Hubby's Birthday Lunch @ Lafite, Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur

Since we didn't get to dine in Lafite for my birthday (they were closed for a private event), we decided to dine here for Hubby's birthday lunch.  Because I was so busy, I sort of forgot to blog this. Please note that this showcase lunch is no longer available.

Starting early February, they have changed the set lunch format, it is now 3-course set lunch at RM99++, comprising of chef's daily inspiration of teasers (changes weekly), main course selection (pick 1 from 5) and  tasting of petite sweets. I have not tried the new set lunch yet, but I have tried the new a la carte menu for dinner and it is absolutely divine - will find time to blog that one in the next week. Just for your information, dinner now is either 3-course (RM195++) or 5-course (RM275++) - the menu is seasonal. No more tasting menus too. 

If you don't know already, Lafite has a new chef de cuisine John Nash. Be awed by his cooking and creative flair.

We have been to Lafite several times for its showcase lunch (Click here to read about our previous visit). During our last few visits, the desserts were showcased, this time it was the appetizers. At first, we had mixed feelings since we thought most appetizers won't work well if served cold. We thought wrong, as somehow the chef managed to come up with appetizers which worked well in the showcase. 

Bread

The new winter butter which we enjoy - it is made of maple syrup, figs, raisins and apricots.

Showcase appetizers

So, basically we were given an empty plate and can walk up to the showcase as many times as we wanted and then once we were done with the showcase, let them know and they will ask the kitchen to prepare the main courses. We didn't dare eat too much in case we were too full (we did eat our fair share) and spoil the enjoyment of our mains and dessert.

Tropical shooters

Potato soup with lumpfish caviar - this was pretty good, very smooth

This was my favorite one from the showcase - foie gras mousse with rye bread and a sweet "jam" which you squeeze on yourself... I lost count of how many I ate... but it was a lot. LOL

Fun food

We also liked this - the simple cured salmon with horseradish cream, love the herb leaf sandwiched between the crisp. So pretty.

Was happy to see scallops, but dismayed to see that it was served with kiwi (which I am allergic to). Luckily, the waiting staff said he could get me some without the kiwi, and he brought out 4 plates for me. Yay! How's that for good service.

Roasted scallop with kiwi and orange glaze

Without kiwi ;)

I also loved this one - goat's cheese with apricot and cranberries - but it was very filling so I think I only ate 3-4 LOL

Spiced tuna with pineapple and citrus.

Caesar salad with dressing in one of those cute tubes again

Sweet potato parfait with marshmallows and hazelnuts

Feta cheese with melon

Smoked duck wrapped with vegetables and lemongrass sauce

For mains, there were 5 selections - Hubby picked the black cod with olives, tomato and onion. Beautifully flaky, I had a few bites and I preferred this over mine. The beef short ribs with horseradish, carrot and celery root was also nicely prepared but perhaps fish was more suitable cos it was lighter and more suited after a heavy *ahem* round of appetizers. There is still black cod in the current lunch menu but paired with other ingredients.

Black cod

Beef short ribs

There were 3 dessert choices, luckily I didn't order the Mont Blanc Minutes (chesnut/meringue/mango) since it contained kiwi. Even if I did, Hubby would be forced to swap his dessert with mine LOL. I had the apple tatin (cinnamon/gratine/caramel), which also had an apple granita, mango leather and apple crisp. Both desserts were okay but not particularly memorable.

Mont Blanc Minutes

Apple tatin

Some fresh fruits

Nice Christmas tree 

*Note: This showcase lunch is no longer available. Current lunch menu is RM99++. 


Verdict: This was good, I can't wait to try out their new set lunch offerings.

Full set of photos available to view here. 

Opening times: Lunch Monday to Friday 12.00 - 2.30pm; Dinner Monday to Saturday 7.00pm - 10.30pm. Closed on Sundays and public holidays.

Price: RM88++ per person, including coffee/tea.

Location: Lafite Restaurant, Lobby Level, Shangri-La Hotel, 11 Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tel: 03- 2074 3900

Website: http://www.shangri-la.com/en/property/kualalumpur/shangrila

GPS Coordinates: 3.1541, 101.706297

Acme Bar & Coffee (ABC), The Troika, Kuala Lumpur

Acme Bar & Coffee, better known as ABC opened its doors for business in December 2011 in The Troika. Early this month, I finally made my way there to try out their food. One of the most striking things about this place is the interior design / decor. It has a raw industrial vibe to it, high ceilings and lots of natural light pouring in, thanks to the floor to ceiling glass walls - very modern yet casual at the same time, I like. 

I thought that the name may have something to do with Roadrunner but nope, Acme actually means “the best” in Greek. 

Welcome to ABC

Nice feel to the place

The owners created another facade within the restaurant space, if you look up, you will see a shop front design with windows, sidewalk as well as street lighting. Very cool.

