Simply Mel’s, Bangsar South, Kuala Lumpur

As it was a cold, rainy Friday evening, we decided to try some Malacca Portuguese cuisine at Simply Mel’s, Bangsar South. As it was touted to be really good, we thought what better way to spend a chilly night than by sampling some warm spicy food!

The ambience of the place was pleasant and cozy, with a bar towards the rear of the restaurant and a lounge with sofas to chill at the entrance.

Kav had Nasi Goreng Kampong style, served with belachan fried chicken, pineapple onion salad and fried egg. Kav requested for the pineapple onion salad to be replaced with kangkung belachan. (RM14.90)

Kav: I love nasi goreng kampong and have tried quite a number. This one was really bland. The saving grace was the fried chicken, as it was cooked well and therefore tender with all its juices intact. The kangkung belachan, also another one of my favourites, was average.

Gaj: I thought this dish was alright, felt like it could have used more belachan to make it spicier and give it more ‘oomph’.   A side serving of chili padi would have made it better.

Shiv: The chicken was spiced well before frying, but otherwise, this dish lacked flavour. The ikan bilis which is usually the highlight of nasi goreng kampong was scarce, if any at all. Would not order this again.

Mien: The fried rice was bland on its own. However, with the combination of the fried chicken, it was good. The kangkung belachan was alright.

Shiv had Mel’s Nasi Lemak Serai Chicken, coconut rice with lemongrass and kaffir lime leaf chicken with ikan bilis, egg, cucumber, kangkung belachan and ‘tambrinhyu sambal’. (RM14.90)

Kav: The sambal could have been more savoury and spicy. Loved the chicken as it was done just right – a little sour and savoury mix. Overall, a mediocre dish.

Gaj: The chicken was tender and the serai sauce was good. Again, I felt like the accompanying sambal could have been spicier. But then again, I enjoy my food a tad spicier than most.

Shiv: Loved the tomyami-ness of the chicken! However, the special ‘tambrinhyu sambal’ was sweet, which I really disliked! Sadly, a below average rendition of this classic Malaysian favourite.

Mien: The best thing amongst all the dishes we ordered. The chicken was good.

Mien had Saucy Spinach Noodles, wok-fried flat yellow mee with big prawn, crabmeat, chicken, fishcake, egg and beansprouts. (RM16.90)

Kav: Simply blah!!!! There was just nothing to lift this dish.

Gaj: I felt this dish was bland generally. Perhaps for those who enjoy less spicy dishes.

Shiv: Painfully plain and totally tasteless! Even some sambal belachan on the side could not prevent this not-so-humble bowl of noodles from delivering the culinary coup de grâce of the night for me.

Mien: Bland… alright….

We also had a side order of Mel’s sa Pesce Assa, a.k.a. Mel’s baked fish, a choice of seabass or stingray smothered in aromatic lemongrass and kaffir lime leaf sauce, wrapped in banana leaf and baked (seasonal price/100gms). We chose the stingray.

Kav: The gravy was again, not savoury and a little bland, and to make matters worse, the fish was stale and dry!!! Unacceptable!!! SIMPLY BAD!!!

Gaj: The stingray was not fresh, it was tough and did not fall of the bone as it should have. The sauce was not spicy enough to compensate for the lacklustre fish. Epic fail!

Shiv: I’ve tried better baked fish at hawker stalls, so it’s a shame that a place as reputable as this got it so wrong. Stale, dried-out and sweet baked fish is not the way to attract hungry humans, Mel!

Mien: Distasteful! Fish… stale… BAD!

We decided to share 3 desserts, the first being Sago Biji Gula Melaka, sago pearls in salted coconut milk with palm sugar. (RM6.90)

*Mel’s boasts of using the best quality gula Melaka, slow cooking it in pandan leaf with no added sugar.

Kav: The sago itself was really chewy and starchy. As such, I felt like I was eating two separate ingredients because it didn’t mix well.

Gaj: I did not enjoy this dish as the sago pearls were too clumped up. It was difficult to eat as some bites were too clumpy and others less so.

Shiv: This is one of my ultimate favourites of the local dessert variety, and Mel’s managed to botch it up, yet again! Separating the glutinous sago proved to be a Herculean effort, and as a result, the dessert just didn't come together. Maybe next time I'll carry one of those hand-held blender thingies with me... ;)

Mien: Sago was so starchy and tasted vile. Did not go well with the coconut milk and gula Melaka.

The second dessert we had was Durian Santan, chilled fresh durian in Mel’s flavoured coconut milk. (RM18.90)

*Warning: Not for those who DON'T think durians are the food of the gods!

