Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf, Bangsar Village I, Kuala Lumpur

Being pork lovers, we didn’t have to huff and puff our way to Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf at Bangsar Village 1, tucked neatly outside Village Grocer.

As its name suggests, the menu boasts primarily of pork, so if pork is your thing, read ON!

There’s a pretty cozy waiting area, adorned with a sofa and posters. Patrons can opt to dine in the outdoors too, there are wooden furnitures and it can be quite fun if the weather is not too hot.

Let the indulgence begin…

For starters, we had Garlic Roast Pork, sautéed with oriental sauces till caramelised (RM15).

Shiv: Good flavour, and the meat was tender and moist. Plus points for not being overly sweet too!

Kav: Really good. Love the fact that it was not too sweet, like most other places. The garlic flavour was just perfection with the pork!!!

Gaj: This was definitely the best dish of the night! The pork melted in my mouth and the accompanying sauce was sooo good. I was all up for seconds!

For salads, we ordered Grilled Pork Salad, with avocado and garden greens tossed in balsamic vinaigrette dressing (RM22).

*We were initially served the Roast Pork Salad with garden greens and walnuts, drizzled with honey mustard dressing.  We had a few bites of this before we realized that it was the wrong salad. We sent it back and they subsequently served us the supposed Grilled Pork Salad, but without the avocado. Once again, it was sent back and finally returned with the avocado.

Shiv: An obvious sign of teething problems, as the kitchen staff couldn’t put together a decent bowl of salad. The dressing was not what was stated on the menu, and the entire dish ended up tasting a tad sweet yet bland. The only saving grace here was the pork.

Kav: What a waste of some good ingredients… Salad was below average and even the pork could not save this dish from failing. To top it off, it returned with the same honey mustard dressing (hate this dressing!!!) which was not stated in the menu. Shame!!!

Gaj: I did not taste the difference in flavour between the Grilled Pork Salad and the Roast Pork Salad. I could not taste the balsamic dressing, instead it tasted quite strongly of the honey mustard dressing. On hindsight, it tasted a lot like the house salad served with the burger (continue reading below). Regardless, it was very bland and very bad!

We couldn’t visit a porky establishment and not have a pork burger. We decided to try the Mighty Pork Burger, juicy pork patty, cheese, tomato, greens, fried egg, herbed mayo sauce, served with chips and house salad (RM24).

Shiv: The patty had a strong porky flavour (in a good way) and the topping of egg was genius, I thought. Enjoyed it, however, it is certainly not (and far from being) the best pork burger in town.

Kav: The patty was savoury and juicy. Sadly, the other elements failed to enhance the burger to the next level. The egg, I thought, masked the delicious patty and overall, the burger was mediocre.

Gaj: The patty was good, very good. I did not enjoy the egg in the burger, as it overpowered the patty and added an egg-y taste to the burger. Was an alright burger for me – was NOT jumping for joy! :-(

The name of the next dish was too enticing for us to give it a miss. Presenting the Alien Invasion, long-legged spaghettis cooked creamy style complete with button mushrooms and sausage (RM26).

Shiv: Not too heavy handed on the usage of cream, and the flavour of the button mushrooms along with the pork sausages infused the sauce well. As a non-enthusiast of creamy pastas, this one was not too shoddy.

Kav: Have never enjoyed cream based pasta and this one was no different from any other. The pork sausages were yummy though.

Gaj: The pasta was just alright, I am not a big fan of creamy pastas and this did nothing to change my mind. The cheese made the dish a tad salty.

Next up, we decided to try another pasta, Grilled Pork Pesto, spaghetti cooked in our homemade pesto, topped with chunks of grilled pork (RM23).

Shiv: Did not hit all the right notes that pesto pastas usually do. The flavour of the pork wasn’t enough to carry this dish, and a bland, almost insipid dish resulted. On a side note, both pastas were done al dente.

Kav: I am a tough critic when it comes to pesto pasta as I love the earthy basil flavour and therefore it’s one of my favourite kinds of pastas. Nowadays, almost every other restaurant serves pesto and sadly most of them never get it right. This one was no different as the flavour of the pesto was dull and just not up to mark. The pork was a little chunky and did not do the dish any favours.

