Albion, Jalan Berangan, Kuala Lumpur. Hail Britannia!

(non halal)

After disappearing for three weeks, I returned to Changkat Bukit Bintang and was amazed by the changes. The dizzying turnover of restaurants along this small stretch of road matches an acne outbreak on the face of a pubescent teen. Engka Portobello has disappeared, which was disappointing as it served reasonably priced and delightful food. Reggae Bar popped up. Some new Spanish restaurant seems to be under construction next to Werner's.

A new restaurant that has popped up is Albion (which means the Islands of Great Britain, Gaelic, if I am not mistaken) which is located next to Bar Italia along the quieter stretch parallel to Changkat. Chic and smart, with a slightly spartan yet contemporary setting, it offers modern British cuisine and has been open for about 2 weeks now. The menu is not too terribly extensive, but please bear in mind that this is a new place and they are just breaking into the scene.

Starters are fairly interesting here. Besides the usual offerings of Parma Ham and Melon, there is Fishcakes with Strawberry Salad and Blue Cheese Salad. I had the Chorizo a la Plancha (which means grilled Chorizo in Spanish) and it came as a Bruschetta look alike with the Chorizo sausages bathed in sourish tomato paste and basil. The dish is no eye candy, but tasted delightfully fresh on a humid Sunday night.

For mains, I had seared duck fillet with Blackcurrant sauce. The duck was a little bit too tough but blackcurrant sauce that came with it was a welcome departure from the normal as the fruitiness of the sauce tempered the gaminess of the duck. The potatoes would have been better if they were Dauphinoise.

For dessert, I had the Toasted Mature Fruitcake (which was mature enough to vote in the coming GE) that came served with Vanilla Ice Cream on top of some candied pineapple rings. Although the fruitcake was nothing to shout about, but the way it was served with the pineapple was brilliant as it cuts down the satiety. Albion probably warrants some return visits again.

I am terribly excited about Cilantro's re-opening and must find time to dine there soon (although both the Queen and Goddess of KL foodblogs did not attain food nirvana there).

Just to end this fruity post, Rainier Cherries are available from Imbi market now! These are pale and pink and sweet, not the usual tart read ones that are used for cooking, but sold at an exorbitant price in KL.

Here's to wishing all of you a HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010!

And I hope that your LIFE IS JUST A BOWL OF CHERRIES THIS YEAR.

Canton-i, Gardens MidValley. The week that was.

OK, I admit. I am running low on steam and am finding it hard to get new ideas on what to blog about. Feeling a bit tired too, and am having backaches and headaches. Probably due the change in Medication recently. Moreover, the list of unread books have grown to more than 10. Now, that gets to my nerve more than anything else! Hence, just a brief run down on the week that was.

Firstly, lunch at Gardens. Wanted a change from my usual haunt at Sage, and henceforth twittered for some ideas. Joe (lotsofcravings) suggested Ri Yaki-Tori, but they are only open from 5pm onwards. The Android Craved for some dim sum and landed at Canton-i.

Clockwise from top: 1. Duck Floss in fried spring rolls 2. Steamed Fish Maw with fishpaste and 3. Conch with American Ginseng Soup.

The restaurant claims to offer authentic Cantonese cuisine as they have employed two chefs from Hong Kong and that piqued my interest as I am a big fan of Dim Sum. The Duck Spring Rolls were perfectly fried, with just a light trace of oil, but the savoury filling was a tad too salty and very dry. Steamed fish maw with minced pork and fish paste was an interesting twist to the normal dim sum offeerd elsewhere. Not spectacular, but adequate.

Clockwise from top left 1. Seven Belle Tea (The Jasmine Pops up!), 2. Double Boiled Milk 3. Pea Sprout and Scallop Dim Sum 4. Har Gao

The har gao or prawn dumplings were RM 10 per plate, which is a bit on the pricier side. The skin was perfect, not too sticky and soft nor was it tough. The most interesting of the lot was probably the pea sprout, spinach and sliced scallop dim sum which was filled with crunchy pea sprouts that offered a textural contrast to the otherwise uninspiring array of Dim Sum offered.

