Eat Drink KL

Friday, September 2, 2016

2016 Menu: The Point @ Kasah, Bukit Damansara

Every visit to The Point is a voyage through a series of surprises, exploring the imaginative prowess of a restaurant that's been consistently creative since 2014 - we've experienced four meals here so far over the past two years, with the latest one proving a successful showcase of the artistry & adroitness of current head chef Kua Jinhao & his team.

There's plenty to tackle here, so come in eager to delve into multiple courses: Perk up the palate with the Truffled Angel starter (RM35), which melds delicate, silky textures with punchy flavours, weaving chilled angel hair pasta with the sweet succulence of raw amaebi & the brininess of avruga caviar, balanced by the tang of yuzu sauce & a lemony umami of soy-glazed jelly bits.

Can't fail with foie: The Point does right by this favourite refreshed with distinctive complements - a buttery brioche, blackberry reduction & pistachio crumbs. A flawlessly pan-seared rendition that dishes out sheer, sumptuously textured pleasure. RM48.

Various pastas are available; for creamy comfort, Finding Rosso (RM34) features spaghetti tossed in a sun-dried tomato sauce blended with olive oil & herbs, articulating a crimson reinterpretation of pesto, its dynamics accentuated by fleshy anchovies & crunchy pine nuts.

We rarely order cod fish these days, since there's a tired predictability to how it's prepared at most venues. But again, The Point performs a satisfying job in recasting a classic, putting the unerringly moist, flaky star of Atlantic black cod centre-stage in a swirl of balsamico, mushroom fritters & asparagus, crowned with smoked caviar dressing, wittily named Cod's Gift (RM65).

The journey takes a heightened turn with the meat courses: Lamb is a smooth, tender treat, herb-crusted & miso-infused, carried out to a medium-rare voluptuousness to sink your teeth into, a primal indulgence completed with a well-thought-out ensemble of truffled mash, pumpkin tempura, caramelised onions & plum jus. RM68.

We're saving what could be the best - pork - for last: The Suckling Pleasure is irresistible - suckling pig marinated with white wine, salt & pepper (RM52), cooked sous-vide in an oven for 12 hours, finished in high heat for a few minutes, yielding luscious mouthfuls of crisp skin, melting fat & achingly opulent flesh. Not for the faint-hearted; 25 portions are offered per day.

The one that haunts our dreams is the Reconstructed Bak Kut Teh (RM65), an elaborately playful take on Malaysian Chinese dry-style BKT - slabs of 12-hour-slow-cooked, herb-infused Spanish Iberico pork jowl & Vietnamese pork belly that sent us straight to carnivore heaven, accompanied by mushroom fritters (a substitute for yau char kway), quinoa (to replace rice), bak choy, garlic & a final sweep of a soy glaze tinged with cili padi. A recipe that merits consideration for hall-of-fame status.

Desserts & drinks display deliberate flourishes too: Reinvented sweet staples include Valrhona chocolate ice cream with thick mascarpone cheese, nut biscuits & salted caramel sauce (RM28) & liqueur-loving creme brulee laced with Baileys & kahlua (RM28), while recommended cocktails include the complex, refreshingly nuanced Spice Up (RM35; vodka, lychee liquor, orange juice, mango juice, lime juice, tobasco) & Peace Maker (RM30; vodka, mint leaves, sugar syrup, lime juice, egg white). Many thanks to The Point for having us back here.

The Point

122, First & Second Floor, Jalan Kasah, Bukit Damansara, Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur.

Open Mon-Tues, 630pm-1130pm; Wed-Sun, 1130am-2pm, 630pm-1130pm. Tel: 03-2011-8008

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Thursday, September 1, 2016

Fratello Italiano @ Nexus Bangsar South

Fresh pastas, flavoursome pizzas & fulfilling produce: Fratello Italiano reminds us of the reasons we admire Italian cuisine - this restaurant makes a satisfying entry into Bangsar South, doing justice to the time-honoured work of traditional trattorias.

Grab a cosy table beside Fratello Italiano's full-length mural, which gorgeously evokes a soulful Tuscan street scene, & order to your heart's content: Handcrafted pastas are a highlight, including the tri-coloured fettuccine aglio olio, glowing with the well-executed simplicity of olive oil, garlic & herbs (RM18). The fettuccine is hued with natural ingredients like beetroot, spinach, chillies, squid ink, tomato, dill or parsley, providing for a visually pleasing portrait of pasta that's bears the unmistakably tender, silky texture from being house-made the old-fashioned way in Fratello Italiano's kitchen, liberated from artificial colouring or preservatives. The menu also promises fettuccine in classic carbonara & pesto preparations, as well as tagliolini bolognese, napoletana, marinara & vongole. In the near future, home cooks will also be able to purchase packets of pasta to bring back.

The range of fresh pasta also extends to the creamy comfort of cannelloni stuffed with chicken & spinach, oven-baked with cheese & tomato sauce (RM28), rustic stracci in a buttery alfredo sauce with mushrooms & truffle oil (RM28) & tortellini packed with chicken & mushrooms in a garlicky sauce with hints of sun-dried tomatoes (RM36), each smooth & rich but not cloying.

Pizzas are another cornerstone of Fratello Italiano's repertoire, with the dough opened up, stretched & slapped by hand instead of rolling pins, resulting in a gratifyingly light & crispy-airy thin crust with a rough, imperfect look that conveys character. There are 15 varieties of pizzas offered, nearly half of which are fully vegetarian. We tried this one topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella, artichokes & sliced black olives (RM35), a robust combination that'd be ideal for meatless Mondays.

The restaurant rates well for meat too, particularly lamb; the portobello mushrooms come brimming with fleshy pulled Tasmanian lamb backstrap, its full-bodied flavours accentuated by goat's cheese & roasted capsicum (RM33). And for pure, no-holds-barred lamb with juices that flood the palate, order the unerringly grilled rack matched with rosemary gravy (RM65).

Also worth munching on, as starters, sides or snacks for sharing: The rocket leaf salad is made more interesting & even tastier than expected, tossed with lemon oil, cushioned with savoury tapenade & showered with shaved Pecorino cheese (RM18), while the crunchy almond-crusted calamari fulfills the spirit & substance of an appetising antipasto, partnered with roasted garlic aioli & habanero mayo (RM30). Close your meal with can't-fail gelato, served with poached apples & almond crumble.

For wine devotees, Fratello Italiano makes a good watering hole too; we particularly noted the Italian selection, which includes versatile offerings from the Veneto, Piedmont, Tuscan & Sicilian regions that'll provide the perfect couplings for the food here - we enjoyed the reasonably deep & luscious Rocca Di Montemassi Sassabruna. Many thanks to Fratello Italiano for having us.

Fratello Italiano

First Floor, Nexus Bangsar South, Jalan Kerinchi, Kuala Lumpur. Daily, 10am-10pm. Tel: 03-2242-3130