Brasa: Bukit Damansara's new grill & wine bar brings fire & flair to protein-powered fare

Stepping into Bukit Damansara's Brasa is a portal into a rustic, brick-lined cavern with a timeless elegance, where flames on a gorgeous grill crackle over steaks and seafood, where bottles of wine from the world's best vineyards beckon to be popped open.

The latest venue by Malaysia's Cinnamon Group extends its culinary command on this street, joining Aliyaa and The Sticky Wicket as delicious neighbourhood destinations, perfect for a relaxing evening or an intimate get-together with our favourite people. These are restaurants for all reasons, all seasons.

Chef Diego Reali, a familiar face from Brasa's sibling eateries such as the city centre's Natalina, has forged a menu that balances sophistication and simplicity. Its fare is comforting and confident, fuss-free and fulfilling.

Brasa's grill is a protein powerhouse, serving up everything from spiced chicken with smashed kipfler potatoes to sultry lamb rack with smoked eggplant puree, Atlantic cod to Boston lobster. Small plates abound for sharing, spanning crispy-fried sardines to charred wagyu bone marrow, baked brie to burnt butter scallops.

If you love restaurant kitchens fuelled by fire and flair, bookmark Brasa to bring the heat and heartiness to your next feast.

Brasa occupies a two-floor setting that's spacious but cosy, welcoming with warm tones. 

The street level is where patrons can catch all the culinary action, with the fireplace-like grill blazing in the background, true to the restaurant's name (Brasa is Spanish for embers).

The atmospheric ambiance evokes a vintage steakhouse, with specials scrawled on a chalkboard and shelves of bottles to browse on the walls. Dim lighting for dinner sets the mood for an easy-going affair, ideal for lingering over long conversations.

Upstairs evokes a secret, sumptuous sanctuary, with beautiful booths and private rooms - great for group gatherings, getting away from the bustle for a night of wining and dining.

Fresh-baked focaccia, fluffy and fragrant, come paired with clarified smoked and truffle butters, smooth and sumptuous, to kick off the Brasa experience.

Brasa's wine list is comprehensive, covering the Americas and Europe to South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. You'll even find a Rouge from Syria by the bottle, while wines by the glass include Italian, French, Portuguese, Argentinian and Chilean choices.

For a snack to whet the appetite, Brasa's Crispy Sago (RM48) is a triumph of texture and taste - squid ink-hued sago crackers, crunchy to the bite, enlivened by a luscious, vibrantly colourful topping of house-cured salmon gravlax, creamy avocado mash, caviar, ikura and creme fraiche in perfect, pleasurable proportions.

Craving meat from the very beginning? The Moroccan Lamb Meatballs (RM55) are marvellous, channelling the heady spices of Marrakesh in rich, robust meatballs, soaked in capsicum sauce that hints of cumin and fennel, soothed with earthy, nutty hummus. Addictive to the final spoonful.

Brasa's grill proves capably versatile, effortlessly elevating everything it touches.

Spanish octopus (RM148) yields a smooth, thick tenderness - firm and fleshy, not mushy - kissed with the bliss of a captivating char, aromatic with saffron-scented mash, fruity and sweet with Italian-cultivated Taggiasca olives and roasted confit cherry tomatoes.

Naturally, steak is a spectacular headliner at Brasa, with Australian wagyu ribeyes, striploins and tomahawks vying for the limelight, bolstered by sides like grilled asparagus, charred banana shallots or wasabi mash.

The Wagyu Ribeye (RM102 per 100g, served with truffle mash and rocket salad) is a sacrament of sheer succulence, expertly executed for that caramelised crust that conceals pink, lust-worthy juiciness. 

Mustard enthusiasts, take note: Brasa also offers a trio of mustards of different punchiness to pair with your steak - choose your preference for an extra kick or a honeyed nectarousness.

Desserts display chef Diego's Italian heritage with contemporary chic.

The Wild Berry Panna Cotta (RM42) offers opulence in its silky vanilla cream encircled with mixed berry compote, while the Pistachio Tiramisu (RM55) puts a playful spin on traditional tiramisu, layering coffee-laced pistachio mascarpone cream for a memorable finish.

