IWFS at Dewakan - Best dinner this year!

Dewakan interior

April 21st 2016

Have to say I was initally apprehensive about attending this one. Foodie friend Julian's blog posting on his visit put the fear of perdition about the journey to get there in me. Though his enthusiastic reaction to the food was heartening. And Jeremy was championing the restaurant and numbers were a bit low. And when Lenglui said we would probably never otherwise go there, then the deal was sealed.

But O Lordy, what a deal. Dewakan ticked all the foodie boxes on the page. Ambience, service, food - absolutely stunning. Best event of the IWFS season. Will DEFINITELY go back with foodie friends who want to know what Malaysian chefs can do with Malaysian produce. Darren Teoh is a total star. 

Dewakan has been making waves in the KL foodie universe for quite some time. Frequently cited as Kuala Lumpur’s most exciting restaurant to date, the MIGF 2015 brochure (I think - can't find it now) holds it to be "an ingredient focused restaurant that reflects the bounty of produce from Malaysia. The cuisine is driven by the use of local and indigenous ingredients in the most imaginative way possible. Every aspect of the restaurant has been curated to deliver an enjoyable experience to our guests with as much emphasis to the service as it is to the food."

It is essentially an academy for future cooks and students keen to get into the hospitality sector, hence its location in a Private University. But it does open to the public for dinner from Thursday to Saturday to let the staff and students get some real world experience. It also does lunch Monday to Friday. The restaurant is helmed by Darren Teoh who is an avid believer in the beauty of local ingredients. Seems he began his career as a cook in Les Amis Singapore (No. 13 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant List 2016) and recently moved back to Malaysia to teach culinary arts in KDU University College Sdn Bhd. During this time at the school, he has authored "Redefinition", a collection of Malaysian dishes reinterpreted using modern culinary techniques. He was also briefly attached to Restaurant Amador (3 Michelin stars) in Langen, Germany and Restaurant Noma (2 Michelin stars and World’s Best Restaurant by Restaurant Magazine for 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014). 

The Dewakan blurb also says that the team there is obsessed with developing a restaurant where guests return home with great memories. I usually get a bit skeptical when I see what looks like romantic seduction - when I see it I usually find that the experience rarely matches such hyperbole. On this occasion, though, my skepticism was wonderfully unfounded. This one was a total event. 

It was a bit of a drive into the unknown to get here, but Waze performed like a trouper and got us there with little fuss or wrong turnings. I had recce'd the place on the Google Maps in the office and got an idea of where it was, though without the Waze the final few turns to try and arrive would eventually have killed me. Waze rocks! It told us to avoid Federal and take the E20 toll road. Only downside with the Waze is the apprehension you get when it goes quiet for a long time. We know that this means that all is mostly well, but perhaps a bit of reassurance would be… reassuring. Still took about 45 minutes to an hour to get there. 

Once in the KDU University complex, Jeremy had stuck IWFS signs on the fences leading to the car park. The serious looking guard at the gate turned out to be totally unintelligible in terms of what he was trying to tell us, but we smiled and he smiled and opened the gate and as we went straight we saw the Dewakan directly ahead of us.  There was an outside section where cars had already parked so we just followed suit. I think the Guard wanted us to park in the covered area - perhaps he thought it was going to rain. Nice man.

Sporting a glass frontage which looked out onto an open area, Dewakan has a classically modern ambience and feel about it. Dark oak floors with soft but sufficient lighting on neutral grey chairs and walls and with easy space between the sheeted tables.The kitchen is at one end with a serving area through which all the preparation can be seen, and a bar area at the other where those who had presumably come straight from the office were sucking down the Pol Roger NV with a vengeance. When I see this I know it's going to be good - people were in the mood to party. On a Thursday night some more.   Here we go again...

"What's he doing?" "Something cheffy." 

Some appetizers came round which were tasty enough, though there was one green leaf offering that had been shocked by something into frozen crispness and was absolutely amazing. This must have been the thing that Julian wanted to leap onto the tables and sing to the heavens about. It was something else. It came with a dip which was also brilliant. Only problem was that the darn thing kept breaking in the dip and I ended up eating the leaf and gunk Banana Leaf finger style. Most excellent, though hardly IWFS. So it goes - never stand on ceremony when the food will not allow one to do so.

The Willy Doctor and...  uh...  friend. Yes.

There was also a spring roll of raw potato and radish which bit nicely into the cheek and tongue. And it was all belter with the Pol Roger. I seem to have been supping a lot of this at various parties over the past few weeks or so. Must be a lot of in in the market at the moment, and at a fair price. Have to investigate - it is a crispily pleasant drop of fizz. 

We got instructed to sit down and get addressed by President David who thanked Jeremy, May and me for our contributions to the evening's festivities. We were sat with an IWFS newbie and our good friend the Willy Doctor, one of our resident urologists now making his celebrity name on the Friday BFM afternoon radio show. We normally have a quiet bet on how long it takes from the moment of getting seated with the good doctor to when the subject gets around to the penis. Normally takes about eight minutes - tonight it was three. It WAS going to be a good evening.

The bread came out with butter bedded on a leaf we were later told was cashew and which gave a bitter hit when chewed. Can't remember the butter, but the fizz needed some carbo and it was time to shut up and drink and enjoy the combo.

First out was the Blue Mackerel which looked a bit small on the plate and smelled a bit fishy on the nose, though it was full on flavour in the mouth and with good bite and chew. Nice touch of sharp freshness added by the Ulam Raja and Pomelo. The flowers added bright prettiness and lovely colour to the visual aspect and were pleasantly crisp in the mouth. Good engagement of all the senses on this dish, especially if one ate the flowers with the fingers. 

Cured Mackerel, Ulam Raja, Pomelo, Local Flowers 

Getting paired with the clean and lean Lafon made sense. Squeaky on the cheeks and throat and understated on the finish, with soft clean pears in the mouth. For some reason the flowers from the first course seemed to be strangely repeating with the wine. This was a most odd experience, like burping a bouquet of petals. There you go - only in Malaysia. 

Course 2 was the braised Aubergine which came out looking like a chunk of moss you might find  stuck to the root of a tree on the roadside. It looked like green dirt, putting me in mind of something you might find at Akelare or Mugaritz in the Basque. Tastewise, it came across like a delicately textured dim sum dish of fried onion in the mouth (the aubergine in the mushroom stock), with brown and white garlic sauces forming the visual yin and yang of the dish and giving salt and heat. Never did find out what the crunchy green dirt was, though the menu says Jackfruit seeds. It felt like fried peas that had been frozen and crushed. There was a delicate cobweb of glaze strung across the top which seemed to evaporate on contact with my breath on it. 

