Returning to Troika Sky Dining's Cantaloupe. Earlier entry: January 2.
Smoked duck wafer with raspberry coulis & maple syrup foam, a knockout of a sweet-sour-salty amuse bouche that wallops the taste buds in a wondrous way.
Oyster recipes have been Cantaloupe exec chef Chris Bauer's forte since his time at Frangipani; these Fine de Claire ones with marinated anchovy cream boast a luscious brininess, surprisingly paired with the vegetarian-pleasing flavor of cucumber jelly & Japanese cucumber.
Chorizo-dusted scallop with caramelized onions, wild seasonal mushrooms, parsley foam & ancho chili oil. At RM75++, this starter signals that meals at Cantaloupe won't come cheap, but the sum total of the food, setting & service here makes the cost feel worthwhile.
One for fans of fowl: a thick, creamy slab of 24-hour-cooked pigeon, chicken & foie gras terrine, with pigeon jus ganache, Waldorf salad & roasted chestnuts (RM85++).
Lobster bisque with rosemary herb foam & tomato jelly. An experimental concoction, not formally on the menu so far, but it more than deserves to be.
One of Cantaloupe mastermind Eddie Chew's favorites: Peekytoe crab & toasted oat "carbonara," with applewood-smoked duck breast, winter truffles & Brussels sprout leaves.
Pan-roasted gurnard (RM85++), topping a croquette that bursts open with savory bouillabaisse, accompanied by olives, ratatouille & red wine sauce.
Noisette butter-poached Nova Scotia lobster (RM95++) with (deep breath!) globe artichokes, heirloom carrots, New Zealand spinach, crisp-fried beef tendon & green chartreuse emulsion.
A bovine brotherhood, flooded with sink-your-teeth-into-this flavor, offering complementary textures, one cheeky, the other steakish: pot-au-feu beef cheek terrine with warm beef jelly & 'japonaise' sauce, plus roasted Wagyu sirloin pave. RM145++.
Tea-infused ice cubes with kaffir lime foam. Even the palate cleansers here are ingenious.
Keeping the doctor away: Apple crumble with apple juice sphere, poached & dried green apples, cinnamon & aniseed milk foam, with burnt butter ice cream (RM45++).
Off-menu, but this could be the most pleasurable dessert we've had so far in 2013: Roast pineapples with egg pina colada cream, coconut sorbet, Szechuan pepper foam & candied nuts. Beautiful flavors, this is the one we'll remember best from this meal.
Evidence that chocolate sometimes truly is better than sex: Guanaja choc ganache with crisp meringue, plus Manjari choc aerobar with mint meringue 'flottante.'
As folks begin to flock to Cantaloupe, the bar has been raised high for other fine-dining restaurants that'll open this year. We look forward to further enthralling expeditions here.
Next up for Troika Sky Dining: Italian kitchen Strato, expected by month's end, & possibly an Argentinean alfresco asado-style outlet in mid-2013.
Cantaloupe @ Troika Sky Dining,
Level 23A, Tower B, The Troika, Persiaran KLCC, Lorong Binjai, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2162-0886
Views look awesome. I'm wondering if it's a classic case of small portions and big prices?
ReplyDeleteThe Yum List: the ambiance here sure is something else :D heheh, i guess a lot of hard work went into creating these recipes, and they're using some top-notch ingredients, so all in all, i think the final cost was fair :D
DeleteBeautiful place, nice views! Oysters? Hmmm...no, thanks....but oooo...the scallops look reslly good!
ReplyDeleteSuituapui: yeah, a lot of care apparently went into cultivating the look of this place, and it was worth the wait! :D heheh, okie, no raw oysters for you, will pass you the well-cooked scallops =)
DeleteI think I'll pass on Cantaloupe...too costly for me...but looking forward to the Argentinian asado-style alfresco resto...hopefully prices won't be too prohibitive...hehe =)
ReplyDeleteUlric: yeah, it's definitely scary when the cost of a three-course meal exceeds RM200. am looking forward to the italian restaurant since i love italian food, but ya, the argentinean one will certainly be interesting! :D
DeleteThat sounds extraordinary. Chef Chris is a magician - I never forget his chocolate dessert at Fraginpani..food of the gods!
