Wangsa Grill by Chef Zubir - Favourite Dishes with Casual and Fine Dining Finesse

Good morning, everyone.
Right now, it's almost 9.00a.m in the morning here in Malaysia.
And... I'm still awake...
Because I can't sleep...
So, I decided to proceed with my new post. :D

Don't be fooled.. I'm still awake...

So, today I would like to talk about Wangsa Grill by Chef Zubir. Chef Zubir is a Malaysian Celebrity Chef and he was one of the main judges in Masterchef Malaysia and also Masterchef Selebriti Malaysia (Celebrity Masterchef Malaysia). Apart from Wangsa Grill, he also has another restaurant named Laman Grill. Since Wangsa Grill is near to my neighbourhood, I waited for my chance to dine there... And I finally got it as my family wanted to have dinner there. 

If you're lucky, you can even meet Chef Zubir in person at Wangsa Grill and take a selfie or two with him. :D 

Unfortunately, he was not there when I dined there. Maybe next time :)

When we first stepped into Wangsa Grill, we were greeted by friendly staffs. As they led us to our table, I was mesmerized with the interior of the restaurant. It is quite modern and classy . The plants in the restaurant gives a soothing green touch to the chic interior. As for the seating area, there are two sections; inside and outside of the restaurant so there are plenty of room for everyone; solo diners, couples, families or even small parties. Despite the spacious areas, the restaurant will be full during peak hours (lunch and dinner) so it is best for you to reserve your table beforehand. :)

Furthermore, Wangsa Grill provides restrooms and also Surau (Muslim Prayer Room).

 Decorative wall that features newspaper clippings on 

Chef Zubir and his creations and achievements.

 Seating area inside the restaurant

 As the night goes on, these empty seats are gradually being filled up :)

The mixolgist is crafting Wangsa Grill's signature drinks here at the bar.

The bar is beside the payment counter.

 The payment counter, the kitchen 

and the portrait of Wangsa Grill's owner; Chef Zubir.

 Potrait of Chef Zubir; 

owner of Wangsa Grill and Laman Grill.

So spacious that you can even host small parties :)

Now... Let's check out the FOOD!!!

Wangsa Grill specializes in Western, Tex-Mex and Fusion Cuisines ranging from an appetizing array of salads, soups, pastas, a wide selection of main dishes featuring steaks, lamb, beef, poultry and seafood (ahem... surf and turf anyone?), scrumptious sides and light-bites, yummy desserts and refreshing beverages including Wangsa Grill's signature beverages.

Like any other steakhouses, you can request your steak cooking temperatures according to your own preferences; Rare, Medium-Rare, Medium, Medium-Well or Well-Done :)

Since Wangsa Grill is Muslim-Owned, it is HALAL :)

No PORK and No ALCOHOL is served here in Wangsa Grill.

Below are the pages from Wangsa Grill's menu. :)

The menu

Beverages Section

Soups and Starters selection

Starters and Pastas selection

Burgers, Tacos and Main Course selection

Lamb, Beef and Poultry selection

Surf & Turf and Seafood selection

Seafood selection and information on steak selection

Steak selection and Combo Platters

Dessert selection

So, what have we ordered?

Potato-Leek Cream Soup

Potato and Leek are melded together into this wonderful soup. 

The flavours are well-balanced as I can taste both potato and leek notes and the beef bits garnish gives out a wonderful smoky and savory touch to this light and creamy soup.

Mushroom Soup

A wonderful blend of wild mushrooms with cream and served with toasted garlic bread.

Very rich and flavourful.

Nachos

Crispy nachos topped with spiced ground beef, 

zesty pico de gallo, creamy guacamole, tangy salsa and baked with cheese.

Served together with a strawberry-melon shot.

 Beef Steak 'escalope'

Love steak? Love pasta? Well, this is the perfect dish for you.

Juicy steak charbroiled to perfection topped with creamy mushroom ragout

 served with wilted savory veggies on a bed of flavourful flat pasta.

There's a sauce at the side for your steak. :)

 Japanese Akame Tuna Steak 'Tempura'

Medium-rare tuna steak herb-crumbed and fried to golden perfection 

and served with soba noodles and spinach salad and teppan veggies.

 Wangsa Grill Beef Sampler

If you LOVE beef and want to sample different takes of beef, this dish is a perfect choice.

This beef trio consists of:

Sirloin 'golden pillow' with creamy foam on top of a veggie medley,

 Succulent braised short ribs with smoky barbecue sauce on top of velvety sweet potato mousseline,

Flame-grilled centre-cut fillet mignon on a bed of spinach and topped with creamy mushroom ragout.

