Of Vivo Pizza, Concorde Inn KLIA, and A Syringe?!

Here's more on my KL excursion of sorts .... from the past weekend. Damn I'm still reeling from all the travelling ... yet missing every second of it. Sadistic?

Vivo American Pizza and Panini - Now open for business in Times Square

Before we were 'carted' away to oblivion (read : KLIA) for a good 3 days, we decided to stop by Bukit Bintang area for some grubs. Somehow, painted in our minds was the dreadful prospect of eating pathetic hotel food and trapped in our rooms, and entertained only by endless, tormenting lectures. Yup, it's another one of those 'kursus' thingy ....

Cafe Latte (RM6.80)

Arriving way past our usual lunch hour, we quickly proceeded to hunt for some food. And Vivo situated at the Lower Ground Floor of Times Square was as attractive as light/fire to the moth. Or something like that .....

They exhibit great pride in their coffee, proudly proclaiming its Lavazza's origins. Hence I opted for the frothy, ever-pleasing latte, as I've an aversion to anything with more milk than substance (=P). Hmm, Vivo's coffee may be fragrant, but I still felt something amiss, when my glass of latte though was foamy and frothy with milk, was lacking in the caffeine department.

Iced Mocha (RM7.50)

Tell me the glass of Mocha above does NOT resemble a glass of 3-layered tea (Teh C Special), a popular Sarawak beverage? Shucks .... Now I miss my Teh C Special !!!

Oriental Baked Rice (RM10.90)

Their menu covers mostly pizzas, pastas, salads, some random chops (which I do not put faith in), paninis (Italian toasted sandwich), and baked rice and pasta. I eyed a Chili Icon beside the Oriental Baked Rice, indicating F-I-R-E. Always a good thing to have something spicy for every meal. I highly suspect I might be an Indian/Mexican/Malay in my past life.

Cheesy, creamy and rather filling, the chicken cubes thrown in were not generous, yet the pleasantly fragrant and fluffy butter rice went really well with the spicy sauce. There MIGHT be some mushrooms or such in there, I couldn't be sure. =P

Smoked BBQ Chicken Pizza (RM18.90)

They offer a variety of pizzas, from the meatiest to the bland-est of vegetarian versions. From thick to thin crust, and less or more cheese (+RM4), and etc etc ....

The signature pizza got our attention, a smoked BBQ chicken pizza, 6 big slices of calorie-fied terror, albeit lacking in cheese (oh, so THAT'S why they offer additional cheese top-up for RM4 .... wicked). The smoked chicken was tender but tasteless, the flavour came from the BBQ sauce. The roasted peppers, mushrooms and olives completed the package, a rather fulfilling pizza at a reasonable price.

For a wholesome lunch, but slightly more expensive than the fast food counterparts.

The meal costed RM48 for both of us, a taxing lunch, but rather filling. Will probably return for the pizzas, as they're definitely better than Pizza Hut's. But that's just me.

Location : VIVO TIMES SQUARE @ LG68, Lower Ground Floor, Berjaya Times Square, 1, Jalan Imbi, 55100 Kuala Lumpur. Tel No : 603-2148 9799.

So .... done with lunch, then off to our destination. The REAL one ... No more side trips. =(

Tranquil surrounding eh?

Destination : Concorde Inn, KLIA

Time Span : 3 days, 2 nights

Room : Twin sharing with 2 single beds, and the usual bells and whistles of a 3-star inn.

Guess what's the 'Welcoming Shock of a Door Gift' ?!

Yup, we discovered a capped needle by the window. Fortunately, it's NOT on our beds. Or in the showers. Could not determine whether it was used, or new. But highly suspicious the needle was NOT for diabetic patients' insulin shots.

Geez .... how inviting.

Guess the Gadget

If that was not strange, imagine finding a mosquito repellent gadget at the power supply. Ahem ... fully air-conditioned room and requiring a mosquito repellent?! What's next? Kelambu (mosq nets) and coil?

Now this .... is..... LIFE.

