Gosh @ Asian Heritage Row

The rapid turnover of clubs at Asian Heritage Row makes us wonder why anyone still takes the risk of opening any more nightspots here.

Hmmmm ... forgot what we actually drank.

Gosh,

Asian Heritage Row.

Cipolla @ Telawi Bangsar

Cipolla's look is a bit unorthodox, with strikingly seductive portraits all over its walls.

This four-year-old Italian restaurant seems to have revamped its menu recently to include non-halal dishes. That sets it apart from its sister outlets, Ciao and Ciccio, as well as its predominantly pork-free neighbours at Jalan Telawi.

The food here might not be extraordinary, but it's hearty and well-prepared.

Beef tenderloin carpaccio with sliced asparagus, avocado, goat cheese & olive oil. A luscious recipe, with top-notch ingredients that combine for a melt-in-the-mouth experience.

Cipolla Pizza, topped with parma ham, buffalo cheese, parmesan flakes, cherry tomatoes & rocket leaves. Not as fantastic as the version at Chiaroscuro, but still a pleasure, with loads of succulent ham spread over crisp, thin dough.

Oven-baked pork belly with rosemary & wild mushroom sauce. Nothing beats siew yoke when it comes to savouring pork belly, but this is still tender, finger-lickin'-good meat.

Tartufo (combo of rum and pistachio gelati, coated with almond & cocoa powder). We've probably been spoiled by Bar Italia's gelato, since no other ice cream comes close.

Tiramisu. Won't win any prizes, but pleasant enough.

Rose wine (Torres De Casta, Spain).

House cocktails: Cipolla (rock melon, vodka martini) & Satu Lagi (aperol, martini rosso, prosecco). The booze content was a little less than expected.

Cipolla,

Jalan Telawi 2, Bangsar Baru.

For Goodness Sake @ Bangsar Village

Boasting a bizarre name, this Bangsar Village outlet specialises in simple Japanese fare _ noodles, yakitori, makis, and of course, shiploads of sake.

The robata-yaki menu is only available for dinner, so it's best to head here in the evening for the restaurant's full selection. But if you need a quick lunch, the remainder of the menu, mainly comprising snacks, soba and salads, should suffice.

Skewers of chicken gizzard, liver, soft bone & meat with apples. Not as satisfying as the stuff at Ri-Yakitori, but very reasonably priced.

Quail eggs, ox tongue & beef with shisho leaves. Much of the meat is too heavily salted; the beef was exquisitely tender and flavourful on its own, but the salt utterly overwhelmed it.

Udon with poached egg and Japanese vinaigrette. On the other hand, this was competently prepared and artfully presented, but too bland to really recommend.

Grilled mackerel. We often avoid mackerel, thinking it tastes too fishy and isn't as tender as cod, for example. But this was brilliant, featuring succulent, irresistibly sweet flesh.

Sweet potatoes with salt and butter. Basic comfort food.

FGS Maki (crab stick, avocado & mayo, wrapped in ao nori and topped with ebiko). Well-executed, with fairly fresh ingredients, but not especially memorable.

House sake helped wash down a meal that coulda been better, coulda been worse.

For Goodness Sake - It's A Noodle Bar,

2F-29, Bangsar Village 2.

Tel: 2287-1566

Lebanese Garden Restaurant @ Ampang

There's not much of a real garden here, but a small fountain cultivates the illusion of being close to nature. The main attraction, however, is the home-cooked fare prepared by the outlet's friendly Middle Eastern owners.

Warak ainab, steamed grape leaves stuffed with rice and veggies. A simple snack that's perfect for whetting the appetite.

Labneh, strained yoghurt with olive oil. The ideal dip for the complimentary warm bread. Not too sour, not too oily.

Moussaka. Soft, healthy-tasting aubergines and tomatoes. Absolute comfort food that tasted amazingly light; we felt like we could have eaten this all evening without feeling full.

Lamb marinated with pomegranate. Tender, meaty and flavoursome.

Lebanese Garden Restaurant,

Lorong Nibong, Off Jalan Ampang.

Tel: 4251-5245

Il Tempio @ Ampang

One of KL's best-looking and most unique Italian restaurants.

Il Tempio's setting is wide open yet strangely intimate, living up to its boast of being a jungle oasis hidden a short drive from the city centre. Service is exemplary.

Both the complimentary bread and amuse bouche of pecorino cheese were perfect appetite-whetters. Interestingly enough, they even gave us separate bread platters.

Pumpkin gnocchi with duck breast confit, leek sauce & thyme. A hearty serving; the subtly sweet pumpkin was a pleasant change from the potatoes that often go into gnocchi. Went well with the chunky, tender duck meat.

Saffron risotto with salmon carpaccio & chives. Not too thrilling; the scent of saffron wasn't potent enough, while the salmon could have been fresher.

Ravioli stuffed with ricotta & spinach, tossed in sage & parmesan sauce. Nice combo; the ravioli was light & fluffy, the stuffing had robust flavours, the sauce was slick & buttery.

Morton Estate Brut, Marlborough.

Il Tempio,

Taman TAR, Ampang.

Fukuharu @ Terrace Hock Choon

Click here for previous review of Fukuharu (June 10, 2009).

A more recent visit to Fukuharu provided a pleasant surprise: they've expanded their menu, with intriguing specials that remain firmly Japanese without fusion twists.

Cod fish roe with mayonnaise sushi. Milky, melt-in-the-mouth roe combined with soft rice and warm, creamy mayo for the ultimate comfort food.

Raw salmon tossed with grated Japanese yam. Generous slices of fresh sashimi were the main attraction in a recipe that might initially seem a bit bland.

Natto tempura. A different way of enjoying natto; this tones down the stickiness and strong flavour that some love and others hate in typical natto dishes.

Flash-seared butterfish with fresh onion ponzu. Well executed, though not as memorable as the other platters.

Grilled Eringi Mushroom. A treat for mushroom lovers, but kinda chewy.

Unagi tempura. Mild-tasting; it's still unmistakably unagi, but not as sweet. Nevertheless, it's a hearty, nicely battered preparation that's worth trying.

House sake washed down a satisfactory dinner.

Fukuharu,

Terrace @ Hock Choon,

Jalan Nibong, Off Jalan Ampang.