My personal favourite is the fillet mignon :)

'Surf & Turf'

Get the best of both worlds from the land and the sea in this dish;

Grilled half US Boston Lobster and Australian fillet mignon 

served with veggie medley and tossed Australian pear-romaine salad

Here are our drinks :)

 I kinda forgot the names but mine is on the left.

 I was told that it was a new, off-menu drink.

It's really refreshing though :)

Californian Strawberry Float and Fresh Carrot Juice

Wangsa Grill also has a selection of scrumptious signature desserts; tarts, puddings, cakes, ice cream cakes and ice cream sundaes. However, we were too stuffed from the main course so we'll let it slide for now. Maybe next time we'll try them :)

Overall, I really enjoyed my dining experience here at Wangsa Grill. The food is deliciously divine and satisfying. The pricing is a bit pricey but it is really worth it as it is reasonable with the quality of the dishes. The staffs are friendly and helpful. The service is smooth and efficient. Love the ambiance of the restaurant; calm and relaxing. 

Wangsa Grill is an awesome place to enjoy great food with your family and friends regardless of occasions and a cool place to have a romantic dinner with your beloved. Do note that Wangsa Grill will be crowded especially during dinnertime. It is best to call for reservations beforehand :)

Thank you Wangsa Grill for the awesome dining experience.

I will definitely visit you again. Definitely :)

Side Notes:

- This restaurant is HALAL (Muslim-owned)

- This restaurant may be crowded during peak hours especially dinnertime.

- Surau (Muslim Prayer Room) is provided

Interested in going to Wangsa Grill by Chef Zubir?

Here is the address:

8 - 10 Lorong Dataran Wangsa, Wangsa Melawati, 53300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Operating hours: 12PM - 11PM (Mon - Sun)

Do check out their Facebook page :)

https://www.facebook.com/wangsagrillchefzubir/

That's all from me now. 

I'm feeling a bit sleepy already hahaha~

See you again in the next post.

Enjoy your weekend :)

[CLOSED] Olive Garden - Comforting All-Time Favourite Italian Classics

UPDATE: All Olive Garden outlets in Malaysia has been CLOSED down since June 2018 😭💔


Good Morning :)

It's been almost one month since my last post.

Before I proceed any further, I would like to wish Selamat Hari Raya to everyone.

I'm sure everyone is enjoying their Hari Raya Aidilfitri (or Eid ul Fitr... depends on which country you're currently living in) by gathering with their family and friends while enjoying on special treats and delicacies to celebrate their victory after fasting for a month during Ramadhan. During this festive season, people host gatherings from small parties to open houses.

Sure enough, everyone is having a good time regardless of religion, race and social status :)

This is me after every open house. Hahaha~!!!

In this entry, I would like to introduce you to Olive Garden. Olive Garden is actually an American-based, casual dining restaurant chain that specializes in Italian-American cuisine; both classic and modern dishes. After being successful in America, Olive Garden has expanded its franchise globally. Up until now, Olive Garden has about 800+ restaurants worldwide and still counting. Yay~!!!

In Malaysia, there are currently two Olive Garden restaurants; the first one is in Midvalley, Kuala Lumpur and the second one is in Shah Alam, Selangor.

Olive Garden Malaysia (Midvalley, Kuala Lumpur)

There are two seating areas; outside and inside the restaurant. These seating areas can cater from solos, couples to families and even small parties. So there's plenty of room for everyone. Since Olive Garden is inside a shopping mall (Midvalley), smoking is not allowed. As for the decor, elements of wood and simple modern lighting gives the restaurant a rustic feel of classic Italian charm. :)

Seating area inside the restaurant

Let's check out the FOOD!!!

As mentioned earlier, Olive Garden specializes in Italian-American cuisine ranging from pizzas, pastas, soups, main dishes (chicken, fish, seafood and beef), classic recipes, desserts and drinks (they also have bottomless drinks too).

All dishes at Olive Garden Malaysia are ALCOHOL-FREE and PORK-FREE and this makes it Muslim-friendly. :)

I really love the main dish promotion; free soup or salad of your choice whenever you order a main dish. The best part is... IT IS ENDLESS! *It's kinda like free refills*

This promotion not only satisfies your appetite, it even makes you spend less on your meals.

For example: if you order a Salmon Risotto as your main dish, you are entitled to an endless free soup or salad of your choice from the menu or you can ask the friendly waiter for suggestions. 

They are glad to be at your assistance :)

Below are the menus of Olive Garden Malaysia. Furthermore, you can even check out their menu via online at their website.

 The current menus of Olive Garden Malaysia

 The menu

It is CLEARLY stated in the menu that NO alcohol is used in their food preparation :)

Since this was my second visit to Olive Garden, I just ordered the same dishes because they are my favourites :) So, what have I ordered?