Aubergine braised in Mushroom Stock, Jackfruit Seeds, Black Bean Sauce and Garlic Emulsion 

Yet there was something essentially and quintessentially Malaysian about it. It had that dim sum feel of Cantonese cuisine but using the Brinjal and mushroom seemed to bring that vegetal earthiness you get at the Banana Leaf stall. And the green crunch gave a Rojak texture. This one captured the essence of each and fused them together into something that transcended the individual elements. Somehow encapsulating all the major cuisines into a single combo. Brilliant, brilliant. 

None of this sadly did much for the wine -  the gungey mushroom aubergine seemed to bring out an oily note to the Lafon. Not a great match, but the wine was still lovely enough to cut through. Though it did seem to run out quite quickly - a call for an extra glass was met with a report that it had all gone. Barely had a glass and a half - someone somewhere must have been sucking it down. Same with some of the later wines - didn't feel like there was quite enough before getting told it had all gone. Seems that 32 people drank 40 plus bottles, so either there was indeed enough or some tables had a better time than others. Couldn't really complain - both wine and food were excellent so perhaps an excess of one over the other might have upended the balance. Is just that you always feel you're missing out when there's not quite enough booze to satisfy. Like someone else is getting all the love. 

The Stonier (as memory serves) had been decanted and showed a lovely classic Pinot nose and beautiful cherry pop and pepper mouth and finish. The balance was excellent, as was the acidity, length and finish. Eight years in bottle, it was drinking well with a silkiness and ease that we don't see too often. Beautiful wine. 

The waiting staff came out with a spoon and chopsticks ahead of the third course, which also somehow seemed to underline the desire to encapsulate Malaysian cuisine in its diverse totality. You don't often get changes of mixed cuisine fighting irons across a multi course meal. 

The third dish was the noodles which had amazing texture - felt like biting through octopus legs. The broth was brilliant - a fantastic zip of chives and pepper with a lovely blend of tastes and textures across the dish and a great sense of umami about this one. Lot of chives here, whose texture suggested they had been lightly toasted. Quite herbal. Mixed with the daisy fresh solid chunk of Prawn, it was Ipoh Hor Fun but amplified into loud bold taste. Again, one of those where you absolutely KNOW you have had this Soul Food before and many times but not in this context and not with this delicacy or sense of the essential. Perfect seasoning. My note at the time was "dam fantastic, dam fantastic." Could have slurped this one all night. Now for THIS one I might sing and dance on the tables…   so good.

Steamed Ming Prawns, Brined Radish, Dried Vegetables, Cold Prawn Broth 

At this point, I began to notice how good and efficient was the standard of the waiting service. So far it had been quietly polite and unobtrusive and it was only when I saw a new napkin folded on the table after a bathroom break that it registered. This level of attention you tend not to expect in Malaysia. When I asked a question about one of the ingredients, our serving friend was quick and knowledgeable in the response. Seems they cleared from the left side which I was advised was the proper side to so do. There you go - learning all the time. One point of critique - they did not pour wine for the ladies first. Well, they ARE trying to be Malaysian, no?

I also noticed that the food seemed to come out all at the same time and in pretty quick succession time following the plate clearance. Chef clearly has a tight lid on the kitchen. 

Dish Four was the Smoked Pike Conger, Custard, Fermented Long Beans Relish, Roasted Okra, and Clams Foam. This dish seemed to give off an almost deconstructed Japanese feel, kind of like a whole Bento lunch crammed into a single dish. But without the rice.  The Pike felt steamed and had a full on Tilapia chew and whack in the belly. There was a Tau Foo feel on the mushroom, and a good vegetal hit from the Okra whilst the custard gave it that chawan mushi egg custard feel. The tastes melded well whilst the belly could not complain about the fullness of it all. And the Thai Basil leaves were genius, giving a sweet soft fire and herbal hit to the whole thing. Perhaps for me a question over the clam foam - it did give some good air to the dish but for some reason I got a duck hit. Perhaps it was me, but there did seem to be some clash going on and the clams were in the forefront. Good dish on the whole, though. Very filling and well tasty. Got a double wow in the notes.

Smoked Pike Conger, Custard, Fermented Long Beans Relish, Roasted Okra, Clams Foam 

The Stonier was also being paired with the Pike. I have no notes on the pairing. Lenglui kindly let me see off the remains of her Lafon which had retained its spritzy clean feel in the glass. Very nice. 

The immediate reaction to the duck breast was "ducky" - that nose and mouthfeel that suggests a bit gamey and farmyard - but this duckiness faded after the first bite. Lovely chunk of duck meat and delightfully roasted. The Rillette was equally excellent - great texture, and seasoning and reminiscent of the big beefy meatballs we would get at the Cardiff Indoor Market when I was a kid - meat, fat, salt and pepper and oozing taste. Fantastic - love it when the tastes take you back in time. Though I would have liked some bread and butter to add some fat and counter the slight dryness which the blood sauce did not quite seem to address. [Note - when I was a kid these meatballs had a name - faggots. I would have used it in the text but I recognise some people are sensitive to its use. Shame - in this context, for me it's the absolute descriptor I associate with the taste - they were brilliant with tinned peas and vinegar and gravy. There you go. Strange how some words gain a dissociative meaning over time totally at odds with their original understanding].

Roast Duck Breast, Duck Leg Rillette, Beetroots, "Blood" Sauce 

I had reservations when I saw the Marimar Pinot being dug out for the dinner. This was a massive full on chew-and-spit-pips wine and roared like a bear when we had it with lamb about three years back at the Saujana. But on the night it was a belter - still full in the mouth, but far more in balance and with lovely pepper and a range of textures through the drinking process. Fading slightly, and still with a slight barnyard tang on the nose, but ultimately power and class and so good to have drunk it now. The fullness of the wine meant it stood up well to the chunky rich and tasty Rillette and the tannins cut the Duck breast purines perfectly. Good match. 

Dessert was Gula Melaka which paired slightly warm Pulut ice cream with soft coconut to create a wonderful sensation of the freshest coconut flesh. I got a slight hit of Toddy, that sweet smelly hooch made from fermented coconut which, when paired with the meringue and marquiese, produced a wonderful airy crunch and bite with a boozy coconut rasp. Wow. 