Minor gripes aside, the food at their cafe aptly named Melting Pot Cafe, was simply marvelous. A lot of variety, and they excelled in the quality department as well. Every meal was thoroughly enjoyable. All buffet spreads, and FOC. For us only, of course ... not all guests. =)

And that somehow ... made our stay a step away from mediocrity.

A (Half) Free Meal from Ristorante L'Opera

Overlooking the pathway of Bintang Walk, in between KL Plaza and Lot 10 Shopping Centre, Ristorante L'Opera has gone through a major facelift a year ago

Sporting new looks and a dazzling one at that, Ristorante L'Opera is an Italian fine dining restaurant, situated in the heart of the city. With an adjacent lounge bar, perfect for a drink or two, the restaurant seemed a tad intimidating, had it not for the CIMB Credit Card's Buy-One-Free-Promotion, which ironically, ended on the 31st of October 2008.

Sorry, my posts are all delayed. =P

Beef Involtini (RM60)

The combination of modern decor, and rustic charm, enhanced by the warm, yet delicate ambience, provided a comfortable dining experience, amidst the chaotic rush of Bukit Bintang.

The Buy-One-Free-One promotion refers to any starters, or main courses enlisted under the Chef's Special menu. Not too worry, as the choices are taken from the main menu themselves, not some make-do replicates of REAL dishes.

Bariguole Slipper Lobster (RM60)

Of course, though we were not exactly famished at that moment, after a heavy brunch and all, we still opted for the mains, as such a tantalizing promotion does not come often, I'm afraid. But I could be wrong.

We ordered the Beef Involtini, which is tenderloin stuffed with emmenthal, sage and balsamic sauce, served with crushed potatoes. One can't go wrong when ordering the most tender part of a cow, right? Well, partly true.

The melted emmenthal cheese provided much of the flavour for the lightly salted and grilled beef. The beef itself was good, tender enough to warrant little chewing, and juicy enough to be relished without erm ... juices. The crushed potatoes were slightly too saltish, but provided a contrasting and slightly spicy flavour to the otherwise bland tenderloin cuts.

The other dish (the FREE one) was the Bariguole Slipper Lobster, a crustacean related to the TRUE lobsters, yet smaller in size. Baked with globe artichoke, chateau baby vegetables, and served with saffron potatoes, the chopped bits (yup, you get only ONE slipper lobster's meat, and not an exactly 'well-endowed' one at that) of slipper lobster were thankfully fresh, firm and not dry. But the accompanying saffron potatoes were simply broiled, and bland. And the green peas was not thoroughly thawed. Frozen peas in fine dining?! Ouch.

All in all, a satisfying lunch, sans the dismaying service and the non-attentiveness of the staff. But let's not go there. I'll stop the rants and ramblings now. Still nursing a sore throat and overwhelmed by fever. Damn the weather ... Whoops. ;)

Location : Ground Floor, Piccolo Galleria, 101, Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur. Tel No : 603-2382 0111/603-2382 0222.

PASTA de GOHAN @ Sunway Pyramid - Pasta, Re-Mixed?

I was attracted to Pasta de Gohan ever since others in the blogosphere raved about the countless pastas they serve, and how their outlets in Singapore are performing really well in terms of revenues and popularity. They're known as Pasta de Waraku over the straits though.

Japanese Casual Pasta & Cafe Restaurant - "Casual" is an understatement here.

The past week I was stuck in Sunway Pyramid for 4 straight days, attending a conference at Sunway Convention Centre. Food's provided, but a dismal affair, at best. Once the lunch was so horrible that we went scavenging for food way past lunch hours. And so we ended up at Pasta De Gohan located at Sunway Pyramid's new wing, LG2 level. Next to JCo Donuts & Coffee.

The chic, bright and airy interior of the restaurant

Searching for a cafe serving tea time set was not a stroll in the park. But most outlets serving snacks, be it sweet or savoury, though fit the bill, but we were craving for something substantial (to fill the void in our guts, obviously) yet not of the fast food variety.

