Shan Mu at Taman Connaught, Cheras - Something different, hidden.

If you happen to be in the area and fancy something a little different, do consider Shan Mu. Especially so if it being hidden excites you even more.

The cafe is located within a row of shops, the same one that also houses the popular Madam Chiam Curry Noodle House. If you simply do a driveby, you’d most likely miss Shan Mu. I did. I had to go around the block twice before locating it. Thanks to its lack of signage, it is not as visible and obvious. Do look out for Kedai Bingkai Cermin KS Golden, Shin Mu is located on the Ground floor.

Once you step inside, there is an air of exclusivity. There is a large, heavy wooden door at the entrance and the minute you are in, you are literally shut out from the outside world. It offered me a different feel in the sense that while the area is filled with eateries, Shan Mu is different .. the ambiance, the food offered and etc. This isnt just a basic restaurant.

The color theme inside is grey and brown. Grey cement colored walls with wood here and there. The space did not seem like it is meant to handle crowd. Despite the large space, there were about 7 tables of varying sizes made of solid wood. The table I sat on was large, it literally looked with a slab of wood cut out of a tree, polished and made into this table. I enjoyed looking at it 😁

Chicken Nanban Burger, RM 20

I initially wanted their Cured Salmon Sandwich but sadly, it was not available. In fact, most of their sandwiches were not available due to their sourdough bread being out of stock. They did offer to use burger buns instead but I figured that a sandwich is best eaten with sourdough and so, tge sandwiches were given a miss this time.

Instead, I opted to go for their burger. Size-wise, it is on the small side but tastewise, delicious. Crispy, chewy, thick flavorful chicken patty topped with egg mayo and sandwiched by soft buttery burger buns with a side of salad. It was tasty but small, hardly enough to satisfy my hunger. 😅

Chicken Ochazuke, RM 25

I thought this was a rice bowl. Well, it was but more accurately, it was lei cha. For some reason, this compared to the other lei chas I’ve had, had a more porridge feel to it. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it. If you fancy yourself a healthy dish, you can consider this. Some sort of organic grain rice were used in addiition to Japanese Sencha, green tea. Besides that, the dish also included boneless teriyaki chicken, bonito flakes and soft boiled egg. Be sure to give it a good mix to be able to taste some contrasting flavors coming together.

Overall, it was a good visit to Shan Mu. Would I be back here again? Once in a very blue moon perhaps as I am rarely in the area.