EATS SO PUN-NY AT HUCKLEBERRY AFTER DARK

Heh, Chuck Norris (RM21.90) stole the show on our maiden visit to Huckleberry After Dark. The Hollywood action hero's name probably doesn't ring a bell with today's young ones but never mind, Let's Ta-co 'Bout It...for the dish of beef Barbacoa tacos, served with BBQ-root beer sauce, pico de gallo, fresh coriander and sour cream was a bona fide showstopper.

Barbacao refers to the unique Mexican-Caribbean steam-smoke meat cooking technique which ensures meat so tender, it can be easily shredded or sliced into strips. We were thoroughly smitten by the soft tacos filled with that sweetish gamey pulled beef, accented with dollops of refreshing pico de gallo (chopped tomato, onion and coriander relish) and tantalising sour cream. Superbly yummlicious!

After creating some buzz with its wide range of French-style baked goods (popular stuff like croissants and rustic breads are usually sold out post-lunch), Huckleberry made more waves when the outlet introduced its pun-tastic dinner menu. 

For a Wholly Guacamole opener, crunch time never tasted better than The House Guac (RM13.90). Now, a lot of stuff is made in-house from scratch so the guacamole was creamy yet partially chunky; a scrumptious blend of avocados, onion, tomatoes, cilantro, green chillies, jalapeño and lime juice. Served with two types of nacho chips, this starter was irresistibly addictive.

 

Non-beef eaters may opt for Drop The Bass (RM19.90) as a viable alternative. Expect a tamer flavour profile from the chunks of battered fish in soft tacos. Rescue came in the form of some house slaw, jalapeño and pico de gallo so they should pass muster.

Burger She Wrote was a plot to bring out the carnivore in us. Okay, Cheesus (RM19.90) sounded kinda blasphemous to some holier-than-thou folks but clearly, its main pun-ny intention was to elicit a smile or a chuckle. The towering cheeseburger stacked with 3 combo beef patty should lead dieters astray, thanks to its slathering of Huckleberry secret sauce, oozy American cheese, sliced tomato and fresh lettuce.

We then slipped into The Beast Mode (RM26.90) to devour the hefty barbecued burger consisting of housemade brioche buns with 3 combo beef patty, housemade BBQ sauce, Barbacoa pulled beef, duck bacon, lettuce and fresh tomato. Accompanied by a generous helping of thick-cut fries, it was enough to leave hearty appetites happily replete.

Two beloved American classics: macaroni & cheese and hot dog came together to form Return of the Mac (RM24.90). Dawg-gone it, such a simple masterstroke yet nobody had thought of it before?!!

Gooey cheese fans would melt at the sight of  mac & cheese blanketing a hot dog encased in a split long bun. Covered with even more melted American (cheddar) cheese  and chopped fresh cilantro, this offering was wickedly indulgent to the max. 

The Bird Waffle (RM24.90) got our clucks of approval too. Amply supported by scrumptious pieces of buttermilk-fried chicken thigh, the 'waffle-wich dipped into hot honey sauce had us crowing with much delight.

Competing for our attention was Lord of the Wings which came under the guise of K-Pop Frenzy (RM19.90-6 pcs, RM37.90-12 pcs). Most apt seeing how spicy gochujang sauce with black and white sesame seeds were employed to rustle up the Korean-style chicken wings. Our only grouse was the sweetish-zingy hot chicken appeared a tad over-fried. 

A Whole Lotta Dough - well, more precisely sourdough - went into the breakfast pizza
with tomato sauce, chicken sausage, mushroom, mozzarella and egg. Proclaimed as Another One Bites the Crust (RM32.90), its rustic albeit briny savouriness left us chomping at the bit for a tinge of sweetness to balance things up.

The Mad Batter (RM19.90) came to the rescue just in time. We dug into the skillet of chocolate pudding laden with chocolate fondant, slightly scorched, melty housemade marshmallows, cookie crumbs and butter biscuits. A lush, richly satisfying offering to sweeten us up as the meal drew to a close.

It was disconcerting to trifle with the beautiful mess of Rollie Pollie’s (RM16.90). Luckily the housemade churros smothered in Nutella and crushed Oreos were easier to eat than photograph. Expect to get down and dirty with this dessert but heck, food was meant to be fun sometimes so just go for it.

Parched throats will find ample succour here as the extensive beverage list veers between handcrafted mocktails such as Maui Waui (RM9.90) and The Ultimate Slushie (RM9.90) to bottled craft beers. Say 'cheers' to a 10% discount off beers during Happy Hours from 5.30pm-8pm.


For reservations, call HUCKLEBERRY AFTER DARK, tel: 010-960-0498. Address: 2G & 4G Jalan Medan Setia 2, Plaza Damansara, Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur. Biz hours: 5.30pm till late except Mon

NOSTALGIC TASTES AT SPRING GARDEN

 

Imagine feasting on the King of Fruits when you break fast during the weekend at Spring Garden. Yes, diners can look forward to enjoying a durian buffet (while stock lasts) when they buka puasa at the lakeside restaurant on Saturday and Sunday.

The spacious restaurant is heavily wood-accented and sits right by the Botanical Garden lake in Putrajaya. There's even a wide patio dining area with a splendid view.

 

 

True-blue Malaysians who are partial to the creamy, sweet flesh would be thrilled - well, we were when we treated to the thorny delight during the sneak preview!

 

We reckon coming in a close second has to be grilled seafood, ranging from irresistible flower crabs to stuffed squid. The ones we had were fresh and sweet, their delicate flesh imbued with hints of spices.

Suffice to say, just the sight and aroma of them being grilled alone would leave you drooling. Other choices to try include local fishes: kembung and pari which are perennial crowd faves.

Of course, no buka puasa dinner is ever without the all-time Malaysian satay and rightly so. Whether it's beef or chicken, these tempting skewers must be enjoyed with the trad accompaniments of nasi impit (ketupat is even better!), peanut sauce, chunks of cucumber and onion.

True to its Sajian Nostalgia Kampung theme, the spread offers plenty of familiar delicacies such as tahu sumbat (stuffed fried beancurd with yambean and carrot shreds), assorted fresh ulam and kerabu (the kerabu tempeh ikan bilis is rad) alongside a wide plethora of kampung-style main dishes.

City folks would be pleased to find yummy fried snacks: keropok lekor, spring rolls, sweet potato and banana fritters to nibble on. Our multi-racial foodscape means yong tau foo, steamed baos (top marks for the chicken barbecued buns), siew mai dumplings, nasi briyani and acar sayur would likely be on the menu. We can vouch for the specialities mentioned on the sedap scale.

Kid-friendly fare is part of the equation too. My finicky teen gave thumbs up to the fried rice, spice marinated fried chicken, ayam madu mamak and deep-fried prawns with oats.

We didn't eat much dessert that evening after overloading on durians. But rest assured, there are lots of sweet treats laid out to end the meal with. Here are the menus for reference.

For reservations, call Spring Garden, tel: 03-8889 1188. The restaurant is located at Taman Botani Putrajaya, Presint 1, Putrajaya. Reservations are advisable during the fasting month.