Pizza Duo @ Bamboo Hills

Co-existing and sharing the same space with Tap Room (along with PaperKite beer and cocktail bar Tap Tap) is Pizza Duo @ Bamboo Hills.  We enjoyed the ambience, experience and food at Tap Room very much during our first visit and vowed to return to try the pizzas.

Moreover, a friend of mine was interested to return at night to feel the ambience after seeing the beautiful and serene surroundings when we were here for lunch before (it was indeed pretty as a picture as night fell). The atmosphere seems even more lively at night.  Luckily we made prior reservations as the place was brimming with waiting patrons.

Pizza Duo specialises in Neapolitan pizzas, an authentic Italian pizza originating from Naples, known for its thin, soft crust with simple toppings cooked under high heat in a wood-fired oven.  That impressive-looking oven is apparently called a Stefano Ferrara oven...and apparently it's also currently the largest Stefano Ferrara oven in Malaysia.

And, for this visit, we came specifically for that! ;)  But, before we get to the pizzas, let's start with a couple of starters and bites...beginning with something that's part of their signature menu, the Chilli Lava Crab @ RM48.80 which unquestionably did not disappoint.  It knocked it out of the park! ^.^

Featuring crab meat in a spicy chili/sweet & sour crab sauce, this dish is distinctively Malaysian, a highly sought-after dish in Chinese seafood restaurants, except this one you don't have to get your hands messy and dirty to get at the crab meat.  It's already done for you...what better way to eat crab than to have all the meat picked out for you, right?  I would say yessss to that! ;D

The crab meat was super fresh and the sauce well balanced with a spicy kick.  Served with golden mantou and crispy youtiao which were the perfect vehicles to soak up all that awesome sauce.  We used it (and wished we had more) to mop up every single last drop of that rich, flavourful sauce.  We couldn't get enough...it was beyond what I expected (and my friends loved it too).

Up next was a dish we did not get to sample on our last visit here, the Grilled Padron Peppers @ RM25.80 as it wasn't available then.  Padron peppers, a Spanish tapas staple, are typically mild and slightly sweet although occasionally you'll get one that packs a spicy punch.  The unpredictable spice level of each pepper adds that element of surprise and fun to eating them (no wonder I got one that was really spicy)! >_<

Blistered and charred to perfection and tossed in shrimp floss, they're best eaten dipped in the accompanying creamy shrimp paste sauce that tasted somewhat like a spicy Thousand Island sauce.  This was something different that we tried...and it was another winning dish.

We remember liking the simple, refreshing take on this dish the last time we were here, so we just had to order the Watermelon Meze @ RM13.80 again with chuka wakame and crushed peanuts tossed in Thai dressing.

Now, onto the main event, the very reason we made this return trip for...especially after seeing their impressive wood-fired oven that's touted to produce the best-tasting pizzas due to the high temperatures and unique flavour imparted by the wood which produces a smoky, rich flavour that's hard to replicate in other types of ovens.

We started with one of its most popular pizzas, a speciality of theirs, the Shroomami Pizza @ RM72 (which also happens to be the most expensive pizza on their menu) with Parmigiana fondue, truffle salsa, fior di latte (fresh cheese), portobellini mushrooms, ricotta and truffle oil.  Hands-down, this has to go down as the best pizza I've eaten thus far.  Being a non-fan of cheese (as many of my readers already know)...but this one I super enjoyed.  Apparently I enjoy cheese if it's good Italian cheese like Parmigiana Regianno (especially), Fior di Latte and Riccota...hehe! ^_~

The intense heat and flames cooks the pizza quickly (like maybe in just 90 secs depending on the pizza's thickness and oven temperature).  And because the pizza cooks so quickly, the crust is still moist with a slightly chewy interior...and not dry, hardened or overly crispy like many others that I've eaten before.  I used to leave the crust behind for those that fell short but this one...I wanted more! ^o^

Just look at the super puffed up and perfectly charred crust with its super light and airy texture and its umami filling of portobellini mushrooms and truffle...so, so good!  I once heard a Top Chef contestant say "that puffed up, charred crust can only be achieved if you use a wood-fired oven" (and he's right, of course).  

