Tapas @ La Bodega

La Bodega was a place my mum and I used to patronise, until we felt their standard dropped. Last week, we gave them a second chance. This establishment is the one in BSC along Jalan Maarof, on the ground floor in-between Chinoz and The Pressroom.

It was quite packed being a Friday night, and the service was slow - though our dishes came in the end. My mother ordered herself a Latte worth RM10, made from illy Coffee. It was subtle, aromatic and of a reasonable size for what we paid.

The Escalivada con Queso Cabra worth RM9 was a simple dish consisting of oven roasted vegetables with a wonderful texture, flavoured with sundered tomato pesto and pieces of goat's cheese - which were unfortunately scarce.

Our Salchichas al Diablo contained succulent chicken sausages which were complemented by a tangy tomato sauce. There was an abundance of sausages, which tasted wonderful with pieces of bread.

The Tortilla Española was a spanish omelette which contained pieces of potatoes and onion worth RM9. The dish was lukewarm - though the omelette was well seasoned, it was slightly hard and quite dry.

For dessert, we ordered the Crema Catalana - the Spanish version of the Crème Brûlée. The top was not caramelised at all, and the dish was horribly sweet, having a ridiculously strong almond flavour as well. The almond was ground up and mixed in, giving it a slightly grainy texture which I didn't quite like.

On the whole, our night at La Bodega was nothing special. It was a lukewarm experience that was easily forgettable. I suggest that you try alternatives such as El Meson if you're in the mood for tapas. La Bodega, once again, failed to meet my expectations.

Presentation: 6/10

Ambiance: 7/10

Service: 4/10

Overall Taste: 5/10

General Impression: 5/10

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Cheers,

BrianandRepublic

An Irish fare at Malones

Authentic Irish food is something that I've desperately tried to find, here in KL. Whilst in KLCC, my mother and I stumbled upon an Irish restaurant by the name of Malones, and decided to give it a try. Malones is situated on the Ground Floor, right beside The Appartment - facing the water-fountains in KLCC.

The restaurant's interior is filled with dark, wooden furniture, green chairs and antique lamps - in order to give its customers that old, English pub-like vibe. Even its outdoor seating area gave us the exact same feeling.

We ordered Sausage on Colcannon and Guinness Onion Gravy, worth RM 29. The lukewarm sausages consisted of Jumbo Chicken Sausages and Steamed Veal Bratwursts, while the colcannon, butter-filled mashed potatoes with cabbage and spring onion, was dsmooth and divine. The subtle sweetness of the sauce added extra flavour

We were also in the mood for some Irish stew, thus ordering the Guinness Beef Stew worth RM29 too. The beef cubes were surprisingly tough, though the root vegetables were soft, and the sauce was flavourful. The bread served, on the other hand, was very stale.

On the whole, I felt that Malones could have offered better quality food, especially when considering the price that we had to pay for the above dishes. Though the waiters were incredibly attentive and nice, and we were served our food promptly. I wouldn't grumble if I had to come to this place once again, though I wouldn't have high expectations from my next visit either.

Presentation: 5/10

Ambiance: 6/10

Service: 7/10

Overall Taste: 5/10

General Impression: 5/10

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Cheers,

BrianandRepublic

Rawang's Famous Steamed Tilapia @ Lan Je

Apologies for the poor quality of photographs, as these photos were taken using my BlackBerry phone.

This visit took place ages back, but honestly speaking - I am still able to taste Rawang's famous Steamed Tilapia in my mouth, a speciality dish of Restaurant Lan Je. This humble restaurant's is as follows: 27-28, Block C, Jalan Rawang, Gerai MPS, Batu 16. I'm not sure if the restaurant is a Halal one, but I do know that they don't serve pork

Each fish costed us around RM18, and can either be shared among 2 people, or if you're really hungry - exclusively for you. The fresh, flaky fish was served with soy-sauce that enhanced its flavour, not having overpowered the natural sweetness of the fish. Ginger and spring onions removed all traces of fishiness and provided warmth and depth to the dish.

You could eat the fish along with some rice, however the fish is good enough to be eaten by its own. My sister's frown, which was evident upon arriving, was now upside down. I, being the glutton that I am, kept picking at the plates of others - after I had licked my fish-bones clean.

My uncle had also placed an order for a vegetable dish - 4-Angled Bean with Belacan (Shrimp Paste). This dish too, was wonderfully prepared. The 4-angled bean was nice and crunchy, and the bellman sauce flavoured it well - with chillies adding a bit of warmth to the palate.

