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SurF tHis SitE RaNdoMly

The Countess, Plaza Kelana Jaya

>> Thursday, April 21, 2011

Venue: The Countess, Plaza Kelana Jaya
Overall comment: Food isn't too bad, especially for the price you pay. I actually thought the fish & chips was good!
Halal: Pork-Free (alcohol is served)

I've never been to Plaza Kelana Jaya for a meal. As nothing much could be googled up on restaurants in this place, I wasn't very hopeful with my visit here, but I thought I'd give it a try anyway. This place was relatively quiet that particular night I was there. It made me wonder if restaurants here can actually survive for a couple of months with the lack of patrons! But I guess restaurants here cater mainly to lunch crowds. Variety at this plaza isn't extensive, but it's good enough for a quick meal.

The Countess is a restaurant & lounge, located at Plaza Kelana Jaya. I wasn't interested in the lounge/bar (although the prices are actually quite a deal, I read), but I stopped by this place out of the several choices available solely because of 1. the prices of food & 2. the sets available (I don't need to think too much....hahaha).

The restaurant faces the Kelana Jaya lake & I felt that it's one of the BEST places to meet up with friends for some good catch-up sessions since it's quiet at night during dinner! I loved the calm, relaxing, & peaceful atmosphere, where I can just chill & chat the night away :)


Dinner that night with my junior from high school was simple (yet VERY enjoyable). We ordered 2 different sets i.e. eat all you can pasta set for RM22.90 & the fish & chips set for RM18.90. It's quite a deal in my humble opinion. As long as the food is above average (even better if it's "wow") for the price paid & the service is good, I'll be satisfied.

Here's what you get in each set:

1. A drink (refillable, I think. At least that's what we had :P)
I'm not sure if it's ice lemon tea all the time, but you'll get a drink with your meal. What you see in the photo below doesn't look like ice lemon tea, right? When it arrived, I thought it was some sorta beer (cos of the "froth")! Hahaha...

2. A simple garden salad
There's seriously nothing much to shout about. It isn't the lovely Caesar Salad with Croutons! Not for the price you're paying...and the portion is really small. Something like an appetizer/starter before your main dish gets served. To the very least, the vegetables are fresh & not looking half-dead! I won't mind some extra greens with my meal...hahaha...

3. Soup of the day
"Kandas"/"Gagal"/Fail. Soup's not good. I couldn't finish it up. I've no idea what sort of soup that is for that day, but it certainly didn't taste good. It didn't taste like "cream of broccoli" although it looks a 'lil green (but I somehow think it is broccoli soup of sort!), nor was it "cream of mushroom" cos it's too green to be mushrooms (euuww, if it is)! Definitely not creamy...or was it NOT intended to be creamy? It was "half-hanging". I reckon you got the point. Haha. I sure hope that if I ever go there again (which I won't mind, for the other stuff), the soup won't be this bad.

4. Main dish - Fish & Chips (RM18.90/set)
According to my friend, fish & chips is one of the safest bet when you dine at a "new" restaurant. I've had not-so-good fish & chips before, so I can't fully agree with that statement. But anyhow, compared to other dishes, yes, you can't go too wrong with such a dish. Interestingly, this fish & chips was GOOD! I was SURPRISED. I don't think it's dory, yet it's not those "supermarket-pseudo-fish-fillet-in-a-box". The batter that day was actually very crispy & pleasing to the palate. The fish was fresh & it doesn't have the unpleasant "fishy" smell either. Nice :) Chips were nice as well! Crispy on the outside, melts-in-your-mouth on the inside :) Happy....you can order ala carte as well, but trust me, ordering the set is more worth it.

