Basic Wine Store in Mont Kiara
[Non-halal] For a lovely tipple with a side of tapas, Basic Wine Store is a new spot to check out in the heart of Mont Kiara.
An offshoot of the popular Table & Apron (see our post here) in PJ, Basic Wine Store offers the same geniality and exuberance as the former – but in a smaller and intimate space, with a focus on natural wines.
Basic Wine Store in Arcoris Mont Kiara
Newly opened this year, Basic Wine Store comes across more of a specialty wine cellar.
The shelves are lined with curated and imported natural wines – spanning from Nerello Mascalese berries crushed in the foothills of Mount Etna, to Costadila’s bubblies that entice with its sparkling orange hues.
Trust the staff to recommend the right bottle for your drinking party (thanks Sam for recommending the beautiful Podere Pradarolo ‘Ex Alba’ Bianco Macerato) to complement your food and palate.
We’ve tried organic orange wine elsewhere before, which we did not enjoy – but this bottle was a pleasure.
Lovely orange peel zestiness
Made from 100% Trebbiano grapes in Italy, this orange wine was exactly as Sam described.
We tasted dried orange peel zestiness with soft tannins in the Bianco Macerato – which made for a lovely pairing to our dishes, and also as a sweet accompaniment to convivial conversations through the evening.
Basic Wine Store – more than just wine
But man shall not live by wine alone.
The food menu here is simple and fit two pages – limited also by a smaller kitchen space vs. it’s mothership in Damansara Kim.
But small doesn’t mean inadequate.
Basic Wine Store offers a decent selection of JOSÉ Gourmet premium canned goods and pate imported from Portugal. These include Sardines in Tomato Sauce (RM29), Trout Pate (RM24), Stuffed Squid in Ink (RM51), and Spiced Calamari in Ragout Sauce (RM39).
Sardines in EVOO
Since it’s our first time trying JOSÉ, we opted for the classic Sardines in Extra Virgin Olive Oil (RM29).
The natural sweetness of the sardines was really prominent and paired really well with the accompanying sourdough bread.
Hummus with Pumpkin
Basic Wine Store also has off-menu items up its sleeves (do enquire) – and one was the Pumpkin Hummus (RM25).
We enjoyed this rendition as the sweetness of the pumpkin blended well with the earthy flavours of chickpeas – with subtle embellishments from juicy tomatoes, paprika and parsley.
Calamari
We enjoyed the Calamari (RM32, another off-menu item) even more.
Calamari is pan-seared with chickpeas and basil leaves and topped with crème fraiche for a good balance of fat, salt, and spices.
We thought the calamari was cooked perfectly for a nice bouncy (and not rubbery) texture – and wonderfully complemented by the cream and chickpeas.
Pasta with Pork Ragu
The pasta at Table & Apron had always been stellar, and the one here did not disappoint.
A good heavy ending to our meal, the Pasta with pork Ragu was as comforting as it sounds – cavatelli tossed in homely and satisfying ragu sauce made sweet with bits of carrots, parsley, and cheese.
Summary
Basic Wine Store is more than a sum of its parts.
You could come here just for the wine, but the friendly service and wonderful food made it an enjoyable night out for us – especially since we were there to celebrate a milestone.
RECOMMENDED!
Basic Wine Store
Address: Lot 13A, Ground Floor, Arcoris, Mont Kiara, 50480 Kuala Lumpur
Hours: 3pm-11pm Daily (Closed on Tuesdays)
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