Monte's Restaurant and Wine Bar, Bangsar Shopping Center, KL

I was surfing the net for a place to dine in Bangsar because i know that Bangsar has good food, but which exactly, and i don't frequent Bangsar, which was all the more reason to bring my family for this exploration. One of the lists placed Monte's in the top 10 with good overall review. I looked further in their website and the menu with price listing excited (and prepared) me. I had in mind what i would order (but it wasn't available on our visit).

I went to BSC once but never realized the existence of this eatery, tucked at one of the corners. We found our way to the restaurant and was greeted by a friendly waiter. His name is Randy. I made a reservation but i'm sure they do have space for walk in because the space is large. I liked the ambiance of the eatery too. Dark but not too dark that you may accidently knock a table or chair, cushioned chair and pretty decor. I was also impressed by the awards proudly displayed near the entrance- in a way, it raised my bar. They delivered.

Bread was served while we waited.

Creamy Mushroom Soup is creamy. Good, but not great. As a mushroom lover, i preferred more mushroom in the soup.

Thick, tasty Oxtail Soup. The soup wasn't too salty; just enough to excite the taste buds. The meat was succulent. Among the soups, this was my favourite.

Fresh Onion Soup was ok. The layer of cheese above was sufficient to go with the soup- so it didn't feel too cheesy. The soup itself was aromatic from the onion- onion lovers will enjoy this.

Soups were good enough as appetizers. But my favourite appetizer was this:

Escargots! Those here are the biggest i've tasted, and fresh too. And the sauce, oh yummy! Thick, flavourful. The plate was returned to the waiter clean.

Braised Lamb Shank was my main instead. The meat was tender but i liked the gravy more. I was close to using my hands but i held back. The mashed potato and vege was ordinary though.

Mix and Match Salmon and Red Snapper was enough to share for 2 small eaters. The sauce was, again, a winner. 

Norwegian Salmon Steak was fresh, definitely.

Chicken Maryland was a steal. Perfectly cooked to crispy, golden brown, it was delicious on all accounts- chicken, banana, corn and sausage. Recommended for the Poultry section.

A bite of this Charbroiled Lamb and the deal is sealed- no wonder this eatery won awards year after year. The lamb was well seasoned to taste. Recommended for the Lamb section.

Pleased with the food, even more pleased with the service. We had a slice of crepe cake (rich in flavour too) for birthday. Watch out for promotions on certain days too.

Although on a steep side of the bill, a little splurging on occasion gives the chance to try some place new, and feeling good. Monte's just did that.

What? Western cuisine.

Where? Monte's Restaurant and Wine Bar.

When? Daily, 11am to 11pm.

How much? Refer to Monte's website.