A little bit of fun wordplay. After all, cocktails are meant to sneak up on you, much like the Shy Tan that’s spiked with tuak. But that’s not all. Ever heard of a nasi lemak slider? Reuben’s, one of Bandar Sri Damansara’s newest resto-bars, serves some seriously unique Asian fusion for the most adventurous of foodies. But don’t worry, there are plenty of comfort eating options too at this new resto-bar.
Reuben’s
Reuben, a man with a vision. Reuben’s, a place where recipes are concocted by the man himself. Each and every bite taken at Reuben’s can be attributed to the mad creative genius of his mind and hands. Inspiration for the menu hails from the familiarity of Southeast Asia, but nothing is ever fully ‘Asian’ or ‘Western’ at Reuben’s.
Take the Nasi Lemak Sliders for example, or the Rambutan Salad with Chicken that’s inspired by yee sang. However, if you’re someone with a palette that yearns for nostalgia and comfort, you’ll be perfectly taken care of too! Items like pasta, burgers, and pizza still exist on the menu, yet, Reuben’s still has its own take on them, adding a little ‘something something’ to curate new experiences!
Reuben’s loves to spark conversations, leaving you with a certain level of open-ended-ness that leaves you craving for more. Craving for more dishes, and hopefully a little more curiosity on what your taste buds have experienced!
Furkids are more than welcome!
Image Credit: @rufflove.my , @reubens.kl
It’s more than uncommon for a restaurant and bar to have an adoption drive for the furkids. In fact, it’s unheard of. But how did it even come about?
It all started 7 months ago when this new resto-bar, Reuben first opened its doors. They had noticed a large percentage of the community were in fact, pet owners and lovers. Reuben’s requested to be a pet-friendly establishment when they first moved into their location, fortunately for them, management responded with the notion that they were moving towards being pet-friendly!
In the process, they met a customer by the name of Gabbie. Gabbie, who rescues pets! Running an Instagram page called @rufflove.my, Reuben’s and Ruff Love decided to collaborate! One event and full house later, 6 adorable furbabies were adopted into loving homes. And the rest is history!
The ‘Shy Tan’ Cocktail (And More)
We know why you clicked on this article. You’re fond of wordplay! The Shy Tan is a cheeky cocktail, one that, as we said before, will sneak up on you with a boozy punch that will keep you wanting more. Not too hard though as the cocktail itself is one of the smoothest we’ve ever tried! It’s a localised drink, made with Sarawakian tuak and a house-made rambutan puree with rose infusion. Topped with aromatic dried rose petals, the floral and fruity aromas whisk you away into sweeter times!
Try also the localised Jackfruit Colada that’s equally as tropical as a typical Pina Colada! With a creaminess and viscosity that’s super satisfying to sip on. And this drink, though non-alcoholic, can be made alcoholic per request too!
We also had the opportunity to try their Signature Lolly Mojito, which comes with a zesty popsicle you dip into the cocktail to enjoy! Fresh lime is macerated in an, again, house-made demerara syrup, and my oh my does it refresh!
Nasi Lemak Sliders, Rambutan Salad, and Shrimp Pai Tee?
Asian fusion cuisine never seemed more vibrant! We tried out a pretty wide spread of the menu, so here are our thoughts on each and every one of them!
Nasi Lemak Sliders
A bit of backstory for you. Reuben himself used to hate otak otak! He found it too fishy and the texture too clumpy, and hardly ever enjoyed the dish. However, one day he had found an otak otak he enjoyed! He then set about trying to recreate it, testing the styles of Johor, Melaka, and even Nyonya-style otak otak. The final product? An amalgamation of all the styles he could get his hands on!
This labour of love, taking at least 6 hours to prepare, sits atop the Nasi Lemak Slider as the star of the show! Made with siakap fish and prawns, the entire affair is hand-minced in small batches to ensure its quality and texture. Spices are added in at different points of the cooking process, and not a single sprinkle of flour is added to the mixture. The paste is bound by a single egg, so the flavour of the otak otak is extremely seafood-forward!