Kav: Loved this dessert. The Durians used were of good quality and they were bittersweet, just the way I like it. The combination of santan and durian was NUTS!!! My one problem with this dish is that there was too much salt. Nevertheless, it was SIMPLY AMAZING!!!

Gaj: AMAZE-BALLS! The durian was creamy and yummy, just melt-in-your-mouth goodness. The coconut milk was a tad too salty, but the durian was too yummy for me to care too much about the saltiness of the coconut milk. Will definitely order it again!!!

Shiv: This was obviously the silver lining of an otherwise dismal dining experience at Mel’s. The durian was of the good variety, and there was an ample serving of it. The salty santan was the only drawback of this otherwise sublime dish.

Mien: Alright… I found it tooooooooooooo salty...

The ice cream lovers, Kav and Mien namely, had to have an ice cream before we left. So, we shared a cup of Last Polka Brown Butter and Almond ice cream. (RM9.20)

Kav: Dislike the chemical taste of the almond.

Gaj: Not a big fan as the almond had a chemical taste to it.

Shiv: Definitely not one of the better Last Polka flavours. Almond desserts somehow always end up tasting just a little chemical-ly, so I won’t fault the ladies behind Last Polka. I recommend trying the Salted Gula Melaka (RM7.20) flavour instead – it is divine!

Mien: Hmmm… questionable!

Verdict: WOK OFF!

PRICE: Reasonable.

AMBIENCE: Comfortable, suitable for family outings or a place to chill after work. Alfresco dining is available here. (Smokers can jump up and down in excitement now!)

SERVICE: Good. Food arrived promptly and the waiters were polite. The friendly owner, Mel, who has admirable PR skills, came around to talk to the patrons after dinner.

FOOD: A tad disappointing, but we may go back for the desserts.

SIMPLY MEL’S

UNIT 1-1A, 1^st FLOOR, THE SPHERE,

AVENUE 1, BANGSAR SOUTH,
NO. 8, JALAN KERINCHI
59200 KUALA LUMPUR

Tel: +603 2241 4525

Email: inquiries@simplymels.com

Website: http://www.simplymels.com/

Opening Hours:

10am to 10pm, daily

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Annalakshmi, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur

If you are in the mood for a cultural and spiritual experience, and craving for some good old vegetarian food, then there could not be a better place to visit than Annalakshmi in Brickfields.

This restaurant is situated inside the Temple of Fine Arts, a school of arts, offering a variety of cultural arts classes, such as classical music and Bharathanatyam (Indian Classical Dance).

This explains the spiritual and ethnic interior deco of the place which added to its unique charm.

We had the buffet lunch (RM12), as the ala carte menu is only available from 6.30pm onwards. The buffet lunch is very similar to a banana leaf meal, except that it is self-service and is served on a silver platter rather than on a banana leaf.

The buffet comes with plain white rice and pulav (seasoned rice).

 *You can also request for chappati from the volunteer waiters as it is also inclusive in the lunch buffet.*

Kav: I decided to go with the pulav rice which was fragrant and well flavoured. It went well with the dishes served.

Shiv: The pulav rice was tasty on its own but to savour the other dishes, I suggest having white rice.

There were four different types of soup / gravy accompanying the meal, Rasam, which is a soup made with various spices, Sambar, a lentil soup which contains vegetables and spices, Dhall, similar to sambar, except that it is thicker and contains chickpeas, and Brinjal Tomato Kulambhu, which is a vegetable curry.

Clockwise from top left: Rasam, Sambar, Brinjal Tomato Kulambhu, Dhall

Kav: The Rasam was very poorly flavoured. The Sambar was delicious, and the Kulambhu tasted like it was home-made, EXCELLENT! The Dhall was mediocre.

Shiv: The Kulambhu was superb, reminded me of my Amamah’s  Venthiya Kulambhu (grandmother’s onion curry). The other three were very ordinary.

There were four different vegetables served:

Mix Greens Saute

Left to right: Mixed Greens Saute, Vegetable Kadai

Kav: This tasted just like a Chinese pak choy preparation. I was pleasantly surprised!

Shiv: Good on its own, but didn’t blend well with the other Indian dishes.

Vegetable Kadai (type of deep cooking pot used in Indian cooking)

Kav: Very ordinary!

Shiv: I enjoyed this vege. The spices flavoured it well.

Tomato Paal Curry (Tomato Coconut Milk Curry)

Left to right: Tomato Paal Curry, Mixed Yam Hot Curry

Kav: I disliked this dish as it was too creamy and a bit too sweet for my taste.

Shiv: Was not a big fan of this dish as the coconut milk was toooooooooooooooooo overwhelming!

Mixed Yam Hot Curry

Kav: Oooooooooooooooooooh… this was SUPERB! Was savoury and the spices flavoured the yam perfectly!

