Last evening, I visited The Bierhaus German pub and restaurant at Taman Sentosa at the invitation of Raymond, one of the Directors.
I always loved German pubs and restaurants for their solid hearty food, good sloshing cold beer and jolly good cheer.
Stepping into The Bierhaus, we can feel straightway that this is the food and fun place in Johor Bahru.
The cosy bar is set around a large island. Every time I looked at that glowing bluish "ice berg" of drinks in the centre, I want to reach for a bottle and take a swig hehe :P
The bar is a good place to chill with friends or engage the friendly bar tenders about cocktails, beers, liquor or the latest soccer and other sports news.
Or, bond with friends over a friendly game of pool.
If you prefer outdoor dining, there is also the al fresco beer garden.
This is The Bierhaus' second outlet - the first is in Taman Johor Jaya and the third was just opened in Taman Sutera Utama.
Raymond said that The Bierhaus has always prided itself on the quality of it's food. Chef Kamal has experience in Western cuisine in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. The Bierhaus' Executive Chef Fabrizio is also the owner Chef of Ros Marino Italian, one of JB's top fine dining restaurants.
Our scrumptious dinner started with this cold cut meats and cheese platter with fresh bread and pickles (RM36++).
The savoury imported cold cuts and cheese, made us reached unconsciously for our beers and got our jolly evening to a great start :D
(I forgot to take a picture our over sized mugs of German Paulaner beer :P Raymond told us that Paulaner is the best selling beer at The Bierhaus.)
Spaghetti Carbonara RM25++
Bierhaus' spaghetti carbonara was one of our favourite of the evening. The rich sauce, savoury bacon bits and el dente pasta were tossed with a soft boiled egg yolk giving it a delicious eggy touch which we liked.
The Bierhaus Classic Pork Knickle RM49++
The star of any German restaurant is, of course, their pork knuckle :P
At The Bierhaus, pork knuckles are made in a number of different styles. Today, we chose the classic crispy style served with tangy crunchy house made sauerkraut and mashed potato.
Crackly crispy, golden brown skin, soft fat, tender moist meat. The 1.4 kg pork knuckle was light on seasoning and was tasty without any porkiness.
The pork knuckle comes with house made brown, Thai, apple and a radish pickle dip. The pork knuckle already so good by itself - adding the dips made it even more interesting to the taste buds :D
The popular grilled imported premium Italian pork sausage (RM48++) which is known for it's meaty and herbal flavours is a perfect pair with beers.
We love this grilled Japanese scallops wrapped in bacon and served with spicy mayonnaise. I love the blend of subtly different savouriness from seafood and pork.
I must highlight the spicy mayonnaise. The house blended smooth creamy dip has a slight spiciness that is surprising and delightful. When we finished the scallops, the waitress came to take away the empty plate but I kept the small dish of spicy mayonnaise. It's so good, I literary ate it on it's own.
I like The Bierhaus for it's good food, good range of drinks and cosy environment. No wonder, many people gather here regularly with friends and many milestones like birthdays are celebrated here.
Locating The Bierhaus is easy - it's at the end of Jalan Sutera (heading east) in the direction of Permas Jaya.
Restaurant name: The Bierhaus (Taman Sentosa outlet) Address: 299, Jalan Sutera, Taman Sentosa, Johor Bahru Map: http://goo.gl/maps/V5dJI GPS: 1.494341,103.783142 Hours: 2:00pm to 2:00am Non Halal
Last evening, I visited The Bierhaus German pub and restaurant at Taman Sentosa at the invitation of Raymond, one of the Directors.
I always loved German pubs and restaurants for their solid hearty food, good sloshing cold beer and jolly good cheer.
Stepping into The Bierhaus, we can feel straightway that this is the food and fun place in Johor Bahru.
The cosy bar is set around a large island. Every time I looked at that glowing bluish "ice berg" of drinks in the centre, I want to reach for a bottle and take a swig hehe :P
The bar is a good place to chill with friends or engage the friendly bar tenders about cocktails, beers, liquor or the latest soccer and other sports news.
