Ante Kitchen & Bar @ Solaris Dutamas

I have been wanting to try this place for a while now ever since I saw raving reviews on it from many food blogs + friends also recommended the place to me.  The place I'm talking about is Ante Kitchen & Bar @ Solaris Dutamas, a restaurant that highlights pork on its menu.

So, last Sunday, I made a call to see if there was an available table in the next 45 minutes...and there was.  Arriving at the place, I saw patrons outside the restaurant putting their names on the waiting list already.

After we were seated, I checked out the menu (which is rather brief) consisting of a few selected starters, soup, mains, pastas, snacks, desserts and cakes.  My family and I ordered two starters (to share) and three mains.

 

We went with a starter of Deep Fried Soft Poached Egg @ RM22 which featured two poached eggs that had been deep fried sitting atop two slices of crunchy baguette with aioli and crispy kale. 

 

The crispy kale was an interesting and creative touch, not something I commonly see paired with eggs, I must say.

 

The deep fried poached egg was perfectly done...oozing with a runny egg yolk within and a nice crunchy texture on the outside.  The slight bitterness from the crispy kale together with the crunch of the baguette and the creaminess of the oozy egg yolk made it a very pleasurable bite indeed!

Our other starter was their signature Sweet Belly @ RM29 which is very similar to our Chinese-style siu yoke except this had a drizzle of honey soy on the plate.

 

The roast pork belly came in eight large pieces, with a crackling crispy skin, much to our delight.  The meat was flavourful (a bit on the fatty side) but good.  But was it better or as good as say a strip of roast pork from Pudu (or some roasted meat stalls) I've had (and priced more affordably @ RM15 a strip)?  Err.....no!

 

For my main, I originally wanted their signature Chargrilled Pork Steak (RM56) with roasted russet potatoes, browned butter truffle sauce and honey glazed rocket but they were sold out for the day :'(  Can't imagine a restaurant running out of their signature dish so early into their weekend dinner service (at 7.15pm).  So, I had to go with the Chargrilled BBQ Ribs @ RM52 with kimchi slaw and straight cut fries.

When it arrived, I was astonished to see how hefty the portion was.  I think there were 5 - 6 ribs + a portion of soft ribs.  I felt the portion size was too big for one person to finish and I wished the gentleman who took the order had highlighted that (since we also ordered starters).  This is more suitable to be shared by two, in my opinion.  I couldn't finish this even with help from my spouse.

 

The ribs were definitely falling off the bone tender, I'd give it that, but there wasn't much flavour in the meat other than the barbecue-like sauce smothered on it.  It was missing the charred flavour + I couldn't detect any smokiness going through the ribs either.  I'm not saying that the ribs were all that bad, it's just that I've had better and I'd rather pay a bit more for some good Iberico ribs.  The fries were served buried under the ribs, so what you get are soggy fries.  The problem with a kimchi slaw was the cabbage and carrot shreds would have been marinating in a paste causing the otherwise crunchy vegetables to go limp.  I think keeping the cabbage and carrot crunchy in a more refreshing slaw would have been a better option.

My son had the Char Siu Curry Cream Pasta @ RM36 with shimeji mushrooms and smoked eggplant ragout.  The luscious sauce, with hints of curry flavour (not at all spicy), was truly rich and thick but, in the end, proved too cloying to finish.  Great for those who love their pastas really thick and creamy.

 

The house-made char siu had all the sticky sweet, caramelised flavours you'd come to associate with good char siu.  Again, was it better or as good as say Meng Kee's char siu (or any char siu from roasted meat stalls)?  Again...not!

The final main was The Ante Burger @ RM42 for my spouse.  It was our mistake not reading the description of the dish as it wasn't the one I've seen on blogs.  That one had a pork patty, wrapped in bacon strips, topped with an oozy egg and cheese.  If we had read the description, we would definitely not have ordered this.  This was made up of slow braised pork cheek medallions, gorgonzola cream cheese and pickled onions with the same kimchi slaw and straight cut fries. 