4. Seafood Marinara Pasta (RM22.90/set)
Not too bad, really. It's surely not the best, but thank God the seafood were fresh. Portion of the pasta dish was just nice & they weren't stingy on the seafood as well. With a tad more tomatoes & some herbs, it will be perfecto! (that's how I would prefer my pasta to be)


4. Told you it's "eat all you can"... 1 more pasta!! Carbonara/Cream Sauce
Yes, no joke! But they're smart. One can't eat so much pasta...you'll get sick of pasta to not eat it for months! Hahaha...the trick is that you HAVE TO finish the 1st pasta served before ordering the next serving of pasta. Bear in mind that the portion will be the usual portion, so you'll be eating TWO servings of pasta...which is equivalent to 3/4 packet of pasta, I guess? I know most places serve 200g/serving, so go figure. You're also NOT ALLOWED to waste your food, else charges will be imposed on the left-over extra pasta (as of other buffets, e.g. steamboat buffets in PJ/KL). But I really wanted to try some other variety, so I ordered another plate, but requested for less pasta. In the end, they gave me half the portion! Happpyyyyy....can try another one! Carbonara here ain't as nice as the Seafood Marinara. Not enough "umpphh". Something's missing...and yes, this isn't the real Carbonara...more like cream-sauce ;)

5. Fruits
Yes, it's still part of the set. The photo below represents 2 sets...hahaha...you'll just be served around 3 pieces of fruit of the day. It's some consolation. You'll get to end your meal in a "sweeter" note :)

Care to try?
If you're working around this area, you'll only need to pay RM14.90/set during lunch! Plus, you'll be getting the same portion & variety...not a bad deal, right?

Thanks for the great time, Wen! :)

How the restaurant looks like on the outside
If it's not raining, it's actually quite cooling to sit outside by the lake :)

The lounge (inside)
The outlet is sorta dark...haha...we sat inside initially 'cause of the air-con, but moved outside instead since it was too dark to see each other's face properly when we talk! *lol* If it's for drinks, I think sitting inside would be the choice.

Map to The Countess

View PerutBesi in a larger map


I'm considering to go there again to try out their other dishes...anyone interested to join me? ;)


The Countess Restaurant & Lounge
C-01-1, Plaza Kelana Jaya
SS7/13A
47301 Petaling Jaya
Selangor Darul Ehsan
Malaysia.
Tel: (+603) 7875 6485
Facebook: Click Here


Ratings:
Presentation: * * *
Price: * * * 1/2
Environment: * * *
Taste: * * *
Service: * * * 1/2


Overall:






Longs for a simple chill-out time with friends,

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Beezee Me

>> Friday, April 15, 2011

Dear readers,

How's the eating & exploring coming along? :D I've been so busy of late with the new job that I don't really have time to blog! Worse still, I'm lacking of inspiration. I've a good number of pending posts, but I just lack time to get down to writing it well & good.

I've never really worked so much since I started work in 2007! This job requires me to work day & night, & because I'm new in this job/position, I'm more anxious to get things done right. Time isn't my best friend for now :( So much work & so little time. "Welcome to the real work world, PerutBesi!" *bah*

I'll attempt to get 1 post out this weekend (although it's quite slim a chance...haha). The peak of my project starts next Monday! *faints* Do stay tuned with PerutBesi...she'll be back with more goodies! *keeps fingers crossed* Time to hit the sack...this is one of the earlier nights for me! Sleep is gooooood......


Miss blogging,

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Review: Fine & Relax Café

>> Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Venue: Taman Wawasan Puchong
Overall comment: I dare say that the food's good...and it's not pricey too! :) I liked the presentation & ah, I enjoyed the espresso as well :D Stepping into a café/restaurant filled with the aroma of coffee just takes me into another realm...
Halal: Pork-free

I have never heard of this place before I stepped foot into the cafe, but I was invited by Jessy Kam, co-business owner of this place for a review, through the recommendation of my sister's boyfriend. This proud business prototype began its operation around half a year ago & has been doing pretty well in its interesting concept of casual fine dining & ala cartĂ© dinners. They're also opened to have aspiring/ fresh graduate chefs to train under the supervision of their consultants in kitchen duties & on how to manage a restaurant/cafĂ© of their own. How interesting.

