Ler Travel Diary 乐游记: Sweet Water Mediterranean Restaurant @ Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru

2 November 2014

Ms. Corinn and Macherie Johor Bloggers are invited to taste some Mediterranean cuisine at Sweet Water Mediterranean Cuisine Restaurant. Chef Hans Durst is the owner of the restaurant. His cooking experience can be found here.

What is Tapas?
Tapas are snacks, canapes or finger food originated in Spain. Tapas come in many different forms. Tapas can be practically anything from a chunk of tuna, cocktail onion and an olive skewered on a long tooth pick, to pipping hot meat with sauce served in a miniature clay dish or anything in between.
References: Lisa & Tony Sierra, Spanish Food Expert, About.com

Albondigos RM16

Lamb meatballs in onion sauce and mt aioli.

Mt aioli is garlic aioli sauce. It may look like cheese, taste like cheese with strong garlic smell, but it is not cheese. This is the first time LerLer tasted lamb meat ball. It is very tender with a bit of goat odors. Some diners may find the odor too strong. However, it is fine with me. The tomato sauce and mint smell complimented the meat ball well.

Focaccia Bread with Baba Ghanoush and Bruschetta (Appetizer)

Baba Ghanoush is made out of smoked eggplant. Bruschetta is made out of fresh tomato. Focaccia bread is hand made by chef. Foccacia bread is a very healthy bread too.The bread is made out of garlic, black olive, flour, yeast, olive oil, sugar and salt. Due to the olive oil and black olive, the bread is very fragrant. They do sell a loaf of Focaccia bread too. It is around RM15++.

LerLer prefers to spread the paste on a piece of bread.

Baba Ghanoush has very smooth texture. It is made out of smoked egg plant, extra virgin oil, yogurt and garlic blend. The yogurt taste help to increases diners' appetite.

Gambas Ajilio RM15

Sizzling prawns in garlic, chili and tomato sauce

This dish is cooked in miniature clay pot. You can still see the oil bubbling when it is served. We can't help by keep taking the photos away. The dried chili and garlic give the extra olive oil some extra taste. After all the prawns are eaten, Jeniffer and I still think that the oil go really good with rice. =.="" Why start to think of rice at Mediterranean restaurant?

Canada Lobster with Citrus Sauce

Special Order of the day by the chef. Fresh lobster from Canada is delivered to the kitchen today. Special Order of the day may be different everyday. It is based on the freshest and rarest ingredient of the day. We are very fortunate to taste this Canada lobster. Every bite of the meat can taste the freshest sea juice. Slurp. The little red fruit. It is rose pink pepper from France. It is very different with the Sarawak pepper. The taste is not as spicy as Sarawak pepper.

Linguine al Cartoccio RM55

Assorted fresh seafood, prawn, scallop, mussel, clam, squid, olive and capers.

Italian Soda RM9

Mango Smoothies

The mang0 smoothies is blended out of fresh mango. It is a must tried drink for LerLer.

Strawberry Smoothies

This drink is a bit to sour for LerLer.

Chef Hans Durst and Kim Tan

Chef Hans Durst and Chef Shah

Chef Shah has 6 years of cooking experience in Mediterranean restaurant. LerLer can't help asking. How was the life of main chef? He suggested me to watch Gordon Ramsay documentary. Kitchen is a work place need lots of patience. Sometime the coordination between chefs are not as expected. Some chefs will just lose their temper. However, their desire to create the perfect dishes are very strong. LerLer can understand their feeling well. LerLer cooks with mum some time..... LerLer will go berserk too with too many instructions at one time. hehehehehe

Black Agus Beef Cheek served with Fragrant vegetable and Saffron Blossom Rice RM58

The beef cheek is very tender in texture. The chef used his special recipe to braise the meat to very soft texture. Risotto rice is cooked with butter and saffron herb. The rice as very unique fragrant and stickiness.

Spanish Paella Valencia RM55

Assorted Seafood, escargots de bourgogre (French snail) and saffron rice.

Saffron Rice
The rice in paella is bamba rice. Chef Shah used smoked paprika for the coloring and flavor. The rice is stewed well with seafood and Escargots de Bourgogre (French Snail). Every spoonful of rice full of flavors.

Saffron Bloom

one gram of Saffron is more expensive than one gram of gold. That why saffron is known as the most expensive herb in the world.

Chocolate Lovers RM22

LerLer is very selfish. LerLer don't feel like describe this dish. I just want to eat it up. We girls just finish it in 2 minutes. That is how delicious it is. This dessert is very popular for Valentine day, weddinng anniversary and birthday celebration. PS: heard someone propose after this dish. May be can let the girl nod without hesitate. At least for LerLer. hahahah

Souffle of Bitter Sweet Hazelnut Chocolate RM22

Souffle is a cake I often read in Japanese manga. I finally have the chance to taste it. Remember to taste it while hot. Each spoonful of souffle must go with some whipping cream. This is the right way to taste it.Their desserts are so good. We girls plan to have a dessert tour.

This restaurant has a nice cozy room for small party too.

Ler's Reviews:

Halal: No Pork, No lard, Halal

Service: 8/10

Delicious: 8/10

Parking: 8/10

Enjoy healthy western dishes inspired by Mediterranean cuisine in a colourful setting. - slogan of the restaurant. This was well shown in the signboard.