Home is where the mushroom mini-tart is: somewhere in TTDI, a family has opened its house to friends & strangers, all eager to eat pastries perfected by matriarch Jennifer Palencia.
The concept is fuss-free: call to make a booking & come here for tea, Tuesdays through Fridays, 3pm-6pm. As you step in, the the air will probably be filled with the florid sounds of jazz & the fresh scent of butter & herbs.
A complete tea-time set should set customers back by RM50, but it might be filling enough that they'll skip dinner. Offerings change from week to week, but savories start the ball rolling _ maybe little quiches & beef balls, warm & aromatic.
Mushroom tartlets. Jennifer's a self-taught chef _ reminiscent of Huck at Huck's Cafe in how their passion & prowess for cooking shine through their food. Guests know they're in for a treat _ no shortcuts, no second-rate ingredients.
Spaghetti bolognese sounds like a cliche, but a version like Jen's reminds us that it's really a delicious recipe that's fun to gobble up, especially when the ragu is this fragrantly seasoned.
Hitting the sweet spot: lemon meringues, light but luscious, with a straight-from-the-oven feel.
Mini pavlova. On other weeks, teatime temptations at Jen's might comprise raisin scones, pistachio mille-feuille, cheese sticks, marshmallow meringues & pecan pie with creme fraiche. You never know what you're gonna get!
Saving the best for last: classic French-style puff pastries conclude our tea _ crisp, flaky ones, topped with rich, super-smooth creme chantilly & strawberries.
Creme patisserie with vanilla hazelnut praline cream. We swallow, we swoon.
Tea & coffee. That is all, that is enough.
Jen does dinners too, but for larger groups & only a couple of times a month. Expect hearty European fare like roast lamb, lemon-cooked salmon with onion rings & baked eggplant with Parmesan & tomatoes. Dinners cost RM150 per person; bring your own bottle.
Jen's Underground Supper Club,
Taman Tun Dr Ismail.
Tel: 03-7728-7909