Osteria Real Blue @ Solaris Dutamas, KL

Cosy Italian restaurant in Solaris Dutamas :) ....

This interesting little Italian restaurant, Osteria Real Blue, has been open for about a year now in Solaris Dutamas... but remains fairly unknown as it's located on the 1st floor (sort of on top of Electrolux) and does not benefit from much/any walk through traffic:
Outside Osteria....
Still, I had heard from friends that the food there tastes wholesome and authentic so I made a beeline for it. :)

The restaurant is run by a friendly husband and wife team from Bologna, Italy and you can almost see their personality in the decor - unpretentious, simple yet cosy and homey:
Inside the restaurant....
We were welcomed with a complimentary bruschetta - just a morsel really, but what a tasty morsel it was!:
Mouthful of bread and yummy chopped tomatoes....
As for our meal, we started with a platter of cold cuts, ranging from ham, venison salami, beef bresaola and goose salami, all specially flown in from Italy:
Platter of meats....
Overall, the flavors of the different meats were interesting but became a bit repetitive.
(Would recommend sharing this between at least 3 people so that your palates don't get bored)

Anyway, moving on: What is the perfect risotto?

Some people just outright dislike it, and amongst the people who do like it, it is divided between those who prefer the texture to be drier vs wetter, more tender vs al dente, light vs creamy....
:)

As I like rice (in general), I am therefore ok with risotto whatever the texture but I found that I really liked the Pancetta Risotto with added Truffles at Osteria:
Carby bliss....
The serving was small but felt just right (as it was rather rich)...

Texturewise, the rice was a bit past al dente, and with a relatively wet texture - an interesting contrast to the flavorful (although slightly dry) cubes of cured pork, pancetta, and shavings of fragrant but not overpowering truffle layered on top.
(All in all, satisfying savoury - perfect comfort food especially on a rainy day)

We also had the Steak Fiorentine (T-bone steak, prepared in the traditional Florentine style):
What a delicious hunk (of meat)!....
The steak was MASSIVE (About 900gms?) and while parts of it (near the edges) were a bit overcooked, for the most part, the meat was tender and tasty... :D

Here's a look at the one of the yummier, tender parts:
(It looks bloody, but trust me, it tasted good! - didn't have any of that yucky metallic taste)
Cross section of the juicy meat....
Some of the other dishes didn't impress me very much though - for example the Warm polenta with mushrooms:
Wholesome Polenta....
The flavor was interesting (wheat-y, in a good way) but kinda bland at the same time, with the mushy texture maybe not appealing to most.
(Still, I think this would be an interesting accompanying side dish, let's say, instead of mash potatoes)

The Homemade tagliatelle with 12-year aged balsamic and smoked duck was also just ok:
Fresh, hand made pasta....
The pasta was al dente, but I just didn't like the sweet-ish sauce that it came with. :(
(I do want to go back there and try a tomato based sauce next though. Am curious how that would turn out...)

To end the night, we had Tiramisu (with added Armagnac)....
Cupful of tiramisu....
... as well as Profiteroles with chocolate sauce & brandy:
Choclolatey dessert....
Of the 2 desserts, I preferred the Tiramisu as it was really creamy yet not too sweet, and balanced with the slight bitterness of the added alcohol.

Sorry that I don't have the exact prices for each dish (My bad)....
... but a very sweet person would not let me get close to the bill at the end of dinner.
(You know who you are! *hugs*)


So it's: Simple yet cosy ambience, very friendly service, fairly wide range of authentic Italian food BUT nothing bad really - just that while I LOVED certain dishes, I didn't like everything we ate that night (Could just be my tastebuds though). :).....

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Osteria Real Blue @ Solaris Dutamas, KL
A3-UG-06, Solaris Dutamas, Jalan Dutamas 1, 50480 Kuala Lumpur

Taste: 7
Ambience : 6
Service : 7
Price** : RM 60++ per person?
Parking: OK

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-6207 9799
Opening Hours: 12noon - 2.30pm, 6pm - 10pm (Closed on Mondays)

NOT HALAL

MAP:

View Osteria Real Blue in a larger map

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Eat Drink KL
- Milo Ais, Satu!
- Cumi dan Ciki


TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Osteria Real Blue, Osteria RealBlue,Plaza Damas, Solaris Dutamas, Sri Hartamas, Italian, Mont Kiara, KL, Kuala Lumpur

Musings...

