Kyoto Lab,
347, Jalan Ampang,
Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 017 998 5577
Business Hours: Wednesday to Sunday,
5.00pm till late.
SYRINGES and test tubes are tools normally found in laboratories, but over at Kyoto Lab, they serve as quirky utensils for an unusual dining experience.
Kyoto Lab, opened by the owners of The Hill at Damansara Heights, is an establishment that serves experimental Japanese fare. It shares the premises with The Pool, another bar by the same owners.
Our recent dinner started with Kyoto Summer Salad, which came with four different types of dressings in test tubes.
The salad was served in the form of dainty sushi, with fresh greens wrapped in rice paper together with crab meat and prawns, and we were free to pour tomato and basil vinaigrette, miso, wafu or sesame sauces over the salad.
Salmon Potato Salad with Truffle Oil was another salad we relished, as the combination of each ingredient was perfect.
As far as sashimi was concerned, Kyoto Lab preferred to serve them with a contemporary twist.
When the plate of salmon trout arrived covered with chopped red chillies and fried garlic bits, I mentally prepared to be overwhelmed by a fiery sensation as I gingerly bit into the raw fish slices with a pair of chopsticks.
Colourful: Kyoto Summer Salad comes with four different types of dressings in test tubes.As it turned out, it was not spicy at all! The chillies lent a faint flavour to the dish, and credit must be given to the fried garlic bits for the aroma and crunchy texture.
Next up was Caterpillar Roll, which was pieces of sushi arranged into the shape of a caterpillar.
The tasty bite-sized treats featured unagi, tiger prawns and tobiko (flying fish roe) garnished with avocado and mayonnaise.
Since we were dining at the alfresco area of Kyoto Lab, we had a good view of The Pool beneath us.
The thought of sipping drinks next to the pool was inviting, so we gladly accepted an invitation to check out the interesting cocktails from The Pool.
We enjoyed the chocolaty Nutella Martini, and could not wait for our next visit to try out the rest, such as Watermelon Slosh, Coco’s Nutz, The Fish Bowl, Hawaii 5-O and Milo Ais.
The Pool’s menu featured meaty choices like steaks and burgers.
We were told that the ribeye steaks are imported from the United States. They are chilled and never frozen to retain its texture and taste. This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.
