Franco-Italian Dining @ Les Terrasses de Lyon

Perched atop Fourvière Hill, Villa Florentine is a five-star hotel reminiscent of a Mediterranean villa which boasts some of the finest views Lyon has to offer. Though it may be bit hard to reach by foot, the hotel is easily accessible by taxi and is ideally situated between the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière and the UNESCO heritage district of Vieux Lyon. 

Keeping in line with the hotel's Mediterranean motif, their restaurant Les Terrasses de Lyon serves up Michelin-starred Franco-Italian cuisine within its ornate Florentine interior. I was greeted with smiles and offered an Amuse-Bouche (not pictured) after having placed my order for the five course menu entitled Saveurs à l'Italienne, meaning a Taste of Italy.

The first course consisted of a Velouté with Egg of Quail. This delectable and all-rounded dish, enriched with the yolk of the egg, proved a promising start to the meal. I especially loved the use of chives in the dish which added a hint of freshness, reminiscent of the Mediterranean to which the restaurant draws its inspiration from.

The second course was a Mantecato de gamberoni. The succulent prawn tails were placed on a tomato-scented jelly with shredded prawn meat. The dish was served with a pecorino cromesquis, which left quite an impression on the palette. Together with the tomato purée, the combination of pecorino and tomato made for a quintessentially Italian pairing, and the watercress purée added a lovely element of vigour to the dish.

Our third course was a Risotto Arborio al dente, with shavings of parmesan. The risotto was of an perfect consistency - creamy, yet with much texture to it. The tone of the dish was set by the parmesan, followed by the nuttiness of the beurre noisette which complemented the earthiness of the mushrooms perfectly.

The fourth course to arrive was Slow-roasted Burgundy chicken. The chicken was accompanied with a Conchigli pasta shell stuffed with Italian artichokes, and cuttlefish jus. Rarely do I have chicken so beautifully cooked - moist and succulent, yet firm and cooked through. The pasta stuffed with artichokes proved an appropriate accompaniment, reminiscent of a seashell on an Italian beach.

The dessert course was an Amaretti, topped with edible gold leaf. I always knew that chocolate and orange were flavours that went hand in glove, but the miraculous combination of orange, chocolate and coffee in this dish was something I found difficult to fathom. The dish was very creatively put together, with decadence in every bite.

As I sipped my coffee and gazed upon the lit skyline of Lyon, I indulged in a Petit four selection of decadent yet light Opera cake, a fluffy choux pastry filled with hazelnut cream, a spongy almond cake filled with passionfruit curd, and a chewy chocolate lollipop with almond flakes. My taste-buds remained tantalized even until the very end of my meal.

My experience at les Terrasses de Lyon could have continued should I have opted for an additional course of pan-fried foie gras or roasted scallops. Did I mention the selection of cheeses from their Maître fromager Affineur? However in the state I was in, the waiters would have had to roll me into my room. I simply could eat no more.

'La dolce vita' would be a phrase that I would use to sum up my experience here. At €98, isn't a meal that one would have everyday - but the quality of food and creativity of the chefs were thoroughly impressive, and the service and ambiance was charming. The head chef greets all diners as they leave, and I simply could not pass the opportunity to commend him for a lovely night well spent. 



Address: Les Terrasses de Lyon, Villa Florentine, 25 Montée Saint-Barthélémy, 69005 Lyon, France

Presentation: 8/10

Ambiance: 7/10

Service: 8/10

Overall Taste: 8/10

General Impression: 8/10

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Cheers,

BrianandRepublic

Revisit to F Buffalo Kitchens

'F' by Buffalo Kitchens has undoubtedly managed to make its mark in Bangsar's culinary scene. It has been some time now, since we last visited - and indeed, plenty had changed.

The dining area and open kitchen indeed helped create a lively, yet sleek atmosphere for the diners. 'F' by Buffalo Kitchens, is situated right above Chawan on Jalan Telawi 3, in Bangar Baru.

We were given some Bread with a Balsamic and Olive Oil dip. The bread tasted rather stale, and surprisingly cold. Not the best first impression to give a customer, if you ask me.

A soup is a must-order, whenever I dine with mum, and the Wild Mushroom Soup worth RM14 was our choice for the night. The truffle oil gave it a great underlying flavour, yet it lacked some salt and should have been thicker in texture.

