Revisit: Iberico Kitchen @ Ara Damansara

We had a celebration in the family and I was asked to suggest a place and since I loved the food and the picturesque surroundings (in the afternoon) the last time I was here (and vowed to return then), I knew it would look even more impressive and beautiful at night.

So, with my extended family of ten in tow, I found myself returning to Iberico Kitchen @ Ara Damansara once again, this time for dinner.

We got down to ordering our drinks and I remembered The Cleanser @ RM12.90 I had the last time was so good, I ordered that immediately.  [#Note: In fact, half the table went with this drink while others had Watermelon Juice @ RM12.90, Hot Lemongrass with Honey @ RM7.90, Iced Lemongrass with Honey @ RM8.90 & Iced Lemon Tea @ RM7.90.]  This drink is a mixture of blended pineapple chunks with fresh thyme and a squeeze of lemon.  The drink was still good...just not as good as what I had the first time (even a friend who revisited thought so too).  The taste of the fresh pineapple and fragrant thyme leaves didn't come through as much (even at first sip) as it was filled with too much ice that diluted the taste.

Some of us ordered starters of soups.  This was the Pumpkin Spices Soup @ RM10 made from roasted pumpkin with nutmeg and vegetable stock served with a slice of garlic herbed baguette.  The soup was not as thick but still jam packed with flavour.  I actually prefer my soups with a thinner consistency as I don't quite like those with an almost puree-like texture.

And this was the Wild Infused Mushroom Soup @ RM11 made from fresh sautéed mushrooms and house-made mushroom stock and also served with a piece of garlic herbed baguette.  Again, it's not the overly thick type and less creamier than some I've had before but the tiny chunks of mushroom give you a bit more of a bite.

Iberico Meatballs Special @ RM29 (which I already tried on my previous visit)

The best dish I had here the last time was none other than their speciality...their signature Iberico ribs.  Three family members ordered the Original Iberico Spare Ribs (Qtr Rack) @ RM11 per 100g.  So, depending on the size and weight of the ribs, the three ribs platters cost RM58.30, RM50.60 and RM39.60 (pity whoever got the smallest one).

The quarter rack comes with one side dish (and two for half and full racks).  I noticed that the choices of side dish have been streamlined to just five (but still offering enough choices) and they're pineapple salsa, house salad, mashed potatoes, paprika fries and pilaf rice.  Two of the rib dishes came with pineapple salsa and one with pilaf rice.

Although the ribs I had last time were honey glazed, which was slightly sweeter and had a darker caramelisation, the highly marbled original ribs were just as outstanding...so juicy and fully flavoured.  The marbled meat (which contain healthy mono-saturated fats high in oleic acid that's good for you) with a melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness received an all round 'thumbs up' for the dish of the night!

The Aglio Olio @ RM29 (spaghetti with sliced Iberico Collar which I've had before)

The Carbonara @ RM29 (creamy pasta with pan-seared Iberico Collar which I didn't taste)

One family member had the Iberico Collar on Mashed Potatoes @ RM37 served with a side of grilled vegetables.  The Iberico collar slices were tender and juicy with a bit of fat running through it.  The mashed potatoes were very palatable as well...nice and smooth.

Next up were a couple of new dishes which weren't on the menu when I last ate here.  I went with the Iberico Shoulder Loin Special @ RM58 served with mashed potatoes, mushrooms and a mixed salad.  The mushrooms were nicely sautéed and the bits of fried garlic on top added flavour (except they were a bit heavy handed with the salt this time).

For this particular dish, you'd be asked as to how you want your shoulder loin cooked and I asked for medium rare.  It arrived perfectly cooked with a very pinkish centre, and a nice sear on the outside...and was absolutely tender and juicy.  Because this is premium pork, having it medium rare is not a problem.  The brown sauce was a great accompaniment to the loin slices.

Two family members chose the Iberico Pork Chop @ RM49 served with mashed potatoes and salad.  The pork chop had a great sear on the outside with a truly fragrant flavour.  As the pork chop was a lean cut, the meat wasn't exceptionally tender but had a bit of a bite (as expected) but wasn't chewy.  This was served with the same brown sauce as the shoulder loin and turned out to be my next favourite dish after the ribs.

