Casa de Latinos

A Sunday evening at ShivZ Grill, is always a high-spirited affair with great salsa, bachata or even Zouk music that quickly gets everyone dancing. That’s right, ShivZ Grill is the latest addition to the mushrooming salsa scene in Kuala Lumpur, thanks to owner and fellow salsa dancer, Shiva who is also the owner of DanceKL.

The Venue
Situated along the busy streets of Jalan Maarof, ShivZ Grill is a five minutes walk from Bangsar Village. The surrounding area on this side of Bangsar is a lively place with many cafe’s, restaurants and clubs to choose from. Prices are high in many other places but you won’t feel too down about spending your money in ShivZ as they charge quite reasonably. Every Sunday night, ShivZ Grill transforms from a classy diner into a salsa club, complete with authentic Latin ambiance and entertainment showcasing great salsa music.

The Atmosphere
STRING curtains behind chili red leather chairs and suede sofas lend an air of mystery to the inner dining section of ShivZ Grill. Inside, the ambiance is warm, with comfortable cream colored chairs, wooden tables and lots of paintings on the walls. A drinks bar, with lighted textured glass panels and cool inlaid marble, gives the impression of a fine-dining outlet. But the prices at ShivZ most certainly do not reflect this. It’s not uncommon to start socializing with complete strangers as the clientele is largely made up of socialites and young professionals looking to meet new people.

The Food
Shivz Grill aspire to provide a simple, clean, cozy ambiance and cook some good kebabs and western grills. Signature dishes such as The Mumtaz Grill, Shashlick Kebab, Grilled Salmon Cilantro, Pesto Pasta and not to forget Shivz Fried Rice are must trys.

If you’re a food enthusiast, you may want know this. According to fellow food blogger Lots of Cravings …

“Given that the objective was value money food, most of the dishes were of reasonable tasting and quality (i mean don’t compare to fine dining) with VERY reasonable prices, this place is worth a close 4 stars out of 5 stars.”

Pretty awesome review … don’t you think so?

The Drinks
They do serve up a good selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks to complement your dining pleasure. And as to ensure satisfaction, drinks are served with chilled glasses, the juices are served with sugar on the side with no ice. The reason? Shiva believes that the last sip determines the overall experience, and he is not going to let it go to waste by allowing his customer to drink ice water in his/her last sip. Another reason? Value for money, no ice means the whole glass is fruit juice and not half glass of ice and half glass of juice.

The Dance Floor
ShivZ Grill offers an awesome dancing experience with authentic timber dance floor and excellent music. DJ Xavier spins a wide range of old and new salsa tunes with an occasional throw in of bachata and zouk music. The floor size fits approximately 15 salsa dancing couples which reasonably comfy since Sunday nights are not too crowded. The only drawback is dancers tend to accidentally knock on waiters serving food and drinks which might get a little messy. So fellow dancers … watch your back and your partner’s.

Salsa Night Information

Salsa Night : Every Sunday
Hours : Dance from 9pm till the early morning (1am)
Cover Charge : 1st Drink
Parking : FREE (and plenty!)
Credit Card : Yes
Smoking : Yes

Address
64, Jalan Maarof,
Bangsar Baru, 59100, KL
Tel: 03-22842500, 012-2051400

Shiva says ….. Good company, great food, nice drinks, intoxicating salsa music, and some dancing does pamper our soul sometimes.

Review on Saturday Night Salsa in Modesto’s Capsquare coming soon!

ALIYAA Restaurant and Bar in Bukit Damansara is the first authentic Sri Lankan food outlet in Malaysia. Savor authentic Ceylon Island cuisine located in a beautifully converted bungalow amidst the lush green lung of Damansara Heights. Aliyaa’s Chef Prashant Weediyage creates uniquely spiced dishes that tantalize your taste buds and senses. Also explore Aliyaa’s delicious Sri Lankan tapas and feast on rare Sri Lankan crabs.

Food aside, a visit to Aliyaa will also give one a glimpse of Sri Lanka via the many pictures on the wall. Tastefully decorated in a modern theme with black and white as core colours, the outlet which has a seating capacity of 177. The pictures on the walls catch one’s attention the moment one enters the outlet. It is like stepping into an art gallery.

A Li Yaa Restaurant & Bar has a chic, contemporary decor that blends perfectly with its colonial underpinnings. Dark wood and pristine white walls merge with a glorious Island Bar and a pretty garden area where you will enjoy a tipple of single-malt whiskey, ostensible the largest collection in the city.

Come to A Li Yaa and dance (or watch) your mid week blues away…A seductive reason to be where its happening – with Salsa lovers, hot music, wooden dance floor and great ambiance. Surrounded by office buildings and residential area, it is not uncommon to spot yuppies hanging around for drinks after work.

