Local, yet exotic, this
Asian-French fusion restaurant pays tribute to local cuisine with polish and
flair.
Vanilla Sky, presumably named after the movie, has an
unusual restaurant concept, pairing French cuisine with Asian, and especially Sarawak
food, likely the result of a French chef and an owner from Sarawak. 
Inside, the restaurant carries tokens of its native roots,
with an international twist. A Martaban jar graces the distant serving counter,
on both yellow side walls are hung art pieces carrying mixed themes, including
bright original paintings by the restaurant owner. Rustic wooden tables with a worn look, wooden
flooring, side lighting and natural light from the glass window front conspire
towards a cosy, nookish feel. In a dim
corner, wooden carvings of dream creatures line the floor beneath posters of
American pop icons, and yes, Elvis and Jim Morrison are represented.
At first glance, the menu appears conventional, until you
look more closely to see the embedded Asian influences and dishes.
And so we started with the Borneo Salad (Rm9), which was
chopped raw greens, fruit, and sprinkling of precious midin (Sarawak wild fern), all treated to a sweet-sour, refreshing
calamansi dressing for an invigorating start, to be followed by the acid test -
a bowl of Sarawak laksa (Rm9.80).
Featuring a home-made curry paste, it looked and smelt like
the real thing, with authentically wiry meehoon, chicken and egg strips, and
prawns. A mouthful, slowly savoured, and – yes! – that raw, ragged edge, the
aroma of genuine Sarawak laksa, transporting me to small stalls on the Kuching
riverfront. I wanted a second bowl, but
there was much to try.
Having settled that, we sampled the soups, starting with the
Wild Mushroom Soup (Rm9.80), which was smooth, creamy and flavourful with the
aroma of fresh mushrooms, but not a standout.
The Tomato Basil soup (Rm9.80) had a sensuous, smoky fragrance, with
roasted tomato and basil, comforting and appetizingly tart.
The Fish Soup of the Day (Rm11.80), was a clear concoction
with pieces of salmon, white fish and an egg with plenty of lemongrass in a
soup that was soothing, yet edgy with the flavour with lemongrass.
Onto the mains, and Beef Tenderloin (Rm50), presented in a
brown ground-peppercorn sauce, with grilled vegetables and curlicues of crispy
spiral potato strips. The beef was a
little overdone for a Medium order, could have been more tender, but the pepper
sauce was outstanding with the infusion of fresh pepper – not hot or peppery,
just wonderfully full-bodied with the requisite punch of heady, fresh Sarawak
pepper. The spiral potato chips were great too – delicate and crispy.
We had Threadfin (Rm35), three thin slabs of pan-seared
fish, alternating with salt-baked beetroot on chive cream, artfully presented
in a splatter of beetroot sauce. The fish was excellent – crispy skin, yet
moist and succulent within, and splendidly paired with appetizing chive cream,
or the sweet dill mashed potato.
Finally, another local dish, the Daging Masak Hitam
(Rm16.80), was a winner from the first mouthful, with the rough nuttiness of wild
rice, a side salad and beef rendang given the slow-cook treatment to render it
sweet and meltingly tender.
For dessert, we had a Pandan Poppyseed cake (Rm12), served
with a little cream. It was warm, sweet and pandan-ish, but didn’t move the
meter for me, while the Chocolate Caramel (Rm8), served in a small glass, was
more my cup of tea, being wickedly dense with chocolate mixed with sweet sticky
caramel and topped with cream. Finally,
the Mango Pavlova (Rm16), a dollop of Vanilla Chantilly cream on white
meringue, topped with slices of mango and shredded ginger flower. It was compelling, the brain resisting the
surge of cream on crispy sugar base yet the hand scooping up one spoonful after
another for a sugar high.
Vanilla Sky stands out for its unusual food, mixing and
matching traditional French cooking with Asian, specifically Sarawakian
influences. Sarawak cuisine can be a little raw and unpolished, yet it is an
amalgam of multiple cultural influences, uses wonderful local ingredients and
should be treasured for its originality. The restaurant pays tribute to the
cuisine with a patina of sophistication, the inclusion of local spices and
ingredients in playful and imaginative ways. The approach is entirely in line
with the original artwork on the walls, a tip of the hat to the rich culture of
distant Sarawak, at once local and exotic.
Vanilla Sky,
G-10, Ground
Floor,
Pusat
Perniagaan G Village,
35, Jalan
Desa Pandan, Desa Pandan,
55100 Kuala
Lumpur.
Tel: 03 9286
6012,
Email: vanillaskykl@gmail.com
Business
Hours: 9.30am-9.30pm daily,
Closed on
Mondays
No comments:
Post a Comment