Full review over here (or click the photo). Or buy the book here!
Authentic Spanish – El Meson
Having spent over a month in Spain, finding good, authentic Spanish food in Malaysia is hard to find. Maybe because Spanish food in mostly not really halal but probably also Spain isn’t that famous in Malaysia. I found a decent Spanish place once in Mont Kiara but it closed down a few years later.
Eventually, El Meson popped up on my Radar. I don’t know when they opened up in Bangsar since I don’t frequently that area but I’m a fan from day one. I didn’t try a lot of food since there was only two of us but I went more my favorite Iberico and Serrano hams. A paella completed our simple lunch. All I can say is that it’s as good as you can get if you’re itching for a taste of Spain. Olé!
I’ll be back for more, including their all-day breakfast! Dos cerbeza, por favor!
El-Meson
61-63 Jalan Telawi 3
Bangsar Baru,
59100 Bangsar Baru,
Kuala Lumpur
03-2282-8290
Starbucks Via
Instant Starbucks coffee?
Oxymoron?
Perhaps.
The main draw of Starbucks has been the “Third place”. A place to hang-out, to meet friends, business associates, to ponder the meaning of life and the universe, that sort of thing. To turn that experience into a instant cup of coffee you make at home just doesn’t seem like it would work. Introducing Starbucks Via!
To me, it doesn’t.
Let’s get back to basics. The coffee at Starbucks is average. Worse on some days and better on some. The beans aren’t the freshest and the barista’s skill plays the other part. Some days, I actually insist the barista remake my latte or cappuccino. Instant Via tastes quite poor actually. I actually find it’s made from over-roasted beans and it tastes overly bitter, flat and lifeless. You pay RM12 per cup because it’s the whole experience. The ambiance, the place, etc. I can’t see myself paying RM2.50 for this tiny satchet that doesn’t really taste much better than Nescafe Gold! Two strikes.
If you’ve taken the red pill in the world of coffee then you would know the truth out there. Stale beans make lousy coffee. It’s unfair to compare Via to my week-old roasted Five Senses of which the difference is like night and day. I compared to Nescafe Gold and Alta Rica as well as house brands such as First Choice and Jusco selects.
The results? Not good. They all taste rather similar. I would have expected the Via to stand out a bit. After all, there’s a taste promise that goes with the Via. In Italian, Via can have many meanings, but for me, Starbucks Via means way, and it’s way out the door. Doesn’t make my coffee grade one bit.
