FLAME,
Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club (KLGCC),
Off Jalan Bukit Kiara
Tel: 03-2093 7668
Business Hrs: 11.30am to 2.30pm
and 6.30pm to 10.30pm, daily.
THERE is a new fine dining restaurant in town, which prides itself with a menu prepared by international celebrity chef Emmanuel Stroobant.
New concept: A friendly and smiley Stroobant utilises a special method to prepare food.Flame, which is located at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club (KLGCC), is proud to have the famed Chef in Black, who is fondly recognised for his cooking show, as a consultant.
“If I don’t love something, I don’t take a project. So when I first saw this place, I fell in love with it immediately.
“The food and concept came much later,” said Stroobant, who has also written a few cookbooks.
Stroobant, who was in charge of developing the menu and training the kitchen team, utilises the Sous Vide method to prepare food.
Fast gaining popularity amongst gourmet enthusiasts worldwide, the technique involves food being cooked in vacuum-sealed bags, before being immersed in hot water for a period of time.
As a result, the integrity of the ingredients is preserved, while meat remains tender without losing its natural goodness.
Stroobant said he loved the method simply because it was hygienic and preserved the nutrients and goodness of meat.
Main course: Braised Short Rib was prepared using the restaurant’s famed cooking method Sous Vide.“The method also makes sure that food is always cooked the same way so we can have the same result. So it’s precise. There is no area of error in this style,” he added.
During the launch, which took place on April 21, a host of media members and some guests were treated to an exclusive preview of the food and feel of Flame.
With the opening team, headed by Stroobant, lunch was served in a true fine dining style. Also present were KLGCC director Datuk Tunku Putra Badlishah and general manager Robert Bird.
Dressed in his signature black attire, wearing platinum blond hair and a wide smile, Stroobant said Flame was all about fine dining environment with Western — European food to reach out to a larger food lovers.
“For me fine dining is about the place that you are dining in with food prepared from top quality ingredients and the service that you receive,” he said.
The restaurant, which exudes an elegant and cosy feel, and an interior that combines classic and modern, is also spacious. It also has two private rooms that overlook the golf course.
“I have kept the menu to be Western — European food so it can relate to more people in the country instead of keeping it French.
“French food has the use of non-halal products, and for a restaurant to stay relevant to mass here, it is better to have it Western- Continental,” he said.
Stroobant added the food concept was simple — nothing that people had not eaten or seen before, but it came with the selected best ingredients, which was Flame’s philosophy.
“Malaysia has some excellent products. Like the sweet Japanese breed of tomatoes, which is grown in Cameron Highlands, I must say its quality is the best I’ve tasted in the world.
“So we find the best ways to put them together,” he explained.
With that, lunch was served.
First came the green and red Tomato Crevette. A refreshing ensemble to the eye and taste buds, the appetiser was King Prawn with Egg, Tomato, Avocado, Iceberg Lettuce and Thousand Island Dressing.
The Wild Mushroom Soup arrived next. Truffle-scented with Mushroom Duxelle Toast, the soup was aromatic without being too creamy. However, the well-buttered toast made up for it, although it may seem a little oily.
The main course, Braised Short Rib was prepared using the restaurant’s famed cooking method Sous Vide. Braised for 72 hours, the Australian Black Angus Beef Short Rib was served with Truffle Mashed Potato.
When the meal was served, a video presentation with Stroobant explaining on the Sous Vide cooking method was shown to give guests a better idea on the cooking method.
“All meat in the restaurant are prepared using this method,” he added.
When asked if any item from the restaurant menu was taken from cookbooks, Stroobant smiled and took a moment to answer.
“Actually there is only one. The sauce for Spaghetti Bolognese is the same as the one in the book, but other than that, the restaurant menu is designed for restaurant use. The cookbook recipes are more for home cooking,” he said.
The course lunch ended with an assorted dessert platter. A little bit of everything, there was the Pavlova — a light yet rich dessert made of home made vanilla scented meringue, lemon-infused custard and fresh berries, and Creme Brulee.
This is the writer’s observation and not an endorsement by StarMetro.
