Entree Cafe @ Damansara Jaya (Uptown), PJ

A new(-ish) cute little fusion cafe in the Uptown area :) ....

Sometimes** I am guilty of letting too much time pass.... and miss out on important things like catching up with treasured old friends (and also updating my blog. Sigh)....
(** Getting to be too often, actually)

I don't think it's just me though - everyone is busy one thing or another (whether work, dating, kids, family, etc) so the lapses can really drag on.

I have known Z since high school (OMG, so long ago I am so old *wail*) and after many months, we finally got an overlapping free time slot in our schedules, and met up in nearby Damansara Uptown... We hadn't meant to end up in Entree Cafe (which is fairly new, I think), but it looked interesting as we were walking past:

Just outside Entree....
I liked the ambience inside - simple yet comfy, with its casual setting and small quirky touches like the chalk drawings on the walls:

Cosy :)....
I tried the Lemongrass Tea (cold) (RM 3.80+) - It was very refreshing with a light sweetness and nice fragrance that was not overpowering:

My drink....
I felt like something soupy, so I chose the Tom Yam Seafood Mihun (RM 13.80+) from their a la carte menu - It was a little sweet, spicy but only slightly sour. Overall, not bad but probably not my fave tom yam in town:

Mixed seafood tom yam mihun....
My friend opted for the Set Lunch, which comes with a choice from a variety of mains, and a free drink - he chose the 46th Street Rangoon Laksa (RM 9.80+). I took a bite and wished I had ordered this too.
(BOOOOO)

It was a lovely, hearty dish with a thick broth - a great balance of earthy, sweet and slightly spicy (with a nice sour zing too, if you add the lime).
(My kind of comfort food. Yummy!)

Unusual but delicious laksa....
We didn't try any desserts that day but scanning the menu, there were many interesting fusion dishes that caught my eye - looking forward to go back there soon.
(Pricing is pretty decent too)

So, a new discovery with friendly service + good food + nice ambience all added up to make our nice catch up session even better that day.
:)

So it's: Nice casual but quirky ambience, friendly service, good range of Western, Asian and fusion dishes at decent prices BUT nothing bad really, just that they are quite empty on weekends - don't take this as a bad sign :) The food is pretty good..

Restaurant ReviewSummary Sheet:

Entree Cafe @ Damansara Jaya (Uptown), PJ

33 Jalan SS 21/56B, Damansara Uptown, 47400 Petaling Jaya
(Near The Ship)
Taste: 7
Ambience : 7
Service : 7
Price** : RM 30+ per person
Parking: OK

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks

Telephone No.: 03-7732 8540
Opening Hours: 10am to 10pm
NO PORK SERVED

MAP:

View Larger Map

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Eat Drink KL
- Isaactan.net

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Entree Cafe, Western, Asian, Fusion, Damansara Uptown, DU, PJ, Petaling Jaya, KL, Kuala Lumpur

Sexy In Red AND Delicious

Have your cake and eat it too :)....

It's always tough looking for the perfect present (especially for special occasions like Valentine's Day)...

When I saw these beautiful "roses" from Just Heavenly, I thought "OMG! How perfect! - a present that's not just gorgeous, but delicious too!"

A close up of the sexy red rose....
I know....

V Day is becoming overly commercialised... but well, if you want to get a little something to make the day extra special for your honey bunny sweetie pie then well, this is pretty good option**.
(** In my humble opinion, anyway)

A look at the whole bouquet....
WARNING:
One of the major T&C's for this yummy cupcake bouquet is that you need to order at least 3 days before... So, if you want to get these beautiful (and delicious) cupcakes as a present then well, call NOW.
:)

For more details, check out the Slice Of Heaven website

Price:
RM 100 (Optional +RM30 for delivery within certain KL areas)

What you get:
8 moist, chocolate Just Heavenly Cupcakes, arranged in a elegant white vase

How to order:
1) Go to their "A Slice of Heaven" outlets (in Jaya 1, Pavilion, O Gourmet (BSC) and Terrace @ Hock Choon, Ampang), OR
2) Call their office (03-2287 9866 or 03-2284 9866).


Craving some chocolatey goodness,
J

PS/
No lah. No one paid me or bribed me with cupcakes to post this up. I just really love their cupcakes. :P
(Really!)

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, KL, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

Thomas K Hardy's Dizzy 201 Wine Pairing Dinner @ Urban, Istana Hotel KL

Robust Aussie wines inspired by a cricketing legend :)....

Hi everyone...
Just so you know - This is an invited review, ok? Please find my disclaimers, as follows:
1) I have not been paid to write this, but neither have I paid a cent for my meal, and
2) I will still be as objective as possible re. the food/wine.