Shiv: The best vege of the day! It was so good that I had second helpings!

The set also came with mini- vadai (savoury south Indian lentil doughnut).

Kav: Was crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and was served PIPING hot! Was truly a treat to my senses! Couldn’t have enough of it.

Shiv: ONE OF THE BEST VADAIS I HAVE TASTED! I could go back to Annalakhsmi JUST for their vadais.

Dessert was also a part of the meal and this time it was Kesari (Semolina Pudding).

Kav: The kesari was vile!

Shiv: It was cloyingly sweet and sickeningly ghee-ladened!

There was a variety of condiments to choose from, such as Raita (Yogurt Salad), Deep Fried Dry Chilli, Podi (Chickpea Powder) and Ghee, Yogurt, Papadom, Mint Chutney, and Uruga (Pickles).

Clockwise from top left: Yogurt, Podi, Uruga, Mint Chutney, Deep Fried Dry Chilli

Kav: Raita was SWEET! Very disappointing. I mixed the podi with the ghee and ate it with rice, delicious! Their popadom was something to shout about as it was strongly flavoured with spices. YUMMY!

Shiv: I expected the raita to be sour, but to my disappointment it was sweet! I am a podi lover and as such I heaped the podi and ghee on my plate. The spicy popadom was to die for!

Verdict: WOK ON!

PRICE: Very reasonable, and remember it is all in the name of charity!

AMBIENCE: Calm, peaceful and very cultured. The female volunteers were all clad in traditional Indian sarees while the male volunteers were in traditional Kurtas, adding to the cultural feel.

SERVICE: Good. The waiters were volunteers from various backgrounds.

FOOD: Excellent. Definitely worth revisiting.

*The lunch buffet selection varies daily. You can also opt for Kaveri (South Indian Set Meal), Narmatha (North Indian Set Meal), Thairu Saatham (Yogurt Rice Meal) or Sambar Saatham (Lentil Soup Rice Meal).*

ANNALAKSHMI

116 JALAN BERHALA, BRICKFIELDS,

50470 KUALA LUMPUR

Tel: +603 2272 3799

Opening Hours:

11.30am – 3.00pm

6.30pm – 9.30pm

Open daily except Mondays

Garibaldi, Bangsar Village 1, Kuala Lumpur

Late June saw us make a visit to Garibaldi, Bangsar Village 1. We decided to try the degustation menu  at RM160 per pax.

We were served breadsticks and freshly baked focaccia. The breadsticks were served on a base of coarse salt that was dyed pink.

 

Kav: The breadsticks were mediocre. However, the focaccia was to die for. It was freshly baked, warm, soft and crispy.

Shiv: Excellent way to start our dinner. The bread was heavenly and the breadsticks were presented beautifully. However, I am not a big fan of breadsticks, so this was just OK for me.

Mien: Breadsticks were very ordinary. The focaccia was nice, hot and my bread knife just sliced through it. The hint of cheese made it more amazing.

Gaj: The focaccia was lovely and it was so good that it melted in my mouth.

We were then presented with the Chef’s Daily Special Creation, Stuzzichino, which was quinoa with an edamame bean.

Kav: This was really something different. It was delicious and the texture was very similar to couscous. The edamame bean complemented the starter perfectly. Loves!!!

Shiv: Had a natural, earthy taste to it. Loved it!

Mien: I did not like the combination of the edamame bean with the quinoa.

Gaj: I loved this starter, it was yummylicious.

The first dish was Carpaccio Di Pesce, which is a King Fish Carpaccio with Orange segment, Pine Nut and Golden Trout Caviar.

Kav: This dish was a combination of many flavours. The strong fish flavour went perfectly with the pine nuts and caviar. However, I was not a big fan of the orange segments as it overshadowed the fish flavour, but this could also be because I am not a fan of fruit in savoury dishes.

Shiv: I was pleasantly surprised despite the fact that I am not one for sweet elements in my savoury dish. There was a party going on in my mouth!!

Mien: I did not expect it to taste that good considering the fact that I thought the combination was odd. Found the carpaccio to be too fishy, but the citrus effect of the orange sliced through the strong fish flavour and made the dish really good.

Gaj: The fish had a great smokey feel and the dish had a piquancy to it. It was presented beautifully and it reminded me of the beauty of summer.

Dish number two was linguine, which was a flat spaghetti pasta with crab in white wine sauce and sweet cherry tomato.

Kav: The pasta was delicious, it tasted of the sea. The white wine sauce was slightly creamy and the crab flavour was strong and it carried the pasta entirely on its own.

Shiv: OH MY GOD! It was an orgasmic experience. Best dish of the night, hands down!

