Recently in Fine dining Category

Jarrod & Rawlins is the self-dubbed "Purveyors of fine food & wine" and I decided to check out the place by virtue of a single sign:



Jarrod & Rawlins serves pork and is a restaurant, deli, café and bar all rolled into one. Contrary to popular belief, it's not an English establishment, but a homegrown operation with the first outlet in Desa Sri Hartamas.



I went to the one in 1U with my girlfriend to sample their renowned Sizzling Mix Platter. I have to admit that the tantalizingly placed RM 50 for 5 bottles of Heineken promotion at the entrance was another factor in our chosen destination for lunch.



Jarrod & Rawlins is physically partitioned into two dining experiences - there is seating at the front with a café/deli environment and another section to the back called simply "The Pub", with a more relaxed ambiance. There is a delicatessen serving a wide range of cold cuts and cheeses as well as a pastry counter with offerings of the flaky and puffy variety.



I ended up drinking most of the Heineken since Doris opted to go for the orange juice instead so I estimate that's about 1.7 kg of appetite ruining liquid down the hatch during lunch. I should have gone for the imported beers instead and have a more reasonable amount instead of bloating myself with all that amber fluid.



Steak Sandwich (RM 28)
This is the steak sandwich that I ordered with everything on. They have optional onions and butter for the more health conscious ones amongst us, a fraternity that I've never been part of. ;)



You can also choose how you like your steak - I had it medium rare, which most establishments mess up, but Jarrod & Rawlins knows what medium rare is. I can't say that I enjoyed the steak sandwich though, it's a little plain and on the bland side, not adjectives you use to describe good food.



Sizzling Mix Platter (RM 38)
Mixed platter of caramelized ribs, dynamite chili, chorizo, pork belly and streaky bacon served with fries, corn on the cob, asparagus, semi sun dried tomatoes and black pepper or onion gravy in a proper sauce dish on the side.



This is the signature dish of Jarrod & Rawlins and it did not disappoint. There is a wide range of pork offerings and it came sizzling hot. It literally sizzles for about a minute or so due to the hot platter it was served on.



The Sizzling Mix Platter came in a generous portion that took an almost gargantuan effort on our part to finish. I love the spicy pork sausage in this dish - it's not just mildly spicy, it's Head for the Hills (to milk the cows) hot. Highly recommended!



Jarrod & Rawlins is a great place for a hearty lunch. I recommend the Sizzling Mix Platter if you're feeling particularly famished and there are other menu items to cater for the more health conscious ones amongst us.



The bill came up to a total of RM 147.20. It's not cheap but you could probably shave the bill to a little under RM 100 if you don't order alcohol.

Palacio Restaurant & Lounge is located at the prestigious Asian Heritage Row district in Jalan Doraisamy. Palacio means Palace in Latin and the establishment serves a fusion of Southern French and Spanish cuisine. I went there with my girlfriend to celebrate her (very substantial) salary increase. I promised to buy her dinner with just the two of us, which was a bit tricky to arrange since I had meet-ups with a lot of people during the short trip there.



Asian Heritage Row is a quaint lane that somehow organized itself into a place renowned for its fine dining, nightlife and entertainment. The history behind the establishment of the dilapidated shop houses along Jalan Doraisamy into a one of the trendiest strips in KL is very interesting transformation that I was fortunately privy to, having worked in KL when it was first proposed and built.



Palacio is divided into three (3) distinct dining experiences - there is an al fresco area in the Palacio front garden, a laid-back cozy arrangement on the ground floor and a fine dining area on the first floor. I wanted to go up to the first floor, but the air-conditioning has not brought the temperature down to a comfortable level yet so we settled with the ground floor ambiance.



The seating arrangements at the ground floor is warm and inviting, with lots of wood fittings. There is a lounge at the side for a more relaxed social gathering. The place serves beer at very reasonable prices - it's RM 35 per jug for local draft beef during Happy Hour. The service is impeccable too - the waiters are very attentive and attuned to your every whim and fancy.



There is a wall motif running along the length of the Palacio that is almost holographic, due to the ingenious placement of lighting fixtures. The length of the ground floor is bordered by a long couch with regular chairs on the opposite side of the tables. The effective use of mirrors increase the spatial perception of the size of the restaurant - it's a common interior design technique to make a place "look" bigger.



Foie Gras (RM 48)
This is served with tempura asparagus, caramelized onions and mango chutney on a toasted baguette slice. Palacio is a French and Spanish cuisine establishment and this is one of the specialties of the house. It has multi-cultural influences, and this dish turned out to be a great fusion of unique flavors.



