Antipasti @ Spasso Milano

After hearing BangsarBabe's rave reviews on Spasso Milano, I was compelled to pay the establishment homage, and see what all the fuss was about. And so I travelled, from Bangsar to Ampang with my mummy to try out Spasso Milano's lunchtime antipasto buffet.

Spasso Milano is located at Nihonkan, along Jalan Ampang - very near the Gleneagles Hospital and on the same side of the road as the Great Eastern Mall. Their set lunch consists of an antipasto buffet, along with soup and dessert. The buffet alone is priced at RM 18, though you are entitled to a main course for RM3 extra.

Spasso Milano's interior is minimal yet classy, with contemporary black and white coloured furniture giving the restaurant a chic feel. From the dining area, guests are able to see their food being prepared through a partition separating them from the kitchen. Lunch is not crowded, and is available everyday, apart from Mondays.

Both my mummy and I ordered the set consisting of the Main Course and Buffet. Their Antipasto buffet spread was simple, yet diverse enough for one to enjoy. I kept snapping away at the spread and they didn't seem to mind.

One of the soups on offer was a Cream of Tomato Soup. The soup was light on the tummy, yet simply indulgent. The smooth consistency, lovely colour and comforting taste were pleasing to the palate.

The other soup was a similar type of soup, though flavoured with beef. This slightly spicy soup left a nice, warm feeling down my throat. The Toasted Bread, itself was an item on the buffet spread, accompanied the soups perfectly.

The Grilled Zucchini with Garlic and Olive Oil was a simple, yet exciting dish which took my taste-buds on a journey. The subtle sweetness of the zucchini was followed by sharp hints of garlic, which was later mellowed by the olive oil.

The buffet also included some Potato Croquettes. These are not your average potato chips, as they were amazingly fluffy inside, while retaining their crispness on the outside. I was hooked on these.

Capsicum filled with Minced Meat was a hit with my mum. The sweetness of the capsicum was a perfect accompaniment to the minced meat. It was the simplicity of this dish that made it so captivating.

The Crusted Eggplant with Parmesan was a truly interesting dish. Though the crust was slightly hard, it was a nice combination of flavours and textures. Most importantly, there was a nice balance of flavours.

The Frittatas were certainly a lot better than the ones I've had at other famous establishments such as La Bodega and El Meson, though slightly salty for my taste. However, it is hard to give a frittata it's ideal texture, and Milano got it right.

The Muscles with Tomato Sauce was a hit too…with me. I love mussles, and these mussles with their tomato sauce were refreshing, cooked well, and had no trace of that fishy smell that muscles sometime do.

The Zucchini with Minced Meat and Cheese was a dish, similar to the capsicum, though I personally preferred the capsicum better. This dish was presented beautifully on the spread, and was subtle in taste.

There was also fried fish on the buffet, though I personally felt that the fish was slightly too hard from my liking - though I personally thought that this dish looked visually interesting, due to the unique green-coloured sauce.

Other dishes that were included on the spread were wonderfully cooked Fried Chicken Wings and Italian Meatballs.

For our main course, we were served the Beef Tenderloin. The meat was cooked Medium-well - a perfect choice for this dish - properly cooked through whilst being juicy at the same time. The beef was topped with a tomato-based sauce, and served with some grilled vegetables and deep-fried polenta.

Dessert was provided on the buffet spread. The day's choice included lovely, soft Apple Pie which was scented with cinnamon, giving it a depth of warmth; a tart which was very similar in taste, and an Assortment of Fruit.

We had also ordered ourselves a Latte from the drinks menu, though the fact that it came without foam gave us a bit of a surprise. Nonetheless, the coffee had a lot of body to it, and was a perfect accompaniment to those tarts.

The head chef, Felice Martinelli, came around to ask us about our experience at Spasso Milano. He had also given us a taste of their luscious, silky Panna Cotta with a lovely homemade rhubarb jam, which was simply pure decadence.

On the whole, our experience at Spasso Milano was a great one. And I finally understood why BangsarBabe fell in love with this hidden gem: Good quality and authentic food, value for money, lovely service, wonderful ambiance. I highly recommend you get yourself here and try it when you can.