Pipes never looked cooler

For lunch, diners can choose to have the 3-course set lunch for RM49++. There is a different menu for each day of the week and the menu will be changed once a month. The a la carte menu is also available, both for lunch and dinner. There are pots and pans, soups and salads, breakfast/brunch items, pasta, Western mains, Asian and desserts. For drinks, they have classic cocktails, premium beers as well as the exclusive Tea Forte teas. Every Sunday, there is a Sunday Brunch buffet for RM99++.

We sampled some items from their a la carte menu and they were good. We'll probably come back to try their lunch one day and also Sunday brunch when we feel like indulging.

The pots and pans item are all served in Staub pans or a clear jar. For me, this is a nice touch since Staub is a  cool designer brand when it comes to cookware. The concept mimics the Spanish tapas, but in larger portions - I would say they are good for 2-3 persons to share if you want just a small sampler of each.

One of the things I love eating from our local Chinese restaurant is salted egg yolk squid, unfortunately that place closed down so I've not been getting my fix for a while. So, when the salted egg yolk chicken strips (RM15) arrived at our table, I was very happy. Even happier when I took a bite and it was delicious. The chicken pieces were tender, evenly coated with salted egg yolk with addition of curry leaves and some cili padi.

The super creamy salt cod brandade (RM19) is as its name suggest - super creamy and slightly salty. People who do order this should not complain that it's salty... they already told us it was going to be salty right. Btw, we liked it.. it reminded us of a fish pie, with its layers of mash potatoes, Gruyere cheese and cod fish. I googled salt fish when I was writing this, and it looks just like the chinese salted fish (ham yu).

Our favourite pan is the mozzarella "burrata" and tomatoes (RM29). We have recently discovered burrata and liked it so much that we always order this if we see it on the menu. Very simple preparation with fresh basil and sake marinated cherry tomatoes and sliced fresh tomatoes but it really works. Simple yet bursting with flavours. And aren't the colours just beautiful?

They have a section in the menu called "Too Late for Breakfast" which is available from 11am to 6pm daily. So if you're a late riser but still would like to have "brunch" when you wake up, you know where to go. We tried the mushrooms and poached egg on toast (RM23) and it was so yummy. The eggs were runny and  went superbly with the grilled mushrooms.

Perfectly cooked eggs

For mains, we tried the Grilled Grass Fed Tenderloin (RM79) which was served with fries, soy sesame marinade, rocket mustard sauce and a very delicious honey roasted carrots. We felt the rocket mustard sauce was a little unnecessary as it tasted good enough with the soy sesame marinade, I guess it's because we're used to eating our steaks "naked" or just a little gravy. The meat was tender but I think what we enjoyed most was the carrots.

The roasted dover sole (RM37) was served with artichokes, fried lettuce, capers and confit lemon so there is definitely a sourish tinge to the sauce. The fish was nicely cooked and the sauce was pretty appetizing.

Fresh orchid

Bar

The Italian coffee maker, Bezzera

Desserts here 

Coconut Bounty Cake

Cempedak cake

Desserts here comprise of cakes which are displayed at the drinks bar. We tried the cempedak cake (RM15) since I have heard so much about it. I have to say it was very nice (me being a cempedak fruit lover as well), it is definitely one of the more pungent Asian fruits around but not stinky like a durian. The sponge cake was moist, and I really love the taste of the creamy cempedak. It has a thin layer of pistachio nut coating on the outside.

Have you ever seen a more adorable tea bag than this? In the shape of a pyramid with a tea leaf as its tip, Tea Forte teas are by the product designer, Peter Hewitt. We tried the African Solstice (caffeine-free, antioxidant rich rooibos herb blended with berries, blossoms and sweet vanilla) and coco truffle (chocolate brew with fennel, licorice, and cardamom). What a lovely way to end the meal.

Tea Forte Pyramid Infuser Teas (RM17)

Prettiest tea

ABC ABC ABC

Solanum mammosum plant (also known as nipple fruit, cow's udder)

Lots of quirky touches, here and there

Upstairs there is a private dining area which can be hired for private events or parties. 

ABC

View of KLCC from the restaurant

Verdict: The food here is competently prepared, especially the unique cempedak cake, salt egg yolk chicken strips and burrata which left a lasting impression. I think this is a great place for hanging out with your friends as it has a very nice ambiance with Jazz music in the background (they play my fav Jazz artist, Jamie Cullum ;) )

Full set of photos available to view here.

Opening times: Sun-Thurs 11am - 12pm; Fri-Sat 11am - 1am

Service: Good.

Price: Reasonable.

Location: Acme Bar & Coffee, Ground Floor, The Troika, 19 Persiaran KLCC, 50450 Kuala Lumpur. (same row as Intercontinental Hotel)

Tel: 03- 2162 2288

Website: http://www.acmebarcoffee.com 

GPS Coordinates: 3.158363, 101.718228