THE trio dips platter with Greek melitzanosalata, tzatziki and hummus set the tone for our Mediterranean lunch at Marinero in LaLaport, Kuala Lumpur. The dips with pita bread made an excellent starter for the five of us.

I liked best the roasted, smoky eggplant combined with garlic, parsley, red onions, lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil in the melitzanosalata dip and the tzatziki was tangy with lemon juice and Greek yoghurt and refreshing with cucumber strips in it.

I could never resist a well made hummus of mashed chickpeas, tahini, garlic and lemon juice. 

We also crunched on thin deep-fried strips of zucchini covering the calamari fritters. The squid rings stayed moist and tender under a thin layer of crispy batter and were just perfectly slightly dipped in the lemon mayonnaise.

Moroccan lamb kofta on skewers, paired with a peri peri sauce, were our meaty appetiser and they were so good. We enjoyed the aroma of spices in the moist, roasted minced lamb and hot chilli kick from the peri peri sauce.

The watermelon salad with sunflower and pumpkin seeds drizzled with sumac vinaigrette and balsamic reduction was somewhat lacking. The fruit should have been cubed to better soak in the flavours of the dressing. More feta cheese should also have been crumbled over it. Our suggestions were duly noted by the staff.

We had two main courses – Moroccan lamb shank with apricot couscous and seafood paella.

The lamb shank was delicious as the meat, well infused with herbs and spices and simmered for hours, fell off the bone and into a flavourful marinade. It worked so well with the couscous stirred with roasted pine nuts and bits of dried apricot and raisins. Greek yoghurt, and pomegranate scattered on the plate gave a tangy, fruity balance to the rich lamb.

The essence of mussels, prawns and squid distilled into rice tinged with saffron made for a sweet and flavourful seafood paella. The texture of the rice had a little bite and was perfect.

Desserts were chocolate fondant and vanilla gelato. 

We were delighted by the liquid chocolate that flowed out of the chocolate fondant when it was cut. It’s been a while since that happened with the many chocolate fondants I have had. Together with berries, chocolate crumbs and chocolate gelato, it made for a pleasing dessert.

The vanilla gelato was presented on a buttery, fluffy phyllo pastry. It was generously sprinkled with chopped pistachios and strawberries in a caramel sauce.

I liked the light, crumbly pastry with the gelato.

Our lunch came to about RM80 each, which was a reasonable price to pay for the quality and variety. 

Marinero Mediterranean Dining & Bar is on the ground floor of Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport, Kuala Lumpur. Call 012-673 0046, for enquiries. – May 6, 2023.

* 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.