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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The Shepherdoo Valentine Set Menu

Orange Romance Valentine’s Day Menu

Though everyone is busy with the coming festive CNY, let’s not forget that Valentine’s Day comes first. So make a date to take your loved one out for a romantic dinner this Valentine’s Day and set the mood for some romance in the air before our festive cheer.

This round, I headed back to The Shepherdoo Restaurant and Lounge at One City Mall to catch a taste of their upcoming Valentine Set Menu available on 14 February. The Latin American themed restaurant and lounge has prepared a couple Valentine Set Menu filled with much fruity essence to sweeten the romance of every couple. The Shepherdoo serves up a fun and creative Latin American cuisine in its regular menu. This Valentine, The Shepherdoo is so going a step further by injecting other inspired cuisine into this love menu with an Orange Romance Valentine’s Day Menu.

Our Valentine menu starts with Smoked Duck Breast Salad with Caramelized Citrus Dressing with two servings for each couple. Salty smoked duck slices, cherry tomatoes, melon balls are nestled on classic mix greens and dressed with a lovely fruity and tangy orange dressing all completed with edible flowers. It’s simple and makes a light started for the following courses.

The next course is two sets of soups for the couple, a gorgeous Carrot-Orange Seafood Soup. Contrasting beautifully on the white plate, the bright hue of the orange bisque also has pan seared scallops with cherry tomatoes. It was indeed very flavourful. The orange citrusy notes are well balanced with the carrot and there is a good mix of sweetness with savory and hints of sour notes. The soup is very silky and creamy too. The seared scallops are juicy and savory. Some may find this very orange intense but I really enjoyed the fruity notes of the soup.

For main course, there are three choices so the couple can choose one each out of the three. There is a choice of salmon, chicken or beef for the mains.

The Orange-Lemon Chicken Confit Accompanied with Melon Delight is absolutely gorgeous at sight and in flavours. A whole leg of chook, cooked in its own fat for hours before being seared up just before serving is beautifully prepared. The chicken remains so moist and the skin is tasty and crispy. The sour orange-lemon sauce cuts beautifully with the chicken and made the dish very bright and sublime.

Served with potato gratin and a side salad with melons, the dish is finished off with a sprinkling of citrus peel and caramelized slice of orange for freshness. Highly recommended for those who love chicken and citrus flavours!

Beef lovers may want to opt for the Red Wine-Orange Skin Braised Angus Beef Short Ribs. A large thick cut of beef ribs has been slowly braised till tender and tasty and served with a robust red wine and orange sauce. A side of lemony couscous is served with the beef ribs together with a drizzled of reduced balsamic vinegar. I really like the caramelized and rich sweetness of the balsamic with the beef rib. It enhanced the flavours of the overall dish wondrously. My only gripe is the portion may not satisfy big eaters for some men but it is plentiful for ladies. Other than that, the dish is unique and delicious with the addition of the orange to give the beef a different level of flavours.

The third choice is so pretty, almost too pretty to be eaten. Poached Norwegian Salmon Coupled with Orange Zesty Mashed Tuber is an interesting dish that is paired with fruits and truffles. The thick cut of salmon is nicely poached with chopped truffles and remained moist. A tangy and fruity zesty orange sauce with raspberry provided the taste for the salmon. The salmon on its own is mild and delicate but it is the sauce that really makes the dish delicious and enjoyable.

Our salmon is paired with mashed sweet potato and has pretty edible flowers strewn all over the plate!

In theme with the previous dishes, dessert is a tall glass of Blood Orange Panna Cotta meant to be shared by the couple. After all, it is Valentine’s and sharing is the perfect excuse to spice up the romance level. Our beautifully set panna cotta is executed well with flavours of more oranges.

The Orange Romance Valentine’s Day Menu is priced at RM168 per couple at The Shepherdoo One City Mall only.

Drinks are not included in the Valentine menu and The Shepherdoo is famous for their cocktails so check out their classic Cosmopolitan, Mango Margarita and Lychee Mojito or simply ask the bartender to whip up your favorite cocktail!

