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

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

Zakuro 2 Japanese Cuisine @ Scott Garden, KL

Zakuro 2 is located at Scott Garden and it is quite easy to spot this if you came from the main entrance. If you, like us, entered through Tesco, be prepared to get lost in a maze as the escalator is not easy to find at all. I thought Zakuro 2 could be linked to the Japanese restaurant along Jalan Ampang but after trying its food, I doubt that's the case...

      

         

Interior

     
Nice interior but we could see the kitchen through the opening and I couldn't spot any Japanese chef...
         

Pickles

   
The pickles tasted slightly different from the usual yellow ones and were very sour but I guess they're homemade.
      

Chawanmushi

   
Nice piping hot and smooth chawanmushi with a sprinkling of ebikko which totally enhanced its taste.

       

Mixed Furai Set (RM 40)

   
The Mixed Furai set came with miso soup, appetiser and dessert. The appetiser tasted like fried fish crumbs but I can't be sure - quite addictive though.

      

Mixed Furai

     
The Mixed Furai plate consisted of deep fried chicken, salmon, crabstick and prawn coated with panko crumbs. The insides of these agemono were not dry, thankfully, but the exterior layer was over-fried due to the slightly sparse coating of crumbs. The side salad provided a cooling respite in contrast to the heatiness of the deep fried items but there was too much mayonnaise squeezed over it - good for dipping the furai though.

       

Saba Shioyaki Set (RM 30)

   
The Grilled Saba set came with the same appetiser, miso soup and dessert.
      

Grilled Saba

   
The grilled saba was very moist and well grilled but a tad too salty.
   
An average restaurant, not one that I'd be returning to in the long run. Plus it is located somewhere inconvenient for me.

 
   
PawPoints: 2 Paws
Pawket: Olive
         

Zakuro 2 Japanese Cuisine

The Scott Garden
Lot 1-36, 1st Floor
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 7987 8148
Mon - Fri: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 10.30pm
Sat - Sun: 12pm -3pm

Breakfast Spread @ Premiere Hotel, Klang

Today's is a short post. I've had quite a number of friends holding their wedding reception at Premiere Hotel in Klang. Since it's quite far for us PJ folk, my friends and I decided to book a night's stay there for some girly catch-up. The room is far better than I expected and the washroom definitely meets my standards =P Here's what I had from the complimentary breakfast buffet.

My kind of breakfast (RM 32)

Nasi lemak for breakfast yum! They've also got beef and chicken rendang which are awesome and totally melt-in-your-mouth. Love the spicy sambal, crunchy anchovies and fragrant coconut milk infused rice too! Basically they've got the perfect nasi lemak. Apart from that there are also some western breakfast items such as chicken sausage and hash browns, pastries and toast. Chicken noodle soup is also available if you prefer something warm and soupy in the early morning.


PawPoints: 4 Paws
Pawket: Olive



Premiere Hotel
Bandar Bukit Tinggi
Klang
Tel: 03 3325 6868

Pork Pizzas @ Skippys Pizza, Phileo Damansara PJ

Guess how I found this place? I was bored at work and decided to google "pork" and "pizza" and Skippys came out top of the list lol. This is a dedicated thin crust pizza parlour specialising in porky ingredients and they even do deliveries to areas within the Klang Valley - how convenient is that!
        

       

So cute!

   
They've got lots of Australian themed decor so I gather the owner must be an Australian?
      

Condiments

   
For condiments, they've got minced garlic for that extra oomph in the pizza as well as some sort of chilli oil which is somewhat like sambal mixed with tomato paste but it wasn't too fragrant to my picky nose.
       

Pork Meatballs (RM 15 for 6)

   
We originally wanted to try Crispy Fried Pork but too bad they were not available that day so we had Pork Meatballs instead. The Pork Meatballs are huge and served swimming in concentrated tomato gravy. The taste of herbs is quite strong and the meatballs definitely taste homemade with lots of meat packed in. Quite good but more than 1 of these balls will definitely lessen the space in your tummy for the other yummy dishes.

      

Meat Lovers (RM 26 for 9")

   
Meat Lovers is true to its name and is laden with pork bacon, pork ham, pork pepperoni and minced pork. It is slathered with BBQ sauce and baked to perfection. The thin crust is not as flimsy as some other restaurants' (although this probably qualifies as not being sufficiently thin but I like it this way) and is able to hold up without being leaden down by the weight of the toppings. 

      

Fey's Special (RM 26 for 9")

   
Fey's Special is like a Hawaiian pizza with minced pork, pork ham, pineapples and mushrooms. The pineapples are still juicy, giving an overall sweet flavour to the pizza.
             

