First published in Options, The Edge Malaysia, June 12, 2017
Casual French dining
for sharing among family and friends
A relative newcomer tucked into an upper floor of The Greens
Condominium, Cocott has attracted quite a following, if the crowd on a recent
weekend is anything to go by. The
restaurant has an airy, light feel, thanks to wide expanses on glass on three
sides with outdoor and indoor seating. A
long counter and a large window into the kitchen occupy the last side.
Within, the décor embraces the spacious theme, with a clean,
uncluttered design. A herringbone
pattern wooden parquet floor overlaid with rugs, and classic wooden cushioned
chairs provide balance to the open space, white and glass walls. Sprays of
orchids in bloom and a few strategically placed plants add further touches of
warmth.
“Cocott” refers to the small cast-iron pots in which food
can be cooked and served. This is a central theme at the restaurant, with many
dishes being slow-cooked, and meant for sharing, rather than individual plates,
a communal dining concept that fits well with Asian custom.
There is a small selection of dishes on the menu, with a
separate section for drinks. House-made bread, crusty outside, warm and fluffy
within, was served with a little butter.
Our starter, the Malakoff (Rm32) of deep fried Raclette
cheese with an onion and red wine chutney was simple and very good, the tangy
chutney providing a counterbalance to the mild, chewy cheese in breaded, deep
fried balls. Similarly, the Pan Seared Foie Gras (Rm42) provided a striking
balance of seared foie gras, with fatty, smooth texture against a light salad
with a sweetish, tangy dressing, and little bursts of flavor from pomegranate,
mango cubes and roasted apple slices.
The Mixed Leaves Salad (Rm17) had a similarly light and delicate
dressing, a honey-lime-garlic dressing being light on the tongue and enhancing
the freshness of the greens, rather than smothering them.
The Mains more or less arrived together, with Sides to
complement them. The Confit of Lamb
Shoulder (Rm41) immediately endeared itself with slow-cooked tender lamb pieces
in a rich, thick stew brimming over with flavor. Nuts, raisins and herbs added to the
textural richness, making the stew a favourite for dipping with bread, or to
ladle onto the fragrant Rice Pilaf (Rm11).
In the same vein, the Grilled Chicken Fricassee (Rm34) was a
heartwarming, buttery stew well infused with white wine and herbs, with chicken
and vegetable pieces in the stew, excellent with rice or bread.
For accompaniment, the Ratatouille (Rm23) gave a good
account of itself, stewed vegetables which retained bite, character and the sweetness
of the vegetables, making for almost Asian-style dining with rice and the meat
stews.
Standing on its own, the Blowtorch Cured Mackerel (Rm24)
offered a contrast to the heavy stews. Served with a small side salad, the
cured fish was light and fishy with a delicate texture, dressed with a
cucumber-shallot combination. It wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, although I found
it invigorating with a little bread, and more of an appetizer than a Main dish.
Among the Sides, the Potato Fries (Rm12) deserve mention for
their freshness and fluffy texture, enhanced with rosemary salt. They were
maddeningly addictive, even without the tangy smoked paprika mayonnaise, easily
be the sort of thing to over-indulge in over some drinks.
To polish off the meal, we sampled three of the four
desserts on offer. The Pineapple Clafoutis (Rm12) carried the simple
presentation style of the other dishes, a rectangular tart served with ice
cream, crumbled pastry and garnished with mint leaves. The lightly-flavoured
pineapple tart was thick in texture, and too dense to please anyone at our
table.
The Mango Tatin (Rm19) didn’t make an impression either, the
contrasting flavor of roasted mango, ice-cream and crumble failing to gel
together to make this memorable. The
last dessert, the Chocolate and Raspberry Moelleux (Rm19) arrived last,
requiring some preparation time. It was
a small chocolate cake topped with cream and served with chocolate ice
cream. The cake was warm and moist,
containing a core of sweet raspberry jam, that combined well with the other
ingredients, although I found it too sweet overall.
Cocott has
struck a note with the neighbourhood, filling a niche for casual French food in
an elegant setting. All the dishes are presented in small cast-iron pots, as
much for presentation as for practicality, making for casual, shared dining in
a social setting. Although the desserts
failed to shine, the slow-cooked dishes were excellent, being robust and
heartwarming.
Cocott
Casual French Restaurant,
1-1, Greens
Terrace, Jalan Wan Kadir 3, TTDI, 60000 Kuala Lumpur
+603-27124481
Business
Hours:
12pm-10pm on
Wednesdays – Sundays.
6pm-10pm,
Tuesdays
Closed on
Mondays
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