Vogue Lounge KL

As a publication, Vogue has defined fashion, culture and lifestyle since its first issue more than 125 years ago; now, the brand seeks to redefine KL's fine-dining skyline, unveiling its first Malaysian restaurant, lounge and rooftop bar on the 38th-floor perch of Menara SuezCap, promising an eagle's-eye perspective of Bangsar South, Petaling Jaya and potentially far beyond.

The setting is sleek and sumptuous, befitting the gleam and glamour that Vogue stands for. Beneath a soaring ceiling of shimmering teardrop pendant lights, each table is elegantly adorned in the evening with fresh-cut flowers, as patrons slide into plush seats amid a chic collection of Vogue's international covers, with portraits of Cara Delevingne, Priyanka Chopra and Xiao Wen Ju looming overhead along twin staircases to the mezzanine. Each table has a terrific view; every corner is worth exploring, with a wine cave, cocktail bar and VIP rooms to uncover.

An escalator ride above the main dining hall, the rooftop bar beckons for customers who cherish wide-open spaces - an impressively fresh-faced venue for events, eschewing the typical city centre staples, powered by a panorama unobstructed by other skyscrapers, a closer-to-heaven escape from the cosmopolitan claustrophobia.

With this elevated backdrop comes heightened expectations for the kitchen. Thankfully, executive chef Kazuhiro Kojima rises to the occasion with a repertoire that blends the gracefulness of Japanese culinary sensibilities with the flourish of French techniques.

As strains of Parisian chanteuse Pauline Croze play on the speakers, start your meal with the sweet brininess of sea urchin, sourced from no less than Hokkaido for the most prized of these echinoderms, partnered with more Japanese produce in the form of a carrot puree, made extra luscious with consomme jelly - the ensemble would already be a delicate delight if the kitchen had stopped there, but a sprinkling of distinctively sensuous Ossetra caviar might make this one of KL's most coveted appetisers (RM180).

A skilled touch is also evident in the yieldingly tender Japanese wagyu carpaccio, awakening the palate with a gentle marinade of red wine that brings sultry depth to the sliced raw beef, balanced by the earthiness of olive oil powder, Parmesan cheese and wasabi mayonnaise, each component subtle enough to enhance without overpowering (RM60).

Moving on to main courses, European-caught black cod, buttery and flaky, is marinated with Kyoto-origin Saikyo miso for a mellow umami, married with a trinity of Japanese-inspired ingredients - ikura (salmon roe), shungiku (chrysanthemum greens) and daikon (radish) - for layers of flavour and texture that speak resonantly of both sea and land, the perfect order for patrons seeking a fish dish that's simultaneously classic and classy (RM75).

Passionate about poultry? Sink your teeth into the roasted French duck magret - breast meat that's as robust and full-bodied as any steak - furnishing a firm bite and a fleshy chew, tinged with the rich tang of Nagoya's pure-soybean hatcho miso, plus the clarifyingly bitter edge of coffee and chocolate notes of cacao, lingering on the taste buds and in the memory (RM66).

When French chef Michel Bras created the gargouillou in the early 1980s, it became one of the most celebrated recipes of his storied career, poetically representing the bounty of the terroir in all its colourful leaves and petals, vegetables and fruits. Vogue Lounge KL does justice to the gargouillou, a painstaking recipe rarely seen in this city's restaurants, assembling a complete garden on a plate, crisply bracing with plenty of natural sweetness, a marvellous melange of a salad with the chef's own twist of black truffle frits, as well as Japanese elements of kuzukiri root starch noodles and shiraae tofu dressing that make this an invigorating antidote against the heat of our perpetual summer (RM65).

Pastry chef Asako Nishibori works her magic for sweet temptations that conclude the Vogue Lounge KL dining experience on an emphatically consistent note, crafting a densely smooth chocolate terrine of 72 percent Valrhona Araguani, a Venezuelan single-origin that's been likened to the long-lasting tannins of wine and licorice, made zesty and lively with a piquant raspberry sorbet, plus beetroot powder and beetroot croustillant that add rustically aromatic dimensions to a refined concoction (RM39).