On the whole, a total of 8 Tilapia fish, a few bowls of rice, 2 vegetable dishes and a tofu dish came up to a total of RM 180. This RM180 managed to feed a total of 13 people, which makes this restaurant damn reasonable in terms of pricing - I must say.

Restaurant Lan Je have also opened up branches in Kota Damansara and Plaza Kasturi, in Cheras - but I was told that the quality of food there isn't as good as the establishment in Rawang - though that claim has yet to be proven. If you are into steamed fish, I highly recommend the above franchise.

Presentation: 3/10

Ambiance: 2/10

Service: 5/10

Overall Taste: 8/10

General Impression: 8/10

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Cheers,

BrianandRepublic

Segambut's Ho Ho Steamboat

Quite recently, my mum and dad have had an obsession with all things healthy, and we stumbled across Ho Ho Steamboat when looking for a place to eat in Segambut, late at night. Ho Ho Steamboat, is a bungalow-turned-restaurant, the 67th one, along Jalan Segambut just before it leads to Ipoh Road.

As there were three of us, we opted for the Set for 2, worth RM14.50. This set consisted of a variety of ingredients that would be boiled in flavoured soup, a sort of Asian version of a fondue. We were given a choice of two soups to choose from, these being a Tom Yam flavoured soup, and a clear broth.

The Tom Yam flavoured Soup was a nice tangy soup, that was not overly spicy but nice and warm - the perfect thing to have on a cold, rainy day. The 'Original' flavoured Soup was simple, and brings out the flavour in the ingredients. If I were you, I would recommend a mixture of the two, so that you can taste the individual flavours of the ingredients, but still have that Tom Yam flavour for an extra 'edge'.

The plate of ingredients consisted of a variety of 'stuff', such as Foo Chok, Taro Slices, Dumplings with a Pork Filling, Tofu Cubes, Prawns and Quail's Eggs - among many other things. Though they may seem like a lot on a plate, chances are you will not feel full at the end of it - due to the fact that these ingredients are quite light on your tummy.

The Set for 2 also consists of a plate of vegetables - in this case, Chinese Cabbage and Raw Lettuce. These are to be added into the steam-boat pot, following the ingredients. The result of the vegetable's texture ultimately depends on how long you intend on boiling them for - they might turn out crisp, or soft.

Lastly, the Set for 2 contains two types of noodles, thin Rice-Based Noodles and thicker Egg-Based Noodles, with some Sesame Oil and an Egg, meant to act as a thickener for the soup. I am personally not a fan of the thin, white noodles, but the thick noodles and the soup go wonderfully together. So simple, yet so flavourful.

As a side dish, we ordered Deep Fried Pork Dumplings. The minced pork filling was succulent and enclosed in a crisp, deep friend won-ton sheet. I highly recommend you try this as an appetiser if you decide on coming here.

I was quite impressed with this establishment, and I understand from their website (linked in with the post's title), that their establishment in Segambut is one of many throughout KL and Selangor. Do give this place a try if you're looking for something simple, delicious and healthy - at a reasonable price.

Presentation: 3/10

Ambiance: 3/10

Service: 7/10

Overall Taste: 8/10

General Impression: 7/10

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Cheers,

BrianandRepublic

G3 Kitchen and Bar

My friend and I stumbled upon G3 last week while scouring Bangsar for a place to dine. G3 is a relatively new establishment is located smack in the centre of Bangsar Baru, on the same row as Alexis along Jalan Telawi 3.

I found the interior rather chic, and the jazzy renditions of hit songs such as Michael Jackson's Thriller were a wonderful accompaniment. Apart from selling food, G3 also sells products such as pasta, sauces, chocolate powder and different flavoured beers. We were very hungry and in the mood to eat as soon as possible, but the extremely slow service really got us worked up.

The food eventually came in the end, with our Roasted Pumpkin served with Almond Flakes, Feta Cheese and Garden Salad worth RM 20,being the first to arrive. The dish was wonderfully presented, with a large piece of grilled pumpkin acting as the centrepiece. The pumpkin was cooked on one side and slightly raw on the other. There wasn't any almond flakes, though there were chickpeas in its place. The crisp salad with pesto provided for a nice addition to the dish.

