A few days ago Cheesie and I went to check out the newest dining hangout area that is Jaya One at PJ. Since I was in this Guinness gastronomic workshop with Chef in Black not too long ago, it was just appropriate that I head to the restaurant that spots a big Guinness sign board. Cafe Chulo it was then.

cafe chulo is located on first floor, alfresco as well as indoor

The concept of Jaya One is pretty nice, in the middle island surrounded by the shops lie four small blocks of double story restaurant buildings. While a few restaurants take up both levels, some only occupies a single floor. The upper level of the four blocks are connected via a series of (slightly confusing) walkways with plenty of alfresco style dining area. Pretty unique and very comfortable.

Cafe Chulo is one of the modern Spanish restaurants/pubs on level one with about half its tables located outdoor. We, of course, chose to be seated along the sheltered walkway.

scallop, grilled mushroom, potato gratins

With some recommendations from the restaurant manager, we ordered three tapas, two main dishes, and of course, I got myself a pint of Guinness Draught to go with the mix. The alluring malt & caramel aroma with its dry roasted bitterness of Guinness Draught helps to round out the savoury bite of the tapas and complements the bold taste of most meat which goes very well with the selection of food that i have ordered. Food pairing with Guinness Draught makes good food taste great.

The scallop ceviche came with 8 mid size scallops lightly cooked in lime juice and parsley, preserving the juiciness of the shellfish while giving a hint of tangy taste.

Champinones al jerez is the slightly fancier name for the whole mushroom grilled with olive oil, sea salt and dry sherry. I like the mixture of mushroom and sauteed bell pepper. Our favorite tapas though, was the patatas au gratin, or Spanish style potato gratin. Basically layers of potato topped with cheese ala lasagna style. You must try this one.

Spanish lamb chop, mixed paella (seafood)

The main dishes were served shortly after. I ordered mixta paella since this is basically a Spanish outlet and it proved to be a decent choice. The rice is pretty fragrant and the seafood, especially the four rather big and juicy mussels were very tasty indeed. This dish certainly goes well with my premium black beer.

Cheesie’s chuleta de cordero, or Spanish lamb chop, was even better. Two slabs of pretty good size lamb chops marinated with spice and what I believe to be citrus served with some onions and greens. It was very succulent and the slight citrus taste gives the meat a different dimension, it was very good! I can’t believe this dish is priced only at RM22

Cheesie, Guinness Draught, KY

We certainly enjoyed ourselves at Cafe Chulo, food was good and the Guinness draught was of course, as smooth as ever.

Jaya One is just a short drive from Federal Highway or SS2

For the amount dishes we ordered, the totally bill came to a tad less than RM 120. The entrees are only RM 20 and 22. Tapas from RM 8 – RM13, very affordable.

Good food with great drinks under very nice ambiance, a very positive dining experience in foreign cuisine without breaking the bank.

I was also told that the restaurant is going to feature some Guinness infused Christmas dishes beginning next month, and a voucher is given per order for those specified dishes. Simply fill in the voucher with some basic information, tear it off to redeem a free pint of Guinness Draught. The other half entitles the diner to have RM 12 off three pints of Guinness Draught in the same receipt on the next visit.

Check out the banners here and here for more information. There are a few other outlets doing the same thing and I’ll be writing about them too, stay tuned!

Address:
L-20-1 Blk L,
Jaya One, Section 13/6
46400 Petaling Jaya
Selangor
GPS: 3.118298,101.635294
Tel: 012-331 0277

Tags:  cheesie,  guinness,  jaya one,  paella,  spanish

Posted by KY | 39 Comments »

I had a food review at Bruno’s last week, and pinkpau Su Ann was the partner in crime. The appointment was on 8pm, and knowing how well this girl is with punctuality, I had told her to make it 7:30pm, but it didn’t deter her from arriving at my place only 5 minutes before 8 though…

Anyway, lets get back to the topic.

Bruno’s is one of the new Western restaurants that serves non-halal food, a trend that is slowly emerging in the market, following the good receptions of places like Jarrod & Rowlins and Bermuda &Onions. A trend that I particularly welcome! The restaurant actually shares the same owner as Food Foundry (one of the only places that sells Mille Crepe)

classy deco, and Su Ann, the very hot and cute thief of time

The unique thing about Bruno’s is the Iberian pork they serve. The black Iberian pigs are allowed to roam in the oak forest and raised with a diet of grass, herbs, acorns, and roots. A few months before slaughtering, the animal is fed only acorns. As a result, higher level of oleic acid is found in the meat, which is supposed to be a good thing that lowers your bad cholesterol (LDL) while increasing the good HDL.

Now who said eating pork is necessarily a bad thing?

Spanish ham, glorious pork ribs

Our host of the night was none other than the famous Daphne Lee (who hit off with Su Ann in a long and amusing gossip session) of the Drams Project. We started our dinner with a plate of Spanish Ham and Sausage Platter. The meat were slightly salty and tasted something between dried meat (bak kua) and ham, they go very well with some bruschetta in between. A good selection as appetizer, though a taste that needs a bit of acquiring.

Then it was our main dish, the BBQ pork ribs. I’ve had BBQ ribs with beef, but nothing came close to having it original, pork, as it was meant to be. The portion was huge and it came with potato, french beans, and salad. The side dishes were meant to give your taste bud a chance to refresh, alternating between the juicy and meaty ribs and the freshness of vegetable. We finished the entire rack without much trouble at all, it was good. I think next time I should have some beer to go with this.

Zarzuela (soup), dessert, and linguine with prawns

Zarzuela, the name of the soup I probably won’t remember in the next 5 minutes, was very nice. There’s scallops, mussels, clams, squid, and prawns in the clam and tomato broth. Very sumptuous, very delicious, and probably nullified the effect of the whole oleic acid business.

We also ordered the linguine prawn with spicy white wine butter sauce, unfortunately it was a too spiced up and the prawns were a bit overcooked to my liking. Despite the very nice presentation of this dish, it was a disappointment for the night.

the dessert, the girl, and the wine

Dessert was the very sinful Valrhona chocolate lava cake, with this little orange fruit that I absolutely love. The chocolate cake went very well with the white wine we had.

It was a very good dinner, and with the most gossips I’ve heard since forever. I’m sure I’ll see you again somewhere, Daphne!

Jaya 33 is just a couple minutes off Federal Highway

While not cheap, prices at Bruno’s is still fairly reasonable. Entrees are from RM 30+ onwards and you can have gourmet sandwiches or salad for RM20+. Of course, that huge rack of pork ribs costs a bit more than that. They also serve steaks, seafood, paella, and a selection of tapas.

The review session was arranged by foodstreet. More pictures can be found on my flickr set

Address:
PG-01 A, Ground Floor, Jaya 33
Jalan Semangat Section 13
46100 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
GPS: 3.110274, 101.637139
Tel: 03-7960 2663

Tags:  delicious,  iberian,  jaya 33,  Petaling-Jaya,  pinkpau,  pork,  review,  spanish,  su ann

Posted by KY | 36 Comments »