Verona Trattoria @ Seksyen 17, PJ

Verona Trattoria is a cosy Italian restaurant located in the depths of Seksyen 17. We nearly could not find the restaurant as it was located in a secluded area and facing away from the road. It is best to make a reservation as the restaurant was quite full even on a week night.
     

       

              

Remembering the awesome French Onion Soup I had at Logenhaus in Taipan, I decided to order French Onion Soup here to try. Unfortunately it was quite a letdown due to the different cooking method. The soup had a thin consistency, almost like bouillon and the lone crouton floating on the soup was hard yet soggy.
               

Jamie Oliver rocks!

               

This is THE most awesome black pepper ever and it's thanks to Jamie Oliver that we got to try it. Seriously I'm just going to stock my kitchen with lots of tellicherry black pepper. I can't even begin to explain how good they are but Jamie's website describes them as having a rich and fruity flavour. The chef probably regretted putting it on our table when we requested for black pepper as we sprinkled liberal amounts onto all the dishes =P Be warned though that a little of this pepper really goes a long way...

               

Pizza Quattro Stagioni (RM 38.90)

                   
This thin crust pizza was topped with grilled capsicum, mushrooms, ham and pepperoni. The ingredients were definitely fresh and you can taste its superb quality. The picture does not do it justice as the place was quite dim.

                   

Lasagna (RM 29.90)

           
The Lasagna was very delicious with a rich and meaty sauce. The lasagna sheets tasted freshly made and were absolutely tender.
               

Calzone (RM 29.90)

             
Doesn't the Calzone look like a giraffe? =P I like how it looks like a giant curry puff and am always sad to see it deflate with the first cut =( There was a generous amount of chicken ham and black pepper pepperoni in the calzone. The sliced capsicum and button mushrooms all tasted extremely fresh even though they have been baked in the oven. The calzone itself was cheesy and the crimped parts as usual always tasted much better.
           

Goodies in the puff

           

Warm chocolate cake with vanilla ice-cream (RM 17.90)

       
Actually I'm not too sure if this is a warm chocolate cake or the molten lava cake as we were billed the molten lava cake but this warm chocolate cake did not yield any flowy bits. Irregardless, this cake was AWESOME!!! =D It was warm, and chocolatey and moist and definitely one of the best we've eaten!
              

Porky people rejoice! for Verona Trattoria is a non-halal joint =P We have been meaning to return to try the other items in the menu because looking at other bloggers' pictures of the food just makes me want to head there immediately, but the location really is quite out of the way. Do make a trip here and I promise you won't be disappointed (just don't order the French Onion soup =P).
   
         
PawPoints: 4 Paws
Pawket: Olive
                   
           
Verona Trattoria

8 Jalan 17/54
Petaling Jaya
Tel: 03 7960 2890
Wed - Mon: 12pm - 2.30pm, 6pm - 10pm

Tedboy Bakery @ Bangsar, KL

A short review on my birthday cake from Tedboy, one of the many bakeries in Bangsar. Aside from cakes, they also have a variety of mini pastries and the usual breads.

Tiramisu

The Tiramisu had many light and airy cheesy layers, topped with liberal dusting of cocoa powder and blobs of gooey dark chocolate.  I'm definitely not an expert on Tiramisu as I usually find them average tasting considering I'm not one of those who have an extra stomach for desserts but I really liked this version from Tedboy a lot!

You can even order their cakes online. Check out their menu at their website below.

http://www.tedboy.com/home

PawPoints: 5 Paws

Tedboy Bakery

10 Jalan Telawi 4

Bangsar Baru

Tel: 03 2202 1312

Black Forest @ Changkat Bukit Bintang, KL

Sorry for the unexpected hiatus...things were really busy for us both and I unexpectedly fell sick and we didn't have any ready posts although we have tons of material so here's a review of a great restaurant to kick start December, my favourite month of the year! =D

Black Forest is one of the many restaurants lining Changkat Bukit Bintang and food must certainly be good to ensure a steady stream of customers.

