HUBBA HUBBA MONT KIARA

When you enter the Seni Mont Kiara Condominiums , look up and you will see the sweet pink sign for Hubba Hubba Gastrobar perched on the 1st Floor. This is the 3rd outlet of Hubba Hubba and if I were a resident of this condominium (but I can’t afford it, really), I’d be mighty happy with this eatery right at the doorstep.

I mean I practically fell in love with the gorgeous rustic yet elegantly comfortable ambience of the place. The welcoming factor took a notch higher with the big bright smiles and courteous demeanour of the crew. I felt right at home immediately. It also helps that the floor-to-ceiling windows provide some great views of the lush greenery outside and it’s quite a thrill – this feeling of dining next to tree tops.

The eclectic mix of different chairs and seats adds more charm to the wood-based theme of the interior deco. Bottles of wine are displayed on a wide table and cabinet on one side with splashes of colors in the form of storage boxes arranged neatly underneath the table – such a warm homely touch!

And that’s exactly what the gastrobar is all about … serving heart-warming home-style food in a cosy comfortable environment. Looking at the menu, I couldn’t help feeling a warm rush of familiarity. Well loved dishes hog the list, food that’s cooked lovingly at home by mothers and grandmothers for the family – food that we look forward to, after a long day.

In case “boring” pops up in your mind, the chefs here had also fused some age-old recipes with modern touches, blending the familiar with some interesting twists. Take their signature Lamb Shank Pie, for example. Because serving lamb shank on its own was too mainstream, the chefs transformed and combined it with some pastry and so a unique pie was created. The fluffy puff pastry was a perfect cradle for the tender lamb shank.

Lamb Shank Pie (RM32 – a 20-minute wait is required)
Melt in your mouth lambshank that’s braised for several hours with rosemary, carrots and red wine

We loved Hubba Hubba’s “Create Your Own Salad” option. There’re more than 40 ingredients to choose from and a selection of 7 delicious sauces. We went crazy with the items… just look at LL’s salad – it’s such a meaty salad! Mine looked healthier, don’t you agree?

LL’s interpretation of “salad”!

Just look at MY salad – with my favourite pine nuts, chick peas and Portobello mushrooms!

The Soft Shell Crab Spaghetti was a big hit with us. The surprise was in the tangy tomyum paste used for the crabmeat and those crunchy soft shell crabs were just srumptious.

Soft Shell Crab Spaghetti (RM25)
The zing of tomyam flavours balanced well with the sweet, crunchiness of the soft shell crabs

Timeless favourites like Popcorn Chicken and Hainanese Chicken Chop would seldom go wrong. We could snack endlessly on those crunchy morsels of boneless fried chicken dipped in zesty Japanese-inspired mayonnaise.

Hubba Popcorn Chicken (RM16)
Tasty morsels of Japanese-style boneless fried chicken dipped in a wasabi-inspired mayo sauce

Hainanese Chicken Chop (RM24)
Deep-fried boneless chicken thigh doused with a home-made Hainanese sweet and sour sauce. On the side were servings of sweet potato fries and a petite salad which I truly dug but I felt the sauce could be less sweet with more dashes of Worcestershire sauce to be truly authentic.

Can’t have a gastrobar without the ever-popular pizza and Hubba Hubba’s sole pizza – the Costiera was a winner. Just take a look…

Costiera Pizza (RM28) – the ultimate seafood pizza indulgence. It’s laden with squids, prawns, mussels, roasted peppers, tomato and mozzarella

Pommery Salmon (RM28)
Fresh salmon fillet, glazed with a pommery or grainy mustard patina and pan-fried to perfection. Pleasingly paired with creamy mashed potatoes and sautéed asparagus spears

Mutton Varuval and Kampung Fried Rice – that’s what I call home-style comfort food!

Mutton Varuval (RM24)
Tender mutton cubes lovingly cooked in Indian spices. This dry style curry was served with chapatti and went very well with a tall cold drink like my Mint Royale!

Spicy Kampung Fried Rice (RM16)
A taste of home when rice is wokked with ikan bilis & sambal belacan, finished with a fried egg and a crispy chicken wing

Two of our favourite cocktails – Waterberry and Mint Royale (RM17 each)

Mint Royale: a truly refreshing meld of fresh green apple juice, mint syrup, mint leaves and lime wedges. Waterberry: blended fresh green apple, blueberry puree and watermelon for that exhilarating lift.

Lychee Mojito (RM28)
The perfume of lychees truly made this a sublime and unforgettable cocktail. Rum, lychee liqueur, lychee fruit, lime wedges and mint leaves had me hankering for seconds!

Desserts were available in the chiller and selections vary from day to day. We had these…