Chapters Urban Bistro @ Empire Damansara

Bistro with a Soul!

Foodies will be pleased to hang out at Chapters Urban Bistro for eclectic grub and drinks! Located in Empire Damansara, Chapters Urban Bistro has been operating for the last 8 months, serving up an array of comfort food made even better by their cocktail master.

We adored the bistro the moment we walked in! The smart casual ambiance, flanked by a large mural of a sultry gal as well as humour-ology food words on the chalkboard wall oozed with charm. Diners can also opt to dine al fresco at both front and back of the bistro.

The outdoor bar and dining area has a rustic industrial mode for much needed casual relaxation. Head on to the next level of the bistro for a game of pool or simply some private functions your company. Chapters Urban Bistro seemed to have covered it all with their plan.

The kitchen is helmed by Chef Vicneswara Thenamirtham, who when asked what he likes to eat, replied with anything that relates to comfort food. Hence the menu at Chapters is a posh mix of cuisines from all over the world, inserted with a few local dishes as well.

But before we began any meal, we were told that their cocktail master has prepared new signature cocktails at Chapters. Our giggle juice were definitely crowd pleasers with one strong enough to knock some socks off!

Clockwise from top left: Cub Royale Mocktail (RM12), Lychee Martini (RM28), Emperor Sirk (RM34) & Jazz Jager (RM28)

Take on the Emperor Sirk, a bold concoction of gin, Kahlua and Campari finished with an orange twist that is strong enough to make your day end a lot happier. For ladies, the Lychee Martini and Jazz Jager are sure hits with their fruity sweetness.

Tuck into these glorious Posh Bass Sliders (RM24) with cocktails or beer. Local crispy sea bass seasoned with generous spices, slapped between mini buttery brioche buns, greens and basil pine nut aioli summed up this starter. While this sliders looked ordinary, the flavours are amazingly awesome. The spices really elevated the sliders deliciously.

The Moroccan Lamb Meatballs (RM26), made from scratch, were moist, plump with robust flavours and satisfyingly comfort food at its best. Served with a dollop of yoghurt and two thick toasted slices of sourdough bread, this is irresistibly yummy! The spices elevated the whole dish of meatballs and chunky tomato sauce beautifully.

For salad fix, opt for the Marinated Mango & Avocado (RM18) that is not only colorful and pretty at sight but taste fruity and creamy. Sweet mango flesh, luscious avocado, toasty almond flakes on a bed of crisp greens and finished with honey lemon vinaigrette, the salad is light with a healthy goodness.

Chef Vic takes on a healthy twist for his Grilled Fish & Chunk Chips (RM34) in honor of the classic fish and chips. By now, we are in agreement that he masters the balances of spices very well. Using a blend of Spanish smoked paprika, cumin,, dried mustard and fresh herbs to spiced up the fish before finishing it on the grill, the fish is cooked beautifully. It may looked a tad on the dark side but rest assured, the fish was not burnt but rather smoky and sumptuous. Along with seasoned steak chips and garlic aioli, this twist is a sure crowd pleaser.

The Charbroiled Leg of Lamb (RM52) epitomized a Sunday meat roast with vegetables except this one is jazzed up with brown butter, rosemary ad some spices. Served with charred brussel sprouts and crispy crushed potatoes as well as some carrots, the dish makes a well-balanced meal.

Another fish dish drool worthy of an order is the Spiced Grilled Salmon & Pesto Conchiglie (RM36). Pan seared salmon topped with mango salsa on a bed of nutty and aromatic pesto pasta shells was a match made in heaven. Another comfort dish that warrants a reorder to cure any blues away…

Hot from their stone oven, the thin crusty Salmon & Alfredo Pizza (RM28) was decent and nicely topped with flaked cherry wood smoked salmon, capers, red onions and wild arugula on warm homemade alfredo sauce.

There was only two local dishes on the menu and we cannot help but to order the Mutton Tossed Basmati (RM28). It was probably the Malaysian soul in us that had us enjoying the robust flavours of tender mutton braised and cooked with basmathi rice, spices, curry leaves and more. Finished with cashew nuts, dried raisins, fresh coriander, cucumber raita and crispy pappadums, the dish is profoundly satisfying.

We like the fact that the Mamak Mee Goreng (RM26) came with large prawns and squid to justify its price. Chapter’s homemade secret mee mamak sauce infused the noodles well. A generous squeeze of lime worked its magic in boosting this noodle nicely with a hit of tang.

While the bistro don’t have much dessert choices on their menu, we were pleased with their housemade Salted Caramel Cheesecake (RM18). Familiar flavours of sweetness and lusciousness are elevated by the light addition of salt for a touch of sublime notes.

Reasons to visit Chapters Urban Bistro? Pub grub soul food with awesome drinks and a cool ambiance…

CHAPTERS URBAN BISTRO

G13, Empire Damansara,

Jalan PJU 8/8A,

Damansara Perdana,

47820 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Tel: +60 3-7732 9484

Facebook: www.facebook.com/chaptersurbanbistro

Business Hours:

Daily 8am to 12am

Tiki Taka @ Medan Damansara

New Menu with Big Flavours!