Passing by Paste de Gohan, Pancake House International and JCo Donuts (they're all side by side), the choice was downsized to the former two, as the queue for the doughnuts was building up. It was peak hour for them anyway. And browsing at Pasta de Gohan's menu, we were attracted to their value sets served from 2pm til 7pm (I think).

Vanilla Float and Fresh Grapefruit Juice (complimentary with the sets ordered)

It was 2 hours before dinner, hence we shared two sets among the trio of hungry souls. The sets include either a pizza, a doria (rice baked with cheese and mayo sauce), or a gratin (penne baked with cheese), and served with a juice of your choice, or vanilla float.

Prawn & Chicken Gratin - Penne with Wafu Cream Sauce

The portions are not overwhelming, but sufficient for intermittent meals. Baked with lots of creamy cheese and wafu (Japanese dressing) sauce, the penne served was minimal, but the fresh, and succulent shrimps made up for any losses. The tender chicken strips was a nice addition as well.

Doria - Spicy Cod Roe & Potato (Rice with Wafu mentai mayonnaise sauce)

Oozing with cheese; melted, creamy and glorious cheese, the rice baked with potatoes and spicy cod roe could be a meal on its own. The spicy cod roes provided much of the flavour, slightly spicy and saltish, topping the bland baked potatoes, and complemented perfectly by the creamy cheese melting onto the rice with wafu sauce. A perfect combination, if there ever was one.

The Gratin set was priced at RM13.80, while the Doria set was RM12.80. The selection of pasta at Pasta de Gohan is mind-boggling. I did not bother to count, but there were at least 50 types of pasta cooked with any methods imaginable. Fusion, hybrid, un-original (or original), or whatever the detractors may say, one can NEVER be bored with the endless selections here.

Location : PASTA de GOHAN @ LG2.126A, Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall, 3, Jln PJS 11/15, Bandar Sunway, 46150 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Tel : 603-5621 8166

Here's some fusion-ized pasta-lovers : kampungboycitygal, Christine, masak-masak, & Ai Wei

An Italian Experience @ SSTC (Spaghetti Sweet Tea Cafe)

Italian restaurants in Ipoh are limited to either Italia Mia in Sunway, Tambun, or the trio of Pizza Hut outlets. And the latter's not really fine dining, no? :)

SSTC - Spaghetti Sweet Tea Cafe @ Medan Ipoh Bistari, Ipoh

I've read about this particular cafe way back then, when they started business a year or two ago, at Greentown Nova. Subsequently they relocated to this current premise at the new row of shoplots near to Tesco in Medan Ipoh Bistari, Ipoh Garden East. But what's keeping me so long from giving this restaurant a try? Hmm, let's see ... the lack of publicity and rave reviews from friends and acquaintances for one, and paired with the prospect of fine dining in a relatively-unknown restaurant was holding me back.

The clean and minimalist interior exudes a sense of warmth, and homely feeling

Out of ideas on where for lunch on a weekend, we found ourselves driving in circles around Jusco/Tesco. Bumped into this cafe, AGAIN (Serai Sate Kajang is situated a few doors away), hence shortlisted our options to either McD Drive-Thru, Kizuna (which is nearby as well), SSTC (Spaghetti Sweet Tea Cafe), or satay for lunch. And why not go Italian? :)

Pictures of the chef's mentor, celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck from Las Vegas and Martin Yan of Yan Can Cook fame

The place was miserably empty on a Saturday's afternoon. We had our doubts, but still trusted our instincts. And the screaming hunger pangs kinda let rationality bypass our brains.

The attentive and cheerful staff were perky and proceeded to serve us with such gusto, explaining the items on the menu and their specialities, as well as giving me a rundown of the restaurant's history in one breath. OK, so I exaggerated, but she was really informative in more ways than one.

Seems the chef learnt from his mentor in Las Vegas, a celebrity chef by the name of Wolfgang Puck, supposedly a Michelin Guide's 3 Stars chef, the highest accolade one can achieve in the kitchen. I meant, recognition of his work in the kitchen. (=P) Gee, at least that was reaffirming.