Another surprise hit was the Iberico Collar Signature Fried Rice @ RM29 served with fried egg, boiled vegetables of cauliflower and broccoli with a side of sambal.  I think fried rice would be the last thing anyone would order but it turned out to be surprisingly good.  The rice fried with bits of fragrant and crunchy iberico collar, long beans, carrot and egg had good "wok hei" (breath of the wok) that proved to be flavoursome and delicious to the last grain of rice.

We ended our meal with two orders of dessert (the only two on the menu), the Chocolate Fondant @ RM15 (served with a scoop, that looked more like a glob :D, of vanilla ice cream)......

.....and Crema Catalana also @ RM15 (served with a watermelon salsa).  Let's just say both missed the mark and leave it at that! >.<  After all, desserts aren't their forte!  Having said that, I think it would be better to just leave them out from the menu as you surely wouldn't want your customers' last impression of your restaurant to be that...kekeke! ;D

I was surprised that Wilson (the owner) still remembered me from my previous visit 6 months ago (he said, "yeah, of course I remember you, you're the food blogger").  Wilson is experimenting with the idea of introducing a third flavour for his ribs.  He's always innovating and I read that he's also planning to create an Iberico bak kut teh dish, so expect to see more in the months ahead. 

After dinner, take a stroll around Oasis Square to walk off your dinner and, at the same time, take in the beautiful and serene night view of the place.  There's also an abundance of other food options here.

My Personal Opinion

They have successfully maintained their excellent standards and taste of their food.  Of late, we've seen prices going up but not the other way round and I was pleasantly surprised to see a reduction in prices of some of their menu items which augurs well for us.  So, what better time than now to visit or revisit those awesome ribs.....a must-order when you come here.

As I would prefer to feature other (or new) places on my blog, I seldom revisit places I've blogged about but Iberico Kitchen is not one of them...the exceptional premium Iberico pork will always draw me back! ;)

Update: Iberico Kitchen has since relocated to No 107-G Jalan SS2/24, 47300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Iberico Kitchen
Block D Unit D-G-07 Oasis Square
Jalan PJU 1A/7A Ara Damansara
47301 Petaling Jaya
Selangor
Tel: 03-7859 9296

Once Upon a Miao.....

Noooooo......this is not another post about my cat!  It's a post of another cat!!  P/S: Hope my cat is not jealous! :D  I came across a recent newspaper article about this lovable, adorable, cute looking cat......

........created by a local author by the name of Jian Goh who hails from Kuching, Sarawak.  I must admit, I've never heard of him just like I've never heard of Boey, author of the 'When I was a kid' series, initially too.

 

This is a snapshot of him from the newspapers.  Who is he?  Well, he's the creator of the Miao&WafuPafu comic strip blog at www.akiraceo.com.

 

I was suprised to find out that he studied engineering, graduated and worked as an engineer for 4 years before giving it all up to pursue (or shall I say continue with) his passion as a comic blogger and finally realising his dream of publishing his comic blog book.  You can read all about the man behind Miao&WafuPafu in an interview by theborneopost or visit his Facebook Page.

 

He has just launched his new book, 'Once Upon a Miao', also a graphic novel along the same lines as 'When I was a kid'.  As a cat lover myself, the book title resonated with me....and no, the book is not about a cat. 

I got my copy from MPH @ RM34.90 (similarly priced as 'When I was a kid' series).  The book is also about the same length as Boey's books, slightly less than 200 pages, but with a better paper quality and in colour.

 

Main characters from his book

 

The similarities don't stop there!  'Once Upon a Miao' showcases stories of his childhood memories growing up in Kuching, Sarawak and his dreams as a child much like Boey's stories of his childhood growing up in Johor Bahru, Johor.  Again, these are stories we can easily relate to because we went through some of them ourselves.

 

Heck, the author even references Kolok Mee, Tomato Mee and Sarawak Laksa in some of his stories, a testimony of his roots. 

 

More characters from his book

 

I love to read comic blog books and 'Once Upon a Miao' makes for fun and light reading....just not as entertaining (or as amusing) as Boey's 'When I was a kid' series...but still endearing and appealing.  I just find Jian's stories a bit more 'kiddy' in nature.  But then, his book can be 'safely' read by people (especially children) of all ages as the humour is 'very clean' unlike Boey's comic books where some parts need 'censoring' as they're not that suitable for young children! ;)

For those who want to get their copy of the book autographed, there's a possibility that he may be having a meet and greet session in October in KL (probably 17th @ Mid Valley), so check his Facebook page for further updates.

