Eat Drink KL: La Vie En Rose

Thursday, December 8, 2011

La Vie En Rose

La Vie En Rose: Round Four. Earlier entries: Nov. 14, Nov. 15 & Nov. 23.

One of our favorite things about returning here is sampling a different amuse bouche each time. You never know what you'll get, but it'll likely be something special that tastes terrific _ perhaps prawns cooked with pastis, an anise-flavored liquor...

... or prawn tartare with Chantilly cream. Delightfully delicate yet delectably decadent.

Or even salmon rillettes, topped with grapefruit jelly. A fish-&-fruit pairing that succeeds as a savory-&-sweet treat.

Now for a trio of soups. Here's warm, nourishing comfort in a bowl: cepes mushroom broth with grilled duck ham & truffle whipped cream.

Traditional French fish soup with parmesan crackers & potato garlic mayonnaise. La Vie En Rose is perched on a slope overlooking Jalan Raja Chulan's traffic crawl, but customers who sip this briny broth might feel magically transported to Marseille.

Asparagus veloute with chive Chantilly, filled with springtime's flavor.

Next up, a menagerie of meat, kicking off with duck leg confit accompanied by herb mashed potatoes. Less super-salty compared to versions elsewhere, though still super-succulent.

Not the most tender rib eye beef steak (some might call this chewy), but everything else on the plate saves the day _ the sinfully rich Bordelaise sauce & melt-in-the-mouth roast bone marrow.

Coq au vin. This chicken also feels slightly tougher than expected, but maybe that's because this classic stew is sometimes made using more mature birds to produce a more sumptuous sauce. However, La Vie En Rose's limitations as a pork-free outlet means no bacon or lardons in this.

Herb-crusted roasted baby lamb shank. Won't nitpick about this: the juiciest red meat possible, paired perfectly with milky mashed potatoes.

Lemon tart, tangy & fairly fresh-tasting.

Cardinal (red wine, creme de cassis) & Eiffel Tower (champagne, Grand Marnier).

Dessert wine, to satisfy the sweet tooth.

Macallan 12 & 15-year. Whiskey in lieu of wine; why not, right?




La Vie En Rose @ Raja Chulan,
39, Jalan Raja Chulan, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2078-3883