With a base made with Japanese rice cooked in santan and pandan leaves, and topped with cucumbers, sambal and mayo, a bite of this slider explodes in your mouth with flavours that are really reminiscent of a nasi lemak, yet somehow, elevated!
Pomelo Prawn Pai Tee
We all know the traditional pai tee, a crispy pastry tart shell filled with spiced Chinese turnips, carrots, and other vegetables. At Reuben’s though, they do things much differently.
We start with the fresh, never frozen, grilled prawns in Western garlic butter, and topped with a homemade chilli lime reminiscent of the chilli in traditional pai tee! The shells? Hailed from a local auntie vendor in TTDI that handmakes each and every shell. That’s not all, these Pai Tees come with a topping of, wait for it, citrusy pomelo! And an Indian-style tomato chutney as well as Japanese pickles!
We know! It sounds crazy, but what’s crazier is how damn good this Pai Tee tastes! Smokey, bouncy prawns with the zesty citrus of the pomelo, paired with the tart savouriness of the chutney and pickles, it just makes for a super poppable and addictive finger food! Perfect for an event appetiser!
Rambutan Salad with Crispy Chicken
As we hinted above, this dish is heavily inspired by yee sang! Don’t be fooled by the idea that salads are meant to be light, as this dish is meant to fill you up as a main course!
The fried chicken on top is the star of the show, marinated for at least 24 hours before being deep fried, Tex-Mex style. The rambutan adds a cooling element to the salad, offsetting the heavy chicken. Other elements in the salad include fried wonton skins and toasted almonds.
Drizzled with a lime leaf drizzle made with daun limau pulut, turmeric and chilli padi, the Indonesian-inspired dressing pairs beautifully with the yoghurt sauce served alongside it!
Fish Amok
For the comfort eaters of something more homey and Asian, try the Fish Amok! Traditionally a Cambodian dish that involves coconut cream, galangal, rhubarb, lemongrass, and other aromatics, the sauce is then blended with the fish meat before being steamed in a banana leaf.
At Reuben’s though, the fish is prepared the Western way, grilled. A gorgeous barramundi fillet is grilled stovetop before being slathered in the amok sauce, with a unique flavour profile that can only be described as a blend between masak lemak and tomyam!
Grilled Chicken with Mango Relish
A unique take on your typical grilled chicken chop, there are many elements here to break down, so let’s get into the meat of it!
First, the coriander pesto. You may notice that most pestos, though traditionally made with basil, aren’t very basil flavour-forward. This pesto tackles that problem by substituting it with local produce, coriander! The coriander pesto slathered atop the grilled chicken really makes the whole affair super aromatic and nutty, with a fresh bite!
And we cannot forget the mango relish on top of the chicken and pesto. A Mexican-style salsa, made with mangoes and tomatoes alongside other aromatics and spices, the tartness combined with the sweetness is a flavour bomb that seriously elevates the chicken!
The Environment
Washed cement with spots of marble here and there, and hanging lights glistening in warmth, Reuben’s is a cosy spot, made for people to have a good meal and drink while relaxing!
With plush chairs and wooden tables, Reuben’s indoor seating is air-conditioned and even features an open kitchen alongside a bar in the centre of the interior, calling attention in its own way.
Featured is also outdoor seating, in the shade and out of it! This is where you’ll be sitting if you bring one of your pets along for a meal!
MFT’s Opinion
Overall, this spot really shines in what it had set out to do, to be a part of the community!
The food is TOP-TIER. Seriously. MUST-TRY levels of good. And we can’t even begin to start raving about the cocktails!
Reuben’s feels like the perfect place to sit back and relax while hiking up your gastronomy boots for a foodie adventure like never before!
The best of the best? Definitely the Shy Tan. This is something that’s really unique and cannot be missed out on!
More Info!
Reuben’s Restaurant & Bar
Halal Status: Pork Free, Serves Alcohol.
Opening Hours: Sunday – Thursday, 12PM – 10:30PM. Friday & Saturday, 12PM – 11:30PM.
Contact: You can contact them at their number 019-266 0270 or their official Instagram account here.
Looking for more resto bars? Try out our other article to read up on how Sarastro KL has Sky-High Booths Perfect for Date Nights!
