Greetings from Barcelona, Spain!Day Two ~ Breakfast in Barcelona at O'RINCON DA TERRA. This is part of foodie blog updates on all of the places I feast, ate and dine during my 7-days maiden tour to Barcelona in Spain. Read on for more ...
Welcome to Barcelona, Spain! Welcome to the land of Tapas, Pintxo, Chorizo, Sangria, Jamon or dry-cured ham in Spain. When visiting Barcelona, one of the highlights is the food. Not only Catalonia is a beautiful region but also boasts some of the best gourmet delicacies in Spain.
This is one of the first food posts for my maiden trip to Barcelona in Spain. AITOR RESTAURANT Tapas & Bar was our first 'pit-stop' for some Spanish cuisine, right after we landed in Barcelona from London tour. Read on for more ...
Bring me back to Barcelona. Bring me back to the streets of Barcelona to experience the unusual Architecture of the world's famous architect, Antoni Gaudi. This is the first part of my tour upon reaching Barcelona in Spain, flying in from London on a sunny afternoon in May 2019. Read on for more ...
Fancy a dinner of truly authentic classic European flavours? Then, be sure to check out Bistro Richard located at chic compund of Sentul Park, off Jalan Ipoh Kuala Lumpur. Serving lavish European fare from appetisers and pastas to main courses and desserts, Bistro Richard is just the place for a fantastic meal.
A Fine Place for European Fare
The bungalow with a classical exterior is nestled amid the bustling Sentul township. Walk along the cobblestone walls, the restaurant is nestled in lush greenery surroundings with beautiful koi pond. An option of indoor seating or beautiful shaded al fresco where diners can enjoy hearty, classics Bistro dishes in what feels like a warm and welcoming trattoria.
With a seating capacity of 60, Bistro Richard is ideal for intimate and warm gatherings with its dark wood tables and chairs that accommodate four to six per table.
It is more than a just a fine place to dine, as the restaurant also serves a wide selection of wines and beers from around the world on the menu too.
The rustic restaurant sets the stage for authentic dining experience with tastefully decorated bar counter and dining area.
With soft music playing in the background and Tiffany stained-glass lamps cosily lighted the room, it sets the mood for a warm and relaxing ambience for patrons to dine in style.
Luxurious-looking Bar Counter Top with Solid Oak Bar
An escapade in the city to unwind with a glass of wine, entertain your guests, to relax before having a meal.
Escargot
RM 28
The fresh and chewy Escargot appetiser prepared with chopped garlic and oven baked with garlic butter, is definitely something nice to start the meal.
Creame of Wild Mushroom
RM 18
Home made wild mushroom soup served with garlic baguette prove to be a creamy bowl of hearty goodness while the accompanying garlic baguette is delicious when dip with the soup. The broth is lusciously creamy and superbly rich in mushroom flavours. Rich and satisfying, I would gladly slurp up another bowl because it is so delicious.
Spices and Herbs Imported from Europe
Seafood Paella
RM 85
Important Ingredients ~ Specially selected imported Smoked Paprika for this delicious looking Spanish dish.
For the Seafood Paella, Chef Richard uses various kind of spices, all of which are imported from Spain. A popular dish with the diners in Bistro Richard, the paella rice, seasoned with smoked paprika, is cooked beautifully with generous amount of mussels, squid, clams and prawns. Servings are good for 2 to 3 persons.
Palate Melting Creation ~ Chef Richard'sSeafood Paella
Seafood lovers will love this dish for it contains fresh mussels, squid, clams and prawns. A truly very fulfilling and comforting meal for me.
Coq Au Vin
RM 38
Coq Au Vin or chicken in wine, is a classic French dish of braised chicken with red wine burgundy, bacon, mushroom and broccoli. Chicken braised until tender and served on a bed of mash potatoes, the chicken is smooth and tender, bursting with wine flavour upon each bite. Each sumptuous piece of chicken is a medley of flavours, enjoy well together with an old-fashioned delicious red wine sauce.
Roasted Salmon
RM 48
Apart from the meat dishes, diners can opt for healthier meal to taste ~ Roasted Salmon for a change. Oven roast salmon with lemon butter sauce is firm and fresh, served with steam vegetables and mashed potato.
Roasting salmon in an oven slowly melts the fat between the flesh and leaves the fillets incredibly moist and tender. Tangy flavour of the lemon butter sauce really goes well with the bold and rich flavour of the salmon too. Well-executed!
Braised Lamb Shank
RM 68
Bistro Richard is famous for its Signature Dish of Braised Lamb Shank served with red wine sauce, tomato, fresh herbs and mushroom risotto. With meat so tender that it falls off the bones and melts in your mouth. Chef Richard explained that each serving has a weight of 250 gm as it's the perfect weight for lamb shank.
