Gourmandis

This was our second visit to Gourmandis. Our first visit was impromptu and I did not have a camera. This time around, even though we did not initially intended to be there, I was better prepared. Our previous experience was pleasant enough to make us want to return.

Gourmandis is located at the Citta Mall, on Jalan PJU 1A/48 in Ara Damansara. It is our neighborhood mall that is fast gaining popularity, mainly I think, because there are many good food outlets there. Gourmandis is on Lot G-46, on the ground floor, very near to Mac Donalds. 

It has a large bar which at most time that I had observed, was mainly empty. I think the place does a better business on food.

We got to know Ben on our first visit. He came to our table to chat with us. Ben is the executive chef there. He told us they have another outlet - I forgot where. On this second visit, he again greeted us at our table and personally took our orders.

Dinner started with the drinks. My wife had her boring mango juice. Crystal was  a little more adventurous and had this margarita wannabe - a non-alcoholic cocktail, complete with salt around the rim. I had a sip and it was like the real thing, minus the tequila.

Dinner was soon served. My wife's choice was this Crispy Seafood Aglio Olio. It was spaghetti cooked with a couple of good-size mussels, clams and prawns, in olive oil, chili flakes, cilantro and roasted garlic. The pasta was very well prepared. The flavor was good. My wife enjoyed it. According to Ben, this was one of their top sellers.

Crystal had the Gourmandis Lamb Combo. It was grilled lamb shoulder with 2 types of potatoes - roasted and mashed, roasted pumpkin and semi-dried tomatoes. It was served with honey mustard sauce. The lamb was very well done. It was tender and juicy. I had this at our first visit and I absolutely liked it.

My choice was the duck confit. However, they did not have it that night. Ben said he did have a breast of duck in the kitchen and offered to cooked in a different manner. It turned out to be good. The duck breast had a stuffing of mushroom, and pan fried to a golden brown. It was served with a potato and pumpkin topping, and a very nice sweet sauce, which I cannot identify. The meat was a little tough, but I enjoyed it nevertheless.

Then our Grill Zucchini finally arrived at our table. This was supposed to be our starter. It arrived when we had almost finished our main meal. I thought Ben had forgotten about it. It was thick slices of zucchini with a piece of shrimp on top, grilled in a béarnaise and red wine sauce. The preparation and flavor was good. But I really did not fancy grilled zucchini. So the dish was not just so-so for me.

I was dying for a good dessert. But they only had one - chocolate and ice cream. Kind of an anti-climax. What kind of dessert is that in a swanky western restaurant? We decided to give it a skip. But a western meal without a dessert is really not complete. So we walked around the mall looking for one. Unfortunately Citta is a dessert desert. We went home unsweetened and not absolutely sated.