The BBP, Bandar Utama: 2020 Menu

With over half a decade under its belt, The BBP might no longer be a neighbourhood secret, but this restaurant-bar is still increasingly becoming one of Bandar Utama's favourite hangouts for a pint after work, a boozy brunch with family on weekends, or a barbecue-style feast with friends. When we visited, The BBP was already lively early in the evening, as regulars took their favourite tables or seats by the bar, enjoying the leafy alfresco setting from the beautiful open beer garden – a rarity in the Klang Valley.

The BBP has both air-conditioned seating inside and a shaded outdoor space, but the latter is often more popular, with its calm, green view of the The Club in Bukit Utama. The BBP's breezy, casually cheerful vibes make it perfect for leisurely hours of conversation and nosh. Any ambient noise is kept at a comfortable level, safely in the background as you chat.

Binge on Beer and Pork: The BBP originally stood for Big Black Pig, but while few people call it that nowadays, the hog remains the meat of choice here. The Pork Platter (RM86) is the best bet for two to three patrons, comprising generous portions of four specialities - Pork Ribs, Pork Steak, Caramelised Pork Belly and Hungarian Sausage - plus a choice of two sides, such as Roasted Pumpkin, Mediterranean Vegetables, Roasted Potatoes and Bacon Mash.

Each part of the platter carries its weight and brings us exactly what we want - the ribs boast a robust kick without a cloying punch, the steak is tender and clean-tasting, the belly is a beautiful balance of sweet and savoury, and the sausage feels like real, sink-your-teeth-into-this meat, not filler. Pretty much a perfectly assembled sampler.

For many customers, the ribs might be the star of the show, deserving of their own stage. The Big Pig Ribs (RM68) seizes the spotlight for that - a 600-gram slab of lip-smacking, bone-in succulence. We like that these ribs are not too saucy, so you can choose to relish them by focusing on their full-fleshed, mellowly marinated glory or flavouring them with three accompanying sauces, the Sambal Meletup, Smoking BBQ and Katsu Ribs. Sambal Meletup is the top recommendation, a Balinese-inspired creation that's rustically textured and richly seasoned, with a mild but unmistakable heat from its spices and a long-standing favourite since #TheBBPs opening.

How do you make a pizza doubly, decadently porky? Pile it not only with siu yok but bacon too, for the best of East and West, a brilliant combo of everyone's favourite preparations of roast and cured pork (RM38). This could be all the pork pizza we ever need in life, but for more indulgence, you can even top it up with extra bacon, cheese or a fried egg.

The BBP's parade of pork goes on and on, from BBQ spicy pork burgers to bacon aglio olio and pork bolognese pasta, BBQ babi guling to pork kebabs, Spanish iberico pork ribs to Bavarian-inspired pork knuckles. For merry munching, our best bet is the Siu Yok Bao (RM19), with zesty pork belly spiked with cili padi, balanced with cooling cucumber, onions and coriander leaves in steamed lotus buns for a moreish Asian sandwich.

For customers who can't live on pork alone, fear not: One of The BBP's signatures is pure poultry pleasure, the One Hot Chick (RM65). This is The BBP's take on beer can chicken, with the whole fowl steamed from within with the vapour of an open can of lager in its cavity while it's being grilled over cider wood chips, boosting the moistness of its meat. The theatrics even reach the table, as the chicken is set aflame in front of you. The result is BBQ chicken that hits the spot for texture and taste, crisp-skinned to the bite, juicy-fleshed to the chew, far from bland from the first to final mouthful.

The BBP's full bar ensures you'll never leave thirsty, whether beer, cocktails, whisky or tequila is your drink of choice. Its Carlsberg Happy Hours promotion is particularly noteworthy - RM7 per half-pint from 4pm to 6pm, RM8 per half-pint from 6pm to 8pm, touted as the cheapest in town.

Many thanks to The BBP for having us here.

The BBP
The Club, Bukit Utama, Persiaran Bukit Utama, Bandar Utama, 47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Regular business hours: Monday-Thursday, 4pm-11pm; Friday-Sunday, 1pm-11pm.
CMCO business hours: Daily, 12pm-10pm. 