The Conch and American Soup was salty, but palatable. The double boiled fresh milk dessert with gnger sauce was beautiful and the most memorable of the dishes. I would have to mention that a lot of the items in the menu ar not available. No roast goose,I had to change my dessert 3 times before they found something that was available, and of the 6 varieties of soup offered, only one was available. Kind of disappointing. Do ask first before ordering to avoid disappointment.

Canton-i
Mid Valley City LG 202, 203 A
Lower Ground Floor
Lingkaran Syed Putra
Kuala Lumpur
+6.03.22.84.68.88

The rest of the week was unremarkable except for a few boring dinners with my Boss. Lunch this week at Sage was excellent.


The Cold Cappelini pasta with Salmon Confit and Baby Herbs brought tears of joy to my eyes. The stark simplicity of the taste and the freshness of the Salmon was astounding. The Aiguilette of Duck and Green Pepper Sauce with Foie Gras has probably been done to death elsewhere, but at Sage, the Duck breast (Aiguilette means sliced lean pieces) was done to perfection and topped with beautiful foie. Dessert was Baked Chestnut which retained a slight bitter edge from the skin, tempered down with almond flakes and vanilla ice cream.

Since Lots of Cravings Joe has been moaning about Pad Thai, I am posting the picture below, taken from Somtam Seafood at Jalan Alor. The best Pad Thai in KL.


Notice the chopped peanuts and Raw Bean Sprouts in the background? Squeeze the lime, give the al dente, full of wok hei noodles a toss. Close your eyes and munch. You are now in Bangkok. As good as the stall below my apartment in Sukhumvit. :D

That was my week, and hope you guys have a great one ahead too!

Twenty One, Changkat Bukit Bintang, KL. Lazy Saturday Afternoon.

(no pork served)

Ever had one of those days when it is a big effort even to move your butt? Well, today was one of those days for me. Had a minor argument with someone, and that totally cheesed me off. I hate to go to bed in a bad mood. Hrmphhh! Woke up at noon, and completely missed the wet market at Imbi Road. Strolled down Changkat Bukit Bintang and the entire street was so quiet on a Saturday afternoon. I always thought that Twentyone was a club, because when I walked past it at night, it was always reverbrating with music. Thump! Thump! Strange to see it so quiet in the afternoon, a little melancholic even. Probably an after effect of watching "The Bicycle Thief" last night.


They do serve lunch here everyday! And the menuwas not too extensive, but reasonably priced. Mains between 10 to 22 and comes with a free drink. They serve illy coffee and desserts as well.


The complimentary bread platter came with Olive Oil and a plate of chopped nuts (Almonds, Pistachio and Walnut).


Spaghetti Alia Olio with Chili, Coriander and Beef Bacon Strips. Light and garlicky with a nice balance of Olive Oil.


Mango compote. Luscious Chopped Mango with perfectly light and crunchy phyllo pastry, served with a dollop of Vanilla Ice cream. I have to say that the place has a beautiful ambiance in the afternoon and the most surprising thing is that this little club bunny can cook as well. Perhaps the most beautiful thing about the meal is the price. The pasta came with a tall glass of iced lemon tea, the dessert plus a macchiato set me back by RM36.

After a short break at Low Yatt to hunt for some computer peripherals, I then went to Engka Portobello for some tapas, Smashed Peach Bourbon and Corretto (Grappa with Coffee). There. Lunch started from 12.30 till 2.45pm. Tea from 4.00pm to 6.30pm. A very lazy and self indulgent day.

Twentyone Kitchen and Bar
20-1 Changkat Bukit Bintang
50200
Kuala Lumpur

Tel: +6.03.21.42.00.21

Previous posts on Engka Portobello here and here.

Le Bouchon. Changkat Bukit Bintang, KL. Return Visit, Mixed Feelings.