Talk about going all out, Chef Carrie Scully has whipped up a new tapas menu as well as a little extra at Tiki Taka! It’s certainly one of our friendly neighborhood restaurant that taking various classic favorites and amping it up with a Carrie twist.

Tiki Taka, located in the housing neighborhood of Medan Damansara, has been serving lots of scrumptious East meets West inspired tapas bites. Coupled with their full bar service, it is one of the better place to hang out in that area for good food and drinks.

This round, the new menu is bolder and definitely better. Filled with lots of porky fare, there’s plenty of small bites as well as mains and a sweet ending. We visited once evening for a sneak peek and was pretty stoke about the luscious menu coupled with a few giggle juices.

No hour is happy hour without cocktails! Quite a few new ones on the list but we opted for Shoreditch (RM29) and Californication (RM29). Shoreditch was gin based perked up with freshness through cucumber, lemon and apple while Californication was vodka with tropical juice. I was particularly fond of Shoreditch with its freshness.

Our new pintxos journey began with a pretty looking Mini Pork Burger (RM11). So while our shore is no longer surprise with black tainted hamburger buns, this new pink brioche mini bun was a nice element from Chef Carrie. Using natural beetroot to make the brioche bun, it is deliciously sandwiched with a juicy pork patty, house made strawberry pink peppercorn ketchup, mozzarella and cucumber.

The Mini Pork Burger is simply sublime. Talk about juiciness and flavours, this one has it all despite its mini version. What stood out in flavour was that amazing fruity strawberry pink peppercorn ketchup. It’s got fruitiness and a subtle heat that elevated this porky burger. One of the best condiment that I have tasted on burgers.

The Pork Belly Mantou (RM8) was another winner in my books. Taking the classic Chinese burger and putting on her own recipe, this one is absolutely drool worthy too. Pieces of pork belly braised and glazed in syrupy thick sweet and sticky Gula Melaka chili sauce was practically stacked to max in the fluffy mantou bun. The twist… a slice of pickled starfruit to give this one a fruity tang and texture. A little tricky to eat but who cares, I am all for messiness if it taste as good as this!

The next tapas was an attractive one too with pretty colors at sight. Miso Scallop (RM28), four pieces on the shell, is baked with a miso mushroom cheese sauce, drizzled with hot sauce, crowned with salmon roes and finished with parsley and edible flowers. The flavours were moreish and the scallops were cooked well, a solid tapas for those who loves their scallops.

I would never expect the next tapas to be served here. Not that I am complaining about it but Chef Carrie’s version of XO Lo Bak Go (RM25) was very much well supported by many once they have tried it. XO sauce, house made recipe definitely boosted the flavours of this much beloved Chinese dim sum. Pan fried to give the radish cake a crispy edge, it was a tad firm than the norm. Studded with lots of bits of Chinese sausage in it and Chef Carrie even managed to sneaked in a little heat from the XO sauce. My only little gripe was it was a tad too salty for me but the others at our table was ok with it.

Just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, Tiki Taka’s Nasi Lemak Babi (RM23) showed up. At sight, my first thought was that this was the ultimate porky nasi lemak. How can one not stare in awe of this amazing platter of coconut rice served with deep fried pork ribs, caramelized Gula Melaka pork belly, sambal, fried anchovies, peanuts, cucumber and a pretty pink pickled quail egg.

It’s definitely created with much thought of a foodie’s ultimate nasi lemak in mind and a porky one too. Everything is delicious on this plate. Robust flavours from all the pork and condiments, its one nasi lemak to indulge in, especially after a long and exhausting day. I absolutely adored the beetroot pickled quail egg, wishing for more than one and that sambal was so yummy. It’s going to be hard to look at another nasi lemak without thinking about this one…

Pizza is made lavish with addition of tiger prawns and mini lobster in Ultimate Lobster Pizza (RM42). From the looks of it, it’s definitely got a lot of ingredients on it, all bound together with generous hot melted cheese. The pizza is crispy and jam packed with familiar robust tomatoey flavours.

By this time, our bellies were pretty satiated and full but when Summer Baby (RM19) came, we told ourselves that we have to try this pretty dessert. It’s a like a colourful beach scene with a sweet ending. House made luscious toasted coconut ice cream served along caramelized pineapples, mango gel, rose sponge, hibiscus preserve and passion fruit sauce, that’s a lot of effort in a dessert. The final element that convinced us to fall in love with the dessert was the cheesy mini umbrella!

Kudos to Chef Carrie for her passion and creativity in this new menu! This is one gutsy chef who came from non- professional culinary background. Head over to Tiki Taka if you’re up for an adventure of flavours!

TIKI TAKA

138, Jalan Kasah,

Medan Damansara

50490 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 016-328 7438

Facebook: www.facebook.com/tikitakamy

Business Hours:

Mon-Fri              4pm-1am

Sat-Sun                9am-1am

Spasso Restaurant & Bar @ MyTown Shopping Centre, Cheras

Modern Italian and Spanish Delicacies

For authentic Italian and Spanish cuisine with a modern touch, look no further than our very own shore at MyTown Shopping Centre at Cheras. Spasso Restaurant and Bar opened in April this year at the new shopping mall located next to the new Ikea Cheras.

