DC Restaurant - f@@ing wonderful...

On your marks...

February 8th 2018

Got invited to an eating at DC Restaurant by Julian Teoh (of Julian's Eating - click here>>) through which Chef Darren had indicated some feedback would be appreciated. I'll do it dish by dish as far as I can remember. 

This was essentially a wine pairing exercise of Darren's new 7 course "Discovery" Menu (for which there was a special "DC X Love <3 Taste" degustation style winter menu for Valentine's Day) with an option to sample some organic wines from boutique style creators. This was a slight variation from the "Discovery" menu and included some slight adds to and takeaways from the dishes. The DC Restaurant Webby (www.restaurant-dc.com) says cost is RM568++ for the Full Monty of 8 courses, with optional add on Winter Black Truffle at RM288 and Natural Skin Contact wine pairing starting at RM115++ for two glasses.

DC Restaurant also has a four course "Light" option at RM328++ and a six course "Taste" menu at RM438++

I managed to get there reasonably on time despite the downpour that was going on (and strange that on both previous visits it was similar monsoon weather). Julian almost cancelled on me but, fair play to him, he battled the elements and Grabcars cancelling on him to get in only an hour behind schedule. Which had given me some time to write some fairly decent notes on the first three courses and elements and wines. 

Get set....

Short version

In general terms, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. DC Restaurant is the total package for fine dining in Kuala Lumpur. Excellent (if occasionally over enthusiastic) service, exquisite dishes, thoughtfully prepared and delightfully presented in a sedate, understated and elegant setting. Very good textural progression of both food and wines through the evening. 

Pluses were - getting left alone by staff at the downstairs reception area but getting offered the choice of fizz or water; getting shown to the table and recognised by sommelier like an old friend, excellent service to prepare table with bread, butter and water, crisp white heavy tablecloth, getting left alone to enjoy the dishes after a full explanation of the contents, Chef Darren coming out from the kitchen with the first dish to say Hello. 

My one gripe was in terms of the overall…  overall. Each of the individual dishes were standalone excellent. For me, some stood out as hugely memorable - the Uni in the shell and the Homage to Paul were massive and dishes I will remember across time.

I think my difficulty with the other dishes, wonderful as they were at the time, is that all somehow ended up tasting the same. All I can remember of them is foam and Ikura salmon pearls. They do add zap and class to a dish…  but when one is getting them on subsequent or later dishes, then it kind of all meshes together. Had a similar experience at Akelare in San Sebastian - everyone raved about it but all I could (and still can) remember of it all is that everything tasted of seawater brine and foam (see here for the write up>>). It was perhaps as a result of this that the Uni and Homage to M Paul stood out - simply perfect in their apparent simplicity. I think it has to be remembered that this was a tasting, and Chef Darren pulled out all stops to let us taste everything. So naturally any sequence would get messed up. On the night, though, and in the context of the whole sequence of dishes, less definitely felt like more. 

Dish by dish

Prelude

"The Belon" : chive oil, fermented rhubarb

"Beets" Smoked cured butterfish; grilled cabbage; oxalis

Butternut squash croquetas: black truffle, sage Chantilly, seafood stew

The delightful Belon

This was a three course amuse to get things underway. I think I got told the Belon was set on some cucumber granite, with salt and texture being given through some fish egg pearls and some chive oil to slap the cheeks. The Belon oyster was perfect - fresh, just enough squidge for bite, and the perfect foil for the light crunch lent by the cucumber. The result was a briny throat cutter which indeed slapped the cheeks and scratched the throat and tonsils a treat. Though I didn't seem to detect much rhubarb; perhaps it got a bit lost with the chive oil? Notwithstanding, Excellent start.

(Note - had to Google Belon - forgot it was the oyster. Ulu saya…)

The Beets was beetroot foam ladled onto the cabbage and fish and resting on a bed of (I think) blitzed butternut squash. My notes say the foam got a bit lost against the ferment in the cabbage and tended to neutralise the dish. The textures were fun in the mouth, nice touches with the tweezered herbs (little purple things that the Internet says are Micro Benitade) that popped the teeth with a cute wasabi shock. 

