Levain Boulangerie & Patisserie: Christmas Dinners & Cakes

The tree is lit, the wreaths are up, the lamb is stewing and the log cakes are baking in the oven: Levain Boulangerie & Patisserie is ready and raring to celebrate Christmas this year, serving a five-course dinner exclusively available on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, as well as special cakes to usher in the Yuletide cheer. 

Set in a refurbished colonial-style bungalow with soaring ceilings and a leafy patio, Levain was born as a stone-oven bakery in 2010 and has endured an entire decade now, expanding with a full-fledged kitchen that's capable of cooking up a storm. If you're seeking a cosy setting for the Christmas meal with your loved ones, consider Levain, with one of KL's most reasonably priced, generously portioned festive menus.

Levain will offer its Christmas Five-Course Meal on 24 and 25 December, 5pm-830pm, for only RM79 per person. Reservations are strongly encouraged, though if you're looking for a last-minute spot, walk-ins are also possible if there are a few tables remaining.

Dinner kicks off in classical European fashion with an authentic French onion soup, complete with a baguette chunk layered with creamy parmesan cheese, a soothing broth with mild peppery notes that'll transport you to the bistros of Paris in wintertime.

The second starter brings a soulfully earthy interlude, showcasing juicy baked portobello mushrooms layered with prawns and cheese gratin with a crisp breadcrumb crust, rounded out with a zesty sauce of porcini mushrooms and tomato paste, whetting the appetite for the heavier recipes ahead.

A pasta course follows, whisking us next to Italy with a vegetarian-friendly choice of either truffle mushroom tagliolini (this pasta is made from scratch and hand-cut in-house), alluringly aromatic and umami-rich with truffle paste, mushroom sauce and sliced portobello, or butternut squash spaghetti (perfectly al dente, relying on pasta made by the nearly 150-year-old Italian family-owned producer Barilla), a pleasurably wholesome pick with the sweet nuttiness of blended butternut squash, carrots, onions, zucchini, eggplant and confit tomatoes to bring the spring back into your step.

Customers also have two possible options for their Christmas main course, featuring meat or fish. Both are gorgeous enough to recommend heartily - the stewed Australian lamb shoulder is beautifully baked for fall-off-the-bone tenderness, brightened with a buoyant tomato-and-vegetable puree, rounded out with grilled potatoes, while the pan-seared Atlantic salmon is supremely moist with a lightly crisp skin, its oceanic sweetness balanced with a lovely parsley lime sauce, complemented by a cushion of asparagus and finely sliced potato cake for an elegant-looking flourish.

Dessert makes us feel like snuggling up near the fireplace and waiting for Santa to come down the chimney: Levain's dark chocolate brownie is served sizzling for a crowd-pleasing hot choice, with vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce and walnuts, a can't-fail treat to satisfy patrons of all generations.

Christmas cakes are also now available to make this season merrier (call 03-2142-6611 to order at least three days in advance), with a 10 percent discount for Levain members.

The hazelnut chocolate log cake (RM65) is decadently textured, a chocolate sponge cake roll with thick hazelnut butter cream and chocolate crunch, coated with more chocolate and shaved chocolate for the chocoholic's ultimate indulgence.

The Christmas black forest cake (RM65) is joyously decorated, with each slice yielding a bounty of luscious vanilla cream layered with chocolate chantilly cream, a base of almond sponge cake, and dark cherries in the middle for the final delightful touch.

Many thanks to Levain Boulangerie & Patisserie for putting us in the festive spirit.

Levain Boulangerie & Patisserie
7, Jalan Delima, Off Jalan Imbi, 55100 Kuala Lumpur. Open Mon-Sun, 730am-9pm. Tel: 03-2142-6611

This post first appeared on eatdrinkkl.com