Pentos & Basil, Sea Park: Handmade Pasta and a Private Room Worth Knowing About
A second branch of the ever so popular Pentos & Basil in Bukit Jalil, their new location at Sea Park, Petaling Jaya delivers on its promise of delicious pastas, an extensive alcohol menu, and great starters to match. Not to mention, they have a private room that is perfect for private events! Here’s what I thought of Pentos & Basil over at Sea Park!
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post - Whilst I have been paid to review this location, I’ve been given the freedom both in the choice of menu as well as what I share within this review. Note that I do actually cancel on some sponsored posts and pay for the meal if I feel like it is really hard to give an honest review of the place.
Is it Halal
Generally, I would say that this comes under the generally halal friendly, but at your own discretion. There is no pork within their menu, but they do incorporate - and label within their menu - alcohol within some dishes. Namely, the Vongole, Nero di Seppia, Black Mussels, Asian Clams, Squid Ink Dishes, Duck Confit, and the Beef Cheek. They also serve alcohol on the premises, so just something to take note of if you’re coming with Muslim company. As always, use your own discretion pertaining to this, and check with the team on which dishes to avoid if this is something that concerns you.
Where it Is
It is located over at Sea Park. It is a shoplot located on the ground floor, pretty hard to miss. The only problem, as you would expect from being at Sea Park, is the parking. The parking can be challenging during the mealtimes - particularly during lunch and dinner times, so do expect to go round a couple of times if you’re looking for nearby parking.
Address: 33, Jalan 21/12, Sea Park, 46300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Operating Hours:
Monday to Thursday | 12 noon - 3pm; 5:30pm - 10pm
Friday - Sunday | 12 noon - 10pm
As again, it does look like a typical restaurant shoplot, but it does have a secret Private Room upstairs that you can book! I really think that this is one of the key features of this place to consider if you want to hold a private event, because it really is worth it! Perfect for around 16 - 20 people, it literally costs nothing to book out the private space, as long as you order more than RM800 worth of food. And I think that their menu prices aren’t exorbitant either, so you will get your money’s worth either way. Whilst I don’t hold private parties myself, it is to the point that I think that it is definitely worth considering! Naturally, you would need to make a booking for this. You can check out all their links over here for their contact and menu details or here if you’d like to make a booking on their website directly.
What it Costs
What’s featured in today’s post is probably a bit more than a typical meal for two. I would say, per person, a meal here would average around RM50 per person, going further upwards if you’re having some alcohol. Honestly speaking, I think you get a lot of value from the prices that they charge here, here’s what is being featured in the post later on:
Pentos Signature Salad | RM38
Spanish Style Sea Prawns | RM32
Soup of the Day (Mushroom Soup) | RM15
Gnocchi - Mushroom Ragout | RM37
Squid Ink & Seafood Risotto | RM39
Pistachio Raspberry Tart | RM24.50
Homemade Tiramisu | RM25
Red Sangria | RM25
Subtotal | RM235.50
Service Charge 10% | RM23.55
SST 6% | RM14.13
Total | RM273.18
As again, I will highlight that the above is not what a typical two person meal would look like, this is more a representation of showcasing the dishes they have that I was interested in. They are generally all the favourites available - they have a lovely Top 10 Must Try dishes section in their menu for you to sink your teeth into. They also have a decent weekday lunch promotion at RM59 for two people with a combination of 1 starter, 1 main, 2 sides, 2 soups, and 1 dessert. Just note, their portions are pretty big across the board.
The menu is the same as in the Bukit Jalil branch, but they do have different dessert menus at the different branches.
How it Tastes
A lot of food to go through, so I will go course by course.
Starting off with the Pentos Signature Salad. At RM38, it is a bit steep in pricing, but I think you’d get it when you see what is included. It is a really big platter with all sorts of greens including crisp greens, avocado, nuts, and even a perfect egg right in the middle. It really is a beautiful platter that is great for sharing. Seriously, share this because you’ll be pretty full if you’re having this alone with a main to follow! The house dressing is made daily and I would say it definitely is on the lighter end. No strong flavours that overpower the salad, just something that complements the whole dish very well. A light dressing that pairs great with everything in their salad.
I think their Spanish Sea Prawns were really good. The prawns are cooked really well and the flavour coming from the rich, savoury blend of olive oil infused with thinly sliced garlic, smoky paprika and dried red chilli flakes makes a perfect combination for dipping with the bread they offer on the side. I think the dish is one of those dishes that keeps you coming back for more, I could hardly stop myself from finishing up the garlic in the dish, so I would definitely say that it was arguably one of my favourite dishes of the night!
I would say that the mushroom soup is alright. Not something in particular that I would order, I would say I personally like mushroom soups to be a bit on a more creamy end - this is a bit on the lighter end for mushroom soups in general.
Now onto the mains!
I have to say, a Squid Ink & Seafood Risotto at RM39 is an absolute steal! I would personally say that at this price point, you wouldn’t even find typical mushroom risottos at this price point very often. Their take on the risotto is a very creamy version. Not to mention that they are really generous with their assortment of prawns and mussels. I’m a big risotto fan, and I’d definitely say that at RM39, this is a risotto that is at an incredibly reasonable price point, so I’d definitely recommend it! The squid ink brings a lot of depth to the dish, and the rice was cooked off really well.
One of the star dishes of Pentos & Basil is the Gnocchi. I would say that the forest mushroom is pretty strong and gives it a very umami taste. The dish was seasoned well and their homemade pasta is soft, chewy and is a dish that is very homely. I would say it is pretty hard to choose my favourite main among the two, but the Squid Ink & Seafood Risotto probably just edges it ever so slightly - but that might just be my risotto loving bias showing.
Their Tiramisu is definitely a must order. The first thing I noted is that the aroma of the Tiramisu is pretty strong, but upon the first bite, it is a good mix of sweetness, roasty and creamy. It is worth noting that their Tiramisu is without alcohol - at least at the moment - and it is a really nice rendition of the dish.
I would say I have mixed feelings about the Pistachio Raspberry Tart. The raspberry is definitely on the stronger end, almost to the point that it overpowers most of the other components of the dish. I almost wished that the Pistachio taste came through a bit more.
Not much of an alcohol person, but their Red Sangria is great. Super refreshing and fruity, so I definitely would recommend it to pair with your meal.
Suitable For
I think the interesting thing about Pentos & Basil is that it really is for all ages and group sizes. Whilst their menu and lighting screams date night, there were many other families and bigger groups dining in when I was there. I’d recommend making a reservation if you’re stopping by, as it does get pretty full around dinner time. Long story short, great for dates, a nice, hearty family meal, or even large groups with their private room offering!
