Neroteca needs no introduction to serious foodies in town as the non-halal restaurant has been serving up delicious rustic Italian cuisine at Bukit Ceylon for years. The restaurant brings in meats and cheese from Italy every week. Last December, Neroteca opened its 2nd outlet at Plaza Damansara (I prefer this outlet as it’s away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre) which is at the same location as The Blue Elephant.
I was invited to sample their new breakfast menu yesterday and since I’ve been to The Blue Elephant on 2 previous occasions, it was easy to locate Neroteca. My 1st impression of this outlet is that it’s cosy and sophisticated. There’s a very cool ambiance about this place, posh without being stuffy and contemporary enough for young working adults to hang out in.
Hang out at the bar area or if you prefer more formal seating, at the separate dining area which has quite delightful décor what with the bookshelves, almost feels like someone’s home. I am no expert on the design of a restaurant but I know that the environment and décor makes a difference in how much time one would like to spend in a restaurant and this looks like the kind of place I could chill out in regularly.
Apart from the coffees, you can choose from a rather extensive list of teas from TE tea. Each pot is priced at RM8 which is reasonable for a restaurant like Neroteca. I chose Pink French Rose which is quite mild. I’d also go for the Osmanthus Fragrance, Gorgeous Geisha Genmaicha and Imperial Long Jing Green Tea.
I was only expecting to sample one breakfast dish (after all I am not a big eater for breakfast!) but the owners of Neroteca are exceedingly generous (much more so than some beauty brands I would rather not mention!) and I was a bit overwhelmed but excited when dish after dish came to my table. The more I see good food like this, the more I want to review food as I feel more calm and have better vibes when I encounter people in the food industry. At least they don’t make empty promises like they’ll give you some food and then give you just one dish (ahem!).
Big Breakfast
Two Eggs your choice with Smoked Pancetta, Streaky Bacon, Italian Sausages, Sauteed
Sweet Potatoes, Mushrooms, Baked tomato, Refried Beans & House Toast
I was somewhat floored by the size of this Big Breakfast. Everything on this wooden board is TOP quality from the streaky bacon (my mouth actually watered when I saw these) to the smoked pancetta (looks like ham but is actually Italian bacon made of pork belly meat that is salt cured and spiced with black pepper and sometimes other spices, served as a cold meat and sliced thinly. Two thick slices of toast with a more than generous portion of scrambled eggs (you can also have the eggs poached, sunny side up or any way you want). I tried my utmost best to devour everything but it was an uphill struggle when I had 2 other dishes to sample. This Big Breakfast is what all other restaurants’ Big Breakfasts should aspire to be like when they grow up!
The French Toast
Pan grilled egg toast with Orange Cardamom Sauce, Mascarpone Cream topped with
caramelized peach, dusted with cinnamon sugar
If I was to judge a breakfast dish on looks alone, Neroteca’s The French Toast would have swept me off my feet. Top marks for this on appearance and taste. For a light breakfast eater, this would seem like a lot! I wonder if this could be a dessert dish as I would certainly love to have it after lunch/dinner. The pan grilled egg toast is perfection personified, the orange cardamom sauce citrusy tangy without being too sweet, the mascarpone cream with caramelized peach would be so good even on their own and the cinnamon sugar as well as generous sprinkling of almond slivers superbly complement the rest of the ingredients. I take my hat off to Chef Prakash, creator of the new breakfast menu.
Pan Baked Beans, Eggs & Bacon Bits
Braised re-fried beans in pomodoro sauce, grilled bacon bits topped with eggs and
fontina cheese, served with Toast
Regrets I’ve had a few but then again, I would have had more if I had missed out on trying Neroteca’s Pan Baked Beans, Eggs & Bacon Bits. Just when I thought perfection was hard to top off, along came this dish served in a pan. There are two poached eggs embedded in the cheesy sauce (needless to say, I was in Cheese Heaven for a while) and interspersed with baked bacon bits (so aromatic!). When you dip the hot toast into the pan, you will know what I mean by adding to your list of regrets if you’d never tried this. I was very full by the time this dish came out but I finished both pieces of toast because the sauce is just too indescribable to resist. My favourite breakfast dish at Neroteca. Cheese with bacon and eggs, what more can I say other than Neroteca’s new breakfast menu is a MUST-TRY!
Neroteca Plaza Damansara (NON-HALAL)
17 & 15, Plaza Damansara,
Medan Setia 1, Bukit Damansara,
50490 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Tel: +603-2011 5725
Fax: +603-2011 8725
Email: info@neroteca.com
So nice!
OMg, the both so appetizing! My mouth is already watering when I look at it!