On The Table @ Solaris Dutamas

Mother's Day was coming up and we were racking our brains on where to take my grandma for makan. She's big on ambiance for special occasions and of course, food must be good too. At my sister's suggestion, we decided to try On The Table at Solaris Dutamas.

The restaurant is headed by Chef Riz Redz aka anak Chef Wan aka that Masterchef Malaysia judge wearing the ridiculous cravat. Not that he was in that day, maybe out celebrating Mother's Day. With such a BNC (Big Name Chef) the restaurant oughta be really, really, really good right?

Meh.

It started off well, with two complimentary amuse bouche; cream of pea soup and teriyaki wild mushrooms. Apparently it's a "teaser" for their ever rotating menu. The soup tastes home made and the mushrooms had a nice bite.

Heard good reviews about the Cappuccino of Wild Mushrooms Soup (RM23) and yes, it is justified. It has a wonderful presentation and again, the soup tastes home made and served with a generous portion of meaty sautéed mushrooms. However, the taste of the foam was a little too subtle to me and so was the truffle oil.

The biggest disappointment came from the main courses. TJ had the Redz Heat BLT (RM23) while K opted for the highly recommended RFC (RM38).

note the offensive turkey jerky
between the onions and bacon

Like all gourmet burgers, the Redz Heat was monstrously thick with juicy patty, beef bacon, turkey bacon, melted cheese, caramelized onions, tomato and salad. It looked good on paper and in the flesh but it was so difficult to eat. 

The turkey bacon, served as a large slice, was very chewy and impossible to cut with a knife and and hard to bite off as well. Therefore you won't be able to taste all the components together. Ended up eating as a separate piece, which was a salty turkey jerky. The caramelized onions were nice but I would've like more than just a spoonful as there wasn't enough to make an impact.

The RFC came with 3 pieces of fried chicken, mashed potatoes and a small salad. The biggest problem was everything tasted underseasoned. The chicken was crispy and juicy, the mashed potatoes smooth and creamy, but ultimately lacked salt. The salad, which was pickled, was not to our liking either as it was too vinegary for our tastebuds.

(apologies for the lack of photo for this dish, there's a html bug)

Dessert was the saving grace. We opted for the Chef's Dessert plate (RM45) which consists of a duo of creme brulee (choc & vanilla), panna cotta topped with dragon fruit and hot chocolate fondant served with vanilla ice cream. The chocolate fondant was fresh and hot from the oven albeit (intentionally?) on the gooey-er side, but I've had fondants just as good and with a bigger portion for roughly the same price at Yogitree, Gardens.

In short - Good service, lovely atmosphere but the food's pricey and sadly, the mains don't impress.

On The Table

 Mon - Sat: 11:00-15:00, 18:00-23:00

A4-UG 1-08, Solaris Dutamas,

Jalan Dutamas 1,

50480 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

03-6207 9966

http://www.onthetable.com.my 

http://www.facebook.com/onthetablerestaurant/

Price Range - $$$

Halal

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

Mr Kabab & Biryani @ Precint 15, Putrajaya

Putrajaya is not exactly a famous makan destination in Klang Valley, no?

If you're a fan of Biryani rice, then you should reconsider!

Located at the Diplomatic Precint (aka Precint 15) is probably the best restaurant in Putrajaya; Mr Kabab (yes, with an "a" instead of an "e") & Biryani. It started out small and now has taken 4 shop lots in just a few years.

The restaurant serves Middle Eastern-Pakistani cuisine, which is mostly (you guessed it) kebabs, mandi and biryani rice (about RM13 and up) and nan breads and tandoori chicken. Not the biggest menu in the world but what they lack in variety, they make up in taste.

Rice rice rice

K: The long-grained rice is fluffy and flavourful, the meats (chicken, lamb or kebab) so tender, it only needs a little bit of prodding to separate the flesh from the bone. The rice dishes are usually served with a lime, curry, tomato chutney and a large green cili (an optional bit of heat).

