When it comes to pubs in Kuala Lumpur, most people would be familiar with this particular group of British pubs called Sid’s. Yes, I’m highly biased of course because my other half’s involvement but I guess that’s beside the point. Well, El Sid’s is another outlet under the same group and it’s a total different concept. This time, we are going South America (The name is probably a dead giveaway). Think ceviche, tacos, margaritas and tequila. Let’s have a fiesta!

A party we did have, as I held one of my birthday parties (I had 6 rounds this year) last month at El Sid’s with some of my blogger friends. If you would agree that Sid’s Pub is very much a boys night out venue, then El Sid’s would be the female version. The concept was actually conceived by Lian, the wife of Geoff Siddle; and the menu here is designed by Chef Jorge Bernal, who has previously worked in The Majestic Hotel, and Loco at Changkat Bukit Bintang. While it’s not very extensive, it has all the essentials to make a satisfying meal. Though first, let’s have some cocktails!

The bar staff are pretty creative and will surprise you with their creations if you let them. Failing that, there are 10 types of Tequila for you to choose including a super delicious Coffee Patron.

We ordered a few dishes to share and here are the starters:

The shrimps are marinated and served with mango, avocados and a simple tomato salsa. While it’s fresh and zesty, the shrimps have been cooked with heat so it has a slightly different texture to traditional ceviche. No matter though, as it’s still delicious and will appeal to those who are iffy about citrus cured food.

I love Jalapeno poppers and here they are made vegetarian, just simply stuffed with Mozzarella cheese, breaded and deep fried.

As you bite into it, the cheese oozes out. The textural contrast of crunchy batter, tender pepper and soft cheese is such a fun experience. The heat is only very mild for my taste, and these are so good pairing with whatever drinks you are having.

Of course, one does not go through a South American menu without ordering some tacos. Sid’s Pubs’ Cod and Chips has always been pretty good, so I had high expectation for the fish tacos here. Cod is the choice here, and wisely so as it’s lovely and tender. If anything I would prefer the batter to be a bit thinner. I like how the yoghurt dressing is spiked with a little cumin too.

I’ve long heard about the Chicken Wings with inferno sauce here and was looking forward to the burn. Unfortunately, it didn’t meet my expectation (my fellow diners could really eat spicy too and they also thought these were not hot enough) and when I brought it up to Geoff, he brought these babies out.

The scoville scores of these are in 6 digits and trust me, they are crazy hot! My craving for spice knows no bound and these made me very happy, while some on the table screamed in pain (looking at you, Anna!).

These are for the weak. Joking. Can’t go wrong with Chicken wings really and these were gone pretty quickly.

The highlight of the night would be these fabulous Beef Ribs, which is apparently the most popular item on the menu. I can see why though, as these babies are slow roasted in oven and coated with a tangy BBQ sauce. The meat is so tender with a hint of smokiness, and the BBQ sauce is just perfect with a balance of savoury, sweet, and tangy notes. So good! I would lick my finger but I ate these with fork.

We needed to fulfill our vegetable quota so this colourful salad was ordered. Consisting of mesclun leaves, red cabbage, nuts, seasonal fruit (we had a mixture of apple and orange), feta cheese, cilantro, quinoa, finished with a honey lime dressing; it provides a much needed healthy boost while remaining relatively tasty.

We also asked for some Nachos to munch on while we continue our merry making session, and my my the family size is rather huge! We opted for chicken (you can also choose either Chili Con Carne, Chili Tuna or Eggplant/Capsicum), and the nachos are covered in Ranchero sauce, Cheese and Jalapenos. Because of its size, some bits of the cheese were melted enough, but these are great to accompany the drinks.

And speaking of drinks, we had a lot more!

And….

This tastes like a combination of vanilla and cinnamon, and is so smooth! I recommend to sip it slowly to fully appreciate the body and the aroma.

The wine selections here are not too shabby with reasonable price too.

Fortunately, we made it through the night without any table top dancing (trust me, we were ‘this’ close), but it sure was a great night with plenty of laughters. Thank you El Sid’s for the fabulous hospitality!

El Sid’s
1, Jalan Setiapuspa,
Bukit Damansara, Damansara Heights
03-2095 7437
https://www.facebook.com/ElSidsBar
Pork Free