If Japanese-inflected desserts are irresistible for you, the matcha 'affogato' is a masterful must - red bean ice cream, crowned with gyuhi (a traditional wagashi treat, slightly softer than mochi), contrasted with the crunch of a green tea langue de chat biscuit, poured over with pure green tea, summing up the union of Japanese and European philosophies in one precisely calibrated bowl (RM35).

Vogue Lounge KL's cocktails, meanwhile, spring for the pinnacle of potent pleasure with infused liquors that imaginatively play on inimitable Asian influences, from the fruity Jack Of All Trades (RM50; jackfruit Pisco, Mezcal, citrus, egg white) to the floral Painting Grey (RM55; Earl Grey-infused gin, elderflower, lemon and egg white), the bittersweet tropic-themed Jungle Fever (RM55; banana-infused rum, Campari, Pimento Dram, pineapple, citrus and palm sugar) to the tartly herbaceous Royal Flush (RM55; lemongrass gin, violet, orange, honey, black lemon).

All in all, Vogue Lounge Kuala Lumpur has the chops to become one of the city's most heralded dining destinations, a respected entry to the ranks of Vogue venues worldwide under the Condé Nast International umbrella, including Vogue Cafés in Kiev, Moscow, Porto and Riyadh, GQ Bar in Berlin, and Tatler Club in Moscow.

Many thanks to Vogue Lounge Kuala Lumpur for having us here.

Vogue Lounge KL

Level 38 And Rooftop, Menara SuezCap, Jalan Kerinchi Kiri, Pantai Dalam, Kuala Lumpur.

Open Tuesday-Thursday, 5pm-1am; Friday-Saturday, 5pm-2am; Sunday; 5pm-1am. Closed Mondays.

Tel: 016-665-5984 or 03-27711530 / 03-27711531

This post first appeared on eatdrinkkl.com

New Menu: Food Foundry, Petaling Jaya

For a dozen years now, Food Foundry has endured as a reassuring presence in Section 17, first introducing Malaysians to mille crepes, then ushering in a new generation of restaurants and cafes in the Happy Mansion apartment enclave. This past month, it made its most significant leap forward in its menu, revitalised with unmistakably Italian inspirations, peppered with everything from risotto to rigatoni, packed with fresh, conscientiously sourced produce that a skilled kitchen can take pride in.

The time-honoured triumvirate of cheese, tomatoes and herbs comes recommended if this is your first visit here in recent times, especially since Food Foundry makes its own ricotta (similar to its sister restaurant, Damansara Heights' Sitka), a cheese of versatile character, its delicate depth buoyed by sumptuously nectarous tomatoes that represent the best of Cameron Highlands, rounded out by pesto's exhilarating uplift over polenta with a crisp bite and creamy chew - a buoyantly balanced, richly reinvigorating starter, snack or salad that's equally at home in the Mediterranean or Malaysia (RM20).

If you enjoy robust citrus dynamics on your dish, the broccoli salad also merits mention, enlivened with a punchy zest that permeates each chopped spear and crown, scattered with almonds for earthy crunch (RM26); other vegetarian-friendly options include a kale salad with apple and kitchen-baked breadcrumbs, for those times when you need a genuinely guilt-free meal.

There's sufficient diversity on the new menu to sustain customers throughout the day - broken eggs, runny and achingly tender, come heaped in a princely platter with twice-cooked fries (exponentially more enjoyable than most, completely conveying that inimitable real-potatoes substance), bulked up with a choice of bresaola or meatballs for can't-fail, carbs-with-protein comfort fare (RM32). 

Food Foundry also makes its own mark on open sandwiches, relying on rustically textured focaccia for a firm, flavoursome foundation, blanketed with combinations like tuna mayonnaise with olives and sun-dried tomatoes, a warm-summer treat that brings together the briny bounty of the sea with the heady harvest of the land (RM26; other possible choices include lamb sausage with scrambled eggs and confit peppers; sauteed tiger prawns with chilli and garlic; or garlic mushroom fricassee with fried egg and almonds).