Lasagna (RM 18)

   
On another occasion, we had takeaway with pizzas and lasagna. The pork lasagna is a must-order for all Garfields as it is chockful of ingredients, very cheesy, very tomato-ey with lots of minced pork.
   

Marc's Special (RM 26 for 9")

   
Marc's Special includes pork ham, baby spinach, mushrooms, a fried egg and garlic. No wonder this tasted a bit off for me as garlic is pawprints' public enemy #1 >.<  Nevertheless for garlic lovers or fence-sitters, this pizza should be good as evidenced by my friends' comments.
   
If you love pork and pizzas, Skippys is the place to be. I can't wait to revisit Skippys Pizza and try the other pizza flavours especially the Spicy Pork Pizza as well as the Pork Vindaloo, Crispy Fried Pork and Pork Spring Rolls =D
   

 
PawPoints: 5 Paws
Pawket: Olive
        
http://www.skippyspizza.com/
        

Skippys Pizza
107 Block D
Phileo Damansara 1
9 Jalan 16/11
Off Jalan Damansara
Tel: 03 7931 2555
Mon - Fri: 11.30am - 10pm
Sat: 3pm - 10pm

Chez Rose Continental Restaurant @ Damansara Heights, KL

Looking for something new to try? Head on over to Chez Rose Continental Restaurant, a cosy little place hidden in Damansara Heights for some Austrian flavour!

       

Shop Front

   
Although we followed the instructions on Google Maps, we were still unable to locate the restaurant. If you are familiar with Hock Lee's Minimarket or Restoran Seng Lee, then Chez Rose is on the same block. It is actually just adjacent to Jalan Beringin although you have to turn into Jalan Batai to get to that block of shoplots.

     

Complimentary bread and butter

   
I love the freshly baked bread roll served with the wonderful, creamy house-made garlic and herb butter. I could have just eaten this as a course on its own! I was really tempted to ask for an extra roll of bread =P

     

Hungarian Beef Goulash Soup (RM 18)

   
I've always wanted to try a goulash and Chez Rose's Hungarian Beef Goulash Soup certainly does not disappoint. It is a thick, hearty tomato and paprika stew with lots of minced beef and vegetables. A tiny dollop of cream is added to enhance its creaminess. Perfect for a rainy thunderstormy night which seems to happen very frequently lately.

     

Baked Salmon Strudel (RM 45)

     
The Baked Salmon Strudel is Chez Rose's signature dish. It is essentially a whole chunk of salmon fillet coated in mushroom duxelle aka butter sauce made of minced mushrooms, onions and herbs, and baked in a lovely filo pastry. The baked salmon is served with pesto cream sauce and lightly sauteed french beans and red pepper.

      

Cross-section view of the Baked Salmon Strudel

   
See the thick slab of salmon fillet? The chef has lovingly prepared it such that there are no tiny salmon bones to hamper the enjoyment of the dish. The fish is firm and fresh and both the butter and cream sauces go extremely well together. The filo pastry retains some of its crispiness which gives an added texture to the usual main course. I would say the Baked Salmon Strudel is utterly wonderful with the perfect blend of sauce, fish and pastry. The greens provided also complemented the mains very well.

      

Chez Rose used to be helmed by a husband-and-wife team (after all, it was named after the wifey) but has now been bought over by Jake's Charbroil Steaks. I'm not sure if they've managed to retain the quality of authentic Austrian fare but as we enjoyed our food thoroughly, I'd say it's worth a visit =) Incidentally when I checked their website, they've got a 4-course Christmas menu priced at RM 98++ which sounds pretty good =D
 
 
PawPoints: 4 Paws
Pawket: Olive

     

Chez Rose Continental Restaurant

6-5, Jalan Batai
Damansara Heights
Tel: 03 2092 1978

Sirocco Restaurant @ Holiday Inn, Melaka

I had the opportunity to stay at Holiday Inn in Melaka when I was there for business which also marks the first time I rode the "water rollercoaster" >.< If you think you can find Holiday Inn by following the Pusat Bandar signs, you'd better think twice. Best to bring a GPS as it is actually by the shore.
   
My overall view of Holiday Inn and its amenities was quite good with nice rooms, comfy beds and an infinity pool which overlooks the ocean (although there is construction going on near the shore). The buffet breakfast was average only but the hotel does house a decent Italian restaurant.

      

Lovely name

       

Interior

   
The restaurant boasts an open kitchen and wood-fired pizza oven so take note if you don't want to smell like pasta...
        

Complimentary loaf

   
The complimentary bread is huge! Just compare its size with the saucer or fork at the upper right corner of the photo. The first day I was there, I only had a slice whereas the 2nd day I was there, I had 4 slices but in my defense, I ate it with the Seafood Stew below and used it to mop up the gravy. It seems  freshly baked but most probably it is warmed in the oven. The crust can be chewy at certain places but overall it was crispy and crusty. Wonder what they do with all the leftovers =P

     

Not sure if it's the norm for a high olive oil to balsamic vinegar ratio? My preference is for lots of vinegar, otherwise wouldn't it be like soaking bread in oil?

