Showing posts with label bistro. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bistro. Show all posts

Friday, March 10, 2023

GOOD EATS WITH HIGH SPIRITS AT D’ATAS BISTRO

Lunch started with a dramatic flair on our maiden visit to the newly opened D’Atas Bistro. Presented in a smoking cloche, the signature D’Atas Whisky Sour (RM40) left us smitten with its tangy, boozy taste with a tinge of smoky peat.

It was a captivating twist to the classic cocktail of John Jameson whiskey, fresh lemon juice, gula melaka syrup and Angostura bitters crowned with frothy egg white and a dried orange slice.

Ladies will adore Fly with Chan (RM38) – an Insta-worthy tipple of shaken gin, raspberry puree, limoncello, lavender syrup, lemon juice and egg white prettied up with edible flowers.


Teetotallers can seek solace in Curry Mama (RM18) – a creamy curry leaf-scented mocktail of coconut milk, coconut puree, and lime juice, with a topping of pineapple juice. Such an inventive and invigorating drink.


D’Atas (literally a contraction of Damansara Uptown in Malay) also serves Toddy (RM12 per glass, RM60 per bottle) – local palm wine sourced and tapped from the restaurant’s own palm trees in Nilai. This rare albeit delightful find tasted mildly sweet and fizzy with faint whiffs of fermented rice.

A refreshing tweak comes in the form of Connor’s Draught Stout & Toddy (RM16). It should go down well with those who prefer to have the palm wine tempering the stout’s inherent bitterness.

 

Made with butter roasted mushroom, the unctuous Cream of Mushroom (RM18) is one of the curtain-raisers here. Overall, I thought it was too peppery but hey, you should be the judge and jury of this popular mainstay.

Smoky and tender Grilled Lamb Skewers (RM20) drizzled with mint-mayo sauce got the thumbs up; the delectably moreish bites, well-spiced and on-point. Hardly surprising then it’s chalked up as one of D’Atas’ crowd-pleasers.
Instead of ho-hum tomato or mushroom bruschetta, D’Atas updates this appetiser with an Asian slant, featuring pan-fried sardines paired with chilli shrimp paste atop crusty slices of French bread.
The Shrimp Paste Sardines Bruschetta (RM11) were rather salty but in a good way; a perfect accompaniment with your favourite ‘poison’ from the bar.

Ikan Masak Lemak & Rice (RM28) stole the show with the boneless seabass fillets immersed in robustly spicy and lemak-rich coconut cream, bird’s eye and green chillies. The zingy-hot gravy together with white rice was a match made in culinary heaven.

Mutton Sub-Monster (RM32) – scrumptious mutton varuval with red onion, tomato, and fresh lettuce slathered with mint-mayo on a slab of crusty French baguette proved another winner in our books.

The thin-crust Kimchi Pizza (RM23) passed muster; the tart and distinctive pickled cabbage kicking the flavour quotient several notches up. A definite appealing option to go with boozy drinks.

Cooked cockles, tofu puffs, long beans, and a hard-boiled egg lend substance to Curry Laksa with Sambal Belacan (RM18). We didn’t fancy the yellow mee but it’s the only noodle option available. The aromatic curry gravy passed muster; a dollop of the sambal helped add greater depth and flavour.

Two grilled housemade beef patties with melted cheese, fried egg, onion rings, sliced tomato and gherkins in-between a sesame bun form the Smoking’ Double Beef Burger (RM33). Unfortunately, our beef patties were overcooked and dry but D'Atas promises this hiccup will be rectified.

Spice and chilli fiends will enjoy Asian Style Chilli Chicken Pasta (RM16) – spaghetti tossed with spicy-hot pan-fried chicken breast with chilli flakes, wild rocket and cherry tomatoes.

Topped with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce, the Molten Lava Cake (RM18) hit our sweet spot with its airy-light chocolate cake oozing with luscious, melted dark chocolate at its core.


Lighter on the palate is Tri-Crepe Cakes (RM18) – soft, paper-thin crepes filled with a choice of durian, chempedak, blueberry cheese or red velvet sponge and cream. 

In its bid to draw the white collar crowd, D’Atas serves Set Lunch from 12pm – 2.45pm daily. Priced from RM16 upwards, diners can choose from 12 main course options and enjoy free flow of ice lemon tea.

 

Membership is available for regular patrons. Enrolment is easy and benefits await such as 15% discount for food & beverage at D'Atas.

For reservations, call D’Atas Bistro, hp: 010 248 1356. Address: 108G, SS21/39, Damansara Utama 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Business hours: 12 noon – 12 midnight daily

 

Friday, November 19, 2021

PORK HOGS THE LIMELIGHT AT DAVE'S BISTRO BAR GRILL

Dave’s Siew Yuk (RM29) still rules hogs the Bar Bites roost at the established Dave's Bistro Bar & Grill, a familiar outpost among One Utama patronsServed with mustard and house-made chilli sauce, the signature roast pork belly boasts a juicy ratio of fat and lean meat, and deliciously crisp skin. It’s a match made in heaven with a cold beer such as Edelweiss.


In the last 2 years, prolonged movement restrictions caused by Covid-19 have aggravated challenges for F&B stakeholders including Dave's Bistro Bar & Grill. Fortunately, Dave’s loyal customers rallied to sustain the resto with their regular fix of favourites: ranging from the resto’s famed siew yuk (roast pork) to porkilicious pizza.


Staying true to its bistro roots, Dave’s expansive menu is a bid to expand its multi-generation and multi-dietary appeal. Hence amidst the predominantly Euro-centric porcine offerings imbued with some Asian influences, you’d find seafood and poultry items as well.


During the pre-pandemic days, Dave’s Anglo-French bar is a social haven for those seeking to slake their thirst, kick back after a day’s work or shopping, and a bite to eat. These days the lure has dampened slightly as people are less likely to linger in malls but the dining-out pace has picked up recently.


Coming in a close second on the Bar Bites popularity stakes is Dave’s Stuffed Mushrooms (RM24). Topped with chopped bacon and tomatoes, the grilled stuffed mushrooms pack a nice cohesiveness of tangy and savoury flavours. The wickedly moreish morsels are just the inducement to level up the enjoyment of your favourite tipple.


For the white-collar and family crowd, Dave’s tempts them with All Day Brunch options such as Croque Madame (RM27). This classic French sandwich should appeal to anyone partial to cheese as it comprises two bread slices with ham, dressed in bechamel sauce, then baked with Emmenthaler cheese.


Crowned with a sunny side up egg, the sandwich is accompanied by a side of fresh salad. The whole ensemble is hearty and filling; guarantee to leave a light eater replete as it can be rather rich and cloying due to the cheese and creamy sauce.  


An assortment of mussels, clams, prawns and squid are found in the plate of Olio Seafood Linguine (RM38). Scented with garlic, chilli, white wine, parsley and butter, the pasta passes muster. We find the dish underwhelming although it is deftly prepared – it lacks a little acidity or heat to amp up the appeal.

Overall, Dave’s has plenty to offer although the menu needs to be more streamlined and a refresh to keep up with current trends. In these increasingly tough times, it would make better sense to retain the crowd-pleasers and introduce newer items on a trial basis to attract new customers while seeking to inject fresh creativity into its current menu.


For reservations, call Dave’s Bistro Bar Grill, tel: 03-7725 4017. Address: Lot G209, The Promenade, One Utama Shopping Centre, Lebuh Bandar Utama 47300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

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