Moussandra Mediterranean & Tapas Restaurant @ Solaris Dutamas

A Beautiful and Delicious Mediterranean Experience

There aren’t many Mediterranean restaurants around but luckily for us, the few ones like Moussandra Mediterranean & Tapas Restaurant have been around since 1996 and is continuing to serve up authentic Mediterranean dishes to cater to our adventurous palates. Having been relocated from its original location to Publika at Solaris Dutamas, Moussandra is one of those restaurants that diners can count on. When a restaurant has stand the test of time in the F&B industry, you know they are very good, it’s as simple as that!

Moussandra’s owner Alphonse takes pride in Moussandra. I can certainly see why. It’s a restaurant that really evokes a place to relax and enjoy a good hearty meal with family, friends or even businesses. Walking into Moussandra, diners are greeted warmly by their staff. The family-style ambiance is set with much warmness of earthy browns and reds to evoke a casual and warm Spaniel home. From his travels over the years, Alphonse displays his collections of Mediterranean items at the restaurant. Green vine leaves are also added for some charm as well as large posters of European artwork.

The restaurant also has a large private room perfect for functions. That private room is nicely decorated with a Greek theme. From the Greek status to the bright blue door and Grecian ornaments, it would certainly be nice to dine in for any occasion.

Moussandra’s menu features a long list of classic Mediterranean favorites from tapas to the usual appetizers, pasta, pizza, mains and desserts. We had a few of everything and kick started our evening dinner with glasses of Moussandra’s Red Sangria. Simply a must when dining Mediterranean as Sangria is the perfect wine and fruit concoction to go with all the rich dishes to come. There is also a white version at the restaurant.

Tapas first with a very delectable Chicken Liver Pate (Terrina De Pollo) kicking of the evening’s meal. It’s a darn awesome pate. Silky smooth, creamy and rich buttery notes spread on baguette worked wonders as a starter. I can’t get enough of this pate, simply because I do happen to enjoy pate. Give this a try before you make any decisions about this dish because it’s a darn delicious pate!

Garlic Bread is also good here. Quite the unusual cut, one gets long strips of toasty and crispy baguette fused with lots of buttery garlic and herb notes.

During my college days abroad, I have been exposed to a lot of Greek food as my sister married a Greek. My brother-in-law’s mom would always cook or take us out for Greek food. So when I saw that Moussandra has Saganaki, I was pretty stoked. Our order of Egg coated Feta & Mozzarella Cheese, flamed with Pernod, served with Pita Bread (Saganaki) was set in flames right before our table!

Saganaki or flaming fried cheese is usually Greek cheese fried in hot pan and flambéed with alcohol at table side with a big warming shout of ‘Opa’! I have had Saganaki with Halloumi cheese and flambéed with Greek Ouzo. The version here uses sheep’s milk feta cheese and mozzarella with an egg wrap and flambéed with Pernod. As soon as the flames died out, dig into the melted oozing cheeses with fluffy pita bread. It’s a cheese lover’s dish plus one gets some tableside flaming actions for some thrill. Cheesy and great for sharing…

The next tapas features Lamb Meatballs in Brown Sauce (Cordero Albondigas En Salsa De Café). Juicy tender meatballs cooked in a tasty brown sauce is always a favorite on the tapas list. I can’t quite figure out but when I see meatballs on a menu, I tend to associate it with comfort food. This one too was deliciously comforting and great as snacks with wine or beer.

I think this one is one of the most ordered tapas on the list. Who can resist a scrumptious Garlic Prawns in Olive Oil (Gambas Al Ajillo). Moussandra’s is indeed what every garlic prawns should be. Lots of rich savory and garlicky flavours with succulent sweet prawns is a sure crowd pleaser. We happily savor this and almost wish for bread to mop up that flavourful garlicky oil fused with crustacean flavours.

