Following the launch of one ”
The Oriental Cravings
In Damansara Kim, discontent has erupted amongst former patrons of the recently shuttered Oriental Cravings at 1 Utama.
Oriental Cravings
closed its doors in September 2021 after running for 17 and a half years.
Soft
launched
On March 15, 2025, the Oriental Cravings, founded by 23-year-old Kimberly Chew, launched operations in Damansara Kim. This venture included personnel from the former Oriental Cravings location, all working towards reviving the “essence” of the eatery.
“I would often eat at Oriental Cravings when I was about eight years old because my maternal grandmother, Madam Ong Kit Ching, was nearby. It felt like a second home to me,” explained Kimberly.
Malay Mail
, in an article entitled ”
Initial impressions: The Oriental Cravings at PJ Damansara welcomes back a beloved dish with its famous clay pot ‘loh shi fun’ and additional offerings.
“.
The planned revival of the historic eatery has upset Oriental Cravings’ previous customers and loyal diners, with many believing that the new establishment portrayed itself as a genuine return of the original restaurant, even though the former owners have no affiliation with it whatsoever.
A person close to the owners of Oriental Cravings contacted Vulcan Post claiming that they were caught off guard by congratulatory messages regarding the “reopening” of Oriental Cravings.
Indeed, the previous owners had mentioned this earlier.
social media
clarifying, “We have no connection to this restaurant (The Oriental Cravings in Damansara Kim) and are not associated in any way with the Chew family or their cluster of eateries.”
The source also claimed that “the menu remains strikingly similar, with just a handful of additions and modifications, and their social media page confidently declares that ‘Oriental Cravings is set for revival,’ as though it were the very same establishment that had previously made such an impact.”
Certainly, The Oriental Cravings presents menu items with names reminiscent of those from the original Oriental Cravings, including Kam Heong Prawns, Creamy Prawn Dishes, and Crispy Oatmeal Prawns, alongside their Salted Mustard Greens Soup and Bittergourd and Seaweed Soup options.
The source further alleged:
This goes beyond simply using the same name; it’s clearly aimed at misleading people into thinking they’re encountering the very same eatery, spirit, and heritage.
But they are not.
What is being offered to them is a replica—an entity that solely exists due to the original founders’ kindness in entrusting the Chew family with their previous employees. In exchange for this gesture, they have exploited it in the most brazen manner conceivable.
[…]
I’m contacting you hoping you can shed some light on this situation and reveal the truth. It’s important for the public to be aware that what they experience at Damansara Kim isn’t the same beloved Oriental Cravings they once knew and cherished.
It’s a soulless copy, one that openly disregards the individuals who made the original so exceptional.”
In a remark to The Rakyat Post’s
post
A Facebook user commented on The Oriental Cravings, saying that “[the] new establishment might be attempting to convey a sense of continuity with the Malay Mail report by stating they retained all the employees from the previous place after it closed down.”
As mentioned in The Malay Mail article, once Oriental Cravings closed down,
almost all
Of their staff was incorporated into Farm to Plate, Le Sense, and Mera, all of which are under Chew’s family ownership.”)
The social media updates shared via WhatsApp by the company along with news articles tried to connect the dots between the new entity and the former one, suggesting a revival. The question arises: Could their aim be to leverage the positive feelings associated with previous clientele?
“Why not simply clarify that the owners have absolutely no connection with each other and that the new business was established as a tribute to the old one? That way, it’s up to readers, including former customers, to choose whether they want to support it or not,” the user suggested.
Displeased customers have resorted to reaching out to The Oriental Cravings’
Instagram page
One user commented, “You’re not the genuine ‘Oriental Cravings’ from One Utama previously, but in your social media posts and news articles, you’ve presented yourselves as a return of the legendary spot.”
Using the same name and offering comparable dishes is acceptable, but trying to associate with the original is entirely unethical, despite your actions possibly not being illegal.
Some people have stepped forward to support the new restaurant, with one user stating that “the Chew family never intended to deceive or imply that they were associated with the former management of Oriental Cravings.”
Based on my personal insight, the reality is that the Oriental Cravings brand was handed over to the Chew family by its former proprietors. In their commitment to uphold the prestigious reputation of Oriental Cravings, the Chew family has exerted every effort to guarantee that the food’s flavor remains consistent for all its devoted customers.
“The Chew family has opted to keep the narrative of Oriental Cravings alive in response to the persistent requests and demands from their clientele, and they remain dedicated to sustaining this perpetual tale,” explained the commenter beneath the previous Oriental Cravings’ recent announcement on Instagram.
Multiple users responded to this comment, asserting that the messages from the Chew family claiming to represent the old restaurant were “clearly intentional.”
A different response asserted that “[The Oriental Cravings’] previously removed Instagram post stated ‘We’re back’ and ‘just as you recall,’ which implies it’s the same establishment. If they had nothing to conceal, why did they delete comments from former patrons who highlighted this?”
And now, a WhatsApp message has been sent to customers saying ‘We’ve officially launched The Oriental Cravings—the same Oriental Cravings you once loved at 1 Utama!’ If this doesn’t count as blatant misinformation, then I’m not sure what does.
“This goes beyond mere business; it’s straightforward deceit,” commented an Instagram user.
Vulcan Post has attempted to reach out to both sets of owners at Oriental Cravings and The Oriental Cravings for additional insights into this matter, yet Oriental Cravings chose not to provide further comments. We haven’t received any reply from The Oriental Cravings up until now.
As of the time of writing, neither company has issued additional public comments on this issue.
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Learn more about
The Oriental Cravings
here
. -
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F&B stories
here
.
Featured Image Credit:
Chuang Lanying
/ The Oriental Cravings