Or, bond with friends over a friendly game of pool.
If you prefer outdoor dining, there is also the al fresco beer garden.
This is The Bierhaus' second outlet - the first is in Taman Johor Jaya and the third was just opened in Taman Sutera Utama.
Raymond said that The Bierhaus has always prided itself on the quality of it's food. Chef Kamal has experience in Western cuisine in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. The Bierhaus' Executive Chef Fabrizio is also the owner Chef of Ros Marino Italian, one of JB's top fine dining restaurants.
Our scrumptious dinner started with this cold cut meats and cheese platter with fresh bread and pickles (RM36++).
The savoury imported cold cuts and cheese, made us reached unconsciously for our beers and got our jolly evening to a great start :D
(I forgot to take a picture our over sized mugs of German Paulaner beer :P Raymond told us that Paulaner is the best selling beer at The Bierhaus.)
Spaghetti Carbonara RM25++
Bierhaus' spaghetti carbonara was one of our favourite of the evening. The rich sauce, savoury bacon bits and el dente pasta were tossed with a soft boiled egg yolk giving it a delicious eggy touch which we liked.
The Bierhaus Classic Pork Knickle RM49++
The star of any German restaurant is, of course, their pork knuckle :P
At The Bierhaus, pork knuckles are made in a number of different styles. Today, we chose the classic crispy style served with tangy crunchy house made sauerkraut and mashed potato.
Crackly crispy, golden brown skin, soft fat, tender moist meat. The 1.4 kg pork knuckle was light on seasoning and was tasty without any porkiness.
The pork knuckle comes with house made brown, Thai, apple and a radish pickle dip. The pork knuckle already so good by itself - adding the dips made it even more interesting to the taste buds :D
The popular grilled imported premium Italian pork sausage (RM48++) which is known for it's meaty and herbal flavours is a perfect pair with beers.
We love this grilled Japanese scallops wrapped in bacon and served with spicy mayonnaise. I love the blend of subtly different savouriness from seafood and pork.
I must highlight the spicy mayonnaise. The house blended smooth creamy dip has a slight spiciness that is surprising and delightful. When we finished the scallops, the waitress came to take away the empty plate but I kept the small dish of spicy mayonnaise. It's so good, I literary ate it on it's own.
I like The Bierhaus for it's good food, good range of drinks and cosy environment. No wonder, many people gather here regularly with friends and many milestones like birthdays are celebrated here.
Locating The Bierhaus is easy - it's at the end of Jalan Sutera (heading east) in the direction of Permas Jaya.
Restaurant name: The Bierhaus (Taman Sentosa outlet) Address: 299, Jalan Sutera, Taman Sentosa, Johor Bahru Map: http://goo.gl/maps/V5dJI GPS: 1.494341,103.783142 Hours: 2:00pm to 2:00am Non Halal
Jayson the boss of Menu Please Bistro invited me to try their "Signature Dishes Sharing Set Meal". The idea is for two persons to share a set consisting of a pair of Menu Please's signature dishes. Jayson let me try "Set D" with the Oriental Duck Pizza and Braised Lamb Shank as the main courses. The Set D costs RM65.80 nett.
That's Jayson the boss, on the right taking orders. Co-incidentally, that's my friend Jason and his family :D
Jayson is a SHATEC graduate and he had worked in Singapore's Four Seasons Hotel and Marina Bay Sands Hotel before returning to JB to set up Menu Please Bistro.
Let's start our dinner.
The opening course is a choice of either the Soup of the Day or a salad. As I had tried Menu Please's tomato soup during my previous visit, Jayson let me try the salad.
Jayson's willingness to experiment is reflected in this salad. The jumble of shredded carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, onions, fried tofu and beansprouts is stuffed in a glass jar. At the bottom of the jar is a tangy, spicy, drippy Thai sauce and on top is a paste-like peanutty, sweet and savoury satay sauce. The idea is to screw on the jar cover, and then mix and blend everything by shaking the jar vigorously. Pour out and serve on a plate after mixing.
