Kokopelli Travellers Bistro, Section 14 PJ

I hang out at 32 Square quite often, but never knew Kokopelli Bistro was located in one of the bungalows opposite the square. I only found out about this when Shum wanted to have dinner there last week. The set up was spacious, especially the outdoor area, and graffiti drawings adorned the walls. White tablecloths, small lampshades, tea light candles and fresh daisies completed the décor, and the place felt cosy and inviting. Since the restaurant was booked for a function inside, we had to dine al-fresco that night. Not a good idea, unless you smoke, because besides feeding myself, I was also feeding the mosquitoes.Our expectations were raised the moment we tasted the baked French onion soup (RM12.90). The stringy melted Mozzarella and Emmental capped the rich beefy soup and sweet, caramelized onions below. Instead of being served at the side, the bruschetta slice was placed inside the soup. I didn't mind it one bit, as the softened slice added more body to the soup. The ratio of onions to broth weighted steeply towards the onions, so much that it could qualify as a main course for small eaters. Taste wise, the soup was deliciously messy; it was dense, chunky and not overly salty, as it sometimes can be. Good thing we ordered a bowl each, as I wouldn't want to share such a hearty, flavourful soup. The oven-baked mussels (RM10.90) were redolent from the thick bechamel sauce and had a slightly browned cheese topping. While most of the mussels were somewhat fresh, I did bite into one or two rather strong-tasting ones. The addition of chilli flakes gave the mussels a mild spiciness, which helped cut through the richness of the sauce. For my mains, I ordered the moussaka (RM20.90), which was exemplary. It was a rich casserole, layered with tender eggplant slices, ground lamb and a most creamy bechamel & marinara sauce topping. The eggplant had a deep, smoky taste while the lamb was flavourful from the ground spices. I thought the bechamel and marinara sauce was well rationed ? it was thick and creamy, without being overly cloying. Despite its unassuming size, it was a hearty portion. Every mouthful was luscious and deeply satisfying. This was best shared with a friend (or two), as I felt extremely full after finishing ¾ of the dish myself, together with the French Onion Soup and a couple of baked mussels. Yes, the bane of being greedy.While I hit jackpot with my moussaka, Shum and Theresa?s mains didn?t fare as well. The seafood aglio olio (RM20.90) needed less oil and more herbs. I thought the linguine was slightly overdone, causing it to loose its bite. They were pretty generous with the seafood, but the dory slices tasted metallic and the prawns were slightly overcooked. The seafood marinara (RM20.90) was disappointing. Despite the generous amount of seafood, the linguine, coated with a thick and tangy marinara sauce tasted almost like a sodden stew. I spied a few diners eating the Char Kuay Teow and lamb chops. I tried this CKT at Uncle Don a few years ago (I'm not sure if it's the same one) and for a lard-free version, it was quite good.

Besides the minor glitches (pastas) and about a dozen mosquito bites, dinner was an enjoyable affair. The ambiance was lovely and we were lucky it was a relatively breezy night. However, the service was painfully slow that night, and the pastas took very long to arrive. It?s no fun watching your dining companion eat, or worst, waiting for the other main courses until your own turns cold.

Ambiance: 6.5/10
Price: 6.5/10
Soup: 7/10
Mussels: 6.5/10
Moussaka: 7.5/10
Pastas: 4.5/10
Verdict: Try the French Onion Soup and Moussaka. They?re good!

Kokopelli Travellers Bistro
(opposite Jaya 32 Square)
4, Section 14/46
Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Closed on Mondays
03 79567505