Menu

I really like the different categories in their menu =)

Who got the better deal?

Complimentary bread basket

As usual, there is a complimentary bread basket and here at Black Forest, some wholesome raisin bread is served with spicy chilli tuna paste. The bread was warmed through but I prefer mine to be toasted so no brownie points from me there. I also prefer the usual oil-vinegar dip or even the common butter to spicy chilli tuna that tasted like it came from a can.

Kartoffelpuffer Mit Lachs (RM 26)

This dish of potato pancakes served with marinated salmon and dill mustard is my favourite of the lot. I love the crispy potato pancakes and the very savoury salmon goes extremely well with it. I also love the simple dill mustard which packs in so much flavour.

Black Forest's 1/2 Metre Wurst (RM 36)

We had the black pepper sausage and I must say that this is quite a disappointment =( There was nothing special about the sausage at all and it didn't taste very homemade. I have definitely eaten better sausages from supermarkets. I really like the pickles though =P

Schweinekotlett "Natur" (RM 45)

This juicy pork loin which has been slow roasted to perfection is very well complemented by sauteed pork belly and pepper as well as the special zigeuner sauce. The juicy meat comes with a side salad as well as fluffy and crispy french fries which I love dipping into the appetising zigeuner sauce.

Schnitzel Hawaii Mit Ananas Und Kase Uberbacken (RM 45)

The boneless pork loin cutlets are baked with air dried ham, pineapple and cheese and served with a side salad as well as mashed potatoes. The cutlets were really juicy even after being pan fried and baked and retained its crispiness even when topped with ham and pineapple. I really enjoyed this dish as I love schnizels d^_^b

Bayerische Schweinehaxe (RM 45)

The crispy pork knuckle comes with beer sauce, potato gratin and red cabbage. The knuckle was extremely crispy and tender and juicy, just like siu yuk, but some of our friends found it a tad too fatty. I, of course, found it just nice but it was a shame that this dish arrived last as I was already stuffed from all the food before to truly enjoy this. The beer sauce did not have a strong beer taste but it complemented the knuckle very well anyway.

The potato gratin tasted like creamy potato sandwiched between lasagna sheets which was a nice change from the usual mashed potatoes and fries. The red cabbage was sour and tangy in a good way as I am not a fan of sauerkraut (probably I have not tasted good sauerkraut yet).

Churros 

The Churros was really good and there were lots of thick chocolate sauce to dip the crunchy sticks in.

An Australian Dream (RM 22.80)

The Australian Dream has a nice tart taste from the cherries and lots of cream and chocolate chips to make this concoction truly yummy.

Service was good although the waiters are super busy and may not be able to notice you. There is also some tradition of throwing plates on the ground before starting some pork knuckle dish which can be a tad distracting but the waiters give you ample warning before the patrons attempt such a feat.

All in all, a really good meal and all who went for the meal were really satisfied. Prices are on the high side but would definitely return for the awesome potato pancakes, schnitzel and knuckle =D


PawPoints: 4 Paws
Pawket: Cheese


Black Forest

47 Changkat Bukit Bintang
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2110 3678
Sun - Thu: 4pm - 1am
Fri - Sat: 4pm - 3am

Ben's General Food Store @ Bangsar Village 1, KL

Yet another brainchild of Ben's Independent Grocer (BIG) Group, this restaurant/ deli/ grocer specialises in pizzas.
       

Minimalist sign

       

Menu

        

Top: Caesar Salad (RM 11.90), Bottom: Marinated Button Mushrooms (RM 11.90)

     
As usual, fantastic innovative salads but somehow I just can't quite get my head round barley as a salad ingredient. Feels like it belongs in liquidy form more =P
         

Orecchiette Pasta (RM 11.90)

     
This salad took some getting used to for me. The rocket was pungent and the pasta combo had the earthy, olive-y taste as the only binder was olive oil. And I never liked peas > . > I wouldn't recommend this unless you like eating healthy greens...
         

