fusion

Mango Mania Dessert Parlor and Beefy’s Steaks

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mango mania frozen yoghurt

Mango Mania Dessert Parlor and Beefy’s Steaks is a two-in-one eating establishment located at Jalan Telawi, Bangsar which is puzzlingly located beside a boutique as well. It’s Fresh’s birthday and she had dinner plans so we went for lunch instead. Yes, it’s the very same Fresh who was kind enough to act as videographer for 5 hours. =D

mango mania beefy steaks

We were driving around Telawi and wanted to head to BVII when we spotted this nook in the cranny place. It seems to have been featured in a lot of publications before from the proud display of cuttings on its facade.

mango mania mango

This place appears to have started out as Mango Mania – a dessert parlor, before diversifying into steaks. They have a couple of interesting things on the menu like Mango Burger which wasn’t available when we were there.

mango mania drinks

Fresh Mango Juice (RM 11.90) and Orange-A-Peel (RM 11.90). The former is pure mango juice with sugar added and it’s thick and good. The latter has mango plus a smorgasbord of citrus fruits which Fresh ordered.

beefy steaks

Alright, now let’s get down with the Beefy’s Steaks bit!

beefy steaks salmon

Fresh ordered a salmon dish which according to my receipt is called OTHERS (RM 19). Ya ya, I’m sorry I forgot to take a photo of the menu of her order. It’s pretty good.

beefy steaks sirloin

I on the other hand stayed true to ordering steaks to a place that’s called Beefy’s Steaks – Sirloin medium rare (RM 29) with shallot brown sauce, seasonal veggies and mashed potatoes.

beefy steaks medium rare

Medium rare means medium rare over here – both the dishes tasted good but then again we were hungry so YMMV.

mango mania fresh

I have one beef (pun intended) about this place though – a bottle of Guinness FES costs RM 18 which is pub prices at a cafe environment. The bill came up to RM 115.10.

mango mania yo froz

We still had space for dessert so I went for their flagship 98% fat free frozen yogurt. This is so good I would dub it orgasmic. I ordered the Mango Dress Me Up (RM 8.90) which is Yo Froz of your choice with fresh cut mango. It’s frozen mango yogurt…with fresh mango cubes!

Mango Sago Pudding Ice

Fresh went salmon again (swimming against the flow) and ordered the Mango Sago Pudding Ice (RM 10.90) which is a HUGE bowl of fresh mango, sago, mango pudding and ice in milk blended mango puree. It was alright, but…

mango mania awards

I must admit though we kinda got nectarine overdose at the end.

P/S – What’s up with the RM XX.90 anyway? 10 cents from the next number.

Rhu

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rhu

Rhu is the flagship fine dining eating establishment in Tanjung Rhu resort. There’s a dress code and I can’t pronounce most of the items on the menu. It is one of three restaurants in the resort and offers a great view of the sunset in Langkawi.

rhu sunset

The ambiance is unbeatable…imagine dining al fresco, sipping wine as the sea breeze whets your appetite while you listen to the haunting refrains of a great string quartet playing in the background.

I was amazed by their talent – they had me at cello. 😉 I was walking around the first day when the wind carried the violinist’s soulful rendition of Phantom of the Opera over. I could not help but be mesmerized.

dinner at rhu

Okay, back to the food at Rhu, they have a set gourmet menu priced at RM 195. I had the pleasure of dining with the manager of Tanjung Rhu – Melvin, and his daughter Isabell. I was there with Douglas and Alice (their daughter Louise was with the babysitter coz the Rhu does not allow children).

banana flambe

I opted for the a la carte menu instead of the gourmet meal. I wanted to eat seafood since that’s what you do in Langkawi! Hell, I had seafood for every single meal while I was staying at Tanjung Rhu.

Crab Kerabu Ketam

This is the Crab Kerabu Ketam. It’s served on a bed of fresh mango and avocado salad with ketta caviar and sweet spicy dressing. This cold appetizer weighs in at RM 58 and it’s well worth the price tag. The shredded crab meat goes very well with the mango, a contrast that dances across your taste buds.

Fresh Canadian Lobster Cream soup

I also had the chef’s specialty – Fresh Canadian Lobster Cream Soup (RM 49). It’s flavored with fennel and served with baked sesame seed puff pastry. I love the thick and creamy texture of the soup – it’s heartwarming, a broth for the soul as well as the stomach.

Grilled Lemongrass Lobster Tail

For the mains, I went for the Grilled Lemongrass Lobster Tail (RM 147) which is served on a seafood dumpling and a side of sauteed kai lan and mild curry sauce. I like the cuisine fusion but found the curry sauce to be a bit overwhelming for the lobster tail. I prefer the natural taste of the grilled crustacean – slightly charred on the outside, but juicy when you bite into it.