Beets, fish and butternut = nice!

The accompanying fizz (a 2010 1er Cru Larmandier-Bernier Terre de Vertus Non-Dosé) was quite friendly, fair yeast, low in acidity, delightfully fine bead and bubble and a slight amber tint suggesting some time on the lees (NB the wines would all be Natural Skin Contact). Perhaps lacking the whack of the more traditional Houses, this was nevertheless a lovely wine to start an evening of fine food. It went hugely well with the Belon whilst the Beet foam brought out a slight mineral flinty feel on the mouth and teeth. 

Third up was a slight change - Chef Darren had added the scallop to the dish, since the carpaccio to come was a shade more "of the day". Fair enough. The scallop felt a teensy shade aged on the bite but still possessed of that brilliant Hokkaido taste. The seafood sauce gave a natural bisque feel to the thing, though it felt more bouillon than bisque in mouthfeel (no bad thing; any heavier would have killed the whole thing). The pumpkin croquetas were lovely - crunchy little vegetal bites full of sweet taste and slinky texture. And the combo of these with the seafood sauce was excellent - full on taste in the mouth and thud in the gut. Adding the sage gave the clear hint of herbal and country and nicely genius. Much enjoyed. 

Excellent scallop!

Wine Two had made an appearance at this time - the 2016 Domaine Stephane Ogier Viognier. Opulent apricot nose, acacia honey mouth and tint, good grip going down with pomegranate and passion fruit finish. Quite firm and full in texture, though not overly oppressive as some Viogniers can often be. I have no note on the match, though memory serves to say it was not bad. Lack of note suggests it was not spectacular either…  Which, given that it was being paired with a soupy element, is more positive than not. Very little wine pairs well with soup. Have to try it again…

Slight digression - It was about this point that I realised that I was eating alone, and making my notes…  and quite enjoying the solitude and engagement with food, pen and paper. And found myself wondering if this was how the Michelin people all feel on their solitary missions in pursuit of gastronomic Nirvanas (? is there a plural of Nirvana? Nirvanae?) When he joined me a couple of minutes after this thought, Julian shared that he had some years back vowed to himself never to dine alone and be seen as some saddo with just his pen and book for company. "Life is too short to dine alone," are his foodie watchwords. The last dining alone I could remember was somewhere in Cannes in September 2017, and I cannot remember a previous one to this. And as said, I had been much enjoying it! Perhaps it was the novelty of it - most of my dining outs are with the Lenglui or one of the foodie groups and this solitary exercise had been enjoyable as a result. But I can see that the shine would soon wear off if doing it for every restaurant visit. Julian says by engaging all the senses during a dinner, one can still recall the salient points and reproduce them in writing at a later time. Which he does hugely well. He has great powers of recall. I still need the pen and paper. 

1st

Fresh Carpaccio of the day (airflown from Hokkaido)

Black Truffle vinaigrette

Salmon Carpaccio

Got a large explosion of salt on this from (I think) celeriac and the black caviar pearls. There was lots going on in this dish - caviar salt, truffle oil, mushroom textures - it looked fantastic. And tasted fantastic. But the side result was that the magnificent day fresh Salmon got completely overwhelmed. If the added bits were aimed at enhancing the fish, for me they overshot and supplanted rather than supplemented. Food sometimes needs to speak for itself - given the quality of the fish, this would have been one of those occasions. Little bit of caviar, maybe some yuzu infused creme fraiche, wheat cracker for texture - job done. 

The Viognier had a happy hit with the vinaigrette, which nicely softened the very slight oily note on the wine. Worked well. At this point, the remains of the fizz were still beading. Fantastic! 

Extra Dish

At this point Darren served an extra dish - day fresh Uni from (I think) Hamamatsu Prefecture in Japan, served in its shell with scrambled egg and parsnip foam. This was outstanding. Got butter, sweet salty egg, slurpy gooey texture and that gunky Uni slimeball. It all slipped down like a squidgy, buttery, salty half boiled egg but with that total sense of the Uni throughout. Like the best half boiled egg you ever tasted but with a bite of bisque. So nice. We had been given a narrow spoon with which to consume the thing - a straw might be a better alternative.  I tried some of it on the sourdough bread and butter; didn't need it. Magnificent on its own. This one is up there with some of my most memorable eats of my life. Six days later writing this, I can still taste it. Total brahma.

