Ramadhan Rendezvous Buffet with THE BIG BENQUET strEATs, BSC, Starting TODAY, 12th July

The BIG group seems to be setting a lot of new trends in the KL food scene, but that's hardly surprising, seeing as to how brilliant the founder, Benjamin Yong is.  (Haha, talk about the ultimate brown nosing).  But seriously, I idolize the man, and his vision and his innovation.

One of the latest offerings in the Ramadhan Buffet, at strEATs, (the BIG group loves their puns and incorporating them into menus, names etc), Bangsar Shopping Centre. (Currently it's still known as BURPS, but should be renamed strEATs any time now)  Located at the food court on the 4th floor, the Ramadhan buffet is priced at RM70++ for adults, and RM35++ for children below 12.

The buffet is a casual one, compared to hotels, but does offer a wide variety of stuff.  We were given a glimpse of what was to come, but the final menu will comprise Mushroom soup with potato bread, rojak buah, gado gado, kerabu pucuk paku, thai mango salad, caesar salad, telur masin, fish crackers and belinjau chips, tempeh, potatoes and ikan bilis, ulam ulams, and from the BBQ pit, beef & chicken satay, Ayam percik, grilled lamb shoulder, grilled stingray.  From the stalls, curry laksa, and for mains, beef brisket rendang, ayam masak merah, sotong gorend berbawang, sayur lodeh, stir fried vege, white rice. For the sweet toothed, ice kacang, teh tarik and sirap selasih, with bubur cha cha, assorted Malaysian Kuih, Creme caramel and mini brownies.

The beef brisket rendang (top right) is worthy of mention.  Gorgeous tender succulent brisket in a variety of spices that probably put Malacca on the spice route in the 1400s...

Have I ever mentioned how I love my ulams?  Nothing like using your hands to roll up a bunch of ulam raja and dipping it in a generous dollop of fragrant sambal belachan, and to munch on petai and breath right into your friend's faces and watch them swoon. 

During Ramadhan, the BIG Benquet will be introducing their Ramadhan Catering packages, whether a private or corporate event, ranging from RM60+ to RM80+ per person.

Check out www.thebiggroup.co

For reservations at the buffet, you can call 603 6209 2202 for a good table!

For enquiries, contact
Chut Nyak Esqanita
esqanita.chutnyak@thebiggroup.co
+603 6209 2270

Just Heavenly, Bangsar Shopping Centre

I am sure they need no introduction, those two celebrities, who between them have more facebook friends than Imelda Marcos' shoes.  Just Heavenly, that name that has become synonymous with gorgeously decorated cakes, and wedding cakes for the who's who of society, (if you do not have a Just Heavenly wedding cake for your wedding, pshaw, better not have a wedding at all...unless of course, it's from Delectable but that's another story altogether).  As usual, I digress.  Anyone who frequents Bangsar Shopping Centre, and that area around A CUT ABOVE, will notice that familiar cloud, (no, not the apple store), bearing the Just Heavenly logo.

Yup, Allan and Nigel of Just Heavenly have opened their long awaited Cafe...I mean, it seemed to be the next natural step, given their penchant for all things culinary, and their fantastic PR.  KL has been screaming out for a Just Heavenly Cafe, and well, Heaven has replied.

Adding to the duo, making it a menage a trois, is Caroline Lee, the COO, (gar) who is largely together with Allan, responsible for spearheading the birth (afterall, only women give birth) to the Just Heavenly Cafe.

So, I get an email from Nigel asking us to head over to the cafe, for what I PRESUMED was an official opening of sorts, with canapes and bubbly and waitresses floating around with harps and wings.  Unbeknownst to me, it was actually to sample the new menu, AND it was a sit down thing, and I was late, thinking it was cocktails.  In addition to that, I didn't bring my camera.  Sigh.  So here it goes, the crappy shots from the Iphone 4.

A variety of healthy fruit juice combos, Mojo Mojo, Tropical Teaser, Lemongrass Passion, and Charlie's Angels.





