Cava, Jalan Bangkung

After a loooong day’s work, we found ourselves craving for GOOD food! We had heard a lot about the food at Cava, a Spanish restaurant at Jalan Bangkung, Bangsar.

As bonafide tipplers, we have had drinks, but hadn’t got an opportunity to dine there.

So, we FINALLY decided to give the food a try!

Tucked away in the quieter area of Bangsar, away from the hustle and bustle of the Telawi area, you will find Cava, located on the same row as Leonardo’s, Opus, Madisons and Midi to name a few.

Cava serves modern and traditional Spanish cuisine. It is not your typical Spanish bar; it has a bit more of a ‘fine-dining’ feel to it.

We were served with complimentary bruschetta.

Shiv: Bad! Sugar was the only flavour carrying the dish. It’s a good thing that we didn’t have to pay for it.

Kav: Not one of my favourite things. Sweet!!!

Mien: Loved the bread they used. Found the toppings a bit sweet due to the presence of the sweet corn! Would have been better without it.

Gaj: I didn’t really enjoy it – generally dislike sweet elements in my food.

For appetisers, we ordered the following tapas:

1)  Cod and Kalamata Fritters (RM15)

Shiv: Was too tomato-ey and I could hardly taste the flavours from the cod. This dish was just too overwhelmingly tangy. No likey!

Kav: Alrighty, I guess. The sweetness from the tomatoes were overwhelming, hence I couldn’t really taste much of anything else. Overall, not great.

Mien: Hmmm… it was not tooooo bad… had a unique ‘Indian-y’ taste to it. Might actually order it again.

Gaj: This dish was just OK for me – not sure if I would have it again.

2)  Baked Portobello Mushrooms with Roasted Garlic and Walnuts (RM15)

Shiv: Fantastic! The meatiness of the Portobello married with the nuttiness of the walnuts provided for a merry marriage of flavours. Saved the day, where appetisers were concerned.

Kav: Yummy! Something about the way garlic and mushrooms taste together, makes me want to sing!!! Plus the roasted walnuts added crunchiness and a nutty flavour that elevated this dish to the next level.

Mien: Love this! The flavours infused well together, with a slight chilli flavour! Really good!

Gaj: I LOVED this dish – it was really good! Oooo..the garlic and walnuts just gave it an extra oomph –yumms!

Moving on the mains, we ordered:

1)  Galician Styled Cod, baked cod with olive tapenade cream sauce (RM58)

Shiv: Best main of the night! Super moist and flaky, and they were smart about keeping the flavours to a minimal, to allow the amazing fishy flavours from the cod to carry the dish. Could have come all on its own, as the sides were easily ignored with the fish being so fantastic!

Kav: This dish gave me a screaming……lol! The cod was fresh and cooked to perfection, with all its oily fattiness still intact. The tapenade cream sauce complemented the cod and was not too creamy.

Mien: OH MY DAYSSSS!!! TOO TOO GOOD! The cod – EXTREMELY FRESH, just melts in your mouth! The sauce did not overwhelm the cod… it was a good marriage! The mashed potatoes had been infused with truffle – so delish! Went back the next day again for it! Guilty as charged! :S

Gaj: AMAZE-BALLS! The cod was melt in your mouth goodness and the mashed potato – gosh, I could have it all day! Soooo YUMMY!

2)   Cava’s Braised Spanish Lamb Shank with Pearl Onion (RM56) (P.S : Can’t take the Indian away from their lamb! :P)

Shiv: Good rendition on this classic main. The lamb was done very well, with a nice concentration of sweet and savoury nuances. I typically don’t enjoy sweet elements in my mains, but this was excusable, as the juice from the lamb created a nice strong meaty flavour.

Kav: The lamb was cooked well. The gravy that accompanied the lamb had Moroccan-Indian flavours, full of sweet and smoky flavours from the spices, which went well with the meaty lamb.

Mien: Hmmmmm….. found this tooooo gamey… sooooo DISLIKE!

Gaj: The braised lamb shank was done very well – it was tender and juicy. There was a tinge of sweetness probably from the onion, but it was not overwhelming and complemented the dish well.

Finally, moving on to the dessert (we girls need to fulfill our sweet craving!) Surprisingly, we only ordered ONE dessert………Hallelujah!