 

RM34.90 is a small sum to pay to support our local authors.  So, if you like reading childhood stories, go and get this comic book (for yourself or your children) from a bookstore near you. 

It may be a bit kiddie-like....but there's a child in all us.....so, happy reading, boys and girls!!

Update:  For those of you who want to get your book autographed or attend the meet-up session, Jian Goh's "Kanjiong Booktalk" will be held in MPH Mid Valley, KL on 17 Oct 2015 (3.30 - 4.30pm) and MPH The Spring, Kuching on 21 Nov 2015 (3 - 4 pm).
 

Lorong Seratus Tahun @ SS2 PJ

Who haven't heard of the famous Penang Curry Mee of Lorong Seratus Tahun (LST) with its humble beginnings as a hawker stall in Penang, right?  For KLites who never got to taste the original in Penang or want a taste of that curry mee, they've a few outlets here in Klang Valley. 

 

Although I'm aware that they've been in KL for quite a few years now, I never went to try it until recently.  So, on a Sunday morning, we finally made our way to Restoran Lorong Seratus Tahun @ SS2 PJ.  The outlets here don't just sell Penang curry mee, they have a host of other (supposedly) authentic Penang cuisine to offer as well.

 

Of course, the first thing I wanted was the LST Curry Mee (+ Meehoon) @ RM9.90 which came with prawns, cuttlefish, "see hum" (blood cockles) and "tau fu pok" (bean curd puffs).  Portion wise, it was quite a generous bowl of noodles and would certainly make a fulfilling meal.

 

Since this is Penang-style curry mee, you'd expect the broth to be thin and light in coconut milk with a slight seafood sweetness (not the creamy laksa with savoury chicken broth variant of our KL ones).  On its own, it won't do anything for you...you have to add on the homemade chilli paste to give the broth the extra oomph!  The chilli paste here is very dark (almost black) in colour, so I added in a bit just to gauge the spiciness level (what you see in the picture is just 1/3 of what I ended up putting in).

 

There were a few prawns (maybe 3 or 4), some slices of cuttlefish and a fair amount of bean curd puffs.  What I didn't like was that the fresh cockles were really puny in size (can you spot them?)...and I love my cockles plump and squirting with blood!  Also missing in a bowl of authentic Penang curry mee was the coagulated pig's blood but since they went pork free, we have to do without it I suppose.

 

My mother-in-law had the Prawn Mee (+ Meehoon) @ RM9.90 which contained prawns, fish cake slices, hard boiled egg, bean sprouts, kangkung and fried shallots.  She seemed to like it.  I had a taste of it and thought it was alright since it was predominantly a seafood broth (can't ask for too much when the soup is not made with pork bones).  The broth was slightly sweet coz she didn't spice it up with the chilli paste provided.  But, then again, there's plenty of other better prawn mee out there.

 

Some Penang favourites they offer include Assam Laksa, Fried Koay Teow, Koay Teow Th'ng (Soup), Fried Chee Cheong Fun, Nyonya Laksa, Fried Mee Mamak, Rojak, Otak-Otak, Pie Tee and many others.

 

My son went with the Sambal Fish Rice @ R12.90, a simple dish of plain rice with a piece of fried fish, egg and sambal.  I don't know what fish that was (probably frozen dory) but, at least, the fish didn't taste fishy or stale.  I did enjoy the sambal which had a predominant fragrant kaffir lime leaf taste.

My husband had the Sambal Chicken Chop Rice @ RM12.90 which was exactly the same as the previous dish (sambal bowl not in the pic) except for the piece of fried chicken.  The fried chicken was decent, fragrant and crispy on the outside and still fairly tender on the inside.

I also ordered the Chicken Lor Bak (Set) @ RM13.90 that featured crispy bean curd skin, fried tofu, "lor bak" (marinated minced meat roll), century eggs with pickled ginger and served with two dipping sauces.

 

The lor bak wasn't too greasy but, what can I say, it's chicken lor bak...it'll never be as good as those made with minced pork.  As for the century eggs (which we both love to eat), let's say it wasn't the creamiest I've eaten and they were quite stingy with the pickled ginger too.  My mother-in-law was kind enough to leave me two pieces of the century egg....but without any ginger! ;D

 

I also ordered the Sago Gula Melaka @ RM5.90 and it arrived with the gula melaka already poured in.  In this day and age when all of us have a different sweet tolerance level, I would have thought that they would be smart enough to serve it separately.  If you're not diabetic yet, eating this may turn you into one instantly! 