The Vietnamese Squid Salad, worth RM16 was hardly Vietnamese at all. Nonetheless, the squid was well cooked and in abundance. The dressing it came with with, albeit too much, tasted great.

We then ordered a Chicken Mash Roulade, worth RM28. At face value, the dish looked hardly appealing. However one mustn't judge a book by its cover, because it tasted great!

The chicken, although overcooked, contained smooth mashed potato within. The real highlight was the curry cream sauce which it was laced with. Smooth, and infused with turmeric.

Our dessert was a slice of Cherry Cheese Cake. For RM12, the slice that we had was incredibly small. Smooth nonetheless, though incredibly small. Not worth it, if you ask me.

Their Coffee there, however, is absolutely top-notch. As the place specialises in making coffee - I can assure you that they pull great espressos and make great coffee-related drinks.

If you are willing to climb the steep flight of stairs, then 'F' by Buffalo Kitchens offers food of an average standard. Their quality, however, has definitely decreased compared to our last visit, which is a pity.

Presentation: 6/10

Ambiance: 7/10

Service: 6/10

Overall Taste: 6/10

General Impression: 6/10

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Cheers,

BrianandRepublic

There's always Plan B

My mother and I often patronise Plan B when in the mood for a quick coffee break. Their reasonably priced, aromatic cups of coffee are the perfect accompaniment with a book, or while watching the world go by.

Though a few days ago, my mum and I decided to try some of the food they had to offer. Plan B is located right next to Starbucks, on the Ground Floor of Bangsar Village, facing Jalan Telawi 1. Do take note, that Plan B is immensely packed at peak hours - so make a reservation or you might be turned away.

You won't have to worry about running dry at Plan B. Each table is provided with a big jar of water, which will keep you going till the end of your meal. Furthermore, despite having a food menu which is 'halal' in nature, they serve alcohol to accompany your food.

My mum ordered herself Moroccan Meatballs with Mint Yoghurt, worth RM15. Though a starter, this dish was big enough a portion to have been considered a main course. The tangy sauce and yoghurt mix was the perfect accompaniment to the large, succulent meatballs and crisp bread.

I ordered myself the Spicy Crabmeat Linguine, worth RM19. The pasta al-dente, and was scented with lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves. Mixed in were pieces of tomato and crabmeat, though not in abundance. The pasta was also dressed with spiced prawn oil, though I could not taste it due to the overpowering scent of the lemongrass and lime leaves.

On the whole, I felt that Plan B did offer some interesting stuff on their menu, and what we had did taste good, though not fantastic. Furthermore, the service was rather slow, and the place was overcrowded. Maybe my mum and I would rather stick to their coffees for now, though feel free to eat there if you wish to try it yourselves.

Presentation: 7/10

Ambiance: 6/10

Service: 5/10

Overall Taste: 7/10

General Impression: 6.5/10

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Cheers,

BrianandRepublic

MIGF 2010 @ Neo Tamarind

As a foodie, one of the events that I look forward to the most is the Malaysian International Gourmet Festival. I make it a point every year, to pay homage to two different restaurants. This year however - just like the last, I only had a chance to visit one. I paid a visit to Neo Tamarind, Restaurant & Lux Lounge a week ago with a friend of mine. Neo Tamarind is located along Jalan Sultan Ismail, opposite Equatorial Hotel.

We were treated to a spectacular gastronomic feast, one of which I've never had before. The 6 course menu costed RM155 per person, without wine. The only problem I had was that the surroundings were way too dark for my camera to operate properly. I took a few shots…but gave up in the end. Therefore, I was not able to take a picture of every course served. My apologies.

We while waiting for our feast to begin, we were treated to Warm Bread, paired with Hummus and Tomato Salsa. The hummus was rich in flavour with a hint of lemon, and with the chickpeas gridded to a perfect consistency. The tomato salsa was sweet, with the coriander adding freshness to it.

Then we were served a pair of complimentary appetiser. The appetiser consisted of Crispy Salmon Flakes with Pickled Green Tomatoes, which provided a nice balance of sweet and salty.

Our first course was the Samhadi Rainbow Gnocchi with Zucchini Ribbons and topped with Truffle Oil, Fine Herbs and a Balsamic Reduction. The different colours of gnocchi had different flavours, respectively. The gnocchi was soft, and its flavour was enhanced by the truffle oil and wild flowers.