We ordered Cava’s most famous dessert, the Chocolate Dream (RM16)

Shiv: Very ordinary and you can probably find this at any one of those commercialised eateries sprouting all over KL. The cake lack moisture and they relied too heavily on the subpar custard cream, which in-turn was insipid! Skip this altogether, please!

Kav: Blah blah blah…..very ordinary tasting dessert.

Mien: I am sick and bored of this Chocolate Lava type of desserts, hence it would be unfair for me to judge… but nevertheless….not a fan!

Gaj: This dessert was OK, a pretty standard rendition of chocolate lava cake.

Verdict: WOK ON!

PRICE: Slightly on the pricey side – RM185.60 for 2 appetisers, 2 mains and 1 dessert (4pax).

AMBIENCE:  Cosy and comfortable – perfect for a date and/ (or) a night out with friends. There is the option to dine alfresco, but be there early, or be sure to make reservations, as these seats get grabbed fast.

SERVICE: Good - waiters were pleasant, efficient and attentive.

FOOD: Tasty – this restaurant focuses on quality not quantity, which is a refreshing change.

CAVA

71, JALAN BANGKUNG

BUKIT BANDARAYA

BANGSAR

59100 KUALA LUMPUR

Tel: +603 2093 6637 / +6017 356 0133

Email: mailus@cava.my

Website: http://www.cava.my

Opening Hours:

Mon-Sat: 12.00pm – 3.00pm; 5.00pm-1.00am

Sun: 6.00pm – 12.00am

Sassorosso, Lorong Yap Kwan Seng

As usual, it was an impromptu decision to dine here. A friend, who is also a renowned restaurateur, suggested we try this place and therefore called Mr.Giovanni, the chef/owner to make a last minute reservation.

Walking in, you are greeted by this incredible view of the Petronas Twin Towers. The place was cozy and had a modern setting. The chef/owner, a pleasant chap, was there with his wife and cute little son.

If you like a side of fresh air, there’s always the al-fresco dining option with a nice view.

They also cater for private events of up to 85pax indoors, 35pax in the private room and 60pax outdoors on the terrace.

Sick of Sunday brunches…well now you can have brunch on Saturday instead… hehe. They have a special brunch menu which can be found on their website.

For starters, we had what was recommended by the chef/owner… However, please bear in mind that these dishes cannot be found in the à la carte menu, so you will have to check with your waiter to see if the chef can prepare these for you.

Complimentary bread basket.

Kav: Loved the thin crispy ‘papadom’ like bread. Yum!!!

Mien: Love the variety provided. I am a bread person, and hence loved all of them!

Shiv: There was an assortment of breads-all quite nice. My favourite was the crispy, buttered and herb-ed variety. Very flavourful, and in no need of the olive-oil-balsamic dressing.

Dish #1: Burata Mozzarella.  Fresh air-flown Burata cheese with wild rocket and fresh tomatoes. (RM48)

Kav: There’s never a combination like cheese, tomatoes and fresh herbs. It was so simple yet fresh, creamy and simply scrumptious.

Mien: AMAZING!!! The Mozzarella was so so fresh! Carried the dish! Loved it!

Shiv: This one was simplistic, and yet so damn delicious! Very fresh and sumptuous-the burrata was a worthwhile indulgence, and the accompanying rocket and tomatoes were super fresh and made for a perfect harmonious marriage of ingredients.

Dish #2: Gratinated eggplant parmigiana: layers of eggplant, tomato, mozzarella. (RM28)

Kav: Most eggplant parmigianas are way too cheesy. This one however was just the right balance of stringy cheese, eggplant and tomatoes (which were not too sweet). Perfection!!!

Mien: Love parmigianas and this blew my mind! Delicious, and not overwhelmingly cheesy.

Shiv: The best of our starters. I typically do not enjoy gratinated dishes, but this was an exception. All flavours were very well-balanced, with no one overwhelming the others (a feat where cheese is involved!). A definite must try here.

Dish #3: Bruschetta. (RM22)

Kav: Bruschettas were fresh tasting. Not the best I have tried though.

Mien: Simple.

Shiv: Tasty in its mediocrity. I probably would not order this again, simply because there’s a lot of variety to choose from the starter menu, and this was not very memorable, although it did have some good savoury notes to it.

Now on to the portata principale or main course.

