Il Padrino @ Wisma UOA, Damansara Heights

New non-halal Italian restaurant just off Jalan Semantan....

[ BEGIN EDIT ]
(April 2010)

Just so you know:
Il Padrino has joined the no pork team since October 2009 - now, they no longer serve pork/ lard and have changed all the equipment in the kitchen.
(Lisa: Thanks for informing! Appreciate it....)

So, everything in my original review is now obsolete (except the free bread and the desserts).
=_=

Haha...
Such is life - ever changing!
(I'll try to drop by Il Padrino food to check out the new menu...)


Signing off,
J

[ END EDIT ]

Spotted the emergence of this new restaurant a while back when I was inching past the discreet black signage on Jalan Semantan during the usual rush hour jam (the words Non-Halal Italian caught my eye):
The exterior of Il Padrino...
I liked the modern clean lines of the interior - simple yet classy. The Godfather movie theme (Il Padrino means The Godfather) could be seen, with movie quotes in the menu as well as Marlon Brando's photo glaring down at you from the restaurant walls:
The interior of Il Padrino...
First up, the free bread:
Our serving of free bread...
Ok. Not such a good start - the breadsticks were a bit "masuk angin" (soggy/ not crispy) and the bread was only so-so.

Luckily it picked up from there. :)

First up, the Frittura Di Calamari (Fried Calamari)(RM 24++):
Crispy deep fried calamari...
The calamari were fresh and with a "bouncey" texture encased in a crispy batter with medium lightness. Yum.

Next the Bruschetta with ham and goats' cheese (RM 22++):
Ham on bread, version 1...
Rule/ Warning: You have to like the taste of strong cheeses if you want to order this.
(Don't say I didn't warn you :P)

I liked the combination of the creamy, pungeant cheese with the fragrant, salty ham on the crusty bread.... but I realise that some people might find it a bit strong(The cheese is not overpowering, but you can DEFINITELY taste it there)

The guys love their ham, so they ordered another variant of Bruschetta, with a different kind of ham (prosciutto?) and rocket leaves (RM 22++):
Ham on bread, version 2...
The guys complained that they found the taste of the rockets overpowered the ham, but I thought it was ok.
(I like rockets... and I thought it complemented the saltiness of the ham well)

For the mains, I chose the porkiest thing I could find on the menu - the Braciola Pizzaiola (RM 40++):
Pork wrapped around pork...
Tender pork loin, wrapped around ham and filled with cheese. Then, topped with tender asparagus, deep fried leek and pizzaiola sauce (tomato based sauce).

Mmmmm... Yums. :)

Ok. Maybe it was a tad too salty on its own, and the ham inside was a little chewy... but overall when you pair each mouthful of meat with the asparagus, leek and sauce, it balances out well.

We also ordered one of the highly recommended pastas, the Ravioli Ai Spinachi (RM 32++):
The spinach ravioli...
This ravioli is stuffed with spinach and ricotta cheese, and served with butter, sage sauce and parmesan cheese. Overall, simple and delicious (without any overpowering spinach taste) but as with most ravioli dishes, the serving seems a bit small.
(It's ok if you plan to have a light meal, or want to pace yourself through a full 3 course meal but Pat the Bottomless Pit had ordered this so he was a bit dismayed with how little there was)

Lastly, we also had the Rigatoni Al Amatriciana (RM 24++):
The Rigatoni with prosciuto ham...
The Rigatoni (something like a bigger version of Penne pasta) was perfectly al dente, coated with a generous serving of robust Matriciana style tomato sauce and bits of ham. Overall, a good plate full of carb-y comfort food.
(It wasn't as spicy as I would have liked though....)

Dinner is never complete without dessert (to us gluttons, anyway) so we ordered the classic choice - the Tiramisu (RM 18++):
The classic tiramisu...
Overall, it was good. :)
Nice balance between the texture of the sponge fingers and cream with a sufficient chocolatey and coffee taste.
(My fave is still the Tiramisu at Bermuda & Onion, but I realise that it's not exactly a classic Tiramisu like this one)

The other desserts were also pretty good.

The Sfogliatine di Millefoglie (RM 18++):
The Millefoglie...
Crispy layers of pastry, layered with smooth cream and tart, fresh berry compote - a refreshing dessert that's not too heavy.