The amazing Uni - total brahma

It also spruced up the Viognier, giving bite and cut to the fruit and suggesting that this wine has a versatility with food that belies its initial taste. Got length, taste and fire. 

2nd 

Signature

Takao cold somen: bafun uni, truffle celeriac: vegetal

Somen and foam - great textures and mouthbuzz

Dishes were coming out pretty quickly after consumption and clearing. The Somen was excellent, that cold taste and vermicelli texture giving al dente bite and chill in the cheeks. The Uni jus gave a seaside brine and smell, which disappeared on contact with the cheek to add a cute seasalt burn to the chill. I have a note that says "fish eggs supercharge the salt to electric zip on the tongue." Which suggests there was salmon roe in the dish which is not borne out by the photograph, so I might be confused here. 

The notes also say I only got the celeriac after the cheeks and tongue had calmed from their electric salt shock. It lent good crunch, but became almost an afterthought and a bit late in the ensemble. Maybe too much salt at the start?

It is perhaps a bit unfair to try and judge this dish, given that it came after the Uni Egg. They were somewhat similar in taste and content. It did go extremely well with the remains of the Champagne though - the combo of Uni, salt and eggs was perfect to let the fizz cleanse the mouth and palate. 

Snow Crab. Hmm...

3rd

3s silky egg custard

Snow crab: foie gras; agrumes

The notes say "Hmmm…   not sure about this one. Lots going on in taste terms. Crab is very delicate. Got the texture, got the salt (more fish eggs!!), the spring onion strips, good herbs. Feels some disconnect between the Crab and the almost salty Carbonara. Japanese Egg Mushi dish with Snow Crab and Foie Gras and paprika. It shakes!!" 

What I guess I was thinking was that I get the construction and the nod to Mushi style. All of the side elements seemed to sit well with each other. I was perhaps not clear how, taste and texture wise, the Crab and Foie Gras fit into it all. Perhaps one could think about deconstructing this one and have the Crab and Foie Gras on a separate plate for guests to test the combo for themselves. Let them speak for themselves and see how they sing with the Mushi?

Accompanying wine was the Esoterico, an orange tinged fruit bomb with a tangerine taste, almost like liquid Marmalade Lite. Very refreshing. Very artisan. But perhaps not quite wine. Kudos for the attempt to pair something with an egg dish. It kind of worked too, taking some of the edge off the ikura; same colour too.

The magnificent Octopus - brilliant dish

Extra Dish

The notes get a bit non existent here basically because Julian had finally made it through the rain (hello Barry Manilow) and was catching up on the courses and foodie news and other bits of chat. Which allowed me a little break from the food which was actually quite pleasant; let the belly relax for a bit and savour the previous before the next gastronomic input. Which would prove an off menu belter - Octopus leg with Portuguese Paprika sauce with a top of Passionfruit Foam. It was a cracker - excellent chew and bite on the leg with fire and citrus from the sauce and foam. And the tweezered tiny flowers and leaves gave visual and lightly vegetal bite and herbal hints to enhance the whole. Would be very happy to eat this again either as standalone or as sequenced to follow the Uni and provide a useful and necessary contrast against the more inherently salt infused dish. 

To my huge surprise and delight, the Esoterico wine went impressively well with the Octopus. It seemed to enhance the slight Citrus bite that was coming from the Passionfruit foam. Marmalade Lite wine with Octopus - who would have thought of it? (Note - the Esoterico is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Muscat, Fiano). 

4th

Homage to M. Paul

Red mullet: potato scales: sauce maltaise

Homage to M Paul - fantastic!

More chat and wine guzzling brought Wine Four to bear, a Nebbiolo from the GD Vajra range. I had previously bought some of the Vajra range following a wine tasting in Plaza Damansara circa 2011. Not sure why - their subsequent drinkings felt a bit thin and reedy (can't remember the varietals - there was a Barbera, Dolcetta and one other) and finally got drunk up at one of the Tai Chi dinners (they are not so fussy with the wines as other foodie groups). This Nebbiolo had a rose petal nose and somehow floral fragrance and texture. Pleasant in the mouth, slight Pinot Noir feel, but way more feminine and approachable than many Pinots out there. 