Gula Melaka Marquise, Sour Meringue, Pulut Ice Cream

Chef Darren and team came out to take a bow and photos. I had a quick chat, though others were very keen to get selfied with him. Clear passion for the use of local procuce in the creations and pushing the creations in terms of technique and combinations. His parting shot to me was "keep spreading the word." Any way I can, Chef, any way I can...   Save your pennies for this one - it will be worth it. There is a wine list, though if you are as fussy as we are at the IWFS you will want to take your own. Crisp spicy whites with a cracking Pinot for the duck will do you. Kudos to the Kiwi for his choices in this one. 

Dewakan staff with Chef Darren Teoh (right)

Chef Teoh clearly has culinary roots in Chinese cuisine yet his grasp of quintessential Malaysian tastes coupled with his ability to isolate and infuse them into the predominantly Malaysian produce based creations I find to be quite brilliant. There ARE quintessential Malaysian tastes across all the cuisines you can find here, and Chef having found a way to showcase them makes this a truly unique Malaysian dining experience. Fine Malaysian Cuisine dining. At last. 

Chef Darren Teoh with Dato' Jeremy Diamond, IWFS

One of the dinners of the year - actually of the last few years. Total standout in terms of memorable ambience, service, food preparations and tastes, and paired wines and company. Absolutely memorable across all boxes. Do go there if you get the chance. Especially if someone else is driving.

Thank you Dewakan - get you a double ARNIE - I'll be back - more than once.

DEWAKAN

Lower Ground Floor
KDU University College, Utropolis Glenmarie
Jalan Kontraktor U1/14, Seksyen U1,
40150 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
 +60355650767

Website: http://www.dewakan.my
Email: dewakan@kdu.edu.my

Visit us on Facebook

OPERATING HOURS

Lunch: Mon to Fri – 12 Noon to 2:30pm
Dinner: Thur to Sat – 7pm to 9pm
Closed on Sundays and certain public holidays.

For Phone Reservations:
Monday to Friday only @
10am to 12pm, and 3pm to 5pm only.

Farewell Milky Ice Lollies

THE 6 COURSE MENU

Appetizers

Aperitif - Pol Roger Brut Reserve

01 BLUE MACKEREL

Cured Mackerel, Ulam Raja, Pomelo, Local Flowers 

Heretier Lafon Vire Cleese 2013

02 BRAISED AUBERGINE 

Aubergine braised in Mushroom Stock, Jackfruit Seeds, Black Bean Sauce and Garlic Emulsion 

Heretier Lafon Vire Cleese 2013

03 HOME MADE NOODLE 

Steamed Ming Prawns, Brined Radish, Dried Vegetables, Cold Prawn Broth 

Stonier Pinot Noir Reserve 2008

03 PIKE CONGER 

Smoked Pike Conger, Custard, Fermented Long Beans Relish, Roasted Okra, Clams Foam 

Stonier Pinot Noir Reserve 2008

05 DUCK 

Roast Duck Breast, Duck Leg Rillette, Beetroots, "Blood" Sauce 

Marimar Estate Pinot Noir "Don Miguel Vineyard La Masia" 2006

06 GULA MELAKA 

Gula Melaka Marquise, Sour Meringue, Pulut Ice Cream

THE WINES

Pol Roger Champagne NV

This great wine is distinguished by much more than its links with Winston Churchill. The mid palate weight may come from a generous use of reserve wines yet the lemony core and brisk fine bubbles continue to make this a very fine and  classy Grand Marque champagne.

Hertier Lafon  Vire Cleesse 2013

This widely sought after Macconais Chardonnay is well integrated in its fruit, minerality and subtle oak.  From Wine Advocate 90 points Oct 2014 ” The 2013 Vire-Clesse has an utterly charming nose that seems more finished than the others, with fine tension and focus. The palate is very well-balanced with fine acidity. This comes over as being very precise and poised.”

Wine Enthusiast 90 points

Stonier Pinot Noir Reserve, Mornington Peninsula 2008 

This wine pulled from deep in our cellars is crafted by the renowned Mornington Peninsula producer with Burgundian nuances and evident maritime influences Vines date back to the late 70s. Savoury notes will delight Pinot lovers in this evolved wine. A subtle Pinot for sure, with fruit, but not overpowered. There are layers of flavour over a solid back drop of oak with pretty aromas and tastes structured around a raspberry and cherry core.

Marimar Estate Pinot Noir "Don Miguel Vineyard La Masia" 2006

“The color is a beautiful garnet, classic Russian River - as is the fruit, loaded with black cherry flavors. There's mocha in the nose and perfectly balanced hints of elegant oak, which contributes a rich texture. The mouthfeel is round and engaging, classic Pinot Noir, with a note of lively spice at the end. The finish is long and the wine shows great aging potential. Alcohol 14.1% bv. (From Winemaker’s notes)

"This vineyard, in the cool Green Valley part of Napa, continues to produce outstanding, ageworthy Pinot Noirs of distinction. The 2006 is a large, powerful wine, distinctly Californian, packed with cherry, cranberry, cola and spice flavors that are immature in their fresh jamminess. But with a dramatic tannin-acid structure, and a just-right touch of new French oak, it will improve in the cellar. Best after 2010." (Wine Enthusiast 93/100)

Ornellaia Wines at Graze KL Hilton - outstanding!

April 14th 2016

You know those nights when all the stars seem to align and you look back and think - wow….  That was the feeling we had after a brilliant wine dinner at the Graze in the KL Hilton with Ornellaia wines being supplied by Milawa. And with vintage Pol Roger Rose Champagne. And all at just over RM300. Wow - Stellar evening.

I didn't take any notes or decent photos for this one. Our guests had intimated that they got a bit annoyed with flashing photos and stuff at the table so I decided to just sit back and enjoy this one. But it was damn good, and I couldn't just let it pass without some sort of record. 

Got wind of this dinner through an unsolicited and somewhat surprising email from the KL Hilton. They don't seem to have emailed me for years and suddenly one pops up. I suspect my recent attendance at the IWFS dinner downstairs at the Chambers might have had something to do with it. Someone new at the marketing desk revises the mailing lists and add what they see as new candidates.

And what a pop up this was - Ornellaia wines with food at the Graze. And a 15% discount if we booked early. Which we did. A quick forward to foodie friends attracted two more so we were four. 

We decided to Uber this one since the parking rates at the Hilton/Meridien seem variable and I no longer have confidence in how much the sucker is going to charge. Chambers was RM8 flat whereas a session at Le Meridien shocked with RM35 for the parking. Rather pay such money for drivers and cars and get happily zonked and not have to worry about the drive home. 