The juicy and tender lamb are bursting with thick, flavourful and richly seasoned with selected spices, braised to perfection to a mouthwatering lamb dish.
Creme Brulee RM 17
Be sure not to miss out on the decadent desserts such as the warm Creme Brulee served with blue berries. The allure of creme brulee with brittle caramelized topping and the smooth, creamy custard beneath is seriously too hard to ignore. The combination of the twos are perhaps the best to end the meal.
Each heavenly scoop of the creme brulee revealed the natural vanilla flakes used in the making of creme-a-licious dessert.
Hidden Gem In the City
Come and experience the feel of Bistro Richard's sumptuous fine authentic European cuisine paired with an amazing selection of fine wines as soft music serenade you with repertoire of classic tunes.
Great place to host a private parties or corporate functions, customise the entire restaurant for your function; make use of their indoor tastefully decorated dining area, or outdoor, in its spacious courtyard. You can book a table for any number of people - or book the whole restaurant for your exclusive use as Bistro Richard provides an inviting and intimate space.
For modern couples on the lookout for wedding venues with sense of class and style, Bistro Richard could be a good choice to consider. To top it all off, a tailor made menu is available to cater to every occasion.
As Chef Richard himself puts it,“Satisfaction has a flavour.”Make your reservation now!
BISTRO RICHARD
Lot 268, Jalan Strachan,
Sentul West,
Off Jalan Ipoh
51100 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 603 - 4041 3277
Opening Hours ~ 1pm to 11pm ( Tues to Fri) 12pm to 11pm ( Weekends) Closed on Monday
Fancy a dinner of truly authentic Mediterranean flavours? Then, be sure to head on to Moussandra Mediterranean & Tapas Restaurant.
Strategically located in Solaris Dutamas, Moussandra opened its doors to customers in 1996 serving elaborate menu of Greek, Spanish, and Italian dishes. They are also proud be the oldest Mediterranean and Tapas Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur for the past 18 years.
Greek restaurants are hard to come by. I loved the environment of the restaurant, with interiors styled in the rustic setting of the Mediterranean destinations. The rustic and romantic ambiance at night makes you feel like you're somewhere else. It was pretty fascinating just to walk around and look at the cute ornaments that are now being used for decorative purposes.
Oil paintings adorns the wall together with many fascinating decorative items the owner brought along on his travels overseas. Lovely, soothing and cosy place for you and your friends to dine in.
Moussandra Menu for Meat, Seafood, Bread, Dips, Vegetarian & Cheese/Eggs
With a wide selections of up to 90 choices of pasta, pizza, tapas, and Spanish rice dishes to choose from, Moussandra promises you a fantastic culinary journey of Mediterranean delights. Feast on thin crust beef bacon, chicken liver pate with baguette, garlic prawns in olive oil to moussaka, pizza primavera, paella valenciana, creme brulee and more.
Mediterranean cuisine is a fusion of Greek,Spanish and Italian cooking. Olive oil and fresh herbs are lavishly used, and feta cheese, which is milder in taste and aroma, is commonly used. It is a potpourri of cultures, so one should savour the dishes slowly to appreciate the myriad tastes.
Greek cuisine is a Mediterranean cuisine. Contemporary Greek cookery makes wide use of olive oil, vegetables and herbs, grains and bread, wine, fish, and various meats, including lamb, poultry, and beef. Also important are olives, cheese, eggplant (aubergine),zucchini (courgette), and yogurt. While the Spanish culinary scene brims with food to delight traveller’s palate; from fresh seafood to fruity olive oils, cheeses and the ful-filling meat-based dishes.
Starters (Mezedes)
First on the dinner list was tapas. What is Spanish food without tapas? Tapas are a wide variety of appetizers, or snacks, in Spanish cuisine. The word “tapa” means as “cover” and according to Spanish food aficionados, it traditionally may have been a complimentary piece of sliced ham served on top of a glass of wine. Today, however, we know them as small portions of food commonly served as snacks before lunch or dinner.
Chickpea Dip with Pita Bread (RM10)
Hummus Bi Tahini (Chickpea Dip with Pita Bread) are food dip or spread made from cooked, mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic. This nutty grainy beige paste dip flavoured with garlic is the perfect complement to grilled meats and vegetables. It's served on the side with warm pita bread triangles for dipping. As an appetizer and dip, hummus is scooped with flatbread, such as pita.
I loved the nutritious chick peas in any form as they are high in iron, vitamin C and folate. The chickpeas are a good source of protein and dietary fibre too. Hummus is useful in vegetarian and vegan diets, it serves as a complete protein when eaten with bread.
Chicken Liver Pate with Baguette (RM17)
Terrina De Pollo (Chicken Liver Pate with Baguette) was a silky-smooth pate of chicken liver. Served with baguette, this special spread is one particular food that requires one’s acquire taste to really enjoy eating it.
