The
evening sun is still bright as I drive my friends to Puteri Harbour for dinner so
I take a detour into Kota Iskandar for a drive-through to let them admire the
magnificent buildings around Dataran Mahkota.
Facade of Rock Bottom Kitchen & Bar, Puteri Harbour |
Since the
state administrative center moved to Kota Iskandar, not many people have reason
to visit simply because most of our necessary administrative work could be
completed quite conveniently at the one-stop Urban Transformation Center or UTC
in Galleria Kotaraya.
Looking
back, I don’t know if it was this detour which delayed our meal at Rock Bottom
Kitchen & Bar and in turn, increased our appetite because we did justice to
all the food we ordered from the menu!
As its
name suggests, Rock Bottom Kitchen & Bar is essentially a restaurant and
bar.
A glittering wall behind the bar at Rock Bottom! |
At the
entrance, one of the first things that grab our attention is a long bar set up to
a glittering backdrop of a mirrored wall and decorated with liquor bottles. The
other must be the wide screen at the back of the dining hall, which is playing
non-stop music videos.
We are
shown to our seats designed in a classic circular sofa around a round table and
when my eyes adjust to the light, I’m pleasantly surprised to be welcomed by wall
posters of the King of Rock ‘n Roll himself – Elvis Presley!
After a
quick scan of the wall décor, we study the menu and discover a wide range of European
dishes with a number of Indian-inspired items.
Crab Claw Salad - look out for them firecrackers! |
This is
probably because Rock Bottom is among the brands under the Olive Tree group of
restaurants that specializes in North Indian cuisine.
There is also a Bar Menu
for snacks and promotions and a Beverage Menu with lists of alcoholic and
non-alcoholic drinks.
We are simply
spoilt for choice but after conferring over our preferences, we decide on
sharing the dishes so that we can taste a wider range of items.
We start
with an appetizer of Crab Claw Salad (RM32) and in our excitement, we probably
missed out on reading the small print with ingredients which – we soon discover
– includes chopped chilli, those small firecrackers hidden in the salad that kind
of exploded in our mouths!
Whole prawns in the Seafood Spaghetti Olio |
This fiery
kick certainly whet our appetite for the rest of the meal.
Tossed in
garlic, chilli flakes and white wine, we find prawns, squid, clams and scallops
in the tasty Seafood Spaghetti Olio pasta (RM40). The pasta is al dente, cooked to our preferred bite
even without our giving any instruction when the order was placed!
The traditional
braised lamb shank on a bed of mashed potatoes looks like what we expect from a
serving of Lamb Shank (RM57) and it even feels tender under my knife.
We help
ourselves to small portions and eat in silence, savouring its taste while we
gently bop to the beat of the music videos.
When we finished, all that was left was a lean, long bone! |
After
tasting the lamb, we all agree that there’s something about this serving where
the meat is not only soft and succulent but the savoury gravy is just right.
It
is quite amazing how we gradually polished off the meat and potatoes, leaving
just a lean, long bone!
Outlet
Manager, Narayan, says burgers are popular here and recommends the barbecued
beef burger (RM38). Layered with onion rings, tomato and cheese slices, the
tender minced beef patty is topped with barbecue sauce and served with a side
of potato fries.
Rock Bottom's Barbecued Beef Burger |
It’s
an easy-to-eat item for youngsters – and there are many kids with their
families in the restaurant – who seem rather at home here.
One little girl, who’s
clearly an aspiring dancer, is so captivated by the music videos that she’s dancing
in front of the screen and even mirrors the artiste’s every move!
Kent,
the Outlet Manager for the Olive Kitchen & Bar, which happens to be located
just next door, graciously recommends the Chicken Tikka Masala (RM37).
We agree
that a bit of rice will be interesting as this serving comes with fragrant chat
rice, a juicy chicken breast with a side of creamy sauce.
The
table suddenly seems too small for all the items but the serving staff is
efficiently clearing away empty dishes and even offering to change our plates
as we savour different dishes and get various flavours mixed up on the side
plates.
Chicken Tikka Masala |
Then it’s time for dessert. While the choices are limited, the
size and quality of the servings more than makes up for it.
The block of Chocolate Brownie (RM18) topped with a scoop of
vanilla ice-cream, is deliciously rich and moist.
And we also like the slices
of Caramelized Banana (RM18), topped with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream, swimming
in a boat of brandy and Kahlua coffee liqueur.
Feeling full and relaxed, we are tempted to linger over drinks
long into the night but instead, we wisely choose to stretch our legs and take
a leisurely walk on the promenade to enjoy the balmy breezes at Puteri Harbour before calling it
night.
Chocolate Brownie [Foreground] and Caramelized Banana [Background] |
Rock
Bottom Kitchen & Bar is at Lot LG-13, Lower Ground Floor, Puteri Harbour,
Persiaran Puteri Selatan, Puteri Harbour, 79000 Iskandar Puteri, Johor.
Open
daily from 12pm to 12.45am (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday), 12pm to 1.45am (Thursday, Friday, Saturday).
For reservations, Tel: 607 – 509 6617 and 6017 - 774 5929.
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