Antipodean Cafe, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur

To get to Bangsar, you can take the subway from KL Sentral.  Bangsar station is just one stop away from KL Sentral and the subway journey takes just one minute. 

When you arrive at Bangsar station, you will see a shopping mall right in front of the subway station.  Walk on the side of the road which has the shopping mall.  Just a few steps on, at the first intersection, turn right into Jalan Maarof.

You will walk 15-20 mins up a slope.  Keep walking along this road till you see Bangsar Village Shopping Centre.  Walk through Bangsar Village Shopping Centre.  Behind the shopping mall is Bangsar Village——-a few rows of chic cafes, boutiques, hair salons, book stores etc. 

It is highly recommended you follow the above instructions to get to Bangsar Village.  The traffic to Bangsar is frequently jammed, so even for the short distance from the subway station to Bangsar Village, the taxi fare might be quite high. 

I reached Antipodean on a Friday afternoon. The traffic in Bangsar Village was completely jammed because of Friday afternoon Muslim prayers.

Service at Antipodean is clueless or severely mediocre. 

        1.        When I arrived at the door, I told the waiter I had reservations.  He looked completely clueless like he had no idea what a reservation is.  I was shoo-ed into the café to a table.  I told another waiter I had a reservation.  He too looked completely clueless.

        2.       In Antipodean, you see the menu written all across one wall of the café. There are no printed menus.   Initially, I had a table right next to the wall.  I kept craning my neck to read the menu on the wall.  After a while, I was moved to a table facing the menu wall by the manager, a tacit admission that it was indeed more difficult to read the menu if you have a table next to the menu wall.  God forbid if you have a table in the middle of the cafe—  you have people standing all around your table, reading the menu while you have your food. 

Antipodean has an Aussie owner.  I know “menu on the wall” is typical of Aussie-style cafés, but having such a menu arrangement (one wall menu; people standing all around you), how much of it is to benefit the management (no need to print menus—-less overheads) and how much does it really benefit the diner?

        3.       On the wall, written in big letters were the words “NO SEPARATE BILLS PLEASE”.  Again, it benefits the management (less hassle) but how much value does this really bring to the diner?

        4.       I walked up to the counter to check out the cakes on the counter.  A waitress was blocking my view of the cakes.  I took one step towards her.  Staff who are more aware and service-oriented would move away so the customer can take a better look.  She didn’t budge.

I ordered the Double Salmon Fishcake (RM$17), supposedly one of their signature dishes according to the manager.   When taking my order, the waitress had the impertinence to go, “Just one entrée?”  When the Double Salmon Fishcake arrived, it was full of starch and there were only tiny, pathetic bits of salmon (see my photos).  Where’s the “Double Salmon” in the Double Salmon Fishcake?

Still hungry from the unsatisfying starch cake (Double Salmon Fishcake), I ordered another entrée Moroccan Beef Kebab and Golden Couscous (RM$24).   At the same time, I ordered another drink “Slice of Heaven”, which is made up of juices from apple, carrot, pear and ginger.  After a while, before “Slice of Heaven” was served, another waitress came round and asked me “Would you like another drink?”     ????????????????  Did the staff even receive training before they are put on the floor?  Or do they just mechanically ask diners if they want to order some more without even checking their outstanding orders first?

With the order of my second entrée of Moroccan Beef Kebab, a waitress brought me a new set of fork and knife.  After a while, another waitress came and took them away.  After a while, she (the waitress who took them away) brought them back.  What is going on????  This place is totally unorganised and the staff is untrained.  

Antipodean does not give good value for money at all.  Your money will be much better spent elsewhere.