Most people either love or hate chicken liver. As for me, I have never like chicken innards, so I can never appreciate this pate like the rest of diners that night that went for a second helping. Anyhow, I did pick up my courage to try it with one bite and that’s it, it was very strong with the chicken liverish and left a strong after taste in my mouth after that.
Pan-fried eggplant with chili & tomato (RM 12)
Berenjenas Picantes (Pan-fried eggplant with chili & tomato) Well, this is a ratatouille of vegetables based on sliced potatoes and eggplant in olive oil. Usually includes eggplant, tomatoes, onions, and ample aromatic herbs and seasonings. Drenched with savoury tomatoes gravy, the egg plant on the other hand, provided a lovely contrast, fried until soft and almost soggy, but oh-so-tasty especially when eaten with the pitas as accompaniments. Great vegetarian dish!
Beef Bacon wrapped Dates stuffed with Almond (RM 15)
Datiles Con Bacon (Beef Bacon wrapped Dates stuffed with Almond) is a popular favourite tapas for many and that is a must on our Spanish table. It's sweet pitted dates stuffed with almond that are wrapped with beef bacon and baked until crisp. Great combination of sweet and salty. The sweetness of the dates balanced out the saltiness of the bacon wrapped morsels. Perfect for any and all occasions, these appetising bites are highly addictive so you have been warned!
Garlic Prawns in Olive Oil (RM 20)
Gambas Al Ajillo (Garlic Prawns in Olive Oil), this is one of the most common tapas of Spain, It's truly a classic tapa. Fresh prawn, sautéed in olive oil and lots of garlic, all combine to create one of the most popular tapas. These tasty pan-seared garlic prawn are often served in Spain's tapas bars as an appetizer. However, this dish is so popular that it's occasionally offered as an entrée. Gambas al ajillo was pretty tasty, light and full of garlic flavour with fresh and succulent crunchy prawns.
Chicken Moussaka (RM43) or Lamb Moussaka (RM46)
Next came the Entree. Totally Greek menus include specialty dishes like Moussaka (Layered Eggplant, Minced Lamb, Potatoes and Bechamel Gratinated with Cheese) with choice of: Chicken Moussaka or Lamb Moussaka. This dish is basically consists of layers of minced lamb/chicken with aubergine & white sauce. Moussaka is an eggplant and/or potato-based dish popular in Balkan and Mediterranean cuisines, sautéed eggplant and tomato, usually with minced meat.
The Greek version includes layers of meat and eggplant topped with a Bechamel white sauce, and baked. Perhaps the most widely recognized of all Greek dishes, this oven-baked casserole of layered eggplant and spiced meat filling topped with a creamy bechamel will be the highlight of any Greek meal. An oven-baked layer dish, it makes a complete meal for anyone that like the creamy and rich casserole topped with savoury custard and cheese that been browned in the oven. Real hearty and a good comfort food to soothe the soul!
Pizza Primavera (RM28)
Pizza Primavera is a thin crust pizza with homemade dough and topped with anchovies, grilled eggplant, roasted red peppers, spinach, mozzarella and on fresh basil on pesto base. Healthy and delicious, packed with nutrients and flavour, these vegetarian pizza will compliment any meal. Light and crisp, great as a light meal especially for those on a diet.
Paella Valenciana (RM 45)
Paella Valenciana, this truly Spanish dish is popular in restaurant. Cooked with saffron flavoured rice together with squid, clams, fish, prawns, mussels, chicken, chickens sausage and vegetable. Starchy Arborio rice comes across as more gooney in texture in the tomato base rice. Good and filling dish for rice lovers!
Vanilla Creme Brulee (Big - RM12 & Small - RM7)
To end our evening, we were presented with Vanilla Creme Brulee, a dessert synonymous with French cuisine. I was told that this heavenly French dessert with a caramelized crispy layer top is an all-time favourite for many in this restaurant too.
I have always loved Creme Brulee. Cracking your spoon through the hard caramel crispness and then reaching the silky smooth cold custard underneath indulgent rich vanilla custard topped with hard caramel. It was very smooth in texture with no lumps or graininess with the right degree of sweetness. Feeling satiated, ending with such an unforgettable sweet note of the French dessert.
Well, what a great way to end our delicious hearty dining experience at Moussandra Mediterranean & Tapas Restaurant and remember it's your"Mediterranean Kitchen in Malaysia" !
Moussandra Mediterranean & Tapas Restaurant
A1-1-8 Solaris Dutamas
1 Jalan Dutamas
50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel : 6206 4999
(No pork or alcohol served on its menu)
Operations Hour : Wednesdays to Mondays (Closed on Tuesday)