Contemplating over a cup of coffee....

Seems that the start of the year has been peppered with pain and turmoil whether man made, from forces of nature or just plain bad luck...

While it has mostly affected strangers on the other side of the world, some of these have affected people I know and love...

It makes me wish that I could do something to help, but for the most parts, it's out of my hands. If only I could take the pain and replace it with joy, take the fear and replace it with the blissful ignorance of never having gone through such misfortune,....and stop bloody earthquakes/ tsunamis/ nuclear meltdowns.


Pensive, and feeling helpless,
J

PS/ Gomen. Food posts will follow shortly.

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, KL, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

Off To La-La-Langkawi

BRB....

YAY.
FIRST BEACH HOLIDAY IN A LONG, LONG TIME.

^_^
This is not a photo of Langkawi btw. :P....

BRB! *Working on tan*,
J the Chocoholic

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, KL, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

The Salad Bar @ Damansara Utama (aka Uptown), PJ

Fresh, healthy food doesn't need to be expensive!....

Hello!.... :)
Just to give you a head's up, this is an invited review:
(Here are my usual disclaimers)
1) I have not been paid to write this, but neither have I paid a cent for my meal,
2) I will still be as objective as possible re. the food/ restaurant, and
3) If I go back to the restaurant incognito and find that the food/service is horribly different from this experience, I will amend my ratings here...

I know I definitely consume WAY too much red meat/ unhealthy stuff in my daily diet....
*guilty grin*

Unfortunately, it's partly because trying to eat healthy is just so much more expensive (eg. a piece of grilled salmon (RM 35 at least) or a salad (around RM 20 at least)) VS. let's say, a big plate of fried rice and some ayam goreng for < RM10.

When Marcky told me that the nice owners at his new favouritest (healthy) restaurant, The Salad Bar, in Damansara Uptown had invited us to sample their existing menu as well as a few new creations, I was very curious/excited:
(Near Darabif, same row as the police station/ Public Bank)
Outside the Salad Bar....
I found the interior simple (in a good way), cheerful and comfortable with the tables well spaced:
Cheerful decor inside....
Above all, I really liked the cute little sofa section in the front of the restaurant - cosy and lovely, with lots of natural sunlight streaming in:
(I kinda wish I could have just curled up there with a book)
Sunny sofa area....
While the friendly Harry and Brian explained some of the menu options, I sipped on the Apple and Cucumber Juice (RM 6):
Full of vitamins....
It was definitely fresh, as advertised :) - did not taste artificially sweetened (yay!).

To start off, we had the daily special soup, which was Pumpkin (RM 3.50) on that day:
(They rotate the options, making fresh batches and do not keep it more than a day)
Wah. VERY reasonable pricing....
I'm actually not fond of pumpkin soup (in general) but I found this soup pretty nice - thick enough but without being stodgy, and with a nice natural sweetness of pumpkin that was balanced (not overpowering).

Of course we had to try their salads...
(There are quite a variety of salads there - at least 9 different types, or you can just customise your own)
:)

First up, the Spicy Chicken Salad (RM 11.90 - full size, RM 6.90 - half):
Yummy salad....
The salad was only mildly spicy, with a nice tang from the vinaigrette - overall, a nice combination between the sunflower seeds, chunks of chicken and crunchy fresh greens.
(I was surprised how big the serving is for that price!)

We also tried the Red Salad (RM 11.90 - full size, RM 6.90 - half):
Another yummy salad....
I also liked this salad - a different flavor (sweeter) dressing that complemented the mix of again, very fresh veggies.

If you don't like salads (or "rabbit food" as some of my carnivorous friends call it), there are other healthy options like their whole wheat pasta creations - That day, we chose the Spicy chicken mushroom spaghetti (RM 7.50):
Filling serving of pasta....
... and the Dory Carbonara Spaghetti (RM 7.50):
Light, guilt free pasta....
Both pastas were nice but I preferred the more savoury Spicy Chicken pasta. Their tweaked version of carbonara (with a milk based sauce vs. the usual heavy cream and egg type) was not bad too - liked that the fish was tender and tasted very fresh. :)
(Note: These are HEALTHY recipes! So please don't expect them to taste nicer than the decadent, heavily seasoned pastas that you can find at Italian restaurants)