Dish #4: Sri Lanka live crab penne with olive oil, garlic, fresh basil leaves and prawns bisque. (RM38)

Kav: Never liked penne, regardless of the preparation, as it is extremely hard to flavour and ends up tasting more of flour than anything else. This one was no different, as the pasta lacked flavour. The crab died in vain. RIP Sebastian.

Mien: The penne was bland and lacked flavour. As a whole, this dish was nothing to shout about! Would not order it again!

Shiv: I expected so much from this dish, with its promise of luxurious ingredients, but to my disappointment, it was bland and bordering on insipid. Among my complaints: too little crab flesh, the sauce did not coat the penne well, and the prawn bisque lacked flavour.

Dish #5: Squid ink tagliatelle with scallops, broccoli, olive oil, garlic and chilli. (RM42)

Kav: A….wait for it………….MAZING!!!!! The best squid ink pasta I have tried, with just the right amount of tanginess complementing the seafood flavour from the fresh scallops. Just impeccable!!!

Mien: THIS WAS TOO GOOD! Love the combination of scallops with garlic, olive oil and chilli.

Shiv: One of my favourites of the pasta variety, this one deserves all the praise it can get. The use of tagliatelle was genius, as it soaked up the flavourful and extremely palatable broth. Scallops were also very fresh. I highly recommend this one!

Dish #6: Sassorosso pizza - tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, escargots, marinated mushrooms, prawns and fresh basil. (RM46)

Kav: Nice crust and flavoured well, however I could hardly taste the escargots. Good pizza though!!!

Mien: The crust is thin, very authentic. This particular pizza was mediocre as I felt it lacked flavouring. I wouldn’t order the same flavour, would try a different one, as I am confident the pizzas here are good, as they have got the fundamentals right – the crust!

Shiv: Fantastico! The pizza was chock-full of savoury ingredients, each bringing its own unique blend of flavour to the dish. The crust is also worth mentioning, as it was thin and not chewy. My only gripe was that the escargots used were scarce.

Time for some Dolce (Dessert)…

Dish #7: Sassorosso tiramisu. (RM18)

Kav: Mmmm….the Mascarpone was divine, with perfect texture and just the right amount of sweetness. The perfect balance of coffee soaked sponge fingers and cream cheese. I could write a thesis on this dessert to be honest, because that’s how much I loved it!!!

Mien: OMG!!!! ONE OF THE BEST IN THE WORLD!!! Everything was right! Just phenomenal!

Shiv: Probably the best tiramisu I have ever tried! Super authentic and each layer was prepared with a lot of thought and care. The Mascarpone layer was not too creamy, nor too egg-y and the coffee-soaked Savoiardi was just pukka! You can “pick me up” anytime with this one! ;-)

Dish #8: Cheesy vanilla crème brule. (RM16)

 

Kav: Holy Mother of GOD!!! This dessert was just sooo creamy and delicious. Again, the perfect texture and not too sweet.

Mien: Not big on crème brule, but this was delicious! Would definitely order it again!

Shiv: An excellent rendition of this classic! Again, very authentically prepared with no adulteration of the custard base with foreign flavours – they kept it simple with traditional vanilla. Also, the top caramelized layer was torched to perfection!

Verdict: WOK ON!

PRICE: Expensive. RM299.30 for 3 starters, 3 mains and 2 desserts – 4pax.

AMBIENCE: Minimalist and modern. A bar and wine cellar adorn the otherwise simple décor.

SERVICE: Excellent. Our waiter was very attentive and informative. Also, the chef /owner (who is very passionate about his art, we might add!) visited our table and took time to recommend special selections based on our preferences.

FOOD: Delicious and authentic Italian food, with a lot of attention paid to flavour and freshness of ingredients.

SASSOROSSO

9 LORONG YAP KWAN SENG
50450, FEDERAL TERRITORY OF KUALA LUMPUR

Tel: +603- 21666428

Email: ask@sassorosso.com.my

Website: http://www.sassorosso.com.my

Opening hours:

Mon-Fri: 12pm-3pm (Set lunch & Ala Carte menu) & 6pm-11.30pm (Ala Carte & Dinner Specials)

Sat: 12pm-3pm (Saturday Brunch) & 6pm-11.30pm (Ala Carte & Dinner Specials)

Sun: 6pm-11.30pm (Ala Carte & Dinner Specials)