No stranger to the dining scene, Spasso is under the umbrella of Outto Dine group who also manages other popular eateries such as Limoncello, Svago, Weissbrau, Aka Chochin and Pascucci. Spasso offers modern European cuisine set in a casual ambiance.

 

At sight, Spasso has a smart casual ambiance set in lots of dark colours mixed with shades of wood. The restaurant is spacious and offers a nice bar as well as glimpse of the open kitchen. One can also see their wood oven in the kitchen, another plus point for pizza lovers.

Spasso is helmed by Spanish Sous Chef Iker Fernández Caballero who hails from San Sebastian. With over 20 years of culinary experience in Michelin-starred restaurants and luxury hotels globally, Chef Iker is aiming to garner swine lovers’ palate by putting together a sumptuous menu filled with porky delights as well as classic Spanish tapas to go with the wine list it Spasso has.

The menu is pretty solid with a good list of All-Day Breakfast, Salad or Soup, Tapas, Pizza, Pasta or Rice, Sandwich or Burger and Dessert. Since Outto Dine carries Pascucci coffee in their group, Spasso also serves Pascucci coffee and tea as well as a list of wines, champagnes, liqueurs as well as non-alcoholic beverages.

We started our lunch with coffee. Both of our Latte (RM13) and Iced Caffe Latte (RM15) was decent with quite perfect for our palates in terms of coffee aroma and flavours.

From the All-Day Breakfast list, we tried the Spanish Omelette (RM10), a potato and onion frittata that is popular in Spain. Light, fluffy and easy to enjoy, the omelette is packed with creamy soft potatoes and sweet onions. Served with side salad and toast, this dish even comes with free coffee or tea if you order this before 12noon.

We opted for Spanish Salad (RM15), simply because we saw it listed with poached egg. Crisp greens paired with ratatouille, olives and tomatoes in light tangy dressing, the salad was definitely made better with that beautifully poached egg with a flowy egg yolk center and crispy potato straws.

Moving on to the Tapas menu, we literally wanted to order almost everything because the list looked very enticing. Settling for Iberico Ham (RM23), it was certainly a great sharing platter when the dish was placed on our table.

Gorgeous cuts of Spanish Iberico ham is served with toasted sourdough bread and a light tangy tomato sauce. The ham literally melts-in-the-mouth with a luscious salty finish. Its quality cured meat at its best!

The next tapas of Garlic Prawns (RM38) already won brownie points when placed in front of us. Served in a hot stone bowl, the aroma of the sizzling prawns is tantalizing. The dish is one of our top favorites that day and is literally bursting with fireworks flavours of garlic, chili and herbs. Damn shiok, we were wishing for more toasted bread as well as another order of this succulent garlic prawns. A Must-order!

The Mussel Marinara (RM16) fair decent in my book. Nothing to fault but it didn’t leave us that firework of flavours like the Garlic Prawns. It is still cooked well with each tender mussel nicely smothered with lots of tomatoey goodness and served with toasted bread.

If there is one pizza to order, the Iberico Pizza (RM39) is your best bet. Beautiful thin crunchy crust smothered with deliciously flavourful tomato sauce and crowned with Iberico ham, fresh rocket leaves and generous sprinkling of parmesan cheese, it’s a pizza with classy flavours.

Another dish drool-worthy is the Seafood Paella (RM56). Best for sharing, the paella is served traditionally in the paella pan and comes with generous helpings of large prawns, mussels and clams with rice cooked in saffron laced seafood broth. Rice cooked al dente and beautifully moreish in flavours, we just couldn’t resist polishing this off happily. The seafood was fresh, succulent and cooked just right, elevating the dish to much satiation.

For lunch option, the Pork Secreto Sandwich (RM28) is a hearty and bulky sandwich for big eaters. Focaccia bread sandwiched with slow roasted pork loin, smoky and sweet grilled peppers, onions, tomato, lettuce and blue cheese is bound to make any foodie swoon. Comes with a side of crinkle cut fries, this is one sandwich to be taken seriously!

For vegetarian option, one can opt for the Vegetable Pesto Risotto (RM28). Risotto rice cooked al dente and well flavoured with cheesy and nutty pesto sauce, there’s plenty of vegetables such as broccoli, zucchini, bell peppers, tomatoes and more to give the dish a healthy dose of greens.

Spain is famous for their dessert of Crema Catalana (RM8). The version here is sublime. Utterly luscious and creamy baked custard with a thin layer of caramelized top, the Crema Catalana is the perfect sweet ending to a meal at Spasso.

SPASSO RESTAURANT & BAR

MyTOWN Shopping Centre,

G-038, Ground Floor,

No.6 Jalan Cochrane,

Seksyen 90, Cheras,

55100 Kuala Lumpur

Website: www.out2dine.com.my

Facebook: www.facebook.com/spasso.mytown

Business Hours:

Daily 10am to 10pm