous portion of high quality pork was cooked to the perfect doneness, extremely juicy and the right ratio of meat to fat in every slice. We also enjoyed the bright herby salad, which contrasted the richness of the meat. This is THE dish to order when you are here; trust me.

dessert

The dessert selection is short and sweet, featuring a whopping two or three items at any time. The kind of desserts they serve are the rustic no-frills type, versus the increasingly common avant garde plated desserts. We were recommended the Bread Pudding with Miso Ice Cream (RM25), a new pairing by the restaurant.

Traditionally, bread pudding is served with a pouring of crème anglaise but the ever-adventurous and innovative team switched it up with a salty sweet and surprisingly not-coffee-but-coffee-like scoop of miso ice cream by the good folks over at Minus 4º. The bread pudding is made of Universal’s croissants and cinnamon rolls, resulting in buttery goodness studded with raisins. The only drawback of serving it with ice cream instead of pourable custard is that the bread pudding finishes dry.

To conclude, Table & Apron is almost always booked for very good reason – Excellent cuisine with fuss-free dishes executed perfectly and attentive, informative service all housed in home-style ambience. It is always a good time spent here. Get the pork chop.

Table & Apron (non-halal)
23 Jalan SS 20/11,
Damansara Kim,
47400 Petaling Jaya.

Operation Hours:
Tue-Thur (5.30-10.30pm),
Fri-Sun (11.30-3.00pm, 5.30-10.30pm)
Mondays closed

+603-7733 4000 | Menu | Reserve a table here

---

From the table to the world beyond, Nacre brings you dining, travel, and lifestyle experiences worth savouring. Explore more with us on Instagram (@nacre.asia).