Mirrors on the ceiling - welcome to the Hotel KL Hilton Graze!

So we arrived spot on at 7pm and our friends were there at exactly the same time. Up the escalator and into the Graze (which we were later reminded used to be Senses) and greeted with a flute of chilled Pol Roger Rose. How civilised! We automatically hung around the door for a little while taking in the ambience and chugging half of the fizz and proffering our glasses for a refill to which the charming man kindly obliged. Things were looking good. We then got shown to our seats and made friends with our seating companions. There was Anis and Joe and Ros and partner (never did get her name - too far down the table) and Flemming, apparently of Danish descent but with some Spain and Arab in him. Total chameleon, but loves to cook and pair wines at home. Sounded a natural for the IWFS - I asked him to email me for detail and will get him in. Friend Gordon was brilliant in marketing us as foodies who bring other foodies together. Must say he has great warmth and a gift in bringing people in. 

Drink Rose Champagne on ice...

Must also say the floor staff were most generous with the fizz - we all must have got at least four refills that I remember. And it was delightful - strawberries, crisp bubbles and finish, real sleek and full body in the mouth, nice chew and fresh nose of light fruit. Could easily suck this one all night, it was a belter of a fizz. Though probably time for it to be drunk. The menu says it was 2006 though I thought I saw 2002 on the bottle. So it goes.

The table setting was pleasant, crisp thick white tablecloths with good glassware and a mat for the wine glasses with each place labelled for the wine that was designated to go in there. This makes life far easier in determining which wine is which for comparative purposes. And top ups. 

Ornellaia winery lies near a town called Bolgheri on the West coast of Italy about 50 km south of the port of Livorno. Along with Sassicaia, Solaia and Tignanello, Ornellaia is one of the four original Italian "Super Tuscans" bred to compete alongside the superstars of Bordeaux for global share and attention. The wines are made from pretty much the same grapes as grown in Bordeaux, but with slight differences resulting from grape additions and the Italian sun, sea breeze, and terroir. I almost visited Ornellaia on a recent Mediterranean cruise which made a stop at Livorno but instead opted to go to Florence for lunch and shopping. I also wanted to make a day of it by doing Sassicaia in the morning and Ornellaia in the afternoon cos research suggested there was nothing to do in either Livorno or Bolgheri. So it goes. Maybe next time.

Chef Marc and the demon eyed Patrick...

Ornellaia Far East rep Patrick Lachapele and Chef Marc Fery stepped up to respectively said a few introductory words and we were off.

Now writing this six days after the event, the food is fading into the distance, but the wines remain in the head. They were stellar. We have been fans of Ornellaia's Le Volte ever since we first had a bottle by accident at a now forgotten restaurant some good few years back and when we then found the Vintry selling it for RM70ish at the time we whacked for a case and pretty much repeated this exercise annually. Great easy wine but with good fruit and body and character - fairly full in the mouth but not overpoweringly so. We have drunk its vintages over the years with pleasure. It does gain a little with some age, especially if the year was hot and the tannins a bit pronounced, but it is not really for the long term. We were drinking the 2013 on the night, and indeed it was lovely. Will have to sock away a couple for our Italian foodie sessions. 

The 2012 Serre Nuove came off like classic Bordeaux in taste and texture terms - more left bank than right (think Pichon and Leoville) with lovely medium coffee and tobacco notes. It had enough complexity to satisfy but not so much to get in the way of the food. I first had a Serre Nuove when I picked up a bottle on a tour of Amalfi coast to bring home because I hadn't seen it back in KL (note - the week of my return saw me finding it at the BIG…). We had it with an Amante dinner and it didn't really inspire at the time. But tonight I got a better sense of it and what Ornellaia seems to be trying to do. Classic Bordeaux style and blend but with a slight whack of… Italian, both on the nose and in the wine. Classic Left Bank Bordeaux can be a bit stuffy and formal and… well, classic because that is what it is. Ornellaia adds a cute hint of Mediterranean freshness that gives it a pleasant lift without taking anything away from the classicity. It's a bit like pouring a decent Bordeaux through one of those wine aerator things - gives a nice spritz and tickle but keeps the wine untouched and unadulterated. Very interesting wine, this.

"We are all just prisoners here of our own device" "Eh?" "It's the Eagles, innit? Hotel California?" "Oh yeah..."

Though it got totally lost on everyone who clearly preferred the lighter and fruitier Le Volte. And it was on way dodgy ground having been set up against its big brother to come. So it goes. I had fun. And the servings by the floor staff were far from stingy. I must have had at least four top ups, and I did not appear to be alone in this. They were going up and down the tables dealing out the booze in spades. Which I note is often a sign that they are looking to get everyone well juiced so that the last wine can stretch a bit further. Fair enough - they keep pouring, I keep drinking. This have I have been taught by the Sweeper. 

The Ornellaia 2012 was absolutely stunning - full on dark fruit gobsmack in the mouth, massive nose of deep chocolate and berries, smooth and chewy tannins and a finish that was delightfully endless. What a wonderful wine. And again, they kept topping us all up, as if the final extinction had come to earth and we were clearing the cellar on our last day alive. Brilliant wine service - O if they could all be like this….

Foodwise, the first course Salmon Rillettes were lightly pleasant, sufficiently savoury and mouth meltingly good. The French croutons gave nice crunch and carbo but it was the Yuzu Caviar in extra virgin olive oil that was genius - citrus, salt and the lightest of oils with that soft crush of the caviar bubble was bliss. The fact that they were still pouring the champagne to go with it was double bliss. Absolute perfecto match. 

In the master's chamber, they gather for their feast - the Salmon Rillettes

The Dutch Veal consomme broth was very good - light and liquid with kind of meaty Oxo cube whack in the mouth but smoothly so whilst the tiny cut veggie bits gave enough texture for body. I remember the praline as being a bit like a crusty meat chocolate kind of thing - something you might find in a box of Milk Tray for Meateaters but without the chocolate. Quite cute. The Serre Nuove got a bit diluted with the soup, so I ended up slurping one and guzzling the other. 

The quail came and went - little memory other than it all got finished. Seem to remember a good taste between the potato, jus and the bird, whilst the spinach was brilliant. No real memory of the match with the Serre Nuove, but I definitely enjoyed both!

