French Poodle Inspires This Bacon Haven With Cheesy Nachos And Chicken Lollipops
The little pooch even inspired the name of this up-and-coming restaurant.
Some restaurants just have more heart than others, and it seems as though Hungry Bacon is skyrocketing to the top of everyone's lips
Timothy Sebastian began his ventures about two decades ago, previously running the kitchen at eateries known for steaks, ribs, and barbecue. Yet, something had to give for this culinary artist, as his talents and skill lay in areas far more suited for a specific type of meat.
In October 2021, Tim and his wife, Pearl, who has a background in sales and marketing, joined forces and launched their very own restaurant: Hungry Bacon, in Damansara Uptown.
We had the privilege of visiting this restaurant awhile back, and had the pleasure of gaining a deeper insight into the backstory of the eatery, and the dynamic designs that went into creating Tim's first independent venture.
The interior of Hungry Bacon was relaxing and classy. Resembling an upscale restaurant on the streets of Brooklyn, step inside and have your expectations surpassed from an anticipated typical steakhouse.
Scattered throughout the eatery are photographs of a cute pooch, so we just had to ask who it was. We came to find out that it is Tim and Pearl's five-year-old french poodle, ironically named Bacon. Upon speaking further to Tim, we found out how their beloved furry friend actually inspired the backstory of what was to become Hungry Bacon.
"I love bacon everything. I love it so much that I decided to name my dog after it!" exclaimed Tim. "We bounced with a couple of names, and then one day we just thought of Bacon and how he's always hungry. Hungry Bacon! It was catchy, so we decided to stick with it."
And just like that, Hungry Bacon was born!
Straight out of the gate, we had a heavy-hitter in the form of their Ultimate Nachos (RM43), that was worth every single tortilla chip
Seemingly simple enough, the Ultimate Nachos consisted of corn tortilla chips drizzled with cheese sauce, and served with a side of Tim's special bacon chilli con carne made from scratch (that consists of 30% bacon), sour cream, guacamole, pico de galo, jalapenos, and bacon bits.
We have absolutely no words for this masterpiece on a plate. 'Ultimate' in every sense of the word, the crunch of the crispy nachos is met with the oozy steaming hot cheese that glistens over the charcuterie board it is served on.
Oh, and we forgot to mention one thing...
Chef Tim comes to the table to pour the fresh and creamy cheese all over the nachos, before laying down all the accessory elements.
Below you will find attached, a food orgasm:
If you haven't guessed by now, this is a starter you cannot miss when visiting Hungry Bacon. We dare suggest that if you were to visit the establishment just for these nachos, it would be understandable, though we've yet to uncover their other potential sensations yet.
Simply put, this accurately describes our opinions on the nachos:
Getting into the thick of it, the next few dishes proved that while there's a key ingredient running through each of them, none were similar to the other
Continuing with a salad, the Bacon Wrapped Pumpkin Salad (RM32), will make any salad-hater bounce to the sight of this vibrant beauty. Slow roasted pumpkin wedges wrapped in bacon, the elegant presentation of this dish looked like something from a gourmet menu.
The sweetness of the pumpkin sang symphonies through the crispy bacon. A deep savoury dish, the flurry of rocket, feta cheese, and balsamic pearls (among others) balanced the texture of the mix. Conscious eaters on the other hand, can opt for the same salad without bacon.
We followed up with their Bacon Wrapped Chicken Lollipops (RM26). A variation of the classical boxing chicken recipe, Tim magically elevates this relatively simple dish into a luscious delight that rests on a bed of mayonnaise and barbecue sauce.
Tender and juicy, a bite into a lollipop seamlessly ripped it clean from the bone. Irresistibly mouthwatering, this is another item from the menu you can't miss on a trip to Hungry Bacon.
Moving to the mains, we began with Pork Burger With Bacon (RM34). This 180g pork patty was coated with cheese, accompanied by a side of fries and Tim's signature fry sauce and garlic aioli. Sinking our teeth into this succulent meat, the burger was the ultimate comfort dish. The star of the plate, however, was undeniably the garlic aioli that was tantalisingly tangy, and paired great with the fries too.