It's an interesting mix of textures, tastes and flavours. Try it and see for yourself.
Next up is Menu Please's signature Oriental Duck pizza.
Taste wise this innovative pizza has everything - the sweetness of the tangerine with a tinge of tanginess, and different sorts of savouriness from the smoked duck, melted cheese and char siew gravy. There was also a herbal fragrance from the basil leaf garnishing.
Texture wise, it was also interesting. Juicy spongy tangerine, tender duck with some fat, gooey gummy melted cheese on a thin crusty handmade pizza base.
I enjoyed this interesting pizza even though I am not a pizza fan.
The second main course was Menu Please's top selling braised lamb shank. This was my second time having the lamb shank at Menu Please, and I am still looking forward to it.
The meat was braised so tender that it fell off the bone like a coat dropping off a stiff hanger. The tender meat was rich. The gaminess and aroma of lamb which mutton fans love was only subtly present.
Finally, the Cake of the Day was this durian cake. It's a sponge cake with creamy real durian between the soft spongy layers.
To go with the cake, the Set Meal comes with two hot or cold drinks.
I think this set is ideal for couples - the dishes are tasty and interesting, and the amount of food is just nice for two people. Restaurant name: Menu Please Bistro Address: 25, Jalan Maju, Taman Maju Jaya, Johor Bahru (near Plaza Pelangi) Map: http://goo.gl/maps/1vLa8 GPS: 1.480859,103.766314 Hours: Tues to Fri 12:00 noon to 3:00pm and 5:30pm to 12:00 midnight. Sat and Sun 12:00 noon to 12:00 mid night (Closed on Mondays) No pork, no lard, no alcohol, no Halal cert
Date visited: 3 Apr 2013, 1 Nov 2013
Jayson the boss of Menu Please Bistro invited me to try their "Signature Dishes Sharing Set Meal". The idea is for two persons to share a set consisting of a pair of Menu Please's signature dishes. Jayson let me try "Set D" with the Oriental Duck Pizza and Braised Lamb Shank as the main courses. The Set D costs RM65.80 nett.
That's Jayson the boss, on the right taking orders. Co-incidentally, that's my friend Jason and his family :D
Jayson is a SHATEC graduate and he had worked in Singapore's Four Seasons Hotel and Marina Bay Sands Hotel before returning to JB to set up Menu Please Bistro.
Let's start our dinner.
The opening course is a choice of either the Soup of the Day or a salad. As I had tried Menu Please's tomato soup during my previous visit, Jayson let me try the salad.
Jayson's willingness to experiment is reflected in this salad. The jumble of shredded carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, onions, fried tofu and beansprouts is stuffed in a glass jar. At the bottom of the jar is a tangy, spicy, drippy Thai sauce and on top is a paste-like peanutty, sweet and savoury satay sauce. The idea is to screw on the jar cover, and then mix and blend everything by shaking the jar vigorously. Pour out and serve on a plate after mixing.
It's an interesting mix of textures, tastes and flavours. Try it and see for yourself.
Next up is Menu Please's signature Oriental Duck pizza.
Taste wise this innovative pizza has everything - the sweetness of the tangerine with a tinge of tanginess, and different sorts of savouriness from the smoked duck, melted cheese and char siew gravy. There was also a herbal fragrance from the basil leaf garnishing.
Texture wise, it was also interesting. Juicy spongy tangerine, tender duck with some fat, gooey gummy melted cheese on a thin crusty handmade pizza base.
I enjoyed this interesting pizza even though I am not a pizza fan.
The second main course was Menu Please's top selling braised lamb shank. This was my second time having the lamb shank at Menu Please, and I am still looking forward to it.
The meat was braised so tender that it fell off the bone like a coat dropping off a stiff hanger. The tender meat was rich. The gaminess and aroma of lamb which mutton fans love was only subtly present.
Finally, the Cake of the Day was this durian cake. It's a sponge cake with creamy real durian between the soft spongy layers.
To go with the cake, the Set Meal comes with two hot or cold drinks.