The Café

The Interior
The café is neatly decorated with warm lightings & simple furniture. It's spacious enough to house a small party/function, apart from the usual dinners :) In the photo, it looks as if there's no one there, eh? You'll be surprised...at times the place is fully booked! Most of the time, people come here with a reservation made. So happened that the day I was there, it was quite late already & the place wasn't packed. Check out their photos on Facebook!

Casual Fine Dining (RM49.90/person)
One of the highlights of this café. FR's casual fine dining course offers a mixture of fine-dining style dishes & services, at a certainly more affordable "casual-price"! You'll get a flow of fine dining dishes served at your table for 2 (or more), in some nice ambiance, usually on weekend nights. Ala carté dishes are served from Tuesdays-Thursdays. If you really want to have some casual fine-dining dinner, the management can also arrange one for you during the weekday nights.

Promotions
From time to time, FR will have some irresistible promotions. For a very affordable price, you'll practically get to dig in to a lovely main dish alongside some snacks & a drink as well!


FR boasts of their coffee!

Espresso
I'm not a coffee addict, nor do I know much about coffee, but I surely enjoyed this! I love the fragrance of the coffee (cukup "kao"/strong for me), accompanied by some cool whipped cream & chocolate sauce. Hahaha...."proper coffee lovers" will be SO against this! Yes, yes, coffee's supposed to be drunk in its natural self, without sugar/cream/anything else added :P FR's coffee consists of Arabica & Robusta.

Honey Lemon (RM4.50/glass)
Just nice. Not over-powering in either honey nor the lemon. Sure does well for people who want something refreshing/good for the throat.

Latté
My 2nd cuppa coffee...hahaha...smooth. I've no idea how to rate/comment on coffee, but I actually prefer the espresso to the latté. I find the latté a bit too light & seem to have more milk/creamer than coffee.

Twin Coffee (RM8.50/serving)
I didn't drink this, so I can't really comment. But the coffee here must be quite good cos my sister's coffee-lover friend had 4 cups of coffee!! Yes, in 2-3 hours...

Chip Mud Dark Chocolate (RM11.90/glass)
I loved this. Rich, thick, cold dark chocolate with crunch! The drink is topped with oreos, making the drink slightly salty :P Lovely...it's a drink that I will order again the next time I come here...it's not overly sweet as well! Oh, it's PerutBesi's personal recommendation...(but our preference may differ ;))

Iced Dark Chocolate (RM6.50/glass)
If you prefer something not as thick as the ice blended above, but still want the richness of a cold chocolate drink, this is for you. It has less substance, certainly smoother & it's just a drink for those who need a simple spirit-lifter from a tough day at school/work.

Ice Rumba Coffee (RM8.50/glass)
Interesting! Coffee with rum....yums! With more rum, it will taste even better! Hahaha...the rum used is slightly fruity & blends pretty well with the aromatic coffee.

The Rum in the Rumba!

Grilled Portobello (RM18.90/serving)
- Mozzarella cheese, jalapeño chilli, stewed vegetables on top of Portobello mushrooms -
Juicy & bursting in flavour :) Me likey! It's a starter that you have to eat when it's freshly served.

Some ala carté orders:

Sausage & Champs (RM8.90/serving)
A light, yet really enjoyable meal. I must say that for the price paid, it's surely a worth-eating meal! Four sausages, k? The sausages were served with own-made BBQ sauce :) The mashed potatoes tastes smooth, creamy, fragrant & delicious as well. This is actually one of my favourite dishes! Simple, yet lip smacking ;) I won't mind going there just for this...hahaha...kids will certainly love this!

Ranch Old Fashion Rib-Eye Steak (RM39.90/serving)
- served with BĂ©chamel sauce -
I'm not a steak-lover, but Jon surely whacked this clean. He said it was juicy, well prepared & marinated. Just look at the generous portion of the rib-eye steak...oolala...the huge slab of meat comes with creamy mashed potatoes, cob of corn, & some greens. It's a meal for beef-lovers!

