By ESTHER CHANDRAN and AIDA AHMAD
ELEGANTOLOGY GALLERY & RESTAURANT,
Solaris Dutamas,
1 Jalan Dutamas 1,
Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-6206 5577
Business hours: 11.30am to 2.30pm (lunch),
6.30pm to 10.30pm (dinner), daily.
CHEFS Sherson Lian and Johnny Fua of Elegantology Gallery & Restaurant in Publika may be TV celebrities but they also take pride in playing the role of big brothers to their junior chefs.
Both men helm the kitchen at Elegantology and have released a new menu featuring contemporary dishes with a refined twist.
“You have to love what you do and there must be passion,” said Fua, who as a chef, pulls 18-hour workdays and juggles between Elegantology and Tanzini at G Tower.
Chefs Lian (top left) and Fua of Elegantology Gallery & Restaurant, with their kitchen staff (from left) Daniel Lian Johan, Nurul Haffizah Ismail, Vincent Mah, Michael Bates, Kelvin Chia and Yoong Yuin Hun.
Fua said the new menu did not focus on a specific cuisine. “We don’t want to pigeon-hole the menu. Most importantly, the menu will have lots of interesting tastes and textures,” he added.
While dinners at Elegantology can be categorised as swanky and posh, their set lunch menu, as one guest puts it, is “a complete 180”. You can choose a soup or salad, and it also includes a main course and dessert for just RM17.
“It has a lot of Asian influences,” said Lian.
They also serve buffets, but it is not the regular kind, said Fua.
“I don’t want to serve a blob of char kway teow to my guests. What we do is take that, refine it and give the dish a twist,” explained Fua.
Scallops Ceviche amuse-bouche.
The seven-course menu, which had pairings with Martell Cognac, features the celebrity chefs’ personal takes on dishes and the entire meal is cleverly executed by their bevy of junior chefs.
The dinner commenced with a Scallops Ceviche amuse-bouche and Jumbo Lump Crab with Deep Fried Rambutan appetiser, comprising fruit relish, trout roe and capsicum “paint”.
Both courses were paired with Martell V.S.O.P.
Pan Seared Loin of Lamb with sous vide potatoes, vichy carrots, mint jelly and pan sauce.
The scallops were fresh and the plating was easy on the eyes, which is what one would expect from upscale restaurants like Elegantology.
Let’s face it, any form of fruit that is dipped in batter and deep-fried is bound to get some attention. Clever and crunchy is how we would describe the rambutan. A splash of colour can make a dish go from mundane to vibrant and the splash of sweet capsicum did the job well.
The soup was a Wild Mushroom Cappucino, topped with truffle foam and spring onion biscotti.
Four types of mushrooms were roasted and blended with a dash of cream for added richness. The biscotti could have been a better accompaniment if it was not sweet.
The entree consisted of Pan Seared Foie Gras with Poached Pear, Red Wine Gel, Balsamic Pearls and Frosted Nuts.
Foie gras may not be on everyone’s must-try list (for various reasons) and to some, it is an acquired taste.
Granted, cooking it is a delicate process, but the texture on this could have been better.
Both dishes were paired with Martell Cordon Bleu.
In other food reviews, when the palate cleanser (i.e. fruit sorbet) arrives, it is usually a tangy concoction that will make you pucker up your face.
However, their Mango and Ginger Torch sorbet came off a bit flat, although the (minimal) grated bits of torch ginger was a consolation.
All three of the main dishes, on the other hand, were worthy of praises. Guests could choose from Sake Mirin Chicken Roulade which came with Crispy Potato, Pickled Ginger and Meslun Mix; or Pan Seared Loin of Lamb with Sous Vide Potatoes, Vichy Carrots, Mint Jelly and Pan Sauce; or Sous Vide Beef Ribs served with Candied Pear Onions, Sweet Potato Mash and Kailan Blossom.
The mains were paired with Martell X.O.
Virgin Pina Colada cheesecake.
The dessert comprised a Virgin Pina Colada cheesecake, which had a lovely butter cookie crust. The tangy splashes of passion fruit coulis added a nice texture to the ensemble.
Martell Cordon Bleu featured for this course as well.
This is the writer’s personal observation and not an endorsement of StarMetro.