Panini - Italian Sandwich (RM12)

The menu's simple, separated into various categories, ranging from several categories of spaghetti (normal-160g (smaller serving), special-200g (regular serving), and signature ones), risotto, soups, salads and sandwiches, as well as desserts. No lasagne and pizzas, as she claimed those are "fast food", and deviate from their principle of serving ONLY fresh food from the freshest of ingredients.

We picked the Panini as an appetizer, listed in the "Herbed" segment. Panini is a type of Italian sandwich, made from ciabatta bread, and toasted with fillings of ham, cheese and rocket leaves (Arugula). Served with sides of fresh lettuce drizzled with a tangy, citrusy lemon dressing, the sandwich fared well in our books, the soft bread lightly buttered and highlighted by the creamy, melted cheese and ham. Quite a portion, and sufficient for light eaters.

Turkey Ham Spaghetti with White Sauce (RM20)

But the best dish that afternoon went to their pasta. The spaghetti was supposedly from the best quality batches produced by Barilla, a world's leading pasta manufacturer. And glad to say, SSTC cooked them to perfection, al dente, and did not skimp on the portion nor the ingredients. Though the turkey ham slices may be slightly saltish (expected from cured meat), the addition of fresh rocket leaves lent the pasta a refreshing, mint-y flavour, and off-set the creamy, "guilt-inducing" white sauce. Btw, you can opt for other sauces such as tomato paste, brown sauce, and Asian brown sauce (spicy).

Chicken Risotto in Brown Sauce (RM20)

With no pizzas or lasagnes in sight, I was torn between the risottos or the grilled meats. I was rather apprehensive when it comes to risotto, as Italiannie's version was a letdown, too soggy and lacking in flavour and texture. But still, after the waitress reassured me that they had feedback from customers, stating that they did not wish for soft, squishy and soggy risottos. Hence, she proceeded to explain how good risottos should NOT be too soft or overcooked, and must retain the rice's (usually Arborio) natural flavour and texture. SSTC import their grains from Milan, Italy, or so it seems.

And I was pleased to bite into the plump, rounded & short rice, each grain providing a slightly firmer bite and yet remained creamy enough to be differentiated from local produce. The accompanying chicken in brown sauce was nothing to shout about however. Should've gone for the seafood risotto in white sauce instead.

Tiramisu (RM15)

Desserts selection comprises of three items, the Chocolate Cream Cake, Rice Pudding or the perennial Italian favourite, Tiramisu. No Creme Brulee though, a French dessert of egg custard with caramelized sugar, one of my favourite sweet treats of all time. I love anything with eggs, mind you. LOL.

Tiramisu's their signature, as in the case with most fine dining restaurants, especially Italian ones. The creamy, light and spongy Tiramisu at SSTC was rather delightful, but I'd prefer mine with the coffee syrup laden with heavier alcoholic tone, like Suchan's version. Or with a twist, with creamier mascarpone cheese and served in a cup.

Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, they serve Set Lunches @ RM17 from Wed-Fri.

Overall, a rather pleasant dining experience. And the friendly yet classy ambience was akin to fine dining, but not as strict as to impose dress code on its patrons. I was there in short pants and slippers. Hehe .... A disgrace, I know. But there's always redemption in future visits.

Location : Spaghetti Sweet Tea Cafe @ 19A, Jalan Medan Ipoh 1E, Medan Ipoh Bistari, 31400 Ipoh, Malaysia. Tel : 05-5488832. Same row with Serai Sate Kajang, refer that post for directions.

Capri Italian Cuisine @ Lumut, and Ayer Tawar's Gong Pian

Do you realise the recent dearth in outstation posts? As in food from Perak's rural areas, outskirts, smaller towns, undeveloped lands, etc .... ? Don't we all LURVE some authentic, home-style cooking, that's not only cheap, but filling?