ReplyDeleteYouHadYourLunch: one of the best chefs living in KL! we're really lucky to have him here. and he works miracles with the chocolate dessert here at cantaloupe too :D
DeleteOMGosh! the prices @________@, let me dig into my piggy bank now! The food looks absolutely divine!! Im absolutely thrill to try it!!
ReplyDeleteAugustDiners: yeah, sky-high prices to match the sky-high setting. i definitely need to save up for my next meal here. but yeah, if you can recall liking the food at frangipani, then you'd like the food here too :D
Deletewow that is really a nice beautiful night view..
ReplyDeletethe scallops is really good..
Simple Person: ya, the view here captures some of the best angles of the city skyline :D heheh, sounds like a lot of people are fans of scallops here! =)
DeleteThat's a nice looking scallop! I'd been trying to pan-sear my own scallops at home but dozens of ringgit of (frozen) scallops later I still can't sear one to save my life, lol!
ReplyDeleteTiming: heheh, practice makes perfect, rite! it might just take one or two more dozen of scallops for you to master the art of searing them! good luck, ya =)
Deletei have no idea pigeon can be eaten?
ReplyDeleteFadyxc: oh ya, the chinese are fans of pigeons, and so are the french :D
DeleteEverything is breathtaking. From the view to the food..
ReplyDeleteSycookies: yeah, a real feast for all the senses! :D
DeleteThe price is a bit steep, hmm need to find a special ocassion to visit. :P
ReplyDeleteCK: maybe if somebody's birthday is coming ... Heheh =)
DeleteAmazing..I have never been to Frangipani and this Chris Bauer sounds like a genius.. I wonder who can I drag to dine with me here. No one with such deep pockets.. LOL!
ReplyDeleteRebecca: oooo, cross your fingers that maybe there'll be degustation dinners or special events held here sometime this year that might be budget-appropriate, heheh =)
DeleteSeems like they like the use of foam here. Nearly every one of your dishes has foam of some kind!
ReplyDeleteDrops Of Contentment: you're sharp-eyed! but yeah, the foams here are fun! everything from maple syrup foam to szechuan pepper foam. adds interesting texture to the dishes, heh :D
DeleteBroke the bank with this meal, but I felt it was worth every cent paid. Top notch food, and easily top 3 in KL right now. I was mesmerized by the view. My favourite dishes were the lobster bisque and the wagyu sirloin with cheek.
ReplyDeleteLemongrass: ooo, too bad we missed bumping into each other here, but i'm glad you enjoyed your meal. top three sounds like a good evaluation, and yeah, even though the price does sting, i do think that cantaloupe would be a place i'd very much want to return to :D
Deletehehe I wouldn't mind having that apple crumble dish everyday!!!! well, it's good for health, isn't it?? :P
ReplyDeleteVien: heheh, an apple crumble a day does sound more delicious than an apple a day! :D
DeleteWould certainly like to come here for a romantic dinner ;)
ReplyDeleteBaby Sumo: it's a good place for that! and i'm sure hubby will take the hint very soon (maybe for valentine's?) :D
Deletethat smoked duck wafer looked like love letter for a second. Love the way those oysters and scallops looked too, must be damn yums
ReplyDeleteKY: heheh, ya, presentation for the dishes here rock! there were two oysters on that plate, but i wish there were six! they were really good :D
DeleteBeautiful pieces there! I was wowed the moment I saw the oysters and scallop. Reading further, I am mesmerized!
ReplyDeleteMissyblurkit: ya, from start to finish, this does rank as a meal to remember! :D
Deletegreat oyster shot - u nailed it! Now I feel like oysters for lunch.. with champagne! :D
ReplyDeleteCiki: thanks! i can never get enough of good oysters (or of good champagne either!). hope you had a bubbly lunch =)
DeleteWow! I wonder if they are kind enough to introduce me dishes without alcohol in the ingredient... Been looking for a place to surprise my hubby and this looks like a perfection...
ReplyDeleteVegemonster: yes, i think there are several dishes here without alcohol in the recipe =)
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