 

There was no texture or flavour contrast in this burger...all you get is a bland pork cheek with a strong tasting gorgonzola cheese and onions that tasted like they were just cooked down rather than pickled.  What it lacked....a great sear on the meat for that smoky flavour, sweetness from some caramelised onions, freshness from some vegetables, a tangy twist from (maybe) some pickles, a crunchy element from (maybe) some bacon crisps, a runny egg yolk and (finally) a sauce to bind everything together.  That, to me, is the very definition of a good burger!!  This burger (sadly).....had none of these elements (other than gooeyness from the melted cheese which some would want)!  Although I totally understand that this is not a minced meat patty type of burger...but still....I was looking for a balance of flavours and textures...and there weren't any! 

 

Water was not served automatically.....we had to ask for it.  Service was alright but not particularly warm.  The drinks were decent:

Iced Latte @ RM13
 

Iced Lemon Tea @ RM10

My Personal Opinion

I know that this place is loved by many (even my friends) but I remembered the parting words of my spouse as we were leaving the restaurant..."write honestly"!  I have to stay true to my opinion (and it's perfectly fine if you don't share the same opinion).

The meal got off to a promising start but came to a disappointing end! T_T  There were obviously more misses than hits.  The best dish of the night was the deep fried poached eggs and the worst, the Ante burger....and, anything in between wasn't all that great (although I can't really fault the siew yoke or char siew as comparing them to the traditional ones wouldn't be level playing field).  We left our three mains unfinished coz none enticed us enough to polish our plates clean.  The rather porky flavour in their meat (which I'm not so fond of) kind of reminded me of the pork I had in Three Little Pigs & The Big Bad Wolf. 

 

I guess I'm being more critical of the food because the prices here aren't cheap with starters costing close to RM30 and mains around RM50.  And what about the prices of desserts...ridiculously steep....RM22 for panna cotta, RM24 for crème brulee and RM29 for a tiny piece of the Valrhona chocolate delice.  With prices like these, there are better options one can find with the same budget.

I came here with high expectations...but ultimately left disappointed!  It was a shame I didn't get to taste their signature chargrilled pork steak...but with some comments so wide ranging from tough and dry to really tender (inconsistent produce and cooking?), I doubt I'll want to return to find out! :(

Ante was shortlisted for "best place for meat" 2014 in Time Out KL and made it to many blogs as one of the best 'oink-oink' places to dine...but it's just not one of mine (or my family's), I'm sorry.  I guess I belong to the minority that didn't sing praises of the place after sampling their food...maybe I didn't order the right dishes or maybe the food just didn't suit my palate.  All I know was that, throughout my meal, I felt that the dishes (other than the first one) were too 'heavy' and needed some sort of freshness and acidity to cut through all that meatiness.  If they really want to serve porkilicious food consistently, they need to up their ante...at least in my books! 

P/S:  Update (25.08.2015)
I've since received a heartfelt email from the Manager of Ante Kitchen & Bar, in response to my review of their restaurant, apologising for the dining experience I had.  As F&B owners, they were not defensive about their food (as some could be) and took my comments and feedback constructively (which I was glad to see) and seemed genuinely sincere in wanting to improve...and that said a lot to me.  Because of this very reason, I may yet return to Ante, one day, and (hopefully) it'll result in a more pleasurable dining experience for me the next time round.

Ante Kitchen & Bar
A2-G1-09 Solaris Dutamas 1
Jalan Dutamas 1
50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-6206 3364

Wondermilk @ Publika

Ting!....it's Round 3.......

 

After Rounds 1 & 2 at Yellow Brick Road and Bxie Blonde...and a short stroll around Publika, my friends and I found ourselves looking for our third pit stop for the day.  We drifted into a little quaint shop called Wondermilk Café @ Publika for an icy cold drink!

