Tanzini, GTower, Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur

We were impressed with our first lunch at Tanzini back in November 2010, so we decided to return again for lunch. Furthermore, I had won a bottle of Cava worth RM300 in a blogger contest held on Tanzini's Facebook page, redeemable during the next dine-in so all the more reason to go.

We had wanted to come during the evening, just for a change of scenery and to catch the illuminated Petronas Twin Towers. However, having young children made it quite difficult for us to get away in the evenings. We were surprised that the set lunch remained unchanged even after 3 months, so that was a no-no for us. So we ordered from the a la carte menu instead.

I found it rather strange that they decided to serve us only 1 piece of bread each (one of each type only) which was rather inconvenient, as this meant we had to keep asking for bread refills. After our starters, they actually decided to clear the bread basket and not return with more breads for us! I have to say the bread was very good though, which was why we asked for more.

Hubby had the Buffalo Milk Mozzarella with Vine Ripened Tomatoes, "Cornetti Beans" and beef Coppa (RM18). We were in agreement that this starter was good value for money seeing that mozzarella is quite costly to buy in the supermarket and the portion given was very generous. The Cornetti beans however were missing from this dish despite being mentioned in the menu.

Delicious sweet tomatoes paired with mozzarella

I ordered the Claypot Fruitti Di Mare (RM26 for entree portion), which had mussels, squid, scallop, clam, organic Baramundi and prawn stewed in a rich tomato broth. I enjoyed this very much as the broth was very sweet and appetizing, whetting my appetite for the next course. This dish can also be ordered as a main course.

During our last visit here, I had the barramundi and it was very good. So Hubby decided to order another barramundi dish off the menu, Sicilian Barramundi (RM38) which is served with a tomato salsa and a side salad. The tomato salsa had a nice spicy kick to it (they were not kidding when they placed a chilli sign next to this dish on the menu) and complimented the fish well.

The word "truffle"prompted me to order the Lobster Truffle Angel Hair dish (RM40 for entree portion). Furthermore it had a "chef's hat" next to it on the menu, so I was confident that I was on to a winner. Unfortunately for me, I was sorely disappointed. Firstly, the homemade pasta was quite rough in texture, undercooked and could not absorb any of the bisque. It was very different from angel hair pasta I've had in the past. The truffle was hidden beneath the pasta, only 3 small slices and it was rubbery and had no earthy scent which truffles usually possess. However the saving grace of this dish was the lobster bisque which was pretty flavoursome. I wished I still had some bread to soak up the lobster bisque from the plate though! The pasta was also accompanied by 3 chunky pieces of lobster which has been marinated in vodka. Please note that the price on the menu and bill for this dish did not match and this was something the staff was aware of before I pointed it out to them yet they did not rectify this.

I found it strange that they used such a large leaf as a garnish

Hugely disappointing pasta

Fortunately, the Tiramisu A Pezzi (RM26) was still as good as I remembered it.

This was the free bottle of Cava worth RM300 that I won. RM300, really? That's quite some mark up as this is widely available in the UK supermarkets for around £5.

Verdict: Tanzini remains an elegant restaurant with great views with potentially good food, however we were not as satisfied with this meal as we were with the last. We would possibly revisit when the menu is revamped. I also hope that Tanzini's management would consider changing their set lunch menu at least once a month.

Opening times: Monday to Saturdays; Lunch 11.30am to 2.30pm; Dinner 6.30pm to 10.30pm. Closed on Sundays.

Service: Fair.

Price: Total bill was RM161.

Location: Trattoria Tanzini, Level 28, GTower, 199 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (GTower is next to Tabung Haji building and Ampang Park LRT station)

Tel: 03- 2168 1899

Website: http://www.tanzini.com.my/

Tanzini, GTower, Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur

When dining out, three of the most important criteria to us is parking, location and the promise of good food. Trattoria Tanzini has it all; we never take longer than 5 minutes to find a parking space in GTower, the location is pretty convenient for us and having seen advertorials with tantalising photos of food plastered around GTower, we looked forward to a great meal here.

As we entered the restaurant, the first thing that crossed my mind was how much the decor here reminded me of Sage. Must be the chairs. The decor here is elegantly understated, sleek and contemporary with lots of natural lighting.

