WIP, Bangsar Shopping Centre

Winning the Outlet of the Year Award at the HAPA-GAB Excellence Awards 2012, WIP tops my list of favourite restaurants in Bangsar. After my first visit here few months ago for wine, I'm glad to be back for more savouries and desserts.

In this bar cum restaurant, food and music goes hand in hand. Although we were sitted at the quiet corner of the restaurant, I was serenaded by the live music while having some pleasurable moments with good food and companion.

BAR SNACK

Crispy Soft Shell Crab @ RM36

Soft shell crab marinated and dusted with flour, deep fried and served with a jalapeno mayonnaise. I love the seafood sweetness in every crispy bite. And the mayo dip was pretty interesting! Added with jalapeno, it was less tangy but more refreshing. Less fattening too!

Best paired with a pint of beer or so! But beers there were shockingly pricey,
so we went for cocktails instead.

STARTER

Portobello Mushroom @ RM21 

Whole Portobello mushroom baked with chilli butter. Soft on the outside, and crunchy inside, the beautiful contrast of spicy buttery flavour was so rich and yummy that I could wipe this dish clean!

MAINS

Seafood Espetada (500g) @ RM78 for 2 persons

Traditional Portuguese seafood skewers, marinated with a rich coating of garlic, olive oil, herbs and rock salt, and charbroiled to perfection. Well, I enjoyed the charred bits hinted at burnt deliciousness! The taste? Pawns and fish were fresh and succulent, but squid was disappointing with its tough rubbery texture.

It came with 3 types of dips- Brown sauce, tangy chilli (This was my fave!), and classic mustard.

Take a closer look, the prawns were really huge and crunchy!

Sake San Pizza @ RM37

Pizza topped with marinated salmon, lollo rosso cherry tomato, Japanese mayonnaise, wasabi and dollops of ebiko. Naan bread is always versatile and pairs well with almost everything, but it's my first time trying such unique combination. Simply refreshing and satisfying, 8 slices of salmon pizza were definitely worth the value. 

The bread was nicely done with crispy burnt edges, but I was so stuffed by then 

so I decided to skip this and relish only the topping.

DESSERTS

The selections of desserts were similar to what I tried at TUJO Barserrie & Grill at Ascott Residence, KL, because WIP, Tujo and Souled Out Ampang are all housed under one same management.

Carrot Cake @ RM10

A lusciously moist cake topped with lime cream cheese icing. Despite of loading our stomach with so much food, there was always some space saved for desserts. Layered with thick and smooth cream cheese icing, the classic carrot cake was rich in nutty goodness yet didn't taste dry on the palate.

Tropical Pavlova @ RM10

If you're a weight watcher, it's best to avoid this. But I couldn't resist myself from digging into the crispy meringue. Crowned with tropical fruit garnish, it was chewy on the inside with a coconut cream filling.

Unfortunately, the outer crust wasn't as crispy, and the creamy coconut filling tasted unusual with fruits. We felt sorry to leave it untouched for the rest of the night.

Gula Melaka and Jackfruit Cheesecake @ RM12

It was a pleasant surprise to find that the sweet sting of the brown sugar syrup completed with the crunchy jackfruit bits had beautifully reined in the rich decadence of the light, fluffy cheesecake. The verdict? A melt-in-the-mouth, deliciously exotic masterpiece. Must try!

Royal Mojito @ RM37

A refreshing blend of rum, mint leaves, lime wedges and sparkling wine. 

Dragonfly Mojito @ RM19 (Happy Hours) / RM28 (Normal Hours)

An absolutely thirst-quenching combination of rum, red dragonfruit, green apple, mint leaves, lime wedges and watermelon syrup. The fruity concoction was light, refreshing and I enjoyed going a little on the healthy side.

WIP is a great place for wine and cigars too.

Verdict:

1. Taste wise, the dishes are great with distinctive uniqueness on its own. Considering the price falling under medium to high range, the portion is generous, so group sharing is highly recommended. 

2. Reason to revisit: The dimly lit, relaxing ambiance that makes it a perfect venue for enjoying dinner for special occasions as well as chilling at the bar.

3. Recommended: Portobello Mushroom, Seafood Espetada, Gula Melaka and Jackfruit Cheesecake.

WIP (Whipped Into Place)

Lot G111, Ground Floor,
Bangsar Shopping Centre, 
285, Jalan Maarof, 
Bukit Bandaraya, 
59000 Kuala Lumpur.
Reservations: 603-2094 1789 / 2789 / 6012-650 5722
Fax: 603-2094 3789
Email: ask@wip.com.my
Website: www.wip.com.my
Business Hours: Noon until closing, Monday to Sunday
Catering & Events: 012 361 6522 / 012 939 0811