That's a real ship out there ... wonder what's the purpose though

Last week, work took us to Manjung district, from Ayer Tawar to Seri Manjung, and then towards Sitiawan and finally Lumut. All within a span of few hours. We are workaholics, don't "pray pray" .... =P

Italian cuisine in LUMUT?!

Lumut is a small town to the south of Perak, on the western side. Previously overshadowed by Pangkor Island, the famous tourist destination in Perak, Lumut has been developing well, with a sleek and modern port, and a water front resembling Johor Bahru's Danga Bay.

Memories of visiting Lumut in the past revealed a few notable gems, particularly the nasi kandar, and walking around town, savouring the sights and sounds.

Bistro style dining, with a bar and bottles of liquor on display

Once our work was done, the sight of a new restaurant/cafe at a backlane was enticing, and with my favourite Italian fare all printed on the awning, FCOE and Tall Gal were dragged (willingly, I might add) to an early lunch at CAPRI Restaurant (Ristorante-cum-Bar-cum-Pizzeria).

Lemon Juice @ RM6

Still reeling from the heavy breakfast, we opted for something lighter, to prevent from being bloated and floating off like balloons. The Lemon Juice had a very faint hint of citrus-y lemon fragrance, slightly fizzy, but not tangy enough. And marred by the lack of sweetness, the drink was far from satisfactory.

Salmon Fettucine @ RM21

There were more than 10 types of pasta on the menu, and the one that caught my attention was the Salmon Fettucine. Probably stemming from my Italiannie's experience, fettucine with salmon in creamy tomato sauce sounded too heavenly to resist.

But major mistake was made. Or maybe I set my expectations too high. The pasta was far from al dente, slightly soggy, and the sauce was short of creamy. Cubes of salmon were thankfully present, but the non-existence of tomatoes somehow spoiled the overall experience.

Pizza Marinara @ RM29

A whopping 16 varieties of pizzas were enlisted on the menu, and making a decision was tough. But FCOE being a non-beef eater somewhat made things easier. So, seafood's the way to go.

Prawns, Squids, Mussels. And with some eenie-weenie bits of cheese and tomato paste. That was all to it. From the appearance alone, you can judge the sparsely added ingredients. You can even count the prawns (all 4 of them), the squids (pitiful 5-6 pieces) and mussels (less than 6), and the very thin layer of mozzarella rendered the cheesy (or rather, the lack of) experience less than stellar. The dough was tough, rather than light and chewy. Gee, I'd stick to my Pizza Hut if REAL Italian pizzas are like this one.

Tabasco sauce was not enough to save the pizza, therefore we requested for extra parmesan shavings. And guess what? Shavings' all we got. On a small plate. With a small spoon, probably masquerading as caviar on a plate? Never realised parmesan's THAT exclusive.

Tiramisu @ RM11

Fortunately, all's not lost. The dessert came in the form of Tiramisu, perennial Italian dessert, bound to satiate that sweet tooth's cravings. Soft, fluffy, with a hint of liquor, the cake was served with a dollop of fresh cream on the side. No idea what it was doing there, but the addition of the spoonfuls of cream to the tiramisu neutralized the bitterness tone. Though not among the best out there, but still bearable, after the abyssmal mains.

Total damage for 3 = RM73.70, including 5% service charge and 5% gov tax. Will we return? NOPE, definitely. Muahaha ...

Location : CAPRI @ 4174, Jalan Sultan Idris Shah, 32200 Lumut, Perak. Tel : 05-683 3112.

Another round of Gong Pian?

Remember I raved bout Sitiawan's Gong Pian? Seems Ayer Tawar also has its own following.

The abundance of sesame seeds on the biscuits @ RM1 each

Of course, if you're eating these biscuits, preferably, have them HOT from the oven. When cold, the biscuits are tough, and chewy. I chose the ones with pork and onions, at only RM1 each. In comparison, I'd say a step below Sitiawan's version.