After tasting our first pizza, we immediately ordered a second.  This time we placed an order for a simple, classic Pizza Margherita 2.0 @ RM44 filled with San Marzano tomatoes, fior di latte, parmigiano reggiano, semi-dried cherry tomatoes and basil oil.  You can't go wrong with the classics! ;)

Again, the slightly charred, soft, thin crust gives it a distinct smoky flavour that makes it absolutely out of this world.  A good pizza doesn't need to go overboard with all its many toppings...just a good crust and simple, fresh, high-quality ingredients for Neapolitan perfection!

After stuffing ourselves silly with two awesome pizzas, we still had room for dessert...and we kicked off with the Molten PB Choco @ RM26.80 which featured a chocolate and peanut butter lava cake served with vanilla ice cream, granola, fresh strawberries and blueberries.

The chocolate and peanut butter lava cake did live up to its name....the molten chocolate centre, with its intense chocolate flavour, flowed out when cut into (sorry, forgot to take a photo of the gooey, flowing lava). This is certainly a delight for chocolate lovers.

Our second plated dessert was something similar to the Orange Souffle Waffle we had on our earlier visit. Since we enjoyed it the last time round, we ordered the Lemon Souffle Waffle @ RM19.80 this time.

The only difference was that it was served with earl grey (instead of vanilla) ice cream and a lemon (instead of orange) reduction.  I particularly liked the intense lemon-flavoured reduction with the souffle and waffle.

Finally, to wash all that good food down, you need good beer...and we ordered the PaperKite Flight @ RM58 featuring 4 types of (mini-sized) craft beer...Pale Ale, Copper Ale, Oatmeal Stout and IPA for sharing.

I also had a Iced Caffe Latte @ RM16.  A friend also had a cocktail, Day & Night (Sake/Peach/Yuzu/Lemon) @ RM30.

My Personal Opinion

If you're a lover of pizza or haven't had a good one thus far, make sure you have a go at this one...made with the finest ingredients like fior di latte, San Marzano tomatoes and Italian flour, it's no wonder that this was by far the best tasting pizza experience I've had in a long while.  I've a new found love of pizza (and cheese) if it's this good...and the Shroomami comes highly recommended as your first choice.  Just the mere thought of it at the time of writing makes me yearn for it with such great desire! ;)

Not only that but the fact that Pizza Duo shares a space with Tap Room makes eating here a double joy as you can cross order from both fabulous menus.  So far Tap Room's starters and light bites have not disappointed one bit and this visit's choices of Chili Lava Crab and Grilled Padron Peppers added two more to that fantastic list.

Tap Room's menu is rather extensive and together with Pizza Duo's many other pizza options as well, there are still lots more to try here...and we look forward eagerly to yet another visit. ^.^

Pizza Duo @ Tap Room

Lot P10 Bamboo Hills

Taman Bukit Bambu

Off Lebuhraya Duta-Ulu Kelang (DUKE)

51200 Kuala Lumpur

Table 9 Cafe & Kitchen @ Bangar

It was a last minute meet up for a late lunch over the Hari Raya holidays.  My friend and I had no plans on where to eat so we thought we'd just go to one of our 'usual/already visited' cafes.

But just before we met up, I happened to check my blog and found two new posts from theyumlist and malaysianflavours on my blog's side bar with reviews on the same place on the same day.  So, off we went to Table 9 Cafe & Kitchen @ Bangsar, opened about a month ago.

The cafe serves mostly Western/Italian food with an Asian twist together with Korean-inspired desserts and coffees (probably the greatest nod to their Korean influence is in their choice of cutlery with the extra long-handled spoon).  The menu ranges from all-day breakfasts to small bites, salads, sandwiches, pizzas, pastas, risottos, bingsu and house specials to tempt your palate.

Since my friend brought along her kids, we started with a sure-fire kids-approved dish of big breakfast, Table 9's version called Table9 Breakfast @ RM25 with chicken sausage, beef bacon, eggs (scrambled or sunny side up), sauteed mushrooms, grilled tomato, hashed potatoes and toast with butter and jam.

Although their version of big breakfast is rather similar to most of them out there, the ingredients offered (I felt) were slightly more premium.  We especially enjoyed the creamy scrambled eggs and the fluffy hashed potatoes with sauteed bell peppers, green zucchini and tomato chunks.  We also welcomed the sauteed shimeji mushrooms instead of the usual fresh button mushrooms.

