LITTLE eats can make a hearty meal, and this was so when we visited Cata, a new Mediterranean restaurant at Plaza Damansara.

Our dinner was mostly about tapas, both hot and cold, accompanied by – of course! – wine.

“Tapa” means “cover” in Spanish. Back in the day, a piece of bread would be placed on top of glasses to keep flies out of the drink.

Over time, the word evolved to mean snacks or small portions of dishes meant for sharing – usually in the cool comfort of a cafe or bistro here in Malaysia.

Back to Cata. We started off with the fresh and piquant Tuna Carpaccio.

Paper-thin slices of fish are drizzled with a lemon and basil dressing, and dotted with pomegranate and pine nuts.

This is much like ceviche, with tartness from the dressing and sweet bursts from the pomegranate.

Next up are the beautifully charred Padron Peppers, finished with olive oil, Maldon salt and a squeeze of lemon.

These Spanish peppers are smoky and sweet, with just a little heat. It’s really hard to stop eating them.

The Crabmeat Croquettes, made with mashed potatoes and crab, are crusty, rich and filling.

A tapas meal would be incomplete without the Patatas Bravas, pretty much a Spanish staple.

Topped with a spicy tomato sauce and cooling aioli, the potatoes are hands down a crowd favourite.

“It’s an overall snack, like peanuts,” said chef-owner Karl Rathswold, who has run several restaurants in Kuala Lumpur with his wife, Ming, over the years. Before Cata, the couple opened an Austrian eatery in Solaris, Mont Kiara.

The Duck Confit with cannellini and roasted radicchio hits all the right notes, and is robust enough to be a meal on its own.

The succulent meat rests on a bed of soft, creamy cannellini beans that soak up the duck’s lovely juices. The radicchio’s bitter edge offsets the richness.

Simple and tasty, the Shrimps with Tomato, Basil and Garlic come with slices of bread to mop up every bit of deliciousness.

The Cata Potato Gnocchi, finished with brown butter, sage, baby artichokes, capers and anchovies, is soft, pillowy and absolutely delightful.

I liked that the Charred Sirloin with Chimichurri Sauce is cut into bite-size pieces.

The sauce, made with red wine vinegar, garlic, olive oil and chilli, perfectly complements the grain-fed Australian beef, prepared medium-rare.

The pizzas here have a sourdough base that’s just the right thickness, and come generously topped.

We had the Carne Pizza with San Marzano tomato sauce, salami, pancetta, nduja (a spicy Italian spread made with pork shoulder, belly, tripe and other parts of the pig) and semi-dried tomatoes – a meat lover’s dream.

The Charred Octopus with Capers is smoky and moist, the tender tentacle easily giving way to teeth.

We moved on to the Slow-Cooked and Charred Iberico Ribs. The fall-off-the-bone meat is juicy and naturally sweet, and a nutty rocket salad plays a solid supporting role.

The smooth and creamy Raspberry Sorbet is an irresistible dessert. So, too, is the Cata Tiramisu Ice Cream with mascarpone and coffee liqueur.

I found the fruit in the Marinated Strawberries in Red Wine and Mascarpone a little sour, but the cream cheese is yummy.

The Carne Pizza is RM38, Padron Peppers (RM20), Cata Potato Gnocchi (RM38), Charred Octopus with Capers (RM75), Duck Confit (RM45), Charred Sirloin with Chimichurri Sauce (RM40), Patatas Bravas (RM16), Tuna Carpaccio (RM32), Crabmeat Croquettes (RM36), Shrimps with Tomato, Basil and Garlic (RM34), Raspberry Sorbet (RM8), Cata Tiramisu Ice Cream (RM16), and Marinated Strawberries in Red Wine and Mascarpone (RM25).

The restaurant serves weekday lunches at RM50 for two, with a choice of tapas and a main course. Add on RM5 for sorbet or ice cream. It also has a Sunday brunch buffet at RM63 for adults and RM25 for children.

Cata is located at 50-G, Plaza Damansara in Jalan Medan Setia 2, Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur. It can be reached at +603-2011-8587. – January 18, 2020.

* Eu Hooi-Khaw has been writing about food for the longest time, covering all aspects, from restaurant reviews to cooking and recipes, as well as the healthy side of it. She has written for major newspapers and magazines, published the cookbook Fresh Ingredients, and also writes for her website hooikhawandsu.com.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.