It’s a caveman’s diet at Awesome Canteen, writes Es Tung
IF you do not know what a paleo diet is, then you must check out Awesome Canteen, founded by sisters Diane, 44, and Dora Ong, 40, with six other partners.
According to Dora, paleo is short for paleolithic diet, also known as “caveman’s diet”, an eating system based on food presumed to be available for the paleolithic humans. It is very popular overseas.
“It is basically a diet with plenty of protein and fibre, and less carbohydrates,” she says, explaining that all the items on the menu are created in-house.
“When we started, we did not have food and beverage business experience,” she says. “However, my sister Diane loves western food. Together with our chef, Jack Weldie, 29, who was very well-versed in Japanese cuisine, we came up with our own creations, which are now more fusion in nature. Based on feedback from customers, we have fine-tuned them into the popular items they are today.”
Although there is an a la carte menu containing no less 20 items to choose from, the cafe also offers daily set menus for lunch such as salmon sashimi don set lunch (RM27.90).
Generous cuts of fresh salmon are presented on a slab of Japanese rice, dressed with crab roe, slices of preserved radish, and fried seaweed. A dollop of wasabi is provided for mixing into the soya sauce for dipping. The meal also comes with miso soup.
The sliced salmon is thick enough for a juicy bite. However, the rice is a bit too much for my regular lunch time consumption. The miso soup is not salty and has a tinge of what I think is salmon stock. There is even a slice of salmon in it as well as a soft-boiled egg which I mistake for tofu at glance.
I also try the best seller, paleo eggplant niku stack (RM29.90), with a slab (130g) of grilled chicken/beef patty and an egg served on half a cut of roasted eggplant. The other half of the eggplant is garnished with salad and pomegranate seeds.
The eggplant is a soft complement to the well-grilled chicken patty but what impresses me are the potato fries, made with sweet potato. The paleo eggplant niku stack is not only rich in fibre but also filling even for the average eater.
Dora suggests that I try the paleo chicken (or beef) burger (RM26.90), the next time. In this healthier version of the classic burger, regular buns are substituted with portobello mushrooms.
The burger is served with mixed salad, baked pumpkin and scrambled egg. For those who like burgers, Awesome Canteen also serves them, made using handmade buns.
Since set meals come with tea or coffee, I choose Awesome’s long black. I am told it is brewed from an artisan roast with a blend of Ethopian, Colombian and Brazilian arabica beans. There are several types of coffees, including a hand-brewed version named V60 (RM12.90).
You can also find smoothies including avocado-banana, banana-broccoli and banana-espresso blends. The banana-espresso smoothie (RM16) is banana smoothie with a shot of espresso. Other beverages include teas, cold-pressed juices and soft drinks. For the sweet-toothed, you might also want to check out their cakes.
I ask Dora about the name of the restaurant.
“My sister and I were partners in our advertising agency for 18 years. One day we decided to venture into something which we could share with and benefit our agency staff, especially who had been with us for a long time. That was how we began.”
Having found the premises in an already established neighbourhood with plenty of food outlets, they decided they needed not only a unique menu to stand out from the crowd but also a name that would make people look up.
“Then we remembered what our clients used to say whenever we presented our creative agency work. They would often cry out: ‘Awesome!’. So, my sister and I decided to name this place Awesome Canteen.”
Awesome Canteen has a branch in Sekeping Victoria in Penang.
I note that food takes 15 minutes or so to arrive. But most of the diners don’t seem to mind. Dora explains that the “slow” service is because all orders are prepared fresh daily, from soups to the meat patties, so that they give the most nutritive value.
“We do not prepare food beforehand and warm them up for serving,” she says, adding that the outlet is pork-free and the meats are sourced from halal-certified suppliers.
Awesome Canteen (pork-free)
WHERE: 19 Jalan 20/13, Taman Paramount, Petaling Jaya, Selangor
TEL: 03-7865 8048
OPENING HOURS: 11am to 10pm (Last order: 9.30pm)
GETTING THERE: Near Giant Hypermarket in Taman Paramount, Petaling Jaya.
WHAT’S COOKING: Paleo menu
MUST-TRY Paleo eggplant niku stack, paleo chicken (or beef) burgers, and salmon sashimi don set.
YOU’LL PAY: About RM45 each
ATMOSPHERE: Spacious interior
SERVICE: Expect to wait 15-20 minutes as your food is prepared fresh.