TJ: I find that mandi rice has a milder but rich taste compared to the more robust briyani.


Nan & Tandoori Chicken

 

Mr Kabab also makes fluffy nans (RM4 and up) that is served with dhall. I hate cold rubbery nan but Mr Kabab's nan tends to stay soft longer than most. My grandmother loves the nan, especially with the juicy tandoori chicken (RM7). I can eat the nan on it's own, mopping up the dhall clean.

Nina - The not runny dhall is full of big chickpeas and lentils. It tastes great and very flavourful without excessive sourness. TJ - On rare occasions, the dhall is too "fresh" meaning the chickpeas and lentils haven't been stewed long enough to soften.

K - For the drinks, a must have is the mango juice. Yes, mango juice, not mango lassi. It's thick, creamy & delicous. Yum yum!!

Mr Kabab is at a corner near the Putrajaya Immigration Office & Dewan Seroja, facing a park. It's about a few blocks opposite Mydin.

In short - good food, generous portions for a reasonable price. A must makan spot in Putrajaya.

Mr Kabab & Biryani
No.42,44,46, Jalan Diplomatik 3/1,
Precint 15
62050 Putrajaya
T: 03-8889 3209

Price - $-$$
Halal

Sao Nam Restaurant @ Empire, Subang

I miss the Little Vietnam and Codo restaurants in Midvalley as they were among the most affordable of its kind. I still curse the Barbie shop (which took over the place) under my breath whenever I pass it by. This brought me to start looking for another place to satisfy my Vietnamese cravings.

Sao Nam has been nominated multiple times as Best Indochinese Restaurant in KL by Time Out KL. Not only that, it's ranked no 18 for restaurants in KL on tripadvisor.com! The prices are higher than Little Vietnam and Codo, as it is touted to be fine Vietnamese cuisine in a casual setting. They have two outlets in Bukit Bintang and Empire Mall Subang, respectively.



I like the pop artish look of the restaurant btw. If you get bored, one can try count how many stars decorate the place. The menu is also pretty extensive and there are special dishes you'd have to pre-order first. I am intrigued with the mangosteen prawn although I'm sure it's going to be pricey. Since we just walked in, we didn't have that lah.

Imperial Rolls or Hue Spring Roll (RM18 for 6 pieces)




I've had Vietnamese spring rolls before, but this was my first crispy one. Sao Nam hand makes these wraps which, unlike the usual smooth rice wrapper, has a lacy pattern like our local roti jala.  Unfortunately, I think the wrap was just a smidge too thick for my liking.

K- Really? Too thick? I thought the wrap was just nice.

Inside the crispy exterior is a prawn and chicken filling. The spring roll is not complete without vietnamese dipping sauce that is sweet, sour, salty and spicy (using fish sauce, cili and garlic). Despite being deep fried, I didn't find this dish to be oily.



This is not quiet food for each bite gives out a crackle and crrrrrunch only slightly muffled when you wrap it in lettuce, thai basil and mint leaves. I had a bite sans leafy greens and I find that with is better as it gives a more refreshing and cooling (that's probably the mint) taste.

Texture wise, this was more interesting than the normal fresh spring roll, although I still prefer the latter. The portion was a little too much for 2 pax.

Chicken Curry Noodle Soup  or Bun Cari (RM`18)

K doesn't care for pho (GASP) so he tried this instead. As like most Vietnamese noodle dishes, it comes with a side of herbs and veggies of thai basil, taugeh, etc.

It's a sweeter, milder version of our curry mee, with a generous serving of chicken and not much else. That's right, no taufu pok, no kerang (blood clams) or fish balls, etc! The taste is so similar to curry mee that it is difficult, almost impossible, to not poke around the dish looking for those things. That nagging feeling of something missing is too hard to shake, which is a shame.

If you don't care for all those things, then this dish is for you. As for me, I'll just stick with Malaysian curry mee. The noodles were nice though, more mee sua than mee.

K- Agree. Too sweet for me, feels like sweetened kuah lemak rather than curry.