Salsa Wednesday features DJ Xavier and DJ Steiner spinning salsa, mambo, bachata and merengue from hot Latin America. Sit back and lounge on the plush bar stools with a thirst quenching drink in hand or join the throng on the dance floor and sway to beats.

Parking is a breeze as there are loads of parking space along the roadside with faithful ‘illegal’ parking attendant providing excellent service finding parking space for you. For ladies, you may want to be accompanied to your car as the neighborhood is a little quiet after office hours.

ALIYAA RESTAURANT AND BAR,
8, Lorong Dungun, Bukit Damansara,
50490 Kuala Lumpur
Tel : +603-20925378
Business Hours: Daily, noon to 1am. Closed on Sundays.

Paradisso is the latest addition to the range of salsa clubs in Kuala Lumpur. Located within the Lodge Paradize Hotel Kuala Lumpur, the club has been spinning salsa music since 3rd July 2009. If you’re unfamiliar with this venue, that’s because it was previously known as Aero Club in the past and the management decided to revamp the whole place and gave it a new breath of life.

The Lodge Paradize Hotel is located directly opposite to Wisma Genting and it’s also a stone throw away from Pavillion Mall.

Although Paradisso is located within the heart of the city, the interior gives you nothing of that sort. As you enter into the compound, a swimming pool greets you and right next to it … al fresco dining. The restaurant serves a wide range of local and international cuisines by the poolside. And if you’re hungry after dancing, fear not as the place opens till 5:00am! Perfect urban retreat set amidst a concrete jungle.

There’s plenty of room for dancing in the club as the dance floor is considerably large. The club is spread across 2 sections, with a raised platform dance floor in one area and the long bar across the next session. In case you get tired of dancing (as if!) you can chill out at the long bar or there’s also a pool table across the other end.

There’s an entrance fee of RM10 and that gives you a beer or soft drink. It’s by far, the cheapest beer served in a club … in town. Well, let’s hope that encourages dancers to support and buy more drinks … (else I seriously wonder how would the club survive)

Parking is also a breeze in Paradisso although limited. There’s parking within the compound of the Lodge but they do tend to run out of parking lots at times.

Salsa Night Information

Salsa Night : Every Friday
Hours : Dance from 9pm till the early morning (1am)
Cover Charge : RM10 (inclusive of 1st drink – beer / soft drink / mineral water)
Parking : Within the hotel compound at RM2 flat.
Credit Card : Yes
Smoking : No

Address
Paradisso Club (Lodge Paradize Hotel)
2, Jalan Tengah,
50250 Kuala Lumpur
Tel:03-
Fax:03-2142 1289
Web:http://www.hotelparadize.com

Bossa Nova is a Brazilian restaurant located in ParkRoyal Hotel Kuala Lumpur. Smack right in the middle of the busiest street in Kuala Lumpur, it is one of the favorite salsa joint in town. Bossa Nova’s modern-retro ambiance with warm, mellow lighting is cosy but devoid of any truly Brazilian characteristics. A spacious custom-built dance floor dominates the center so diners can show off their dancing skills. It’s the perfect venue if you plan to come in for a dinner and dance. Bossa Nova offers diners a selection of more than 20 appetizers on the buffet, freshly prepared soups on a daily rotation with a collection of mouth-watering dessert combination.

The grill, which can seat 106 persons, has three main areas – the wine bar, the general dining area and the dance floor. There are also two private rooms which can accommodate 10 persons each. The only restaurant with a dance floor in town, diners are encourage to Salsa and Samba before, during and after dinner.

There’s no cover charge in this club but be prepared to dig deep into your pocket as beverage prices might sting you a little. Dress up as this is an upmarket area (it is a 5 star hotel after all). The dance floor is large and considerably new but rather nice to dance on. Organizers of the salsa night constantly makes sure the flooring is smooth for some action-packed dancing.

Parking may be a little tricky, but you’ll get use to it after a few visit. If you’re checking it out for the first time, you might want to know that the parking lot for ParkRoyal Hotel Kuala Lumpur is right behind the hotel building. Alternatively, jockey parking is also a great idea especially for single ladies.

Address
Parkroyal Kuala Lumpur
Lower Lobby Level, Jalan Sultan Ismail,
Kuala Lumpur

Train : Bukit Bintang (Monorail)
Tel : 03-2711 1199
Opening Time : 12pm-2.30pm (Mon-Fri), 6.30pm-10.30pm (Mon-Sat)
Cuisine Type : Brazilian (Halal)
Price Range : RM50 to RM75
Credit Cards : Amex, Mastercard, Visa
Smoking : No
Food : 3/5
Service : 4/5

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