Spices

Not the most prominent hotel restaurant around, but Spices has its charms.

If you'd like a peaceful dinner at an elegant (albeit old-fashioned) establishment that isn't intimidating, then this place should be a safe bet.

Despite what the outlet's name suggests, fiery food isn't served here; herbs & spices are used inventively for some recipes, but everything tastes mild compared to Malay & Indian cuisine.

Potato soup with poached oysters. We're usually not devotees of soup, but this is one of those comfortingly creamy concoctions that are irresistible.

Butternut pumpkin soup with curry powder & crab meat. Another triumph; all the ingredients blended perfectly for a sublimely sweet, subtly spicy broth.

Pan-fried foie gras with prawn & scallop with pineapple compote & umeshu plum wine sauce. Generously sliced, but taste-wise, there are more luscious livers elsewhere.

King crab salad with salmon caviar, avocado, mango, grapefruit & shiso-sour plum vinaigrette. Lots of meaty, succulent crab, boosted by zesty accompaniments.

Pan-roasted halibut in miso clam nage & tempura shiraou. A light, delicate preparation that won't exactly wow the taste buds, but fans of fresh, flaky fish should still enjoy this.

Agent Orange (absolut kurrant vodka, cherry brandy, cranberry, orange juice) & Funky Monkey (absolut vodka, baileys, creme de banana, fresh bananas).

Crossfire (flaming shots of absolut vodka with lime, sugar syrup & tabasco).

Spices,

Concorde Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.