 

Their menu spans all day breakfasts to sandwiches, burgers, salads, pastas....and cupcakes, of course.  Their drinks include coffees, teas, iced sodas, wondercoolers and no prizes for guessing which is their house drink...their signature wondermilk in flavours of vanilla, caramel and butterscotch to name a few (but I don't do milk, so none for me, thank you).

 

But Wondermilk is probably best known for designer cupcakes and these were some I spotted at the counter...Strawberry Dream, Cookies + Cream Dream, Chocolate Marshmallow Surprise, Chocolate Cheese Surprise, Chocolate Chip, Oh My Chocolate, Blueberry Cheese, Kiss Cheese, Superainbow, Carrot Top and Royal Vanilla.  Also spotted (near the counter) were cakes in a jar....Rainbow in a Jar and Velvet in a Jar @ RM15 a jar. 

 

Special occasion cupcakes are also available for pre-order.  There's no denying that they make some of the most beautiful cupcakes around.

 

Also spotted on sale were cookies like Pineapple Cheese Bar @ RM12, Arabian Meltaways, Koko Fudge, Koko Toffee Nut, Koko Polka Chips and Choco Dots @ RM10 each.

You'll be dazzled by the delectable range (they all look so pretty) and it will be difficult to decide which one you want.  We grabbed a few cupcakes....

Royal Vanilla @ RM4.50

(the prettiest of the three but the frosting was way too sweet, though the kids would surely adore this)

 

Kiss Cheese @ RM4.50

(if you like just cheese, you'll be quite happy with this one)

 

Blueberry Cheese @ RM4.50

(For me, this was the best tasting of the three because of the zesty blueberry topping as it needed something fruity to cut through the cheese)

 

The cupcakes were alright (from the few that I've tasted), nothing spectacular.  This was one case of it not tasting as good as it looked.  And, for the price of RM4.50 a cupcake, I must say it was rather small in size.

 

Of course, we needed more refreshing (and cold) drinks for the hot afternoon.

 

Blackcurrant (Iced Soda) @ RM10

 

Lemon Crush (Wondercooler) @ RM11.90
(a mixture of lemon syrup and freshly squeezed lemon juice)

 

Minty Lime Chiller (Wondercooler) @  RM11.90

(a concoction of fresh lime & mint leaves)

 

The drinks from the Wondercooler section weren't as wonder-ful as we had hoped coz they were missing a more concentrated flavour!

Ting!.....and Round 3 was (unfortunately) the knockout round!  We can't eat or drink anymore...we're done! ;D

My Personal Opinion

The one thing going for them is probably the charming décor and ambience of the place that appeals to family with young children.  The children's play area enables mommies to have a leisurely meal while still keeping a watchful eye over their kids.

A good hangout place, I suppose, for girly girls who need a dose of beautiful and colourful things in their lives every now and then...like a pretty little cupcake? ;)

 

Wondermilk Cafe

7A & 8A Level G2 Ground Floor

Publika Shopping Gallery

Jalan Dutamas 1

50480 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-6211 1092

 

Bxie Blonde @ Publika

Ting!....it's Round 2......

After Round 1 at Yellow Brick Road, my friends and I proceeded to our next destination, Bxie Blonde @ Publika for more chit-chat but without the guilt of hogging the table for too long (although I must clarify that Yellow Brick Road didn't, in any way, make us feel that we were occupying our seats for too long, we just felt guilty ourselves).

Bxie Blonde is on the list of Top 10 Hipster Cafes in the Klang Valley by TallyPress and is usually frequented by the hip-and-young crowd.  One of my friends heard about this place and wanted to try, so we agreed. 

Once you get to The Square, you'll be greeted with something that looks like a two-level shipping container.  You can choose to sit on the lower level (or at the counter) or climb up the steps to both an indoor and alfresco section upstairs.

Once upstairs, you'll see this huge yellow sculpture with wings which is probably the most unique thing of the café and, I'm sure, the most photographed as well!