They stab it with their steely knives - the wonderful lamb

There was a lot going on with the lamb - bean stew, kale cabbage, polenta and mushrooms with onion and thyme jus. It all went together in a rich bistro kind of way.  The lamb was excellent, though not many seemed to finish it all. Mine was - chewed off the rib Viking style. I asked for the remains on the plates to be collected and bagged for the dog, but somehow didn't end up with any of it. I guess some bigger dog got in the way. Given the bistro style food, the Serre Nuove with its classical Bordeaux feel went very nicely. Tannins cut the meat and fat cut the tannins to reveal pleasant fruit and some depth in the wine. But the Ornellaia just blew everything away - the lamb got elevated by the massive fruit and chocolate and the wine evened out to show lovely depth and beautiful silky sleek texture. Yum. 

Dessert was actually very tasty, with the booze infused berries inflicting an alcoholic belt on the rich Valrhona chocolate to which the frozen yoghurt lent a delightful ice creamy skim. Would have been excellent with coffee, which got ordered but did not arrive. 

Last thing I remember - Valrhona chocolate - yum

The wine ultimately stopped pouring which we took as a sign that the night was over. After a bit of nonsense concerning the bill (we were supposed to get a discount which took another 5 minutes to rectify), we left fairly quickly and got a cab home.

All in all, it proved to be a great evening of food, wine and friends. Great conversations around the table, generous pourings and well tasty food. And notwithstanding the pouring generosity, it was also one of those where I didn't feel boozed - usually a sign that the wine was really good. But I did need some biscuits for supper on getting home - it all hit as we got through the door and the soak-up-the-booze munchies set in quite significantly. 

A few grimps and gripes here - didn't get my coffee, didn't get my take-home lamb bones for the dogs, also didn't initially get the 15% earlybird discount on the bill - any more boozy and I would have paid without thinking. Seem to be oversights rather than policy, but oversights suggest that staff are either stressed or uncaring. I think probably the former. 

I remember having conversation with the Hilton Restaurant Manager and feeling stabbed in the heart when she told me about their RM170 corkage charge per bottle. I think I started ranting and saying that that was crazy and how could I come back when Soleil gives an IWFS boy like me free corkage and magnificent service whenever I go there. Got the answer that that was hotel policy. Of course it is. Same as the car park pricing. Which is why with any luck I won't have to go back there on any regular basis. Getting there and home is now an expensive pain which I prefer to marginalise. I'll go back to Soleil or Cilantro or Sage without a second thought but the Hilton and Meridien give me much pause. Which is a shame - the food and service warrant return visits. Only on someone else's ticket, I'm afraid. 

But the staff were generally very pleasant and friendly and hugely professional and the KL Hilton is lucky to have them. Seems to be able to keep them too, which also says much. One of the floor staff shared a story about a visiting Michelin 2 star chef who got all the floor staff in the kitchen after the meal and had everyone drink champagne. I asked whether the home Hilton chefs ever did this and got a shy "no". Which on the face of it comes across as a bit mean when doing so would do wonders for a sense of team. My guess is that such imbibing gets seen as a budget issue by management whereby wines brought in by a supplier must ultimately be accounted for and why incur any extra expense by letting staff guzzle any of it. Someone would have to answer for it. Fair enough - though for me giving wine waiters a sip or two is educational and should ultimately be able to be expensed as Staff Training. There you go. Staff everywhere keep their mouths shut and enjoy the joys as and when they come. They know that their managers will come and go. Been there…  Cheers!!

ORNELLAIA WINE DINNER

Pre-drinks

Champagne Pol Roger Brut Rose 2006

Appetizer

Scottish Loch Fyne Salmon rillettes,

sun-dried Cherry Tomatoes, French

baguette croutons, baby Mesclun

leaves, Yuzu Caviar and extra

virgin Olive Oil

First Course

Sherry and Madeira infused double

clarified Dutch Veal consomme,

crispy pulled Beef Praline, 

vegetable Paysanne, Chive

Le Volte dell'Ornellaia 2013

Second Course

Grilled French Quail, Foie Gras

stuffed, sweet Potato mash, baby

Spinach, Truffle jus

Le Serre Nuove dell'Ornellaia 2012

Cranberry Granite

Main Course

Herb Crusted Australian Dorper 

Lamb rack, three coloured bean stew,

saute Kale Cabbage, Polenta cake 

and Porcini Mushrooms, cipollini

Onion and Thyme jus

Ornellaia 2012

Dessert

French Valrhona Chocolate tart, 

Passion Fruit mousse, clotted

Cream, candied Macadamia nuts,

Cointreau marinated Raspberries,

forest Berry Coulis and crispy

Yoghurt

Premium tea selection of coffee

"The Manga Degustation" Bistro A Table - cute and fun!

Course One with Manga Page 1

7th March 2016

Writing this eight days after the dinner, I have a fond fuzzy memory of the evening. It was fun, great wines from everyone, lots of stories and laughs and somehow managing to avoid getting roped in to a "retreat" at a Buddhist Forest Reserve in Bentong. Can't remember the food at the moment, though, other than the fact it was fresh and visually strong and French-ish. Just can't remember how it all tasted. The notes will reveal!

Food Bore alert - This is another long post, much of which sets the scene for the food. Skip to half way down if you prefer to avoid. Look for the big photos.

This one came about as a result of a conversation with BAT Maitre D' Carol after a dinner there last November with the Amante group (though why the Italian foodie group was doing French Bistro food I have yet to resolve - I think perhaps Chief Amante was in the mood for French and managed to strike a deal). Carol shared that Bistro A Table Degustations took place every first Monday of the month - a quick check of the assembled found that we would all be around in March so we promised to return to give it a try. 

I like degustations. It's the range of tastes they offer to showcase the kitchen's culinary and creative skills and leanings. Also, I do find with age that I prefer to taste rather than feast. Especially with a bottle of something nice to exceptional with some intellectually engaging company. Wonderful stuff.

Course Two with Manga Page 2

Established in 2011, the Bistro à Table website advises that BAT "has long been a forefront contender in Malaysia’s food scene, offering creative and daring dishes to its patrons" in what it calls “adaptive French” cuisine - adapting the best of Malaysia to the classical French staples and techniques. The multi award-winning establishment "strives to bring the world’s very best produce to its diners, from Japanese Kobe beef to New Zealand lamb, to French poulet de Bresse to goose foie gras, to local Malaysian tropical fruits."