You can substitute the plain toast with french toast (we did) by paying an additional RM1 (or RM2 for the pancakes).  The french toast, thick and fluffy, was definitely the right move and worth the additional RM1.

Our next dish was a server's recommended dish of Table9 Picante Seafood Pasta @ RM28 when I asked which is their more popular pasta.  The server's recommendation was spot on (they have a risotto version of this dish as well).  The good-sized mussels and juicy prawns were immensely fresh and delicious but, more importantly, the texture of the pasta was cooked to absolute perfection.  Loved the addition of the soft broccoli and crunchy julienned carrots.

But it was the rich, creamy and spicy sauce, with lots of already-shelled clams, that took it to the next level. Although I've never been a fan of creamy sauces, it was nothing like the cloying type of creamy pastas I've had in the past which I think is due to the 'just right' level of spiciness that opened up our palates.

The thick sauce coated each strand of al-dente spaghetti lovingly and this is one creamy pasta dish you'll have no problem finishing on your own.  This is a dish that's best not shared! :D  It was so good...a must-try dish here if you enjoy a bit of heat in your food! ^o^

If this terrific pasta dish is an insight to the rest of their pastas, then we have a reason to celebrate.  Some of the other pasta dishes they have on their menu include aglio e olio, jalapenos pasta, alfredo, carbonara, funghi, frutti de mare, amatriciana, marinara and more.

We couldn't resist an order of Pancake @ RM9 since it was offered at a promo price that day (sorry, promo ended 30 June, normal price is RM18) which was served with maple syrup and a dollop of cocoa-sprinkled cream.

The two slices of pancake (cut into halves) were generously sized and came topped with a dusting of powdered sugar for added sweetness and some dried cranberries for a bit of that natural tartness.  These are thin pancakes with a soft texture and a nice crisp on the outside.

End on a sweet note with the popular Korean shaved ice dessert of Bingsu (other than a selection of homemade cakes at the counter).  They offer 8 flavours here from mango to blueberry, red bean mochi, green tea, oreo, tiramisu, tomato and espresso (for those who want coffee and dessert in one).  But, we aren't super fans of bingsu, so we skipped that.

Their imported coffee beans from Korea make for a decent cup of Hot Cappuccino @ RM9.

Or go with one of their healthy, natural and sugar-free pressed juices of P K Coco @ RM14 that's a mixture of pineapple, kale, coconut water and coriander.  I was a little bit on the edge when the drink arrived looking so healthy-green but luckily the predominant taste was pineapple (not kale!)...and it was deliciously invigorating.

And if you're one of those in need of a spot for photo taking, the painted mural at the side of the cafe may just be the spot you need.  There are even more painted murals on the neighbouring walls.

My Personal Opinion

The absolutely scrumptious seafood spaghetti is enticing enough to make me come back just for it (in fact, my friend returned just for that).  Of course, there are lots more to try and I hear the risottos and pizzas are good too.

Charming cafe, unique dishes, reasonable prices, warm service...are some of the other reasons you may want to make a trip here.  So, grab a table at Table 9 and feel right at home with some comfort food that's always fresh, always appetising! ^_~

Table 9 Cafe & Kitchen
21 Jalan Telawi 3
Bangsar Baru
59100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2201 1055

Boxes Cafe @ Sunway Velocity

Even though I don't particularly dig this mall, I can't deny one overwhelming factor in its favour and that's the convenience of it located less than 10 minutes from where we stay.  After our maiden visit and first "makan" (eating) stop at Bentoya, we were back here again, this time for a very late dinner.

We wanted to try Boxes Cafe @ Sunway Velocity as I read about this pop-up container cafe when they were in Bukit Bintang City Centre (BBCC), a cafe amidst the EcoWorld gallery.  I liked what I saw then, so I thought it would a safe choice to eat here.  Now relocated to Sunway Velocity, they have kept with the 'container-style' decor.

It was close to 9pm by the time we got to Boxes Cafe.  A quick glance at the menu showed that they offer some breakfast options, soups, salads, burgers, pasta, chicken wings and waffles.  In fact, the various pasta dishes make up half of their menu with styles like tom yum, carbonara, salted egg and aglio olio...and you don't get a choice on the type of pasta.  I assume there's only one type available since they didn't ask us what we'd like! >_<

We went for pasta obviously, their Soft Shell Crab Salted Egg Pasta @ RM18.90 served with deep-fried soft shell crab (obviously) and linguine tossed in their homemade salted egg sauce topped with a sprinkling of mozzarella cheese (that looked like parmesan to me) and dried parsley.

