MORE THAN NORMAL PUB GRUB AT THE BELL & CROWN

 

Sizzling Mutton Tava Biryani (RM35) is not your average pub grub when you step into The Bell & Crown. According to owner Dato’ Vicky A., he included it in as he prefers sitting down to a hot meal as a regular pub goer. When he took over The Bell & Crown, he ensured biryani – one of his favourite dishes – is listed in the menu.

“Our mutton biryani is fast gaining popularity here,” said Dato’ Vicky. “It’s prepared Mumbai-style. First, the mutton is pressure-cooked then roasted slightly. We stir-fry the mutton with ghee, onion and freshly ground Indian spices in an iron skillet until aromatic. Everything is subsequently added to basmati rice and cooked in claypot.”

Served with thick, house-made yoghurt, the spice-scented biryani made our mouths water as we stirred up the fluffy rice. The heady aroma and mildly gamey taste of tender mutton and deeply flavourful rice proved immensely satisfying.

Earlier, our evening started with a bang thanks to some Pigs in Blanket (RM25). The cocktail pork sausages wrapped in bacon were moreish; a splendid complement for my Classic Margarita (RM27).

The shaken concoction of triple sec, tequila and lime was rather potent but I made it last with measured sips throughout the evening. The Bell & Crown serves three glasses of Classic Cocktails at RM78+ thus enabling its patrons to indulge in cocktail hour without breaking the bank.

A good selection of light nibbles and heftier mains, comprising classic Brit pub grub and more Asian-inspired fare is available to keep hunger pangs at bay. We were pleasantly surprised to find Penang Loh Bak (RM22) on the menu. Although the deep-fried rolls came a tad over-fried, we were relieved to find the five spice marinated pork, yam and carrots wrapped in beancurd sheets up to scratch taste-wise.

Another notable appetiser is Chicken 65 (RM22), cooked Mumbai-style. Marinated overnight with ground Indian spices, the bite-size chicken cubes are lightly battered and fried with onion, curry leaves and dried chillies until crisp.

Every morsel we tried titillated our tastebuds with a cornucopia of bright, bold spice accents; an inducement to eat and drink more amidst convivial merriment.

However, the unexpected show-stealer turned out to be the cheesy Chicken Tikka Pizza (RM20). We thoroughly enjoyed partaking the elongated pizza with delectable chunks of tandoori chicken and generous topping of melted mozzarella, parmesan and cheddar.

Those hankering for Bangers, Mash & Beans (RM36) should be happy to know The Bell & Crown proffers a choice of beef, pork, lamb & cranberry or chicken sausages alongside lumpy mashed potatoes and Heinz baked beans. The hearty serving passed muster and was par for the course IMHO.

Décor-wise, the frontage flaunts charming vintage Tudor-style windows and monochrome checkerboard floors. The warmly-lit interior incorporates a long bar, plenty of dark wood trims, cosy booth seats and whitewashed walls adorned with sepia-tone prints and antique lamps.

For reservations at The Bell & Crown, contact tel: 016 964 0786. Address: 34, Lorong Rahim Kajai 14, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.

FESTIVE & NEW CHEF'S SPECIALS AT MEATOLOGY

Single portion Roast Turkey. Mentaiko gratinade Baby Lobster. Flambé Spanish Octopus Tentacle with Fettuccine. Chilli Lime Ribs. These are a mere handful of festive dishes conjured up by Chef Yenni Law and her right hand lady Shelly Saw at Meatology for the upcoming festive celebration.

 

Ever so thoughtful, Chef Yenni is prepared to serve individual servings of Roast Turkey (RM58.80++) for those who hanker for the popular Christmas speciality. Well-brined to ensure its moist juiciness, the delectable offering is accompanied by grape, chestnut and bacon stuffing, giblet gravy and cranberry & rum sauce.

New on the menu but no less luxurious for the festivities is Mentaiko Gratinade Baby Lobster (RM23.80++). In Japanese cooking, mentaiko or cod/pollack roe marinted in chilli pepper and salt is a common ingredient used to flavour salad, noodles, omelette and rice dishes. Here, Chef Yenni used it to gratinate the two halves of baby lobster; giving them an irresisitble umami-packed finish.