I like the clean-cut look

Tanzini is the hotel's fine dining Italian restaurant located on the 28th floor, so one can expect great views of the KL skyline from the terrace. This would be a great spot to chill out with a cocktail on a cool breezy night.

A view of the Petronas Twin Towers from the 28th floor of GTower

The terrace

The service here is commendable; since there were only 4 tables dining that afternoon, we all had our very own designated server. I wonder if the same would apply when the restaurant is busier. Our server was attentive and pleasant, clearing our plates as soon as we were done and making sure our glasses were filled at all times. It's little things like this that make our dining experience enjoyable.

Tanzini, from farm to table; beautiful orchids; The Big "G" sign

Tanzini offers 2 executive set lunches from Monday to Saturday. Executive Set Lunch 1 (2 courses for RM35+ and 3 courses for RM49+) did not appeal to me since the main courses were all pasta based. Executive Set Lunch 2 (3 courses for RM79+) offered more interesting dishes, so we both ordered from this set. On closer inspection, we discovered that the items from the set lunch were off their a la carte menu.

Excellent freshly baked bread

Here at Tanzini, butter is not served with the complimentary bread. Instead, 3 different dips were served. We particularly liked the tomato/bell pepper concoction, which we felt was rather unique and tasted good with the warm bread.

Tomato/bell pepper, chilli flakes/olive oil, balsamic vinegar/olive oil dip

For his starter, Hubby had the Fruity Smoked Duck Salad (RM26). It was a refreshing and interesting salad. As the name suggests, the salad was fruity, thanks to the use of raspberry dressing and clementine segments. The duck was delicious with a lovely smoky aroma.

I had the Goose Liver Terrine (Cotta al Torcione) (RM38), served with fig marmalade, crisp toasted bread and a garden salad. The terrine had a wonderfully smooth, rich and creamy texture. Paired with the sweet fig marmalade, it made a wonderful start to my meal.

Next came my main course of Pan Roasted Omega3 Baramundi (RM38). The baramundi has been sourced from the hotel's own fish farm. With this dish, the chef has created a beautiful splash of colour on the plate with the clever use of ingredients such as baby potatoes, cherry tomatoes, olives, porcini mushrooms, zucchini, asparagus, and cornetti beans. It was both wholesome and delicious.

Hubby had the Agnello Milanese (RM46), grilled Australian lamb cutlets served with olives, eggplant, and sunbaked tomatoes. The lamb cutlets were nicely cooked and again, very well presented.

Desserts are always my favorite part of the meal, therefore to be served with such an excellent dessert ended my meal on a high note. The Tiramisu A Pezzi (RM26) was beautifully presented in a glass bowl filled with crushed ice. It was expertly done. I enjoyed it immensely.

Rich and creamy..This was easily one of the best tiramisu I've eaten in a restaurant.

Heavenly.. I wouldn't mind eating this over and over again.

Hubby had the Exotic Cheesecake (RM16), served with mascarpone cream and mango coulis. The coconut ice-cream was a nice change from the usual ice-creams served with desserts.

Don't you think it looks very attractive?

After our meal, we walked over to The Club with the intention of visiting The Bridge Bar, which I have heard is pretty impressive. Unfortunately, it was closed for business and this was the closest I got to it.

*Prices indicated next to each course is what you would pay when ordered from the a la carte menu.


Verdict: The food here was pleasing both to the eye and palate. Portions were generous too. We would definitely be returning for more as we were both impressed with our meal here.

Opening times: Monday to Saturdays; Lunch 11.30am to 2.30pm; Dinner 6.30pm to 10.30pm. Closed on Sundays.

Service: Excellent.

Price: RM79+ for the Executive Set Lunch 2. A la carte items are also reasonably priced.

Location: Trattoria Tanzini, Level 28, GTower, 199 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (GTower is next to Tabung Haji building and Ampang Park LRT station)

Tel: 03- 2168 1899

Website: http://www.tanzini.com.my/

GPS Coordinates: 3.158867, 101.719934

Macarons @ Babycakes Sweet Shoppe, GTower, Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur

Tucked away in a little corner in GTower (also known as G City Club Hotel) by the florist, Le Fleur Flower Shoppe and two doors down from Social @ KL, Babycakes Sweet Shoppe is literally a hidden gem.