It was being paired with the Homage to M. Paul, Chef Darren's interpretation of the Bocuse classic Loupe en Croute (Sea Bass in Pastry) which I was lucky enough to try at a lunch at the restaurant in Lyon in September 2013 (click here to read>>). And where Chef Paul himself came out to say hello to all the diners. Total moment. This was a delightful tribute to the legend, and made for a petite but substantial bite across fish and potato leaves and enhanced by the Sauce Maltaise (traditionally orange and Hollandaise, though I think more Orange on this presentation) and a dollop of (I think) Apricot. The delicately fried and layered potato leaves were… could have been a shade crispier and felt a bit "corn oil" rather than "duck fat". The Mullet was flakily superb and perfectly cooked. The combo came together nicely, the citrus matching the fish and potato and slicing through the starch and protein for a taste of Lyon here in PJ. Happy to have this one again.

The remnants of the Esoterico again surprised on the upside as a match, but perhaps on reflection not too surprising - Marmalade Lite and Orange is a total citrus bomb. The Nebbiolo also surprised, with its very light tannins cutting the fish oil and the light berry fruit shining brighter as a result.

5th 

Choice of Mains - 16hr slow roasted lamb rack (South Australia)

Comes with seasonal vegetables from our farm

Lamb and veg. Getting full...

Getting pretty full by this time. But the food kept coming. And the notes had died. Always a good sign. As a Welshman, I had naturally signed up for the Lamb - we Welshies were raised on it for an occasional Sunday Roast change from Chicken since it was readily available and not as expensive as other meats. Lamb Chops were also regulars on the dinner table whilst watching after school TV ahead of going upstairs to do the homework. 

For me, the lamb was a bit of a let down. I presume there is a reason why a rack of lamb tastes better after a 16 hour Slow Roast but this one went wide of my understanding. I didn't get it (though I must confess to not getting much of the slow roasting concept. Except for Beef Cheeks.)  My general preference is for medium rare with some sear and char on the outside. This one had the sear but the taste felt somehow not quite right. Maybe it was the Lamb; when one is raised on Welsh or New Zealand, the Oz is perhaps a bit of a poor relation. Something on the plate was also a shade oversalted to my tolerance (which is very low). The organic vegetables…   hmmm….  whilst I have signed on to the delights of biodynamic wine (as distinct from organic - biodynamic adheres to stricter standards of farming and cultivation), I find much organic vegetation lacking in taste. Maybe it is the soil, maybe it is the seeds - it all seems to taste like earth. Some of those on show on the plate (the carrots) looked as if they had undergone a swift blanche in organic unsalted water and prettily and deftly arranged on the plate. There were also too many of them for my preference - the veg needs to enhance rather than overwhelm.  Could have taken off half of the veg and there would still have been too much.  Julian later suggested that perhaps the Veg could come on a separate sharing plate - given that Malaysians love to share food, this would be a good fit. For me, whilst it might be a bit traditional, some Robuchon style butter mashed potato would have been a home run to soak up the salt and jus off the lamb. Some classics are classic for a reason.

Can't remember...

Regular readers will know that desserts are not really my bag and, though I happily wolf them down, I am usually too wrecked by the booze to offer any comment worthy of reading. But I do enjoy cheese and the DC Cheese Trolley is easily the best in the city. Fantastic offerings of a decent range of high end styles, it makes for a very French way of ending the evening and polishing off what is left of any red. Much enjoyed. I broke a rule and had a coffee whilst Julian opted for a very ornate and lovingly prepared cup of (I think) Chrysanthemum Tea. 

Best Cheese Platter in town!