Chocolate Mille-Feuille

The dessert rounded up the meal nicely – this is the Chocolate Mille-Feuille, a concoction served with mini apple, nougat ice cream and raspberry coulis (RM 39). I would highly recommend the banana flambe, which is prepared with gusto right beside your table. True to all gourmet restaurant, the portions are small at Rhu and you won’t be hard pressed to find space for after dinner drinks.

isabell

It was a night of good food and great conversations, ranging from psychology to literature, a delicious end to the trip to Langkawi.

La Gourmet House @ the Curve

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la gourmet house

La Gourmet House is a Mediterranean restaurant located at the Curve. I was actually planning to go elsewhere but there was a heavy shower (not the golden type, the kind that rains on your parade) so we took refuge at the place. I haven’t heard of the establishment before but I reckon the “Buy 4 bottles of Tiger and get 1 free” promotion was quite alluring, so we decided to sit down for lunch.

la gourmet house montage

La Gourmet House claims European, Mediterranean and Spanish influences in the cuisine, creating a homely fusion of sorts. The interior seating arrangements are adorned with various Turkish (to my untrained and uncultured eye) fixtures and some of the tables have intricate designs. The al fresco dining area is thankfully protected from Mother Nature by a canopy system and is plumed with throw rugs.

la gourmet house beer

The beer is not the cheapest at the Curve (some places offer RM 32++ jugs) but it’s a pretty good deal at RM 48 for 5 bottles of local beer. The other beer they serve sounds German in origin and it’s priced at RM 22 per bottle, so I assume it’s an import. The ambiance of the place is great, very laid back and casual, with excellent service to boot.

anthonys sausage and pasta

I had their signature dish – Anthony’s Sausage and Pasta (RM 25.80). It’s a pasta dish with your choice of two (2) sausages, tossed with balsamic and olive oil, mozzarella cheese and walnut pesto. I chose Chorizo (a Spanish sausage) and the German bratwurst. The dish is served with sauce on the side – a mixture of mustard and something else my unrefined palate couldn’t identify.

anthony sausage and pasta

The pasta is done al dente and it absolutely delicious! Unfortunately, it was a little of the cold side when it got to our table. I wouldn’t discount the weather (it was raining) as a factor for the rapid cooling of the dish but it just didn’t taste as good as it would have, had it came out piping hot. The sausages are flavorful though, and I like the fact that you get to choose the types of sausage you want.

gourmet value meal

My girlfriend opted for their set lunch, dubbed “Gourmet Value Meals” at La Gourmet House. She had the Baked Seafood (RM 15.80), which comes with either juice or tea. The Baked Seafood dish is served on a bed of steamed rice (!), which I thought was quite unusual. We expected the entire dish to be baked e.g. topped with cheese before being baked in an oven.

baked seafood

There were a few premium ingredients in the dish – mussels, prawns, fish and other miscellaneous marine life, enough to justify the price…but it just didn’t taste quite right with steamed rice.

stuffed bell pepper

I also ordered an appetizer – the Stuffed Bell Pepper (RM 23.80) that is marked with a little chef’s hat indicating a house specialty. The starter further intrigued me by the “Subject to availability” tag line appended to it. It’s filled with aromatic chicken mortadella and served with the chef’s special sauce. There are two peppers – one red and one green, each sliced in half and stuffed.

bell peppers stuffed

Unfortunately, this appetizer (dessert?) came only after we finished our meal, and it was cold when it came to the table. I didn’t quite understand this, as we were the only ones there besides another family that just got seated. I imagine it might have tasted better had it been warm at least, but in its current condition; it just didn’t do the dish justice.

la gourmet house us

La Gourmet House at the Curve has a lot of potential, but it seems to be plagued by kitchen logistical glitches that manifests by cold dishes arriving at your table. The 4+1 beer promotion is also supposed to come with free tapas, which we didn’t get, and I didn’t realize until I looked at the bill today. I can’t attribute that to bad service (it was good, and quite attentive) so I really don’t know what’s going on there. I will go again for a second review a couple of months down the road and see how it goes. Cheers!

Total damage: RM 124.74 for two @ The House of Meals & Memories.