Executive chef and owner/operator Isadora Chai seems to have become legend in a short time. Whenever her name comes up in conversation, everyone seems to have a personal story about her and it is usually a jaw dropper. I have never come across this about any other chef in my time in Malaysia. People will say, "oh yes, I know Chris and Eddie, their food is wonderful" or "Chef Marco is SUCH a nice man" but with Isadora it is more that she has somehow impacted their lives and they are so keen to share the tale. It begins, "You know, I went to Bistro and that Isadora…. " and gets followed by some fantastical tale designed to leave one incredulous at Chef's abilities and temperament. I had met her years ago at a wine dinner in Ribs and…  see what I mean? Everyone seems to have a story about Chef. She does have an aura about her, like Mourinho used to have at Chelsea. The Special One. I guess that makes her The Isadorable One? Whatever, Chef clearly has colour and passion and attitude. I liked her already.

Course Three with Manga Page 3

For some reason, I had been avoiding paying a visit to Bistro for years without really being sure why. There had never seemed to be an occasion to warrant going there, and the competition from other dinners seemed to continually get in the way. It also seemed a bit far to both get to and to drive home after (is located in Section 17, PJ), and reports of the food ranged from rave to rude. But mostly I think I let myself get put off by the one story continually offered by the Governor as to Chef's insistence that she could not comply with Mrs Governor's request for the steak to come well done. His position is that the customer is always right and has not been back since. And perhaps out of some subconscious submission to the Governor's occasionally intimidating "Brook no Contradiction" demeanour, a visit there had never happened. Any time the suggestion to dine at Bistro had arisen, this same story came out with his understated vehemence and continually became pretty much the last word on the matter. Which in retrospect is not fair and I should really grow a set when it comes to the Governor. 

Course Four with Manga Page 4

However, things started changing in the last couple of years or so. Occasional visits to Soleil (located at the opposite end of the shophouse block) kind of put the drive there and home argument to bed, coupled with recent suggestions by the Sweeper and the Sapper that Bistro really was well worth a visit. Also, a recent rainy dash on a September Friday evening for something to eat at the disappointing Verona brought next door neighbour Bistro right into the frame. And so it came to pass that I found myself eating there twice in the space of three weeks, once (as said) with the Amante in November and another with my Singapore foodie friend and blogger Julian in December (we did ask for Degustation day, but got advised of no degustation for December so we did a la carte for that one). 

I decided to hold off on writing about these visits, because the dishes at each felt a shade bipolar - some were stunning, others not so. My foodie friend Julian had a particularly underwhelming experience and has written of this elsewhere. A Degustation, though, should showcase what a Chef is capable of in artistic and technical senses and I feel is fair game for a report. So here we go. 

Course Five with Manga Page 5

We had been liaising with Carol as to numbers and corkage and got it down for a special two for one - worth it, given the quality of glassware and service I had experienced there on the previous visits. Carol is a veteran of the Malaysian Restaurant scene and an absolute asset and treasure, having cut her managerial teeth with the erstwhile Frangipani and honing her skills through a range of excellent though now sadly defunct establishments. Even tempered and soft spoken, Carol exudes this air of calm unflappability that would now considered massively old school yet is refreshingly welcome. It is well worth a visit to the Bistro just to get served by her. 

The evening had been billed as "The Manga Degustation" to debut Chef's own "dark and blasphemous Manga Comic strip", said the promotional email I had received. It promised "an amalgamation of Japanese and French flavours [where] the dishes served will be subliminally based on the chapters presented throughout the dinner." In this, diners would get a page of the story prior to each course and the dish that would come out would somehow encapsulate the drama on the page. Chef channeling her dishes from her Manga story. I think.

People had been invited to come dressed in Cosplay outfits to get into the mood of the dinner, which I understand to mean in the costumes of favourite Manga characters. And they did! Lots of day-glo coloured wigs and gaudy clashing mish-matches of fashions and colours that somehow work in this fantasy imagination context. No one seemed to be taking it all too seriously and were clearly enjoying both the company, the vibe and the food so what the heck? 

Course Six with Manga Page 6

I don't know too much about Manga. It is not an art form that quickly resonated. Things like Gigantor and Marine Boy were around when I was a kid, but I was always more of a Thunderbirds and Stingray fan. But I do know that Japanese Anime and Manga is huge. Models, comics, books and trading cards, the industry is massive. Fans seem to resonate with particular characters and presumably look to emulate them in costume and lifestyle. Escapist? Maybe, but I don't feel qualified to judge. Some people resonate with Star Wars or Star Trek, others with Gundam and the WWE. Whatever buzzes your bolts. I resonate with booze and food. And the WWE.

Spoiler alert - don't read the next paragraph if you plan to attend a future BAT Manga Degustation. 

The story seems to be about a stormy romance between a demonic angel-winged daughter of Lucifer named Raxicon and a somewhat raffish human "ethereal" son of God named Liam. Kind of Underworld versus Overworld with the Earth caught in between. Both being from different sides of the fence, their love is naturally forbidden. Naturally they fall in love, fight, break up, she brings catastrophe to the earth, and their love ends up symbolised as the Blood Moon and as a memory at the bottom of the sea.

Our party had all arrived pretty much at the same time and the place was about half full. Some had already started their dinners, others were waiting for the fizz to chill. Carol seemed a shade stressed as she juggled ordering staff to get ice and glasses whilst welcoming people to their seats. 

"Bleeding" Egg Mollet with Beetroot Foam and Lobster Aioli

We were told of what to expect for the evening and got presented with the first page of the story. The pages would prove to be laminated and black and white with the occasional art piece in colour and whilst I did try to read and get a sense of the story, others seemed content to just keep chatting and not get too involved. 

In this, the visual dizziness of the pages was a bit offputting. It looked (and indeed was) hard work to read the thing quickly. Lots of words and artwork. I couldn't entirely follow the story because it would have taken too long (which felt a bit rude in company), so I had to make do with a brief scan of the words and pictures. The first seemed to be about a fallen angel who wanted to be like everyone else and kept cutting off her wings only for them to grow back bigger. Lots of bloodsplash on the page. Which mirrored Course One's Bleeding Egg - lots of seeming bloodsplash on the white plate which was in fact beetroot juice. Visually very effective and arresting on the eye, though at the risk of seeming indelicate it did look a shade….   menstrual. Sorry, but it did. Yuck. Dear Lord that I am able to think these things…

I have no notes on the taste of the dish. Probably still stunned by the visceral image of seeing a period on a plate…   Oh good grief, let's get out of here…

We were supping a Pol Roger NV which was wonderful crisp bubbles and kind of chewy fruit. This is a full bodied fizz, lots of whack in the mouth and nose and brilliantly sleek on the downside. Got a bottle or two in the fridge at home from a wine dinner at the erstwhile Ribs - need to drag them out at some time.