Chef Darren, Julian and I had a post meal discussion and all shared thoughts and observations over a half bottle of hugely tasty Ile des Vergelesses. This was my first time to sit down with Chef and share thoughts and wine about food and the business. I found him to be hugely passionate about his craft. His knowledge, his justifications for his choices, all coming from a deep dipping into various cuisines, though French styles and preparations have clearly captured his heart. In the foodie community here in Kuala Lumpur, he is way ahead in the top top echelon, vying with Darren Teoh of Dewakan as to who is king of the mountain (or perhaps, in our case, the Klang Valley…). I am not going here, because the styles and approaches and consequent results are different. Though conversation did stray as to whether a "Darren and Darren" evening might work - the conclusion was:  difficult, not impossible. Perhaps a Food Channel TV Series contrasting both could work? 

Whatever, both should be celebrated for their guts, their innovation and missions, and their huge dedication to their art and craft of food preparations. There is a sense of locavore in both, though I find Dewakan Darren more open to deconstruction of Malaysian staples whilst DC Darren prefers French style approaches to technique. I am guessing that they have to put up with a lot of opinion from their patrons. Though I would further guess Dewakan Darren gets less as a result of the deconstruction aspect - there is little else to compare it with as opposed to DC Darren who is up against the entire tradition of French cuisine. 

In this context, I did detect a slight sense of frustration from Chef Darren. Kind of like he has been banging his head against the wall of the Malaysian Palate and feeling that it is starting to hurt. 

It is a total truism that in Malaysia everyone is a food expert. From "which mamak has the best Roti or Nasi Kandar" to "Durian nuances between northern orchards and the south"; everyone has a view which they want (nay, NEED) to share. And I have noticed that this often becomes more so when one is a Malaysian of wealth, position and status and, as a result, becoming occasionally of the opinion that such opinion demands the highest respect and needs to be unconditionally agreed with by everyone else. Kind of like one must kowtow to Datuk and Datin because, er, they are Datuk and Datin lah! And they must know better!! Why? Because they are Datuk and Datin lah!!! I occasionally wonder whether this opinion giving becomes self serving; that Datuk and Datin give their opinions because they think they need to be seen to have opinions and also need to be seen to be asserting them over the minions. I guess we have all heard this somewhere - "Ay, Chef (pronounced "tchef") you know, ah, nex' time, ah, you put some chili on the foy grass. Ah. You try try.  Waaaaah, ho seck no? See.. (pulling out a small container) I always bring some chili...   you mus' put chili on foy grass one. I tell you, mus' have, good for parang, hor..." 

So those chefs who stick to their recipe guns and politely and firmly refuse suggestions to add chili or some other left field ingredient to allegedly improve a dish over which Chef has cracked his head to try and perfect it need all our support. They need our encouragement. They need our patronage. They need to be reassured that their sense of gastronomic adventures will continue to be supported. Otherwise they will simply up sticks and find a more supportive community for their endeavours. They are an endangered species that can easily get killed off by the continual numbing headbutts of self delusional opinions and insistence that all the kitchens of the world should follow suit with the seemingly unassailable and persistent viewpoint that all dishes need chili.  

I would not want to see DC shut its doors and watch Chef Darren set up shop overseas to farm his food and prepare it for a more appreciative crowd. But I also know that everyone has a limit. 

I told Chef that I liked the variations of plate shapes and colours and separate cutlery for each dish. Nice bit of theatre in being allowed to select the knife for the main from a range of colours. And I got a great sense of traditional French with cute little inputs of Japanese which helped the dishes pop. Julian grumped a bit against Chef using similar ingredients in different dishes throughout the progression. He also grumped a bit against the "looks" of each of the dishes all flowing together and looking somewhat "production line" and kind of the same. Having similar visual arrangements showing on dishes throughout the progression is apparently not good form. Okay...  makes sense. I grumped a bit against foam and pearls on seemingly everything and a perceived need for variation to allow the dishes some space to distinguish themselves individually. All of the dishes were very good, some were exceptional, though as said perhaps in need of a little bit of tweaking on the pearls and foam to lend ebb and flow to the sequence of dishes. Which actually can be seen to exist on the set menus - the four and six course menus flow nicely whilst perhaps it is only the full Monty eight course that feels like it overdoes things with the foam and pearls. Very good wine pairing, showcasing some lesser known styles and labels and their abilities to match the dishes. I will be going back for this menu. And the wines pairing. 