Ching Chin Koi @ Ayer Tawar

Location : Ching Chin Koi Restaurant @ 249, Main Road, Ayer Tawar, Perak. They were selling these in the evenings, so go for them in the afternoon-evenings I guess?

Izzi Restaurant - Citibank 65% Discount

Izzi Restaurant - The building's architecture and design definitely stood out among the shops along Jln Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur

Still on KL posts, this time my two cents' worth on a casual dining chain all the way from Indonesia, simply named Izzi. There are already two branches in Malaysia, one on Jalan Sultan Ismail, right smack in the middle of the city, while another in Damansara Uptown, Petaling Jaya.

Izzi is a restaurant/cafe/bistro serving a variety of food, from Asian delights to pizzas and pastas, as well as Western-influenced dishes such as Caesar's salad, and steak tenderloin. Currently, they are on a roll, heavily slashing prices off their menu specially for Citibank card holders, up to 65% for dine-in, take away or delivery, and purchases above RM100 (food only, no drinks or desserts).

Bruschetta - Baked Pizza Dough with Fresh Tomato Red Onion, Basil and Pesto Sauce ( RM10.80, >>> RM3.78)

I myself am not a Citibank credit card holder, therefore I dragged a pitiful (and willing) soul along. Yup, somebody with the aforementioned card, and willing to stuff oneself crazy (orders up to RM100+) and not lament about it. Muahaha .....

Ordering was a breeze, as in contrast to most outings, this time, we HAVE TO order the most expensive dishes, throwing caution to the wind, all the while calculating the amount ordered so that the total exceeds RM100. How cool is that? =)

The Bruschetta I had in mind was the one with baguette type of bread, toasted well and served with some salsa toppings, or cheese, or bacon and whatnots. But the one served here utilises pizza dough, with toppings of sour and tangy relish comprising of tomato/basil/pesto sauce. The dough was baked, not toasted, therefore slightly chewy, but the sauce was good. But we did not manage to finish the whole portion, as stuffing one's stomach with bread before the mains just did not sound appealing, no?

BBQ Chicken Salad - Variety of greens with BBQ chicken, drizzled with Izzi Ranch Dressing (RM19.80 >>> RM6.93)

Though I was tempted to skip all appetizers and go with the meat (the carnivore in me in full form that particular day), somehow the salad selection looked tempting, with Greek salad, Caesar's salad, Grilled chicken salad and BBQ Chicken salad being listed.

We chose the BBQ Chicken Salad, as Rule 101 = Choosing the recommended item, listed way up high on the menu, somehow decreases the possibility of ordering something lacklustre.

Aiya ... Mediocre only. The ranch dressing sauce did not seem to complement the salad well, though the hearty portion made up for it. Devouring the tortilla strip, romaine lettuce strips, corn riblet and mozzarella cheese suddenly made me felt less guilt on over-indulging. Hehe ....

Spicy Italian Sausage Linguine - Linguine pasta tossed with red/green peppers, Italian lamb sausage, with Italian herbs paste (RM22.80 >>> RM7.98)

The Spicy Italian Sausage Linguine is deemed a new item on the menu, and the prospect of linguine with peppers, onions and Italian LAMB sausages sounded like a winner, no? Truthfully, how often do you find lamb sausages being served? However, the dish was a disappointment, the pasta not cooked al dente, and the lamb sausages slices were a tad too saltish to my liking.

(Beef n' Izzi Pizza - Smoked beef, salami, spicy beef, Italian sausage, with Izzi spicy sauce RM34.80 >>> RM12.18)

Sigh, after an onslaught of meagre offerings, Izzi redeemed herself once the pizza was served. Generously garnished with various types of beef, and sausages, the pizza was a tantalising treat to the senses. They serve pizzas in two sizes, regular (6") and large (8"). The regular portion was sufficient for two, eight slices of cheesy (albeit slightly oily) goodness, with yummy beef salami and smoked beef, smothered with spicy Izzi sauce, quite alike BBQ dressing. I had the lion's share, all 5 pieces in succession. ;)

Deep fried calamari with Bangkok sauce and Izzi dressing sauce (RM16.80 >>> RM5.88)

The waiter missed our order of the deep fried calamari, and had to be reminded not once, not twice but THRICE. Imagine waiting for an appetizer/snack after the mains had been polished off. But we patiently awaited, keeping our fingers crossed for a snack so common, it's typically hard to cook this wrong. Or we assumed.

