In my opinion, Las Carretas whips up one of the nicest margaritas in town. The Damansara outlet, at least. Unfortunately, they don’t do happy hour promotions. Otherwise, I’d visit the place more often. Apart from margaritas, they also serve pretty good ribs, albeit beef.
For our 8th anniversary, rif and I decided to revisit the restaurant for dinner. After a work food review recently, I got pretty hooked on a few dishes, namely the mussels in coriander & habanero (RM23.90). We ordered exactly that for starters. The broth was thick, mildly spicy and delicious when eaten with some tortilla. The mussels although small, were sweet and juicy.
The beef back ribs (RM45.90) needed no recommendation. Even the two tables next to ours ordered this. Superbly tender beef, marinated and charbrolled to falling-off-the-bone perfection, we loved this. I didn’t care much for the baked potato; give me greasy fries anytime!
My braised Australian lamb shank (RM34.90) came with a side of tagliatelle and vegetables. While I prefer rif’s main course to mine, the lamb shank was braised till aromatic and tender. The thorough marination and herbs added masked any gamey smell/flavour the lamb had. Portion was generous; I would definitely order this again, especially when I’m feeling ravenous.
I was slightly skeptical with rif’s choice of dessert; the choco pie (RM12.90). But it turned out pretty good. This was better than the brownies I tried during my last visit. The pie filling was dense and rich, but I thought the crust could have been softer and more buttery. That’s because I love an insanely buttery pastry crust. rif liked it just the way it was.
Dinner was satisfactory and service was friendly. However, it can get a bit noisy after 10pm…when the crowd has had a bit too much to drink!
Ambiance: 6.5/10Price: 5/10
Food: 6.5/10 (pork-free)
Verdict: Come here for a mean margarita and hearty dishes. The beef back ribs is a must-try!
Lot B-0-7 Semantan Avenue10 Jalan Semantan
Damansara Heights
50490 Kuala Lumpur
03 2093 0380
