[Pork-free] I’m in the Moodmood for some good food.
Newly opened by the same folks at Gooddam at SS2 (see our write-up here), we enjoyed our recent dinner at Moodmood in KL.
Strategically located on Jalan Tun H.S. Lee and close to Chinatown (i.e. Petaling Street), Moodmood recently opened its doors in November.
If our past experience at Goodam were any indicator, we were anticipating a really enjoyable meal here at Moodmood, with an emphasis on handmade fresh pasta. And they certainly delivered.
Moodmood in KL
The rainy weather on a Saturday evening provided a suitable mellow mood for conversations over cocktails and pasta.
The interior accentuates the atmosphere with its teal-painted walls, exposed bricks, and a lovely bar tucked at the back of the dining room.
All hands were on deck as owner Miki personally served us (and all patrons during dinner service, in fact) – which makes for a really pleasant and insightful experience.
Moodmood – serving fresh handmade pasta and more
As a good friend had just visited Moodmood a few days earlier, we knew what to order for dinner.
That said, Miki was extremely helpful in recommending the dishes.
Highlights include the handmade Sa Fregula pasta (Semolina dough rolled into 2–3mm balls and toasted in the oven) served with tiger prawns and cockles, and Paccheri served in lamb ragu and Diavolo sauce.
Starting with a beautiful salad
Upon recommendation by our friend, we ordered the Romaine Lettuce, Black Sesame Mayo, Candied Almond (RM28) salad for starters.
We are not usually fans of salad, but this tasted as delicious as it looked.
We enjoyed the subtle nutty creaminess of the black sesame mayo – which provided a nice earthy base for the crunchy lettuce. It worked well with the candied almonds, with shredded seaweed providing some nice salty hints to the dish.
Some sliced apples also gave some tangy liveliness to the ensemble.
Silk Blanket pasta with Truffle Sauce
For handmade pasta, we shared the Silk Blanket pasta in Truffle Mushroom Sauce (RM50) and Sa Fregula (RM98).
The former is essentially pasta sheets served in rich truffle mushroom sauce that’s rich in umami and mushroom flavours.
The silk blanket is served with a raw egg on top, with an option to add truffle shavings for RM45.
Without the additional truffle shavings, we found the pasta to be very flavourful with rich mushroom flavours and hints of truffle in the sauce.
The pasta’s texture is done al-dente – which was perfect when coated with the luscious sauce.
Sa Fregula with tiger prawns and blood cockles
We also enjoyed the exquisite Sa Fregula pasta served with tiger prawns, blood cockles, capers and tomatoes (RM98).
For the uninitiated, Sa Fregula is a Sardinian pasta which is made by rolling Semonila dough into 2-3mm balls to resemble Israeli couscous or risotto.
Personally, we thought its consistency and texture was pretty similar to couscous. We thought the pasta had a nice sharp tangy flavour from the capers and tomatoes, which is mellowed by the seafood flavours of the crustaceans.
The prawns were huge and succulent, and we liked that the plump blood cockles are half cooked (similar to the ones you find on char koay teow) – which provided a nice brininess to the dish.
One of the best chicken we’ve eaten in a long time
After sharing two pasta and a salad, we still had room for more and ordered the 7-Day Aged Spring Chicken with Harissa Sauce (RM108).
This turned out to be one of the best chicken dishes we have eaten in recent memory! This truly counted for something given how prominent poultry is in our diet.
Whole chickens have no business being this juicy, but the whole bird was beautifully succulent with flavours that really penetrated the meat due to its 7-day aging process.
The breast was unbelievably juicy and moist, but the skin was super crispy thanks to the chef’s final touches before making it to our table.
Originally from Tunisia, the Harissa sauce (sweet, spicy, salty, smoky, and slightly tangy) was a lovely condiment to the bird.
Summary
All in, we enjoyed our meal here at Moodmood. All of the dishes were delicious, with the Aged Chicken the standout dish of the night, although Max also enjoyed the Silk Blanket pasta.
We will not hesitate to recommend Moodmood to anyone looking for well-prepared dishes in a lovely casual setting. RECOMMENDED!
RECOMMENDED!
Moodmood
Address: 196, Jalan Tun H S Lee, City Centre, 50000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Hours: 12pm-3pm, 6pm-10pm Daily (Closed on Tuesdays)
Phone: 019-332 0988
Reservations: https://www.tableapp.com/partner/moodmood-jalan-tun-hs-lee
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hi.moodmood/
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