I think this set is ideal for couples - the dishes are tasty and interesting, and the amount of food is just nice for two people. Restaurant name: Menu Please Bistro Address: 25, Jalan Maju, Taman Maju Jaya, Johor Bahru (near Plaza Pelangi) Map: http://goo.gl/maps/1vLa8 GPS: 1.480859,103.766314 Hours: Tues to Fri 12:00 noon to 3:00pm and 5:30pm to 12:00 midnight. Sat and Sun 12:00 noon to 12:00 mid night (Closed on Mondays) No pork, no lard, no alcohol, no Halal cert
My friend Mandy invited me to visit her relative Adrian's newly opened La Prosperidad De restaurant in Kulai. Besides it's rather unique tongue twister of a name, LPD's unique selling point is that it serves all you can eat Western food buffet at RM28.90 nett. Yes, you heard it right - RM28.90 nett all you can eat Western buffet. Wait! There is more. Children pay only RM13.90. (Sounding like TV commercial :P )
Restaurant name: La Prosperidad De Restaurant 兴旺发西式自助餐 Address: 49, Jalan Gangsa 1, Taman Gemilang, Kulaijaya, Johor Map: http://goo.gl/maps/DqCi7 GPS: 1.654114,103.588822 Hours: 5:00pm to 11:00pm Tel: Adrian +6017-785-2660 No pork, not lard, no Halal cert
La Prosperidad De is a simple, small shop lot restaurant. The tacky décor and basic layout of the buffet line reminded me of those cafés at dinghy small budget hotels.
The young kitchen crew is led by Amos (right) who is also a partner at La Prosperidad De. Amos had trained in Kuala Lumpur, worked in Singapore and now a partner in his own start up.
Initially, I was healthily sceptical about what kind of food a customer would get for a RM28:90 nett all you can eat buffet.
There turned out to be a couple of pleasant surprises.
My favourite dish of the evening was La Prosperidad De's chicken chop. It was a well marinated thick, chunky piece of grilled chicken topped with savoury sauce. The chicken was juicy, tender and nicely sweet. I can easily and happily go for two of this chicken chop in one sitting.
La Prosperidad De's fish and chips was another winner in my opinion.
The batter was nicely browned encasing quite thick strips of dory that were still succulent and sweet. This was better than some places that slice their dory too thin and made it too dry. Inexpensive fish and chips are seldom palatable but LPD's version bucks the trend.
La Prosperidad De also serves pretty good lamb chops made with Aussie lamb. Nicely grilled, still tender and juicy with that lovely gamey flavour that lamb lovers enjoy. However, understandably for cost reasons, each customer is limited to only one lamb chop per person.
The spaghetti today was average with the pasta a little limp.
Besides the main courses there are various sides. There is even a clunky small chocolate fondue fountain - a crowd pleaser, especially for the young.
There are also soups, salads, wieners, sausages, French fries and other sides which I didn't explore. Am already stuffed, just tasting the chops.
It was near full house when we were there on a rainy evening - value seekers have already found La Prosperidad De. Not surprisingly, most were families with children.
If you are shopping with family at Johor Premium Outlets and want to explore small town Kulai, a simple dinner at La Prosperidad De may be an option.
My friend Mandy invited me to visit her relative Adrian's newly opened La Prosperidad De restaurant in Kulai. Besides it's rather unique tongue twister of a name, LPD's unique selling point is that it serves all you can eat Western food buffet at RM28.90 nett. Yes, you heard it right - RM28.90 nett all you can eat Western buffet. Wait! There is more. Children pay only RM13.90. (Sounding like TV commercial :P )
Restaurant name: La Prosperidad De Restaurant 兴旺发西式自助餐 Address: 49, Jalan Gangsa 1, Taman Gemilang, Kulaijaya, Johor Map: http://goo.gl/maps/DqCi7 GPS: 1.654114,103.588822 Hours: 5:00pm to 11:00pm Tel: Adrian +6017-785-2660 No pork, not lard, no Halal cert
La Prosperidad De is a simple, small shop lot restaurant. The tacky décor and basic layout of the buffet line reminded me of those cafés at dinghy small budget hotels.
