Metal Box Restaurant & Cafe @ Empire Damansara, PJ

If you are in the vicinity of Empire Damansara, surely you'd have noticed the gigantic black steel container facing the road which stands out amidst the concrete two-storey building. Metal Box Restaurant & Cafe has been around for less than a year, but it constantly receives overwhelming response from the crowd especially during breakfast and lunch hours. 

Front entrance of Metal Box

The concept of the cafe is pretty simple; they just want to serve you with real food which you can seek comfort from. But the process of preparing real (good) food can be painstaking sometimes, as all the sauces are made from scratch in the house, along with fresh ingredients prepared ala minute upon order.

Prices at other cafes around KL/PJ may go up to RM40, but here you can indulge in good food without burning a hole in the pocket. Delightfully glancing through the menu, we notice that Metal Box's brunch items are all below RM21.90! 

Cappuccino @ RM9.90 

Mocha @ RM11.90 

We believe that the first meal of the day should begin with a good cup, and Metal Box offers a decent variety of coffee, pegged at a price ranging from RM6.90 to RM12.90 which falls within the standard price range.

Hemmingway @ RM18.90

One must try the best-selling freshly-baked croissant which sandwiches two poached eggs, homemade smoked salmon, wilted baby spinach, bonito flakes and seaweed flakes. Its presentation has already won our hearts, but what about the taste? We love the subtle savoury taste of the salmon which is perfect for our liking, unlike those heavily salty types.

But the biggest applause goes to the perfectly poached eggs which burst into golden cascade of yolky goodness upon one gentle poke. If you love your croissant airy and crispy with less buttery flavour, Metal Box's version will definitely wow you epecially when paired with the runny eggs!

Metal Box Baked Egg @ RM18.90

Next up is another well-executed dish, highly recommended for egg lovers. Two free-range eggs are soft-baked in a pot with a thick topping of freshly grated gruyere cheese. As we happily dig into the piping hot bowl of goodness, it is loaded with sliced smoked chicken breast, diced chicken sausage, potato, eggplant and homemade cannellini beans in tomato coulis.

Once again, the eggs are too good to resist. Dip the accompanying slices of French sour dough into the tummy-warming concoction and allow them melt in the mouth altogether! As Metal Box offers its brunch menu all day long, this fuss-free dish can be enjoyed at any time. 

Specialty French Toast (Signature) @ RM15.90 

Do you agree that almost every cafe offers typical French Toast but none of them is able to execute it so creatively like how Metal Box does? Our next dish is a sweet and savoury combination with an extra tangy punch from the fresh mixed berries coulis. The shot of Gula Melaka is a welcoming change from the usual overly sweet maple syrup.

Lightly coated with Nestum, we are surprised by the crunchy exterior of the golden brown French toast which is beautifully contrasted with a melting soft, pillowy interior. However, one will appreciate the extra crunch from roasted pistachios that further elevates the texture of the dish.

Steak A La Minute @ RM33.90

Metal Box serves more than just the cafe-style staples. We happily order the grilled Australian grass fed striploin steak (160gm) served with herb-roasted potato, sauteed mushrooms, wilted baby spinach and tomato confit for our main course.

The highlight of the dish is its yuzu kosho butter sauce, a salt-cured Japanese seasoning made of yuzu citrus peel and chilies which is commonly used in steamboat dishes in Japan. Adding this to a steak is a welcoming change as we love its complexity on the palate--- From a beautiful tang on the mouth to a pleasant peppery tinge aftertaste.

Bananatella Filo Bar @ RM15.90

We save the best for the last. Insanely addictive is an elegant and classy filo pastry served with vanilla ice cream and dots of nutella. A crisp and sweet dessert pastry, Bananatella is a stunner like no other.

Beyond the beautifully-crafted ultra thin layers, we are surprised by the fragrant and soft banana that joins together in perfect union with the kicker—Nutella almond cream. It has totally blown us away! When we least expect it, a burst of nuttiness delivers a surprising crunch that sends an instant smile to the face. 

I will certainly revisit Metal Box for its new items on the menu!


Do hop to Metal Box and get your brunch fix!

Verdict:

1. A good experience for real food as most ingredients are made from scratch in the kitchen but be prepared to tolerate with the long queues during weekends.

2. For such a generous portion of premium ingredients such as homebake bread, croissant and homemade canellini beans, you surely wouldn't regret.

3. Personal recommendations: Hemmingway, Baked Eggs

Metal Box Restaurant & Cafe

G-12, Ground Floor,

(same row as DPAC) 
Empire Damansara

Jalan PJU 8/8

Damansara Perdana

47820 Petaling Jaya,

Selangor.

Contact: 603-7731 9560

Facebook: fb.com/metalboxcafe

Instagram: @metalboxcafe

Business Hours:

Tues - Fri: 10am - 4pm, 6pm - 10pm

Sat - Sun: 10am - 10pm

Closed on Mondays