Jarrod & Rawlins, 1U

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jr restaurant

Jarrod & Rawlins is the self-dubbed “Purveyors of fine food & wine” and I decided to check out the place by virtue of a single sign:

jr fresh bacon

Jarrod & Rawlins serves pork and is a restaurant, deli, café and bar all rolled into one. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not an English establishment, but a homegrown operation with the first outlet in Desa Sri Hartamas.

jr promo

I went to the one in 1U with my girlfriend to sample their renowned Sizzling Mix Platter. I have to admit that the tantalizingly placed RM 50 for 5 bottles of Heineken promotion at the entrance was another factor in our chosen destination for lunch.

jr montage

Jarrod & Rawlins is physically partitioned into two dining experiences – there is seating at the front with a café/deli environment and another section to the back called simply “The Pub”, with a more relaxed ambiance. There is a delicatessen serving a wide range of cold cuts and cheeses as well as a pastry counter with offerings of the flaky and puffy variety.

jr beer

I ended up drinking most of the Heineken since Doris opted to go for the orange juice instead so I estimate that’s about 1.7 kg of appetite ruining liquid down the hatch during lunch. I should have gone for the imported beers instead and have a more reasonable amount instead of bloating myself with all that amber fluid.

jr steak sandwich

Steak Sandwich (RM 28)
This is the steak sandwich that I ordered with everything on. They have optional onions and butter for the more health conscious ones amongst us, a fraternity that I’ve never been part of. 😉

jr steak sandwich macro

You can also choose how you like your steak – I had it medium rare, which most establishments mess up, but Jarrod & Rawlins knows what medium rare is. I can’t say that I enjoyed the steak sandwich though, it’s a little plain and on the bland side, not adjectives you use to describe good food.

jr sizzling mix platter

Sizzling Mix Platter (RM 38)
Mixed platter of caramelized ribs, dynamite chili, chorizo, pork belly and streaky bacon served with fries, corn on the cob, asparagus, semi sun dried tomatoes and black pepper or onion gravy in a proper sauce dish on the side.

This is the signature dish of Jarrod & Rawlins and it did not disappoint. There is a wide range of pork offerings and it came sizzling hot. It literally sizzles for about a minute or so due to the hot platter it was served on.

jr sizzling montage

The Sizzling Mix Platter came in a generous portion that took an almost gargantuan effort on our part to finish. I love the spicy pork sausage in this dish – it’s not just mildly spicy, it’s Head for the Hills (to milk the cows) hot. Highly recommended!

jr us

Jarrod & Rawlins is a great place for a hearty lunch. I recommend the Sizzling Mix Platter if you’re feeling particularly famished and there are other menu items to cater for the more health conscious ones amongst us.

jr sign

The bill came up to a total of RM 147.20. It’s not cheap but you could probably shave the bill to a little under RM 100 if you don’t order alcohol.

Palacio Restaurant @ Asian Heritage Row

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palacio

Palacio Restaurant & Lounge is located at the prestigious Asian Heritage Row district in Jalan Doraisamy. Palacio means Palace in Latin and the establishment serves a fusion of Southern French and Spanish cuisine. I went there with my girlfriend to celebrate her (very substantial) salary increase. I promised to buy her dinner with just the two of us, which was a bit tricky to arrange since I had meet-ups with a lot of people during the short trip there.

asian heritage row

Asian Heritage Row is a quaint lane that somehow organized itself into a place renowned for its fine dining, nightlife and entertainment. The history behind the establishment of the dilapidated shop houses along Jalan Doraisamy into a one of the trendiest strips in KL is very interesting transformation that I was fortunately privy to, having worked in KL when it was first proposed and built.

palacio interior

Palacio is divided into three (3) distinct dining experiences – there is an al fresco area in the Palacio front garden, a laid-back cozy arrangement on the ground floor and a fine dining area on the first floor. I wanted to go up to the first floor, but the air-conditioning has not brought the temperature down to a comfortable level yet so we settled with the ground floor ambiance.

palacio tables

The seating arrangements at the ground floor is warm and inviting, with lots of wood fittings. There is a lounge at the side for a more relaxed social gathering. The place serves beer at very reasonable prices – it’s RM 35 per jug for local draft beef during Happy Hour. The service is impeccable too – the waiters are very attentive and attuned to your every whim and fancy.

palacio ambience

There is a wall motif running along the length of the Palacio that is almost holographic, due to the ingenious placement of lighting fixtures. The length of the ground floor is bordered by a long couch with regular chairs on the opposite side of the tables. The effective use of mirrors increase the spatial perception of the size of the restaurant – it’s a common interior design technique to make a place “look” bigger.

palacio fois gras

Foie Gras (RM 48)
This is served with tempura asparagus, caramelized onions and mango chutney on a toasted baguette slice. Palacio is a French and Spanish cuisine establishment and this is one of the specialties of the house. It has multi-cultural influences, and this dish turned out to be a great fusion of unique flavors.