Salmon Risotto

Perfectly-cooked Seafood Risotto topped with grilled salmon and succulent sauteed shrimp and garnished with fresh tomatoes and basil pesto. This is a rich and creamy dish but it is well-balanced with the liveliness from the fresh tomatoes and the basil pesto. The seafood elements adds extra savory notes to the risotto. 

As for the grated Parmesan cheese, it will be added upon your request. In my case, when my risotto is served, he asked me whether I wanted extra cheese on my risotto. I said yes and he will add the cheese until I'm satisfied. FYI, the cheese is grated freshly at your table ;)

When Olive Garden first opened in Midvalley, I think that I should give it a try especially its Risotto. I've been longing to try one since I watched Gordon Ramsay's Hell's Kitchen. However, it's hard to find a Risotto without any alcohol in it. But at Olive Garden Malaysia, all of its dishes are ALCOHOL-FREE. So I can finally try its Risotto without any doubts. Please note that this is the only risotto option available in the menu... for now...

Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

A creamy soup with juicy chunks of roasted chicken, gnocchi (traditional Italian dumplings) and spinach. Served with a warm Parmesan bread stick. I enjoyed this soup because it is light and still full in flavour. The gnocchi absorbed the flavours of the other components from the soup. As for the bread stick, it is warm and fluffy - a perfect accompaniment for a lovely soup.

As for the grated Parmesan cheese, it will be added on your request just like the risotto. I enjoyed this cheesy addition as the nuttiness from the Parmesan cheese brings out the flavour of the soup :)

Since I ordered my risotto as my main dish, this soup is free and I can get seconds of it due to the promotion. :)

Lasagna Fritta (Sharing)

Parmesan-breaded lasagna that is fried to a perfect golden brown and served over a creamy alfredo sauce, topped with grated Parmesan cheese and tangy homemade marinara sauce. The crispy outer layer of the fried lasagna gives a difference in texture and the two different sauces compliment each other nicely. There are two options for this dish; solo and sharing.

I did try one of Olive Garden's desserts. :)

Dark Chocolate Caramel Cream Dolcini

Layers of dark chocolate mousse and caramel mousse are combined together in this delightful confectionery creation and topped with shaved dark chocolate. It is sinfully scrumptious and it is not too sweet, just the way I like it.

There are 5 types of Dolcinis altogether; Chocolate Mousse, Almond Tiramisu, Lemon Mousse, Strawberry & White Chocolate and Dark Chocolate Caramel Cream (pictured above). Each of these Dolcinis are different in terms of flavour and textures. You can even choose whether to sample them all in a set of 5 or three of them in a set of 3 or just simply try one Dolcini. Apart from the Dolcinis, you can even try Olive Garden's cakes; the classic Tiramisu, chocolate-lovers' Black-Tie Mousse Cake or the artsy White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

Overall, I really, really enjoyed my dining experience here at Olive Garden. The food is really tasty and fulfilling. The pricing is a bit pricey but it is really worth it as it is reasonable with the quality of the dishes. The staffs are very friendly, helpful and they are always concerned about their customers. The service is very efficient. Love the ambiance of the restaurant; calm and soothing. 

Olive Garden is a cool place to savor classic Italian food with your friends and family regardless of occasions. Do note that Olive Garden will be crowded during lunchtimes. 

Thank you Olive Garden Malaysia for the wonderful experience. 

I will definitely visit you again. Definitely :)

Side Notes:

- This restaurant is Pork-free

- This restaurant is Alcohol-free (No alcohol is used in any of their dishes)

- This restaurant may be crowded during lunchtimes

- Take-outs are also available

Interested in going to Olive Garden Malaysia?

Here are the addresses:

[Midvalley Branch]

Lot No F-051, First Floor, Midvalley Megamall, 

Lingkaran Syed Putra, 59200, Kuala Lumpur

Operating Hours: 11AM-10PM (Mon-Sun)

[Shah Alam Branch]

G-08 & G-09, AEON Mall Shah Alam,

No.1, Jalan Akuatik 13/64, Seksyen 13,

40100 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan

Operating Hours: 10AM-10PM (Sun-Thurs), 10AM-10.30PM (Fri-Sat)

Check out their Facebook page :)

https://www.facebook.com/olivegardenmalaysia/

Or their website :)

http://www.olivegardenrestaurant.com.my/

That's all from me now.

Time to catch some Zs now 'cause I kinda stayed up the whole night hahaha :D

*please don't stay up late ya, it's bad for your health

See you again in the next post. Till then, cheerio~

Dolly Dim Sum - Divine Bite-Sized Treasures

Happy Sunday, everyone~!

I'm sure that all of you have plans for today.