   

Ghamberini (RM 32)

   
I was craving for pasta so the first day there, I had the Ghamberini which is king prawn (note that there's only one, uno, ichi single prawn =.=) and spaghetti tossed in chilli flakes and arugula. The first bite of the pasta was quite hard but it softened up as you make your way through the dish. Very flavourful, a tad too salty but I enjoyed it very much. The portion looked small on the huge plate but by the end, it turned out quite filling. I must say though that at this price, I expected at least TWO king prawns instead of a measly, lonely prawn =(

   

Seafood Stew (RM 25)

   
Seeing how cheap the Seafood Stew is (spag bol and meatless pasta are priced the same), I immediately ordered it on the 2nd day. There were double prawns, scallops, mussels, calamari and fish, all cooked in a rich tomato stew. The seafood tasted fresh and yummy and the gravy was thick and good with lots of tomato-ey goodness. The crispy, well-buttered garlic crouton was really, really good - everytime I bit into it, it snaps off with a resounding crunch even after being swished around the tomato stew.
   
Anyway good stuff and decent price for a hotel restaurant. Do drop by if you're sick of all the local delicacies and just want to chill at the hotel =)
       
   
PawPoints: 4 Paws
Pawket: Olive
      
Sirocco Restaurant
Holiday Inn Melaka
Jalan Syed Abdul Aziz
Melaka
Tel: 06 285 8169
Sun - Thur: 6pm - 11pm
Fri - Sat: 6pm - 12am

Cristang Restaurant @ 8 Avenue, PJ

After hearing so much about Cristang's famous pork burgers, we finally had a chance to try it. I'm not a big fan of the location though as it is situated in a part of PJ I hardly ever step foot on. Although it is housed in a rather new establishment, I still find the place a bit dodgy, especially if you visit it at night. There are lots of students milling about though - I assume there is a student accommodation nearby. Anyway, on to the scrumptious pork burgers...

     

Signboard

     

Welcoming Exterior

   
The exterior is really lovely and welcoming. I especially love the broken marble / granite floor.

    

Interior

   
The picture of the interior above is a bit dim since it is dim inside the restaurant but there is a homey feel to it.

     

Pork Burger Classification

   
As we were here specifically for their pork burgers, we only took a picture of that particular page in the menu. All their burgers come with cheese, lettuce, onions, tomatoes and crunchy gherkins with a dressing of mayo and Dijon mustard as well as a side of Cajun potato wedges.
   
Cristang also offers a wide variety of the usual mains and pastas in the menu which we would definitely return to try.

     

P3 - The Original (RM 25.70)

   
JS, always the safe one, opted to try The Original Pork Burger, codenamed P3, which consisted of pork patty topped with bacon, chilli con carne and the usual toppings, sandwiched between a buttered bun with a side of Cajun wedges.
   
The pork patty was moist and juicy and the knobbly chilli con carne was the perfect accompaniment to the burger. I also love the slightly toasted and buttered buns. There was a huge piece of bacon which was good but I much prefer it to be seared till crispy and charred with lardy bacon goodness =P The roasted potato wedges were really good and crispy with fluffy insides. I finished them all even though I was super full =D

     

Dissected version of P3

   
I know it looks kind of gross but we just wanted to show you the burger components =P

     

P5 - Getting Creole (RM 30.80)

   
I had the P5 burger, which had a petai pork patty instead (I requested for regular pork patty) and additional Cajun prawns. Everything else was similar to The Original hence I'll just comment on the Cajun prawns which were of medium sized and half-shelled, making it super easy to chomp away. You might wonder how does a combo pork and prawns burger work but just think of it as a Surf n' Turf burger, porky style. I'll definitely order this again =D

     

Dissection of P5

     
JS insisted on all these dissected shots >. >

    

P10 - Some Like It HOT! (RM 35.65)

     
VJ had the works - pork patty blended with habanero and jalapeno peppers topped with bacon and jalapeno tomato salsa as well as everything else. We didn't try this but it smelled soooooo good when it arrived and I was so tempted to snitch a bite >.< As I was originally contemplating between this and the Creole burger, I'll probably order this on my next visit.

     

P7 - The Urban Legend (RM 30.65)

   
MW had The Urban Legend <cues spooky tune> which consisted of petai pork patty, bacon and minced pork with petai sambal. A very petai affair this is. Again we did not try so no comment there. It should be awesome for petai lovers =P
   
The pork burgers are slightly on the expensive side but they are really worth it for the amount of toppings and juicy patty. If only Cristang would relocate to my preferred side of PJ, I'd gladly return anytime.

