A playful gastrobar that brings together East and West, embodied by murals of a geisha raising a mug of beer in her grasp and twisting spaghetti on her fork, this new venue is spearheaded by a Malaysian couple who pride themselves on tasty temptations offered at prudent prices, perfect for Subang's SS15 neighbourhood.
Venien's Gastrobar is barely a month old, but its founders have previously run Nyonya eateries elsewhere and rely on their family's generations-old recipes, including Melaka-Style Char Mee, a relatively unique twist on fried noodles with prawns, tossed with a sweet-and-sour sauce and sambal belacan that combine for a mellow savouriness that evokes the comfort of home cooking, with a light nuttiness and lovely tang (RM10.90).
Indeed, Venien's Gastrobar succeeds if you're seeking a hearty meal with soulful Peranakan inflections, from Sambal Udang Petai that's fresh and flavoursome (RM16.90) to Assam Kari Babi Kentang that's fleshy and fragrant (RM14.90), both paired with rice and keropok for a fulfilling lunch or dinner that may conjure nostalgic memories of Mom's kitchen, especially if you grew up in Malacca.
Porcine pleasures also prove popular here: The Grilled Pork Chop might look like a lean and mean slab of meat, but it's juicy and smoky enough to win our affection, completed with carbs of both mashed potatoes and fries (RM15.90), while the Pork Burger boasts a house-made patty with a moist minced texture, decked with bacon, onions and mozzarella for extra layers of lust-worthiness (RM13).
If you're craving even more pork, note that Venien's Gastrobar also serves an extra-special Siew Yuk XXL, a kilogram of roast pork belly in all its glory, at RM58 (book in advance by at least one day, since the siew yuk is prepared to order to ensure crisp, succulent satisfaction).
Round out your feast with the Nachos, loaded with a thick, creamy blanket of cheese plus a bonus of rich cheddar cheese sauce for further dipping - a sure-fire crowd-rouser that comes in a mighty portion that four people can munch on (RM13.90).
For dessert, East and West do unite harmoniously in the Puffy Pandan Pancakes, aromatically paired with grated coconut and a brown sugar sauce, with a scoop of ice cream to placate the young at heart (RM10.90).
Drinks also display flashes of fancy, from creative combos like Wintermelon with Coconut Jelly (RM6), Green Tea Milk with Oreo (RM6.50), and Japanese Roasted Milk Tea with rice crispies (RM7) to cooling classics like the Lemongrass Tea (RM6) and Longan Sea Coconut (RM7.50) - what each has in common is the capability to hit the spot for a reviving, chilled-out treat.
Thanks to Venien's Gastrobar for having us here.
Selected photos in this post are courtesy of Venien's Gastrobar.
40G, Jalan SS15/4C, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor.
Open Sunday-Thursday, 1130am-12am; Friday-Saturday, 1130am-1am. Tel: 03-5612-6880
This feature first appeared on eatdrinkkl.com
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