Red Noodle or Cao Lu (RM18)



I decided to be adventurous and skip my usual pho for another Imperial dish famous that is the speciality of Hoi An. The noodles (similar to hor fun) is served with minced chicken and prawns, sesame crackers, fried shallots, nuts and a smidgen of some fish sauce and oil (chicken fat? sesame?). It is served with the usual herbs too.

It also comes with a bowl of prawn soup, which you are to take after a bite of the noodles. The noodle dish was slightly salty with just a slight bitterness from the herbs and shallots, while the soup was sweet. It was a very interesting experience although I admit, I tend to forget to sip the soup.

The noodles were soft and alas, so were my crackers from the sauce. Darn, I was really hoping for more crunch from the crackers too. Oh well, nuts came to rescue. :) Overall, it's a very nice light dish and, despite the many raves for this dish, it can no way ruin my love affair with pho! Sorry, cao lu but pho is still my ichiban ^.^

K- The red noodle once mixed up, is not really that red. And strangely enough, the soup was okay the first time I tasted it but when I tasted it again, it was just too salty.

Note to self - forget being adventurous, eat pho next time.

Interesting fact - Cao Lu (or Cao Lau) is usually a non-halal dish. It normally consists of lean pork slices, and the sauce contains pork jus (omg I've been watching too much Top Chef!)

I have to admit that my expectations were high after reading the rave reviews. Did it meet it? Not quite. The food was good but not in the omg-I'm-still-dreaming-about-it-way. I'll definitely give it a try again, although not in the near future as it is rather pricey.

In short - Good food, nice decor and service. The menu is expansive and a wee bit expensive, the noodle dishes are the cheaper mains in the menu.


Sao Nam Restaurant
L28, Empire Shopping Gallery
Jalan SS16, 47500 Subang
Tel - 03 5022 2122/ 2123
http://www.saonam.com.my
(The website has recipes!)

Price Range - $$ - $$$
No pork served - booze sold

Edit July 2013 - Sao Nam at Empire has closed down. Their official website has not been updated either. Not sure when it happened as I don't go to Empire often but I've read that service went downhill there.

Awfully Chocolate @ Raffles City, Sg

I am a chocoholic (pinjam your tagline, J)

After seeing these little shops popping up in several areas in Singapore, and also catching it on tv, I could resist no more. Even before conversion, the prices are steep (as stated by my Sg cousin) but I just had to quell my curiosity. A shop called Awfully Chocolate? Is there such a thing as an awful amount of chocolate?

I first tried the rich chocolate cupcake (about sgd$5) a year ago and months later, asked K to buy the all chocolate cake (sgd$25-50) during a business trip.



They were awesome btw, especially the Moist Dark Chocolate cake. The cake, befitting its name, was indeed moist and very bittersweet like a good dark chocolate. This means a sliver alone can sate me, so we had the cake for a while. This is a good thing because:

1) it is hella expensive;
2) it is rich; and
3) it is in Singapore la wey.

So during my next Singapore trip, I made it a point to go to Awfully Chocolate again. This time I tried the Cold Poached Chocolate.

What exactly is Cold Poached Chocolate (about sgd$6 and up)? Heck, what is poach? I automatically think of eggs, to which I confess I've yet to poach one. Anyway, it seems like they came up with some new method to temper chocolate but instead of using heat, it's cold.

They have several flavours to choose from, mostly boozy though. Your non-alcoholic choices would be Horlicks and Salty Butterscotch (pictured). I had the latter.

This is seriously sinful stuff. I'm not kidding nor exaggerating. A cold slab of chocolate as soft and gooey as a chocolate truffle topped with a mountain of cream and a drizzle of salty butterscotch. 

A spoonful of this gave me a sugar shock.

 The cream was airy and light, a contrast to the dark and dense chocolate. The texture is like sex in your mouth. The salty butterscotch was nice but not memorable, perhaps because it drowned out by everything else or maybe there wasn't enough of it. After a while though, the chocolate orgasms subsided and was replaced with a hangover.