Note: On top of the range of salads already available and the fully customizable option, Brian and Harry are coming up with a few new salads to keep things interesting. :)

Lastly, for dessert we had the Home made Yogurt (RM 4):
Smooth, fresh yogurt....
The yoghurt is not the usual store bought type - freshly made by The Salad Bar, and you can choose an almost dizzying array of toppings ranging from nuts to dried fruits to fresh fruits (eg. mango, orange) and some other stuff like cornflakes.
:)

Overall, had a lovely and delicious time at the Salad Bar - it's nice to know that I now have a convenient (AND AFFORDABLE) option for healthy food...
(Great to balance the days where I am not pigging out)

PS/ Thanks to Brian and Harry for being such gracious hosts, and thank you to Marcky for extending the invitation. *hugs*

So it's: Simple ambience, friendly service, good range of healthy food at reasonable prices BUT nothing bad really, just that parking can be a bit challenging on weekday peak hours and please manage your tastebuds' expectations - it's healthy food. :).....

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

The Salad Bar @ Damansara Utama, PJ

41, Jalan SS 21/60, Damansara Utama, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia, Malaysia

Taste: 6
Ambience : 6
Service : 7
Price** : RM 20/++ per person
Parking: OK

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-7731 2228
Opening Hours: Mon to Sat 9am - 9pm, Sun 11am - 6pm

NO PORK SERVED

MAP:

View Larger Map

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Marcky.my
- I am the Witch
- Keili
- Zestful Eats

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, The Salad Bar, Damansara Uptown, Sunway Pyramid, PJ, Petaling Jaya, Healthy food, KL, Kuala Lumpur

Haeun Khon @ Amcorp Mall, PJ

Affordable Korean food in Amcorp....

My mum and I decided to venture to Amcorp Mall one weekend, to check out the flea market. Of course, walking around worked up an appetite (and I had a craving for kimchi soup) so for lunch, we headed over to Haeon Khon, located on the top floor of this small shopping centre.

I have been going to Haeun Khon off and on for years now.... just that I kinda overlooked blogging about it - Sorry! :)

Outside Haeun Khon....
It's really just a simple place, but is still fairly comfortable (although it can get quite noisy when its full).

Do not be fooled by the photo (as we were there very early for lunch) - It's not very big inside, and has a stable following of loyal customers (due to its winning recipe of reasonable prices + nice food) so it's usually packed to the brim during peak hours:

Inside the restaurant....
The menu is not very extensive - there's a handful of Korean sets (Ginseng Chicken Soup set, Bulgogi Beef set, etc), a few Japanese bentos and some side dishes...

I usually start off with the Deep fried squid (RM 9.90+):

Crispy bouncey sotong....
I like how it's coating is always not too thick and perfectly golden brown, while the squid "meat" is usually quite bouncy yet tender.
(Taste-wise, its usually quite lightly seasoned but the drizzle of sweet-ish dark sauce or a dip in the accompanying chili sauce makes it really yummy)

My mum had the Grilled Bulgogi Chicken (RM 14.90+) (Also available with Beef instead):

The chicken set....
Overall, nice - the chicken was fairly tender, coated in the sweet-ish bulgogi sauce and had a lovely smokey fragrance to it. The serving is not very big, but it comes with 3 small side dishes (kimchi, tofu, fish cakes), soup, rice and sliced fruits - a satisfying meal for about RM 15. :)

My favourite dish there is the Kim Chi Chicken Soup (RM 15.90+) (Also available with beef instead):

Piping hot soup....
Filled with cubes of silky smooth tofu, kimchi vegetables and chicken, the soup is SPICY (the deliciously evil, slowly creeps up on you type), hearty, sweet/sour/savoury - all at the same time. :) :) :)
(To be fair, there's never very much meat in this dish but I don't mind - overall, the soup makes for a filling, tummy warming meal)

The only drawback to this little eatery though, is that I've noticed that service can get a bit "blur"/slow when it's packed - not bad enough to stop me from returning, but it's just a point to note.

So it's: Simple setting, convenient location for us PJ folk, Korean and Japanese food for reasonable prices BUT the service can be a bit slow when its very packed.....

