Profiteroles
House of Passion Sdn Bhd
A3-01-07 Solaris Dutamas
No 1 Jalan Dutamas 1
50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-6205 5503
www.profiteroles.com.my
Pork Free
Fancy a touch of the Orient with a dash of European? Then head to Profiteroles.
IT’S not often that you come across Japanese and French cuisine in the same restaurant.
Phun Sim Sim and pastry chef Sua Yong Huei used to work in a pastry company before embarking on different careers. They joined forces earlier this year to pursue their mutual passion for cooking and baking, resulting in the opening of Profiteroles. However, one likes Japanese food and the other specialises in making French desserts and so, that’s what the restaurant offers.
“Japanese food is not strong in flavours so it does not clash with French desserts. Besides, there are not many places in town offering authentic French desserts,” said Sua, 36, who returned from France last year.
However, all the Japanese food served here is cooked and there is no raw fare like sashimi.
The little restaurant, kept simple and minimal in its furnishings, has a neighbourhood feel about it.
Walking in, the first thing that catches your eye are the colourful pastries that stand out in the dessert bar.
To whet our appetite, Phun brought out the Agedashi Tofu. Soft, with a bit of tabasco sauce for a touch of spice, it was yummy. My colleague whispered that he wouldn’t have minded another plate!
From the hand roll assortment, we found the Unagi Roll (Eel) flavourful and juicy while the Tempura Ebi Roll (Fried Shrimp) could have been a little fresher. Somehow, the crispness of the prawn was missing. I like my rolls plain and enjoyed the California Roll.
Profiteroles owners, (left) Phun Sim Sim and Sua Yong Huei.Lunch proved to be an extended affair as the food items took a long time to arrive, and while waiting, we downed two glasses of fresh juices. Phun is extremely proud of her various concoctions and it was refreshing on a hot day.
The much-awaited mains finally arrived. The Chicken Teriyaki, a Japanese staple, was tasty as the tender chicken was marinated well, leaving us salivating for more.
The Grilled Salmon with Miso was a tad too salty for our liking but the fresh fish made up for that little hiccup.
Since there was a vegetarian amongst us, Phun and her team whipped up a plate of Vegetable Tempura comprising seaweed, brinjal, sweet potato and carrot. The batter was light, the vegetables crunchy and it was hardly oily.
Next came the Miso Ramen with slices of chicken and lots of vegetables thrown in. You can’t go wrong with ramen so this received a thumbs-up from us. Since the portion was quite sizeable, we shared it to save space in our tummies. After all, everyone was already eyeing the desserts.
The Agedashi Tofu was the perfect meal opener.Among their French offerings, the bestseller is obviously the profiteroles or cream puffs. The term profiterole is traditionally used for small versions of choux pastry filled with whipped cream and topped with chocolate although the ingredients of the filling can vary.
Another hit is the delicious and colourful, multi-flavoured macarons. We sampled a few flavours and spotted a favourite immediately in the Caramel With Salted Butter. The sweetness doesn’t hit you hard and you don’t feel your sugar level surging.
The macarons and profiteroles can also be catered for parties and if you’d like a different filling, just call up and order a day ahead if you want large quantities.
Our personal favourite was the Tarte Aux Pommes (Apple Tart with Vanilla Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream). It looked like a pizza with its thin crust and topping of apple slices. Layered with almond cream and sprinkled with roasted almonds, it was heavenly and within a blink of an eye, the plate was empty.
The restaurant serves English Hi-Tea every day after 2pm except on Sundays, and diners can choose from a combination of French pastries and Japanese sushi or French pastries alone.