(no pork served)

Le Bouchon has 2 "gourmet" set menus. During the previous visit here, I tried the RM148 menu and for this visit, I chose the RM 88 menu. The frontage of the restaurant has undergone a change and it now houses a pub called l'armitage at the entrance.


For starters I was served with Escargot de Bourgogne which was Burgundy Snails baked with fresh herbs. garlic and pastis butter. Not particularly remarkable, it was bland and the anise based pastis did not glimmer through the oily, buttery sauce. The herbs were slightly discordant and garlic overpowered the whole dish.


Next was the Terrine the legumés provençal au basilic or Provencal Vegetables Terrine, scented with Basil served with a raosted tomato vinigeraitte. This was fresh and lively sourish dish and filled with the right cadences to make this a lovely summer dish. Their terrine was a cold terrine, not baked and the dressing was a refreshing change.


I tried their chicken which was poulette grillé aux morilles, risotto aux herbs fraische et carottes caramélisées. The chicken was freshly succulent and well grilled with lovely mushrooms, and the carrots divine. But the Risotto was not of the correct consistency and overpoweringly salty and the chef was a bit heavy handed with the herbs. The taste is not unlike salty mushroom soup mixed with partially cooked rice.


Desserts was Tarte aux fraises et glaice à la cannelle, or fresh strawberry tart with cinnamon ice cream. Desserts heve never been a forte at Le Bouchon. The Pastry was slightly taut through still crunchy but the cinnamon was overpowering.

Overall dining experience was good, with attentive service. Maybe I caught them on an "off" day as the cooking lacked enthusiasm and the chef lent too heavy a hand in the herbs and salt. I would recommend the RM148 menu over the RM88 based on today's experience.

Le Bouchon

14 and 16 Changkat Bukit Bintang

Kuala Lumpur Malaysia

+603 2142 7633

url: www.lebouchonrestaurant.com

Chef: Jerome Carrouee

Frangipani. Changkat Bukit Bintang, KL. Fine French Dining. Part 2 : Main Course and Dessert.

(no pork served)

After a delectably wonderful start, it's now time to meet the Star of tonight's preformance.


Firstly, my palate was cleansed with a tart and tangy complimentary Orange Sorbet that was wonderfully light and refreshing.


Pan Roasted Duck Confit with Mustard Cream and Mashed Potatoe on a Crisp Potato Courrone. I purposely ordered this to compare between the confit I had at Hakka and Alexis. Confit means to preserve in French, and Duck Confit is usually prepared using the leg (Just like the salty chinese waxed duck, which is available duing Chinese New year Celebration). Usually the duck is cured with salt and spices (which may include cumin, nutmeg and pimento) and slowly basted in duck fat before preserving the confit in referigerator. Frangipani's confit was marvelous. The confit was panfried, with a delectably crispy outer skin, but the meat was soft and moist. Not greasy at all. As you can see, the duck was still plump and full, not shriveled. I actually asked the Manager how did they manage to maintain the succulence of the meat. Apparently the secret is to slowly poach the duck in it's own fat for 8 hours! Normal poaching time is usually 3 hours.

The small little clumps were Mustard Cream Sauce. And the duck sat on a bed of mashed potatoes which in turn sat on a ring of Crispy Potato Courrone. I found the Mustard Cream slightly too salty, as the duck had been cured in salt as well. Otherwise this dish was perfect. The wine you see on the top left of the Duck was the 2006 Zind Humbrecht Riesling. An unusual pairing, you may say, but 2006 was such a wonderful year for the Alsace region. And this wine did not disappoint. This medium bodied wine was big and fragrant, the bouquet was floral and some oranges and some pear. The Riesling was dry and acidic with a sweetish after taste.


Desserts are always a very indulgent treat that I look forward to after dinner. And the choices at Frangipani are marvelous. I ordered a trio, which was 3 types of dessert at tasty (minuscule) portions. It was minuscule to me because it was really good!