The next two tapas are vegetarian treats of Pan-fried Eggplant with Chili & Tomato (Berenjenas Picantes) and Mixed Mushrooms Sauteed with Herbs (Setas Salteadas). Both are decent with good hits of flavours. The eggplant is very soft and has soaked up all the piquant tomato sauce. The mushrooms have earthy and garlicky notes. These two makes a good balance for all the other heavier meat, seafood and cheese tapas.

Alphonso recommended the Beef Bacon wrapped Dates stuffed with Almond (Datiles Con Bacon), saying this one rocks. True enough, after I tried one, I found myself echoing his words. The salty and smoky bacon was countered with a burst of sweetness from the dates as soon as one bites into it. It is such a pleasant bite of flavours and textures. The sticky sweet dates paired so well with bacon and there was also a hidden element of surprise of almond inside. A must order unless you don’t take beef!

I love the Greek Spanakopita. When my sister’s mother-in-law first made it for me, I thought it was such a great pastry. Using phyllo pastry brushed with melted butter and stuffed with a filling of spinach, cheese, eggs and cream, it was baked till golden and crisp. It’s been a while since I had this and when the dish arrived, it was so aromatic that everyone raved about it immediately. Beautifully coiled and baked, the Spanakopita was indeed tasty with lots of spinach filling. My only gripe is that I wished for more feta cheese as I cannot seemed to taste the cheese in this one, which I did feedback. It is still worthy of an order as the Spinach Pie with Feta Cheese (Spanakopita) here is well made and makes great tapas for sharing.

Lamb Dolmades (Dolmades de Cordero) is another Greek dish that is well-known in the cuisine. I was also surprise to find this dish on the menu and can’t wait to try this. The lamb dolmades is served cold with tangy pickled vine leaves wrapped with a minced lamb and rice filling. It is usually cooked in stock with lemons so one gets a vibrant fresh citrusy note to balance the heavy lamb flavours. Moussandra serves their lamb dolmades with a creamy red pepper sauce.

Mains arrived and we had two pizzas of Pizza Primavera and Pizza de Salmon. Pizza Primavera has lots of grilled eggplant, roasted sweet peppers, spinach and anchovies paired with oozing melted mozzarella cheese and herbs while Pizza de Salmon has salmon and mushrooms with cream on a tomato sauce and cheese pizza. It’s a thin-crust version here, making the pizza just right and not overly heavy from too much bread base.

We also tried two pasta dishes of Prawns Aglio e Olio and Linguine Al Pesto. At Moussandra, one gets to choose between the regular pasta or the freshly made pasta. Do check with the wait staff if you prefer soft and tender fresh pasta opposed to the al dente dry pasta. Though the Prawns Aglio e Olio was good, I preferred the Linguine Al Pesto for its bold rich flavours of fresh herbs, strong cheesy notes with garlic and buttery pine nuts.

Souvlaki is a classic Greek fast food of meats marinated Greek flavours and grilled over hot coals. At Moussandra, one can opt for their various souvlaki featuring beef, chicken, lamb or a mixed. We had their Mixed Souvlaki, a long skewer of the three meats well-seasoned and chargrilled. The bbq is Greek Salad, Roasted Capsicum Sauce, Tzatziki & Pita Bread. Flavoured with hints of spices, garlic and lightly sauced up with rich barbeque sauce, the souvlaki here is delicious. I enjoyed the familiar flavours of tender souvlaki and thought it was well prepared by the team at Moussandra.

More Greek dishes followed and we had another favorite Greek dish of mine of Lamb Moussaka. Similar to lasagna except this one has a layer of potato instead of pasta and minced lamb is more often used than beef. The creamy and decadent layers of cheesy béchamel sauce with rich tangy tomato lamb sauce is sinful and pure comfort flavours. Great for sharing but if you happen to love rich cheesy sauces, then go all out for this on your own!

One of their best sellers on the menu is their Paella. A popular Spanish rice dish cooked on the typical paella pan, it’s a well-balanced single dish meal varies within the areas in Spain. Moussandra offers three variations of the paella of seafood with meat, meat alone and a vegetarian one.