Gaj: I was waiting in anticipation for this dish as it combined my two favorite things, pesto and pork. I was sorely disappointed as the pesto was too flat and the pork could not carry the dish on its own. I felt like they should have added pine nuts for a zing!

Verdict: WOK OFF!

PRICE: Reasonable.

AMBIENCE: Cozy and comfortable, with the option of outdoor dining.

SERVICE: Bad. The waiters got our order wrong more than once. However, the establishment was relatively new when we visited and we are not sure if these were merely teething problems.

FOOD: Below par. Most of the dishes were disappointing and it felt like there was a general lack of quality in the ingredients. A lot more thought should be given in making the end product taste better.

THREE LITTLE PIGS AND THE BIG BAD WOLF
LOT G1A, GROUND FLOOR, BANGSAR VILLAGE 1
JALAN TELAWI SATU, BANGSAR BARU
59100 KUALA LUMPUR

Tel: 603-2283-2270
Website: www.facebook.com/PigsAndWolf

Opening Hours:

Daily, 10am to 10pm

8 ROAD, Puchong, Selangor

Gong Xi Gong Xi Gong Xi Ni Ya! Gong Xi Gong Xi Gong Xi Ni!

Gong Xi Fa Cai or Happy Chinese New Year to all our Chinese friends and fans out there.

As you all know, it’s almost impossible to find a Chinese restaurant that’s open and not overly priced during this festive season. =( =( =(

Not to worry, as we have the perfect solution for you Chinese food lovers out there!!!

Sek Sek Sek!!!

Egg Foo Young (Literally means Lotus Egg. Also means Chinese Omelette) (RM10)

Shiv: Pretty good. The edges were crispy and they were generous with the ingredients used. Also, marks awarded for not being soggy and not having an egg-y smell.

Gaj: I am not a big fan of egg, but enjoyed this dish immensely. Agreed Shiv, no egg-y smell.

Kav: One of the better Egg Foo Young’s that I have tried. The dried shrimp and onions made for a savoury and flavourful egg. To top it off, the egg was fluffy and moist. Loves!!!

Claypot Bean Curd (Handmade) (RM15)

Shiv: Mediocre, as the flavour of the thickened broth was way too subdued. But again, they were very generous with the assorted mushrooms and vegetables. Not too shoddy, as the tofu itself was delish!

Gaj: The ingredients were great, but something was amiss with this one! Missed the mark by a tad!

Kav: Love the handmade tofu used, as it was soft and the texture and flavour of the fried tofu was perfect with the gravy. The gravy itself was only average, however they were generous with the ingredients.

Spare Ribs (RM15)

Shiv: Disappointing! The ribs were fresh and tender, but the sauce coating it was just tooo sweet, almost dessert-like. Sadly, the pig gave its life in vain for this one.

Gaj: The sauce was waaayyy too sweet, but the pork itself was very tender and done well. Perhaps order a different variation of the pork if you are not a big fan of sweet sauces.

Kav: Way too sweet!!! Also the pieces were a little dried out.

Butter Cream Tiger Prawns (RM35)

Shiv: Absolutely brilliant! Unlike the creamy butter prawns you find nowadays, the butter flakes were super light, fluffy and flavourful, and the prawns were huge and fresh. A real bargain for the price and a definite must have here.

Gaj: Freshness, check! Fluffy flakes, check! Super yummylicious, check! A must must have!

Kav: WOW!!! It’s been a long time since I’ve had butter prawns that were this good. It was authentic, with the texture of the flakes done to perfection. The prawns were fresh and cooked perfectly. Just YUMMY!!!

Fried Sambal with Four Beans (RM12)

Shiv: Simply scrumptious! The greens were fresh and abundant, and the sambal belacan was super aromatic, spicy and salty. Savour it with plain white rice for a heavenly mouthful.

Gaj: A staple in most Chinese restaurants and this was just perfect!