It was shared among 3 people but even then, it was a struggle as the muak factor is high. It is richer than the Sultan of Brunei and unlike the cakes, I found this to be sweeter than my liking.

I'm not saying this isn't sedap but the portion was too much for me to handle in one seating. I would have preferred this in a smaller dose, bite size perhaps.

Awfully Chocolate
http://www.awfullychocolate.com
Store locations
Price - $$-$$$
No pork served, but there's hidden booze eg cooking alcohol. Not certified halal by MUIS.

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).

Restoran Indah Sayang, Taman Melaka Raya

Late afternoon at Indah Sayang

TJ - The odd thing about Melaka is that most of the restaurants (that I've seen anyway) don't have any signage saying it's halal or pork free or not halal. I've had to go into the restaurants and ask. This restaurant was recommended (while we were contemplating nak masuk ke tak) by a random Singaporean family  that always comes back to Indah Sayang and I can see why.

Addictive tapioca chips awaits you

The decor is nothing to shout about. You want a pretty kitschy nyonya restaurant, head to the many other nyonya restaurants available at Taman Melaka Raya. You want a cozy little place with good food, drop by Indah Sayang. 

Assam Fish

K (our invisible third contributor) can and has slurped down the Asam Fish's kuah like it was soup! The bits of pineapple provides a tangy sweetness that compliments the spicy sour kuah (sauce) made fragrant with daun kesum and lemongrass.

Cili Garam Prawns

The portion for Cili Garam prawns (literally "chili salt") was a little small for a group of 3. Damn. The dry-ish sambal is, of course, spicy, salty and sour thanks to tamarind juice and a squeeze of lime. I lovelovelove this sambal but it NEEDS MOAR PRON PRAWN.

Kerabu Pucuk Paku

The Kerabu Pucuk Paku (Fern Salad) was a surprise - we've never had a kerabu so wet. Young and tender ferns in sweet, sour, salty and spicy mix with a strong taste of coconut from the kerisik (toasted dessicated coconut) and santan (coconut milk). It was good but definitely not the highlight of the meal.

Ayam buah keluak

One of the reasons why I keep coming back to Indah Sayang is for the Ayam Buah Keluak . Buah Keluak is poisonous unless prepared properly (which involves burying it in ash for forty days). AIYA GILA. There is no way I'm gonna prepare this dish at home and I don't know where to buy prepared buah keluak anyway.

The gravy is thick with spices, its taste reminiscent to rendang (it's the lemon grass and galangal) but with an added bitterness thanks to the buah keluak. The fruit's flesh is black and squishy yet slightly meaty, with a pungent earthy taste (maybe that's the ash). Unfortunately, this dish tends to overpower the other ones but I can't stop ordering my faves regardless. Warning - buah keluak's an acquired taste although Nina was loving it from the start. ("What can I say, I'm a connoisseur.")

There was chicken with the keluak?

Nina - the bitterness was undercut by the delicate nuttiness. Not to be hyperbolic, but it was a revelatory experience. I've been spoiled! This restaurant's ayam buah keluak has now set the bar for me. I was so intent on enjoying this dish I had to pass over the assam fish, which was also great, but the flavour would've overwhelmed the buah keluak so... a choice must be made!

The proprietor was gruff and friendly in that particularly brusque way all Malaccans seem to have (it's not an insult, it's just a howyadoin, if you're in Melaka). He was warning us about the cincaluk (the shop also sells cincaluk and gula melaka and tapioca chips for you to take home), and that it was very salty, to which TJ can attest (It's meant for making cincaluk omelet, not as cincaluk the dip - TJ) . XD The tapioca chips (RM9) is a must buy. It's a biiiiig pack but don't worry, you'll go through it in no time.

RM77 for 3 pax

Restoran Indah Sayang (nearby Watson)

138, Taman Melaka Raya, 75000 Melaka. 

Tel: 06-2820285 

Price Range - $$

No Pork Served - but they do have booze

(the tumblr photopost)