Bonfire Restaurant & Bar celebrates this warm concept of coming together with family and friends to share platters of Australian-themed soulful barbecued food, prepared by using a custom-made wood and charcoal fire (minus the mosquito bites as a result of sitting for hours outdoors).

Whether it is brunch, lunch or dinner, the Bonfire menu offers vibrantly mixed platters of food to be shared among 2 or 3 persons, and also Ala Carte dishes. The food can be a tad on the pricy side though, so most people will probably only dine here on special occasions.

Hence, Bonfire Restaurant recently launched their new, super affordable lunch platter (for 1 or 2 persons) to attract the office lunch crowd. Each lunch platter comes with Deep Fried Mantau, Roti Pratha, Minced Lamb Pizza, Avocado & Hummus dips, Honey Caramelised Pineapple, and your choice of 1 Main for RM23.90 or 2 Mains for RM45.90 (special introductory offer prices).

The mains you can choose from are Grilled Mediterranean Chicken Skewers, Beef Kofta in Rich Tomato Passata, Shiitake Mushrooms in Tare Sauce, Duck Yakitori or Grilled Fillet of Seabass. Are you drooling yet at this amazing spread? Because we are!

So we made our way to Bonfire Restaurant and promptly ordered the new Bonfire lunch platter. For our mains, we chose the Beef Kofta, and Grilled Fillet of Seabass. We also made additional orders for the Grilled Chicken Skewers (RM8 per skewer), and Shiitake Mushrooms (RM12).

Okay, firstly we were smitten with the variety of breads in the platter. The cute little Deep Fried Mantaus are lovely! Perfectly oven cooked, the mantaus had just that hint of sweetness that paired well with the chicken skewers. Likewise, the Roti Pratha was very crispy and good to eat on its own, but tasted even better with the Avocado & Hummus dip. Delish!

The Minced Lamb Pizza is also delectable. The pizza crust was nicely grilled and very crispy, while the lamb was so tender. Again, we cannot say this enough - eat the lamb pizza with the avocado dip. We really could not get enough of the avocado dip. Everything goes well with it! It's so tasty, fresh and light in texture, perfect for the breads!

The Grilled Mediterranean Chicken Skewer, served with Herbed Yoghurt Sauce, was another favourite. The bold flavours of marinated spices complemented the charred yet succulent chicken perfectly. It brought to mind the comforting home-made flavours that we enjoy!

We also agreed that the Shiitake Mushrooms in Tare Sauce with Charred Leeks, and the Honey Caramelised Pineapple are great components in the lunch platter. The Shiitake mushrooms were deliciously moist and blended well with the tare sauce, while the sweetness of the honey caramelised pineapple made it perfect to eat with everything else on the table.

Seabass tastes best when grilled. The Grilled Fillet of Seabass with Ebi Sauce & Deep Fried Shallots was soft in texture, not overcooked; with mild spicy and peppery undertones. Fun fact: sea bass is the fish equivalent to chicken breasts. So, if you really want some extra-lean fish, try the Grilled Fillet of Seabass!

Our favourite main meat in the lunch platter was probably the Beef Kofta in Rich Tomato Passata. The beef balls were very tasty, chewy and moist. It’s mixed with local spices and served with a classic Italian Passata, which packs a heady punch of tomato and herb flavours. The portions for the meatballs are large and perfect for sharing. Use the Roti Pratha to soak up the intensely flavourful Passata sauce. Trust us, it's amazing!

For drinks, you may order any one of the quenchers at RM3 per glass, as part of the lunch platter special. We had a glass of Pink Guava, Lime & Mint, and a glass of Barley & Elderflower. Both drinks were very delicious, zesty and refreshing!

By the way, if you feel like pairing your meats with a cocktail drink, go for it as the restaurant has a great cocktail menu, carefully curated by their award-winning bartenders.

Finally, dessert! This is not part of the lunch platter, but to our delight, we were given a complimentary dessert, courtesy of the restaurant manager. We had the Caramelised Milk Pannacotta (RM19), a creamy mold served with a Nutella cigar, fresh berries and raspberry coulis. Its presentation was simply beautiful; tasting delicately sweet and light. What a perfect way to complete a nice hearty meal!

Well, if you're eager to try the new Bonfire Lunch Platter, wait no more. Head over to the Starling Mall and gather around the table with a friend or two to share this delightful feast! Bon appétit!

You can find Bonfire at G-032, Ground Floor, The Starling Mall, Jalan SS 21/37, Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Their opening hours are 10:30am to midnight from Sunday to Thursday and 10:30am to 2am on Fridays and Saturdays.