Kav: Loved this dish. The vegetables were crunchy and not overdone. The sambal was not overly sweet like most other belacan dishes and it was savoury and infused well with garlic and shrimp.

Verdict: WOK ON!

PRICE: Very reasonable. Tiger prawns were really cheap as there were 6 big pieces. (RM90.90 for seven items – 4pax, inclusive of two plates of rice at RM1.20 each and three glasses of Chinese tea at RM0.50 each)

AMBIENCE: Typical Chinese restaurant, complete with fish tank in the corner and white board on the wall creating an authentic ambience and hence a bona fide oriental experience.

SERVICE: Excellent. Waiters were more than willing to explain the dishes on the menu and were very obliging to our requests.

FOOD: Amazing food. Authentic and delicious Chinese cuisine!!!

8 ROAD

12A/15, JALAN KENARI 8,

BANDAR PUCHONG JAYA,

47100 PUCHONG, SELANGOR

Tel: +603 8070 2852

Mobile: +6017 329 1119

Opening Hours:

11.00 am – 3.00 pm

5.00pm – 11.00pm

(Open daily except the second Tuesday of every month)

D' Legends bar, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur

Armed with our rumbling tummies, and seriously spoiling for some swine, we made our way to the friendly neighbourhood pub that is D’ Legends bar.

With a place that boasts a plethora of porcine pleasures, our dining location was a no-brainer.

Atmosphere of the joint was rather quiet (though hardly dull) on the night of our visit, which could be due to the long Chinese New Year weekend.

The ambience was made that much more pleasant by pop paraphernalia adorning the walls and cozy lighting embellishing the place.

Food wise, we started with some Bar Bites:

1. Chicken Tikka (RM16)

Juicy chicken breast marinated with our secret spices. Served with chutney and a side salad.

Shiv: The chicken pieces were tender and flavoured well, and the mint chutney was simple and delicious. Generous serving, which makes this a suitable starter to be shared by the pork averse.

Gaj: Very nicely done. If you are not a pork fan, this is a great starter to dig into.

Kav:  The chicken was cooked to perfection, and the tandoori marinade was spicy and tangy. The perfect balance of yogurt and spice. The mint chutney added a certain freshness to the savoury dish.

Mien: It was good, however, I felt it was toooo meaty. The chutney was amazing, accompanied the chicken well.

2. Pork Satay (Cannot be missed!) (RM24)

Plump and juicy! Served with our very own Chili Peanut Sauce and a side salad.

Shiv: I don’t know why I’ve stayed a pork satay virgin for this long, as it is maddeningly mouthwatering! Every plump morsel was so juicy and savoury, and the chili peanut sauce was crunchy and moreish. Again, generous portion size which can easily be shared 4 ways.

Gaj: OMG! Super yummy! I can’t say enough good things about the chili peanut sauce which was savoury and right on the money! A must-have indeed.

Kav:  Firstly, the satay serving was as generous as it gets. This was a first for me, eating pork satay, and God was it good!!! The meat was juicy and tender, and had a rendang-like flavour with a hint of sweetness. The satay was accompanied by a delicious peanut sauce which was spicy and not too sweet. Loves!!!

Next up were some Entrées:

3. Two-way Mushroom Tapas (Vegetarian) (RM15)

Creamy garlic mushrooms with crusty bread OR Olive oil, garlic and herb mushrooms with crusty bread. (We opted for the latter)

Shiv: The abundance of garlic and the strong herb-y flavour of the mushrooms was a treat to my taste buds. Would have preferred if they had served slightly fancier bread, but that’s just me being fussy.

Gaj: I had a bit of hesitance when I saw this on the menu as it said ‘creamy garlic mushroom’.  Fortunately, there was an alternate option which didn’t have that creaminess, and in fact, was light and had a nice garlic flavour.  A good dish for vegetarians.

Kav:  Garlic and I are best buds, so there wasn’t a chance in hell that I was going to dislike this dish. Yummy-earthy-herby-garlic-y goodness!!!

Mien: Amazing… loved it! So much flavour for a simple dish. It went so well with the simple baguette!

