Monte's Restaurant and Bar @ Bangsar Shopping Centre

Monte's Restaurant and Bar may have been around for more than a decade, but the name is not one unheard of. A spacious dining room tucked at the corner in Bangsar Shopping Centre, Monte's provides a soothing escape for both businessmen and family alike during lunch and dinnertime.

Stepping into the cozy dining area with retro and modern touches, it exudes a relaxed ambiance. We are impressed with the use of lush hanging foliage and metal racks that make great dividers between dining sections that can fit up to 170 pax in total.
   

The elegant atmosphere and variety of seating options make it an excellent choice for dinners--

from a romantic evening out to a large party.

If you're seeking for contemporary Western cuisine with Asian influences at unbeatable prices, here's the place to go. While the restaurant also serves an array of Western delights including poultry and seafood, taking centre stage is the variety of steaks ranging from fillet mignon to tenderloin. 

Complimentary House Bread

Upon making our orders, we are served with buttery homemade breads before beginning our culinary adventure at Monte's during the pleasant evening. Soft and fluffy, the warm bread is simply comforting and irresistibly but we are told to save it for something better that has yet to come...

Escargots @ RM19.00 for half dozen

Excitement leaps in when beautiful aroma of our starter fills the space. We are served with half a dozen of escargots baked and basted in Chablis and Garlic sauce. Unlike the usual cheesy baked sauce that might overwhelm the palate, the one at Monte's is just right in consistency, without masking the clean, woodsy flavour of the tender snails.

I personally enjoy the intense flavour of the hot butter and crushed garlic with hints of aromatic white wine. It is simply comforting to savour the house bread by dipping it into the heavenly creamy sauce!

Juicy Seared Sea Scallops @ RM39.00 for half dozen

Equally surprising in its own way are the fresh sea scallops pan-seared with tarragon butter and served on a bed of pumpkin and sweet potato puree. One can't go wrong with scallops in a seasoned butter sauce, that gives an instant lift to the oceanic flavour of scallops. Soft and rich, the velvety potato-pumpkin puree makes every bite melting good and sweet.

Nachos @ RM19.00

Another notable comfort dish that can easily be shared is a platter of beef nachos to satisfy our carnivorous cravings. We appreciate the effort of making everything from scratch including the homemade crispy corn tortilla chips with a thick layering of ground beef and melted Cheddar cheese.

Served with tomato salsa and sour cream, it is definitely a crowd pleaser for all occasions!

Ribeye @ RM63.00

For mains, the ribeye gains the biggest applause from the diners of the evening. We are crazy about the texture of the beef here; the signature ribeye has a flavoursome black char outside, and has a nice marbling fat-to-meat ratio, giving an optimum pleasure when you sink your teeth through the beef.

With a moist, pink medium rare within, we are in love the moment it melts in our mouths. We prefer having no sauce added so we can fully savour the taste of the meat prepared in a unique Monte's way.

Grilled Lobster with Garlic Butter @ RM18.00 per 100gram 

Seafood lovers would either go for Pan Seared Cod fish or the lobster cooked in 3 different methods- Thermidor, Grilled with Garlic Butter or Simply Grilled. Monte's may not be the best seafood shacks in town, but the lobster is grilled to perfection and accompanied by potato wedges and salad.

The firm and succulent morsels are enhanced with crushed garlic butter. As you venture into the crustacean, you will find sweet juicy white meats tucked inside, just waiting to be savoured. Here you can find the lobster coupled with steak to make a succulent surf and turf dinner.

Bread and Butter Pudding @ RM13.00

After polishing off the main courses, we are treated to two signature desserts-- Bread and buttery pudding and chocolate brownies-- Both sinful but irresistible for those with sweet tooth. For me, incorporating the bread and butter pudding with slices of sweet and tart apple is thumbs up. It makes the warm dessert crusty yet soft inside.

Brownies @ RM13.00

Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it is an ultimate indulgence for chocolate lovers---

So rich, chocolaty and makes folks happy! 

Apart from the desserts on the menu, do check out the daily cake selection on display
such as Carrot Cake, Chocolate Dream, etc.

Business executives in the vicinity may want to take note of Monte's attractive lunch deal-- a 3-course menu priced from RM26.90 onwards. Besides, Monte's impressively extensive wine list will excite any wine aficionado.

Thank you Monte's for having us for the evening!

Verdict:

1. A varied menu. Good food. Accommodating service. Great venue for events or parties. 

2. The attentive and friendly-service staff, as well as beautifully presented dishes make dining here a pleasurable experience.

3. Recommended: Escargot, Ribeye, Brownies

Monte's Restaurant and Bar 

Lot F112, Level 1,
Bangsar Shopping Centre, 
285, Jalan Maarof, 
Bukit Bandaraya, 
59000 Kuala Lumpur.
Contact: +603-2094 1112
Website: www.montesrestaurant.com.my
Facebook: fb.com/montesbylyn
Business Hours: 11.30am to 11pm daily