Dark Chocolate With Pistachio Terrine with Passion Fruit Mascarpone and Forest Berry Coulis. Terrine would be any food, usually loaf shaped made in a Terrine mold. This was again a beautiful creation. Lovely, rich dark chocolate. Just so slightly sweet, but more bitter than sweet. In the mouth, the stickiness of the chocolate blending with the rich creaminess of Marscapone is a sensation beyond description. I closed my eyes and I was reminded of my first love. The excitement of tasting something forbidden, the sweetness of a first kiss and the bitterness of rejection which is part and parcel of this lush menagerie we call life.


The French Toast with Rum and Raisin Sauce and Freshly Baked Apple was rich and came covered in a thin layer of caramel. The Baked apple was slightly tough. I should have tasted this first before the Chocolate Terrine as the richness of the Terrine overwhelmed the more subtle taste of the French Toast.


The last dessert forming the trio was Pistachio and White Chocolate Cheesecake with Irish tea roule, tasted pine nuts and Pistachio Cream filled Russian Cigarette. Lovely and decadent, this was The Dessert to end the evening with a blast. The cake was excellent. I've used up too many superlatives in this post and have run out words to describe this.

Overall dining experience was superb. lovely ambiance, good attentive service from fairly knowledgeable staff (but their accent can be a bit difficult to understand) and the food was marvelous. But prices here may seem a it steeper, and it will definitely be just an occasioanl indulgence.

Frangipani
25, Changkat Bukit Bintang
50200 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia

Tel: +6.03.21.44.30.01

Part One of Frangipani Post here.

Sean's Post here.

Frangipani. Changkat Bukit Bintang, KL. Fine French Dining. Part 1 : The Starters.

(no pork served)

Frangipani Restaurant. Funny, I always thought that it was a bar, until Sean blogged about it. Totally stuffed yesterday from my indiscretion at Engka Portobello, I wanted something lighter for Dinner. Called up to make a reservation, and was surprised by the totally professional way they took my reservation. Positive signs! I was totally knackered from my second job, and wanted some gastronomic therapy. Some people get high from retail, and I get my kicks from food.


The lobby had a very industrial feel. Lots of steel and metal, dark, muted lights. Waiters in black and the door to the main dining area totally obscured except for a door handle. Slightly intimidating, but très chic.


The interior was fabulous. I've never seen anything like it in KL. A large, dark reflective pool in the centre with huge columns that allow you to play hide and seek with the other diners. Why is this place such a closely guarded secret? I felt as if I had entered the inner sactum, the holy of holies for foodies. I could have got down on my knees and kissed the ground. I was blown away.

The menu was extensive. One could sense that French Nouvelle Cuisine (although thought abandonned by some) had influenced the chef. Lighter sauces, emphasis on natural flavours, fresh ingredients from the local community incorporated in the menu to make for a new take on French influenced dining. An example will be Angus beef wrapped in betel leaves and cooked with buah keras! The menu is extensive. I was having palpitations and felt very excited at once. I was seduced and hope that the food will turn out the way I expected. Wine list is very extensive, with a lot of house pouring by the glass.


The complimentary rolls (huge choice of rolls served) came with olive butter which was herbal, minty and intoxicating. Lovely start.


Amusement bouche. Duck Mousse playing menagè a trois with light and crispy toasted wafers and a mini salad with garliced pine nuts. Duck mousse is made from duck liver. Creamy, but less opulent than foie gras, it was light and rich at the same time.


Complimentary starter of Leek Jelly and Tempura Prawns. The leek jelly was both savoury and sourish. Very refreshing, and almost functioned as a palate cleanser. The tempura prawns was nothing to shout about, though. Until this point, I was still enjoying the freebies and have not delved into the meal yet!


For starters, I ordered the Kumamoto Oyster with White Miso Vinaigrette. These Oysters were from Portland. Small (less than 5 cm), yet plump, this variant is usually flavourful and briney. Recommended for novices and sought out by seasoned oyster lovers, the version at Frangipani come with their signature White Miso Vinaigrette. The oyster I had were creamy, lush and filled with the flavours of the sea. The Miso vinaigrette did not overpower it, but complimented it in a lovely manner. Slight sourish with a beany taste together with lush smooth oysters, I was in Heaven!


