SOMETIMES you chance upon culinary gems in the most unlikely places. I wouldn’t have expected a perfectly turned out and marvellous pasta carbonara at Yi Restaurant in SS2, Petaling Jaya. We did and loved it.

It was al dente spaghetti finished in a little cream with smoky bacon, topped with an onsen egg and lavishly sprinkled with grated parmesan (RM23.90).

The egg yolk oozed into the pasta, turning it sticky and flavourful. Twirled onto a fork, I was wowed by its taste and texture.

Another drool-worthy pasta here has to be the tagliatelle with pork ragout (RM24.90). It trailed a delicious aroma as it was brought to the table.

Though not as al dente as we would like, the pork ragout – simmered down with cherry tomatoes and subtly scented with lemongrass – clung to the tagliatelle.

It was complete with a generous sprinkling of parmesan. I liked the rich pork ragout and only wished it could be a little less sweet.

I could imagine the pork ragout being part of a big breakfast platter if the restaurant later decides to open for a weekend breakfast.

We had started with a pretty salad jardiniere (RM18.90), a mixed salad of lettuce, baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, black olives, avocado, dried cranberries, crushed almond, peanuts and pickled kyuri.

A lightly tart and sweet citrusy dressing brought it all together, though I would have preferred it to be a little less sweet.

Sous-vide chicken breast with mashed potato, sauteed vegetables and Masia sauce (RM26.90) passed muster.

I am not a fan of chicken breast but sous-vide seemed to have improved its texture, turning out more juicy and flavourful meat. We liked the smooth and creamy potato mash served with it.

The mash was drizzled with a tomato-based sauce, to which the chef had added some Malaysian herbs.

Another main course we had was the grilled barbecue pork ribs (RM46.90). It had meat that fell off the bone at the bite but we were not too fond of the sweet barbecue sauce they had been doused with for the grilling.

The potato croquettes on the same platter went like a flash before I could get to them (we were sharing the food). So, I ordered a separate serving of the potato croquettes (RM16.90), which my friends called cheese balls.

Mashed potato had been shaped into rounds with a mozzarella filling within, crumbed and deep-fried, and swerved with aioli mayo.

Melted cheese oozed out of the croquettes at the bite though the smaller, cheesier ones served with the grilled barbecue pork ribs tasted better. Still, they made excellent snacks, perhaps with a chilled beer.

The chef, who earned his stripes working in the western kitchen of various restaurants in Taiwan, adds his own twist to tradtional dishes at Yi Restaurant.

Yi has its own barista too and he surprised us with a superb piccolo latte (RM11).

The restaurant has a small pizza menu too with margherita, ham rucola, tropicale and seafood pizzas listed. I am told they are popular with diners here. We will be back for these, and coffee, most definitely.

Yi Restaurant is at 187 Jalan SS2/24, Petaling Jaya. The number to call is 018-312 5057. – July 9, 2022.

* 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.