Parsnip Puree with Black Truffle, Pumpkin and Red Wine Bread

The Course Two Parsnip Puree was wonderful, but then I am a total sucker for Parsnip. This one had been pureed and a slice of truffle thrown on top and was well excellent. There was also some slices of what tasted like bitter gourd and aubergine parked on top which gave a pleasant tang in the cheeks to electrify the wonderfully smooth gunk and sweetness of the parsnip. Not entirely sure about the red wine bread, but presumably the colour retained the idea of blood and death. The story had moved to a church and a blossoming romance between the fallen angel (actually a demon) and a raffish looking… unfallen angel. Parsnip and truffle as a symbol of love - okay. We sniffed the red wine bread and figured the wine therein was French, though the vintage was beyond us. 

We were on to a Cloudy Bay 2015 SB which was pleasant enough though lacking the zing of previous vintages. But then I remember drinking it at a wine dinner in Cilantro many moons ago when Kevin Judd would still have been in charge and before the days of conglomerate takeover. Still remember that one, total stunner, no idea what year it was. CB is sadly now not a patch on what it once was. And now under RM100 in the stores from RM170 in recent years. Presumably the market has caught up with the brand and it is now facing serious competition from the world. Good.

Scallop with Shaved Smoked Japanese Mahi Mahi Roe and Wakame

Course Three was the scallop whilst the story was…  I am not entirely sure. There was a tsunami and a battle so I guess this was the swoosh and tempest and the turmoil of discovery that deceit and deception indeed exists on heavenly levels. Never trust a raffish looking angel, eh? The dish itself was delightful. The scallop had been sliced incredibly thin and "ceviched" into a milky mush and came across like a kind of oyster / sea urchin puree that slipped along and evaporated with a strange brine like breeze through the mouth. The Wakame had (I guess) been freeze-crisped up into a crunchy Fatt Choy style to give a bitterish salt vegetal hit to the creamy scallop. Along with little sprigs of cilantro and basil (I think) the whole became a beautiful range of crunchy herbal tastes as counterpoint to the slimy-ish wonderful gunk of the scallop. This one rocked. Very good with the Cloudy Bay, whose lack of strong acidity actually did it a favour here and let some good steely minerality cleanse the palate. 

Octopus with Tahini Quinoa and Anago Jus

Course Four was the Octopus on a bed of quinoa with some radish slices, some bitterish rocket and a long squeeze of tahini with some salt for taste. The combo felt a bit….  odd in the mouth. Not bad odd, just… odd. There was the squish and rubber crunch of the octopus going up against the soft neutral gluten-free chew of the quinoa and undercut by the zappy radish and bitter green rocket. Lots of cross textures going on. It was probably me - octopus is not my everyday choice of mollusc at the hawker stall, and anytime the tastebuds and mouth get challenged by something a bit left field I kind of go default and neutral on the thing. Though I did feel that the whole was missing something to bring it all together. Perhaps a dab of balsamic to give a bit of acetic to the thing? (NB I have a friend who continually wordmangles/mangalizes Balsamic to Islamic Vinegar - I don't know how to explain the difference).

The Manga comic had a big Octopus bearing down on our heroes who had got locked into a serious undersea snogging session so I guess that was the connection. 

The Cloudy Bay was doing surprisingly sterling service to the food. Its apparent blandness gave way to some excellent fruit and lemon sweet mouthfeel when paired with the food. It is in very good balance. Perhaps I have been a bit harsh with it - will have to try another bottle in a different context. 

It was at this point that someone asked whether anyone was following the story. I said yes, but most said no which engendered some comments to the effect that it all somehow felt like bullshit and one didn't need the story to eat the food. Well, and yes, it was true one didn't need the story. But whether that made it bullshit I am not sure necessarily follows. The Philistines also thought that everything arty was bollocks, but have generally been judged by history not to have been the best judges of anything. Dopey idiots blowing up historical artefacts because they do not fit an "enlightened" understanding of God seem to be in the same frame. Surely better to keep an open mind lest it close you to new truth? There is no greater tyranny than that of the closed mind. Freedom is just a new thought away. Yes. 

The assembled group all know their good food, but perhaps felt a bit confused as to why have the Manga story and theme in the first place? What was the point, what was the rationale, how did it fit with the food? I think sometimes there isn't one, and maybe that was the situation tonight - it was what it was. Creatives often have a story they want to bring into the world just to have it be told and hopefully heard. Whilst most of the world probably won't listen, some will. It's the need to touch, the need to reach someone that drives us all. Same reason I do this blog and my songwriting and recording - it's a very human need to connect. Perhaps there is an ego tripping somewhere in all of this, but I'm just happy to throw my output out there. If it gets picked up and applauded, great. If not, so it goes. The result can certainly be judged, but unless there is an underlying agenda I'm not sure the motive needs to be. That can hurt.

We had opened the Burgundy I had brought and it was widely praised as a belter - classic Chambertin, bright, light cherries and cheery finish. Carol took a taste and approved - enjoyed the classic style. I initially thought it was one I had picked up from SW Wines but later found this was mistaken - it was in fact a 2009 Lucien Le Moine 1er Cru "Les Cazetiers" which came from Dave Chan during his Artisan Wines time. As memory now serves, he had brought this one to a wine dinner at the Marco Polo and we bought a few bottles. Drinking very nicely. Got a memory of paying under RM300 for it. Sometimes the wine gods smile. 

Saddle of NZ Lamb, Wild Rice and Kobe Tendon and Sweetbreads

Course Five was the Lamb and Kobe tendon on a bed of wild rice, with sweetbread which had been bedded on a smear of (what tasted like) green pea puree. Very French Bistro, very rich style and massive reduction to the consistency of goo on the meaty jus which got soaked up by the rice and made for good chewy slurping. The dish was excellent, though the pea puree gave a bit too much green sweet for the wine which was otherwise an immensely brilliant match with the meat. Texture wise I preferred the lamb, which had a bit more resistance to the chew than the tendon, but this is more a personal preference - both were cooked very nicely. 

Peach and Champagne Granita

We also poured the Bordeaux that the Rubber Baron had brought which was also classic and delightful - a 2000 Chateau Leoville-Las Cases Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de Las Cases. Full, meaty, potent and from a startlingly good vintage. It hit every button you can think of. One of those you sip and just go "ahhhhhhhh….." The Rubber Baron is hugely generous with his wines. Every one he brings to dinner is always a real treat of some kind. Also a natural pair with the lamb and beef. Perfect wine for the food. 

There seemed to be lots of death and destruction in the comic, though I was not sure why - I had pretty much lost the plot by this time.