Istana Hotel is (probably) one of the oldest hotels in KL....
(Well, it's been there as far back as I can remember anyway)

I admit, I hadn't been there for ages - So, I was really looking forward to checking out the new-ish addition (Urban restaurant) during a wine pairing dinner by a very established Australian winery, Thomas K Hardy:
(5 generations of wine making experience! That's a lot...)

Just outside the entrance to Urban, inside the hotel....
Despite the rather traditional sounding name and facade of Istana Hotel, Urban restaurant is modern, with a nice, warm ambience inside. It can either be more casual (sit at the bar) or more intimate/formal (sit at the tables in the main area or the private area behind):

Romantic lighting and warm colour scheme....
Once we got settled in, we were shown a video of the inspiration behind the wines - Australian cricket great, Jason "Dizzy" Gillespie:

Mr Gillespie talking to us through the projector screen....
I am not a cricket fan, so I had no idea who this Jason "Dizzy" Gillespie is. According to fellow diners (and the people from Hardy's), he is a legendary cricket player that amazingly, not only bowled well, but broke a lot of batting records too.
(So, I guess that's like a record breaking football goalkeeper who also a really good striker?)

- 1st Course: Chilled Pea Valute with Bacon Foam Rock Oyster and Avocado Garlic Cream and Salmon Roe.
Matched with a 2010 Dizzy Vintage Reserve Chardonnay

The oyster course....

The first Chardonnay....
Delicious - the oh so fresh oyster topped with just enough sauce/ seasoning to accentuate the natural sweetness, balanced with the creamy avocado and salty (pop pop popping) sweetness from the salmon roe. :D

This went really well with the Chardonnay, which was smooth, with a light sweetness of white fruits.

- 2nd Course: Seared Diver Scallop with Cauliflower puree, Australian Red Claw Salad, Apple Curry Mayo, Mixed Cress and Truffle dressing.
Matched with a 2009 Thomas K Hardy “Imprimatur” Chardonnay

Interesting bites of seafood, nicely presented....
The simple flavours of the fresh seafood, and variety of sweet and savoury accompaniments went very well with this stronger Chardonnay. I found it more robust than other Chardonnays I have tasted, with delicious citrus and oak tones.
(One of my favourite wines that night)

- 3rd Course: Farmed Quail with Crusted Almond, Ernest Soulard Foie Gras Escalopes, Caramelized Red Cherry and Seafood Ginger Sauce
Matched with a 2009 Dizzy 201 ‘Vintage Reserve’ Shiraz Cabernet

A quail! First time I tried this type of bird actually :)....

One of the lovely shirazs that night....
A hearty course, as the quail had a lovely, sweet yet crunchy coating, and an added decadence from the foie gras.

This needed a wine with character to pair it, and it came in the form of this delightful Shiraz blend which was not too spicy (balanced by the Cabernet perhaps?), slightly mineral-y, with mild tannins.

- 4th Course: grilled Australian grain-fed beef tenderloin, served with king mushroom, glazed turnip and marjoram with olive sauce
Matched with a 2008 Thomas K Hardy ‘Family Tradition’ cabernet sauvignon

The steak that night....
Although there was nothing to fault with the beef, it was the perfectly cooked, smoky yet moist mushroom that stood out. :)
(Not much of a surprise, I guess? - I do love mushrooms after all)

The cabernet sauvignon was easy to drink; smooth, with rich berry undertones, balanced tannins and a long finish - a very good accompaniment to red meat.

- Fifth Course: Aussie Cheese Selection, Fig Compote, Honey, and Cranberries Chutney
Matched with a 2005 Dizzy 201 Commemorative Shiraz

A few cuts of Australian cheese....
I thought this was a safe selection of cheeses - nothing too dribbly or smelly. :)
(Which I appreciate, since I'm not that big on cheese as a dessert course** - much prefer it melted over toast, or on a pizza)
(** I is still very Cina sometimes? Lol)

This made the signature, limited edition wine stand out more, with its relatively spicy taste and nice oak undertone, long finish and heavier body.
(I generally don't like spicy wines, but found this delightful)

- Dessert: Lemon Tart with Yuzu Sorbet, Cinnamon Ice Cream, Sweet Basil Leather, Gin & Tonic Agar Agar and Rose Bud Syrup
Matched with a Geoff Hardy ‘Full Front’ Liqueur Frontignac

Sweet and sour desserts - a nice way to end the night....

A potent liqueur to end the night....
A refreshing way to end the night; the desserts were sour enough and creamy (loved the yuzu sorbet especially) and when chased with a sip of the rather strong sweet liqueur - perfect. :D

Overall, it was a lovely meal - not just the food, but having the opportunity to reacquiant myself with a long lost hotel, all accentuated by a great variety of wines :D...

