Arbutus in Soho

After having completed my first year of university here in the UK, getting accustomed to new learning styles, and exposed to a whole new level of independence - I have decided the time has come for me to continue focusing on my much neglected food blog.

And what better way to kick things off, than to focus on my date with the Michelin man! Yea, you heard me. Date. Michelin man. Just a stroll away from London's Soho Square and the Tottenham Court Road tube station lies Arbutus, a Michelin star restaurant serving up great food with a great service. 

The restaurant successfully strikes a balance between casual comfort and refinement - the making it ideal for catching up with friends, or negotiating that important deal. The service was attentive the waiters were always ready to top up bread, butter and water whenever needed.

The Pig's Head with Potato Puree was excellent. Reminiscent of a terrine, the pork was simply seasoned and bursting with the flavour of porky goodness. The flavours of the pork balanced well when paired with the pickled turnip. The potato puree proved to be the odd component out, but was nonetheless rich and fantastically smooth.

The Smoked Eel Risotto was, as well, excellent. The already flavoursome risotto was made even more flavourful, with a dollop of creme fraiche. When mixed together, the eel, sea purslane (green bits) and perfectly cooked risotto proved a heavenly combination. Pieces of crisp tempura-fried broccoli proved a great touch as well.

Who knew that a simple combination of Pistachio Cake, Yoghurt Sorbet and Raspberries would be so heavenly? The sweetness of the berries, tartness of the sorbet and richness of the cake sang together like a talented musical trio in my mouth. I just felt that for ultimate perfection, the cake should have been a little bit more moist than it was.

I ended up leaving the restaurant with my tummy filled to the brim. All of that Michelin-starred food proved a steal, for an incredible £20. If you are in London and keen on trying out a Michelin-starred meal that doesn't break the bank, you will certainly not be disappointed with Arbutus. 

Address: 63-64 Frith Street, London W1D 3JW, United Kingdom

Presentation: 8/10

Ambiance: 7/10

Service: 8/10

Overall Taste: 9/10

General Impression: 9/10

______________________________________________________________________________________

Cheers,

BrianandRepublic

French @ Petite Millie

Among culinary connoisseurs in Kuala Lumpur, Chef Max Chin is a famous personality, known as on of the city's most renowned restaurateurs. His establishment, Petite Millie, serves up some good French and Mediterranean-inspired dishes. 

Following on from his very successful Milessime at Solaris Dutamas, Petite Millie is situated on the ground floor of 1Utama's old wing. The restaurant's atmosphere is a casual and laid-back, serving up dishes are somewhat less sophisticated than Millesime.

Their Provencale Root Vegetables and Borlotti Bean Soup worth RM12.50, was hearty with an abundance of vegetables such as carrot and potato. The touch of pistou gave it a nice depth of flavour, and the big crouton gave it a good contrast of textures.

Our Risotto Zucca, Escolar and Cappesanta worth RM36.50 was indeed a good choice. The dish, essentially a Pumkin Risotto, contained a generous amounts of butterfish and scallops (two things I love), which went perfectly together with the sweetness of the pumkin-flavoured rice.

Emilia's Tagliatelle al Duck Ragu is a must-order from Petit Mille, if you enjoy your duck. Priced at RM28.50, the homemade tagliatelle contained an abundance of duck which filled the little pockets of space in between the pasta. The dish was topped with tender slices of duck, topped with pesto and breadcrumbs.

The Confit of Chicken Leg worth RM23.50 was certainly the most unhealthy dish that we ordered. The sweet plum sauce accompanied the salty chicken skin very well and provided a nice contrast of flavour. The smooth mashed potato below i, had a generous amount of butter - heck, I'm not complaining! 

For dessert, we ordered ourselves the Cinnamon Crusty Napoleon, worth RM14.50. The dish, essentially mango sorbet sandwiched between two hard discs of pastry, was not to my liking. I felt the mixture of the sorbet and the fruit compote provided too much of a sourness for one to handle. However I would certainly recommend the blueberry cheesecake which they gave us to try.

In conclusion, Petit Millie offerers one good, hearty European bistro food - although one might be a bit taken aback with the confusing dish names and the high-end pricing (in comparison to the Croisette Cafe which is less expensive). With the exception of the dessert, yet again - Max Chin's restaurant proves his food to be delicious.

Presentation: 8/10

Ambiance: 6/10

Service: 7/10

Overall Taste: 8/10

General Impression: 7/10

______________________________________________________________________________________

Cheers,

BrianandRepublic