Sino Scene heralds the potential revitalisation of KL's Swiss Garden Hotel & Residences as a dining destination - this new Chinese restaurant is an oasis of calm in downtown Pudu, offering a sixth-floor view of the inner city to complement a menu that uniquely straddles the cuisines of both Sichuan & Hong Kong.
Guests can get the best of both Sichuan's spicy, piquant flavours & Hong Kong's juicy, robust roasts at Sino Scene - the former is epitomised by the likes of a Sichuan sweet-sour bird's nest & crab meat soup, temptingly thick & tongue-tingling (RM30), as well as other specialities such as Sichuan chilli chicken or scallops, while the latter best manifests itself in the satisfactory five-spice duck (RM35 for half a duck) & other fowl favourites like soy or honey-roasted chicken.
Veteran Malaysian chef Alex Choong whips up some interesting items - we like the mantou with pan-fried shredded duck (RM12); eaten together, the bun & meat - slicked up in a savoury sauce - taste like a long-lost twin of cha siu bao (note: Sino Scene is a no-pork restaurant). The beef char siew (RM17) is also notable, the chewier, gamier version of regular char siew.
Sino Scene takes special pride in its claypot recipes, a treat especially if you love prawns. You'll find butter cream prawns with egg floss (RM26; an irresistible indulgence), wok-fried rice with prawns & mixed seafood (RM13; flavoursome) & our eternally beloved sang har noodles (RM38; comfortingly piping-hot, creamy & eggy), each reasonably priced & respectably executed.
Sino Scene's repertoire is comprehensive as a solid Chinese establishment's should be, so whether you're looking for meat, bean curd or vegetables, there's something for everybody, from chunky aromatic braised lemongrass beef ribs (RM28/RM38 for small or medium) to red-braised Japanese bean curd & fish skin (RM20) to stir-fried asparagus with clams (RM15). Wrap up with Swiss-Garden's signature deep-fried ice cream, in batter-encrusted flavours like chocolate, strawberry or vanilla (RM15) & wash down with a selection of Chinese tea or French wine. Many thanks to the Sino Scene team for having us here.
Sino Scene
6th Floor, Swiss Garden Residences, Jalan Pudu, Off Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.
Daily, 12pm-230pm, 6pm-1030pm. Tel: 03-27851111 ext. 1284/1272
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