Next up was our Deli Sandwich with Turkey Ham, Avocado Aioli and Cheddar Cheese, worth RM 17. The sandwich contained a lot of meat in a warm toasted bread, with the meat, cheese and aioli calling for a marriage made in heaven. The sandwich was accompanied with a helping of amazingly fluffy chips and some simple greens.

As a dessert, we placed an order for a Raspberry Crème Brûlée worth RM 7. Though the dessert took quite some time to arrive, the smell of caramelised sugar filled the air of the restaurant while they were blowtorching the dish, which tantalised our tastebuds. The dish was phenomenal, with the crispness of the surface, creaminess of the filling and tartness of the raspberries providing a myriad of flavours and textures to the dish.

Still hungry, we ordered a Chocolate Truffle Torte worth RM 7. The dish took quite some time to arrive, and the chocolate seemed more like syrup than that of a chocolate truffle. Despite that, the dish tasted swell, with the orange and the chocolate forming the ideal combination, as odd as that combo sounds.

As a whole I was really impressed with this new establishment. G3 served us great tasting food, of a reasonable quality, for a reasonable price. The only point of contention for the restaurant is that it needs to buck up on its service if they intend on surviving because in Bangsar, nobody likes slow food.

Presentation: 8/10

Ambiance: 6/10

Service: 5/10

Overall Taste: 7/10

General Impression: 7/10

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Cheers,

BrianandRepublic

The Athena

My family and I have paid many visits to The Athena for their set lunch. I can distinctly remember my father taking us there for the first time - we were amazed at the value for money that we got and the quality of the food that was served. We continued to visit the restaurant many times afterwards, but stopped a few months ago.

Last week, my parents and I found ourselves at the Pavilion once again, and seeing as we had not tried The Athena in ages, we thought we'd give it another shot. The Athena is located on the Ground Floor, in between La Bodega and Michaelangelo's at The Pavilion on Jalan Bukit Bintang. Our visit this time, however, was completely different from the rest.

Upon taking our seats, it took us 10 minutes for the waiter to come and take our order. We requested for warm water, but the waiter had told us that we were required to pay RM4 for a bottle of mineral water - eventhough other tables were clearly drinking water from the tap. A white lie right there...

For my mains, I had Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with Smoked Salmon from the set menu. This was accompanied with with a Cream of Carrot Soup, worth RM19.90. The soup seemed fresh, and was of a nice consistency. The mallow taste left a nice feeling in my mouth, though the bread that it was served with the soup was slightly stale.

The Spaghetti Aglio e Olio was of a generous portion, though the spaghetti on the other hand, was overcooked - not al dente. There was also right amounts of oil and garlic, though way too much salt! The salmon was salty too, and that didn't help either.

I chose a Tiramisu for desert. The tiramisu was firm, with a nice ratio of cream to ladies fingers, and the chocolate that was drizzled onto it was a nice complement. The only downside to this dish was that it was way too small a portion. Before I knew it, I had finished the entire slice, leaving nothing to take a picture of.

My father on the other hand, ordered Chicken a la Pimentos from the set menu as well. He was served with Minestrone Soup as a starter - worth RM21.90. The minestrone soup lacked in flavour and was too cold. It almost tasted like flavoured water. The bread served with this, too, was slightly stale.

The Chicken was tender and the sauce (along with the mustard) complemented it very well. There wasn't, however, much potatoes - which were soft and fluffy, but not well seasoned. As for the vegetables - they were all cooked well, apart from the undercooked carrots.

My dad decided to try the Chilled Marscapone with a Spicy Strawberry Sauce and Balsamic. It was an interesting choice of dessert, with the subtleness of the marscapone, 'spiced up' by the spicy/sweet/tart flavour of the strawberry sauce and balsamic. The dessert, however, was only served 20 minutes after we had all finished our food.

My mother ordered the Seafood Salad from the a la carte menu, worth RM28. This dish was, in metaphorical terms, a big plate of shit - especially when considering the price we paid. It did not look great, and the dish was essentially boiled frozen seafood (yes,the fishy taste was there) on a bed of raw greens, drizzled with olive oil. For RM28,we thought to ourselves…wtf is this?!?

On the whole, it was rather surprising to see such a change in standard. Even though I have my doubts on if I choose to return again, I most probably will - and only then will I be able to make my judgement. Personally, I suggest that you try other places for lunch and save The Athena as a last resort - but in the end, its up to you.

