First published in Options, The Edge Malaysia, July 11, 2016
NOTE: This restaurant has ceased operations as at August 2016
NOTE: This restaurant has ceased operations as at August 2016
Remaking itself yet
again, this restaurant returns with an adventurous yet restrained menu with a
mix of culinary influences.
In its short one-year plus lifetime, Gastro Bar by Burgeon has
undergone three incarnations. In the latest, it is a modern, contemporary
Western restaurant.
Within, it’s a white theme with black highlights. The bar
occupies the far wall, with a background of neatly arranged liquor bottles as a
motif. Seating is at tables clothed in white linen with black chairs, matched
by wait staff attired in black. A white ceiling echoes the marble flooring, and
serving plates are in a clean white or have a contrasting black-white theme.
Headed by chef Justin Yap, the newly transformed menu is an
adventurous foray, displaying a cross-theme which borrows from various cuisine
types, interpreted with a healthy dose of originality.
The drinks menu is equally extensive, featuring wines,
whiskies, champagne, cocktails and mocktails, all of which seem to have been curated
with some care.
Our well-informed waiter went through some pains to explain
the menu choices. Clearly, the restaurant strives to live up to its
high-sounding philosophy (set to soaring music) expounded on its stylish website.
The restaurant puts out a “weekly exploration dish”, which
was a Curried Cricket Carbonara (Rm28) when we visited. Service was quick, and
the item was an introduction to the unconventional playfulness of the kitchen,
with a mix of squid ink pasta, Chinese sausage, bits of prawn, and deep-fried
crickets in a kaffir lime coconut cream reduction. Yes, yes, but how did it taste?
Subtle, with an interplay of mild creamy curry flavor,
crunchy crickets, bits of prawn and small pieces of Chinese sausage. One might
have expected an overdose of one flavor or another, given the contrasting
ingredients, but it was an exercise in balance and restraint.
The Medley of Greens (Rm22, plus chargeable add-ons for a
selection of meats) continued the theme of plenty with a mix of lettuce, Chia
seeds, flaxseed, caramelized orange and capers in a pickled ginger dressing,
with starfruit slices, tomatoes, bread pieces and flowers thrown in. It looked sumptuous, and taste-wise, didn’t
disappoint, being a rich palette of textures and fresh tastes. The dressing
didn’t just sound pretty either, lending a dimensional depth to the salad.
The Pork Cheeks Satay (Rm30) promised much with a creative
mix of ingredients, but it wasn’t the restaurant’s finest hour. The sweet satay
sauce was sweet and nutty, but the pork cheeks, besides being a little chewy,
weren’t memorable.
On to Seafood. The Line-Caught Pomfret (Rm32) was a delight.
Pomfret, usually encountered steamed, was pan-seared. It was crispy and
characterful, accessorised with a creamy Shaoxing butter sauce, sautéed
vegetable, crunchy shimeiji mushrooms and crispy capers, making for a
nicely-matched combination, taste and texture-wise.
The Foie Tenderloin (Rm58) was a similarly daring departure
from norm, a slab of seared beef topped with torched foie gras, with parsnip
and Brussels sprouts, in a creamy orange potato and leek vichyssoise. The meat was beautifully done, and the
accompaniments were more than just nice contrasting colours and tones, being
alternately rich, creamy and crunchy.
The Pastas and Noodles were represented by the Prawn Mee Sua
(Rm28), with two thick marinated prawns resting on a luscious bed of mee sua
noodles in a prawn and pork broth, with shredded cabbage and small meaty bits
of sautéed duck liver. The broth was
thick and rich, the noodles infused with flavor, while the duck liver tasted
like Chinese sausage, but never mind, we all liked this dish.
For dessert, the Apple Crumble (Rm32) sounded lush, but
under-delivered. The anticipated Honey and Bacon Ice-cream topping was disappointingly
un-bacon-like, and the apple and brown sugar pie didn’t have much presence, but
the black sesame soil was a nice touch.
The Banana Pandan Tart (Rm28) fared a little better with a
strong pandan flavor overcoming any banana in the mix, and played well with the
ice-cream (they had run out of the Bourbon ice cream).
The more straightforward Watermelon Lime Granita (Rm16) was
a straight-shooter of strong and contrasting flavoured coarse ice on a bed of
various fruits. Honest and likeable.
The restaurant is ambitious, with an adventurous menu that
freely mixes Malaysian, Western and Eastern influences. Although it appears to over-reach
and try too hard with its exotic mix of ingredients, they generally work out,
with the various tastes integrating well. The food is refined, restrained, and imaginative. The restaurant is a counter-point to boring,
standard food, and it scores in terms of being interesting and original.
Gastro Bar
by Burgeon,
8 & 10,
Jalan BM 1 /2, Taman Bukit Mayang Emas,
Petaling Jaya,
47301 Selangor
Tel:
+603-74975373
Email: info@burgeon.co.
Website:
burgeon.co
Business
Hours: 6-10.30pm daily, closed on
Mondays and Public Holidays
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