We had their Paella Valenciana, a gorgeously saffron rice studded with lots of seafood, chicken and chicken sausages with vegetables and spices. The rice was indeed very flavourful from all the seafood and chicken. It was a crowd favorite that evening as well as we happily savored the rice despite being quite full from all the tapas and other main dishes.

Moussandra has quite a few desserts on their menu but two of their best sellers were Rum & Raisin Ice Cream (Helado del Ron y de la Pasa) and Vanilla Creme Brulee.

Made in house, the Rum & Raisin Ice Cream is such a treat. It’s got solid notes of strong rum in luscious cream and well studded with rum soaked raisins. Heavenly…

The Vanilla Crème Brulee proved to be so good, no one wanted to share this dessert. We had extra orders of the gorgeous thick baked cream set beneath caramelized sugar. A light tap on the caramelized sugar to crack it revealed silky smooth thick cream nicely sweetened. Such a perfect way to end a delicious Mediterranean meal!

MOUSSANDRA MEDITERRANEAN & TAPAS RESTAURANT

A1-1-8 1,, Jalan Dutamas 1,

Solaris Dutamas,

50480 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: +60 3-6206 4999

Website: www.moussandra.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/moussandra

Business Hours:

Lunch 12:00 PM – 2:30 PM | Dinner 6:00 PM – 10:30 PM

Closed on Tuesdays

Udon Kobo Min Min @ Damansara Utama

Authentic Udon and a little more…

When it comes to noodles, the Japanese seemed to master their signatures of udon and soba to a perfect bite. Joining the list of udon specialist in the city is Udon Kobo Min Min. Opened since June 2015, Udon Kobo Min Min is an udon restaurant serving delectable strands of house made udon and a few additional Japanese items.

Lead by Japanese Chef Hideaki Nakajima with Operation Chef Eric Leong and his team, Udon Kobo Min Min’s menu is filled with lots of authentic udon varieties, a few rice dishes and some sides. The restaurant is decorated with minimalist and is comfortable, bright and spacious. While one side is the open kitchen, the other side is basically set with lots of booths as well as bar dining where diners can catch kitchen actions of chefs making bowls after bowls of piping hot and cold udon.

The chefs make their udon fresh daily using this udon machine to control quality and consistency.

Before we try their udons, we opted for some appetizers first. The list may not be as many as some Japanese places we know but diners will be pleased at the classic choices available. Quality is a prime focus here so the chefs uses possibly some of the best grades available such as their Salmon Sashimi (RM18.90). Five thick slices of succulent and creamy cuts of salmon is so good, it can rival some of the higher end Japanese restaurants and yet price is very affordable.

Something so simple but when executed to the right flavour and texture can make a meal very memorable. We definitely loved their Atsuyaki Tamago (RM8.90). Six pieces of beautifully fluffy and creamy Japanese egg omelette with just the right tinges on sweetness won my heart and my little one’s heart too. Made in house, this dish is a must order as the chefs has really perfected this simple but utterly satisfying appetizer.

More snacking follows in Koebi Karaage (RM11.90). Baby sweet shrimps are given the thinnest batter and deep fried to crispy little critters. We certainly can’t stop at one as these were highly addictive…

I have always love Japanese fried chicken. The version of Tori Karaage (RM13.90) here is worth an order too. Well marinated in the usual garlicky salty notes, the pieces of Tori Karaage were crispy on the outside and beautifully juicy inside. A squeeze of lemon brightened up the flavours, lessening the blow of the savory level. Though not needed, a side of mayo is also added for those who love this creamy condiment.

Shishamo is a favorite of many here and Udon Kobo Min Min serves their as Shishamo Tempura (RM16.90). Opting for larger Japanese pregnant fish, these were coated in light and crispy tempura batter. A bite of this has your mouth filled with lots of creamy and umami flavours of fish roes. Light and easy to devour for sure!