SHOUT OUT
Thank you to:
1) Thomas Keith Hardy and the rest of his team, for coming all the way to Malaysia to share his wonderful wines with us,
2) Mr Praba Menon and Patricia of Istana Hotel for the wonderful meal, and
3) Mr Felix Darrel, and everyone from JFS Boutique Spirits for the kind invitation.

BTW: If you want more details on these wines (and where to get them), you can contact JFS Boutique Spirits at +6017 678 2038, email felix@jfs.my or check out their website - click here.
(Also, here is the link to the Dizzy Wine's website if you want more details about these wines)

Contact details

Urban Restaurant @ Istana Hotel KL
Lobby Level, 73, Jalan Raja Chulan, 50200 Kuala Lumpur.

Telephone No.: 03-2141 9988
Opening Hours:
NO PORK SERVED

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Mimi's Dining Room
- Chasing Food Dreams
- Kuali.com

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Thomas Hardy, Jason "Dizzy" Gillespie, Australia, Urban Restaurant, Istana Hotel, KL, Kuala Lumpur

Les Deux Garcons @ Telawi, Bangsar Baru

A tale of a Girl and her quest for delicious cakes....

ONCE UPON A TIME, there was a Girl who suddenly thought to get some extra goodies for her dear mum's birthday.

AS SHE DROVE PAST BANGSAR, she thought "Ah ha! There's that fancy new French bakery that everyone's been blogging about.", and quickly made a detour.

THERE SHE WAS, (illegally! *blush*) parked in front of Les Deux Garcons (which she thought "Strange. Shouldn't it be LE Deux Garcons? Not that my French is that great, but Les is for females right?")

- A deliciously creamy berry cake with an interesting hint of rose fragrance, Le Demoiselle (RM 13):

A delight for lovers of berry flavours....
ANYWAY, SHE RACED INTO THE SMALL SHOP, thinking "Yay, looks like I'm just in time!", and was told (very firmly) "We are not opened yet", as the Chef continued piping chocolate yumminess onto some of the cakes on display.

SHE LOOKED AROUND, stunned, sheepish - There was no sign stating "Closed" (or "Open" actually, no sign at all) on the door, so how was she to know?....

SHE QUICKLY MADE UP HER MIND, that this didn't matter - the most important thing was to stick to her mission to get the best possible cakes for her mum, so she quietly apologised and waited outside the shop for the remaining 10 minutes.
(The Girl felt a little like a chastened child, being asked to wait outside the class for doing something wrong which she didn't know was wrong)

- A chocolate cake, Le Marquis (RM 13) and an Eclaire (RM 10)...
(Both were really nice with the quality of ingredients evident from the great texture and taste.. although I do wish the Eclair didn't "burst" so easily, leaving a mess of cream on my fingers when I bit into it...)

The Chocolate Eclair (foreground) and Le Marquis (background)....
"WE ARE OPEN NOW....", summoned the friendly waitress, "And sorry, our chef doesn't like to be disturbed", she added, softly.

THE GIRL WENT INTO THE SHOP, and quickly chose this and that from the tantalising display cabinet, then raced on home, having survived a visit to the famed new bakery, oh no, sorry, patisserie....

A SHORT DRIVE HOME LATER in her beat up (but much loved) jalopy, The Girl presented the delectable looking treats to her mother... and the happiness on her mother's face was more than enough to make up for the interesting experience (and rather hefty price tag)...
(The cakes taste good! Yummy....)

- Their famed Truffle Macaron (RM 9)..., beautiful to look at, crisp outer layer, moist filling and with a very strong truffle fragrance which you will either love of hate...
(I think I still prefer the "normal" dessert flavours... It was interesting to try this though)

It's either love it or hate it, I think....

So it's: Small but good range of delicious French cakes and pastries made from quality ingredients, both classic flavours and interesting twists BUT there's only 2 tables for "dine in" (open air, on the sidewalk outside) and prices are not exactly affordable......

CONTACT INFO:
Les Deux Garcons @ Telawi, Bangsar Baru KL

36, Jalan Telawi, Bangsar Baru, Kuala Lumpur.(It's just opposite/ perpendicular to Cziplee)

Telephone No.: 03-2284 7833
Opening Hours: 12noon to 8pm

Official website (with online purchase available): Click HERE
NO PORK SERVED

MAP:


OTHER REVIEWS:
- Cumi dan Ciki
- Eat Drink KL
- Masak-Masak
- the nomadGourmand
- Missy Doroshi
- A lil Fat Monkey

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, French Patisserie, Bakery, Les Deux Garcons, Bangsar Baru, PJ, Telawi Street, KL, Kuala Lumpur