Restaurant ReviewSummary Sheet:
Haeun Khon @ Amcorp Mall, PJ
Lot 336 & 363, Amcorp Mall, No. 18, Persiaran Barat, Off Jalan Timur 46050 Petaling Jaya
Taste: 6
Ambience : 6
Service : 5
Price** : RM 28+ per person**
Parking: OK

** 2 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-7957 2181
Opening Hours: 12.00pm-3.00pm, 6.00pm-10.00pm (Closed Mondays)
NO PORK SERVED

MAP:

View Larger Map

OTHER REVIEWS:
- KY Eats
- Masak-Masak
- Beyond the Viewfinder
- Deliciously Me
- Nik Khor Papa Go Kaki

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Haeun Khon, Korean, Amcorp Mall, Japanese, Petaling Jaya, PJ, KL, Kuala Lumpur

Meat Experts @ Hartamas Shopping Centre, KL

(Almost) OD-ed on pork in Hartamas Shopping Centre :) ....

Meat Experts**, a non Halal butcher/ restaurant located on the lowest level of the Hartamas Shopping Centre is hardly new,... but somehow I had not ventured there before till last week:
(** Just next to the Coffee Bean)
Looking at the restaurant....
It's a simple setting, not in a bad way - still comfortable but without any bells and whistles.

Seeing the Crispy Roast Pork (RM 22.90+) on the menu (aka. Siew yoke!), we ordered that to share as a starter:
Pork: Round 1....
Overall, it was good - although the layer of fat wasn't quite melt in mouth, the meat was tender enough (medium) and the super crispy skin and balanced flavour (not too salty, well marinated) won me over.
(The accompanying chili sauce was also nice - slightly sour and spicy)
:D

We also tried the Bacon and Sausages (RM 12.90+):
Pork: Round 2....
The sausages were nice - tasted meaty (and not synthetic, yay!) without being too salty, but as for the bacon: I would have liked it more if they were a bit more crispy around the edges.

As for the mains, Pat had the Pork chop (RM 28.90+):
(Of which I stole a bite, of course *grin*)

Pork: Round 3!....
Overall it was pretty good - well marinated, tender enough (medium) and came with a fairly sizable sausage and side of vegetables too.

If you DON'T feel like pork, there are some other options like the Rib-eye steak (RM 35.90+):
MOO MOO is good too....
This was also pretty good - the meat was fresh, well marinated and tender enough (medium) and a darn good serving size for <40 bucks.

Alternatively, if you are craving carbs and cream, there is the Spaghetti alfredo with bacon (RM 22.90+):
Cheesey....
Hmmmmm...
I suspect that this is one of those "love it or hate it" dishes - It tasted interesting because there was a bit of (what tasted like) blue cheese added but well, not everyone likes this pungent cheese.

I couldn't make up my mind (as I wanted to try a bit of everything), so I ordered the Mixed Grill (RM 35.90+ for small serving):
A lot of meat....
You can either have a small or large serving (at different prices of course) and it comes with some lamb, sausage and pork chop with a side of mash potatoes and vegetables (to balance out the sin).

The only thing I didn't like was the mash (tasted funny, Lenny said that maybe it's instant mash) but all the different meats tasted pretty good.
:)

Dessert? Sorry! I think there were a few options but we were so stuffed that we didn't try any....

Anyway, it was a yummy night out overall - am definitely heading back there when I get a craving for siew yoke in a comfortable shopping centre environment.
(The servings are pretty big there too - I think I can share any one of the mains with a friend and be satisfied)

So it's: Casual restaurant/ butcher, good range of meaty/ porky dishes that you can either eat there or order/takeaway, reasonable pricing (considering serving size and that it's in Mont Kiara) BUT nothing bad really - just don't expect too much in terms of ambience. :).....

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Meat Experts @ Hartamas Shopping Centre, KL
G 15-16, Hartamas Shopping Centre, 60, Jalan Sri Hartamas 1, Kuala Lumpur

Taste: 6
Ambience : 5
Service : 6
Price** : RM 50+ per person
Parking: OK

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-6205 2577
Opening Hours: 10am to 10pm

NOT HALAL

MAP:


OTHER REVIEWS:
- Thule Food Quest
- Eat Drink KL
- eric yong's blog
- jamie chin


TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Meat Experts, Pork, Hartamas Shopping Centre, Sri Hartamas, PJ, Mont Kiara, Butcher, KL, Kuala Lumpur

Lunching @ Cilantro, Micasa Hotel, KL

Finally, it's happened to me....

