Do you hear the people sing? Mediteca started out as a no-pork restaurant (forget the phrase 'pork-free'; we only need to be free of foul things), but from this month onward, this has become a pork's-welcome place. Customers want to get piggy with it!
Beginning June 1, Mediteca has totally revamped its menu; let's hope this helps revive business. Weeknights here seem too barren of customers, all of whom are missing out on complimentary bread served with Lodigiano cheese freshly grated by the table.
The ideal introduction to what Mediteca has now become: Cazuela-style stewed pork jaw with tomato & thyme (RM15++). Soul food in every sense; we have a hunch that if our grandmother had been Spanish, she'd have wholly approved of this.
Fowl-hog fusion: Chicken wings prepared with garlic & rosemary, wrapped in luscious pork lard (RM16++). Bar snacks elevated to new heights.
Beef cheek is passe; try Mediteca's pork cheek instead (RM58++), stewed to spectacular succulence with star anise & pumpkin chutney. Caveat: this is both pricey & somewhat salty.
Honey-glazed roasted suckling pig. Scarily though, this slice here costs RM88++.
Is it breakfast, brunch or lunch? Arresting, anytime of the day: Gateau of potatoes & mushrooms (RM28++), with poached egg, onion jam & bacon (pork of course, not beef).
Addicted to albumin? Mediteca's baked eggs with pork belly pancetta, spinach & bechamel sauce (RM22++) might save the night. Rehab, tomorrow.
Of course, other non-porcine meats aren't shunned here. Veal lovers can check out this tapas-sized serving of veal tongue (RM12++) with cress pickle & red onions.
Veal carpaccio in hay & white chamomile (RM38++). Evidence that Mediteca isn't just another restaurant; every recipe here is carefully selected, creatively concocted.
Mediteca remains, at heart, a Mediterranean restaurant, so Italy remains reasonably represented. But banish any hope of seeing the words 'bolognese,' 'carbonara' or 'aglio olio' here; instead, feast on unorthodox specialties like this 'fregola,' a bead-like semolina dough pasta evocative of Israeli 'ptimtim' couscous, baked in paper with seafood.
Or try the 'culurgiones,' little bundles of pleasure from Sardinia, reminiscent of ravioli, with fresh tomato sauce & 'bottarga' cured fish roe.
Can't leave without light bites: Deep-fried potato cubes with garlic & salsa brava sauces, alongside practically perfect croquettes of gorgonzola cheese & bacon.
Mediteca now serves a limited number of cocktails too, with indisputably cool names like Blue Diamond & Honey Moon.
There's a pork launch party for this new menu next week. Seems like everyone can sign up.
Mediteca Wine Tapas,
Fraser Place, Jalan Perak, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2181-2426
Open Mon-Sat, 1130am through late.