palacio fois gras liver

The foie gras (duck/goose liver) is tender and comes in a single, intact portion. This French delicacy literally bursts with juicy goodness with every bite. Highly recommended, despite the price and small serving size. I could eat the entire thing in a single mouthful!

palacio cinnamon cod

Cinnamon Black Cod (RM 40)
The Cinnamon Black Cod is served with sides of sweet mashed potato, mango mojo, citrus cabbage and red capsicum sauce. The “mango mojo” is the sauce and goes surprisingly well with the cinnamon marinated cod. The black cod was excellent, maintaining the natural moisture of the aquatic creature inside. It certainly hasn’t lost its mojo. 😉

palacio cinnamon black cod

The portion is a little on the small side though, but I guess “fine dining” is synonymous with tiny portions for the more refined diners amongst us. Doris thought it was just right, but she doesn’t eat much and cannot be used as an accurate gauge for the appetites of regular diners.

palacio braised lamb shank

Braised Lamb Shank (RM 40)
I had the more reasonably portioned braised lamb shank for the main dish. It’s served with tomato and grape chutney, mashed potatoes and rosemary sauce. The serving is indeed quite large (even for my standards) – a full lamb shank smack dab in the middle of your plate with rosemary sauce and tiny mushrooms.

palacio lamb shank

The braised lamb shank is delicious and the meat turned out so tender, it practically falls apart from the bone with the slightest gesture of the fork. 😉

Palacio Restaurant and Lounge also serves beer-based drinks I dubbed “beertails”. Beertails instead of cocktails. I was elated at the fit of inspiration where I thought I had coined the term, but a quick Google search revealed that the word has been around for quite a while. 🙁

palacio beertails

Palacio Beer (RM 20) is the green beer which is a cocktail (beertail) of Midori, Malibu and beer. The Bloody Beer (RM 15) is a beertail made with watermelon liquor and a shot of Absolut Raspberri. It tastes good, but it’s definitely not a drink for beer aficionados and purists from the Holy Trinity of Hop, Malt and Barley Church.

palacio mud pie

We finished off with a dessert of Palacio’s Mississippi Mud Pie (RM 15) – a sinful concoction of chocolate cake, cream and ice cream. The Mississippi Mud Pie came piping hot and the contrast with the cold ice cream is a match made in heaven!

palacio us

Palacio is a great place for a casual dinner at the Asian Heritage Row. The foie gras was memorable, the beertails interesting, and the service impeccable. The bill came up to a total of RM 244.95 which is not very expensive for the occasional indulgence. The Palace is located at:

Palacio Restaurant & Lounge
Asian Heritage Row
Jalan Doraisamy,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

La Bodega, Bangsar

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la bodega

La Bodega in Bangsar is supposedly the first authentic Spanish tapas
bar in Malaysia. I went there on my final night in KL to celebrate my
RRMA win. The ambience in Bangsar was as lively as usual, despite it
being a Sunday night.

la_bodega_bistro.jpg

La Bodega tapas y vinos is a bistro restaurant that serves their flagship tapas as well as other Spanish cuisine.

la bodega bar

The interior is nicely designed, with bar style seating arrangements around the bar, and tables on the side.

la bodega wall

The walls of La Bodega are covered with B&W pictures, showing
life, as it were. I liked it a lot. There’s also something very
interesting, if you look up…

la bodega wine top

The top of La Bodega in Bangsar is custom fitted with a wine rack!
There are literally bottles of wine hanging on top of you. Nice!

la bodega order

We placed our orders and I got a bottle of champagne to celebrate,
but they were out, and the attendant recommended Torres Grand Coronas
Cabernet Sauvignon, which was okay with me, coz I like red wine.

la bodega food

We ordered from the hot tapas and raciones menu as well as from the
paella menu. The photo above shows the various tapas that we ordered.
It all tasted good, the sauces were soaked up well by the bread.

la bodega tapas 1

Pollo al ajillo (Chicken sauteed in olive oil, garlic and parsley)

la bodega tapas 2

Chuletas de cordero a la parrilla (Grilled lamb cutlets gratinated with garlic mayonnaise)

la bodega tapas 3

Albondigas “Saint Climent” (Lamb meatballs in a rich brandy sauce)

la bodega paella

This is the main meal – Paella Valenciana mixta. It’s prawns,
chicken, mussels and clams cooked in a paella with saffron, peppers,
peas and rice.

la bodega paella flash

Here’s a photo of it with flash. This dish requires a minimum of two
people and a 30 minute wait, but that wasn’t a problem with us as we
all had this for the main.

paella mixed

This is what it looks like after it’s mixed. It’s counted per
person, at RM 18, so if there’s four in your group, the dish is RM 72.

paella mixed flash

Here’s a clearer photo, with flash. It’s surprisingly filling and they were generous with the ingredients. It tasted wonderful.

la bodega group

This is a group shot of us at La Bodega in Bangsar. L-R: Alice,
Richard, Louisa, Huai Bin (me). The bill came up to about RM 300, but
it’s worth it. Good food, highly recommended!