Cilantro had been the darling of fusion fine dining in KL for a long, long time until they took a fairly long hiatus (for renovation). Now reopened, I had heard so much about Chef Takashi Kimura's brilliance with seafood that I was dieing to try it out:
Lovely ambience inside....
Of course, it's fine dining... and with my salary (AND the fact that I wasn't being taken out on a date by a guy trying to impress me), I opted to go try out the Friday 4 Course Set Lunch, instead of dinner (which can be a lot more expensive).
:)

- THE BREAD and TRUFFLE BUTTER:
HAPPINESS....
Of course this isn't officially part of the set lunch (it's just the normal complimentary bread and butter served while you wait) but without exaggerating: This was GLORIOUS:
I WANT MORE....
3 varieties of yummy bread, when spread with a healthy dollop of the creamy, smooth, melt in your mouth butter that had just the perfect balance of truffle fragrance = B.L.I.S.S.
(I very unapologetically finished up the rest of Min's pot of butter since she didn't want it... and NO, I don't care how many calories are in 1 and a half pots of butter :P)

- THE BUBBLY (Kir Royale):
Bubbly makes things better?....
What better to wash down the decadent butter than some bubbly, right? :)

- THE STARTER (Cold Cappelini with Panache of Seafood and Mentaiko):
Perfection....
You could tell by the silence and quiet sighs in the room - this starter was AWESOME.

A swirl of perfectly cooked pasta, coated with a light yet creamy mentaiko sauce and topped with cubes of super fresh (almost melt in mouth) fish, prawn, and a generous dollop of (lightly) briny caviar - all mixed together into blissful mouthfuls of textures and flavours that I wish I could eat EVERY DAY.
(And mind you, I usually don't like raw fish and caviar - normally it's too "fishy" for my tastebuds)

- THE SOUP (Hokkaido Scallop with Artichoke Soup and Truffles):
Loved the cute little "pot"....
This was another favourite that day with the creamy soup being heavy enough but not stodgy and the scallops plump and perfectly cooked, all accentuated by the light fragrance of truffles.

- THE MAINS
1) Pan Fried French Rouget Fillet with Baby Squid and Rouille:
Pretty mix of colours....
(OR)

2) Fricasse of Free Range Chicken with Maine Lobster:
High class chicken....
(In my humble opinion) Unfortunately, both mains were good but not exactly rave-worthy. :(
(It could also be that my expectations were WAY too high after being blown away by the butter, starter and soup)

- THE DESSERT (Roasted Plum with Vanilla Ice Cream):
Simple dessert....
Dessert was a simple but overall a good mix of flavours and textures - roasted plum (sour) with served with a crispy brittle (sweet) and vanilla ice cream (creamy).
(Overall, a good mix of flavors and textures)

- LASTLY: Coffee or Tea :)

Admittedly, RM 150 (nett) price tag for the set lunch** (only Fridays) isn't exactly what I would define as affordable (for normal cubicle minions such as I)... but it's a nice treat once in a while. :)
(** BTW: The menu changes every week, served with a glass of bubbly Kir Royale. You can check it online at their official website)

Don't be mistaken and think that you can just saunter in and get a table though - it was pretty packed when we went that day... about 90% full?
(So, I would strongly suggest booking a table)

Anyway, I had a brilliant time that day, having taken the day off and enjoying a very long lunch and delicious food surrounded by such wonderful company.
(*waves to Mr Android, Minchow, PureGlutton, Joan and Marian*)

So it's: Nice classy yet unpretentious ambience, lovely food (although the starters were much better than the mains), friendly and knowledgeable staff BUT boo hoo hoo it's not very cheap, is it? :(.....

PS/ Sorry for the lack of updates - It's been a long couple of weeks and I'm slowly but surely getting back to the normal swing of things. :)

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Cilantro @ Micasa All Suite Hotel, KL
368B Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur

Taste: 8
Ambience : 7
Service : 9
Price** : RM 150 per person (for this lunch)
Parking: OK

** Friday Lunch set - 4 course meal, served with 1 glass of Kir Royale and Coffee/Tea
Telephone No.: 03-2179 8082
Opening Hours:
Lunch - Fridays only (12.00pm-2.00pm)
Dinner - Monday-Saturday (6.00pm-10.30pm)
(Closed on Sundays)

NO PORK SERVED

MAP:

View Larger Map

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Paranoid Android
- Cumi dan Ciki
- food.recentrunes.com
- Deliciouslogy
- Niche
- My Tummy n I


TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Cilantro, Fine Dining, Micasa All Suite Hotel, Chef Takashi Kimura , Fusion French Japanese, KL, Kuala Lumpur

Dreams of Cloud 9

Uh oh. Still not a food post....