Breakfast Pizza (RM 19.90)

     
This crispy pizza was yummy with breakfast ingredients heaped on it. The runny yolk and tomato sauce slathering went extremely well with the beef bacon and chicken sausage bits. One of my favourites along with the salmon pizza below.
         

Funghi Pizza (RM 22.90)

     
The Funghi Pizza had a slightly earthy taste due to the use of truffle oil and wild mushrooms as toppings which melted in the mouth with the mascarpone. I think it's good even though I'm not a big fan of the strong earthy taste.
       

Salmone E Spinaci Pizza (RM 24.90)

     
Another of my favourites, this is a melt in your mouth pizza due to the gooey mascarpone and I particularly like how the flavours of the cured salmon, spinach, and dill as well as a squeeze of lemon just come together effortlessly.

         

Il Carnivore Pizza (RM 24.90)

       
Pizzas with meat just can't go wrong so it's no surprise that this one laden with beef pepperoni, beef bacon, chicken cheese sausage and lamb chorizo on a base of tomatoes and mozarella does not fall short of expectations.

      

Pescatora Pizza (RM 29.90)

       
The mixed seafood pizza which contains mussels, shrimp and squid was good but nothing outstanding.

       

Peach Cobbler Ala Mode (RM 9.90)

       
The peach cobbler has a subtle peach flavour (so obvious but what else am I supposed to say?) and the accompanying vanilla ice-cream makes it taste even better.

       

Classic Chocolate Cake Ala Mode (RM 10.90)

       
Fantastic moist chocolate cake covered in dark chocolate sauce from BIG (it's available at Plan B too). Was awesome with the vanilla ice-cream.
     
I don't like the metal tins in which the pizzas come though...they have an uneven base which makes it difficult to slice through the pizza. The pizzas themselves are quite good and I like the wide variety offered here that is not too common in other shops.
     

      

PawPoints: 4 Paws
Pawket: Tomato

     
   
Ben's General Food Store
G17, Ground Floor
Bangsar Village 1
Tel: 03 2284 8790
Daily: 10am - 10pm

J Tean Kitchen @ SStwo Mall, PJ

J Tean Kitchen serves some unique Chinese fusion dishes and its signature dish is its fusion Dry Bak-Kut-Teh and Porky Pie. It's located in the totally deserted SStwo Mall although its plus point would be ample parking.

The J-Ribs (RM 38.90)

The ribs are quite huge and really quite good. The well marinated meat is super tender and falls off the bones so effortlessly. This is apparently due to pre-stewing the meat prior to baking it. It is served with a small portion of coleslaw and potato wedges as well as char siu sauce. Both the coleslaw and potato wedges were really good and comparable to Western restaurants. The char siu sauce tasted good too but the meat itself has plenty of flavour so I left most of the sauce in its container.

Complimentary dessert

Complimentary desserts are always welcome and the one served at J Tean that day happened to be a refreshing chrysanthemum tea jelly. Definitely no complaints there =D

Nice meal but quite pricey for a dish even though it's ribs. I love the chairs and tables there but it really is a shame about its location. I'm sure there would be more patrons if only it was located somewhere more popular.



PawPoints: 3 Paws
Pawket: Olive


J Tean Kitchen

Lot G-58, Ground Floor
SStwo Mall
Tel: 03 7954 0819
Daily: 10am - 10pm

Moon Palace Revisit @ Bandar Puteri Puchong

Moon Palace Restaurant in Puchong is consistently the top weekly post on our blog...are there really so many unique visitors searching for Moon Palace or is their management so free to continuously click on the link? =P Either case, we both found the food at Moon Palace really good at a cheaper price than other restaurants so we returned for another meal. A few of our friends did tell us though that they did not enjoy the food there so perhaps it depends on your luck.
   
One of our visits was during Chinese New Year where we had the set meal for RM 368++.

      

Yee Sang

   
The Yee Sang is really fresh and they were very generous with the amount of raw salmon. There was no greasiness to the ingredients or slightly stale smell that is sometimes present in the Yee Sang served at other places. All in all, a yummy and refreshing dish with just the right amount of oil and honey.