Tired of the normal offering of escargot with cheese and garlic, I found the next starter to be refreshingly different. Presented with Sweet Pea Puree, the escargots were grilled with Basil infused Garlic and glazed with tart Dried Tomato and served with garlic peanut crumble. OK, you can't separate garlic from escargots. But the Sweet Pea Puree lent a very interesting play of taste, imparting a sweetish touch to the garlicy escargot and the peanut cruble enhanced the dish. Lovely! Standing ovation please.

I had the oyster and escargot with Billecart-Salmon Brut NV which was a lovely straw coloured non-vintage champagne with refined mousse and slow rising bubbles. The bouquet was definitely floral with Apricots and Pear. Rich, elegant and strong palate. Fresh and dry, it was a delightful companion to the starters.


Next: The Mains and Dessert, Contact Info. Click Here.

Engka Portobello. Changkat Bukit Bintang, KL. Part Deux. The Android Economic Cycle.

(non halal)

Economic Cycles. Those who are interested in Macroeconomics would be familiar with the Juglar Cycle, Kuznets Cycle, Kondratiev Wave and the famous Milton Friedman's no real cycle cycle. Let me introduce you to the Android Cycle. Scrimp and save and then bust it all on some gadget that you probably don't need. Then the recession from a deflated account, and scrimp and save again ad infinutum, ad nauseam. Just blew my savings on a desktop and for the next two months, there will no more posh and swanky places posted on this blog.

'Twas one of those lazy Saturdays when I decided to get a desktop unit to match my fabulous 24 inches flat panel monitor (who needs a 24 incher anyway?). My partner in crime and I scoured the most dangerous shopping mall in town. Low Yatt Plaza, with their famous catchphrase, "Come in a Millionaire and go out a Pauper". For the benefit of those who have never been there before, that place is filled with millions of outlets selling every gadget you can imagine. Computers and their gadzillion peripherals, mobile phones, cameras and PSPs etc...

After the jaunt, my friend commented that he had read about Engka Portobello from my blog and would like to visit. "Why? You don't even like Mushrooms. You are such a freaking fussy eater!", I said. "But the food there looks scrumptious. I want to try....", he pleaded. "After dinner you can leash me with your DVI cable and flog me with your HDMI!", he cajoled. The thought of being a Dominatrix with an electronic fetish was so repugnant that I promised to dine with him at Engka if he promises not to repeat what he said about the cables.

The restaurant was packed when we arrived at 9.30pm. I still remembered the lovely cocktails I had that day and plonked down on the chair. We decided to have tapas and a mains.


The grilled bacon wrapped around pineapple. I ordered them not so fat. And I got 4 lovely pieces of grilled glorious bacon, still warm, wrapped around 4 pieces of sweet grilled pineapples served with some peppery sauce topped with Rocket (Arugula) leaves.


OK. Don't roll up your eyeballs and say, "Not rolls again!". Ok. I am crazy about rolls. These were multigrains with sun dried tomatoes. Smells heavenly and tastes divine.


Sauteed scallops Bruschetta with Basil and Capers. This was my least favourite dish for the night. Nothing wrong with the flavour, but the sauce that was used to sautee the scallop was really too moist. It soaked through the toast and the sensation of putting a gooey gunk of flour into my mouth was not very pleasant to say the least. Bruschetta is an inter-play on the various consistency of ingredients used to top it, together with the fragrance of toast. Cold, wet, oily tomatoes/other toppings with warm, dry toast. None of that here.


The Ceasar Salad was a different story. Fresh, crunchy Romaine lettuce, quail's eggs, Pecorino cheese and Boursin Cracker Capers was served in the traditional lemon/Worcestershire based dressing. Instead of bacon bits, you get the whole strips of bacon. Lovely and rich. This could be a main course by itself!