Presentation: 8/10

Ambiance: 8/10

Service: 8/10

Overall Taste: 8/10

General Impression: 8.5/10

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Cheers,

BrianandRepublic

There's always Plan B

My mother and I often patronise Plan B when in the mood for a quick coffee break. Their reasonably priced, aromatic cups of coffee are the perfect accompaniment with a book, or while watching the world go by.

Though a few days ago, my mum and I decided to try some of the food they had to offer. Plan B is located right next to Starbucks, on the Ground Floor of Bangsar Village, facing Jalan Telawi 1. Do take note, that Plan B is immensely packed at peak hours - so make a reservation or you might be turned away.

You won't have to worry about running dry at Plan B. Each table is provided with a big jar of water, which will keep you going till the end of your meal. Furthermore, despite having a food menu which is 'halal' in nature, they serve alcohol to accompany your food.

My mum ordered herself Moroccan Meatballs with Mint Yoghurt, worth RM15. Though a starter, this dish was big enough a portion to have been considered a main course. The tangy sauce and yoghurt mix was the perfect accompaniment to the large, succulent meatballs and crisp bread.

I ordered myself the Spicy Crabmeat Linguine, worth RM19. The pasta al-dente, and was scented with lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves. Mixed in were pieces of tomato and crabmeat, though not in abundance. The pasta was also dressed with spiced prawn oil, though I could not taste it due to the overpowering scent of the lemongrass and lime leaves.

On the whole, I felt that Plan B did offer some interesting stuff on their menu, and what we had did taste good, though not fantastic. Furthermore, the service was rather slow, and the place was overcrowded. Maybe my mum and I would rather stick to their coffees for now, though feel free to eat there if you wish to try it yourselves.

Presentation: 7/10

Ambiance: 6/10

Service: 5/10

Overall Taste: 7/10

General Impression: 6.5/10

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Cheers,

BrianandRepublic

Petaling Jaya's Thai Corner

My family visits Petaling Jaya once in a blue moon. Two weeks ago, we found ourselves there yet again, after having paid a visit to Assunta Hospital. As we were on our way home, we happened to notice a bright sign that said Thai Corner while driving. We unanimously decided that this would be our restaurant of choice for dinner.

Thai Corner is a quaint Thai restaurant, situated along Jalan Yong Shook Lin, right opposite the MBPJ Office and the Petaling Jaya Civic Hall. The atmosphere was rather simple - not your Basil or Sri Ayutthaya, though the location was seemingly rather dingy during the night. We were served simple peanuts, while waiting for our food.

The first dish to arrive was our Seafood Tom Yam Soup worth RM16. This dish was sufficient enough to feed 4 people, though only my parents ate it due to its immense spiciness. The soup was flavourful and aromatic, though the squid and shrimp were incredibly tough and dry, respectively.

Next to arrive was the Fried Four Angle Bean with Shrimp Paste, worth RM10. This dish was value for money, and the beans were nice and crunchy, with the shrimp paste really bringing out the flavours.

The Steamed Fish with Assam Curry came next. Prices of this dish change, depending on how heavy your fish is. The fish that we had was rather soft and succulent, though the sauce was nothing to shout about, and it lacked the 'twang' that tamarinds have.

We ordered the Thai Green Curry with Chicken, worth RM13. This dish was a complete disappointment. Much of the chicken pieces contained plenty of fat, and the dish seemed rather artificial, to the extent that it may have been coloured by green food colouring. It lacked in any flavour whatsoever, and had a consistency to that of water. Two thumbs down.

The Thai Style Omelette was a disappointment too, as it was simply minced chicken with dark soy sauce, wrapped in a bland, flavourless egg. The portion was rather measly as well. Just as the Green Curry, I did not like this dish either.

On the whole, Thai Corner gives you what you pay for. The prices may be cheap but you forgo ambiance and the quality of food. Fair enough, some of the dishes were good, but if a Thai restaurant is not able to master a signature Thai dish like Green Curry, then you know the restaurant is not one to shout about.

Presentation: 3/10

Ambiance: 4/10

Service: 4/10

Overall Taste: 4/10

General Impression: 4/10

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Cheers,

BrianandRepublic