Savory Bistro

Where's the beef? Mont Kiara now has a well-hidden steakhouse that opened this month, offering a romantic retreat with a verdant view of this condo-crazy territory.

We were temporarily tempted by the menu's selection of sandwiches, tapas & pastas, but eventually elected to stick to steaks for this visit. The sight of this 220-gram rib-eye, glistening in its protein-packed glory, assured us that we were in safe hands.

Tenderloin (also 220 grams). Being scatterbrained, we forgot to find out what kind of beef was offered, though the friendly service team mentioned it was U.S.-bred. And being butterfingered, we've already misplaced our receipts, but the steaks here seemed modestly priced.

The tenderloin was our favorite cut; every forkful was impeccably prepared, providing all the bleeding juiciness that carnivores could hope to sink their teeth into.

Prime rib (400 grams), with mashed potatoes, asparagus & chunky fries. Savory Bistro boasts excellent opening hours: 8am-midnight daily (last orders at 11pm). Our only quibble: we're not fans of the outlet's name, but that truly is a trivial matter.

Morande Pionero Merlot, a reasonable house-pouring for about RM15 a glass.

Morande Pionero Chardonnay. A little white wine won't hurt.

Reservations are recommended, since the restaurant barely fits 60 diners. The alfresco balcony was bustling on a Friday night (these photos were taken after most customers had left), so those might be the tables to target.

Savory Bistro,

The Fare, 10 Mont Kiara, Jalan Kiara 1, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-6211-5100

Hanare

Hanare: Round Seven. Earlier entries: Feb. 2, Feb. 6, Feb. 8, Feb 10, Feb. 24 & July 1.

Here are more items from Hanare's recently revised menu. We loved the assorted fish cakes, flown in from Tsukiji market. These offered a firm but succulent bite, filled with more flavor compared to regular Chinese-style fish cakes.

Sashimi salad with ponzu sauce. Brimming with the freshest of raw fish available at any Japanese restaurant in KL; no substandard ingredients here.

Wasabi leaves. These lack the spicy pungency of wasabi root, but they make up for it with a refreshingly herbaceous flavor and a fascinating texture _ a cross between celery & spinach.

Hokkaido corn. Very nice; mildly sweet and delicately juicy.

Mentaiko maniacs should adore this potato teppanyaki with spicy cod roe. Absolute comfort food, thanks to the mouthwatering mix of buttery carbs & gooey cheese.

Also marvelous: mentaiko-stuffed omelet. If you think you'll like this, you will (for sure).

Hanare,

Ground Floor, The Intermark,

Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2164-2133

Essence

It was a festival of Indian flavors recently at Essence ...

... with marvelously aromatic recipes like lamb rack tandoori ...

... cottage cheese marinated with saffron & ginger garlic paste ...

... chicken breast, marinated with cashew, cheese & cardamom ...

... Goan fish curry ...

... pakora bhajia ...

... gosht chatinad (lamb cooked with peppercorn) ...

... chicken pakora ...

... pani puri ...

... all of which went well with carb-filled recipes like hyderabab chicken briyani ...

... butter & sesame naan ...

... and crunchy papadum!

For RM128++, a free flow of reasonably fine wine was available. The Indian food promo has ended, but Essence still serves booze-optional buffets every evening.

Earlier entry on Essence: June 25, 2010.

Essence,

Sheraton Imperial Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

Leonardo's

Back to Leonardo's. Earlier entries: Feb. 2, '09; Feb. 19, '09; Aug. 19, '09, Apr. 23, '11.

Each meal at Leonardo's is guaranteed to be a sinful one, thanks to fat-filled, calorie-laden concoctions such as this Kentucky Fried Frog. Crisp and piping-hot, with lots of tender flesh beneath the batter. But flavor-wise, it could have used a secret recipe of herbs and spices.

Chicken liver & bacon pate, with spiced orange peel marmalade & grilled herb foccacia crisp. One of the best pates in town. Rich, smooth and fabulously flavorful.

"Reverse Sandwiches." A unique creation, featuring bread rolls wrapped in jamon serrano ham & mozzarella cheese. Nothing short of a diet-destroyer.

Still on the starters, since there's so much to choose from. This salad of piquillo peppers stuffed with minced Iberico pork & doused with truffle oil is some kind of miracle. It's everything we hoped it would be.

But not every dish here is awesome. The Hokkien Mee is decently done, packed with prawns & pork liver, but the 'wok hei' element seems absent.

Roasted baby lamb leg. Hearty and tender, sufficient for two to share; the meat might be a tad too gamy for some customers, but lamb-lovers will relish every mouthful.

What's sin without a little sweetness? Leo's Tiramisu fits the bill, laced with red wine.

Waffles with Nutella, butter, Manuka honey & Haagen Dazs vanilla ice cream.

Duke & Duchess (kahlua, baileys, grand marnier, chocolate sauce) & Longan Martini.

Oxford Landing Shiraz (Australia) & Frontera Merlot (Chile).

Nederburg Cabernet Sauvignon (South Africa) & Trio Reserva Cab Sauv (Chile).

Leonardo's,

Jalan Bangkung, Bangsar.

Click here for online reservations.

This restaurant is available for bookings under TABLEAPP, which enables customers to make instant reservations at Malaysia's top restaurants, while saving time and money in the process. Reserve your table at this restaurant by clicking here.

Hanare

Hanare recently revamped its menu, compelling us to return to see what's fresh.

Earlier entries on Hanare: Feb. 2, Feb. 6, Feb. 8, Feb 10 & Feb. 24.

Marinated tuna intestines. Pungently salty and slimy. Loved it!

Chilled bean curd from Kyoto. The tofu produced in this historic city is legendary, thanks partly to its use of underground spring water. Tastes like a cross between regular tofu & panna cotta, with a luscious, lip-smacking creaminess.

Sunomono mori (seafood in chef's vinaigrette). A savory substitute for sashimi.

Baked crab meat on toast, very richly topped, Reminiscent of bruschetta, though without the Italian herbs & tomatoes, of course.

Salt & lemon-sprinkled scallop, snapper & cuttlefish sushi. Since our last visit, a dedicated sushi chef has arrived to whip up these deliciously delicate creations.

Seared toro, kampachi & salmon sushi. Never a bad or mediocre meal here. We were pressed for time to sample more, but we'll be back soon.

Hanare,

Ground Floor, The Intermark,

Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2164-2133