Sauteed Chorizo with Chives and Sun Dried Tomatoes. This is a comfort food that will probably please everybody. From Kids to Grannies. The Chorizo was seasoned with Pimento and sauteéd to perfection with the slightly sweetish sun dried tomatoes. Simple.


The Spice Moroccan Grilled Pork Escalope with Salads was a surprise. When the dish was presented to us, it looked like the left picture. When we tried to toss the salad a bit, it reveled a piece of grilled pork escalope drench in a beautifully red tomato based Milanese sauce with a herbal edge of basil and oregano. the salad on top was drizzled with grated Manchengo Cheese, roasted pine nuts, Red Onion Toast crusty bread, Arugula, onions and lettuce. Lovely.

At this juncture we were stuffed to the brim, but have yet to encounter the Main Course yet. We had to tell the waitress to halt for a short while, for 30 minutes!


The last course was Charred Pork Steak with Hickory Pepper Sauce with sauteed Portobello Mushroom (hidden underneath the meat). Grilled lovingly, moist but not oily, it tasted delicious with the bed of Portobello mushrooms that were sauteed lightly with butter. We were glad we ordered only one main course because we were both stuffed. No room for desserts in the tummy!

Why I love this place? Simple, fuss free comfort food. Unpretentious cooking. And the price. Food alone (excluding drinks) was less than RM100. This really helps during the recessive phase of the Android Cycle!

Previous Post and contact info here.

Daikanyama. Changkat Bukit Bintang, KL. Tokyo Fusion Chic.

Daikanyama is a district in Shibuya, Tokyo that is renowned for it's chic cafes and high fashion funky stores. It is a quaint little district and houses the famous Hillside Terrace Commercial Complex designed by Fumihiko Maki. It is very hip place, yet retains a certain elegant charm of old Tokyo and is certainly not as crowded as the Shinjuku/Harajuku districts.

The train station in Daikanyama is one stop from the sprawling century old Shibuya Station which is a sprawling complex as it connects a whole network of lines and also houses a Tokyu Department store. This is probably the reason that the menu at Daikanyama is interestingly enough drawn like a train line station guide style.


The interior of Daikanyama is an eclectic fusion of occidental and oriental. one solitary row of black pendant downlighting lamps greet you as you enter the dining area, which houses a bar filled with a multitude of different Sakes and Uemeshus, plus the usual alcoholic beverages. An air well in the centre offers a view of the open kitchen, separated by bamboo trees that swayed gently, blown by the breeze that followed an evening storm.


The interior probably reflects the spirit of Daikanyama in japan, which is a fusion of old and new, east and west. Loungey chill out beats filled the airspace when i was there. The menu is not as extensive as what you would expect from a Japanese Restaurant, but is also very fusion as well. Tapas styled bacon and cheese if offered together with Makis and Tempura.


The first dish was Soft Shell Crab Salad with Goma. Daikanyama uses muki goma, and not the traditional shiro goma, but the dressing was adequately palatable all the same. The dressing had some soya taste, with broth and sugar, and went well with the crispy and salty soft shell crabs and crunchy salad greens.


The Hotatei Garlic Pan Fried Scallop with garlic and cheese was as described. The scallops were succulent and was gently pan fried while retaining it's moisture and then baked with some cheese, garlic and italian herbs. Hardly a traditional Japanese dish, but it tasted good. The Avocado Love Maki came with baby octopus, avocado, cucumber and a dollop of mayonaisse was added on top with some sesame. The mayo was probably to accentuate the creaminess of the avocados, but it is my personal quirkiness that make me averse to mayos on sushis.


For dessert, i had bread and butter which came with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and some green tea sauce. The bread was a bit tough. I think this is probably another fusion dish.

Lovely ambiance for drinking and chilling out, the food thing is probably not the main attraction here, but is still reasonably good to deserve further checking out.

Cumi and Ciki had been here, and so had Lyrical Lemongrass.