The young kitchen crew is led by Amos (right) who is also a partner at La Prosperidad De. Amos had trained in Kuala Lumpur, worked in Singapore and now a partner in his own start up.
Initially, I was healthily sceptical about what kind of food a customer would get for a RM28:90 nett all you can eat buffet.
There turned out to be a couple of pleasant surprises.
My favourite dish of the evening was La Prosperidad De's chicken chop. It was a well marinated thick, chunky piece of grilled chicken topped with savoury sauce. The chicken was juicy, tender and nicely sweet. I can easily and happily go for two of this chicken chop in one sitting.
La Prosperidad De's fish and chips was another winner in my opinion.
The batter was nicely browned encasing quite thick strips of dory that were still succulent and sweet. This was better than some places that slice their dory too thin and made it too dry. Inexpensive fish and chips are seldom palatable but LPD's version bucks the trend.
La Prosperidad De also serves pretty good lamb chops made with Aussie lamb. Nicely grilled, still tender and juicy with that lovely gamey flavour that lamb lovers enjoy. However, understandably for cost reasons, each customer is limited to only one lamb chop per person.
The spaghetti today was average with the pasta a little limp.
Besides the main courses there are various sides. There is even a clunky small chocolate fondue fountain - a crowd pleaser, especially for the young.
There are also soups, salads, wieners, sausages, French fries and other sides which I didn't explore. Am already stuffed, just tasting the chops.
It was near full house when we were there on a rainy evening - value seekers have already found La Prosperidad De. Not surprisingly, most were families with children.
If you are shopping with family at Johor Premium Outlets and want to explore small town Kulai, a simple dinner at La Prosperidad De may be an option.
When Stanley, Lazio's Executive Chef invited me to try his Tomahawk steak, I took a double take. What's that lethal weapon? Well, when I saw Stanley with that huge cut of rib-eye, Tomahawk is a very apt description indeed :) Tomahawk is that fearsome Apache Indian battle axe. That Tomahawk steak should send chills down the spine of cholesterol and calorie fearing mortals :P
Restaurant name: Lazio Italian Restaurant and Bar Address: Danga Bay, Jalan Skudai, Johor Bahru Map: http://goo.gl/maps/y4WL8 GPS: 1.475931, 103.723533 Hours: 12:00noon to 1:00am daily. Closing time 2:00am on Friday, Saturday and eve of public holidays No pork, no lard, no Halal cert
Stanley let us ogle at this well marbled Aussie Wagyu rib-eye with bone-in before he started working on it. This over sized baby weighs in at 2.11kg which is five times the size of the average steak :P
Makan kaki Jennifer looking demure with the whopping (raw) Tomahawk, ready to do battle with the steak later. She was more amused than intimidated by the size :)
The thick slab of sizzling Aussie Wagyu Rib-eye seared and flame grilled before Stanley takes it to bake in the oven.
The Tomahawk is ready! The lusciously succulent flesh encased in a charred caramelised crust.
See how thick that Tomahawk is? It's nearly 3 inches.
Overawed by it's size, we all gladly let the staff help us cut up the humongous steak while we salivated and waited gleefully.
Our Tomahawk steak done medium rare is enough to satisfy four adults, with some to spare.
Four of us shared the Tomahawk, so this was my first slice of steak for the evening. Juicy, tender, with lovely marbling and a smoky, light charred caramelised layer outside.
The steak was served with three kinds of sauces. I liked the garlic sauce and couldn't remember the other two :P Actually, I like my steak best without spreading on additional sauces. I like to taste the beefiness and natural juices on my tongue without the interference of sauces.
What sent me over the edge was the fat, glorious fat. It was oh, oh, oh so good! It was a heavenly fusion of sweet, smoky, savoury softness with the flavourful light warm juices flooding the mouth when we bite into and burst the fat.
Jennifer who was previously in the F & B industry knows her beef, and so she had the last word in finishing off the Tomahawk. Easy peasy for Jennifer :D
Stanley made some pasta for us to go with our Tomahawk. Lovely as they were, these were overshadowed by the obsession inducing Tomahawk steak :P
Pesto di funghi (pasta spinach basil linguine) Rm22.80++.
