Mission

Mission: To respond thoughtfully and responsibly to my experiences of drinking and dining at restaurants with regard to the quality, service, preparation, presentation and overall experience received thereat. The standpoint is one who respects the crafts of the chef and sommelier and who seeks to understand their choices in the kitchen and cellar and grow in knowledge. In this, I will seek to be fair, reasoned, direct and constructive and aim to keep my ego in check on our mutual journeys through the worlds of food and wine.

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Lovely dinner at Chez Rose




Brief note on a private dinner we had with The Geezer at the Chez Rose November 4th 2013.

The restaurant seems to have opened mid 2009 and is on the same premises that was once Klimt's. Taken over by the people that operate Jake's Charbroil Steaks, with Chez Rose they are looking to offer Continental European style fare. They've kept some of the Austrian style dishes for which Klimt's was legend but have added more meat and seafood to the menu. Chez Rose also naturally does a great steak, which we'd had previously at a dinner there with Wagyu beef and seafood for about twenty (which got a bit unmanageable after a while but was still very good fun). This time there would be ten of us on a long table with a specially designed menu. The Geezer has become good friends with Chez Rose and they let him know when the good food is coming in. It's always who you know, isn't it?

Brilliant oyster and salmon sashimi - totally fresh and dreamy and needing no more than a squeeze of  lemon and a fork. Dollop of wasabi on the salmon was a good blitz of radish in the nose but the fish really was exceptional. Sweet and firm, fresh out of the water. Felt like a grizzly bear in the rapids who'd just caught one going upstream. 

Stanley SB was a new one and a pleasantly crisp accompaniment. Good sharp lemon for the oyster and nice zingy acidity for the salmon. Good matches.

Brocolli soup had a dollop of cream swirled into it for a hot mouthwarming whack. The cream naturally sweetened the brocolli puree nicely to give great texture and taste.

For some reason a New Zealand grown Albarino came to the table. Didn't know they were growing it there, it came over like an unsweetened Riesling, all fruit and finish, though somewhat more full in body than the Spanish styles. Maybe one to watch.

The grilled Salmon Arrabiata was perfectly done, with fresh tomato and grilled cheese poured on top to make for sweet wholesome and hearty mouthful of food with good salt and bite. Not sure that pairing a Petit Sirah was the best choice, but it drank well enough. Not as brambly as its cousin, it still had enough bite and grip to engage. The tomato sweetened the acidity nicely enough though the mid weight fruit didn't really do the salmon any favours. Tough dish to match in fairness - salmon texture with tomato cheese needs something acidic for the fish and sweet for the tomato. The remains of the Albarino worked quite nicely. Next time should maybe try a Rose. Fits the name of the Restaurant as well!

The lamb quality was excellent and grilled to perfection. The first came out with a dollop of herb butter over the top. A comment at the time was that this felt a bit too much - the butter got in the way of the juices of the meat. The hostess quickly got the kitchen to prepare a butterless version to compare and saw the point - less can sometimes be more. 

The Oliverhill Jimmy was a reasonably big and bold standard Shiraz, though somewhat more balanced and not as aggressive as many in the market. Good forward fruit, even tannins and full finish, this is a good people friendly wine. A shade too powerful for my taste with the lamb, though the remnants of the Petit Sirah paired well. 

More wine came out - a honey mead as memory serves to pair with dessert (of which I have no memory). Interesting mouthful - dessert wine sweet but the lighter texture of a white burgundy. Would be champion with apple pie and ice cream.

In all, a very good night of food, wine and friends. The ambience is cleanly open continental with good aircon and a friendly vibe. A little bit Edelweiss - tall and bright, clear and white with marble tables and tiled floor. More party than intimate. Go there with a group and you'll have a good time. There's also a verandah for those who prefer alfresco dining. 

Chez Rose is on the same block as the equally legendary Hock Lee Supermarket. Well worth the detour and the RM1 parking fee (after 8pm) which the automatic car park charges, but you get to park in front of the Restaurant and sometimes they leave the gate open after 11pm so you might get a free. 


Chez Rose Continental Restaurant
6-5 Jalan Batai
Damansara heights
50490 KL
Tel 03 20921978
cynthia@jakes.com.my

Medley of premium seafood:
Freshly shucked pacific oysters
Smoked marinated baby octopus
Air-flown chilled salmon trout sashimi

2012 Stanley Estate Sauvignon Blanc

***
Brocolli soup in espresso cuppa

***

Grilled Salmon “Arrabiata” topped with spicy tomato & mushroom sauce,
gratinated with mozzarella cheese

Oliverhill Petite Sirah

***

Grilled premium rack of lamb topped with mint bernaise

Oliverhill Jimmy Section Shiraz

***
Pannacotta with cherry coulis

No comments:

Post a Comment