 

Not only was it insanely sweet, the sago pearls were cooked until they were an overly soft and mushy blob.  My spouse had to painstakingly finish this one for me.

 

My Personal Opinion

 

The food here wouldn't impress a Penangite....in fact, it wouldn't even impress a non-Penangite like me.  The food is tolerable at best but I suppose I can give some leeway since it's pork-free (or maybe that's why, since it went pork-free, it doesn't taste as good?).  But the place do have its customers, like someone said...you just need to let them think that the food is from Penang and they'll go gaga over it.

I recently saw this place nominated on Time Out KL Food Awards 2015 for Best Char Kway Teow but I didn't try this dish when I was here, so I don't know if it was any good but, judging from the other food I had here, this would probably be an 'insane' choice!

 

As I've never eaten the original Lorong Seratus Tahun Penang Curry Mee, I don't know how this one compares.  Let's just say I won't be rushing back anytime soon!

 

Restoran Lorong Seratus Tahun

No 56 Jalan SS2/66

47300 Petaling Jaya

Selangor

Tel: 03-7865 8577

 

La Mexicana @ Bangsar

After an absolutely mind-blowing totally awesome authentic Spanish meal at Ohla Tapas & Cocktails recently, my friend and I thought that if we could love Spanish food that much, we could love Mexican too. 

 

So, feeling a bit more adventurous, we were game to try some Mexican food which The Yum List recommended as authentic Mexican cuisine.  We ventured to their newly opened outlet, La Mexicana @ Bangsar, for dinner one evening (their first outpost is at Ampang's The Terrace @ Hock Choon).

Stepping into the restaurant, you'll be greeted with a burst of bright contrasting colours of yellow, orange, bright pink and blue from the walls (featuring intricate heart-shaped mirrors) to the bar, floor tiles, hand-painted tables and chairs and even the napkins which give the place a happy and vibrant feel.

Settling down, we took our time to browse through the menu as we were in unfamiliar territory.  As I'm not a fan of cheese, we basically steered clear of dishes that have cheese in them.  It's usual to start off a meal here with "antojitos" (little cravings) and this is probably one of the best known snacks in any Mexican restaurant....the Guacamole "La Mexicana" @ RM25 served with homemade tortilla chips.  The tortilla chips were slightly thick, very crispy with a good aroma and taste of corn.

Guacamole is traditionally made with mashing ripe avocados with sea salt (by hand) in a mortar and pestle (in fact, it was served in a cute little mortar).  I think this one had some tomatoes, onions (maybe garlic) and lime juice added.  The guacamole was creamy and luscious...and utterly addictive when eaten with the crispy corn chips.  You can taste the freshness of the guacamole and know that it was freshly made to order....we thoroughly enjoyed this!

Our next little craving for sharing was the Ceviche "Acapulco" @ RM25 served with the same crispy corn chips.  Ceviche is basically a dish of raw fish (or seafood) marinated in lime or lemon juice and it's the citrus juices that 'cook' the raw fish, so freshness of the produce will be key.

The cubes of marinated fish, with chopped tomatoes, onions, coriander and olives, were fresh and firm in a relish that had the right amount of fresh and tangy flavours.  Just scoop a spoonful of the ceviche onto a crispy corn chip and put that into your mouth...it was zesty, it was crunchy, it was simply delicious!

For our mains, we stayed with a more familiar route and what could be more Mexican than the traditional Mexican dish of tacos which is made up of a corn or wheat tortilla folded or rolled with a filling.  Tacos are probably the most eaten food in Mexico as they're widely available in Mexico from street vendors to restaurants.  La Mexicana offers a few varieties of filling such as beef, pork, chicken, seafood, vegetables and cheese.

I read somewhere that if pork taco is available on the menu, one should not miss that and, so, we went with an order of Tacos "Campechanos" @ RM24 which came with three handmade corn tortillas stuffed with pork "Carnitas" a La Mexicana served with "Chicharron" (pork crackling) and "Salsa Roja" (or red sauce usually made with tomatoes, chilli peppers, onion, garlic and coriander).

The pork crackling that I envisaged turned out to be quite different from the one served.  The pork crackling in these pork tacos looked like minced floss and wasn't very crispy either.  I don't know if it's the shredded pork itself or something in the shredded pork that didn't sit well with us.  Let's just say we took one bite.....and that was it!  And let's just say I'll leave it at that!
 