Presentation: 6/10

Ambiance: 6/10

Service: 3/10

Overall Taste: 5/10

General Impression: 4/10

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Cheers,

BrianandRepublic

MIGF 2010 @ Neo Tamarind

As a foodie, one of the events that I look forward to the most is the Malaysian International Gourmet Festival. I make it a point every year, to pay homage to two different restaurants. This year however - just like the last, I only had a chance to visit one. I paid a visit to Neo Tamarind, Restaurant & Lux Lounge a week ago with a friend of mine. Neo Tamarind is located along Jalan Sultan Ismail, opposite Equatorial Hotel.

We were treated to a spectacular gastronomic feast, one of which I've never had before. The 6 course menu costed RM155 per person, without wine. The only problem I had was that the surroundings were way too dark for my camera to operate properly. I took a few shots…but gave up in the end. Therefore, I was not able to take a picture of every course served. My apologies.

We while waiting for our feast to begin, we were treated to Warm Bread, paired with Hummus and Tomato Salsa. The hummus was rich in flavour with a hint of lemon, and with the chickpeas gridded to a perfect consistency. The tomato salsa was sweet, with the coriander adding freshness to it.

Then we were served a pair of complimentary appetiser. The appetiser consisted of Crispy Salmon Flakes with Pickled Green Tomatoes, which provided a nice balance of sweet and salty.

Our first course was the Samhadi Rainbow Gnocchi with Zucchini Ribbons and topped with Truffle Oil, Fine Herbs and a Balsamic Reduction. The different colours of gnocchi had different flavours, respectively. The gnocchi was soft, and its flavour was enhanced by the truffle oil and wild flowers.

Our second course was the Semi-Raw Agent. This dish contained Seared Crusted One Side Tuna Loin topped with Sakura Mix, Red Wine Jelly, and a glass of Wasabi Foam. There was an interesting combination of flavours and textures in this dish, with the sakura mix being crisp, the red wine jelly being soft and sweet, the tuna fish added a smoky flavour and the wasabi foam added a nice kick. The dish, as a whole, tantalised my taste-buds.

Our third course was the Hot Liquid Agent. This dish contained Poached White Cod Loin in Beetroot Broth and Prawns in Marscapone on a Sweet-Corn Coulis, topped with Avocado Oil and Black Ink Salt. The cod loin was well cooked and of a generous portion, though the beetroot juice purely added colour alone, to the fish. The prawns were plump and succulent, and the subtleness of the dish was a nice contrast from the previous course.

Our fourth course was the Hot Flame Agent. This dish contained a Melon-Mint Shooter as its centrepiece, decked with Duck Ribbon and Foie Gras, and a side of Blowtorched Watermelon and Sweet Potato Mash, topped with Orange Salt. The foie gras was pure decadence, though there was too much of orange salt which overpowered everything. The subtleness of the blowtorched watermelon and the melon-mint shooter, however, added some balance to my taste-buds.

Our fifth course was the Hybrid Agent. This dish contained a Cold Seared Scallop coated in Habanero Fish Roe, a serving of Matcha Foam, Grilled Grade 7 Wagyu Beef and a Port Wine Glazed Portobello Terrine. The centrepiece of our dish - the wagyu, was simply amazing - truly melting in my mouth. The dish consisted of a nice combination of hot and cold, though the scallop with fish roe was a bit too fishy for my taste.

Our last course then, was the Sweet Agent, which consisted of a Chocolate Truffle, a Green Tea Doughnut, a Warm Chocolate Cake with Candied Kumquat and a glass of Mocha Foam. The chocolate truffle was unusually cold, though it had a nice texture to it. The green tea doughnut however, was incredibly hard - and the chocolate cake, more hot than warm. The mocha foam truly was divine and on the whole, the dessert was a nice myriad of textures and temperatures.

My experience at Neo for the Malaysian International Gourmet festival was truly an unforgettable one. My palate was treated to a spectacle of amazing textures, flavours, temperatures which in the end - seemed to combine wonderfully into a big and wonderful ensemble of FOOD.

With the exception of the manager being a bit of a bitch (mind the language), and the incredibly dark lighting, I am definitely keen to come back for a taste of their a la carte menu. As for the MIGF experience…

a truly unique one indeed.

Pictures here, courtesy of the Malaysian International Gourmet Festival website.

Presentation: 9/10

Ambiance: 8/10

Service: 6/10

Overall Taste: 9/10

General Impression: 8/10

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Cheers,

BrianandRepublic