Jargon, Bar and Diner, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Jargon, Bar and Diner, Kuala Lumpur
Jargon, Bar and Diner – Menara Standard Chartered

Jargon

Words by Kristin Cosgrove
Photos by the Yum List, aka Monica Tindall
The Bukit Bintang office crowd and shoppers looking for coffee or a quick bite will certainly appreciate the newest lunch spot on the block; Jargon in Menara Standard Chartered just behind Pavilion serves up quick and hearty food made from fresh ingredients at reasonable prices as well as boasting an all-day happy hour. 
Jargon, like its name, has a bright and bubbly ambiance with a kicky color scheme.  The seating in the lobby is comfortable and neat, without too much fuss, and the inside is warm and welcoming with bar seating.  The outdoor space includes several heavy bar tables with quality-made, sturdy bar stools.  The area is accented by surrounding trees and greenery while a lovely gurgling fountain built into the patio drowns out some of the road noise.  It’s quite a nice ambiance in one of the most bustling areas of town and a great place for post-work networking.
Jargon, Bar and Diner, Kuala Lumpur
Jargon, Bar and Diner
Coffee hounds looking for their morning jolt will find Illy brand Italian roasted coffee, complete with espresso and specialty drinks.  We test several of the flavored drinks, including Caramelized Apple, Green Tea Latte and Earl Grey Chocolate, each (RM12).  All have good flavor, with the caramelized apple the sweetest- ideal for those wanting a sugar buzz.  
Jargon, Bar and Diner, Kuala Lumpur
Illy Drinks
Set meals are a good value at Jargon, like the set meal with soup, a fresh salad, and drink for only RM15 nett. Soups are homemade using fresh ingredients (never processed) and no MSG, so you can feel good about making a healthy choice that won’t give you the 4 o’clock sugar crash.  
We love the “be green” BYOB (bring your own bowl) offer, which gives 10% off to those who bring their own vessel for the soup.  Choices include Carrot, Hearty Chicken and Broccoli and Cheese.  The Hearty Chicken is a fast fave; potatoes, rice noodles, peppers and parsley combine for a hearty bowlful of homemade goodness, and a lemon wedge on the side for squeezing on top gives a fresh zest to the flavor. 
Jargon, Bar and Diner, Kuala Lumpur
Soups – Chicken, Carrot, Broccoli
Salad choices are plentiful and easy to grab on the go from a chiller by the register. Fresh green salad with the homemade wasabi dressing is a great option, or diners may opt for something more filling like the Russian Potato Salad with beef sausage, carrots and gherkins. I loved the tang from the pickles! The Snow White was a refreshing departure from your typical salad.  It almost tasted like a deconstructed tzatziki sauce with cucumber, dill and walnuts with yoghurt and a hint of garlic. If sweet is your thing, there’s also a fruity salad of red and green apples, dragon fruit, pears, oranges mixed with a mayo based “secret sauce”.  
Jargon, Bar and Diner, Kuala Lumpur
Variety of Salads to Go
Heavier dine-in lunch options include Jargon’s Stuffed Bell Peppers (RM16), one filled with lamb, veggies and rice goulash and a meatless version for our vegetarian friends.  The peppers are nice and soft and since there isn’t a microwave in Jargon, you can bet yours is never reheated, just kept warm after baking in a low heated oven.  
Jargon, Bar and Diner, Kuala Lumpur
Stuffed Roasted Peppers
Who doesn’t love a burger? Lamb, beef and chicken thigh are all available, topped with a tangy aioli and fresh cut French fries. These really took me back to my youth, when my mom used to fry up fresh ‘taters for us kids. Staying true to the Asian roots, these burgers are topped with egg, and it must be said, the patties are freshly made in-house. Burgers also come with a small cup of lutenitsa, a Bulgarian salad-like spread of lovely roasted red pepper and tomato puree served cold.  
Jargon, Bar and Diner, Kuala Lumpur
Lamb Burger
Jargon, Bar and Diner, Kuala Lumpur
Chicken Thigh Burger
Other mains on offer at Jargon include pasta – we tried the Beef Domat Pasta (RM16).  Made with fusilli for easy eating, the bowl is topped with a hearty tomato based sauce of minced beef and Hungarian spices.  
Jargon, Bar and Diner, Kuala Lumpur
Beef Domat Pasta 
Jargon, Bar and Diner, Kuala Lumpur
Chicken Sausage Pasta
For those who prefer Asian fare, the owners have added to the menu a deliciously indulgent creamy butter chicken rice with an egg sunny side up. This will stick to your ribs long after the afternoon meeting!  
Jargon, Bar and Diner, Kuala Lumpur
Butter Chicken with Rice and Egg
Following our extensive tasting, we adjourned to the sunny patio to sit under the umbrellas for an afternoon drink.  Alcohol is very reasonable at Jargon, whose cheeky tag for the drinks menu is “Because no good story starts with someone drinking tea.” Isn’t that the truth?
Cocktails are a cheap RM18 nett and we’re very happy with the quality. The mojito is my favorite, full of mint and strawberries very fresh tasting without processed syrup overpowering the drink. Beer can also be found here including Carlsburg, Corona, Kronenbourg, Asahi and Somersby Cider, all of which can be ordered by the bottle/can or bucket.  
Jargon, Bar and Diner, Kuala Lumpur
Strawberry Mojito, Cosmopolitan, Margarita
Desserts and cakes are currently made by a third party and are tasty for sure, but the real gem is the bread-butter pudding made by Jargon themselves. In an effort not to waste bread, leftovers are used for this delight, sweetened with sultanas.  I like that the pudding itself isn’t too sweet and is very moist – it would be perfect paired with one of the flavored coffees.   
Jargon, Bar and Diner, Kuala Lumpur
Dessert
Jargon, Bar and Diner, Kuala Lumpur
Bread and Butter Pudding
Jargon offers catering for business meetings and group lunch delivery, perfect for any busy office!  
Reasons to visit: Reasonably priced set lunches, no processed food or MSG, chicken soup, bread and butter pudding, all-day happy hour!
Jargon
No 1.4 Ground Floor
Menara Standard Chartered
Jalan Sultan Ismail
50250 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
+6 012-204 2580

4 Comments

  1. Hello dear.. Everything looks so good, and no, I don't like light lunches like salad or soups, err, ok I'm attracted to that broccoli and cheese soup.. Looks so creamy, and I get 10% off if I bring my own container for the soup? Hmm, then if I bring my own BIG giant bowl, they fill up til full? I like heavy stuffs, like that lamb burger and that beef domat pasta for my lunch, oohhh la la.. Yummzzz..

  2. The use of eggs on top of dishes is interesting. Food looks great!

  3. It's so cold here and when I look at these amazing soups and comfort food, I'm craving to try some.
    Beautiful pictures, the bread pudding looks so tempting 🙂

  4. Wow~ looks delicious. Yum~

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.