Grilled Lamb Shoulder (RM17.90/serving)
Not too bad. Also nicely marinated & prepared. At least it's a far difference from what we had at Chilli's@Empire, Subang. I personally prefer the simple mint sauce to this yoghurt mint sauce as it gives the meat a fresh taste & feel, & doesn't over-power the fragrance of the lamb itself :) This meat dish comes with a serving of Mediterranean-style rice (something alike couscous), cob of corn, & some greens. It's SO much more affordable as well...oh Chilli's@Empire, Subang so failed my expectations.


Here's a preview of the casual fine-dining flow:

Starter: Tzatziki Salmone
Salmon flakes served with raisins, chopped apples, celery, pine nuts, & pears. It's actually quite appetizing & refreshing, even with the youghurt-base sauce. The best part is that there's no yucky fishy taste/smell! :D

Soup Dimare
- Classic Italianne seafood soup with prawns, squid, & fish -
I personally found this soup slightly "fishy" & would be better with more onions, tomatoes, potatoes & crushed black pepper :) On the overall, it's still acceptable since the seafood is fresh.

Main Course Option C: Chicken Supreme
- Tender chicken fillet marinated with special herbs & spices, served with corn chow-chow & black fungus cream sauce -
My mum & I actually enjoyed this dish. It's quite different from what we usually get elsewhere. It's not too heavy 'til "jelak", & I dare say that the chicken fillets were so nicely marinated that it's tender & flavourful :)

Main Course Option D: Sear-Dory Fish
- Pan-sear dory fillet served with classic greek salad & Beurre Noisette -
Compared to the chicken dish above, this one gained lesser points. For one, it was a little too oily, although I actually enjoyed the slightly sourish sauteed mushrooms & aubergines. The herbs used in this dish enhanced the taste of the humble dory fish fillet. You must eat the fish with the sautĂ©ed vegetables & mushrooms. It blends so well!

Dessert: Home-made Wet Cheese Cake
It's certainly a very interesting presentation of cheese cake. After such a heavy meal, it was quite a challenge to finish the cheese cake. It's lovely cheese cake though. Thankfully the serving is quite petite & goes just well to end the full course meal with a touch of added happiness :) I'm not an avid dessert-lover (since I don't fancy sweet stuff), but I appreciated this dessert...my sister whacked the whole thing up on my behalf!

To end the meal: Have a sip of happiness - Peppermint tea/coffee
Ah, bliss! What an enjoyable meal. It wasn't too expensive for such a sumptuous & scrumptious meal too!

Map to Fine & Relax

View PerutBesi in a larger map

No regrets in going there. It's not because I was invited for a review that I wrote "good stuff" about this place, but hey, it's the truth that the food's good (suits my palate, not sure 'bout yours)! The chefs there are quite young, but they're surely well trained/talented :) I enjoyed the ambiance & the coffee there as well. It's a good place to hang out with family & friends. They're even opened for small gatherings/parties/events. Just gotta make a reservation ;)

Thank you, Jessy & Philip, for the wonderful meal :)

I'll be back there the next time to try out the pasta!


Fine & Relax Cafe
39, Jalan Wawasan 5/1
Taman Wawasan Puchong
47100 Puchong
Selangor Darul Ehsan.
Tel/Fax: (+603) 8061 8197/(+6016) 233 9799 - Philip
Reservation: (+6016) 219 7269
Email: hicnkey@gmail.com
Business hours: 4:00pm - 12:30am (Tue - Sun), Closed on Mondays
Blogsite: http://www.frcafe.blogspot.com/
Facebook: Click here
GPS: N03 1.500' E101 37.712'


Ratings:
Presentation: * * * *
Price: * * * 1/2
Environment: * * * *
Taste: * * * 1/2
Service: * * * 1/2


Overall:






I'll be back at Fine & Relax,

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