Daikanyama
42, Changkat Bukit Bintang,
50200 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2141 0323

Engka Portobello. Changkat Bukit Bintang, KL. Long Tapas Lunch With Magic Shrooms.

In Literature, food has often been used metaphorically in many ways. Most often, an act of communion and trust among friends. And nobody can actually forget the feeling of extreme violation of trust when a Mafia Don invites his enemies to Dinner and then guns them down in cold blood. Henry Fielding's Victorian novel, Tom Jones itself has so many references to food, and during the Victorian Age, with it's prim and properness, sex is not to be mentioned explicitly and babies were delivered by storks. If you have read Tom Jones, Book IX, chapter V, the description of the dinner Tom had with Mrs. Waters was undoubtedly very provocatively sexual.


The moans and sighs of Mrs. Waters as she sat watching the younger Tom Jones devour 3 pounds of beef is filled with naughty connotations. Read Tom Jones here. But, I digress.

One fine afternoon, when I decided to take off early, I had the chance to stumble upon Engka Portobello. The little restaurant was not impressive from the outside, but what a lovely surprise when I stepped in. Lovely rattan chairs and bossa nova music playing complemented the drizzle outside. It had been open for the past 5 months, by a Dutch but the menu was ecelectic. Pastas, Roasted Ribs, Steaks and Tapas.

Tapas. Lovely little snacks/appetizers and in combination, makes for a full meal. Think of it as Spanish Dim Sum if you like.


I started off with a Mojito, my favourite to quell the afternoon heat. The version here was good. lots of fresh Mint leaves and lovely brown sugar at the bottom. The nectar of Cuban Gods.



The first Tapas I had was Sauteed Tiger Prawns, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Wilted Spinach and Enoki mushrooms on a piece of Grilled Bread. Deviously simple to prepare, but perfectly executed. The enoki was crunchy, the tomatoes added the zing and the garlicky wilted spinach went perfectly with the Tiger prawns.



Stuffed Portobello with Seared Scallop, prawn and spinach came with some balsamic reduction tad was slightly sweetish. Moist and succulent, the mushrooms were magical. Wicked! Another winner.


Grilled Streaky Bacon with Haloumi Cheese and Onion Rings. Haloumi Cheese is a distinctive Middle Eastern/Cypriot Cheese mad from goat+sheep milk. It has a high melting temperature and you can see from the pictures that despite being grilled, the cheese has not melted. Taste wise, it was a tad salty and tasted a bit like mozarella. Not pungent at all. And the grilled bacon. What can go wrong right? The restaurant uses healthy Olive Oil to prepare their dishes.


For Dessert, I had Churrous' served with Chocolate dip. Spanish Yaw char kwai! This was not too oily, and the chocolate dip was not sweet, but has a bitter yet extremely chocolaty after taste. I'm in love with this restaurant. It is laid back and if you are tired of the usual Italian Fare along this strip, you know that you can always fall back on to this place.



They seem to have a fairly extensive wine selection, from the cellar. It would be interesting to explore the wines here!


"Eruct!" said Sancho; "I don't know what that means."
"To eruct, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "means to belch, and that is one of the filthiest words in the Spanish language, though a very expressive one; and therefore nice folk have had recourse to the Latin, and instead of belch say eruct, and instead of belches say eructations; and if some do not understand these terms it matters little, for custom will bring them into use in the course of time, so that they will be readily understood; this is the way a language is enriched; custom and the public are all-powerful there."
"In truth, senor," said Sancho, "one of the counsels and cautions I mean to bear in mind shall be this, not to belch, for I'm constantly doing it."
"Eruct, Sancho, not belch," said Don Quixote.
"Eruct, I shall say henceforth, and I swear not to forget it," said Sancho. From don Quixote by Cervantes @FBB, referring to his new organic beans diet :P



This little charming restaurant is open from 11am to 11.30pm, Mondays to Fridays, 9am to 11.30pm on weekends.

Engka Portobello
32 Jalan Changkat Bukit Bintang
50200 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +60321447323