Go Gourmet

Go Gourmet: Round Two. Earlier entry: Nov. 4, 2010.

This food delivery service provides plenty of meat to placate carnivorous cravings. For beef-eaters, recommendations include this toasted brown multi-grain sandwich with salted beef, mustard & gherkins. A savory treat, hearty enough for two to share.

Surprise! Pork is available too. Go Gourmet has its own kitchen that whips up its food, but it also offers a small selection from Bangsar's El Meson. The non-halal items are placed in separate bags during delivery _ so non-Muslim customers can enjoy this "Ultimate Pork Burger," featuring a thick, juicy patty sinfully topped with cheese, bacon, mushrooms & caramelized onions.

Lamb steals the spotlight in the Thai massaman curry, a rich but rather oily creation packed with not-too-chewy meat, peanuts & potatoes.

Fowl isn't forgotten. The Chicken Diane is a competently executed version of this classic Western recipe, featuring a thick chunk of chicken breast, pan-fried and topped with mushroom-&-asparagus cream. Kids will probably adore this (though they might ignore all the veggies).

Don't denigrate the duck: this duck rilette linguine with garlic confit & chili was a perfectly prepared Italian pleasure, al dente and all.

Go Gourmet's forte is promptness, with food always arriving within an hour. Can't accuse them of working at a snail's pace, though they do serve escargot. Meaty ones, submerged in an unfortunately cloying cream sauce.

Fans of seafood will find much to savor. For fish, the Madras curry of Spanish mackerel, okra & tomatoes is similar to what an South Indian outlet might concoct.

Michel Chapoutier Domaine Bila-Haut, bought from wineactually.com.

Go Gourmet,

Kuala Lumpur.

Ogawa

The setting seems nondescript, but Ogawa serves a nice range of Japanese recipes, some of which can't be found elsewhere in Mont Kiara.

Tofu onsen tamago, topped with tiny worm-like fish. Squishy; not for the squeamish.

Eihire. Dried fish fins, the perfect bar snack. Less guilt-inducing than tortilla chips.

Anago tempura. Fabulous saltwater eel, blanketed by light, crisp batter.

Hamburg steak. Meaty and tasty enough to make a cranky carnivore tuck in happily.

Oden. A flavorsome stew with a homemade feel, filled with fish cakes, octopus, boiled eggs, konnyaku & radish. Perfect for rainy evenings.

Red wine, white wine; no need for us to whine.

Yikes! We forgot to photograph a plate of momotaro tomato, extravagantly priced at RM20 for a puny portion. But it was one of the sweetest, juiciest tomatoes ever.

Ogawa Japanese Kitchen,

Plaza Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur.

Carmen's Vinothek

Carmen's: Round Two. Earlier entry: June 10, 2010 (seems like a lifetime ago!).

In a boost for our education in wine, Carmen's has been serving tasting sets this year that pair various vintages with cheese & chocolate _ a wonderful way to wrap up a meal. On one recent evening, we chose a particularly creamy combination that comprised camembert, parmigiana & gorgonzola cheese on crunchy crackers.

Venchi handmade Italian chocs: Cremino Giandujato Fondente, Frutatti Mirtillo Sfuso & Tartufo Nocciole Piemonte IGP. All of them go marvelously with mellow wines, which complement both the luscious savoriness of cheese and the luxurious sweetness of chocolate.

Red, red wine, stay close to me _ three varieties, each from distinctly different regions: Dr Martino 327 Vineyards Reserva (Carmenere, Chile), Kaesler Cabernet Sauvignon (Barossa Valley, Australia) & Beringer Clear Lake Zinfandel (Napa Valley, California). Prices for the various tasting sets range between RM98++ to RM118++.

Also check out Carmen's wide range of wines in 25ml tasting portions (one-fifth of a usual glass). This enables us to pay fair prices for small sips of expensive wines that we can't afford by the bottle, such as this Gibbston Valley Gold River Pinot Noir (Queenstown, NZ).

Chateau Picard Cru Bourgeois.

Pianirossi Solus (Maremma, Italy).

An enomatic wine dispenser, also found at Menara Hap Seng's Hakka Republic.

Carmen's Vinothek,

Changkat Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.

Sam's

A cheerful addition to Bukit Damansara's cluster of suburban watering holes. Potentially where you'd wanna go where people know people are all the same, where everybody knows your name. *Cue wistful piano tinkling*

For Cliff, the meat-lovin' mailman: one of the juiciest beef ribs around. So satisfying.

For Norm, the perpetually ravenous house painter: BBQ lamb burger, featuring 150 grams of lean ground lamb spiced with garlic, onions, oregano & tomatoes. The patty could be more succulent, but this is still a nice change from the regular beef, chicken & pork burgers.

For Diane, the waitress who wants to watch her weight: Nicoise salad. Obligatory, ordinary greens to reduce the guilt factor.

Making your way through the world today takes all the booze you've got. For Woody, the cool-cat bartender: Grasshopper (vodka, green de mint, white de cacao, vanilla ice cream, syrup) & Frozen Black Irish (vodka, kahlua, bailey's, vanilla ice cream).

For Carla, the other waitress, who needs something strong after a long night on her feet: Cosmopolitan & Downhill Racer (rum, amaretto, pineapple juice).

Sam's,

25-G, Medan Setia 1,

Plaza Damansara, Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2011-3222

Tenjin

Tenjin: Round Two. Earlier entry: June 6.

Raw tuna with "hot-spring egg." Love it, love it, totally love it.

Half-broiled salmon with anchovy sauce. Nicely executed, with slices of fish that remain raw at the bottom but lightly cooked on top, complemented by a gently savory sauce.

Foie gras chawanmushi. Can't-fail custard, supplying sublime spoonfuls of livery lusciousness. Never settle for plain chawanmushi if possible!

Tuna roll, alongside uni & ikura sushi. No complaints.

Soba with duck breast & mountain veggies. A hearty, heartwarming recipe that might represent the pinnacle of Japanese soul food.

Cold green tea for me, hot for you.

Tenjin Japanese Cuisine,

Grand Millennium Hotel,

Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2143-9399

Scrumptious

This quiet, quirky restaurant _ discreetly nestled within strolling distance of KLCC _ provides a ready refuge from the chaos of the city.

The menu specializes in creative twists, mostly successful ones. The fried rice seems like a typical Chinese recipe at first glance, but it's packed with shredded salmon & Boston lobster in every bite. Texturally dense and aromatically flavorsome, it could be KL's tastiest fried rice.

Pan-fried river patin fish, accompanied by shimeiji mushrooms, tiaw meow & mashed potatoes with teriyaki sauce. Firm, fleshy fish, with scant hint of muddiness.

Duck-&-pomelo pizza. A thin-crust treat, topped with tender meat & fresh fruit. Alternatively, there's a duck-&-pomelo salad available for carb fearers.

Chocolate lava cake with ice cream. Not the best in town, but passable.

Chilled English trifle. Thick, creamy custard, bursting with plump, sweet berries. Delectable, though a dose of sherry would make it even better,

Scrumptious Blended Drinks. On the left: chocolate, vanilla, caramel & Oreo; on the right: coffee, vanilla, macadamia & cream.

The verdict: as long as we order prudently, Scrumptious lives up to its name.

Scrumptious Restaurant,

5, Jalan Liew Weng Chee,

Off Jalan Yap Kwan Seng, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2161-6116