4. Baked Nachos (RM20)

Tortilla chips smothered with melted Cheddar, Parmesan & Mozzarella. Served with lamb chili, our own salsa and sour cream. For a vegetarian option, swap lamb chili for a creamy spinach & artichoke dip.

Shiv: The nachos really were SMOTHERED in those cheeses, which made every bite super-duper lip-smacking. The salsa was really good, although the lamb was a little scarce. We requested for additional salsa, which was slightly different, but as good as the earlier one if not better.

Gaj: I could not taste the lamb chili, but it was still an alright dish. The accompanying salsa was really good!

Kav:  This dish was not bad. The salsa was tangy and was flavoured well. However, was not the best nachos I have tried.

Mien: Hmm.. good.. but not the best as Kav puts it. The salsa was really good! It was a very simple Nacho dish; there could have been guacamole, jalapeños, etc.

We followed through with Mains:

5. Heaven is Pork Pizza (RM28)

10” kitchen made thin crust, spicy tomato sauce, minced pork, minced Italian sausage, spicy pork sausage, smoked streaky bacon, back bacon, olives, onion rings, cheddar, mozzarella & parmesan.

Shiv: I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that this is the best pizza I have ever tried in my life! It had such a strong savoury-cheesy-porkylicious flavour without having that overwhelming porky smell. The briny bacon married with the pungent olives made this an absolutely brilliant creation! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Gaj: Heaven is indeed pork pizza! =) The minced pork, pork sausage and streaky bacon just melted in my mouth. I could not get enough… gimme more! MUST MUST HAVE!

Kav:  I had many firsts in this restaurant – first pork satay, now pork pizza. This pizza could not be more perfect. Every mouthful was a dream. The salty and savoury bacon with the melty cheese was just to die for. What can I say, pork is life…life is pork.

6. Pork Burger (MUST HAVE!) (RM22 + RM3 for the extra bacon)

Tucked inside our buttery light brioche bun is 200grams of juicy spicy pork patty made from scratch, salsa and gooey mozzarella cheese. Served with side fries and a dressed salad. (There was an option of egg and bacon add-ons – we opted for the latter only)

Shiv: Delicious! This place really knows how to get their pork right. The pork patty was crazy juicy and tangy and the mozzarella cheese offered a sublime gooeyness. The addition of bacon was genius and I only wish my dining companions allowed me the egg as well, because God knows a burger is nothing without a fried egg. =)

Gaj: Sorry Shiv! I hate egg in my burgers and this burger did not need help as it was AMAZING all on its own. =)

Kav: God, the patty was so good. It was flavoured well and the mozzarella was just stringy perfection, as it added that additional body a perfect burger needed. My only complaint was that the fries had a rancid taste.

And to end the night, some Cocktails:

7. Strawberry Margarita (RM20)

Jose Cuervo Tequila, Triple Sec & lime juice.

Shiv: Slightly more light-on-the-liquor than I would have liked, but tasty nevertheless.

Gaj: I enjoyed this margarita! Quite yummy indeed.

Mien: It was alright…. It was rather diluted.

Verdict: WOK ON

PRICE: Reasonable, with big portion sizes justifying most of our buck. (RM148.00 for 7 items – 4pax)

AMBIENCE: A stylish neighbourhood watering hole which is as trendy as it is cosy. Suitable place for after work drinks or simply a quiet dinner with loved ones.

SERVICE: Excellent. The staff was well-mannered, informative and very accommodating to some of our demands requests.

FOOD: Delicious, almost flawless food, with an extensive variety to choose from. Quite a number of vegetarian options are available too. One of the few pubs that take its cuisine as seriously as it does its cocktails. A MUST TRY!

D' LEGENDS BAR

24, JALAN DATUK SULAIMAN,

TAMAN TUN DR ISMAIL,

60000 KUALA LUMPUR,

Tel: +603-7725 6270

Email: hans@hansconnection.com

Website: http://www.facebook.com/dLegendsbar

Opening Hours:

Monday - Friday: 4.00pm – 2.00am

Saturday & Sunday: 11.00am – 2.00am