Al Dente @ Precint 1, Putrajaya

Galleria has opened with very little fanfare. I honestly thought it was just another office block until one night, while driving by, saw that they had some sad buntings outside the building saying so-and-so shops/ restaurants were open.

Right at the front of the building is Al Dente, a restaurant affiliated to Pullman hotel that offers Italian and Malaysian cuisine. Warning - the prices reflect its affiliation to the hotel.

The menu looks pretty interesting; there's italian, there's Malaysian, and then there's the fusion for the adventurous. Spaghetti with peas and coconut cream? Pizza with sambal and quail eggs? Alas, we weren't feeling terribly adventurous that day, perhaps another time.

Fresh garlic bread, breadsticks and dips

The meal began with complimentary starters - yay! Who doesn't like free food, right? Crispy breadsticks and fresh herb and garlic bread with an array of dips. The fresh bread, actually more like plain pizza base, was a delight as it was fluffy and warm. Dips were olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sambal, curry mayonaise and coarsely crushed black olives in oil.

We tried the curry mayonaise with slight trepidation as it sounded kinda gross. But it was a surprising hit with us, mildly zesty but creamy with a slightly cheesy tang. The sambal was also another favorite, more savory than sweet and not too oily, which is how TJ prefers it.

Prawn Risotto

K had the Prawn Risotto (RM22) while TJ opted for the slightly less adventurous Spaghetti Bolognaise (RM22) instead. They didn't skimp on the prawns and the texture of the risotto was nice but a big letdown was the asparagus. K expected the asparagus to be crunchy. Alas, there were a few that were too chewy. It was impossible to eat them. Some might say, "Aiyaaah, a few asparagus only maaa. No big deal." No big deal if it's a roadside warung but for a hotel restaurant, unforgivable!

Spaghetti Bolognaise

TJ doesn't usually order Spaghetti Bolognaise in restaurants as she has impossibly high standards after a lifetime of being spoiled with her mom's cooking. Alas, mom's overseas and unable to make the spaghetti and TJ would rather not mati kempunan. Verdict - pretty good. The pasta, ironically, was not al dente but the tomato sauce was thick with browned ground beef. Still can't beat mom's cooking.

Ginger Creme Brulee

We were pretty excited for dessert as they have Ginger Creme Brulee (RM12), which was an intriguing combination for TJ the ginger lover. Sadly it didn't quite match our expectations. The custard was smooth and creamy but the ginger was too subtle, almost non-existent. But the biggest letdown was the lack of hard sugar top, which was either too thin or not under the flame long enough. What's a creme brulee without that hard layer to crack open? A disappointing end to an otherwise promising meal.

In short - Pricey but comes with excellent service in a tastefully simple modern environment, overall good food though a rather disappointing dessert.

Al Dente
Galleria Putrajaya (Next to KBS Building)
Ground Floor
Precint 4, Putrajaya
Opening hours 10am til 4PM (so come for lunch or tea)
Price - $$-$$$
Halal

Wadihana Islamic Trattoria @ Bangi

I was very apprehensive when I first saw this restaurant. Malay Italian food, in my experience so far, tend to be disappointing. The carbonara is always watery (I suspect from omitting egg), the tomato sauce too sweet, the pasta never al dente, etc.

It looks like I've finally found one that can get it right!

Bruschetta (RM7.90)

It didn't start off too promising though as the bruschetta was just alright. Toasted bread topped with chopped tomatoes, cheese and basil seemed to lack an oomph to it. I don't know, maybe more seasoning e.g cheese or salt?  Plus the tomatoes were a little cold instead of room temperature

Spaghetti Gamberi (29.90)

I actually wanted to try the ravioli, but alas, habis. Still wary about the idea of sampling another carbonara at a malay italian restaurant, I went for a dish cooked in olive oil instead.

I was initially disappointed when I got it as the dish promised prawns. So where is it? Ah rupanya ada udang di sebalik spaghetti. There were four fresh, big, juicy prawns hiding under the pasta when it should've been the highlight. Other than the misleading presentation, the pasta dish is good! The spaghetti was actually al dente, and the zucchinis still had bite. This dish was also seasoned with cili, a local twist maybe?

Calzone (RM26.90)

Again, this was a second choice as the chef's recommendation, the Pizza Pie, was also finished.

K - To me, the calzone looks like an oversized karipap as it's folded dough with stuffing inside. What's inside? Artichoke, zucchini, smoked beef, grilled vege, mushroom & mozzarella. And the taste? Not bad and unlike the giant karipaps you get at the pasar malam, the calzone is definitely stuffed and not hollow.

TJ - This dish btw, I think should be shared for 2 pax. This was nice but I confess, I'm not really into calzones and I would've liked more tomato base in it.

Cinnamon Creme Brulee (RM13.90)


K claimed he was too stuffed for dessert but I insisted and it turns out this was just nice for sharing. I like breaking into the caramelised crust to find creamy caramel beneath. It was served with some fruits, which gave acidity to a very creamy dessert. I found the fruits to be a little bit heavy on the lemon though.

The prices here are range from mid to pricey, on par with places like Italiannies and the like, which is kinda odd cos it's Bangi. My eyebrows admittedly did go up when I scanned the prices as it's unexpected for the location but given the quality of the food and service I can't complain much.






Wadihana Islamic Trattoria
25, Jalan Medan Pusat 2D
3B Curve Business Park
43650 Bandar Baru Bangi
Selangor

Price - $$-$$$
Halal

Edit - May. A more recent visit to the restaurant has shown a bit of inconsistency in QC or they changed their spaghetti recipe. No veggies (boo) but loads more cili (oklah). The spaghetti pun tak al dente (sigh).