Looking back, I now can see the artistry with which each dish got prepared. The aesthetic of the plate arrangement is not something that I tend to notice at the table - memo to self: engage the sense of sight a bit more rather than the mouth and the tongue and the wine and the belly. 

Has Chef Darren grown as a Chef? Clearly the answer is yes - whilst the food on my previous visits was little short of excellent, I had yet to really remember a dish the day after the meal. Now I have two, maybe three with the Octopus. Thank you Chef for these. And I think there is a related point here as to whether I have grown in tandem as a foodie punter and supposed writer. No point to keep commenting if you stick with the same internal paradigms and hack phrases. In this, I believe I have - looking back at the early writings, there seems more breadth of thought in the more recent responses to dishes. Depth is next. I think it is incumbent on all of us who profess knowledge of our subjects that we look to grow. Especially if we claim to know our food. By sparring and sharing, and being willing to learn and experience the new, we all grow. And we all have to WANT to grow. If one doesn’t have this sense of adventure, if one doesn't find joy and bliss in the new, then perhaps best to stick with the hawker stall and not look to impose one’s food views on the world. At least one won’t be short of chili there.

Winter Menu - DC Taste X Love <3 by Darren Chin

Prelude

"The Belon" : chive oil, fermented rhubarb

"Beets" Smoked cured butterfish; grilled cabbage; oxalis

Butternut squash croquetas: black truffle, sage Chantilly, seafood stew

1st

Fresh Carpaccio of the day (airflown from Hokkaido)

Black Truffle vinaigrette

2nd 

Signature

Takao cold somen: bafun uni, truffle celeriac: vegetal

3rd

3s silky egg custard

Snow crab: foie gras; agrumes

4th

Homage to M. Paul

Red mullet: potato scales: sauce maltaise

5th 

Choice of Mains

Comes with seasonal vegetables from our farm

Supplement add on Jean Larnardie Duck Foie Gras 50g panseared RM70++

Magret de Canard

Charred leeks: crosnes: chive jus

or

16hr slow roasted lamb rack (South Australia)

or

Japanese Matsuka A5 Wagyu 130gm (additional RM210++)

or

1/2 Brittany blue lobster tail poached in lobster butter: lobster sauce americaine (additional RM178++)

6th

Choice of Dessert or Cheese

Desserts by Chef Han

Kaki: persimmon

Clementine sherbet: yuzu curd: sesame wafer: almond crumble

or

"In depth"

light crunch meringue: black sesame pannacotta: red cherries: creme fraiche sorbet

or

Le fromage

5 types of cheese from our cheese trolley

Grand Finale

Mignardises

Assortment of fruit jellies

Cafe ou The

Illy coffee or assortment of Jing tea (additional RM18)

RM438++ per pax

Optional 

Course pairing - Add on Winter Black Truffle (tuber melanosporum) - RM288, a la carte RM75

Discovery Food X Natural Skin Contact wine pairing

Sommelier Selection Food & Wine Pairing Packages 

2 glasses – RM115; 

3 glasses – RM155; 

4 glasses – RM205

Champagne 

1. Larmandier-Bernier Terre de Vertus Non-Dosé 1er Cru 2010 WS 91 RM65 (glass) RM450 (bottle)

Vin Blanc 

2. Domaine Stéphane Ogier, Viognier de Rosine 2016 RP 90 RM60 (glass) RM330 (bottle) 

3. Unico Zelo Esoterico Spices Blend, Adelaide Hills 2016 WS 88 RM60 RM330 (Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Muscat, Fiano) 

Vin Rouge ”Natural Wine” 

4. Lucy Margaux Merlot, Adelaide Hills 2016 WS 88 RM60 (glass) RM250 (bottle) 

5. GD Vajra Clare J.C. Langhe, Nebbiolo, Piedmont, Italy 2016 WS 88 RM60 (glass) RM310 (bottle) 

Dessert Wine 

6. Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Grand Cru Rangen 2009 WS 94 RM60 (glass) RM320 (bottle) 

www.restaurant-dc.com

NB all prices taken from DC Restaurant website February 2018 and will naturally change over time; do check with the restaurant prior to booking as to whether prices have been updated.

"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