First of all, the salted egg sauce looked yellowish instead of orangy.  Perhaps it's because they used the whole salted egg and not just the yolk?  That's why they called it salted egg sauce and not salted egg yolk sauce?  I don't know how to describe this salted egg sauce...all I can tell you is that you won't want more mouthfuls of it.  It had this dry yet sticky mouthfeel to it.  It feels like the sauce was made way ahead of time and left to the 'elements' for far too long.  Suffice to say that this dish was left unfinished.  The only saving grace was the edible soft shell crab.

The other pasta dish we tried was the Tomyam Seafood Pasta also @ RM18.90 that came with mussels, prawns and squid rings tossed in their homemade tomyam sauce.  This one was (at least) better than the salted egg sauce.  It had the makings of a tomyam sauce that was quite spicy.

The seafood of mussels and prawns were alright, just not super fresh.  Unfortunately, the first prawn I dug into wasn't cooked all the way through...yikes!  Since the prawns weren't particularly fresh, I decided to send it back to the kitchen.  I don't know why it took so long (it took them a good 5 - 10 minutes) to return with the dish as we were the only table still being served (there was just one other table occupied besides us).  Both the prawns came back neatly arranged (with one mussel as I ate one already before the dish was sent back), so I thought they fired up a new prawn for me.  But when I dug in with my knife and fork, I found the prawn head detached (which was my doing earlier on when I tried to eat the prawn), so I suspect I got back the same prawn! :O  I guess that's why it took so long for the dish to come back....they were trying to re-assemble the prawn!  Double yikes!! >:(

We also ordered a Mushroom Soup @ RM6.90.

As for the drinks, their Cone Coffee @ RM9.90 attracted my curiosity...and from the name, I assume it's coffee in a cone...and that was exactly what it was.  Except you get a waffle cone covered with a layer of melted (but frozen) chocolate on the inside of the cone filled with coffee.  The tiny amount of coffee in the cone (probably as much as an espresso cup) wasn't any good...and, worst still, the coffee was barely lukewarm.  I wasn't expecting the coffee to be hot coz, if it was, it would melt the chocolate inside very quickly...but I was hoping that it would be at least a bit warm.

The Cone Coffee came with a stand to hold the cone in case you need to put it down when you're eating. Unfortunately, they failed to take into account what would happen when you try to put the cone back in its stand once part of it has been drunk and eaten.  It became increasingly difficult to put in and take out the cone from the stand as the cone got shorter and shorter! :P

In the end, it's not worth the money for such a small portion of coffee.  A coffee in a cone may look pretty or instagrammable but neither practical nor tasty! >.<  In fact, the coffee was so difficult to drink that I welcomed the overly sweet melted chocolate to counter the bitterness and acidity.

The Summer Smash Smoothie @ RM11.90 is made up of a sweet concoction of pineapple and orange with some canned pineapple chunks.

And guess what?  When it was time to pay, they got our bills mixed up.  How?  I don't know.....there were only TWO tables of customers!!  I actually paid the other table's bill before realising the mix-up myself...and they subsequently refunded me the difference! >:(

My Personal Opinion

The two pastas dishes that we tried were the very two recommended pastas on their menu.  If their two 'must try' pastas already taste like this, I doubt I'll be bothered to try their other pastas.  Their coffee in a cone is also listed as a 'must try'....well, you know my verdict on that.

Perhaps, their other menu offerings fare better.....but I won't be back to find out! :(

P/S: If this Boxes Cafe is still run by the same people as the one from BBCC, they must have revamped the menu as the dishes (reviewed previously) are very different from the ones here (even similar dishes seem to have been given different names).

Boxes Cafe

4-08 Sunway Velocity Mall

Lingkaran SV

55100 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-9202 6586

Flingstones @ Subang Jaya

After a few satisfying visits in the past (some of which I wrote about here), it was back again to Flingstones @ Subang Jaya for our brunch venue of choice one late Sunday morning with family.  Walking in, the interior looks a bit more cramped than I remembered because it looked as if more tables have been added, so business must be good.