After about 10 minutes of wait (post-mains), the snacks arrived. All 8-9 pieces of soggy, salty, and utter-disgraceful squid rings. C'mon?! Even Malay warung or Mamak outlets can fry these better. Wondering what the "Bangkok sauce" was? It's the Thai Chilli sauce. Nothing more, nothing less. We were struggling to finish the whole plate. And yet, we did not succeed.

The meal came to around RM40 after discount. Very, very reasonable, considering the portions were all large enough to serve at least 3 pax. They serve set lunches weekdays, for RM12.99, you get a starter, a main, and a dessert. Perfect for a quick lunch, if you're working around the area. They provide valet parking service for customers as well.

The Citibank 65% discount offer is valid until the end of August 2008. Do drop by before the promotion ends in less than a month.

Location : Izzi Restaurant @ 44-2A, 44-3A, 44-4AJln. Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.

Delivery No: 1-300-88-5555, Reservation : 03-2141 5808, Events/Functions No: 03-2141 4111.

Website : http://izzipizza.com/my/

For other takes on Izzi : 3 Meals, masak-masak, Honey Star, Pasankia

Italiannie's @ The Curve, KL

Italian food posting back to back. Right after the slight disappointment of Italia Mia, 5 days later (hence, launching Food Tour Part 1), we were warped to The Curve. Hehe ... Initially we thought of trying The Apartment, but after the episode of being rudely brushed away by the usher guy, we changed our minds, and proceeded to Italiannie's instead. Muahaha ... :)

Deep-fried Calamari Salad (RM25.90)

As soon as we were seated, we were served with the usual freshly baked bread and dipping of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. We finishe everything while browsing the menu. Hehe ... Like hungry ghosts. We ordered one dish each, BAD choice, as I had wanted to try their desserts and planned to leave some space for them.

Tall Guy's Calamari Salad arrived first, and the portion is humongous! Definitely meant for sharing, there were heaps after heaps of croutons (?), aka the bread crumbs, vegetables, artichokes, olives, and of course, fried squid rings. We drizzled some more olive oil, (haha, free one ma, nvm) and the salad was fresh and crunchy, though the calamari rings were slightly soggy. But still, a very nice appetizer.

Salmon Fettucine (RM35.90)

Ms L's salmon fettucine arrived next, complete with chunks of salmon. One taste and all of us were hooked! So cheesy, and delicious, this dish is one of the best pasta I've ever tasted. Though laden with calories (aiya, work them off later lo), the amazing fettucine was cooked just right, not too soft or soggy, and retaining the bounciness of the noodle. And the chunks of salmon .... I am salivating at the thought now... =P

Seafood Cioppino (RM33.90)

Initially Ms M ordered Lasagne, but it was not available, thus, changed her order to Seafood Cioppino, a mixed stew of seafood with fresh tomatoes in wine sauce. Or so it seems. The mussels, prawns, and squids were VERY fresh and sweet. However, I found the gravy to be too watery, and at the end of the meal, the pasta soaked up all the sauces, resulting in wet and soggy noodles. But the portion was, again, HUGE.

Seafood Risotto (RM30.90)

Ordered their Risotto, which is a dish of rice (in this case, they used Arborio variety) cooked in broth, a famous Italian way of cooking rice. The amount of seafood accompanying this dish was worth the price alone. Sweet succulent mussels! Firm and springy prawns! The rice was too soft for my liking though. Could not manage to finish the whole dish.

For drinks (no pics, sorry) I had the Iced Cafe Latte (RM7.90), Tall Guy had Lemonade (RM7.50), Ms L had Tropic Sunshine (RM8.90) while Ms M had Ripe Mango Shake (RM8.50). None particularly stood out though. They provide free flow of plain water, in case you're wondering.