Make sure to book your reservation to secure a table that evening…

THE SHEPHERDOO RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE

A-GF-07, Sky Park, Ground Floor,

One City, Jalan USJ25/1A,

47640 Subang Jaya

Tel: +6018 337 8828 / 6018 656 8828

Website: www.theshepherdoo.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/theshepherdoo

The Shepherdoo, Sky Park @ One City: Latin American Soul Food

From Nachos to Tacos, It’s Latin American at The Shepherdoo!

In pursuit of its successful outlet in Centro Mall, Klang, The Shepherdoo opens its second outlet at Sky Park in One City recently. This outlet screams Latin American all the way from the moment one walks into the restaurant cum lounge. The six of us was here for a magazine shoot as The Shepherdoo is gorgeously decorated with a Latin American ambience to match its menu.

There are two levels at The Shepherdoo. Enjoy your meal at the dining area below or simply head up to the next level for more privacy and comfort. There is also the casual bar area that has a huge mural of bodacious sceneries in Latin America. The stairs leading up to the next level is brightly painted a sunny yellow to mimic the colorful houses in that region. Choose your dining in the restaurant or al fresco on both levels.

The upper level has a large sofa area for chilling while dart machines will keep many busy. A large wall covered in a beautiful poster of houses from a certain area in the region provides the backdrop for the ambience. Its’ all about bold colors to create a happy and easy-going ambience that makes diners want to hang out there.

Enough about the ambience, let’s see what the menu has to offer! The Shepherdoo team takes their food and drink list and amps it up with loads of fun flavors. We were recommended some of their signature cocktails and mocktails that evening to unwind the day. The Shepherdoo’s mixologist makes pretty cool drinks.

I love the Passion Fruit Heineken. It’s a beer smoothie! Pretty fresh and delicious… and I don’t even like beer. We also had their Classic Mojito, Mango Margarita and Afrutado. The Mango Margarita is lovely too but it’s more of a ladies cocktail because of its fruity sweetness.

The team at this restaurant takes their drink list seriously… there’s about 10 pages of drink list alone! From Freezing Smoothies, Hot Sun Coolers, Coffee, Tea, Mocktails and Cocktails to Beers, Shooters, Wines, Champagnes and Liquors, there’s plenty of giggle juice to keep everyone pretty happy. Happy hours are even better… with Buy 1 Free 1 deals and more.

The menu is filled with lots of choices too. There are plenty of appetizers, snacks and tapas while mains are plentiful as well. We had Pollo Nachos, Mexican Buffalo Wings and Quesadilla de Hongo.

Even Nachos alone, the menu has several options. Our Pollo Nachos is a pile of crispy tortilla chips covered with a beautiful mess of cheese sauce, sour cream, jalapenos, pico de gallo and crowned with a scoop of housemade guacamole. This version has grilled chicken pieces for that extra protein. It’s a mount of flavors and textures and a great one to be shared!

The Mexican Buffalo Wings is really awesome. Ticking off the essential checkmark of crispiness, kicking tang and spicy flavors and the meaty wings, this one disappeared pretty fast off the plate.

Quesadilla de Hongo has sautéed garlicky mushrooms and cheese as a filling before it’s sandwiched with tortilla and chargrilled for a toasty texture and finished off with a drizzle of balsamic reduction. It makes a nice snack when shared or one can even have this as a main course if you are going meatless.

Our mains had us starting off with Pizza de Mexicana. It’s a fairly simple pizza made with tortilla topped with sauteed sweet and soft bell pepper, sweet onions with a light red sauce and plenty of cheese. This one makes a great bite with cold beer. I like the light and crispiness of the tortilla pizza.

We also had Taco-Taco, The Shepherdoo’s rendition of crispy tortilla shells stuffed with fish and the standard taco filling of shredded greens, pico de gallo, guacamole, chipotle aioli, cheese and sour cream. We had three orders here as each order has two tacos. This is very flavorful as one gets a burst of sour, creamy, savory and a little heat together with its various textures of the tortilla and fish. I daresay it’s a little messy to eat but hey… it’s a beautiful mess!

