The Star - Metro Section
3 August 2004
Creative Taste of Spain
By Goh Ee Koon
La Cocina Restaurant
38, Jalan USJ 9/5P
UEP Subang Jaya
Tel: 03-8023 2395
Business Hrs: Daily, Lunch (11am-3.30pm), Dinner (6pm-11pm)
§ Pork-free, Serves Spanish inspired food
Do not underestimate what restaurants in Subang Jaya can offer. Here one can find an outlet that serves an impressive selection of Spanish vintages.
La Cocina Restaurant opened for business 3 years ago and is already known for its Sangria. It is probably one of the best in town.
The Sangria has tiny pieces of fruit, iced red wine and the misture is always citrusy, never too heavy, making it easy to drink.
Besides the "fame" its vintages have gained, La Cocina also boasts an extensive tapas menu with new dishes recently added in.
The Tigres is a mussel and shrimp croquette, where musseks and shrimp are blended together, placed on an elongated mussel shell, breaded and then deep-fried. The seafood flavour is strong, especially when matched with the light mayonnaise-based dipping.
The Croquettes de Pollo (Chicken Croquettes) are much the same, with mushed up chicken and potatoes breaded together before being fried.
For something tangier, check out Champignons Ajillo, where fresh button mushrooms are sautéed with olive oil and garlic, bringing robustness, richness and indolent flavours to the palate.
There is also the Stuffed Spanish Pepper with Seafood. The seafood mesh, much like the stuffing for Tigres, is scooped into the triangular-shaped bell pepper. The pepper, imported from Spain, is sweeter than local varieties and for the price, is a real steal.
Star Metro's favourite is the breaded and deep-fried Mahon cheese, consumed with a basil dipping.
Favourites in the tapas menu are Gambas Ajillo (sautéed shrimps with olive oil, garlic and dried chilli) and Albondigas do Cordero (lamb meatballs with fresh herbs served in a zesty tomato sauce).
There is also fresh baby octopus cooked and marinated in virgin olive oil, vinegar, garlic and onions.
La Cocina is Spanish for "The art of cooking" and this art seems to flourish in the homey restaurant, which recently was given a face lift. The dessert counter is now gone, replaced by the tapas bar.
La Cocina has also been known for its paella dishes. The Valenciana with Spanish saffron, different shellfish and chicken is popular. The new addition to the paella menu is Paella Negres, where, instead of saffron, black squid ink is used instead. Don't be put off by the description or even the grey colour, for squid ink is popularly used in Mediterranean cooking and offers a new dimension in flavour.
The hints of seafood in Paella Negres is even stronger than the Valenciana and Mariscos versions; and with the large shrimps, razor clams and mussels, the dish is a complete meal.
Hake, a fish popular in Europe but hardly eaten here, makes its debut at La Cocina. This is a relative of whitefish, and is commonly used in Spanish households. It has a firm texture, flaky flesh and ease in being adapted to just about any kind of spice. The hake here is seared first, then served with a tomato-based Spanish sauce.
For dessert, try three winners - the Crema Catalana, where a rich custard is topped with caramelized sugar and is even smoother than Crème Brulee, or the rich Tarta de Santiago (almond tart), served with vanilla sauce. If that is too rich for you, try the Flan de Naranja, a wobbly-looking orange pudding that melts in the mouth.
La Cocina also hosts private parties or functions with catering facilities.
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