vkeong loves good food, travel and photography!
Bangsar
Ril’s Steakhouse @ Jalan Telawi 5, Bangsar
Jan 16th
For a restaurant that claims to serve ‘the best Steak in KL‘ I expect Ril’s to the very least, be able to prepare my meat properly according to my specified doneness. I don’t know why but the steaks I have had recently all have been less than satisfying due to overcooking. And the fact that they always get it right for my dining partner but not for mine only makes things even more frustrating.
Complimentary buns baked in house, fresh and fluffy. Nice and all but honestly I think just some normal salted butter would do – maybe even better than the fancy ones they provide.
Just for the record I have been to Ril’s Steakhouse at The Warehouse and this post is about their newly opened branch in Bangsar. Since we already tried their grass fed and prime Wagyu in our last visit we decided to give the others a try. I had the Australian Angus Rib Eye (grain fed 300g, RM152) while SL had the Sticky Beef Short Rib @ RM72. Because the latter does not look very appealing I am not going to show it but it was delicious alright – the meat was so tender it falls off the bone literally.
Proof that my steak was overcooked, this was nowhere near medium rare. Thinking back, I regretted not sending it back to have it replaced.
Restaurant Cava Spanish & Mediterranean Cuisine @ The Bangkung Row, Bangsar
Dec 27th
Last year I took SL to Opus – an Italian restaurant at The Bangkung Row to celebrate her birthday. This year, as much as I tempted to bring her to the same restaurant again (because the food is just really good) we decided to try out Cava instead. It is a Spanish and Mediterranean restaurant just a few doors away from Opus. If you did not know, both Cava and Opus belong to the same management company and they have a few more restaurants under their belt too namely Leonardo and Moxie.
Some complimentary bread and fried potatoes served with salad dressing while waiting.
Spanish Seafood Soup @ RM25 – the broth is very similar with Opus’ Famous Shellfish Surprise but we preferred the latter’s version a lot more. Somehow the clams did not taste very fresh that day and it spoiled the overall taste. Even the Garlic Clams @ RM16 had the same problem. Not a very good start if you ask me, at that point I was already wondering if we should have just stuck to Opus.
Midi 57 Restaurant & Bar @ The Bangkung Row, Bangsar
Sep 29th
Midi 57 is a relatively new restaurant at the Bangkung Row that is set to satiate the residents of Bangsar and all others who love pizza, pasta and porky Italian dishes. Aptly named after its address, Midi 57 is also the sister restaurant of the more stylish and upscale Le Midi at BSC. The simple two-paged menu features an interesting mix of predominantly Italian and French cuisine with a small Tex-Mex section that is wallet-friendly, suitable for a casual meal in a relaxed atmosphere.
As soon as we were seated, some complimentary bruschetta was served. Then followed by a basket of homemade sesame bread and Focaccia after we placed our order.
We started off with the Piglet Salad @ RM27, a colorful assembly of Romaine lettuce, rocket and cherry tomatoes on thin slices of Roasted Herb Piglet with a dressing of mashed sun-dried tomatoes olive oil. The tangy sun-dried tomatoes provided most of the flavor while the fresh greens give a crisp bite on the palate, a delectable combo that turns out to be equally appetizing. This is a nice change from the usual vinaigrette-dressed salads that usually have a strong and acidic taste.
Midi 57 makes all their pasta in house using five different imported flours and the dough created is used as a base for the pizza and ravioli as well. The Squid Ink Tagliolini with Salmon and Zucchini @ Rm37 proved to be our favorite dish of the day quickly, winning us over with its fine, delicate yet springy texture akin to the Chinese Mee Pok. Some might find the cream sauce to be too thick but I feel the consistency is just nice to hold the pasta together.
Plan B @ Bangsar Village 1 & Journal By Plan B @ Publika
Jun 9th
If you are in Bangsar early in the morning you will notice there are two restaurants that are exceptionally busy compared to the rest. One of them is Antipodean Cafe along Jalan Telawi, while the other is Plan B inside Bangsar Village 1. It is not hard to understand why Plan B is so popular and always packed to the brim.
Besides having a unique and quirky decor (especially Journal by Plan B at Publika) that definitely helps in attracting customers, their Internet presence is very strong as well. Just try to Google for “Plan B” or any restaurant under The Big Group, you will see what I mean.
Plan B’s menu is described as modern Aussie-meets-New York-deli, which features a wide selection of hearty breakfasts, salads, sandwiches, pasta and a variety of cakes and pastries. If you are here in the morning before 11am, do note that only a handful of items are available – mostly breakfast stuff.
The Breakfast Platter @ RM26 – a standard affair that comes with two eggs of any style on toast, grilled turkey bacon, hash brown, smoked chicken sausage, baked beans, sauteed mushrooms and roasted tomatoes.
And of course the set includes a glass of fresh orange juice and a choice of coffee or tea as well.