How can I resist ordering something chocolatey? :)

Chocolato di Fondante (RM 20++):
The Chocolate Fondant...
This chocolate fondante had an unusual texture - more of a crumbley, crunchy texture as opposed to the usual moist, creamy fondante. Interesting... but probably not a favourite for me.
(I supposed it's like a lighter take on the usual fondante, which could be good... at least the chances of you feeling "jelak" is relatively low)

So it's: Wide range of yummy non-Halal Italian food (although a biiiit salty sometimes), nice modern ambience, friendly staff BUT prices are definitely more on the expensive side....

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Il Padrino @ Wisma UOA Damansara, Jalan Dungun, Damansara Heights, KL
(The blue building where you can see Subway from the main road - Jalan Semantan)

Taste: 6
Ambience : 7
Service : 7
Price** : RM 85/++ per person
Parking: Bad during working hours, Ok during non-working hours/ weekends

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks

Telephone No.: 03-2093 8596
Opening Hours:
11am to 2.30pm (lunch),
2.30pm to 6pm (pizza only),
6pm to 11.30pm (dinner)

NOT HALALNO PORK SERVED

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Masak-Masak
- Eat Drink KL
- Caress Little Hamster


TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Jalan Dungun, Bukit Damansara, Damansara Heights, Il Padrino Italian Restaurant And Bar, Non Halal, Italian, KL, Kuala Lumpur

Food Reviews by Cuisine Type

Small relocation...

New functionality in Blogger introduced! - so, all my restaurant reviews links have been moved over to a fresh new page.
Click HERE... or the new page tab just below the header.
:)


Cheers,
J

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews By Cuisine Type, Asian, Western, KL, Kuala Lumpur, PJ, Petaling Jaya

U Restaurant @ Jalan Bangkung

Finally, I have tried all the restaurants in the Jalan Bangkung area.... :)

Such a simple name: U....
:)

The simplicity is reflected in the restaurant exterior - sporting a low key, discreet facade (which on the flip side, can be a bad thing as it doesn't really catch the eye):
The restaurant exterior....
Inside, the restaurant is comfortable, simple yet stylish - dimly lit, suitable for a romantic dinner:

I really liked the feature wall - a huge aquarium with a school of vibrant goldfishies:

Scanning the menu, there were (strangely, to me) a lack of bento sets for dinner. There only some lunch sets (which we were not allowed to choose for dinner), an omakase set ("leave it to the chef") and one sukiyaki/shabu-shabu set to choose from.

In the end, we decided to share a selection of the various a la carte dishes. First up, the Agedashi Tofu (RM 10++):

Tofu....
Yum!
The tofu was soft and silky, encased in a medium thickness crunchy batter. :) :)

Next up, the Kimuchi Paste Soup (RM 15++):

My share of the soup....
The soup serving was quite large - enough for 2 to 3 people and I found it DELISH. Ok, you have to like the taste of kimchi as a rule, but it wasn't overpowering - it was balanced well with the "sweet***" seafood base of the soup.
(***I don't mean sugar-y sweet)

The highlight for me was definitely the Nasu Misoyaki (Grilled Eggplant) (RM 15++):

The eggplant....
It looks so unappetising (slightly wizened and burnt black, sprinkled with some sesame seeds) but it tasted nice. :) There was a really yummy grilled flavour in the crisp outer layer, with the "flesh" inside being moist.
(Hmmm... actually, the taste may be a bit bland for some... but I liked it)

The Teriyaki salmon (RM 28++) we had was also pretty good:

The teriyaki salmon....
It was ever ever so slightly overcooked (really slightly lah... like 0.001%) but I really liked how they managed to make the outer layer crisp while keeping the salmon moist on the inside.

Anyway, moving on - no one is perfect, right?

What do I mean?

Well, the Seafood Fried rice (RM 15++) we ordered was really disappointing:

My share of the fried rice (3 people sharing)....
It's not that it was really that bad actually. Just that it was so normal (and I thought it was a bit overpriced).

Also, I wasn't really impressed with the Beef Asparamaki (RM 28++):

Our beef asparamaki....
The thin beef slices, wrapped around stalks of asparagus and topped generously with black pepper were too dry and a little on the bland side....