When I was younger, I used to look up into the sky and dream - I'd look at those beautiful, fluffy white puffs of clouds, in all their shapes and sizes.... and imagine how wonderful it must be up there...

How nice it would be to lay on those pure white clouds as fluffy as cotton, my back cushioned by its softness, with the vivid blue sky above me, and then a beautiful flickering canvas of stars at night when the sun has gone to sleep...

To be there floating along peacefully above the hustle and bustle and craziness on earth - no troubles, no worries,... just calm, just bliss.

.. and then when I grew up I learnt that it is just an illusion. That clouds are nothing but masses of condensation, filled with drops of water in a state of flux, waiting to rain down on your parade.

"Could it be true?", I thought to myself, slightly distraught... but when I looked out of the airplane on my first flight, there was no denying the reality.

Sometimes I still dream of floating on clouds though, as silly as it may be... but I can feel the gristly earth beneath my feet, firmly stuck to the ground... and I know may never get to live my dream.


Overly influenced by The Care Bears?,
J

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, KL, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

Apologies

Not quite back into the regular flow of things....

I know I said I would start updating "properly" this week but between work and personal stuff (some of which morphed into corny, cryptic poem type posts) - I've had a lot on my mind.

It's gotten bad enough that it managed to whittle my usual love/ lust for food down to about zero **....
(** Not much appetite except for *er-hem* CERTAIN beverages, feeling REALLY lazy to go out to eat, food just tastes kinda bleh and writing/ stringing words together seems unnaturally hard and also, possibly unfair to the restaurants)

Hope you can be patient with me. I'll try to snap out of it soon - it's just that the wave of emo is upon me... and I can't seem to stop it right now.


Love,
J

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, KL, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

Prayers Unanswered

Continuation....

A sincere but rare prayer,
Woefully unanswered.

Leaving scars that will recover,
Hopefully sooner rather than later.


Love,
J

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, KL, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

Gimme a Kiss(aten)

Revisiting a yummy place for pork burgers....

It's not easy opening (and sustaining) a restaurant in Malaysia, I think....

Quite a lot of places open and disappear within a few months whether or not the food is yummy, due to many reasons - bad marketing, bad location, etc.

Anyway, I remember when I first went to the newly opened Kissaten in 2008... and lo and behold, 2+ years later they are still open and doing well in Jaya 1. :)
(Which in itself is a very good sign/ indication of quality, don't you think?)

- Appetizer: Salt Grilled Chicken Wings (RM 9.90++)
Delicious chicken wings....
Fairly moist flesh with a nice (although slight) smokey fragrance... It may be too salty for some though, but not me. I especially liked it with a dash of the lemon squeezed on...
(I like salty/ sour food!)

- Main 1: Teriyaki Pork Burger (RM 10.90++)
Big, juicy, SEXY burger - finger licking good even :)....
Awesome stack of juicy pork patty, grilled to perfection, egg, veggies and a slather of sweet teriyaki sauce.
(Messy to eat but it's a crowd pleaser and really great value for money)

- Main 2: Mushroom Burger Steak (RM 18.90++):
Slightly less sinful? Maybe....
For slightly less guilt (since the burger patty is "naked" - without the bun), loved how the patty was juicy and succulent, but with some bite/ crunch from the bits of (I think?) cartilege that they grind into the patty.
(The sauce tastes adequately creamy, buttery and mushroom-y - complementing the meat patty very well)

- Main 3: Tomato Cheese Burger Steak (RM 18.90++):
Another option if you are anti-carbs....
If you prefer tomato based sauces with cheese then this is the better choice - similarly yummy pork patty, and comes with moist, smokey pieces of eggplant too.
<3 <3 <3

Here's a look at a cross section of the meat patty:
Tasty bites....
(Don't underestimate the portion btw - it's really filling! Enough to be shared between 2 small eaters for sure)

We didn't have any dessert that night (as the desserts there generally don't excite me anyway) but what a fun time chatting and laughing after a good gym session.
(Can't wait till the next round - that's what gymming is for, isn't it? So that you can enjoy a good meal with friends later and not feel guilty? *grin*)

So it's: Casual yet stylish restaurant with good selection of interesting selection of fusion Japanese-Western dishes (and some Asian food) for reasonable prices BUT nothing much to complain about - it's amazing they have kept their standards after all this time :).....

