La Boca Latino Bar, Pavilion, KL

I've always walked past the bars and restaurants at Connection, Level 3 Pavilion, and tell myself that one day, i'm going to dine there. With VibeHero Malaysia, i had the opportunity to dine with the energetic team and other food bloggers at the La Boca Latino Bar.

 
Although this eatery is tucked in a corner, near the escalators, one cannot but notice the vibrant colours of its chairs and the creative murals on the walls- these details immediately caught my attention as i stepped into the eatery.

A chalkboard at the side on some of the bar's signature dishes.

 Bright colours adorned the wall. It was full-house for a weeknight.

I liked the ambiance of this eatery- it was lively. The menu was designed and set, nicely prepared on the table- and i was ready for a Latin cuisine. The friendly owner was there to explain the background of the dishes to us.

Since i drove, i had to skip the margarita and settle for this coffee. Came with a pretty heart shape on the surface, the coffee was aromatic. Perhaps i am no coffee taker at night, this kept me awake until the next morning.

Just too tempting, i cannot resist and tried the passion-fruit caipirinha (the picture above is the pineapple and mint caipirinha) knowing it's an alcoholic drink. I enjoyed the drink- it was sweet, sour and strong. I was red when i finished.

Some starters to fire up dinner. I wasn't much of a fan of the olives but i liked the nachos and guacamole dip.

Empanadas were like curry puffs or our local 'karipap'. Stuffed with minced chicken and served with spicy tomato dip, i liked the pastry too.

Gambas 'Al Ajillo'. The baguette is served with prawns in virgin olive oil, garlic and parsley. I did not taste this to give it a fair review.

Pimientos Rellenos de 'Ropa Vieja'. It is beef in roasted red bell peppers. The shredded beef was tasty.

Tamales consisted of three parts: homemade corncakes with shredded chicken and tomato topping, saffron rice and mixed bean salad. I expected more from this dish. The corncakes with the saffron rice and beans was a peculiar combination to me.

Arepas, a traditional South American food of cornbread sandwich with chicken 'reina pepiada'. Came with sides of green salad and fried tapioca. I liked the texture of the cornbread and the unique flavours of its fillings.

Costilla de Res. This was delightful! Beef short ribs was cooked perfectly- it was well marinated and caramelized. The chipotle cheddar mashed potatoes was the ideal side in this great dish. Well flavoured and tasty, the texture of the mashed potatoes was smooth. Also served with grilled baby vegetable. Recommended.

Another dish to remember- Solomillo de Cordero. The lamb shortloin was succulent! Eaten with the mint chimichurri, the flavours from the lamb and the mint sauce danced in my mouth. Served with Latin salad of beetroot and palm hearts, and fries. Recommended.

Moving to desserts, this Banana Flambe came with a short display of fire work. The caramelized banana with creme de banana and grand marnier was very strong- i did not expect the sensation to shoot right up at my first bite. Almost instantly, i reached out for the coconut ice cream to recover.

Unlike the above dessert, this Frozen Mud Pie provided a cooler ending to a great evening. The chocolate and coffee ice cream cake was sweet and when it returned to my side of the table, i took another scoop!

I enjoyed my dinner. In general, it was unique especially for one like me that seldom, if not, take Latin cuisine. The flavours of the dishes are strong, some a tad too sour from the tomatoes for my liking. Needless to say, this is an experience and i would like to try more from this cuisine, and explore the others out there. Dinner was just half the fun as we stayed on and chat. This is to say that La Boca Latino Bar is also a great place to catch up with family and friends, with its cozy and colourful interior, apart from the good food.

What? Costilla de Res; Solomillo de Cordero. 
Where? La Boca Latino Bar. C3.10.03 Pavilion, Kuala Lumpur.
Facebook? La Boca Malaysia


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* Thanks to VibeHero and La Boca for this event.