Quite why the sorbet came after the Main was not clear, but it worked. Sucked out all the gunk of the wild rice gravy from the throat which had the added effect of giving the wine a cooled supercharge on the finish. Don't try these things, never know eh?

Dessert was the Blood Moon which was the final love symbol for the Manga story. Very pleasant combo of sour oranges and zippy Yuzu contrasting with the sticky sweet toffee cage surrounding the Blood Moon. Sugaringly refreshing. 

Blood Orange and Belgian White Chocolate Marquise and Yuzu Jelly

At the end of the dinner, Chef came out armed with printed copies of the entire Manga story to give to everyone. Seems the whole Manga Degustation Concept had been a three year project from inception to execution and she seemed well happy to have finally got it out of the system. Chef also came out armed with a great smile and a pen for autographs. And why not? A legion of fans were on hand to worship and adore their Isadorable One. Chef inspires a loyalty in her patrons who happily sustain BAT both through and beyond its flights of degustational fancy. Any love is good love and got to get it where and when you can. And the floor staff seemed quite happy as well. In the cut and thrust loyalty-at-a-price environment that is the KL Food Scene, have to respect that.

2009 Lucien Le Moine 1er Cru "Les Cazetiers"

Overall, it was a good and fun evening. The food pretty much rocked in visual and taste terms and our wines and service thereof was excellent. There was good consistency in quality and taste and there was good sense of movement and development through the menu. As far as the theme went, some people clearly had fun with the story whilst others didn't need it. I think perhaps it worked better where there were less people on a table. The twos and threes seemed to be having a good time of it all, so perhaps eight on a table needed a bit more managing as far as the story was concerned. Most of the time, when the pages got handed out they got parked under the plate just to get them out of the way. Seemed I was the only one trying to follow the story. As said it was not easy - it felt a bit long reading at the table and felt a bit rude when company was looking to engage.  Couple this with me making all my notes and taking photos of the food… I was more anti-social than normal and it all didn't quite work. A bit too much to read and look at to take in. I also couldn't quite get the connections between story and dish at the time of consumption. Perhaps BAT could consider a prologue with an Amuse Bouche?

2000 Chateau Leoville-Las Cases Grand Vin
de Leoville du Marquis de Las Cases

As said, Bistro has good solid support from die hard supporters who apparently attend the monthly degustations with defiant regularity. They love her. And she loves them. A lot of mutual warmth and goodwill clearly evident. Chef does have this aura of seeming impervious invincibility about her which seems to inspire love and loathe in various degrees across the foodie universe. Chef also has charm and charisma, though she doesn't let the guard down easily. Paul Bocuse has a similar air - steel eyes with nuclear reactions lying just behind them. As a creative, I know a bit about setting up the inner defence shields. People tend to just react with a loud gut rather than respond from a position of considered knowledgeable reflection yet still declaim Delphic judgements (mea culpa). Which can lead to serious depression - been there, thank you, and I know I need to keep a lid on it. For me, recognising that people react rather than reflect lets me temper my own reactions. Couple this with an awareness that I might also not really know what I am talking about, then possibly we're on the road to wisdom. Kind of knowing what I don't know and recognising the fact. Well, I hope it's a step on the road. Otherwise, it's all nonsense, n'est-ce pas? It may all be nonsense anyway... anyone up for a re-reading of Albert Camus?

I'd go back to BAT with these people and these wines and the vibe on the place. And I would easily go back to BAT over Lafite notwithstanding previous mixed experiences with the BAT a la carte. And I am guessing that next time we will get into another of these "but is it FINE dining at Bistro a Table?" and the context will again come into play here. From a European perspective, no it is not Fine Dining because NOwhere in Malaysia is Fine Dining against that Euro standard. But just because it is not Fine does not mean it is implicitly bad. Everything is a matter of degree and how much we are prepared to pay for it, no? On this showing, I found BAT on this showing to be very good to fine enough dining, though perhaps maybe with a small "f" rather than a capital one. Price perhaps felt a bit stiff, but the countermanding of the generous corkage brought a better balance. 

The standards and service at places like BAT, DC, Soleil, Sage and Cilantro may be the "Finest" we are going to get simply because this is Malaysia. And in my 25 years here Malaysia continuously has shown itself as a place where relentless pursuit of sustained excellence is something to be hugely desired but which appears to consistently be in short supply in the national character. Something seems to just sap the staying power over the long term. It is just not that competitive when compared to some of the neighbours and we who choose to stay will have to chew on it. So it goes. There has been improvement in the upscale dining scene over the past ten or so years in terms of standards of food and service, but it must be hugely tough to keep it going. And trying to keep good staff who can job hop for an extra couple of hundred a month must be soul destroying. And for ANYone to attain Michelin levels, well…  Maybe it is time for a new standard. Lim Tayar, anyone?

Seems the Manga Degustation will be re-happening over the next couple of First Monday degustations at the BAT. Having done it, I don't feel the need to rush back and reprise the experience. It's a bit like seeing your favourite musical a second time - some of the magic disappears. But I would recommend it as both a food and a theatrical entertainment experience. It made for a fun memory. Though bringing our own booze was a large part of this for me. And maybe Carol needs a bit more help with overseeing the booze - she was well stressed on this evening. 

Of course I got Chef's autograph. I subscribe to the legend of The Isadorable One. Food is Theatre and Art and Entertainment (and business) and we are all luvvies giving each other meaning and validation in this same wonderful world. Because no one else will. N'est-ce pas? 

Bistro a Table

6 Jalan 17/54

46400 Petaling Jaya

Selangor

MALAYSIA

Ph: +6 03 7931 2831

email: info@bistroatable.com

GPS Coordinates:

N 03˚ 7’33.3264”

E 101˚ 38’13.5420”

The Manga Degustation 

"Bleeding" Egg Mollet with Beetroot Foam and Lobster Aioli

Parsnip Puree with Black Truffle, Pumpkin and Red Wine Bread

Scallop with Shaved Smoked Japanese Mahi Mahi Roe and Wakame

Octopus with Tahini Quinoa and Anago Jus

Saddle of NZ Lamb, Wild Rice and Kobe Tendon and Sweetbreads

Peach and Champagne Granita

Blood Orange and Belgian White Chocolate Marquise and Yuzu Jelly

RM300 nett

The Wines

Champagne Pol Roger NV

2015 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc

2009 Lucien Le Moine 1er Cru "Les Cazetiers"

2000 Chateau Leoville-Las Cases Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de Las Cases