Brasa 

No.50-G, Plaza Damansara, Jalan Medan Setia 2, Bukit Damansara, 50490 Kuala Lumpur. 
Daily, 5:30pm-10:30pm. Tel: 011-5110-2857

Chakri Raintree Skybar: Thai & Western dining with a 27th-floor regal rooftop view in Dorsett Hartamas

Soaring on the 27th-floor rooftop of Dorsett Hartamas, Chakri Raintree Skybar promises a spectacularly panoramic view to pair with a flavourful feast of Thai and Western favourites.

True to the nearly 25-year-old Chakri Palace brand, Chakri Raintree Skybar strives to serve up an experience fit for royalty in a sprawling space.

The Muslim-friendly main restaurant promises terrific Thai fare by a team of award-winning Thai professionals, with a head chef who previously cooked in Thailand's royal palace. It also comprises private VIP rooms and a karaoke room.

The kitchen harnesses fresh organic produce wherever possible, with low-cholesterol cooking oil, with no added MSG or artificial preservatives. It takes inspiration from its consultant chef, Thai food expert Chef McDang, and his book, The Principles of Thai Cookery.

Customers can cross-order from the alfresco bar that specialises in Western staples and beverages, while savouring the skyline that stretches from Istana Negara to the Petronas Twin Towers and beyond.

By day, Chakri Raintree Skybar is cheerful with sunshine streaming through the tall, wide windows - a sumptuous setting for an early dinner with family or friends. Relish your meal in air-conditioned comfort or take a table outdoors for an unobscured bird's-eye perspective.

As the sun sets, the space is increasingly sleek and stylish, lit by a gentle glow.

Start with punchy appetisers like Thai Mango Salad, the traditional classic that's tangy and lively with crisp, juicy textures (RM22.90), and Chakri Homemade Fish Cakes, charmingly chunky and dense with a spicy kick, complete with sweet Thai chilli sauce (RM25.90).

Try the tom yam too: Chakri's Tom Yam in Coconut with Seafood (RM39.90) is influenced by Bangkok-style clear soups, reputedly the preference of Thailand's royal household. It's amazingly aromatic - you can smell the fragrance even before uncovering the coconut shell. Inside, the soup is the ideal balance of sour and spicy, brimming with shrimp and squid.

The Steamed Sea Bass with Lime & Chilli (RM99) is exemplary - a standout of confident simplicity, shining the spotlight on super-fresh, large and succulent fish. A potently zesty lime sauce yields to a lovely spicy heat that lingers at the finish - a stellar sea bass preparation.

The Chakri Crispy Soft Shell Crab (RM29.90) is rounded out with a rich egg curry sauce that's creamy and comforting, complementing the crunch of the crab with a medley of eggy flavour with turmeric and pepper. This can also be served with salted garlic sauce or sweet-sour sauce.

  


Keep the crustaceans coming: Chakri's Signature Deep Fried King Prawns (RM41.90) deserves to be a flagship temptation, with a thick butter egg sauce that bolsters the prawns' natural sweetness with a savoury coat. Also available with black pepper or red curry sauce.

Dessert ensures a captivating conclusion: Order the Chakri Red Ruby Water Chestnuts, a hearty treat that showcases house-made red rubies with water chestnuts, sago, jackfruit and vanilla ice cream, cooling and fruity with icy coconut milk in a coconut (RM20.90), and the ever-popular Mango Sticky Rice, not overly sugary, sweetened lightly with coconut milk and blessed with beautifully ripe Thai mango slices  (RM21.90).

From the bar kitchen comes crowd-pleasers like Grilled Boneless Chicken, tender and meaty, with fries, salad and onion gravy (RM28.90), and Italian-inflected choices like Seafood Aglio Olio for pasta pleasure, generously loaded with shrimp, squid and mussels (RM37.90), and the fusion Green Curry Pizza, bringing together Bangkok and Bologna with a choice of chicken or seafood layered with addictively tasty green curry paste on a thin, crackly crust (RM38.90).

Beverages span the soothing Milky Thai Ice Tea (RM15; with Thai tea lined with milk and brown sugar) to colourful cocktails like the Cosmopolitan (RM40; vodka with triple sec and cranberry juice) and Blue Hawaii (RM40; rum with curacao, pineapple and coconut milk).




Multiple VIP rooms are also available, catering to between 8 to 18 guests. A big karaoke room can also be booked with a view of the city. Corporate functions are welcome too.

Chakri Raintree Skybar
Plaza Damas, Dorsett Hotel Hartamas @ ROOFTOP 27th Floor, Jalan Sri Hartamas 1, Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Daily, 4pm-12am. 

Tel: 016-227-7190