Curry leaves add vivid lemon-spice aroma to the Christmas menu’s Lobster Special in the form of creamy rich curry-like sauce. We like the Eastern touch as the sauce packs 'oomph' without stealing the limelight from the lobster. Shimeiji mushrooms lend textural interest to the dish.

Sunday is a good day to visit Meatology if you want to savour the house speciality of Siew Yuk (RM38.80++). The blistery, super-crackling skin and alternating layers of fat and lean pork makes this roast pork an on-point teaser to get the gustatory juices flowing.

Yearning for more pork for thought? The sedaplicious Grilled Cincalok Pork (RM23.80++) will hit the spot with a cold beer or your fave tipple. We guarantee you’d find it hard to stop at just one slice of that scrumptious pork belly marinated with briny preserved krill.

The cheekily named Ladies Lap Cheong (RM18.80++) sounds risqué thanks to its double entendre. Jokes aside, the tender okra turns out to be a match made in culinary heaven with sliced Chinese sausage and crispy fried garlic chips. Unless you happen to be big on tempeh — cooked, slightly fermented and compressed soybean cake, the chef's Tempeh
with Chickpeas, Green Peas and Pea Sprouts (RM13.80++) may just miss the mark. Personally, I love it as the thick fingerling soybean cakes is lightly slicked with sweetish soya-chilli sauce. A filling vegan dish that should leave vegetarians pleased as punch. 

A new house speciality worth getting entangled with is the chef’s creation of Flambé Spanish Octopus Tentacle (RM53.80++). Awash in a rich sauce laden with wild mushroom & a dollop of salmon caviar, the al dente fettuccine trimmed with a fat, springy curl of flambéed Spanish octopus tentacle leaves us singing its praises.

Not one to rest on her laurels, Yenni Law continues to work tirelessly in gaining her fair share of coverage both in the mainstream and social media for Meatology. Her progress as a chef is evident through simple yet inspiring dishes like Truffle Spaghetti (RM35.80++). Break the custard-soft onsen egg into the pasta and your palate will hum with a sensuous symphony of earthy wild mushroom, truffle, kombu (kelp) and white wine accents. What's not to like?

 

You know her local roots are firmly anchored by playful culinary ideas such as her Herbal Seafood Toddy (RM48.80++) — a claypot of prawns, squid, clams, blue mussels and lai fun (laksa) noodles swimming in piping hot herbal and coconut toddy broth. Few seafood fans would eschew the comforting, sweet-boozy soup and its treasure trove of oceanic goodies.

Living up to her restaurant’s name, prime cuts of meat continue remain centrestage at Meatology. Joining the new menu parade are Chilli Lime Ribs (RM48.80++) and Grilled Aged Grain-fed Ribeye (RM35/100g); both notable choices no carnivores can ignore. The former leaves an indelible impression thanks to the piquant marinade while the latter stays true to the back-to-basic maxim.

Fancy fish instead? The chef plans to reel you in with Seared Grouper Fillet with Capers, Butter & Lime (RM48.80++). A substantial chunk, the white fish is perked up by the appetising sourness of capers and chopped hum choi (salted mustard leaves) cloaked in buttery-citrusy sauce.

The art of flambé is one of the highlights of dining at Meatology. Now you can wrap up dinner with aplomb when you order Yorkshire Pudding Flambé (RM32.80++). A dramatic tableside presentation, the dessert comprises a pouffy Yorkshire pudding graced with seasonal fruits (ours had cherries and berries) set alight with liquor in sweet red wine reduction and served with a scoop of ice cream. Heady stuff!

 

Another boozy treat we enjoy thoroughly is the decadent Real Rum & Raisin Pie (RM18.80++) which Chef Yenni dubs as a crust-less pie. Alternatively, opt for the Forbidden Rice Brulee (RM14.80) — French custard with banana and ‘forbidden’ rice with burnt palm sugar topping.

For reservations, please call Meatology, tel: 03-7727 4466. Address: 16, Lorong Rahim Kajai 14, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur. Visit Meatology Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MeatologyKL/