We then tried their 48-hour brined Pork Shoulder Chop (RM38), that was topped with herb butter and served with a sizeable amount of truffle mash, broccoli, and Tim's romesco sauce. A buttery bonanza, the fleshy meat absolutely glazed down our throats faster than we could take it in visually.
A zesty uplift with the pairing of the romesco sauce, Tim's precision and prowess in understanding the technicalities that go into creating the accessories that complement the star of the plate, the shoulder chop, was only met with an equally impressing display across the board.
Displaying some diversity on the menu, the next dish we tried was a Kelantanese favourite with a titillating twist. We were tickled pink by the Nasi Kerabu Babi Percik Kembar (RM38), which has all the typical classics in their blue pea flower rice, salted egg, ulam, and fish crackers among others.
The kicker here was in their Babi Percik Kembar, twin pork shoulder skewers marinated in percik seasoning. Piping hot, the dish was spicier then the traditional version for sure.
The golden nuggets of crispy pork lard generously scattered through the dish tied the entirety of the flavours together to somehow manage a delectable variant of this classic.
We knew we were in for a treat once the BBQ Ribs (RM70) landed on our table, with the rack literally outsizing our hands
Cured in a homemade dry rub, Tim embellished on his three-and-a-half-hour slow roast for the spareribs before serving it up. Slobber at the sight of these ribs. Just plunging our forks into the tender meat with one light pull was enough to make the brawn fall off the bone.
Showcased with a choice of four distinct sauces - BBQ, Black Pepper, Garlic BBQ, and a special Sweet Guinness - chowing down like a tiger on these meats alone would still do the trick. The Sweet Guinness was our favourite (and you probably know why!).
As for the sides, their homemade Corn Bread was warm and light, balancing out the richness of the ribs. Sold separately for RM4, try this instead of running to a certain "Mister Rogers" the next time you want a good muffin.
Our tummies were stuffed by the time we finished the ribs, little did we know we were up for a chocolatey surprise
Last, but certainly not least was the Chocolate Lava Cake (RM18) with a side of Forty Licks vanilla ice cream and sliced strawberries.
Unassuming on the outside, the cake was smooth and fluffy with sugar sprinkled on the top. The ice cream itself was as we expected it to be, though that was before we cut into the confection and it spilled over like a chocolate explosion.
The lava cake was decadent and moist on the inside. The sweet concoction was complemented by the tasty and piping hot chocolate that was pure gooey goodness in our mouths, with the sliced strawberries adding a hint of freshness.
And if you need more proof, here's the view once sliced into:
As for the beverages, Pearl expressed how each item is crafted individually. Served their signature Ice Lemon Tea (RM9), Assam The Bois (RM9), and Lemonade (RM9), each had a distinct flavour.
'Assam The Bois' was our absolute favourite, with hand-squeezed calamansi and dried sour plum, the volleying of sweet-and-sour flavours was a nice kick, elegantly accompanied with a calamansi sorbet, that added a creamy and dessert-like feel to this beverage.
The ice lemon tea and lemonade were both nourishing and refreshing, perfect for the hot day we had to complete our meaty meal.
All in all, Hungry Bacon is on the verge of hitting it big time in the Klang Valley among more than just porky eaters
Pork enthusiasts everywhere should really add Hungry Bacon to their foodie list. From appetisers, mains, and the dessert, every dish was robust and delicious. Inheriting a slew of sensational recipes from his family line, Tim Sebastian's understanding of this meridian meat is only going to take Hungry Bacon to new heights over time.
While we did not taste every dish on the menu, there are a plethora of other comfort food that sound delectable, including the bacon mac and cheese, bacon cones stuffed with chilli con carne, bacon ribs, and Swedish pork meatballs!
Grab your forks and get ready for a meaty delight, an evening at Hungry Bacon will be one that'll have you coming back for more.
