Orange Vanilla Creme Brulee. We ordered double portions because both of us wanted this to ourselves. Frank walloped three of these up though. I like the citrus tang imparted in the custard. The burnt sugar was perfectly crispy.
This is the Chocolate Raspberry Mousse. I love the combination of the bittersweet chocolate and super tart raspberry. It’s a match made in heaven.
The Tiramisu was surprisingly good. We had a bite of this and our eyes popped. It was rich with coffee liquor and moreish. In fact, we went ahead and ordered another one which Frank hogged and finished.
Nothing to fault in these cute Chocolate fondant puddings. Oozy chocolate centre as expected. Once again the combination of chocolate and forest berries worked well. Evidently, good quality chocolate was used and it showed.
Unfortunately the apple pie didn’t work this time. It was more a Cinnamon pie than it was apple. The aroma was a little too overwhelming even for the cinnamon lover in me. Frank barely touched it.
First to arrive was some previous Hokkaido Bay Sea Urchin, Deep fried bean curd, Salmon roe, Poached white asparagus, sitting in the Hong Kong Chilli Oil Broth. As you can see the dishes for the buffet are made smaller so we could sample more dishes at once! The combination worked well, and sea urchin was suitably fresh. I especially love the crunchy asparagus. The creamy tofu takes on the flavourful spicy broth, addictive.
Unfortunately, the vegetarian options are quite limited on this menu. This was one of them. The ball of fried Mozzarella cheese was nesting atop some heirloom tomatoes, pine nuts, and smear of aged balsamic reduction. The cheese seemed to be a little too chewy, perhaps they have been sitting around a bit. Flavours are great though. Frank detected a hint of fish so he couldn’t eat this.
There are 4 dishes on the menu with Foie Gras and this was excellent. The fatty liver slice was sandwiched between slices of sweet potato, battered and deep fried. I love how the tropical fruit compote helped cut through the richness. I will have it again next time!
The other Foie Gras dish I ordered. Nice big piece of Foie, pan-seared to perfection, paired with gooey poached egg and rich smoked duck consomme. Very well-executed dish. The wood-ear fungus and water chestnut provided some much needed crunch.
I’d like to reiterate how much I appreciate the tasting portions, especially when it comes to carb-laden dishes. I love the mushroom risotto. Perfectly cooked and seasoned. Frank couldn’t have it because it contained chicken broth and we have asked if they could do this with vegetable broth next time. You know, to cater for the non meat-eater.
Best dish of the day. Done medium rare, the steak was tender, juicy and further enhanced by the fantastic port wine sauce. The truffle mash might be a little under seasoned on its own but pairs exceptionally well with the sauce. I enjoyed the crunchy vegetables and wiped this plate clean.
Having been to Nobu for the original Miso Black Cod, I have high expectation for this dish. It’s decent but I think the cod was slightly overcooked and hence lost the delicate texture.
Sometimes the complimentary bread here comes with terrific truffle butter (sometimes, no).
Cry fowl by ordering confit of quail, glazed with honey mustard for extra zing, with veggie crudites in a potato basket and lemongrass-kaffir lime leaf coulis.
Or take flight with the chicken wings, pan-roasted with red wine marinade and partnered with crisp turkey ham strips and mushroom sauce.
Barbary duck confit in a recipe more elaborate than most, with dried scallops, potato sarladaise and baby root veggies with sauce moutarde.
Renoma's pate is bold in execution and flavor, made with duck and chicken liver with touches of Malay rendang spices and Chinese Shaoxing wine.
Ratatouille, Provencal-style stewed veggies with Gruyere de Compte puree & Asian pesto creme. Might not be enough to make a food critic weep, but vegetarians would enjoy them.
Cointreau-laced and French vanilla ice cream. Soft and smooth, but could be creamier.
Escargot gets a makeover: forget about the ones baked with garlic butter & check out Renoma's puff-pastry version, still buttery but with much more to sink our teeth into. Partnered with curried lotus root chips, micro cress & sauce madere.
French onion soup, bristling with caramelized onions in tongue-scorching beef bouillon with melted Comte cheese.
Nicoise salad, made nicer than normal with heirloom tomatoes to accompany the usual suspects of quail eggs, artichokes and anchovies.
Another classic, beef bourguignon, supremely hearty slow-braised beef cheek with root veggies, red Burgundy wine, forest mushrooms, pearl onion confit & potato mousseline.
Caramelized sea scallops in a savory-nutty-earthy, juicy-creamy preparation, sprinkled with sesame & salmon roe on a bed of confited salsifies, with a fricassee of chanterelle mushrooms (beneath the salad) & walnut oil.
Also complex (with some assembly required): citrus-cured ocean trout with (deep breath!) Szechuan peppercorn, trout roe, avocado bavarois, baby radish salad, capers, pickled onions & cold-pressed avocado oil.
Potato lovers, this one's for you: Hand-cut, double-fried Russet potatoes, served with Renoma's housemade dips, one tinged with bits of black truffles & the other made Malaysian with a spicy infusion of sambal terasi.
Clothes and cuisine come together at Kuala Lumpur's Renoma Cafe Gallery, the first Asian offshoot of Maurice Renoma's Parisian restaurant of the same name.
Renoma could become one of 2012's most buzzed-about eateries, thanks to an urbane vibe that resonates through this refurbished Bukit Bintang bungalow. Sip a French Connection cocktail, admire the artwork on Renoma's walls, then maybe buy a shirt, some shoes or even a funky chair to take home for a souvenir.
The food here is French with contemporary flourishes: Foie gras and sweet potato combine for a mille-feuille (RM35++) that scores for both creativity and creamy flavor.
Goose liver is also the centerpiece of this veloute (RM22++) with a finely blended triumvirate of black trumpet, oyster and cepe mushrooms topped with creme porcini.
Foie gras burger (RM58++). When it emerges, the initial surprise is that there's no sign of liver. Fear not: there's foie for sure, mixed within the 200-gram, nearly six-inch-wide beef striploin patty with Muscovy duck rillettes for a heart-stopping gourmet burger.
Egg and duck both resurface for what could be KL's most pleasurable croque madame (RM26++) with fat slices of Muscovy duck, cured beef and turkey ham (three animals for the price of one), Gruyere cheese, egg and black truffles.
Cocktails are expensive here; nothing costs below RM30. The economical option: order RM16++ glasses of apricot brandy and orange curacao. Feeling fruity indeed.
