Hey, Charming!
November is marked yearly as a season of celebration (for me).
Being a proud Scorpio baby, I've borne my sign well, living to the ripe age of 25 this year. As a reward for my excellent efforts and to celebrate me, my loved ones and family took me on not one, not two, but three gastronomical journeys, spoiling me rich in the process.
Post-celebrations, now lying in bed blogging in my jammies, here are some of my thoughts about the food I ate, the venue, and everything in between.
- Bistro à Table -
Vowing only to serve the very best of French comfort food in town, Bistro à Table's humble hole in the wall approach is the perfect mix of intimate and cozy yet not too shabby.
Headed by Chef Isadora Chai, this French diner has been a recipient of many awards and is regarded as one of the best restaurants in Malaysia by CNN Travel and Malaysia Tatler since establishing in 2011.
On the night we visited Bistro à Table, it was quiet (Can you believe it? On a weekend too, what luck!). Half suspecting my friends had booked up the place and also partly because of the rain, the emptiness of the restaurant permitted me a deeper appreciation of my food, the environment, and the staff's delightful hospitality.
For starters, we ordered a soup - Truffle potato & leek soup with turkey bacon (RM 28), and then separate main courses for sharing.
I really enjoyed the starter because of the truffles, I'm in love with it but more also because the texture of the soup was just the right amount of creaminess for me.
The garoupa fillet (RM 88) was beautifully cooked too. Soft to the point of melting in my mouth. The combination of flavours from the fish and the tuak beurre blanc (white butter rice wine sauce) was like heaven in my mouth, truly a delectable experience.
Comparatively, the Pappardelle (RM 65) and the Risoni (RM 68), both a variety of pasta, were less interesting but palatable.
From top left: 59.9°C garoupa fillet in tobiko & tuak beurre blanc & crispy kailan, Beef bone marrow & heirloom tomato risoni, Shredded duck & leek pappardelle
Portion size at Bistro à Table was more than reasonable. Proof of it: we ended up too full for dessert.
All in all, it was a pleasant night at Bistro à Table. Loved the lowkey vibes and the almost retro-like decorations of the place. It is a great spot for a night out of good food and good company.
Rating: 4.5/5
Bistro à Table: 6, Jalan 17/54, Seksyen 17, 46400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor | Opens daily from 12 - 3pm and 6 - 10pm | Reservations are required
- Entier French Dining -
Located within Alila Bangsar, sitting on the 41st floor is Entier.
Upon the first impression, Entier was a stunner without the traditional "white table linens." Elegance exuded from all corners of the restaurant so that one lacks no photo-taking opportunities.
When it came to the food, however, it was mildly underwhelming.
From the dinner a la carte menu, we chose to go with two main dishes - the Salmon (RM 61), a signature of Entier, and Ribeye Steak (RM 70). The steak itself was served in generous portions, cooked to a medium-rare, and was juicy enough. The sauce, on the other hand, was hardly memorable.
Whereas, the salmon which had originally intrigued me because of its exciting, rich flavours soon became "too much to handle" and greasy.
Service was disappointing as the servers were unattentive to their guests; on a couple of occasions, we had to signal more than once to get the attention of the waiter. One of Entier's saving grace was the complimentary house-baked bread with Kombu butter. A stellar in my opinion.
If you appreciate posh environments, Entier really is an ideal venue to consider for any sort of celebrations or special anniversaries without having to worry about breaking the bank. Personally, won't be revisiting.
Rating: 4/5
Entier French Dining: Level 41 at Alila Bangsar No 58, Jalan Ang Seng, Brickfields, 50470 Kuala Lumpur | Opens daily from 12 - 4pm and 6 - 10pm | Reservations are required
- DC Restaurant - by Darren Chin -
Mastermind by Chef Darren Chin, son of Dave's Deli founder David Chin, DC Restaurant has quickly earned its reputation as one of the must-watch restaurants in the neighborhood. From farm-to-table, Chef Darren's approach to food is all about the natural, raw ingredients. Nothing should be pretentious.
Paired together with his passion for exploring outside the box and creative experimentations with cooking techniques, DC Restaurant promises to wow its patrons with tastebud exhilarating, mouthwatering, exquisite classic French cuisine, albeit with a twist of Japanese influence.
Now onto the real review...
Despite the marvelous recommendations for its food, DC Restaurant has little to boast about its appearance.
Sandwiched among shop-lots, the restaurant's exterior was quite plain. A simple, gold-plated sign bearing the name "DC Restaurant by Darren Chin" indicated the place. We were buzzed in by the staff on duty that night and were ushered upstairs to the dining area (They occupy two floors, the ground floor 'Le Comptoir' is for pre-dinner cocktails and Signage outside restaurant
1st floor for dining).
Prior to our appointed dinner date, the restaurant contacted us to preselect our meal course and main dish. We opted for the 3-course seasonal meal (RM 298 per pax) inclusive of the chef's complimentary "snacks", starters, one main course, and dessert. Hence, once we were seated, there was little to no delay in serving our food or interruptions, apart from the servers' detailed and patient explanations of the presented dishes and to occasionally offer up recommendations of wine.
Complimentary of the chef
Starters: "Echo of the Sea" - DC’s signature cold cappellini with Hokkaido uni, Alaskan king crab, cured Amaebi, and savoury seafood sabayo
Mains
The food was as good as was raved. I enjoyed every single bite of my meal from start to finish. My personal favorites were the main, "Australian Wagyu beef and Eggplant done two ways – roasted with garum and baked with white miso, pommes anna," and the dessert, “Chitose Strawberries" which came in the right amount of sweetness and sour.
There were a couple of surprises in between.
One of the notable mentions was the Shellfish ice cream with local heirloom tomatoes and crispy skrei (Norwegian Arctic cod) fish skin snack.
Before DC Restaurant, I never knew shellfish ice cream was a thing I liked. If you were wondering, there was no smell,
Pictured here: Our dessert - Chitose the flavours were not offensive but tasted
Cameron strawberries in honey and lime, savoury and strangely familiar.
white chocolate mousse, pistachio dacquoise,
tarragon pesto, yuzu-strawberry sorbet
Another highlight from my night at DC Restaurant was the impeccable service. The servers, all of them, were very warm and attentive throughout the night. You'd be trick to think you were actual royalty with such service!
Overall, DC Restaurant was a standout in terms of food and hospitality. The pricing is a little steep here compared to the rest but well worth every cent you're paying. Definitely, a must-try restaurant you don't want to miss.
Rating: 4.8/5
DC Restaurant: 44, Persiaran Zaaba, Taman Tun Dr. Ismail, 60000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur | Opens Tuesday to Sunday, 6 - 11pm | Reservations are required
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Now take care and keep #stayingsafe
Until next time! :)
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