   

PawPoints: 4 Paws

Pawket: Olive

   
Cristang Restaurant

B-G-19, 8 Avenue
Jalan Sungai Jernih 8/1
Seksyen 8
Petaling Jaya
Tel: 7956 7877
Tue - Sun: 11am - 3pm, 5.30pm - 11pm

Hoofed @ Lorong Rahim Kajai 14, TTDI

I was just going through my favourite google searchword "pork KL" when a review of this restaurant popped up in the list =P And what good timing too for the week after we visited Hoofed, a review of it appeared in The Star.
   
The restaurant is located above this pub called Tom, Dick & Harry's in TTDI. There is quite limited space on the 1st floor as you can gauge from the pic below so do make a reservation if you've got a large party.

    

Shop Front

    

Angelic pigs guiding you to heaven

    
Lots of winged piggies greet you as you ascend the stairs to pork heaven...

  

More angels

      

Oink my god!

     

Interior

     
There are high chairs and tables as well as normal height chairs and tables for you to choose...

    

Interior

    
...or you can opt to sit at the sofa and coffee table...

   

Have I?

     
An artwork adorning the restaurant wall...I have no artistic sense, I don't get it =.=

    

Menu

     

Smoked Duck Salad (RM 18)

     
The Smoked Duck Salad has plenty of smoked duck strips, wedges of hard-boiled egg and century egg as well as the usual salad leaves. It was quite nice with a light vinaigrette dressing although the smoked duck tasted like ham to me. Not very outstanding though.

    

Roasted Tomato Soup (RM 7)

      
The Roasted Tomato Soup was extremely rich and creamy with lots of tomato puree. Very nice to drink on a rainy day =)

      

Onion Soup (RM 8)

      
The Onion Soup had all of us going back for second spoonfuls. The cheesy piece of bread bobbing atop the soup gave it an even more homey feel.

     

Bacon Fried Rice (RM 19.60)

      
This was the dish which attracted my attention =P Chinese-style fried rice with bacon and Chinese sausage bits. It was very fragrant and each morsel of rice was light and fluffy. The bacon and Chinese sausage added much flavour to the dish. This is highly recommended.

    

Devil's Hair Pasta (RM 19.90)

       
I was eagerly anticipating the Devil's Hair Pasta with roast pork after reading good reviews about it but I was quite disappointed with it =( It came tasting like wantan mee =.= It would have tasted good if it were like wantan mee but the thick caramelised dark soya sauce coating the roast pork and pasta had a hint of chilli pepper, making the dish slightly peppery. I was the only one who thought the combination of salty savoury and pepperish odd though...my friends were tucking in happily.

      

Roast Pork Belly (RM 17.90)

     
Oh this has got to be one of the best roast pork in town. Moist tender meat with bits of fat and an extremely crispy skin. A dollop of yellow mustard and horseradish each provided an alternative flavour.

     

Pork Shoulder Chops (RM 30.20)

       
The pork shoulder chops were good - moist and flavourful from the garlic and onion sauce most probably made from pork drippings. It is supposedly served on a bed of mash but I must have missed it. Fresh vegetables were served as a side.

     

Pork Ribs (RM 44.40)

      
The Pork Ribs were served dry with a bowl filled with brown sauce and fresh vegetables on the side. I found the meat a little too firm and dry and the cinnamon seasoning rather strong. No complaints from my friends though.

     

Pavlova (RM 7.90)

     
The Pavlova was average, served with fresh kiwi and strawberry slices and a drizzle of maple syrup. Good thing it was not too sweet thanks to the balance provided by the tart fruits.

    

Cold Bananarama (RM 12.30)

     
Oh this was the unexpected surprise of the night. A creamy and chocolatey concoction with banana slices, it was so good we ordered a second serving before we even finished the first =P

    

Shortchanged?

      
Here's our second serving. Don't you feel disappointed seeing it after a comparatively larger serving the first time? =.= Anyway the second serving didn't fare too well with us as it had a sprinkling of chopped nuts ala Cornetto which had a whiff of stale nuts smell =.=

    

Brownies ala Mode (RM 12.90)

      
The piping hot chocolatey brownies were quite good with huge walnuts, strawberry slices and cold vanilla ice-cream. A foolproof (fail-safe =P) dessert,

    

<hoof print>

     
Some hits and misses here and there but I wouldn't mind returning for the Bacon Fried Rice, Roast Pork Belly and the Roasted Suckling Pig which some other patrons ordered and looked so good.
   

PawPoints: 4 Paws

Pawket: Olive

    
Hoofed
18A, Lorong Rahim Kajai 14
Taman Tun Dr Ismail
Tel: 03 7728 8567
Daily: 4pm - Late