First of all, I would like to say...
Yeah, I know that it's been already 13 days late but I don't really mind at all. Hehehe.
I'm feeling quite relieved that exams are finally over and I've submitted my FYP (Final Year Project). So now, it's HOLIDAY TIME~!!! *I'm a University student so yeah. Hehehe*
Which means... I can finally keep up with my posts and go food-hunting before returning back to school for my practicum.
Feeling Excited and Scared at the same time for Practicum
Okay, let's get back to the title; Franco - A Francoishii Dining Experience
Franco is actually a Japanese-French fusion fine-casual dining restaurant that focuses on yummy quality food with affordable prices and comfortable dining ambiance. For now, this restaurant has many branches across the Klang Valley and there are a few branches that will be opening in other states such as Penang, Malacca and Johor.
Actually, I really wanted to visit Franco after reading their ads on Facebook. The sights of their scrumptious desserts and yummy pastas whets my appetite. So, one day, I finally got my chance to dine at Franco. This time, I brought my friends Farahis and Aisyah along. We went to the nearest branch at IOI City Mall, Putrajaya.
The restaurant at a glance
The cozy seating area
As we took our seats, the other diners began flooding in for lunch. The waiter handed us the menu and it took us quite awhile to make up our minds since the three of us were first-timers there. There were selections of appetizers, salads, soups, baked rice, beverages and others. The tempting dessert selection consisted of souffles, pancakes, parfaits, ice cream and other sweet treats. Please note that the food in this restaurant are hand-made from scratch and a minimum waiting time of 20 minutes is expected.
The menu
The Baked Rice selection
Tempting Souffle range
I looked around and noticed that this restaurant was quite cozy and inviting to all groups of diners; families, friends, couples and diners who preferred to dine alone. A section of the restaurant was closed off because we were told that there would be a banquet dinner later that night.
Here's the best part: FOOD!!!
Since we ordered the promotional set meal, we had an appetizer, a main course and a dessert.
Appetizer: Minestrone Soup
This soup was made in-house from scratch. The soup was delicious with the right amount of acidity from the freshness of the tomatoes, light and perfectly seasoned with herbs and spices. A great start for a meal. I'm not really a huge fan of tomatoes but a tomato-based soup is perfectly fine for me. Hehehe.
My Main Course: Spaghetti Yumeina
I chose this dish because it is one of the signature dishes for Franco. It consisted of spaghetti that was cooked in a secret broth and shoyu (soy sauce) and sauteed with mushrooms, baby spinach, chicken frankfurters, smoked chicken slices, eggplant slices and garnished with toasted sesame seeds, tomatoes and a soft-boiled egg.
For me, I think that it was quite new as I never had pasta like this. The Japanese twist in this dish was quite refreshing with the shoyu and it is good. The soft-boiled egg added a touch of creaminess to the dish. The eggplant, baby spinach and sesame seeds gave an extra crunch. As for the pasta, it was perfectly cooked.
Farahis's Main Course: Spaghetti Pescatora
The pasta was perfectly cooked and still firm to the bite. The tomato-based marinara sauce was tangy from the acidity of fresh tomatoes and perfectly seasoned with herbs and spices. As for the seafood, all of them were prepared nicely and perfectly cooked; plump and juicy prawns, springy calamari rings, perfectly cleaned mussels and clams. These seafood still retained their natural flavour as they were not being overwhelmed by the marinara sauce. I think I would order this on my next visit. Hehehe.
Aisyah's Main Course: Squid Ink Rice with Assorted Seafood and Omu Egg
This dish was quite different from any other dishes as it was rice cooked with squid ink. The squid ink added a mysterious touch and a distinctive flavour to the dish. The assorted seafood (calamari rings and prawns) was perfectly cooked. The Omu (Omellete) was fluffy and brought a pop of colour to the dish. A nice colour contrast between the yellow Omu and the blackness of the rice and seafood. It was an interesting dish to try but be prepared with tissues or napkins though. Hahaha.
Okay, let's move on to the desserts.
A Vanilla Softee (Soft Ice Cream)
Each of us received this Vanilla Softee for our set meal. It was soft (hence the name hehehe), creamy and not too sweet. I think this softee was okay as a light finish for a course meal. But I would love to have more of it since I really like Vanilla.
Creme Brulee
Aisyah ordered this dessert and all of us pitched in to taste. It was creamy and not too sweet. The caramelized sugar (or bruleed sugar) added a subtle smokiness to the dessert. Perhaps I would order this on my next visit.
Despite there were many choices of desserts in the menu, I didn't order any of them because I was too full from the main course. *cries in the corner* However, I will be looking forward for my next visit to Franco for the desserts... Especially those from the souffle range. ;)
Overall, we did enjoy our dining experience here in Franco. It was Francoishii~ The food is delicious and fulfilling and reasonably priced. The cafe ambiance is cozy and inviting, the staffs are friendly and the service is good. The cafe is suitable for families, friends, couples and can be booked in advance for small parties or banquets. This cafe is also suitable for hanging out with your loved ones and friends in the afternoons.
I really can't wait for my next visit. Looking forward for those desserts :)
*Side Notes*
- They DO NOT serve pork or lard
- They are alcohol-free (bebas alkohol)
- All meats come from HALAL sources
- Usually crowded during lunch and dinner
Interested in going to Franco?
Here's the address for the IOI City Mall Branch:
FRANCO @ IOI City Mall:
LG-80C & 80D, Lower Ground Floor, IOI City Mall, Lebuh IRC, IOI Resort City, 62502 Putrajaya, Sepang. Tel: +603 8959 3928
LG-80C & 80D, Lower Ground Floor, IOI City Mall, Lebuh IRC, IOI Resort City, 62502 Putrajaya, Sepang. Tel: +603 8959 3928
or you can check out their Facebook page :)
See you again in the next post. Till then, cheerio~
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