We were told that their fajitas is a popular choice and we must their Combo Fajita which had wild mushrooms, chicken and beef all piled up into one sizzling plate! The fajitas had mixed peppers and onions for sweetness while the spices in it jazzed up the flavors. Simply take the accompanied soft flour tortilla, heaped on the fajita and dressed it with salsa, guacamole and sour cream. I usually piled on a lot of the condiments since I love them. It’s a hearty taste of Mexican cuisine. These are also the heart of the street food in Mexico and one can literally see them on every nook and corner in the country.

I am no Gringo but I guess it wouldn’t hurt to try The Shepherdoo’s Gringo Burger! Thick beef patty has a blanket of melted cheddar cheese and is dressed with turkey bacon, sunny side up egg, lemon mayo and greens with a sesame seed bun. This one was tasted decent and the fact that the sunny side up egg had runny egg yolk makes the burger better than other regular ones.

We also settled for Chicken Parmigiana ala Mexicano, a breaded chicken breast baked and sauced up with a spiced tomato sauce and topped with melted cheese. This one comes with curly fries and side salad. Despite it being a breast, the chicken is really moist and flavorful. The sauce is tangy and tomatoey with a good dose of spice undernotes. Not usually a chicken parmigiana fan, I seemed to enjoy this a lot as the chicken is really juicy and tender.

The next dish was my favorite of the night. Pasta ala Pollo features a French cut Mexican rubbed chicken breast nicely chargrilled. It lies on a bed of pesto sauced pasta and is crowned with a chargrilled caramelized pineapple. The aroma and flavors are simple marvelous. The pesto sauce has such great depths of herb and cheese flavors that make it so scrumptious. The chicken again is utterly juicy and tender while the spice rub makes it very flavorful. What seals the dish had to be the caramelized pineapple, adding a little fruity sweetness to the chicken to remind us of its Latin American flavors. A Must-Order!

Pierna Rojo Vivo is also top in my list of Must-Order. Spicy marinated chicken thigh is beautifully chargrilled and comes with a fruity and tangy papaya salsa with potato salad and greens. The flavor combination worked really well. A squeeze of orange juice from the orange wedge does more wonders for the chicken.

The Shepherdoo does have some desserts and we had their signature Cinnamon Wafer Tortilla. It has crispy golden tortilla chips served with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and whipped cream before being drizzled with lots of caramel sauce. Sweet and crispy, it’s really easy to enjoy, especially when I am such a fan of vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.

It’s fun all the way at The Shepherdoo. The ambience is groovy and colorful while the food and drink is as bold as the ambience. Prices are decent too for the food and drinks. It’s perfect for hanging out with family or friends and definitely a great place to unwind…

THE SHEPHERDOO RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE

A-GF-07, Sky Park, Ground Floor,

One City, Jalan USJ25/1A,

47640 Subang Jaya

Tel: +6018 337 8828 / 6018 656 8828

Website: www.theshepherdoo.com/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/theshepherdoo

Las Carretas Restaurant and Bar: Australian Grass Fed Lamb Shoulder Rack Promotion

The New Lamb Shoulder Rack makes the Cut at Las Carretas!

It’s my first visit at Las Carretas Restaurant and Bar. I love Mexican food and have been wanting to pay this restaurant a visit but somehow never made it. One evening, I was invited to by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) in Malaysia to check out a new cut of Australian grass-fed lamb at the restaurant. Las Carretas owner and Chef Victor Siow is proud to showcase his creation of the new cut of lamb that is available at the restaurant for the whole month of April.

Las Carretas has three outlets at Damasara, Ampang and Subang. The Mexican restaurant has been around for more than a decade and has been a favorite place for Quesadillas, Enchiladas, Tacos, Fajitas, Steaks and lots of Margaritas. All outlets showcase bright color themes to reflect the Mexican spirit. The outlet I visited at Subang very much welcomes me at sight with its bright and cheerful décor. Bright yellow walls are flanked with lots of art pieces and ornamental items. The space is tight with furniture and a cheeky display of trees sit right smack in the middle of the tables for an added element of fun. The bar is set at the end of the room and seems to be a favorite hangout for everyone since it was pack that night.  There is more seating available upstairs and there is also another bar as well. There is also a wall of fame filled with numerous write-ups of the restaurant. After all, Las Carretas is the perfect place to hang out with their signature Margarita after a long’s day at work!