PS/ HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! *hugs*

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Kissaten @ Jaya 1, PJ
L-12A-1-1, Palm Square Jaya One, 72A, Jalan Universiti, 46200 PJ

Taste: 7
Ambience : 6
Service : 6
Price** : RM 37++ per person
Parking: OK

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-7954 1990
Opening Hours: 11am to 12 midnight

(BTW, they also have a "stall" in Lot 10's Hutong food court)

NOT HALAL

MAP:


OTHER REVIEWS:
- My review from 2008
- A Whiff of Lemongrass
- My Favourite Taste
- Cooking Momster
- Xiang Cool
- Nava-k

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Kissaten, Jaya One, Jaya 1, PJ, Japanese, KL, Kuala Lumpur

Prayers & Wishes

A dedication to you, my friends in RL *hugs*....

Prayers for the future,
For the past, and tears you shed,

A wish that all your sadness,
Be replaced with joy instead.


Love,
J

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, KL, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

Haute Food @ Plaza Damas, KL

Yummy sandwiches in Plaza Damas :) ....

I had heard a lot about Haute Food but never noticed it, as it is tucked away in a little "alleyway" in Block H of Plaza Damas (sort of around the corner from the mamak/ 7-11 outlet?):
Just outside Haute....
Whether you prefer to sit al fresco (which can be a bit warm) or inside (small, simple but cosy), Haute Food is very popular and is usually packed during peak hours:
Inside Haute....
Nothing on the constantly changing Daily Special menu sparked my interest that day, so I went for the Roast beef sandwich (RM 13.50) which is on their normal menu:
(The normal menu has a selection of lighter options - interesting sounding sandwiches and breakfast items)
Delicious....
YUM.
There's nothing about this sandwich that I didn't like:
- Generous slices of moist roast beef,
- slathered with tender, fragrant slices of caremelised onions, and
- crisp fresh greens,
- nestled in between two thick slices of perfectly toasted crusty bread.
:D :D :D
Hello, gorgeous....
Since we were there quite late on Saturday, we were just in time for the Tea time special - Cake and tea/ cofee for RM 16 (3pm to 5pm):
(Its not a bad deal, but not exactly super worth it - considering that most of the cakes are priced around RM 12 a slice and coffee around RM 8 a cup)

Moving on to dessert:
To be completely fair, I have heard a lot of good things about the cakes there... but the 2 that we tried didn't wow me.
:(
(Nothing really wrong with the cakes actually, they are above average - Just not super nice, as I expected)

- Chocolate cake:
Slab of cake....
Overall, fairly moist and fairly chocolatey.
(What a giant slice though!)

- Bread and butter pudding:
Our platter of pudding....
Nice textural mix from the ice cream, crunchy almonds and "bread", but the bread was not quite moist enough and wasn't particularly fragrant.
(OK lah)

As much as I am a rice person, I do get cravings for a really good sandwich sometimes... and now I know where to go when I do!
:)

So it's: Casual ambience, decent range of light eats and cakes (with a rotating selection of daily specials), reasonable pricing (considering serving size and that it's in Mont Kiara) BUT nothing bad really - just that the service can be a bit slow when it gets packed and (so far) not all the cakes are fantabulous. :).....

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Haute Food @ Plaza Damas, KL
H-0-2, Block H, Plaza Damas, 60, Jalan Sri Hartamas 1, Kuala Lumpur

Taste: 6
Ambience : 7
Service : 5
Price** : RM 40 per person
Parking: OK

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-6201 3168
Opening Hours: 10am to 6pm (Closed on Tuesdays)

NO PORK SERVED

MAP:


OTHER REVIEWS:
- thenomadGourmand
- masak-masak
- Eat While The Sunrays Beam
- Cumi Dan Ciki
- Coffee & Bread


TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Haute Food, Plaza Damas, Hartamas Shopping Centre, Sri Hartamas, PJ, Mont Kiara, Cafe, KL, Kuala Lumpur