Eat Drink KL: Porcélene @ Empire Damansara

Friday, October 11, 2013

Porcélene @ Empire Damansara

One of 2013's most notable newbies, Porcélene is a fun, funky hangout billed as Malaysia's first acid jazz restaurant & bar, determined to deliver a distinctive dining experience that lives up to its tagline of 'coup de foudre,' the struck-by-lightning sense of love at first sight.

This multiple-level establishment matches the beauty of its home, Empire Damansara, featuring elegantly intimate spaces for eating on the ground & mezzanine floors ...

... plus a "Bowler Room" for live performances, as well as a rooftop lounge that'll be ready soon.

The menu strives for playfully creative touches, epitomized by The French Bird (RM38 before taxes), 60 fabulous grams of pan-seared duck liver on hash browns with caramelized onions. 

Asian Diver (RM28), another tapas-style treat of sauteed scallops with rock salt & asparagus.

Porcélene's mushroom soup (RM15) is a good one, a light, lovely cream of five types of fungi, drizzled with truffle oil & almonds.

Pasta has a place of pride at Porcelene: Highlights include angel hair, aglio olio style (RM25), well-prepared with prawns & salmon roe.

Plus, there's a passion for pizzas with Asian flourishes: mildly spicy Thai-inspired Ga Prao Gai (RM25) with Pattaya-style minced chicken & fried sweet basil.

Pantai Timur (RM36), a Malaysian-influenced recipe with mixed seafood & sambal belacan.

The wine list is thoughtful, supplying something for everyone.

Solid opening-night performers, including gritty Malaysian blues-jazz band Minetrane, bode well for Porcélene's musical future. The thrill most certainly isn't gone.

Porcélene,
Empire Damansara, Jalan PJU 8/8A, Damansara Perdana.
Daily, noon through late. Tel: 03-4065-0039

The Oct.-Dec. inaugural edition of Eat Drink KL: 100 Favorites is now available in an eBook for free, convenient reading on computers, tablets & smartphones. It comprises reviews & information for 100 pretty nice eateries that span various locations, cuisines & budgets.
This link expires Dec. 31, 2013; see blog entries after that date for new link.