The Gyoza (RM8.90) here is also decent. Tender and juicy filling, the dumplings were encased in thin gyoza skin and fried to a crisp on one side. Dip these in the special chili oil provided for extra flavours… not that it needed it.

Our noodles arrived and at that point and bowls of familiar strands of thick udon in various soups and sauces. When asked for recommendations, we were told that curry is one of their signatures and best sellers. The Curry Udon (RM18.90) here may looked pale but has a solid base of flavours of spices. It is very aromatic and has a good balance of savory and sweet notes set in a light thick consistency. The curry has slices of tender and lean pork pieces with lots of sweet soft onions and finely shredded spring onions.

Udon Kobo Min Min’s udon has a solid bite with a touch of springy texture. Cooked al dente, the udon texture is how I would normally love my udon to be. I was indeed happy slurping the udon that lunch!

For a lavish note, order their Umi No Sachi Udon (RM24.90). Seafood topped udon, in a clear broth made with base of bonito and seaweed, may be just what one needs some days. The broth tasted of a well-balanced sweetness derived from the ingredients of the sea. Topped with slices of salmon, scallops, shredded crab, seaweed and spring onions, it’s a bowl of satisfying udon for seafood lovers. There is even a sprinkling of citrus peels to give this bowl a fresh and aromatic note as we all know that citrus paired with seafood beautifully.

If you are game to try cold udon, try the Nikujiru Tsuke Udon (RM17.90). Cold udon have a firmer texture with a bitey note. Noodles served perfectly coiled on a noodle plate with seaweed, a side of room temperate dark broth filled with pork slices and onions as well as side servings of two types of spring onions, grated radish with ginger and crushed toasted sesame seeds.

One is encourage to first enjoy the noodles dipped gently in the broth and savor them with the pork and onions. Then one can opt to add on the rest of the condiments to tweak it to your liking. The dark broth is delicious. It has a robust savory and sweet notes. After adding the condiments, the flavours takes on a different level of taste but is equally still tasty and enjoyable.

Since curry was their signature, we also opted for the Katsu Curry Don (RM10.90 mini | RM17.90 big). A Japanese favorite, this one has the classic deep fried pork cutlet served with steamed rice and smothered in thick, creamy and aromatic curry sauce. The curry sauce was superb on this rice bowl. It seemed that the curry sauce on the rice is thicker in consistency as well as more robust in flavours compared to the one served with udon earlier. I really enjoyed this rice bowl a lot and would certainly order this upon a return.

There is also a version of the Curry Don with pork slices and onions in the curry topped with rice if you prefer non-fried stuff.

Another rice bowl dish we tried was the Yasai Kakiage Don (RM9.90 mini | RM16.90 big). Though nothing special, the vegetable fritter was well fried and tasted decent. A light splash of sweet soy sauce added a touch of savory note to the rice as well as the sweet crispy vegetable kakiage. I guess if you want something without meat, this one would be a good choice.

Mizu Mochi (RM6.90) and Yuzu Sherbet (RM5.90) was our sweet endings for that meal. Mizu Mochi is a signature of Udon Kobo Min Min. It is a clear Japanese jelly with a wobbly and firm texture served with brown sugar syrup and roasted soy powder. It is quite unique with the pairing of sweet flavours enhanced with a unique toasty and nutty soy note. I really enjoyed this dessert for its simple but delicious combination of flavours.

The Yuzu Sherbet is a good choice if you prefer something more refreshing and sour.

Udon Kobo Min Min is a good place for authentic udon and some Japanese dishes. It may not be as fancy as some are but it has a nice ambiance, good food with decent pricing for its quality and decent service too. Parking may only be the problem here but then it has never stop me from dining if the restaurant is good. Highlights include their variety of udon, Curry Katsu Don, Atsukyaki Tamago and Mizu Mochi.

UDON KOBO MIN MIN

72, Jalan SS 21/35, Damansara Utama, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Tel: 60 12-319 0228

Facebook: www.facebook.com/minminudonkobo

Business Hours:

11:30 AM – 2:30 PM | 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM