Piggy Tail @ Bangsar Baru

Hogging the Limelight in Bangsar!

If you have not heard about Piggy Tail, you should, especially if you are a lover of porky dishes! The bistro and bar is located in the bustling area of Bangsar. Though the area is literally swarmed with lots of eateries, porcine lovers are rest-assured that Piggy Tail is worth a visit. Serving up a full swine-laden menu, the bistro has got some attractive and scrumptious dishes aim to please all porky fans out there.

The bistro has a casual and stylish laid-back ambiance. Using lots of natural wood with a mix of steel, it has the feel of the much seen industrial raw appeal theme here. Lots of tables with benches added a casual vibe as the bistro wants its diners to just enjoy their delicious porky fare as the highlight. There is a long bar in the bistro too, serving up lots of beers and cocktails to go with the menu. It’s a near-perfect combo of bar and porky fare!

The menu is filled with choices of piggy breakfast dishes, salad, soup, pasta, burgers, snacks, rice, main porky and non-porky dishes, set platters and desserts. The beverage list is just as long as the food menu with list of wines, beers, liquor, cocktails and other non-alcoholic beverages plus coffee and tea too.

Since it was a weekday we were there, we were pretty good and had Virgin Piggies or mocktails… from Piggy Surprise (RM18.00) to Virgin Pink Lady (RM15.00) and Mango Mock-O-Lada (RM15), these beverages were deliciously refreshing and fruity. 

My other half also had a Kirin Ichiban Beer (RM22.00 for half pint).

Since there were four of us that evening, we had a taste of their Mega Piggy Platter (RM268.00) together with some other dishes. The enormous platter is served on a large wooden board. Our eyes, well at least mine, sparkled at the sight of this gargantuan platter of heavenly dishes on this board. The Mega Piggy Platter has Piggy Signature Pork Knuckles, Pork Burger, Pork Franks, BBQ Pork Chops, BBQ Pork Ribs and BBQ Beef Ribs served with gravy, coleslaw and salad. Of course one can order all these separately but if you are going to go full-force with a group of buddies, this platter is right up your alley.

There are two kinds of ribs served at Piggy Tail. Both BBQ Short Pork Rib and BBQ Long Pork Rib are very scrumptious in flavours. Both are finger-licking awesome as well. While the BBQ Short Pork Rib has a fall-off-the-bone texture, the BBQ Long Pork Rib has a good bite in the well balanced lean and fat belly meat. The BBQ sauce is delish with its balance of tangy piquant sweet note that suited my palate really well.

The BBQ Pork Shoulder Steak is nicely tender too despite it being so lean and has a very tasty note. There were two Pork Franks with one being spicier than the order. These were nicely juicy and tasty too.

Our platter was a little different and we had their Signature Lamb Chops (RM45.00 a la carte) which we really enjoy too. The grilled marinated New Zealand lamb chops are smothered in a robust Mongolian sauce and was nicely chargrilled on the edges while tender and juicy on the inside.

The Piggy Pork Burger (RM28.00 a la carte) is a towering height of porky goodness. A generously bulky piece of pork patty is sandwiched with cheese, lettuce, tomato, bacon, fried onion rings and toasted sesame seed bun showed how every pork burger should be. The patty is has a good bouncy texture with a juicy note. I also really enjoyed the crispy well-battered onion rings. Go ahead and sink your teeth into this sizeable pork burger if you can…

The next dish of Signature Pork Knuckle (RM86.00) was indeed another beauty! Just check out how evenly golden and crispy the whole pork knuckle looked. Propped on mashed potato, the pork knuckle looked every inch poise and divine. Served on the side was a mug of gravy, coleslaw and salad.

The pork knuckle is one of the best pork knuckle I had so far. The even crispiness of the skin coupled with the tender and succulent dark meat was just damn delicious in every bite. The bits of gelatinous tendon and fat gave the dish a moreish sensation of indulgence. Must-order at Piggy Tail!

Premium Pork Aglio Olio (RM25.00) was our only carb dish and even this one had the hog. Grilled Sakura pork neck fillet is paired with a classic aglio olio spaghetti of chili flakes, garlic, olive oil and bacon. I was really loving the grilled pork neck filter because it was so tender and well-seasoned.

