aly's wonderland

Monte’s Restaurant & Wine Bar @ BSC

When I was a little girl, there were two pleasures in my life. At 6 years old, I used to cycle down the back country lanes of Alor Setar, after school, to our ‘Country Club’ in Alor Setar (Kedah) for swimming lessons with my friends. Maybe a spot of ping pong or maybe tennis, and some Char Koay Teow afterwards to round off the evening.

The second pleasure, involved the same place, but it was on a Sunday, with my family, and it involved the best lamb chop I’d ever tasted at that time, at the clubhouse of the said club.

Monte’s Restaurant & Wine Bar is tucked away on the first floor of the shiny new BSC.

This place, its food, awakened those memories for reasons I cannot quite put my finger on. The style of cooking? The flavours in the dishes? The simplicity of presentation? It could be all those things that really brought back the familiar and the comforting.

I was there that evening thanks to an invitation from Fatboybakes, who I later discovered, was quite a regular. I’d seen the sign on the facade of BSC, pre-renovation, but I’d always assumed it was an American chain, or at least a British take on the movie ‘Full Monty’. The establishment itself has been around for over 10 years. After BSC’s extensive renovation was complete, Monte’s reopened in July 2009 to an eagerly displaced crowd of regulars as well as curious newcomers. We also had the pleasure of Dinesh (BRDB), Frat Mustard and Rokh’s delightful company.

We settled down to our table amidst tables of young and old, families and friends alike placing their orders, clinking cutlery and eagerly chatting and laughing the evening away. The deco is modern, yet cozy, and the cuisine contemporary Western.

It was a lively atmosphere, but not too noisy, and the ‘family’ vibe still ruled above all else. Owner Susan Lee joined us shortly after our appetizers arrived, and she was a non-stop bubble of energy that barely took a breath between sentences. It was a pleasure to meet someone so driven, and so passionate about the restaurant. I guess that’s what has kept Monte’s close to the hearts of Bangsar residents since its opening.

Frat was ready with tongs for everything that was to come.

We tried some of the more popular dishes and signature items from Monte’s menu.

Starters

Garlic Toast (RM 3.60 a portion) – Toasted Garlic Baguette with wide spread of freshly chopped garlic

I loved the Garlic Bread. What a way to start of the meal. Whiffs of baked butter and cream, and fragrant toasted garlic tickle my nose, and it was the best smell in the world. The taste was even better. Rich, strong in flavour, and the bread toasted to golden crisp.

Escargot (RM 16.00) – Baked and basted in Chablis ‘n’ Garlic Sauce

More garlic flavours radiated from the Escargot, which was served piping hot. Tear into the golden brown crust and scoop up the runny, creamy sauce.

Juicy Scallop – NEW ITEM

We were given the privileged of tasting the latest addition to the menu, so new it wasn’t on there yet.

A lightly pan-seared, (as the name suggests) juicy scallop, topped on a swirl of bright orange, sweet pumpkin puree.

Soup

We had tasting portions of 2 soups from the menu.

Fresh Oxtail (RM 15.00) – Thick, savoury, hot & spicy to whet your appetite

The description says it all, but throw in a piece of very meaty, fleshy oxtail to complete the package.

Carrot & Pumpkin (RM 9.00) – Fresh creamy soup with carrot & pumpkin

Sweet and savoury, thick and tasty. A smooth and velvety soup that’s great to mop up with bread.

Salad

Chef’s Dream Salad – NEW ITEM

Another new item that wasn’t on the menu, the Chef’s Dream Salad was a fresh combination of poached prawns, cooked aubergine and cherry tomatoes tossed in a tangy, homemade basil-olive oil pesto dressing.

Main Course

Pan Seared Cod

The fish was fresh, lightly seasoned, and nicely cooked. I liked the fresh flavours in this dish, both from the cooked vegetables and the zesty dressing.

8 Hour Lamb – served with mashed potatoes and stewed mushrooms

The lamb is marinated and cooked for 8 hours, and the meat is so tender it dissolves within seconds of hitting your tongue. No chewing required. The lamb is drowned in a dark, meaty gravy and sits atop buttery mash potato, with a side of pumpkin puree and moist mushrooms.

Ribeye Steak (RM 56.00) – Prepared in Monte’s way to retain its taste, simply grilled & served with fresh greens

I found the steak to be very well prepared, with minimum fuss but maximum taste. I would have liked it to have been cooked on a higher heat, so it would be seared on the outside and medium on the inside, instead of an overall even doneness.

Prawn & Pan Grilled Fish Combo (RM 38.00) – Caramelized tomato prawns with fish fillet

The prawns in this dish were a little overcooked, and therefore quite mushy. I appreciated the effort though, and quite enjoyed the tomato flavour with herbs and spices that complemented both the fish and the prawn. Susan took the liberty of ordering us some extra prawns, which redeemed the disappointment of the first batch.

The second plate was far more appetizing, with sizeable crustaceans grilled perfectly, with a wonderful chargrilled, smoky aftertaste and hint of spiciness from the paprika.

Spaghetti Marinara (RM 26.00) – Combination of Seafood, garlic & tomato sauce

Monte’s has quite a selection of pasta in its menu, and we tried the Spaghetti Marinara. It wasn’t the most exciting dish of the evening and was a little on the sparse side with the seafood. The clams, squid, and prawns were, however, very tasty and the tomato sauce simple and classic Italian.

Mushroom Chicken (RM 18.00) – Accompanied with herbed rice & fresh vegetables

Susan told us that this dish was a must try, and was very popular amongst guests. For the stellar price of RM 18.00, I’m sure it would be! The roasted chicken was smothered in a thick and creamy white sauce with chunks of mushrooms, and served with the aromatic, buttery herbed rice and crunchy steamed broccoli and carrots.

Dessert

Bread & Butter Pudding

Apple Pie

Hershey’s Chocolate

Carrot cake

Susan insisted we try Monte’s Green Tea Latte, and I’m glad she did.

It was a wonderful, unique combination of coffee and green tea that finished off the meal nicely.

We stayed on a bot longer and chit-chatted, taking photos, feeling quite at ease.

In case I forgot to mention, Monte’s also has an extensive beverage list with emphasis on great wines from across the world.

Monte’s has clearly survives and thrived all these years for good reason. With its steady following and consistently tasty and affordable food, I have a feeling it will be around indefinitely.

CONTACT

Bangsar Shopping Centre

F112, 1st Floor, West Wing
Phone No: 03-2094 1112 /03-2094 1112