Our other order of Tacos "Ensenada" @ RM24 featuring two wheat tortilla tacos filled with tempura style fish and coleslaw served with 'Salsa Verde' (or green sauce made with tomatillos that look a bit similar to green tomatoes) turned out a lot better. 

The tempura fried fish was crispy on the outside and soft and flaky on the inside with a creamy coleslaw.  A squeeze of lime and some salsa verde on it and you're good to go.  What could go wrong with simple fried fish and coleslaw, right?  It was 'familiar' and alright in terms of taste but nothing 'wow' about it.

We finished with a traditional Spanish dessert of Churros @ RM20 served with a dipping sauce of Cajeta (burnt milk caramel).  These are supposed to be deep fried dough pastry treats.

But these turned out to be pretty dense although they were crispy.  My first impression when I saw the dish was how much a darker shade of brown the churros were compared to the nicely golden ones I saw on The Yum List's blog.

And what made it worse was that the churros were so heavily dusted with cinnamon sugar it was difficult to eat.  Luckily there were only three pieces...and, luckily, we spilled one of our drinks on it....so, we didn't need to finish them.  I can't believe I just said that coz I actually love churros!

Our drinks for the evening were these non-alcoholic drinks.

The Horchata @ RM12 is a traditional rice milk based drink served with a sprinkle of cinnamon.  I wasn't in love with this drink though my friend found it alright.

The Agua de Jamaica also @ RM12 which is actually fresh roselle (hibiscus) flower juice.  This beverage has a slightly tart, berry-like flavour and sweetened with sugar.  If I had to describe it in one word...it would be....Ribena!  It does taste freakishly similar to Ribena, only better and made fresh, of course.

And here's a peek at the bar, I think you know where I'm going with this....

We can't very well walk out of a Mexican restaurant without trying at least one margarita, right?  It's the quintessential drink of Mexico consisting of tequila, triple sec (which may be reduced or eliminated entirely when sweeter fruit juices are added) and lime juice served with salt on the rim of the glass.

Passion Fruit Margarita @ RM35

 

This Passion Fruit Magarita was freaking awesome.  It was citrusy in taste more than it was intoxicating, much like a refreshing thirst quencher.  This was probably due to the passion fruit juice added into the mix.  This was the drink we spilled on the churros....we were happy....for the churros.....but sad...for the margarita T_T 

.

The margarita was so good, we just had to have another.  I didn't know that I would love it so much coz my previous memory of having margarita (only once) was not memorable.  The tequila was so strong, I had to bite on a wedge of lime to cut out the taste (that one was served 'straight up' or without ice unlike the ones here that were served shaken with ice and 'on the rocks').  So, you can imagine how pleasantly surprised I was to find that margaritas can be so darn delicious.

 

Dragon Fruit Margarita @ RM35

 

The Dragon Fruit Margarita was just as amazing (just that I preferred the passion fruit one a wee bit more).  I think their margaritas taste so good because their fruit mixes are made fresh daily with the perfect balance of tequila to juice.

La Mexicana also offers the classic, tamarind and roselle variations and even a version of frozen margarita (blended with ice).  So, there's bound to be one that'll fulfill your fancy....I think I can down all five!! ;D

My Personal Opinion

The food I wasn't loving as much but the reviews on this place are mostly positive, so don't take my word for it as this was my first try of authentic Mexican food...what do I know!  Try it out for yourselves coz I'm sure they stay true to authentic Mexican flavours for those who love this cuisine...it's just not for me.....maybe it doesn't suit my Malaysian palate or maybe I don't know how to appreciate Mexican food.

Having said that, I did enjoy the guacamole and ceviche...those were absolutely great.  And what's even greater....the margaritas!!  Couldn't you tell?  Since I devoted 1/3 of my photos just to the margaritas....kekeke! ;)  And they're served in the cutest looking glass (ever!) that resembles an inverted sombrero.

Well, they say it's the best margarita in town...and I can't say I agree (coz I've not drank enough margaritas to say that..heehee) but it certainly was a darn good one.  I definitely wouldn't mind coming back for more margaritas!  I'm licking my lips just thinking about them.  Now you know where to go if you have a margarita urge....cheers everyone!

La Mexicana
No 12 Jalan Telawi 5
Bangsar Baru
59100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2201 7155