Pizza Plus @ Bandar Seri Permaisuri
Most customers get excited when food items are made fresh from scratch especially when it comes to pizza's and pastas. We were greeted by Syamsul who is the currently the Head Chef of Pizza Plus assisting the co-owners Patrick Varin from Paris and Nyamdorj Bagaajav from Mongolia to run this neighbourhood business.
It was a fairly quiet afternoon and we decided to settle for a table indoors. Inside, the setup is simple and minimal and gave off a very relaxing vibe.
It was a hot sunny day and we decided to quench our thirst with the fruit cocktail juices (RM8) each, squeezed freshly on the spot.
We started with the Cream of Mushroom Soup (RM8.50) this was certainly homemade and delicious. A great starter with a crusty garlic bread on the side.
We moved on to the Calzone (RM17.90) filled with beef, onion, basil, and mozzarella cheese. This was our favourite dish of the meal as it was packed with flavour and the pizza shell was cooked to perfection. However we would have preferred if it had just a little more filling.
Next we dived into the Fat-boy Pizza (RM17.90) regular and boy did we get a kick out of the spicy chilies. What was different about this pizza; they had sliced potatoes in the pizza, an interesting Spanish twist to the dish.
We found a cream-based pizza on the menu the Creamy Chicken (RM16.90) regular . This creamy sauce base is crafted in-house that was recommended by Chef Syamsul. The pizza dough was light and fluffy and the thickness of the pizzas was just right. Creamy pizzas are always difficult to come by and good ones even more so. Good to see this on the menu here in a neighbourhood joint.
The Beef Lasagna (RM16.50) was simple and we would have liked to see more filling in the lasagna but the sauce was delicious.
Moving forward we tasted the Spaghetti Carbonara (RM14.50) with cream sauce, green peas, and beef. However we ended up having a dry carbonara with very little filling and the photo and description on the menu clearly did not match what was served as the menu described it as a classic carbonara with a creamy sauce. If it was intended to be a dry carbonara, it would have been better to state that in the menu description. We would have preferred this dish with lots more sauce as most carbonaras are meant to be.
Personally, I have tasted homemade ravioli by Italian nonas and from other chefs. internationally, this dish stood out from the menu and I was looking forward to this Chicken Ravioli in Creamy Tomato Sauce (RM16.50).
The homemade sauce was an absolute winner with the right flavour combinations. However the homemade ravioli, the hero of the dish had very little filling. The ratio between the filling and the pasta dough was imbalanced as we tasted more of the pasta dough and sadly to say we were a little disappointed. The consensus on the table was it tasted the same as a basic frozen mass-produced ravioli. The only saving grace of this dish was the sauce.
We ended the meal with a tiramisu and a creme brûlée (RM8.50) each. There is no alcohol present in the tiramisu and the coffee flavour really stood out. The creme brûlée was a good way to end the meal.
While their strengths lie in their pizzas and calzones, the same can't be said about their pastas. There's still a long way to go and much to improve on. What I have noticed in most Italian joints in Malaysia is the error in cooking the pastas itself. The majority of the asian palate prefers the pastas to be slightly more over cooked than the traditional 'Al dente' method which is to be cooked firm to the bite. Most importantly the establishment should deliver what is clearly stated on the menu.
Since Chef Syamsul has recently taken over the kitchen, we perceive that the menu is evolving and under works as more pizza dishes will be added to the repertoire in the future. They also do delivery of the full menu and cater to the customers in the neighbourhood. We will be certainly coming back for the pizzas, and if the weather is too hot for you to travel out, the delivery option is always there.
Pizza Plus 46, Jalan Dwitasik, Bandar Sri Permaisuri, 56000 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
Opening Hours: 11am-11pm