Cedar On 15 @ Impiana KLCC

Impiana Hotel might not be known for fine dining, but Cedar On 15 could help change that.

Launched this month on Impiana's 15th floor, Cedar On 15 features both a cavernous restaurant & an alfresco lounge, the latter blessed with a KLCC view.

Service sparkles at this establishment, keeping customers feeling welcome from the earliest moments when they step in & receive their complimentary bread.

Amuse bouche of salmon mousse. Not sure who the chef(s) here are, but we thank them for expertly executing a menu that bursts with flair & finesse.

Soup's up: Cream of topinambur, the Jerusalem artichoke, thick & earthy, partnered with slices of grilled portobello (RM25++). One of the best broths we've had in 2012.

Beef carpaccio (RM48++), made special with burrata cheese & pan-fried mushrooms.

Even the palate cleanser would be worth ordering as its own course: beetroot sorbet with dehydrated green apple for a terrific textural touch.

Might look like an innocuous short crust lemon tart (RM28++), but this baby packs heat, with the citrus curd concealing chili flakes for a one-of-a-kind, sour-spicy punch.

Chocolate Seduction (RM38++): Dark mousse, white ganache & sachertorte.

No lack of liquor, from a cornucopia of creative cocktails like this Skyy Blue Martini (RM25++) infused with kaffir leaf essence, monin lychee & monin elderflower ...

... to wide-ranging wines by the glass at RM30-something, like this Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon.

Live music, soft & sweet, can be enjoyed some nights, supplying classic melodies such as "Over The Rainbow" & "Mona Lisa." 

Outside at the lounge, throbbing beats keep parties pumping through at least 2 a.m. 

Cedar On 15 deserves to be a star in KL's food firmament; everything here exceeded expectations. We were Cedar's only customers on a recent weeknight, but we're crossing our fingers that more folks will come to savor this spot soon.

Cedar On 15 opens only for dinner, daily.

Cedar On 15,

Impiana Hotel, Jalan Pinang, Kuala Lumpur.

Yeast Bistronomy @ Bangsar

Yeast finally rose in Bangsar over the weekend, a triple threat of a bistro, boulangerie & wine bar that brings a slice of Paris to Telawi, courtesy of Frenchman Christophe Chatron-Michaud & his Malaysian-born wife, Lissan Teh.

Rustic bread & pastries baked with natural yeast form this winsome cafe's raison d'etre, with farmer's bread, baguettes & brioches flooding the counters.

 Sure, there are teething troubles; one-tenth of the menu was unavailable throughout our visit, including the bahn mi & savory tarts. But here's hoping that Yeast will knead out the kinks & knots before long.

Classics like quiche lorraine (RM12++)  litter the menu here, served with wide smiles by a team that merits hurrahs for its warmth & tireless work.

Croissant aux amandes (RM6++), chausson aux pommes & pain au chocolat might be a pain to pronounce but they'll prove a pleasure for the palate.

Time for eggs: kick off with a mix of poached eggs, frisee salad & smoked duck (RM22++).

Poached eggs on brioche toast with smoked salmon (RM18++), a quintessential brunch dish.

Baked eggs in a cocotte with smoked duck & gruyere cheese (RM16++), runnier than they need to be, but Yeast's people pledge to get it right eventually.

Smoked salmon, cream cheese & onions in a viennois roll (RM22++), paired with fries & salad, is one example of Yeast's set lunches, fairly priced for this street.

Not sure what's the French equivalent of 'la dolce vita,' but a sweet finish at Yeast is assured, thanks to the pear frangipane (RM9++) ...

... as well as crispy-rich chocolate sable cookies (RM3++).

While waiting for the food, look for staff members who might hand out samples of Yeast's bread. We like the ones laced with olives as well as those with white chocolate. 

Lots of coffee to handle the spillover crowd from Antipodean, two doors away at Telawi.

From Spain's Cava to Normandy's Calvados, there's no lack of liquor here, thankfully.

Red & rose, all available by both the glass & the bottle. Abstinence is avoidable.

Cruzan Aged Rum & Muscat dessert wine.

Yeast now opens 8am-6pm but will serve dinner by mid-December. Expect tried-&-tested favorites like duck confit & salmon with bearnaise sauce.

These photos were taken before Yeast's first lunch service Saturday, minutes before a multitude swamped the tables. Best to come here before noon or after 2pm.

Yeast is a no-pork outlet, unlike Antipodean, so both complement each other. Kinda.

The resumes of Yeast's Christophe & Lissan stretch far & wide, from Daniel & Jean Georges in New York to The Mansion & Shibuya at Las Vegas' MGM Grand. It'll be exciting to see whether Yeast is only the start of what this couple will do in KL.

Yeast Bistro @ Telawi,

24G, Jalan Telawi 2, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2282-0118

Click here for online reservations.

This restaurant is available for bookings under TABLEAPP, which enables customers to make instant reservations at Malaysia's top restaurants, while saving time and money in the process. Reserve your table at this restaurant by clicking here.

Mediteca Wine Tapas @ Fraser Place

Mediteca: Round Three. Earlier entries: August 3 and August 9.

How would you like your octopus? Mediteca whips up a threesome, fried to a fine crisp ...

... braised to a rubbery-no-more chew-worthiness ...

... and baked to an appetite-whetting allure, worth sinking our teeth into.

What about potatoes? Here's an intriguing interpretation of the classic 'patatas bravas' tapa, topped with tomato sauce and aioli.

Or have your potatoes fried with olive oil in a thick slice of egg for the Spanish omelet.

Still carb-hungry? A terrific terrine of potato gratin and turkey bacon could cure that craving.

Here comes the fish: stinky-salty sardines, marinated in white vinegar, garlic and parsley.

For fish that's milder (marginally): anchovies coated in peppers, eggplant and parmesan cream.

Soup's up: smile for the chilled Andalusian tomato broth with quail egg and basil emulsion.

We've saved the best for last: love this soup, a warm almond one, full of flavor, poured into a bowl of shrimp carpaccio, sauteed prawns and sultana puree. Sensational.

Mediteca,

Fraser Place, Jalan Perak, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2181-2426