As it was around 1.30pm when we arrived, it was very hot with the sun beating down on us.  This place is not air-conditioned and all they have are air coolers.  Since the air cooler on the lower level was out, we had no choice but to sit upstairs (indoor).  As we were the only customers at that time, we thought it should be alright as we can have the air cooler all to ourselves. 

Sitting outside in the alfresco section upstairs is probably the best option if you're here on a cool and breezy evening.

Because of the heat, all of us went with an order of iced coffee.  I asked the barista/server/cashier and (actually) the one and only guy there what's good and he said it's their flavoured coffees....so, flavoured coffee it is.

Iced Mocha @ RM15

(sorry, my friend was too thirsty and took a sip)

 

This was the Iced Coconut Flavoured Latte @ RM15 that tasted weird to me.  I once had a Blueberry Latte that tasted funky as well.  Somehow, fruit-based coffees just don't seem to go well together.  As for the pic, my other friend was even more thirsty and took two sips...it was, after all, a very hot afternoon!

 

Iced Hazelnut Flavoured Latte @ RM15
(I guess I had the strongest willpower coz mine was the only one still intact when I took the shot)

Even the yellow sculpture is chilling with an iced coffee ;D  Unfortunately, the drinks weren't very good.  The mocha was probably passable but the coffees were pretty one-dimensional.....sweet!  In fact, overly sweet! :'( 

But, at least, we had a good time talking and taking pictures since we were all alone upstairs...kekeke! :D  We now realised why....it's too darn hot and humid to come here in the afternoons!  Our bodies were literarily stuck to the air cooler! XD  Luckily for us, it started to rain to give us some respite.

My Personal Opinion

I think this café bar is just a photography-worthy place offering a trendy and unique atmosphere to enjoy your drinks and food in a shipping container.  It seems like a great hangout spot during the cool evenings if you can get past their not-so-good coffees (maybe their alcoholic drinks fare better).

They do offer light snacks, sandwiches, pastas and dessert on their menu but I've no comments on the food since I didn't try any but I did read in some blogs that it's pricey and the portions are small (even the coffees seems to be priced on the higher side).

I think once the quirky/cool factor wears off, so will your enthusiasm to revisit.  For me, once was enough but, if you've not been here before, come just once for the unique ambience...but please come during the night time when it's way cooler!

Bxie Blonde
Publika Square
Jalan Dutamas 1
50480 Kuala Lumpur
 

Fahrenheit 600 @ Publika

The weather in KL these days have been super hot and, as if that's not hot enough, my friends and I went to Fahrenheit 600 @ Publika last Saturday.

 

The name Fahrenheit 600 is a unique name and it's derived from their wood-fire brick oven where the temperature is a searing 600F which (some say) is the most ideal heat for pizzas. 

 

Of course, pizzas made from a wood fire oven is a sure 'must-order' item here.  So, first up, a 12" Fahrenheit 600 @ RM25.90 which bears the restaurant name is also their signature pizza.  This is, in fact, a vegetarian pizza with oven-baked tomatoes, eggplant, black olives, feta cheese and caramelised onions.  For a 'no meat' pizza, it was certainly tasty and I especially liked the caramelised eggplant.  

 

Fahrenheit 600's pizza crust is nothing like those overly crispy 'thin crust' type (think Domino's) or the very chewy 'thick doughy' ones (think Pizza Hut) but just crisp on the outside and chewy (with a bite) on the inside...a perfect balance in-between!

 

Another pizza that we had was a 12" Henry the Duck Pizza @ RM31.90 which was visually stunning and colourful and, likewise, you couldn't fault the flavour.  It's got pinkish slices of smoked duck, orange-coloured segments, reddish cherry tomatoes, greenish avocado slices, caramelised onions and topped with their signature tomato sauce.  This was a unique and vibrant combination which tasted as good as it looked!

