John's Bistro @ Uptown Damansara

I used to hangout at Damansara Utama mamak and pool halls in the mid 90's, honing my snooker skills and catching up with mates over roti canai and teh ais.. I miss those days. Now, Damansara Utama or better known as Uptown has nothing much to offer besides some descent bars, cafe's and bistros.

I chanced upon this gem of a bistro when I was out on my usual foodie hunt with my mates.

Stepping into John's Bistro is like a walk through memory lane. The interior is filled with memorabilias from the 60's and 70's.

Relax in a game of pool while waiting for your food




Newspaper clippings and Magazine covers of historical events ?


Quaint little bar with impressive choice of imported beers



Old vinyls

John is a chef with a penchant for old vinyls as you can see from the pictures. He has lived and worked in Germany in the 70's and that explains his specialty in German cuisine. He also specializes in Italian and local curry dishes.
One thing that stands out is that the dishes are cooked fresh. How fresh ? Well, he would prefer if you call a day ahead to make your order so John can gather the freshest ingredients on the day of your arrival. Pastas and steaks are usually on the menu for people without reservations.

Garoupa curry fish head

This is definately the highlight of the night. The fishead is extremely fresh without any hint of fishiness. It is cooked without santan. I know some of you who prefer to have your fishead swimming in curry but the freshness of the fish is not lost with this minimal amount of gravy.

King Prawns with sambal and a hint of Asam

The prawns is cooked to perfection with well balanced spiciness and sourness.

Stir-fried vege with liver and gizzard




NZ Lamb Curry

Awesome rassam !! This dish goes so well with white rice. So spicy :)

John basically runs the whole place himself with his wife. He would occasionally drop by the table to check up on us and strike up conversations with his patrons. Coupled with the nostalgic ambience, this place just makes you wanna loosen your belt and enjoy your pint.
I will definately be coming back here for John's German and Italian cuisine.



John Benson : 016-6659874
1st Floor, 95M, 21/37
Damansara Utama (Uptown)
(same row as Perodua showroom)