Smoked Salmon Wasabi Sandwich, which is served with a croissant, which I like, because croissants are buttery, and by extension, should not be healthy. 


Coconut Chicken Salad.  They try to use local stuff in their salads, which actually, is the common sense thing to do right, so it has pegaga, ulam raja, etc etc.  The local ulams give it that extra kick.


Monster Mushroom Quiche, an assortment of luscious mushrooms, and yes, really quite monstrous in size.  Not your everyday quiche is just a quiche. 


Quiche Lorraine...oh the place is pork free, so that is not pork bacon.  It's great that all their stuff come with a good side of salads and leafy greens.


Quiche


My favourite for the day, the Croaked Monsieur. 


Okay, it's actually Croque Monsieur, but Croaked Monsieur sounds so much more interesting.  I LURVE that flowy stream of yellow cholesterol lava


BLT Gamberi - A huge ass burger, with lovely triple fried chips.  Unlike the potatoes from a certain fast food chain that may have started life as a potato, but morphed into something totally different, these potatoes are still potatoes, and are totally yummy.



Soba Salad - totally healthy, with buckwheat noodles, Japanese cucumber (which are so much crunchier than Chinese cucumbers), sesame seeds, black and white,very united nations.


Penne Carbonara - those who know me long enough would know that I would never order this for myself, because the first bite is always, YUMMY, but it quickly goes downhill exponentially because it is so rich, and by the third bite, I am hovering around a food coma.  But if you like rich creamy sauces, knock yourself out with this. 


There's always room for dessert.  Tangy Key Lime Pie, though I don't think the limes are actually Key Limes from Florida, but I guess not many people knew that so it won't really matter. 


My all time favourite dessert from Just Heavenly, the chocolate durian bomb, velvety layers of durian, cream, chocolate, that sends your tongue to places I dare not mention. 


Lemon Meringue Pie - beatifully torched and finished.  (not sure if it's torched or grilled, but so very pretty).

Just Heavenly
2nd Floor, West Wing (Opposite A Cut Above Hair Salon)
Bangsar Shopping Centre,
285 Jalan Maarof,
59000 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: +603 2011 4866

The George and Dragon

I remember walking past this place before it opened, in Bangsar Shopping Centre, and thought, ooh, great, a British pub. You know la, these British pubs, always got name like The Toad in the Hole, The Crown and the Parrot, The Pussy in the Well, The Hog in the Pound, The Snake and the Lizard....

For all you non literature reading people out there, George refers to Saint George (and NOT the Georgy Porgy pudding and pie, poked the girls and made them cry, that one), and the story is actually set in Libya, in a town called Silene. As usual la, the town is terrorised by a nasty dragon, who is probably just a misunderstood reptile looking for food, and the peasants have to feed two lambs a day to the fler. Until one day, when it was the silence of the lambs, and there were no more lambs, and chewdren pulak had to be sacrificed. Then of course, you go up the pecking order, when INEVITABLE, the town's Princess is next on the menu. King offers half his kingdom to whoever can slay the dragon, and George, who happens to be galloping by, probably looking for some Colonel's Fried Chicken, (Libya mah), makes the sign of the cross, and with one fell swoop, tames the dragon. Even juicier, the princess throws him her girdle, which he uses to tie around the dragon, and then, suddenly the dragon is all subservient. What a beautiful analogy of how easy it is to control people. George brings dragon to town, townsfolk all faint, so George slays the dragon. Something like that.

I digress. Now far away from the site of that actual event, in the suburb of Bangsar, nestled amidst the affluent shops where Tai Tais roam , is George and The Dragon, all part of the happy family of establishments including Single & Available, Decanter, etc. That should clue you in as to the ownership.