Peppermint Fusion Cafe

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peppermint fusion cafe

Peppermint Fusion Cafe is an eating establishment offering Oriental
and Continental cuisine. They have a wide range of offerings on their
menu. Here’s a shot of the interior:

peppermint interior

The establishment seems to attract a wide range of clientele, the ones which we noticed:

1. One mother and son. The mother was trying to get her son to study
and was admonishing him in a rather voluminous manner about the
mistakes he made in his most recent test. The mother in question
apparently found the test results unsatisfactory for a child of her
caliber.

2. One group of females comprising of about 7-8 women in their late
20’s. They were talking about some trivial thing in Hokkien. The
conversation sounded inane…

3. One couple. They were apparently executive level white collar
folks, talking about their respective lines of work. I just realized
something – the major races of Malaysia was represented in that very
moment in Peppermint Fusion Cafe. The mother and son patrons were
Indian. The females were Chinese, and the couple is Malay!

That went way off tangent, my apologies, there is elevated of CHT
(ass backwards) activity right now. Here’s another photo of the
interior for you to have some idea of what the ambience of the place is
like:

peppermint decor

Back to the food, here’s what I ordered for the drink.

peppermint_tea.jpg
Peppermint Tea RM 1.50

I figured it was appropriate, considering the name of the eatery. This is what our starter was:

peppermints_garden_salad.jpg
Peppermint’s Garden Salad RM 4.50

We shared this, though I admit, I don’t really like vegetables and I
wasn’t exactly hungry right then. It does have a nice peppering
of…er, pepper on the garden salad, which lends it a rather nice tang.

This is what my dining companion had:

black pepper sliced beef rice
Black Pepper Sliced Beef Rice RM 4.50

She commented that it tasted nice but was a little too salty. I had
a bite of that, but did not find it salty. It should be noted that I
like salty stuff, so only the hardiest of salts (or would that be
saltiest of salts) will get my seal of approval, and this one gets my
nod of approval, which is different from a seal. 😉 It is salty enough
to taste nice to me, but I wouldn’t say it was too salty.

This is what I had:

grilled nz lamb shoulder
Grilled N.Z. Lamb Shoulder RM 11.50

I asked the waitress what their specialty is and she pointed this
one out. It should be noted that this is the most expensive item on
their menu. Heh. All jokes aside, I found it pretty nice, as did my
dining companion. It was tender all along and raw in the right parts
and I love that game flavor. It just had a hint of that though.

peppermint cafe

Peppermint Cafe is located along Ban Hock Road in Kuching.

Pizza Ria, Kuching

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pizza ria
Pizza Ria @ Da-Light Food Court

This is Pizza Ria, an outlet with meat filled pancakes, pizza,
spaghetti and even combos like 1/4 pizza with spaghetti on a plate. It
used to be at this food court who’s exact name eludes me right now.
That was easily a decade plus in the past though. I know it moved (or a
branch opened up) to Siang Siang Food Court, King Center (?) when I was
studying in Inti College, Kuching (yes, I went through 3 colleges,
don’t ask :p).

pizza ria pancake
The pancake tastes better with a runny egg, this one is overdone.

I am also aware of a Pizza Ria in A La Carte (now defunct) at the
same time, around 97/98. Remember that food court below Star Cineplex?
It was bought out and renamed by Siang Siang, which was aggressively
taking over food courts then, but strangely enough, I haven’t seen any
this time around. Come to think of it, I’ve never seen Pizza Ria
outlets outside of Kuching as well, so it’s probably a local operation.

pizza ria special pancake
This is the Special Pancake with chicken (sausage), beef, cheese and egg. Best eaten with lots of chilli sauce!

It tastes just like the ones I remember – there’s this unique taste
to the pancake that I haven’t experienced in any of the other things
that I’ve eaten. It’s like Ramly burger…no other burgers seem to have
the same taste! I’ll equate Pizza Ria pancakes to that. The thin
pancake is smooth and soft, folded in half, with the meat and vegies
nestled inside. It’s the best savory pancake around. It’s certainly
something on the “must try” list if you happen to drop by Kuching.

I will post again and reply all comments later tonight (after dinner). 🙂 I’ve finally got myself a monitor.

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