A quick glance at the menu revealed that there hasn't been a major uplift in terms of new dishes in their (now laminated) menu though there has been an uplift in prices in most of the dishes!  All the previous favourites are still there with just a few very minor additions.

Our first order of the morning was the Big Bang Breakfast @ RM28 that came fully-loaded with three strips of pork bacon, a giant sausage, two cooked eggs (scrambled or sunny side up), sauteed mushrooms and cherry tomatoes, two pieces of crispy hash browns (in replacement of the potato rosti previously), baked beans (taken up a notch) cooked with onions, fresh greens and a slice of toast.

Now this big breakfast platter is big on variety...and even bigger on value.  It's built for one-very-hungry person or two-light-eaters can share which will warrant no complaints from any diner.  Absolutely loved the well-browned bacon, perfectly cooked scrambled eggs, sauteed mushrooms and cooked beans.  It still remains as one my top favoured big breakfast platters till today.

Next came the Babi Fried Rice @ RM20 which smelled of fragrant "wok hei" and filled with three types of porkilicious stuff of "chu ya char" (crispy pork lard bits), two long strips of pork bacon and "lap cheong" (Chinese dried sausage) bits.  The only difference was this....my favourite century egg was missing and its place just an ordinary (and cheaper) fried egg...and, worse still, it came with an increased price! >.<

As if there weren't enough carbs for the day, we went for even more carbs with the Porky Fat Rice XL @ RM23 which contained "not too lemak" coconut milk infused carbs (of course) and mama's rempah pork belly with condiments of hard-boiled egg, crispy ikan bilis, kacang, sauteed kangkung, fresh cucumber slices and their signature oink-oink sambal.  Can it hold a candle to (say) the more authentic Malay-style nasi lemak? Certainly not...but, then again, you wouldn't have been able to have it with pork either, so.... ;)

Our final dish of Babi Berempah Pasta @ RM25 is probably one of their new additions as I didn't see it on the menu the last time I was there.  It featured spaghetti served with pork belly berempah topped with tobiko and a side of mango salsa.  

The babi berempah is the exact same one you'd get with the Porky Fat Rice, so I wouldn't label this one as something totally new on the menu but just a variation of what they have.  This time, however, I noticed that the pork belly wasn't quite the thickly cut ones we had previously but a much thinner cut (that was so lean, it didn't even look like pork belly) thereby rendering the meat drier and a little tougher.  No mention was made of the sauce (in the menu) but it tasted something like a spiced up Thousand Island sauce to me.

If you're wondering where's the mango salsa (that was stated in their menu), I was too.  We (unfortunately) didn't get a mango salsa but what I felt was a cheaper alternative of a tomato and onion salsa.  Actually, I'm not an advocate of restaurants changing or substituting an ingredient on the dish (than what was originally listed in the menu) as it makes me feel that I'm getting something inferior or a cheaper alternative.  After all, it's the restaurant's responsibility to get their ingredients prepped (correctly) and ready to go when their doors open and, in this case, mango is not an ingredient that's hard to get, so I don't see why it has to be substituted. Unfortunately, this scenario is nothing new as I've experienced this many times.  If it's an imported ingredient that's difficult to get here, I'd probably be more understanding but I also think restaurants need to learn common courtesy to (at least) let us know, apologise or ask if we'd mind when they plan to replace a certain ingredient.  That way we won't feel like we were 'shortchanged'! >_<

We like the coffees here.....and our usual would be Iced Hazelnut Latte @ RM15 and Iced Latte @ RM13.

My Personal Opinion

I'm glad they've kept up with the taste of the food (the Big Bang Breakfast is still banging) as the place still delivers for us in that respect although there were a couple of dishes (with increased prices) that came with some minor 'enhancements' which I wasn't exactly fond of and weren't necessarily for the better unfortunately (in my opinion).

I guess we can't run away from price hikes as things are getting more expensive by the day.  Overall, the prices here have increased by about 10% - 20% since my last visit.  A consolation, at least, is that this place continues to not charge the 10% + 6% although, if you look at it from another angle, the 16% is now factored into the increased prices already! :P

Flingstones Cafe
24 Jalan SS15/8
47500 Subang Jaya
Selangor
Tel: 03-5879 9468