Piggy Tail uses Sakura Pork which is organic and has better flavour and textures!

Curiosity got the better of us and we also snacked on Piggy Pork Corn (RM16.00). Inspired from the popcorn chicken, this one was luxe up with Sakura pork chunks nicely seasoned and deep fried till golden brown. The meat and bits of tendon texture in the Pork Corn was a plus point factor that had us keep going back for more… it is a great snack with beer…

Dessert was our least expected dish of the night. Piggy Tail goes all out and serves up their Signature Truffle Ice Cream (RM18.00). As soon as the dessert was placed on our table, the intense earthy truffle aroma hit our senses like a ton of bricks… in a luscious way of course! What a treat… pairing the high-prized white truffle with ice cream certainly works for me in flavours and aromas. That’s not all, the dessert comes with chocolate sauce and crispy bacon bits… oo la la!!

Battling the area traffic and parking is worth it. Piggy Tail is a pure haven of porcine glory. The bistro has got all the markings of an awesome porky place to indulge in porky dishes. If this were to be my last meal on earth, I would be satisfied and happy. Whether one just wants to unwind the day or have a party with friends and family, one thing’s for sure, Piggy Tail is The Porky place to be seen, heard and yes… Eat!  

PIGGY TAIL

39 Jalan Telawi 3,

Bangsar Baru,

59100 Kuala Lumpur

Facebook: www.facebook.com/piggytailkl

Website: www.piggytail.webs.com

Business Hour: 11am to 1am

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El Cerdo Bubblylicious Brunch @ Changkat Bukit Bintang

A Seriously Swine Affair!

Talk about going all the way for some hardcore swine-ing, El Cerdo is practically a legend when it comes to serving some serious list of porky dishes. Taking the hog to new levels, El Cerdo leaves no part of the hog behind and even takes on the tagline of Nose to Tail Eating.

El Cerdo ‘s menu takes on different cuisine from all over the world like Europe, Caribbean and Mexico and the common interest here is the hog. Owner and Chef Werner Kuhn has perfected his recipes of the restaurant’s signatures such as Roasted Suckling Pig, German Crispy Knuckle, Paella and more over the years so it’s a real treat for fans of the swine that they pay a ritual visit to get their cravings satiated.

El Cerdo is located in the bustling street of Changkat Bukit Bintang and spans across two shop lots. The restaurant is decorated with a laid back European theme with lots of red, yellow and dark wood. There are several sections in the restaurant and private rooms as well. Some may even choose to dine al fresco in the evening to catch the busy street actions.

Besides the regular menu, El Cerdo is proud to present their all-you-can-eat Bubblylicious Brunch affair available from 12pm to 2.30pm every Sunday. You can opt for alcoholic package at RM149 ++ with free flow of Cava, Wine, Tiger Draught, Soft Drinks and Chilled Juices or the non-alcoholic package at RM99++ per adult. Children 6 to 12 years old enjoy the brunch at RM49++ per child.

I highly recommend the alcohol package as the free flow of Noche Y Dia Brute Nature Sparkling Wine, House Red and White Wine and other beverages are simply perfect for a bubbly brunch and some much deserved pampering session. The cava is gorgeous and a great choice to be paired with all the yummy porky dishes.

It’s a feast of pork all the way starting from the Cold Appetizer Buffet featuring a magnificent Chacuterie smorgasbord of Jamon Serrano with Rock Melon, Pig Trotter Terrine, Pig Head Jelly, Roasted Pork with Tuna Sauce, Smoked Black Pepper Ham, Chorizo, Lomo, Salchichion and more.

The Spanish air dried cured ham of Jamon Serrano with Rock Melon is simply divine!!

There is also Roasted Pork Salad, Honey Ham Salad and Pasta Salad together with a Salad Bar. Now I am never a fan of salads but I am sure I can live with a pork and ham salad… wink!

El Cerdo also serves a beautiful Pork Liver Pate and French Rillettes. I had both with French baguette and enjoy them a lot. The Pork Liver Pate is velvety and very luscious with a buttery note while the French Rillettes is a confit of pork that is creamy, savory and rich.

