Fashion & food, Publika's two core components, come together emphatically in Elegantology, which serves as both men's boutique & restaurant.
We're not fans of the name, but we like the place. Distinctive enough to be a cool hot spot.
The menu showcases the recipes of celebrity chefs Sherson Lian & Johnny Fua, whose thoughtful touches become evident even in the welcome bread, the epitome of grainy goodness.
Rambutan, crab meat & salmon roe? A starter that underscores appreciable ambition.
Wagyu beef rolls with asparagus, scallions & 'shiao hsing hua tiao glaze, another amalgamation of cross-continental inspirations. At RM30++, this illustrates how Elegantology strives to keep its prices fair. A three-course meal without wine will hover around RM100.
Oven-roasted rack of lamb with almond-coconut crust (RM54++), as good as this gets.
Twelve-hour sous vide sour plum Muscovy duck with fettuccine (RM48++). Sounds fab on paper, but the execution seems a little lost in translation; the meat's one-dimensional in flavor & not as explosively juicy as it could be.
Blue cheese, melon & pepper, very close to a successful experiment.
Elegantology's wine by the glass starts at RM32++. Pricey but pleasurable.
Havana Club Anejo 3 Anos & Olmeca Tequila Gold (RM18++ each).
Bonus Publika stop: Eagle-eyed shoppers at Ben's Independent Grocer this week will spot prime storefront real estate allocated to Huey&Wah gourmet marshmallows, with flavors that range from vanilla to espresso, straight from Penang's Straits Quay.
Pleasurably spongy, with a yielding chewiness & well-defined sweetness that's leagues away from cloying. No wonder, since Huey&Wah emphasizes excellent ingredients; its strawberry marshmallows use pureed Korean fruit while its vanilla ones form their foundation on pure extract.
Smuggle a RM10+ packet of Huey&Wah marshmallows into Elegantology, or nibble on them while watching your favorite latte perfectionists strut their stuff at this weekend's colossally hyped Malaysian Barista Championship in Publika.
Elegantology currently opens for dinner; lunch service will commence soon.
Elegantology (same row as Estilo, Silver Spoon & The Social at the public square),
35, Level G2, Publika, Solaris Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-6206-5577