If you do find yourself at GTower or its vicinity, do pay a visit to Babycakes for their macarons. The macarons here are the best we've tasted in KL so far! There were 6 flavours available when we visited; caramel with salted butter, strawberry, black sesame, citron, red velvet with nutella and dark chocolate.

I like their motto: Keep Calm and Eat a Macaron.

Macaron art




Macarons packed in nice box with gold lettering

We find that macarons could sometimes be overly sweet. However, the level of sweetness of these macarons from Babycakes is just right.

Gorgeous treats for those with a sweet tooth

Delightful colours

We adore the caramel with salted butter flavour, they are simply to die for. The slightly salty filling balances the sweetness of the crust, with a lovely chewy texture. I was glad we bought 2 of these as we were all fighting for more after the first bite. Totally irresistible!

And best of all, these macarons are priced between RM2.20 to RM2.50, practically half of what Nathalie's macarons cost.

Opening times: Monday to Friday 10am to 6pm, Saturday 10am to 3pm. Closed on Sundays.

Location: Babycakes Sweet Shoppe, GTower, 199 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (GTower is next to Tabung Haji building and Ampang Park LRT station)

Tel: 012- 524 6877

Visit their Facebook page here.

Social @ KL, GTower, Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur

We had some errands to run at Jalan Ampang, and for convenience, we parked at GTower (or G City Club Hotel). As we returned to GTower, we spotted Social @ KL as we walked into GTower's lobby. It looked like a good place for us to stop for lunch.

It's hard to miss the 5m tall "dancing chillies" bronze sculpture by award-winning artist, Kumari Nahappan in the lobby

Social @ KL is a restaurant, bar and Winepost, all in one. The Winepost boasts an extensive collection of premium wines spanning across 100 countries.

Fresh fruit on display in the signature 6 feet long fruit juice bar, the longest of its kind in Malaysia

Restaurant interior; swanky hotel lobby

The place to be, where friends meet.

I like the decor here; sleek and modern with lots of wood panelling which sets a nice ambience for dining. Judging from their a la carte menu, the food here seems to be a mixture of Western and Asian cuisine.

The waiting staff were heavily promoting their set lunches, so I tried it. Out of the 6 sets, I ordered the Charles Set (RM24.90++) since the others had seafood in them and seafood is still a big no-no for me. The food arrived in a matter of minutes after we placed our order, so the set lunch here is perfect for those wanting to grab a quick lunch.

To start, a chunky tuna salad with quail egg and balsamic vinaigrette. Although canned tuna was used here, it was nonetheless a tasty (and fresh) salad.

Next came the Spaghetti with turkey ham and button mushroom in cream sauce. It was a very generous portion and I struggled towards the end to finish it. The pasta was cooked al dente and the sauce was rich and creamy, however it was a little too salty for my liking.

And yes, most of the set lunches come with a dessert too. Although I was pretty full by then, there is always room for dessert. The strawberry shortcake was lovely, I loved the fresh sweet strawberries sandwiched in between the cake and fresh cream layers.

Hubby didn't fancy anything off the set menu, so he went a la carte. He ordered the Australian Beef Rib Eye Steak (RM49.90), cooked medium. When the steak was served, the waiting staff went as far as asking if the doneness of steak was to Hubby's liking. It was a commendable effort.

The steak was nicely cooked and was a decent piece of steak. Served with buttered vegetables, shallot brown sauce and a green salad.

Ongoing promotions at Social KL

The set lunches are priced from RM19.90 - RM29.90 and are available Mondays to Fridays from 12 noon to 3pm. All sets are served with bottomless soft drinks. For the full a la carte menu, click here. For current promotions, click here.

Verdict: The set lunches here are great value for money. We were both pretty impressed with the food and service here.

Opening times: 11am to 1am daily.

Service: Good. The waiting staff were warm and courteous.

Location: Social KL, G02 & LG02-04, GTower, 199 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (GTower is next to Tabung Haji building and Ampang Park LRT station)

Tel: 03-2164 4424

Website: http://www.socialkl.com/

GPS Coordinates: 3.158867, 101.719934