Going out, eating out or just chilling at home :)

Well... I am~ lol

For today, I want to introduce you to Dolly Dim Sum. As its name suggests, Dolly Dim Sum is a restaurant that specializes in Dim Sum. Steamed or fried, both are scrumptious and worth trying. Apart from Dim Sum, Dolly Dim Sum also offers a wide range of Chinese dishes including Cheong Fun (Rice rolls), Congee, Vegetable dishes, Rice and Noodles. They have desserts too :)

FYI, Dolly Dim Sum is Pork-free so you can eat to your hearts' content.

Dolly Dim Sum NU Sentral

Dolly Dim Sum is the place where you can have your Dim Sum fix at any time every day. However, it can be crowded during peak hours (lunchtime and dinnertime). You will be required to wait for awhile before you will shown to your table. But hey, it's worth the wait :) While you are waiting for your table, you will be given an order sheet where you will select your meals. You can also refer menu at the restaurant (ask the helpful staff) or you can check out the menu beforehand via online at their website. :)

This is the order sheet. 

Simply write the quantity of the dishes that you want and give it to the staff when you want to place your order.

The menu

When you sit down, the rustic decor from overhead hanging lamps and porcelain wares is sure to give you the charm of a Chinese tea house. 

 The board that displays Dolly Dim Sum's specialty dishes

Close up on the specialty board

Beautiful Mural on the wall

 Decorative overhead lighting

 Porcelain wares for decorations

Full house during lunchtime

Okay, so let's check out the FOOD!!!

I've been to Dolly Dim Sum twice and I usually order the same dishes twice because I've fallen in love with them. So, here's what I've ordered so far.

 Egg Custard Bun

This is one of the specialty dishes for Dolly Dim Sum. 

Warm, pillow-soft steamed buns with salted egg yolk caramel filling. Sweet and salty at the same time, these egg yolk-filled buns will take your taste buds to another whole new level.

 Crystal Prawn Dumpling

Juicy prawns and tangy chives wrapped in dumpling skin and steamed until translucent. 

The combination of prawns and chives is simple but packs a punch. One of my must-haves :)

 Siew Mai

Tender chicken and prawns Siew Mai steamed with mushroom. 

This classic Siew Mai is a definite must-have on my list. :)

 Dolly Mozza Roll

One of Dolly Dim Sum's specialties.

Beancurd skin rolls stuffed with prawns and mozzarella and deep-fried to golden perfection. 

The beancurd skin is crunchy and the mozzarella cheese melts with gooey cheesy goodness. The prawns add extra sweetness to this rich-flavoured dish. I would recommend you to eat this with chili sauce as this dish might be too rich for some people. :)

 Thai-style Prawn Parcel

Prawns wrapped in beancurd skin parcels, steamed and served in a sweet and spicy Thai chili sauce with julienne red chilies, onions and cucumber as a garnish. These prawn parcels may be small but they are bursting with flavour. The julienne vegetables adds extra crunch to the dish.

 Salad Prawn Dumpling

Prawn and Chives wrapped in dumpling skin and deep-fried to golden perfection. Be careful as you bite into this yummy morsel as the filling is piping hot. These dumplings are served with cool lemon-mayonnaise dip. A superb combination.

Spicy Szechuan Dumpling

Steamed dumplings filled with prawns, chicken and chives drizzled in a spicy and tangy sauce. I really love this dish because of the fragrant tangy sauce which has a hint of coriander in it and it cuts away the richness from other dishes too. I even use the sauce for dipping other dumplings too. Hehehe

Overall I enjoyed my dining experience here at Dolly Dim Sum. The food is scrumptious. The pricing is slightly pricey but it's really worth it. Quite reasonable though :)

The staffs are friendly and helpful. The service is efficient. Love the rustic decor :)

Dolly Dim Sum is an awesome place for you to savor scrumptious and authentic dim sum with your dim sum-loving friends and family. Do note that Dolly Dim Sum will be crowded during lunchtime and dinnertime.

Thank you Dolly Dim Sum for the awesome Dim Sum experience.

I will definitely visit you again :)

Side notes:

- This restaurant is Pork-free

- Alcohol is served in this restaurant

- This restaurant is crowded during lunchtime and dinnertime

- During peak hours, customers may wait for awhile before being shown to their tables

Interested in going to Dolly Dim Sum?

Here are the addresses:)

[NU Sentral Branch]

LG.43 NU Sentral No. 201 Jalan Tun Sambathan. 
50470 Kuala Lumpur 

[Avenue K Branch]

Lot G9 Ground Floor, Avenue K, 156 Jalan Ampang
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Opposite KLCC)

Check out their Facebook page:)

https://www.facebook.com/dollydimsum/

Or their website :)

http://dollydimsum.com/

That's all from me.

Before I pen off, I would like to wish everyone a Salam Ramadhan.

May this holy fasting month brings prosperity to everyone around the world.

Take care :)