Passionate about fresh pasta? Food Foundry now promises everything from tagliatelle with lamb ragu to spaghetti with heirloom tomatoes and basil, but we had our mind set on the mafalda, that ribbon-cut, wavy-edged flat pasta, perfectly partnered with an egg yolk, sage brown butter and hazelnuts (RM34), a tribute to the seemingly simple but soulfully satisfying traditions of pastas that have nurtured generations of Italians from the trattorias of Bologna to the home kitchens of Bari.

Main courses run the gamut of grills, from Angus flank steaks to sardines, but since it's not often we see saltimbocca in PJ, Food Foundry's sage-scented interpretation might sound tempting, swapping veal for chicken breast, prosciutto for bresaola, the perfect pick for meat-craving occasions, made omnivorous with French beans, capers and cherry tomatoes (RM36).

We initially resisted ordering the seabass, but that would have been a mistake - Food Foundry's is a revelation, a far cry from the frozen-fish, bland-and-lifeless versions that dominate KL whenever seabass is on the menu; this is yieldingly moist and meaty, supple in supplying a fresh-catch flavour, perked up further with an olive oil aioli, braised leek and burnt lemon, justifying consideration at any respected restaurant in the Klang Valley (RM36).

It's been awhile since we last had Food Foundry's mille crepe, but the fresh-baked custard recipe remains unchanged - all that layered, lovable lusciousness, embedded in a hand-crafted cake that has stood the test of time (if you were a school-going 12 when you first tried this here in 2007, you'd be a work-worthy 24 now).

Here's to the next decade for Food Foundry; many thanks to the team here for having us.

Food Foundry

BG-8, Happy Mansion, Jalan 17/13, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Daily, 10am-10pm. Tel: 03-7932-2322

This post first appeared on eatdrinkkl.com

LIPAO, Hang Kasturi Road

Classic Malaysian cendol, reintroduced to the bubble tea generation: LIPAO is on a mission to help preserve the popularity of time-honoured domestic desserts, beginning with cendol, by making them fashionably fabulous. In recent weeks, this charming shop near KL's Central Market has served hundreds of cups of cendol and other ultra-refreshing cool beverages that proudly showcase local fruits to Malaysians as well as tourists from Thailand to Taiwan to Tunisia, Azerbaijan to Bulgaria to Canada.

Each serving of cendol comes in a presentation that evokes bubble tea, striving to bring together the past and the present, keeping our culinary heritage relevant for the future. LIPAO founders Wei and Soo ensure this isn't merely a novelty - the signature cendol is completely satisfying, featuring a beautiful balance of top-drawer ingredients (RM12.50). The green rice flour jelly is sourced from an independent supplier who makes it in small batches, chilled and never frozen, relying on fresh pandan to make each bite fragrantly hit the spot. Equal attention is devoted to the gula Melaka as well as coconut milk that's freshly received every morning - there's plenty of red beans and other treasures too in each cup, yielding delightfully creamy-chewy textures. The cendol conveys impressively natural nuances, not too sweet, so it's an indulgence that won't feel guilty.

Seasonal specialities are available; we visited while the Musang King durian cendol was still being offered in mid-September, with the luscious fruit pairing potently with the santan-rich drink, as authentically, admirably Malaysian as any dessert out there.

Ultimately, there's a reviving beverage for everyone here, from other cendol drinks complemented by fruits like unmistakably vibrant dragonfruit, mango or papaya (RM14.50 each) to wholesome coolers to counter KL's eternal summer, such as tea with mixed fruits (RM12.50). We'd love to see LIPAO in more locations across the city in the months ahead; many thanks to LIPAO for this peek into its pleasures.

LIPAO
50, Jalan Hang Kasturi, 50050 Kuala Lumpur. Daily 1130am-630pm. Tel: 016-575-5286

This post first appeared on eatdrinkkl.com