Mien: Really liked the pasta, I could taste the crab essence – flavoured very well.

Gaj: This dish was..........'wait-for-it’.......... AMAZE-BALLS!

Next up was the Straccetti. It was home-made fresh pasta with smoked duck breast on borlotti bean purée.

Kav: The pasta was too meaty and poorly flavoured. The purée did not coat the pasta well. POOR!!!

Shiv: As a duck lover, I enjoyed this dish moderately. I think they should have used tagliatelle instead of pappardelle as it would have complemented the dish better.

Mien: Tasteless. Flour-y. Dislike.

Gaj: I do not enjoy duck generally, and found this dish to be too floury and too pungent.

For the main course, Garibaldi’s degustation menu offered a choice of Merluzzo (Roasted Atlantic Cod)  or  Cappone (Boneless Chicken stuffed with Chestnut and Ricotta cheese, served with sautéed spinach and foie gras sauce). The four of us, being cod fanatics, obviously decided to go with the cod fish.

We waited awhile for this one, but when it arrived, it did so in splendour.

The fish arrived in a plastic-like closed package for each one of us, and had to be cut open by the waiter.

It was steaming hot and the aroma of the fish in its broth hit us at once.

Kav: I believe that cod fish is one of the easiest things to get right as it is an oily fish full of flavour. However, this was a real letdown as the fish was not fresh. I felt like I was eating a very poorly flavoured rubber band!!!

Shiv: Major disappointment. The fish was not fresh and the poorly flavoured broth did nothing to help the dish.

Mien: Highly^^∞ dissatisfying. I love fish, but this was out.

Gaj: As someone who loves cod, it saddens me that this dish was not up to par.

*Since we unanimously found this dish to be a bit wanting, we decided to inform the waiter of our disappointment. He then notified the sous chef, who attended to us promptly. Upon discussing with the sous chef, who was very obliging and polite, he offered to serve us the other choice of the main course, Cappone to compensate for our dissatisfaction. We happily agreed.

Kav: This dish was way over the top. I felt like the cheese overwhelmed all other flavours. I enjoyed it initially, but as I went on, the foie gras and cheese were too heavy and the flavours clashed.

Shiv: The chicken breast was really tender. The sautéed spinach was to die for. The combination of foie gras, spinach and chicken was a match made in heaven. It was a filling dish.

Mien: Hate foie gras, hence I could not enjoy this dish. Quietly enjoyed my sautéed spinach.

Gaj: I felt like the combination of foie gras and chicken was too heavy and did not quite enjoy this dish.

The degustation meal ended with Zabaione, which is mixed fresh berries in Porto wine sabayon with pistachio gelato.

Kav: The combination of the mixed berries, Porto wine and the pistachio gelato was magical. However, I personally felt that the sabayon was too sweet.

Shiv: The berries used were fresh and the Porto wine did not overwhelm the dessert. The flavours complemented each other well and it was a fantastic way to end the meal.

Mien: I am not big on sabayon but I loved this dessert. The pistachio gelato was just exquisite. Would probably go back and order the pistachio gelato by itself.

Gaj: The pistachio gelato was yummylicious and the cream that accompanied it was nothing short of delicious.

*The degustation experience concluded with a choice of coffee or tea.

Since we were there for a birthday celebration, they served us a complimentary tiramisu without liqueur.

Kav: The virgin tiramisu was not bad, though I was not overly impressed.

Shiv: Average. Not memorable. *Yawn*

Mien: Very mediocre.

Gaj: It was just alrite.

*On a previous visit, we tried the tiramisu with almond liqueur. We unanimously agreed that it was distasteful as the liqueur used did not complement the mascarpone cheese well. It tasted chemical-ly.

To our pleasant surprise, we were served an additional dessert, strawberry sorbet, on the house.

Kav: Strawberry flavoured cough mixture!!! Ewwwww…..

Shiv: Unfortunately, we were not impressed with this dessert, as the strawberry flavour tasted artificial. On the whole, this dessert lacked the freshness that you would normally expect in a sorbet.

Mien: BAD SHAPE!!!!

Gaj: Not a big fan.

Verdict: WOK OFF!

Below expectations. The one thing that we all agreed on was that the starters were decent and the first dessert was amazing! Garibaldi did not live up to its hype.

GARIBALDI ITALIAN RESTAURANT AND BAR,Lot. 10 & G22, Bangsar Village 1,
Jalan Telawi 1,
59100 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia
 
Tel: +603 2282 3456/57

Opening Hours:
Restaurant: 12PM-3PM and 6PM-11PM daily
Bar: 12PM-12AM (Weekdays)
12PM-1AM (Weekends and eve of public holidays)