Every neighbourhood deserves a a cosy venue like Cafe Vina, situated across the street from a row of terrace homes, spearheaded by the family who founded Pizza Uno in the 1990s (they've since sold their stake in the Italian restaurants).
Cafe Vina's a welcoming place where customers can linger for hours, admiring the colourful collage of Hollywood film posters & European landscape portraits on these walls while appreciating the menu's melange of everything from Portuguese-inspired bacalao & English-style fish & chips to Penang lor bak & Vietnamese spring rolls.
Cafe Vina's fare feels honest, hearty & home-made; the oven-roasted, sausage-stuffed pork belly proves as satisfying as what Mom might make for her family. Fair value for RM26. Pork shoulder (RM28), ribs (RM38) & knuckle (RM60) are available too.
Don't duck the applewood-smoked duck breast (RM28), moist & meaty, flavourful & fulfilling, well complemented by an orange-cranberry glaze, rocket leaves & roasted potatoes. Or order the duck leg confit (RM28) or duck ragu with fusilli pasta (RM20).
Tapas include pan-fried halloumi cheese with olives (RM13), cheese-baked spinach with bacon (RM14), olive oil prawns (RM14) & fried button mushrooms (RM12) ). We also had much-appreciated bites of Cafe Vina's sausages, which taste terrific.
With the family's pizza heritage, it makes sense to try a pizza here, crowned with choices like mixed sausages (RM20), bacon & pineapple (RM20), anchovies & olives (RM20), spicy salami, chillies & onions (RM20) or prawn, squid & mussels (RM23).
If you're reading this before the close of February, head over for Cafe Vina's CNY lap mei fan (RM25). Setia Alam might seem a distant drive for most of us, but this restaurant is worthwhile if you're looking for an easygoing retreat run by gracious people.
Alas, we had no stomach space remaining for dessert, which spans the likes of upside-down apple cupcakes with ice cream (RM6), crepe suzette (RM11) & tiramisu (RM11) at Cafe Vina. Bring your own wine - the corkage fee is only RM10 per bottle.
Cafe Vina
8 Jalan Setia Indah Y U13/Y, Shah Alam. Open Wednesday-Monday, lunch & dinner. Closed Tuesdays. Tel: 03-3359-6895
8 Jalan Setia Indah Y U13/Y, Shah Alam. Open Wednesday-Monday, lunch & dinner. Closed Tuesdays. Tel: 03-3359-6895
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Sausages to sambal. Muffins to marshmallows. Peanut butter to mango chutney. Cornflake ice cream to honey aloe yogurt. Lavender-laced lemonades to lychee-&-guava juices.
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