In the end, everyone was stuffed full to the brim, and we cancelled the idea of ordering desserts. Shucks ... Maybe next time though. (which had taken place a month after this, and even blogged about already, hehe). A very satisfactory meal, and the bill totalled RM183.30, including 5% gov tax and 10% service charge. Well worth the price paid for the quality, quantity, and sheer pleasure from indulging in the food.

Location : Lot G75/76 at The Street section of The Curve shopping mall, Mutiara Damansara.

Ristorante Italia Mia @ Sunway City, Ipoh

Very old photos. Considered old la, cz these were taken during Chinese New Year period, this year. Amazingly, we chose to have Italian meal during CNY. And on the 1st day of CNY as well.

Heard bout this Italian restaurants for some time. Some good reviews, some bad. But everyone mentioned bout the price. Hmm, we'll see. (Btw, sorry bout the quality of the photos. In case you think they're taken with my 5610, you're wrong. It was my fren's Sony Cybershot T70, and clearly, snapping in low light condition revealed its weaknesses. Hmm, Canon or Sony? When will I ever decide on a REAL digicam instead of handphone? Sigh ... )

Pollo Boscaida (aka Chicken Breast in Cheese and Wine sauce) RM34.65

The ambience is cozy, romantic (the owner lighted up a candle for every table seated, so sweet), and comfortable. But due to the low lighting, the photos turned up blurry and dark. Or probably we have not discover indoor low light function. Not really really hungry, we took our sweet time studying the menu. Mostly meat and spaghetti, it was funny they do not serve pizzas. Or do they? hehe... so long liao, how to remember? =P

Seafood Spaghetti RM35.75

I ordered the chicken in wine and cheese sauce, served with ham slices. Half expecting Friday's size, I was sorely disappointed as the chicken breast meat was such a small piece. Tastewise? Pretty average. Not too dry, being chicken breast, but the accompanying sauce was a bit too salty for my liking. The sides of boiled vegetables and roasted potatoes were forgettable.

Ms L ordered the seafood spaghetti, GOOD choice, as it came fully 'furnished' with succulent prawns, mussels, and squids, and the spaghetti was cooked pretty well, retaining the firm texture of the noodle, and braised with a light sauce infused with the sweetness of the seafood.

Saltin Bocca (Pork Fillets in Wine sauce, cheese and ham) RM34.65

Tall Guy ordered Saltin Bocca, my 1st choice, for the sake of irritating me I supposed. That was why I changed my order to the chicken. However, the pork fillets were even MORE salty, haha, but pretty delicious with Marsala wine sauce and ham. Oh, and he finished his mashed potatoes without even allowing us to taste. Hmm, supposedly not bad...

Tiramisu RM17.50

We were prepared to order 2 desserts to share, but the Creme Brulee was out-of-stock, hehe ... egg custard also takde? Therefore we had to be content with a slice of tiramisu. At RM17.50 per slice, it was pricey, far more expensive than the ones in Italiannies and Delicious. Fluffy and soft, the cake was pretty satisfactory, but the cheese layer was pretty mild tasting and not as creamy as I would like.

(Mini) Creme Brulee ... on the house! ;)

Hey! Guess what? The boss was nice enough to offer us a substitute, seeing our hungry drooling faces. A 'mini' version of creme brulee, hopefully not leftovers. Somebody flamed the sugar layer and it was good to go. The egg custard was lovely, melt in mouth texture, but the caramel layer was too thick and sweet. Definitely prefer the Italiannies' version.

The bill arrived at RM140.95. Pretty pricey for dainty portions, but the quality of the food was pretty well controlled. Still, at that amount, we would've stuffed ourselves silly at Italiannies. ;)

Location : 10, Persiaran SC1 2/1, Sunway City Ipoh, 31150 Ipoh. To be precise, it is located at the row of colourful shophouses, right outside of Giant Hypermarket in Tambun.