Dinesh of BRDB sent a very nice invite, asking if some of us would like to sample what GATD had to offer, so why not? We were greeted by the lovely gregarious Melissa Chong, the Group Marketing & PR Manager of GATD. Her enthusiasm and bubbliness was contagious. We started off with the variety of beers they had to offer. Aly (RED FM) stuck to Tiger, I tried the Speckled Hen, (No relation to the spotted cock), while the rest tried the other stuff they had to offer. My speckled hen, an ale, is a bit sweetish, and filling. I can almost imagine myself drinking this hearty ale in a british countryside pub.


I always thought it was George and THE Dragon, but my bad, it looks like its THE GEORGE AND DRAGON.


A platter of pigs in the blanket (their version, which is sausage wrapped with bacon) and deep fried belly pork, aptly called BLANKETS AND BELLY. Pork, pork and more pork. If we are what we eat, I'd be crying wee wee wee all the way home. Lovely snack food to complement the beers.


But the porky piece de resistance really comes in the form of this PORK KNUCKLE. priced at RM65, and truly is a steal, for its worth every sen. Moist, tender pork pieces, that really descended from Hog Heaven, crispy crackling, with a base of vegetables that make it almost healthy, (brocolli, carrots, etc), swimming in a delicious gravy. I am not a HUGE fan of pork knuckles, and sometimes find it a tad dry, even the Chinese ones, but this version is excellent.


Frat and the Knuckle... another name of a pub you think?


New Zealand Lamb Cutlets. Good but truly, overshadowed by the porcine paradise. There were those amongst us who did not eat pork, or I am sure we'd have pigged out all the way.


Salmon Steak with Angel Hair Pasta. Understandably, angel hair is delicate like erm...a fairy, and any overcooking will quickly render it non al dente, which I dont like. Gimme al dente any day. The salmon was well cooked though, and the skin nice and crispy.


Well, if lamb is used for a shepherd's pie, then this is definitely a fisherman's pie. Although the actual name is smoked fish pie. Chunks of fish in a creamy sauce, topped with mashed potatoes, much like shepherd's pie, except its marine instead of land.


That's a big bone, er, Aly dear.


A liquid dessert, some Baileys concoction... and rather refreshing after all that meat.


Mah Cherry and Cherry Pom Pom


The body builder Mr Sarawak, Kabi, who is the Pub Manager, and Mel.
"When I was small, and Christmas trees were tall..."


Jek With Melissa

I really have to say I am truly impressed with that pork knuckle. It seems like a great place to hangout for casual drinks, and snack on the pork knuckle and other porky stuff. They also have a decent Bak Kut Teh served at suppertime. Not to mention an impressive array of single malts.

Thanks Mel for hosting us, and to Dinesh, for inviting us.

Read Aly's review HERE.

The George & Dragon
Lot G130, Ground Floor
Bangsar Shopping Centre
Tel: 22878316

Going Full, Monte's

There are certain places I have never written about, just because I go there so regularly, that it totally escapes my mind to blog about it. One such place is Monte's in BSC, which has been there forever, and my family and I HAVE been going there forever as well. At least once or twice a month for our normal Sunday family dinners.

So, when Dinesh of BRDB (Bandaraya Development Bhd) invited me to Monte's, part of BRDB's campaign to expose (hmm, the words campaign and expose always reek of scandal in political terms) the F&B outlets in Bangsar Shopping Centre, I was more than delighted to accept. Afterall, being the creature of habit that I am, I ALWAYS eat the same thing whenever I am there, ie, the Oxtail Soup and the Grilled Halibut. This was the opportunity to sample other stuff on the menu! Fellow co-floggers included Fratmustard of Qguides, Aly of RedFM and ROKH of Tham Jiak.

To be honest, I think dining experiences are definitely enhanced by the company as well. And when alcohol is served, so much the better.


Over the months I've known her, I am amazed at Aly's ability to tuck away beer the way a marathon runner drinks 100plus after a 42km run. And the best part is, I wonder where it all goes. She's slim as a supermodel, and she doesnt go wee wee as often as I do, were I to drink that amount of beer. She da man!


The self explanatory menu.