The foie gras (duck/goose liver) is tender and comes in a single, intact portion. This French delicacy literally bursts with juicy goodness with every bite. Highly recommended, despite the price and small serving size. I could eat the entire thing in a single mouthful!



Cinnamon Black Cod (RM 40)
The Cinnamon Black Cod is served with sides of sweet mashed potato, mango mojo, citrus cabbage and red capsicum sauce. The "mango mojo" is the sauce and goes surprisingly well with the cinnamon marinated cod. The black cod was excellent, maintaining the natural moisture of the aquatic creature inside. It certainly hasn't lost its mojo. ;)



The portion is a little on the small side though, but I guess "fine dining" is synonymous with tiny portions for the more refined diners amongst us. Doris thought it was just right, but she doesn't eat much and cannot be used as an accurate gauge for the appetites of regular diners.



Braised Lamb Shank (RM 40)
I had the more reasonably portioned braised lamb shank for the main dish. It's served with tomato and grape chutney, mashed potatoes and rosemary sauce. The serving is indeed quite large (even for my standards) - a full lamb shank smack dab in the middle of your plate with rosemary sauce and tiny mushrooms.



The braised lamb shank is delicious and the meat turned out so tender, it practically falls apart from the bone with the slightest gesture of the fork. ;)

Palacio Restaurant and Lounge also serves beer-based drinks I dubbed "beertails". Beertails instead of cocktails. I was elated at the fit of inspiration where I thought I had coined the term, but a quick Google search revealed that the word has been around for quite a while. :(



Palacio Beer (RM 20) is the green beer which is a cocktail (beertail) of Midori, Malibu and beer. The Bloody Beer (RM 15) is a beertail made with watermelon liquor and a shot of Absolut Raspberri. It tastes good, but it's definitely not a drink for beer aficionados and purists from the Holy Trinity of Hop, Malt and Barley Church.



We finished off with a dessert of Palacio's Mississippi Mud Pie (RM 15) - a sinful concoction of chocolate cake, cream and ice cream. The Mississippi Mud Pie came piping hot and the contrast with the cold ice cream is a match made in heaven!



Palacio is a great place for a casual dinner at the Asian Heritage Row. The foie gras was memorable, the beertails interesting, and the service impeccable. The bill came up to a total of RM 244.95 which is not very expensive for the occasional indulgence. The Palace is located at:

Palacio Restaurant & Lounge
Asian Heritage Row
Jalan Doraisamy,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

La Bodega in Bangsar is supposedly the first authentic Spanish tapas bar in Malaysia. I went there on my final night in KL to celebrate my RRMA win. The ambience in Bangsar was as lively as usual, despite it being a Sunday night.

La Bodega tapas y vinos is a bistro restaurant that serves their flagship tapas as well as other Spanish cuisine.

The interior is nicely designed, with bar style seating arrangements around the bar, and tables on the side.

The walls of La Bodega are covered with B&W pictures, showing life, as it were. I liked it a lot. There's also something very interesting, if you look up...

The top of La Bodega in Bangsar is custom fitted with a wine rack! There are literally bottles of wine hanging on top of you. Nice!

We placed our orders and I got a bottle of champagne to celebrate, but they were out, and the attendant recommended Torres Grand Coronas Cabernet Sauvignon, which was okay with me, coz I like red wine.

We ordered from the hot tapas and raciones menu as well as from the paella menu. The photo above shows the various tapas that we ordered. It all tasted good, the sauces were soaked up well by the bread.

Pollo al ajillo (Chicken sauteed in olive oil, garlic and parsley)

Chuletas de cordero a la parrilla (Grilled lamb cutlets gratinated with garlic mayonnaise)

Albondigas "Saint Climent" (Lamb meatballs in a rich brandy sauce)

This is the main meal - Paella Valenciana mixta. It's prawns, chicken, mussels and clams cooked in a paella with saffron, peppers, peas and rice.

Here's a photo of it with flash. This dish requires a minimum of two people and a 30 minute wait, but that wasn't a problem with us as we all had this for the main.

This is what it looks like after it's mixed. It's counted per person, at RM 18, so if there's four in your group, the dish is RM 72.

Here's a clearer photo, with flash. It's surprisingly filling and they were generous with the ingredients. It tasted wonderful.

This is a group shot of us at La Bodega in Bangsar. L-R: Alice, Richard, Louisa, Huai Bin (me). The bill came up to about RM 300, but it's worth it. Good food, highly recommended!