 

Next, we tried their Creamy Salmon Calzone @ RM20.90 which uses the same pizza dough, folded and shaped like a half-moon (really pretty looking), stuffed with hot-smoked salmon.  When you cut it open, the cream sauce and cheese oozes out for a luscious, gooey sensation.

 

Most of the reviews I have seen on this place were about their pizzas but we decided to try a couple of their artisan pastas which turned out surprisingly good and had equally cute names to go with it.

 

The first pasta we ordered was the Green Ribbons @ RM13.90 which was a simple fettuccini cooked with cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and their homemade pesto sauce.  Their homemade pesto was a winner and the generous sprinkle of cheese on top made it....very cheesy!

 

Another pasta that we tried was the Cute Pinky @ RM19.90 which was spaghetti with prawns (medium-sized ones), mushrooms and their signature tomato and cream sauce.  Their tomato sauce was excellent and it's very unlike the usual tomato sauce we get with our pastas which is normally very reddish and acidic but this one has an orangey hue (don't know what kind of tomatoes they used but they were 'good' tomatoes).  For once, a tomato-based pasta did not taste overly sourish but instead was creamy and lovely.

For those who want to chill and chat, you can just order some cakes to go with your coffees.....look at all those cakes!
 

It was hard to choose but we ordered 4 slices for sharing.....and here's a preview!

A closer look at the 4 we chose:

 

The Tropezienne Cake @ RM7.90 is a light and fluffy brioche dough (some kind of French bread) with a cream filling.  The buttery bread (somewhat like a sponge cake but with a bread texture) with creamy filling is a delight to eat.

 

The Chocolate Mousse Cake @ RM10.90 was our favourite cake of the day!  The mousse was smooth and rich but did not come off as 'heavy'.  If you're a chocolate lover, this is the cake for you.  It was a delicious and decadent dessert! 

 

The Strawberry Cheese Cake @ RM10.90.  I'm not a fan of cheese cakes, so I shall reserve my comment.

 

The Tiramisu Cake @ RM10.90 was our least favourite.  It was a bit crumbly and dry (probably because it was served to us cold) and there was a very faint hint of burnt taste from the chocolate icing.  When it had time to come down to room temperature, it was not as crumbly and dry.

 

Here are some of the drinks our 'party' ordered:
 

The coffees at Fahrenheit 600 are quite good and I especially liked the Iced Salted Caramel Latte @ RM10.90. 
 

Iced Capuccino @ RM9.90

I personally don't like mint flavour and to couple it with latte seems kinda of a weird combo to me although my friend seems to enjoy her Minty Latte @ RM9.90.
 

The Orange Juice @ RM6.90 was really huge...woh.....and very thirst quenching!
 

Minty Lemonade @ RM8.90

We also tried the Iced Super Fruit Tea @ RM8.90 which looked good (a vibrant red) but (sadly) did not follow up in taste.  It didn't have much taste except for some sweetness (like a syrup) and a diluted watery taste....not our cup of tea!  [#Note: They did however, very quickly, offered us another replacement (which was very kind of them) but it didn't change anything (maybe it needed to be steeped longer, maybe that's how it was supposed to taste as we've never tried fruit tea before).]
 

The Kasturi Lemonade @ RM9.90 was very sourish (only for those who like a real 'zing' in their drinks), just wished that they'd strained away the seeds though.

 

My Personal Opinion

 

Overall, their pizzas, pastas, coffees and (some) cakes are rather good.  The service is good and attentive but, when they are really busy, the pizzas may take a bit longer to arrive as they are freshly made to order.

 

Likes:  I especially liked their hearty pizzas served on wooden boards which gave it a rustic and very "Jamie Oliver" feel!  Their pastas and coffees were equally good.

 

Dislikes:  Probably their Super Fruit Tea and Lemonades could be better as it needed a more concentrated flavour!

Fahrenheit 600 Café & Restaurant

A4-G2-05 Block A4 Solaris Dutamas

No 1 Jalan Dutamas 1

50480 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-6206 3417