Aragosta (pasta fettuccine) Rm49.90++.
Capesante (pasta squid ink fettuccine) 42.80++.
I asked Stanley which wine would pair well with the Tomahawk. After a moment's thought, Stanley recommended this. hmmm... why am I thinking that this might not be a totally unbiased suggestion :P
When you feel your special occasion deserves more than the usual steak, what about the flamboyant indulgence of a Tomahawk Wagyu Rib-eye Steak? At the moment in Johor, only Lazio serves it.
Lazio's Tomahawk Wagyu Ribeye Steak is available by special order only. Call Stanley at +6014-3399908 one week in advance and arrange for 50% deposit. Date visited: 23 Apr 2013
When Stanley, Lazio's Executive Chef invited me to try his Tomahawk steak, I took a double take. What's that lethal weapon? Well, when I saw Stanley with that huge cut of rib-eye, Tomahawk is a very apt description indeed :) Tomahawk is that fearsome Apache Indian battle axe. That Tomahawk steak should send chills down the spine of cholesterol and calorie fearing mortals :P
Restaurant name: Lazio Italian Restaurant and Bar Address: Danga Bay, Jalan Skudai, Johor Bahru Map: http://goo.gl/maps/y4WL8 GPS: 1.475931, 103.723533 Hours: 12:00noon to 1:00am daily. Closing time 2:00am on Friday, Saturday and eve of public holidays No pork, no lard, no Halal cert
Stanley let us ogle at this well marbled Aussie Wagyu rib-eye with bone-in before he started working on it. This over sized baby weighs in at 2.11kg which is five times the size of the average steak :P
Makan kaki Jennifer looking demure with the whopping (raw) Tomahawk, ready to do battle with the steak later. She was more amused than intimidated by the size :)
The thick slab of sizzling Aussie Wagyu Rib-eye seared and flame grilled before Stanley takes it to bake in the oven.
The Tomahawk is ready! The lusciously succulent flesh encased in a charred caramelised crust.
See how thick that Tomahawk is? It's nearly 3 inches.
Overawed by it's size, we all gladly let the staff help us cut up the humongous steak while we salivated and waited gleefully.
Our Tomahawk steak done medium rare is enough to satisfy four adults, with some to spare.
Four of us shared the Tomahawk, so this was my first slice of steak for the evening. Juicy, tender, with lovely marbling and a smoky, light charred caramelised layer outside.
The steak was served with three kinds of sauces. I liked the garlic sauce and couldn't remember the other two :P Actually, I like my steak best without spreading on additional sauces. I like to taste the beefiness and natural juices on my tongue without the interference of sauces.
What sent me over the edge was the fat, glorious fat. It was oh, oh, oh so good! It was a heavenly fusion of sweet, smoky, savoury softness with the flavourful light warm juices flooding the mouth when we bite into and burst the fat.
Jennifer who was previously in the F & B industry knows her beef, and so she had the last word in finishing off the Tomahawk. Easy peasy for Jennifer :D
Stanley made some pasta for us to go with our Tomahawk. Lovely as they were, these were overshadowed by the obsession inducing Tomahawk steak :P
Pesto di funghi (pasta spinach basil linguine) Rm22.80++.
Aragosta (pasta fettuccine) Rm49.90++.
Capesante (pasta squid ink fettuccine) 42.80++.
I asked Stanley which wine would pair well with the Tomahawk. After a moment's thought, Stanley recommended this. hmmm... why am I thinking that this might not be a totally unbiased suggestion :P
When you feel your special occasion deserves more than the usual steak, what about the flamboyant indulgence of a Tomahawk Wagyu Rib-eye Steak? At the moment in Johor, only Lazio serves it.
Lazio's Tomahawk Wagyu Ribeye Steak is available by special order only. Call Stanley at +6014-3399908 one week in advance and arrange for 50% deposit. Date visited: 23 Apr 2013