My plate of Charcuterie and salad is just so good… I was blissfully satiated…

I was surprise to see hot warmer with Roasted Pork Loin in it together with some mashed potatoes, vegetables and piping hot gravy but hey, I am not complaining! The Roasted Pork Loin is well-seasoned and moist. Roasted beautifully, it’s tender and the hot gravy made it even more delectable. At this point, I near forgot that there is still a list of main course to be ordered and savored so make sure you save some room for a list of all-you-can-eat main dishes and dessert too.

The following dishes are to be ordered and served at your table. We started with a favorite of mine, Sausage Platter. Imagine a hearty platter of Assorted Mini Sausages grilled and served with Sauerkraut and Mashed Potato. Leading the pack was super scrumptious German Mini Sausages Wrapped in Bacon and followed by Farmer, Thuringer, German Pepper and Spicy Lyonner mini sausages. These premium sausages are juicy and delicious with each one having its own unique flavours.

For the meat choices, there are Pork Steak, Roast Baby Back Ribs, Wiener Schnitzel, Hickory Smoked Iberico Soft Ribs and Iberico Ribs Stew. These are served in smaller portions but one can order as much as you like.

Taking top spot in the popularity stakes is the Pork Steak, marinated pork shoulder grilled and served with mashed potato and crispy fried leeks. The pork steak is wonderfully flavourful with hints of spices. Make sure to order this…

The Roast Baby Back Ribs were pretty good but the Hickory Smoked Iberico Soft Ribs were even better! I thought the Roast Baby Back Ribs could use a touch of sauce as it was not moist enough with the dry rub. It was served with some fruit chutney and a light salad. The Hickory Smoked Iberico Soft Ribs are slow cooked and smothered in an unctuous sweet and tangy BBQ sauce with bits of vegetables and served with creamy mash. The soft ribs simply melts-in-the-mouth and has a good note of smokiness to it.

The Wiener Schnitzel was well-cooked with a crispy breaded outside and tender inside. It is simply served with some potato salad and berry compote.

From the pasta selection, we opted for Seafood Spaghetti, Pork Belly Fettuccine and Spaetzle with Cheese & Ham.

The Seafood Spaghetti was also delicious, showing us that El Cerdo whips up good seafood as well as meat. The Pork Belly Fettuccine was another hit at our table. The ribbons of pasta are made luscious with a stew of soft pork belly chunks in a rich tomato based sauce. It was very moreish and satisfying.

My personal favorite was the Spaetzle with Cheese and Ham. It’s a German signature and the spaetzle here is soft, creamy and lightly doughy. It is then served with a tasty tomato and cheese sauce with ham bits. It was so good, I ordered a second helping of this German mini dumplings!

But men cannot live on meat and carb alone, so we have dessert as a sweet ending to the brunch. There is quite a list of dessert choices of ice cream, sorbet, Mango Tiramisu and Spanish Chocolate Cake.

Assorted Homemade Ice Cream and Sorbet rocks! Choose from Vanilla, Chocolate, Pistachio, Rum Raisin and Olive Ice Cream or Mango and Raspberry Sorbet. The Rum Raisin is highly recommended while the Olive Oil is a unique choice of flavour. If you prefer more fruity and light sensations, then go for the sorbets which are more fruity and tangy in flavours.

Both Mango Tiramisu and Spanish Chocolate Cake are also sinfully delish. The Mango Tiramisu is nicely light and creamy with a good hit of alcohol in it while the Spanish Chocolate Cake is a super-rich and dark chocolate cake that is sinful and worthy of every calorie it has…

With Easter Sunday around the corner, one should definitely check out El Cerdo’s Easter Sunday Bubblylicious Brunch for a big treat with the family. There will be lots of Easter goodies waiting for you at the Bubblylicious Brunch!

El Cerdo is a wonderland of pork! As I was drafting this post, I was so ready to go back again for their regular menu as well as the brunch. I had tasted their Roasted Suckling Pig before and its so tender that you can cut up the pig with a plate. I am such a big fan of the swine and El Cerdo certainly tops my list of my favorite restaurant for heavenly swine dishes!

EL CERDO

No. 43 & 45, Changkat Bukit Bintang,

50200 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: +603 2145 0511 / +6013 309 4197

Website: www.elcerdokl.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/elcerdokl