Tel: 03-7729-2788

This post first appeared on eatdrinkkl.com

Yat Sing Smokehouse

Gorgeously home-smoked pork ribs and belly, cooked at low heat over charcoal and wood for more than four hours, delivered to your doorstep every Friday through Sunday: Yat Sing Smokehouse turned out to be a terrific choice for a recent dinner with friends, prompting everyone to consider ordering more of this mouthwatering meat in the future.

Chef Aaron Ngow Yat Sing's ribs are our favourite, fleshy with a firm bite but sufficiently tender chew, gently nuanced in the natural smokiness that permeates each forkful, flavourfully spiced with everything from paprika to cayenne pepper. The barbecue sauce is also homemade, thick and tangy-sweet but not overpowering, making this an exemplary epitome of American-inspired BBQ. A set of spare ribs to easily feed six people costs RM180.

The pork belly is chunky and punchy, certainly worth pigging out on too (RM55 for a hearty 500-gram portion that two to four people can feast on). Add to the sumptuous smokiness with smoked beans (RM20), plus some coleslaw (RM20) and a bacon potato salad (RM20) for a complete meal.

Orders must be made at least two days in advance, with deliveries Friday-Sunday, 6pm-8pm. See instagram.com/yatsingsmokehouse or WhatsApp 013-3943570 for more details.

If you have dogs living with you, they'll definitely want a taste of Yat Sing Smokehouse! Save the soft bones for them.

This post first appeared on eatdrinkkl.com

29Bar & Shun De Cuisine, Sri Petaling

29Bar could easily be missed amid the many bars in Sri Petaling, but this is one of the neighbourhood's more interesting hangouts, with a menu that offers incredibly hearty creations with East Asian flourishes. If your focus is on food as much as liquor, this new bar could be worth bookmarking for your next night with your buddies.

We could munch for hours on the parade of temptations that emerge from 29Bar's kitchen. If protein is your prime pleasure, the meaty marvels here include princely platters of fried chunky chicken wings made savoury with shrimp paste, saucily baked lamb rack that's extra-aromatic with black truffles, and Beijing dumplings plumply packed with minced pork, served in a style that befits a full-blown banquet, not merely a bar.

You could definitely have dinner at 29Bar even if you're not drinking - fried soft-shell crab and crispy baby crabs form a dynamic duo of crunchy crustaceans to order, while fried yuba with a Japanese-inspired sauce and enoki mushrooms with salt and pepper make up the fibre to round out the feast.

Like any modern bar that's worth its whisky, 29Bar boasts all the bottles you'll need, spanning Cognac to Champagne for Martell-fuelled merriment and Hennessy happiness. We appreciate how the bar has a chilled-out vibe that's free of overly loud music, so you can still enjoy conversations with your companions while sipping your premium blended Scotch.

29Bar is the sister outlet of Shun De Cuisine, a Chinese restaurant just one floor above the bar, so you can start your evening at the restaurant before heading downstairs. This is an interesting restaurant with seven elegantly outfitted private rooms of varying sizes, comfortable with conveniences such as karaoke facilities, ideal for intimate dinners in your own enclosed space.

Shun De Cuisine specialises in sumptuous cooking that's crafted to make a mighty impressive. The Hong Kong-style typhoon shelter lobster is a striking creation, a visually impressive upgrade from the conventional typhoon shelter prawns and crabs.

Fish also surfaces with a flourish - the dragon tabby is a great grouper, fashioned in two flavours, one with cereal and the other with salt and pepper.

Pan-seared ostrich meat with black pepper cream sauce is served in a humorous style, with a side of vegetables spilling forth from an empty wine glass. Pork is also a solid order, ranging from the classic crowd favourite of braised belly meat to Spanish iberico pork that promises the meat at its purest. 

From the land to the sea, Shun De Cuisine's repertoire is comprehensive. Complete your exploration with Bawei chicken, baked cod fish with honey, and scallops in a golden-hued cream - something for everyone, with a special touch to every recipe.

All in all, 29Bar and the freshly revamped Shun De Cuisine, which both launched in early August, look like worthwhile additions to Sri Petaling's increasingly crowded F&B landscape. Many thanks to the team here for having us.

29Bar & Shun De Cuisine

1-1 & 1-2, Jln Radin Bagus 7, Sri Petaling, 57000 Kuala Lumpur. Daily, 2pm-12am (29Bar)

Tel: Bruce 013-369 6688 / Joe 014-951 6461 (29Bar) or 03-90543908 (Shun De Cuisine)

This post first appeared on eatdrinkkl.com