AS I climbed the stairs from the parking lot to the ground floor of Empire Damansara in Petaling Jaya, the sight of empty retail lots creates an air of sombreness that greets visitors to the mall.
The many "For Rent/Sale" signs across the floor indicate that the mall had seen better days since its opening in 2012, and the drabness now may discourage visitors from expecting to find anything exciting. But I'm determined to locate a bakery cafe that I'd read about, which is supposed to be located on the rooftop.
The lack of signages doesn't help my cause, as I find myself walking along the entire stretch of the rooftop level in search of Sunyay Bakehouse. Thus, spotting it — finally — was akin to hitting the jackpot!
Happily, I push open the door and am pleasantly surprised by the sight that greets me. With its crisp, clean interior, complete with plenty of wooden fittings, it's obvious that a great deal of thought had been poured into making the eatery as inviting and cosy as possible.
A brand-new counter displaying a lovely selection of pastries and desserts is located prominently near the entrance. A balm for hungry souls.
ON THE MENU
Having taken my seat, I excitedly reach for the menu to see what delights await. There's the ubiquitous pasta dishes and Japanese-inspired dishes quite commonly found in other establishments.
The burger selection looked interesting so I opt for a couple of burgers that come with bagel buns instead of the usual soft burger buns. My orders took quite a while to arrive, but I put this down to the items being prepared from scratch.
Of the two, I personally prefer the teriyaki chicken bagel burger, which comprises a chicken thigh fillet, teriyaki sauce, sweet and tangy onions, a crown of lettuce and topped with a sunny side-up. The chicken is both tender and flavourful.
The other option, the spicy soda chicken burger comprising katsu chicken dipped in a cola-based sauce, fluffy scrambled egg, salad leaves and roasted seaweed, is also tasty but I think the breadcrumbs coating the chicken doesn't really do much to enhance the flavour.
Meanwhile, the sesame seed-topped bagels are exactly how I thought they would taste like — chewy and dense. While I still can't decide whether the bagel buns did the burgers any justice, I do actually enjoy the items. However, the waffle fries served as sides are a little too hard, rather than being light and crispy.
Thankfully, the coffee doesn't let me down. I opt for the caramel latte which has a nice balance of coffee and caramel. Even my lunch partner's Americano hit all the right notes.
For dessert, I choose the sinful-looking chocolate bomboloni, which is a far more elaborate version of the Italian doughnut. This Sunyay speciality has a generous chocolate exterior covered with specks of golden cornflakes. The honey-coated macadamia nuts crowning the pastry will delight fans who love sweet nuts and chocolate.
Fully satiated, I make my way out of the cafe happy in the knowledge that despite the drabness of the backdrop, dining in Sunyay definitely feels like stepping into a ray of sunshine after a gloomy weather. It's difficult to walk away from this place without feeling that you're leaving another world behind.
Sunyay Bakehouse
Where: First Floor, Empire Damansara, 111, Jalan PJU 8/8A, Damansara Perdana, Petaling Jaya.
Operating hours: 8am-5pm (daily, except Tuesdays)
