What do you do when you come across a menu on
an easel outside a restaurant with too many delicious sounding items that you
just have to stop and consider dining there? Well, we found ourselves in one
such situation and without much ado, gave in to temptation. =)
Once seated, we were greeted by a feisty
waiter eager to take our order. We were informed that they had a full house for
lunch, and some of their favourites were finished. But fret not, as we are sharing
some pretty amazing things that our palates experienced here.
Now, on to the good stuff…
1. Angry Piglets: Very very spicy pork
sausages and crispy bacon strips (RM20).
Kav:
Yummylicious!!! Loved the savoury and somewhat spicy sausages. They were moist
and the additional pork flavour from the bacon, made this dish sing!!! The
sweet sauce was a good contrast to the briny sausage, but I still prefer the
sausages on its own.
Shiv: Delicious!
The pork sausages were flavoured and crisped well and the bacon was sublime! I
didn’t care much for the accompanying sweet sauce, as the porky flavour was
more than enough to carry the dish. The sausages were not as spicy as warned on
the menu, so chilliphobes, go right ahead and order this.
Gaj: I enjoyed
this dish, very nicely done. =) I passed on the sauce, as it was too sweet for
my liking!
2. Signature Chorizo & Bacon Pizza: An
all-time favourite pizza in Ante. Generous amounts of pork chorizo, bacon,
tomato purée and heaps of cheese (RM27).
Kav: The pizza
had a crispy crust. However, the tomato puree overwhelmed the entire dish,
making it overly sweet. To top it off there was an insufficient amount of
chorizo and bacon, making for a slightly bland pizza.
Shiv: A simple,
easy-to-eat pizza, with a well-made crust. I would have appreciated a bit more
pork chorizo and bacon bits, as the cheese and tomato puree overwhelmed the
pizza slightly. May not be the best pork pizza around, but a good effort
nonetheless.
Gaj: The base
was too tomato-y, but it was not bad! More sausage and bacon bits would have
helped to make it less tomato-y.
3. Sweet Belly: Roasted Pork Slices, ready to
be dipped in Ante’s house made caramelized sauce (RM23).
Kav: The pork
belly was cooked perfectly, with the edges crispy and yummy. Sadly there was
just way too many layers of fat, making the dish slightly cloying. I couldn’t
eat more than one.
Shiv: Holy
mother of god, this should come with a government health warning! A generous platter
of melt-in-your-mouth goodness, with a terrifically thick layer of lard and super
scrumptious crisp on the skin. Definitely not heart or hip healthy, but
oh-so-worth the sin. If you are a siew
yoke fan, this one should not be missed.
Gaj: I found
the pork belly to fatty for my liking. The skin was very well done and crisp,
but the fat was too overwhelming. Not a big fan!
4. Caramelized Garlic Olio Pasta: A simple
but tasty pasta with bacon, topped with caramelized garlic (RM23).
Kav: The pasta
was good, but perhaps not the best pork pasta I have had. Perhaps they should
consider replacing the caramelized garlic with sautéed garlic, as it would be
more pungent and less sweet. Nevertheless, the savoury bacon and earthy
mushrooms permeated the pasta and the oil used was just the right amount. Good
effort.
Shiv: The pasta
was coated well with beautifully caramelized garlic bits and the bacon and
mushroom provided fantastic flavour. The best part – the pasta had the right
amount of lubrication (if you will) and no repulsive pool of oil at the bottom
of the bowl. Kudos to the chef!
Gaj: This pasta
was really good – the mushroom complemented the bacon bits and there was a
generous serving of bacon bits.
5. Up The Ante Pork Burger: Between this
burger’s raisin buns are fresh lettuce, tomato, onions, sautéed mushroom, an
egg with a runny-yolk and Ante’s special pork patty – wrapped in prime cuts of
bacon strips (RM35).
Kav: Definitely
one of the finest pork burgers I have tasted. The patty was like none other,
savoury and perfectly flavoured. Not a big fan of the raisins. The bacon
provided that oomph, which elevated the flavours in the burger. This is a
serious pork burger for all you serious burger fans out there!!! Just too
good!!!
Shiv: One of the
best pork burgers I’ve tasted in recent times. I typically don’t like raisins,
but was able to look past the buns as the burger in its entirety was
deliciously juicy and savoury (with mild hints of sweetness). The burger did
not turn soggy even after sitting a while on the table, and yet, the patty
turned out to be so succulent. A true lip-smacker!
Gaj: The patty
had some sweet elements to it, which I could not put a finger to, but it was
still a good burger!
6. Char-grilled Pork Steak: Signature pork
chop with berry cream sauce, served with mashed potatoes and baked apple
(RM33/Boston cut and RM42/New York cut).
Kav: Hands down
the best dish of the night!!! Just perfectly flavoured meat. The chef kept the
flavours simplistic and allowed for the pork to shine. The cook on the pork was
perfection and therefore the meat was juicy and had just the right amount of
fat to give it flavour. I would suggest you eat the meat without the creamy
cranberry sauce, as it takes away from the delicious pork flavour. Speechless!!!
Shiv: Sheer
brilliance! The pork was simplistically flavoured with a salt and pepper rub
hitting the palate, and the meat was not dried out. The New York cut, which we
opted for, had loads of marbling and the resulting steak was juicy and very
obviously in a league of its own!
Marvelous in its monstrosity, this one can easily be shared by 4-5pax.
Gaj: The pork
was done very well though a tad salty.
Whilst I am not a big fan of huge steak pieces, this was quite
enjoyable.
7. Baileys Brownies with Chocolate Ice Cream
(RM15).
Kav: Simply
scrumptious!!! I could hardly taste the Baileys, however the brownie was moist
and chocolate-y. It was served with a very simplistic chocolate ice-cream,
which I thought was really delicious, as it was not too sweet and just yummy.
So yummy that we ordered an extra serving of the ice-cream.
Shiv: Absolutely
divine! The brownie on its own was super moist, nutty and chocolate-y all at
once, but when paired with the silky smooth chocolate ice cream, this dish was
truly mouth-watering. They were a bit light-handed with the liqueur, but
really, who’s counting…
Gaj: The best dish
of the night!!!! Omg, it was soo good, I could have had seconds all by myself. =)
I would come back just for this dessert – amazing!!!
* We threw caution to the wind and ordered an
additional scoop of chocolate ice cream, as we just couldn’t seem to get enough
of this simple yet scrumptious treat (RM5).
Verdict: WOK ON!
PRICE: Moderate
to expensive. RM209.00 for 7 food items (3pax and some leftovers).
AMBIENCE: Cool café
atmosphere with a relaxed, modern-minimalist setting. Al fresco dining option is available.
SERVICE: Excellent. The staff was
pleasant and attentive, and food arrived swiftly despite a full house
(impressive!). Plates were cleared quickly and glasses were refilled continuously.
FOOD: Simply amazing. Every
single one of the 7 items ordered was note-worthy if not mind-blowing. A
definite must-try, especially if you’re a sucker for swine!
ANTE KITCHEN AND BAR
A2-G1-09,
SOLARIS DUTAMAS,
NO.1, JALAN
DUTAMAS 1,
50480 KUALA
LUMPUR
Tel: 03-6206
3364
Opening
hours:
Mon - Sun: 11:00 am - 1:00 am.