After all that, the 3 of us were too stuffed for dessert unfortunately... :(
... but there were only a few simple desserts to choose from anyway so not a huge loss I think.
(MMmmmmm, the deep fried bananas with ice cream sounded really good though! I guess I'll have to try it the next time.......)

Overall: Low key restaurant with friendly service and simple yet tasty Japanese food at mid-range pricing (not expensive but definitely not cheap either) BUT some hits and misses on the menu.

Summary Sheet:

U Restaurant @ Jalan Bangkung, Bangsar

Taste: 6
Ambience : 7
Service : 7
Price** : RM 65++ per person
Parking: OK

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks

Telephone No.: 03-2093 1268
Opening Hours: 12noon - 2.30pm, 6pm till 11pm
Parking : OK

NO PORK SERVED

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Knits and Nibbles
- Jules Eating Guide to Malaysia


TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Restaurant, Modern, Japanese, Bangsar, Jalan Bangkung, Halal, U Restaurant

EXASPERATION, I has it

*sigh*
A friend tries to set me up with his friend and the feedback is that I am apparently too strong/ opinionated/ something along those lines.

Me? Really?
O_o

And all this time I thought that I was a nice girl, but with a point of view on certain matters.
(WHAT'S WRONG WITH HAVING A POINT OF VIEW?)

And this is not first time!
(Well, in another context actually: I knew I would be rejected for a job because the interviewer said at the end, "Wah. You very opinionated, horr" in a really "tsk tsk" tone of voice....)

Am so sick of this nonsense.

Why is that most (Asian) guys I meet cannot accept a woman who has an opinion? This is really upsetting - because it's not like I'm the "in your face"/ brash/ feminist/ grrl power type anyway... (I don't think so anyway).

Can it be that when they say they value intelligence/ personality/ sense of humour in a woman, what they really mean is HOT BODY?
>_<


Frus,
J

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

We All Scream For Ice Cream

A nice (slightly belated) Mother's Day treat at Haagen Daz, courtesy of Pat-Lin Communications.........

I usually never believe when I am told "Free! No strings attached" when it comes to invited food reviews/ events but I guess it can really happen... :)
The Haagen Daz at One Utama, 2nd Floor, New Wing
Ok. So what were we doing that day?
Testing out a yummy new flavour! :)
Basically, Haagen Daz is celebrating their 25th anniversary and launched a (limited time only) flavour : Cappuccino Truffle. And since it was around the Mother's Day, they decided to pamper our mums too by extending the invite to them.
(So sweet... )
What is the Cappucino Truffle flavour all about?.....
My mum chose her favourite, a variation on the Banana Split, called the Banana Reverie (RM 29.90++):
The Banana Reverie.....
It was a bit normal.... I guess if you want something simple, this would a good choice.

As for me, I was really curious about the new flavour so I chose the Cassata Tiramisu (RM 29.90++):
The Cassata Tiramisu .....
Yum.
:)
Although I would have liked the ice cream to be a bit more coffee-ish, the melt in your mouth chunks of chocolatey truffle in it won me over.
(I am a chocoholic after all)
(Oh, the Tiramisu ice cream cake that came with this was not bad too)

Oh, and for you coffee lovers out there: Haagen Daz serves Illy!:
My caffeine fix.....
Mmmmm... The Illy Iced Cappucino was smooth and had a strong enough (but not too bitter) taste to satiate my other addiction - caffeine. :)

Anyway, to end it off:
- A big thanks to Regina and Sabina @ Pat-Lin - You girls were the perfect hostesses and the ice cream was so yummy! :)

Also, to Sue Lynn and Wei Zhi :
- It was so nice to see you girls again. Hope we can chat properly next round. Sorry, I was too busy stuffing my face with ice cream. :D


So, it's: New flavour added into a range of yummy ice cream!! :) BUT it's not cheap, is it?.....

Summary Information:
Ice Cream! @ Haagen Daz, One Utama

Opening Hours: 11am till 10pm
Price: varies
Phone: 03-7726 2835
Address: 2nd Floor, One Utama Shopping Center New Wing

HALAL

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, One Utama Shopping Center, Ice Cream, New Flavour, Haagen Daz, KL, Kuala Lumpur

I Can Cook! (Sort of)

Haha... I know it's no big deal (it's just a simple brekkie) but I only cook maybe 4 times a year (?). So, I thought I'd share the Mother's Day breakfast I prepared for my mum (and dad) with you all.

What's in it?: 2 gourmet sausages (1 garlic, 1 spicy), streaky bacon, cheese-y oven roasted tomatoes and scrambled eggs:

*TA DAH*
What do you think? :)


I must say though, cooking breakfast was very eventful - I almost set the kitchen on fire! >_<

Let's just say that my dad's "kiam siap" (stingy), "let's not waste anything" behaviour backfired in a big way - he confidently told me that one of the pots was safe for usage on an induction cooker... and guess what?

It was not.
(It took about 3 seconds for the butter to EXPLODE - I am not kidding. There was a small pillar of flame that singed most of the hair off my left hand)
*sigh*
:(

(Ok. Technically, the pot was made of stainless steel which is suitable for usage with induction cookers, but because it is the normal kind of pot - vs the induction cooker ones which generally are made thicker at the base or have special coatings - the heat went right through it and combusted the butter)

Anyway, I survived. Hopefully I don't burn the house down on Fathers' Day.
Haha.... :)

Hugs,
J

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

Fogals aka The Blue Cow

Same same but different :).......

Fogal's has always been one of my favourite places in Plaza Damas to go to for a simple but hearty yummy meal (except the desserts, which have never impressed) so I was pretty sad when I heard that it closed down! :(

Thankfully it turned out to be (most probably) a case of twisted rumours - all that happened was that Fogal's had changed its name to The Blue Cow:
Clockwise from top: Outside the Blue Cow.....
Otherwise, the concept and menu remains the same (with the addition of a few new items) - a quality butcher shop which also serves simple yummy meaty meals. :)

One of the new additions is the Spicy Tomato Soup (around RM12? Darn it lost the receipt AGAIN):
Clockwise from top: Yum! The Spicy Tomato Soup.....
Maybe it's an effort to "lighten" up their heavy menu items but I LOVE IT. It has great consistency - not too light yet not too thick, robust flavour, with little bits of bacon to chew on, and a nice spicy kick to make this simple soup special.

As I felt like something lighter for lunch, I tried their B.E.L.T sandwich (about RM16?):
A nice B.E.L.T sandwich (Bacon, Egg, Lettuce, Tomato).....
Overall, it was not bad - a generous portion of bacon, egg, lettuce and tomato made this a pretty filling meal overall.

Overall: Good quality butcher that also serves simple yummy meaty meals in a casual cafe setting BUT (not in this review, but I have eaten here often enough) desserts are not that nice and beef is a bit iffy (although the pork and sausages are always nice)

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

The Blue Cow (formerly known as Fogal's) @ Plaza Damas, Hartamas, KL

Taste: 6
Ambience : 6
Service : 6
Price** : RM50/++
Parking: OK
** Approximation - Per person, 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-6201 3206
Opening Hours: 8am - 10pm

COMPLETELY NOT HALAL

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Mouthwatering Food
- Always and Forever
- La Dolce Vita
- Lots of Cravings
- A Whiff of Lemongrass
- Kampung Kayell
- Ah Mok


TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, Hartamas, Fogal's, Butcher, Blue Cow, Pork, Plaza Damas

A Penny For Your Thoughts

I was just mulling over an interesting question I got recently:
"Why are your food photos so small ah?"

My idea was to have small clickable photos that make the page load faster, with the option of a bigger close up when you click on the photo of your choice....

... but: What do you think?
:)


Your opinions are valued,
(by) J

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

Leonardo's @ Jalan Bangkung

A long overdue review on an interesting new non-Halal Italian restaurant in the Bangkung area....

[ BEGIN EDIT ]
(Oct 2009 July 2010)

I've been back to Leonardo's a couple of times already and I'm happy to say that the food is (mostly) still good, and the cocktails are good too. :)

Please heed this warning though: Do not risk walking in without a booking (at least 3 days in advance for Fri/ Sat). Leonardo's is getting increasingly popular, especially with small corporate/ personal events so they are fully booked quite often nowadays....

You have been warned! :)

Hugs,
J

[ END EDIT ]

Note: I was at Leonardo's for a Nibbleish.com food tasting so this is not one of my normal reviews (as in, I didn't pay for any of the food)... but hope you trust that my opinions are objective. :)

Also, there are no prices attached to the dishes because it is an interesting new concept where you can pay a one discounted price to have a 3 course meal at 3 restaurants. Sounds interesting, right? - More details at Nibbleish.com or here.

Anyway, onwards to the review:

Leonardo’s is fairly new (about 6 months' old) and has taken over the Attic’s location in Jalan Bangkung:
Step up to Leonardo's....
They have a much warmer (romantic even) feel across the 2 levels:
- The upstairs area (2nd floor) is more of a cool bar/ lounge area, where you can drink, munch and chat with your friends, while,
- The lower area (1st floor) is the main dining area, with a choice of indoor or outdoor dining:
Leonardo's interior: Level 1 indoor and outdoor dining areas....
First up, for the night, was the complimentary bread... which I fell in love with. :) Crunchy and light, with a deliciously creamy mushroom topping – Perfection!:
Yummy, yummy bread... *drool*....
I had to tear myself away from the bread and move on to the "official" food. For the starters, there were 3 options for the night - the Cured Salmon Carpaccio, Waldorf Salad and Italian Sausages & Onions:

Clockwise from top left: The Salmon Carpacio & Waldorf Salad, close up of the Salmon Carpaccio and the Sausages....
I am largely a carnivore, so I really enjoyed the Italian sausages with its simple but robust tomato based sauce. Still, the other starters were nice too:
- the Salmon Carpacio served with fennel parsley orange salad and campari dressing was piquant and refreshing, whilst
- the Waldorf Salad was ok (chunky bits of crunchy apples, sengkuang, walnuts balanced with juicy grapes, creamy cheese and dressing).... Definitely an interesting textural mix (but like I said, I'm really more of a carnivore).

Before the mains, we were served a Virgin Margarita:
A virgin at our table....
I was surprised - despite the lack of alcohol, the margarita turned out to be a welcome addition to the meal, refreshing and not too sweet.

Moving on to the mains, we had the Miso Glazed Salmon, Spaghetti Vongole and Grilled Pork Chops with Strawberries:

Clockwise from top left: The Spaghetti, the Salmon and the Pork Chops...
My favourite for the night is a toss up between the Miso Glazed Salmon and the Spaghetti Vongole:
- the Salmon was PERFECTLY cooked - juicy and flavourful, matched well with the miso glaze, sweet potato mash and topped with 2 strips of crispy bacon. :)
- the Spaghetti was fusion at it's best - the classic vongole jazzed up with a generous amount of fragrant bunga kantan and some cili padi for kicks. YUM.
(UPDATE: I've gone back to Leonardo's recently and tried tha Vongole again and good news! It's still good.... )

As for the Pork Chops, I'm a bit conflicted. I liked the interesting pairing with the strawberries and balsamic reduction,... but the meat was a wee bit dry (the chef explained that he was trying to keep it healthier with a leaner cut of meat - which he says he will probably change now).

Lastly, for dessert, we were served Affogato, Tiramisu and Waffles a la mode:

Clockwise from top left: The tiramisu, affogato and waffles....
Honestly, by this time I was already so so stuffed... but thank God I have a separate stomach for desserts... Haha....

Anyway, all 3 desserts were ok - simple and light (although I would have preferred if the waffles had been crispier).

Overall, a fun night! Food was nice (although a few things could have been better), and it was made even better by excellent company - You know who you are, dahlings... ;)

Overall: Interesting porky fusion/ Italian restaurant in the Bangkung area with a nice ambience and friendly service BUT nothing bad to comment - I have to go back and try it in a normal (non food tasting setting) to get a better feel of the place though.


*TA DAH!*
Here's Master Baker FBB's review of Leonardo's: CLICK HERE

Summary Sheet:

Leonardo’s @ Jalan Bangkung, Bangsar

Taste: 6
Ambience : 6
Service : 7
Price** : RM ?? per person
Parking: OK (It's Bangsar after all)

Telephone No.: 03-2096 2226
Opening Hours: 5pm till late
Parking : OK

** Re. the Price: Sorry - like I said, I didn't pay that night. If I had to guess though it would starting from RM80 per person for a 3 course meal, without the Nibbleish.com package.
(Nibbleish.com package is RM70 flat for the Bangkung area)


TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Bar, Restaurant, Cocktails, Alcohol, Bar, Lounge, Bangsar, Jalan Bangkung, Pork, Leonardo

No Photos, Just Lotsa Appreciation :)

I was a bad (food)blogger and did not take any photos that day, but just wanted to say:
THANKS MR FAT BOY (hee hee)! You're the best! :)

To FBB:
Seriously, one could not ask for a better, more generous host. :) :)

It was really nice for you to have extended the invitation, so that I can finally come out of hiding and meet everyone. I really had a lot of fun and am definitely looking forward to the next round.
(Sorry I left so early - my bad! I will know better than to set any appointments anytime within 10 hours of the next party....)


To all the other beautiful people at the party:
Was great finally meeting all of you. You are all such darlings! - so warm, and wonderfully accepting of this newcomer....
... although I must say, it was pretty intimidating to be surrounded by so many great chefs, bakers and food connoisseurs...
(Especially Mr Cordon Bleu)
(Shy lerrr. I only know how to eat. Am hopeless at actually cooking anything)

I think I probably consumed about 20,000 calories of food (yummy crispy siu yoke, pie, lamb, duck, cake(s)).. washed down with another 20,000 calories worth of white wine and single malt whiskey but it was well worth it. :)



BIG HUGS ALL AROUND,
J

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

A Gastronomical Adventure, by Nibbleish

I don’t usually go for free food tastings… but it’s such an interesting concept! - a KL Food Crawl – sounds cool, right?....

Seriously - I hate accepting free food from restaurants...
(You'll have to take my word on this)
1) They know you're coming (and I feel that they can possibly pay an unfair amount of attention on you/ the food)
2) I have this strange notion that you cannot truly appreciate the price vs taste unless you actually pay for it with your own money (which is probably why I'm so broke after 3 years of food reviewing *sigh*)

(Anyway, enough about me and my strange way of thinking)

However, when I heard from the people behind Nibbleish.com that they were bringing a new "food crawl" / "food safari" concept to KL, I couldn't resist participating in their food tasting to find out more....




Take a bite....
Basically, the idea is that you can have a (sort of) food adventure - testing out 3 different restaurants in the same area (guaranteed to be =< 5 minutes walking distance) - one place for your starter, another for your main and a third place for your dessert.... And it's at a discounted price too. :)

All you have to do is :
1) go to their website,
2) choose the date and restaurant combination you want for your starter, main, dessert (eg. Flam, Le Bouchon & Bermuda Combo Tour)
3) pay online (prices are discounted! Approx 30% cheaper than normal, prices start from RM 50+),
4) print out your "ticket",
5) turn up at the right restaurant with your ticket on the right date,
5a) Starters 7.00 pm - 8.30 pm
5b) Main course 8.00 pm - 9.30 pm
5c) Desserts 9.30 pm till late
... and lastly...
6) MAKAN! :)

Menus are supposed to be changed fairly frequently (weekly?) but there are some restaurant menu highlights online for you to browse through.

So far, they only have a fairly short list of restaurants in the the Jalan Bangkung, Bangsar and Changkat Bukit Bintang, KL areas but I'm sure they will expand the list soon.
Restaurant listing:
- Changkat Bukit Bintang: (22 March - 30 April 2009)
Palate Pallete (No pork), Flams (No pork), Le Bouchon (No pork), Delucca (No pork), Bermuda & Onion (Non Halal),
- Jalan Bangkung (01 - 30 April 2009)
Cava (No pork), Tea For Two (No pork), Tasting Room (No pork), Tasting Room (No pork), U Restaurant (No pork), Leonardo's (Non Halal)

So, what's in it for you? :
1) Discounted prices for full sized meals (approx 30% discount!)
2) The fun of trying out 3 different restaurants (all within walking distance) in one night

But what's the catch lah? :
Nothing.
Except that if you are looking to sit down and relax at one restaurant the whole night (ie. not feeling adventurous) then this is not for you. Oh, and they don't have this deal on every single night - only on Sundays to Thursdays.

Overall: Interesting concept of a food safari, discounted prices for full sized meals at established/ new restaurants in Bangsar and KL (the 3 course package price starts from about RM50+!), fuss free online booking+payment system BUT only available on off peak nights (Sunday to Thursday)... I can’t think of anything else negative - I’m just a little worried about the ability of the restaurants to cope well to this new concept, but I’ll update on that after I try it out…

Links to some of the Jalan Bangkung restaurant options:
1) Tasting Room review @ Cumi & Ciki
2) Tea For Two review @ Cumi & Ciki
3) Leonardo's review @ Fat Boy Bakes
4) Tasting Room review @ Julian Si
5) My Leonardo's review (coming soon - sorry! FINALLY done...)

Another great thing about the food tasting that night (other than the exciting new concept) was that I got to meet up with some really delightful people - especially fellow food bloggers, Mr. "Super Baker" FBB and Miss "Hot Stuff" Ciki. :)
(Sorry, Jules, since I already know you, it wasn't so special to meet you there :P)

Was so nice to meet you babes! :) Let's go makan again soon, k?


All of us at Leonardo's
(Photo brazenly stolen from Julian Si's site btw - "Teruk lah u, Jules - u know I don't like my photo posted online and you never even asked first... Anyway, the damage is done.... So I have stolen and pasted your photo here too")....

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant, Fusion, Leonardo, Nibbleish, KL Food Safari, Bangsar, Changkat Bukit Bintang, Jalan Bangkung, Pork

Cuisine Studio @ Tropicana

Cosy French restaurant tucked in a corner of Tropicana....

DISCLAIMER: I lost the receipt so prices are just a stab in the dark of what I roughly remember.
(Sorry.....)

I had been meaning to check out Cuisine Studio for the longest time but more than a year passed before we ventured to this cosy little French restaurant (opened and run by French chefs) in the Tropicana Golf Club:

Inside, there is a small(-ish) area for dining, some specialty products (gourmet sausages, home made jams, etc) and a larger section next door where they hold their cooking classes:
Inside Cuisine Studio.....
That night we started off with the Mussels, cooked with sea water (?) and white wine (about RM 45++):
I heart mussels.....
Wah. So fresh.
(But not cheap lorrr)
According to the wait staff, fresh batches of mussels are flown in every Thursday from New Zealand. They were undoubtably fresh, but I found that the broth of sea water (?) and white wine was a little too salty for my taste buds. Overall, Ok.

Next up, the Escargot (about RM 25++):
Go, go escargot!.....
Yum. The escargot wasn't super tender (which I have been told, is a sign that the are probably freshly prepared and not the canned variety) but the sauce was delicious - tasty, yet not too overpowering.

As for the mains, we tried 3 of their specialties - The Braised Lamb Shank (about RM 50++), the Duck Cassoulet (about RM 60++) and the Spicy Sausage Pasta (about RM 30++):

Clockwise from top: Braised Lamb Shank, Duck Cassoulet and Spicy Sausage Pasta.....
- Lamb Shank: This was my favourite for the night. A tender, lovingly braised hunk of lamb smothered in a delicious yet delicate sauce which complemented the flavour of the lamb very well. *drool*
- Duck Cassoulet: Ok - simple flavours, tender duck served with pieces of home made sausage and a heap of stewed beans (May be a bad thing, if you don't like beans though)
- Spicy Sausage Pasta: Not bad - it's a great dish to choose if you feel like having some unpretentious comfort food. Al dente pasta, coated with a chunky tomato based sauce and a generous amount of home made sausages.

So, it's: Cosy, unpretentious restaurant-specialty store-cooking school with yummy, fresh, lovingly prepared classic French dishes BUT slightly limited menu and a little expensive (for the normal layperson like me, so it's more of a special occasion place)...

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Cuisine Studio @ Palm New Wing, Tropicana Golf & Country Club

Taste: 7
Ambience : 6
Service : 6
Price** : RM80/++
Parking: OK (but if there’s a wedding/ function going on then good luck to you)
** Approximation - Per person, 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-7805 3088
Opening Hours: 11am - 10pm

NO PORK SERVED

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Masak-Masak
- Food 4 Thot
- Eat Drink KL


TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, PJ, Petaling Jaya, French, Cuisine Studio, Tropicana Golf And Country Club