     

Seafood and Crabmeat Soup

   
The thick soup had tons of seafood which made the price of the set menu more than worth it. The portion was quite big too for us to have seconds.

      

Butter Prawns

   
Even though it was a Chinese New Year set menu, the dishes were not prepared in advance. This Butter Prawns dish was deep fried moments before it was served and the prawns were extremely hot. The prawns were really fresh and tasted sweet and the deep-fried shreds of batter were extremely crunchy and flavourful due to the addition of curry leaves. Too bad the quantity of prawns was quite little =(

       

Tong Po Meat

   
I was never a big fan of these sort of braised meat but this was quite good - super tender fatty meat well flavoured by the dark caramelised gravy. Steamed buns were also included for us to mop up the sauce.

     

Blanched Bok Choy in Herbal Soup

   
The vegetable dish was very light on the tastebuds and I like the addition of wolfberries in the gravy / soup as it lent its sweetness to the dish.

     

Steamed Fish in Soy Sauce with Ginger and Wood Ear Fungus

   
Very fresh, firm fish. The inclusion of wood ear fungus was unique but I much prefer parsley instead =P The soy sauce based sauce was a little oily though.

     

Glutinous Rice with Chinese Preserved Sausage

   
Perfectly steamed glutinous rice with lots of preserved Chinese sausages and liver. Yummy but I wonder why they served it in such a big dish.

     

Mini Longevity Buns

   
Soft mini buns with warm lotus paste filling - what more can I say about buns?

    

Iced Sea Coconut and Longan 

   
Sweet syrupy dessert with lots of bouncy longans and sea coconut. I like that there are bits of ice in the dessert which makes it so satisfyingly chilled.
 
No matter what others say, I still think Moon Palace is really good and will definitely return for special occasions.
 
 
PawPoints: 4 Paws
Pawket: Cheese
         
       
Moon Palace Restaurant
1st Floor, Tower 2 @PFCC
Bandar Puteri Puchong
Tel: 03 8063 8122
Daily: 11am - 11pm

Coffee Chemistry @ First Subang Mall, Subang Jaya

Coffee Chemistry is located in First Subang Mall, a relatively dead shopping mall from what I remember...not sure if much has changed since then. The cafe, on the other hand, is quite a cosy little place with a pleasant owner and modern looking decor. 

       

          

Cappuccino

        

Warm and Iced Water

   
Nothing special about this but why the difference in size? 

      

Classic Roasted Lamb Shoulder (RM 26.90)

   
The roasted lamb shoulder with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables drenched in black pepper sauce sure looks good but JS thought the lamb a bit chewy and would have preferred more vegetables instead.

       

Grilled Salmon Steak (RM 26.90)

   
Did not try the grilled salmon so no comment. It does look appetizing though with lots of freshly steamed vegetables and aromatic butter lemon sauce.

       

Seafood Pasta (RM 21.90)

   
I'm so predictable huh? Of course the Seafood Pasta is mine =P I didn't expect the dish to come with so much seafood considering the price but it did with double of everything - mussel, squid and prawns. Seafood was quite fresh and the cream sauce was not cloying at all. I liked it so much that I polished off everything even though I was actually really full even before I started eating.

      

Brownies & Ice-Cream (RM 9.50)

     
The brownie was really good and chocolatey and yet surprisingly cheap. A generous scoop of vanilla ice-cream was provided as well including a drizzle of chocolate sauce. Really the perfect dessert to end a meal d^_^b
   
I came to Coffee Chemistry not expecting much but it certainly surpassed my expectations with its good food and cheap price. I'd definitely return if only it weren't located at First Subang Mall cause there's nothing else to do there...
   
   
PawPoints: 3 Paws
Pawket: Tomato
          
Coffee Chemistry
G22 - G23, Ground Floor
First Subang Mall
Tel: 03 5612 2299
Daily: 10am - 10.30pm