Exalted, Exotic and Local

First published in Options, The Edge Weekly Malaysia, 10 Sept 2018

Also http://www.optionstheedge.com/topic/food/food-review-entier

At Entier, uncluttered lines, marble cladding and wooden furniture provide an ambiance of contemporary classiness, with plenty of natural light from large windows looking out onto the uplifting panorama of KL City from the 41^st floor of the Alila Hotel.  

Chef Masashi Horuichi is the master of this domain, fusing French culinary techniques with inspiration drawn from the heterogenous, rich mélange of everyday Malaysian food, and embracing the ethos of nose-to-tail dining, elevating those parts of the animal that might previously have been deemed, well, unworthy. 

A long drinks list, with wines and spirits from various parts of the world, accompany the simple menu, designed for single meals or for sharing. Josper (a charcoal-fired combination grill-oven) cooked meats can take up to 45 minutes to prepare, but there are plenty of diversions exploring the lesser-used parts of animal while you wait.

And so we did, starting off with small plates: the Ox Tail (Rm37), a mini-mantou sandwich perched on the cover of a bowl containing an orb of spinach leaves, into which was poured a thick consommé of beefy goodness, with strands of meat, and the sensuous aroma of spices, subtler, richer and far more refined than the mamak stall variety of sup buntut to which it pays tribute.

Or Honeycomb Tripe (Rm28), a combination of slices of deep-fried and beef tripe braised in its own jus, with crispy-fried daun kadok (wild pepper leaves) leaves, for an entirely new way of appreciating tripe, local in flavor, delightfully multi-textured and without a scent of gaminess that puts some people off tripe.

Even ordinary Leek (Rm30) given gourmet treatment from the Josper, was transformed into buttery-soft smokiness, richly infused with anchovy butter with a nutty flavor from hazelnuts.

Exploring lamb, the Poitrine (Rm48 small, Rm89 large) was a rib section infused with miso sauce, accompanied by ulam raja and a bulb of charred garlic.  It was spectacular, tender enough to pull apart without a knife, and oozing with rich flavor, meaty yet mild, and further enhanced by garlic and ulam.  

In the Fish section, Mackerel (Rm66), a froth of bamboo clam foam hid a piece of slow-cooked fish, in lobster bisque with lily bulb, red spinach and chili oil as desired from a squeeze dropper. Beautifully textured fish meat, complemented by the foam and bisque, made for a refined, flavoursome experience.

The long-awaited Josper-cooked chicken (Rm117) arrived in style, encased in a salt dough crust. Opened, it revealed the whole, steaming chicken which was carved at the table. Garlic oil, mushroom sauce, and chicken-fat mashed potato completed the ensemble. 

The chicken was superbly juicy and tender, baked in its own juices, yet meatier in texture than some of the famous chicken-rice shop specialists, while the mashed potato was super-smooth on the tongue.

Desserts: Lemon and Basil (Rm30) was a lemon crème brulee, smooth, creamy and appetizing, with a light caramelized crust, with basil ice-cream, while Milk (Rm34) was a composite of house made bean curd, Chantilly cream and goat’s milk sorbet, offset by rhubarb and strawberry compote. Suffice to say this looked too good to eat, and was enticingly silky smooth. The Chocolate and Cardamom (Rm38) was made from single origin Pahang chocolate, with ganache, chocolate cardamom ice-cream and feuilletine for a cold, creamy, luxuriously rich chocolate ending.

For an exalted dining experience, Entier is neither ostentatious, pompous nor overpriced.  It salutes Malaysian food with local ingredients and traditions, stylish presentations that delight the eye and exquisite refinements that flatter and pamper the palate, elevating it to the status of a must-visit for those who appreciate dining in style with a local twist.

Entier,

Level 41, Alila Bangsar,

No 58, Jalan Ang Seng,

50470 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia

www.entierfrenchdining.com

bonjour@entierfrenchdining.com

Tel: 03-22683819

Business Hours:

Breakfast: Tue - Fri: 6:30am - 10:30am, Sat, Sun & PH: 6:30am - 11:00am
Lunch: Tue - Fri: 12:00pm - 3:00pm, Sat, Sun & PH: 12:00pm - 4:00pm
Dinner: Sun - Thu & PH: 6:00pm - 11:00pm, Fri, Sat & Eve of PH: 6:00pm - 12:00am
Closed on Mondays