Juicy Scallops, pan seared, on a bed of sweet potato mash. Not overcooked, and seared just right.






Escargots always remind me of that classic scene from Pretty Woman, where Julia Roberts lets the snail fly from her pincers. Alas, we needed no such skills, as the snail can quite easily be dug out using that surgical like fork. Baked in a lovely gratin-ish/garlicky sauce, this is a must if you are an escargot lover.


Chef's dream salad. Lovely crunchy prawns, in a light yet satisfying olive oil vinaigrette, and pieces of eggplant (which were my favourite), with a hint of pesto. Oh, I have no pictures of it, but we were also served the most awesome garlic bread. Delicious baguette topped with a generous garlic butter that just melts in the mouth.



Their classic oxtail soup. Always hearty, always good. The tail is slow boiled till it is tender and falling off the bone. I always have this whenever I eat at Monte's. It goes really well with the buns they usually serve (but we had garlic bread instead this time).


Pumpkin and Carrot soup. This is actually our kids' favourite item. Thick, wholesome and bursting with pumpkinny flavour. Also, blended to an extremely smooth consistency.


Prawn and Fish Combo. Didnt really get to try this dish, but if the other prawn dish below is anything to go by, then it should be pretty good. The prawns here are generally rather fresh, and the texture remains intact, unlike some that disintergrate.


Rib Eye steak. Good old fashion steak, served with potato wedges and vegetables. I love this dish for its traditional-ness and simplicity. Too often in this day and age, food has evolved so much that it is sometimes unrecognizable. And I guess that is what brings us back to Montes regularly. It IS good comfort food.


Another comfort food type dish... Spaghetti marinara. The naming of dishes is simple, so you are not left tongue tied trying to pronounce some exotic name. Substantial dish, and definitely enough on its own for one.


Now, this dish sent me flying back into nostalgia, when Chicken A La King with buttered rice was a regular item on menus. This is called Mushroom Chicken, but it is more or less like my childhood memory of chicken ala king. For less than RM20, apparently this is one of the most popular dishes, esp at lunch time.


Pan Seared Cod. As usual, by this time we were so stuffed. Now, I can say this with a clear conscience, the fish is monte's is almost always very fresh. They do have pretty good QC here. There have been times when they would not serve us the halibut because it wasnt up to standard.


Grilled Prawns. More prawnography. (phrase taken from GFAD). According to Aly, this was better than the other one above.


8 Hour Lamb. Now, this picture does not do the dish justice, (all my meat shots leave a lot to be desired), but the lamby was succulent, tender and really quite lovely if you are a lamb fan.
Incidentally, we were joined by the lovely and gregarious Susan Lee, owner of Monte's, and also an old friend of mine. Thanks so much for having us, Susan. This lady is really one of my idols. Savvy businesslady, mother, soon to be grandmother, wife, quite the superwoman she is.


Bread and Butter Pudding. I have to admit, I was thinking, aiyo, so much bread, when I first saw it... but actually it is very nice. I love the crusty bits...and the lovely vanilla aroma.


Apple Pie, which was nice and tart. Served warm, with a dollop of ice cream.


Tropical Carrot Cake. Not bad, a bit different from the usual, very moist, with a substantial layer of cream cheese topping.


Their best selling Hershey chocolate cake. I found this a bit too sweet for my liking, but the cake uses real Hersheys.. (as opposed to fake ones), and is rich and moist. Go for it if you have a sweet tooth.

Writing about Montes for me is like writing about my weekly trips to my inlaws. I love the fact that the food has remained consistent and unpretentious over the years, and VERY reasonably priced. The fact that it was packed on Saturday night, (and Sundays too) is testimony to the "value for money" credo that I often attach to the place. It might not be food that make you go OOH and AAAHHH, but it is comfort food, and good quality comfort food, at good prices. And this is why Monte's has survived all these years, when many others have come and gone!

Thanks Dinesh, for inviting all of us! And thanks Susan, for being the ever gracious host.