Less than one year after opening, Four Seas has completely overhauled its concept and menu, transforming from a seafood restaurant into a Chinese one.
One result of the revamp is that Four Seas is no longer pork-free, so customers can now savor sumptuous non-halal favorites such as pork neck "koo loh yoke."
Pork belly in Marmite honey sauce. Irresistibly crisp, with sweet-savory notes.
Wuxi-style braised pork ribs. Heart-stoppingly succulent.
Seafood remains available, of course, in Chinese recipes such as "sang har meen." Beware though: this isn't the version that's beloved at outlets in Imbi and SS2. Not bad, nevertheless, with delicate strands of yee mee that soaked up the prawny pungency, though the crustaceans themselves would be better if they held some roe.
Sri Lankan crabs, plucked live from the aquarium and braised with salted egg yolk. Pretty pricey at over RM100 per kilo. But the reality is, we'd be hard-pressed to find fleshier, more flavorsome crustaceans elsewhere in Bangsar. Perfectly prepared.
Monumentally juicy duck meat, endowed with a rich smokiness that lingers on the tongue. Not exactly traditional Chinese, but why nitpick, right?
Claypot chicken. This combination of tender braised chicken, fragrant coconut gravy & hearty chunks of warm, soft yam is a match made in culinary heaven.
Fried rice with Chinese sausages, prawns & tobiko. Sounded interesting on the menu, but tasted rather forgettable, with not much 'wok hei.'
Chilled fruit jellies make for an excellent ending _ an unusually aromatic dessert , perfumed with bits of barley, lemongrass, mint leaves & water chestnuts for a fun interplay of tastes and textures.
Cocktails in a Chinese restaurant? Coolness! Four Seas Orgasm (baileys, amaretto, kahlua, milk) & Lychee Martini (vodka, lime, lychee liquor).
Eyespy Cabernet Merlot (Australia), available by the glass.
A crisp French Hugel Riesling, the perfect partner for much of the food.
Service is exemplary and the setting is as lovely as ever (but not lively).
Four Seas,
Jalan Bangkung, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.