The evening had to start off with a gorgeous glass of Margarita! The one here is as good as what the rave has been… strong with tequila and lime. A sip of this Margarita will make all your problems go away… at least for a while… and that’s absolutely fine by me!

Wines are also available besides cocktails and liquor. We tried a lovely white and a bold red and enjoyed both with our dishes.

We were here for a taste of the Australian Grass-Fed Lamb Shoulder Rack promotion as mentioned earlier. Using lamb shoulder racks which is deemed a secondary cut, Chef Victor and team has brilliantly succeeded in using modern cooking technique sous vide to break-down the meat protein in this cut, rendering a sumptuous lamb dish that can easily take on the expensive lamb rack cut. The lamb is carefully sous vide in a water bath with a precise temperate for more than 16 hours, as I was told, before being finished off upon orders.

For RM69++, one can enjoy two pieces of divine Pan –Seared Lamb Shoulder Rack served with homemade mushroom risotto cake, sautéed zucchini and sauce. Our plates arrive beautifully pink and utterly luscious at sight. The outside of the shoulder rack has a beautiful sear and oozes with loads flavors. The lamb racks are so tender that it really didn’t take any effort to cut into the meat. The meat still has a lovely bite despite the tenderness.

The accompaniments are delicious as well. Crispy risotto cake makes a creamy and contrasting texture to the meat while lightly sautéed green and yellow zucchini is sweet. Enjoy the lamb shoulder rack with a choice of ginger & thyme sauce or light blue cheese sauce. There is 30 minutes waiting time but it is worth every bite.

Besides the main star of the dish, we also enjoyed other dishes prior to it. We kick start our meal with a classic favorite in any Mexican restaurant, Nachos. At Las Carretas, Nachos goes big and is served piled up with Muchos Minced Beef, Shredded Chicken or Sautéed Camarones Shrimps. We dug in under the gratinated pile of nacho chips filled with relish, jalapeno, enchilada sauce and lots of cheese with our protein. We tried the beef and chicken versions and both were equally addictive. For those who must stay true to its origin, there is a plain version too.

Our next dish is a tasting portion of Camarones al Ajillo features lightly sautéed shrimps cooked with jalapenos, bell peppers, olives, tomatoes, garlic and cilantro. It has a soupy base and comes with toasted baguette to mop up the lovely spicy tomatoey sauce. It looks simple but it packs a decent dose of strong Mexican flavors in this appetizer.

Mussels in Coriander and Habanero looked innocent when it arrived. Black mussels are cooked in a creamy sauce and sprinkled with chopped coriander stems. Flour tortilla is served to be enjoyed with the sauce. This dish turned out to be one of my favorite that night. The flavors are bold and spicy. Lusciously creamy with strong habanero heat really pumps up the flavor sense. The mussels are soft and juicy and the tortilla is simply perfect to mop up all the sauce. My tasting portion left me craving for more. Rest assured, I will be ordering this dish again!

We ended with two desserts shared among us simply because we were full. Both Boca Chica and Homemade Brownie are served with scoop of vanilla ice cream. Boca Chica is layered sponge with hazelnut and coffee served with ice cream, chocolate sauce and a light sprinkling of cinnamon. Homemade Brownie is a fudgy chocolate brownie that oozes dark bittersweet cocoa that matches so well with the vanilla ice cream. It’s was a lovely and sweet ending.

There are lots of other dishes that I really want to try at Las Carretas. I am really looking forward to making a return soon. For the month of April, don’t miss the Australian Grass-Fed Lamb Shoulder Rack promotion. Oh… and you really should try the awesome Margaritas there too!

Las Carettas Subang
No.29 USJ 10/1F
47620 Subang UEP
Tel:  +603 5637 3058
Fax:  +603 5637 3059

Las Carretas Ampang
No.22 Persiaran Ampang
55000 Kuala Lumpur
Tel:  +603 4257 1668
Fax: +603 4257 2668

Las Carretas Damansara
Lot B-0-7 Semantan Avenue
10 Jalan Semantan
Damansara Heights
50490 Kuala Lumpur
Tel:  +603 2093 0380
Fax: +603 2093 0390

Email: info@lascarretas.com

Website: www.lascarretas.com

*More photos available at my Facebook: Chasing Food Dreams