Our second course was the Semi-Raw Agent. This dish contained Seared Crusted One Side Tuna Loin topped with Sakura Mix, Red Wine Jelly, and a glass of Wasabi Foam. There was an interesting combination of flavours and textures in this dish, with the sakura mix being crisp, the red wine jelly being soft and sweet, the tuna fish added a smoky flavour and the wasabi foam added a nice kick. The dish, as a whole, tantalised my taste-buds.

Our third course was the Hot Liquid Agent. This dish contained Poached White Cod Loin in Beetroot Broth and Prawns in Marscapone on a Sweet-Corn Coulis, topped with Avocado Oil and Black Ink Salt. The cod loin was well cooked and of a generous portion, though the beetroot juice purely added colour alone, to the fish. The prawns were plump and succulent, and the subtleness of the dish was a nice contrast from the previous course.

Our fourth course was the Hot Flame Agent. This dish contained a Melon-Mint Shooter as its centrepiece, decked with Duck Ribbon and Foie Gras, and a side of Blowtorched Watermelon and Sweet Potato Mash, topped with Orange Salt. The foie gras was pure decadence, though there was too much of orange salt which overpowered everything. The subtleness of the blowtorched watermelon and the melon-mint shooter, however, added some balance to my taste-buds.

Our fifth course was the Hybrid Agent. This dish contained a Cold Seared Scallop coated in Habanero Fish Roe, a serving of Matcha Foam, Grilled Grade 7 Wagyu Beef and a Port Wine Glazed Portobello Terrine. The centrepiece of our dish - the wagyu, was simply amazing - truly melting in my mouth. The dish consisted of a nice combination of hot and cold, though the scallop with fish roe was a bit too fishy for my taste.

Our last course then, was the Sweet Agent, which consisted of a Chocolate Truffle, a Green Tea Doughnut, a Warm Chocolate Cake with Candied Kumquat and a glass of Mocha Foam. The chocolate truffle was unusually cold, though it had a nice texture to it. The green tea doughnut however, was incredibly hard - and the chocolate cake, more hot than warm. The mocha foam truly was divine and on the whole, the dessert was a nice myriad of textures and temperatures.

My experience at Neo for the Malaysian International Gourmet festival was truly an unforgettable one. My palate was treated to a spectacle of amazing textures, flavours, temperatures which in the end - seemed to combine wonderfully into a big and wonderful ensemble of FOOD.

With the exception of the manager being a bit of a bitch (mind the language), and the incredibly dark lighting, I am definitely keen to come back for a taste of their a la carte menu. As for the MIGF experience…

a truly unique one indeed.

Pictures here, courtesy of the Malaysian International Gourmet Festival website.

Presentation: 9/10

Ambiance: 8/10

Service: 6/10

Overall Taste: 9/10

General Impression: 8/10

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Cheers,

BrianandRepublic

F for Fantastic

When asked to think of a word beginning with the letter F, most 23 year olds would have a nasty 4-letter word running through their minds. This, however, wasn't the case for Hsiao Tung Wei - a 23 year old graduate in diplomatic relations and the owner of F, Concept Dining by Buffalo Kitchens, right above Chawan on Jalan Telawi 3, in Bangar Baru.

To him, the letter 'F' symbolises Food, Friendship, Fusion and Family, and judging by the look of determination on his face you could see that he clearly wasn't 'screwing around'. I was told that the menu changes often, to allow diners to try out different items and I'm glad that this concept of dining has finally come to Bangsar.

The restaurant's interior was chic with mood lighting shining down from the ceiling, and the stainless steel pans along with the open air kitchen added a contemporary touch to it. Oddly enough, this was blended perfectly well with the wooden floors, chairs and tables that added a rustic feel to the restaurant.

Ladies won't have to worry about placing their handbags on the floor or on other chairs, as the bags can be placed on a special sliding platform that slides out from under the chair. The above picture was of my mother's bag, placed right next to her chair. Seeing as it was the restaurant's first day in business, the food took a little bit of time to arrive, but it came in the end, nonetheless.

The first dish to arrive, was our appetiser of Pan Seared Tuna Salad with a Miso Mustard Dressing, worth RM15. The dish, truly was like art to the eyes. The seared tuna was fresh, and the subtle sweetness of the dressing complemented both the tuna and the salad. The salad consisted of enoki mushrooms and lettuce, which provided an interesting variety of textures to the dish.

The next dish to arrive was the Duck with Homemade Soba Noodles, worth RM25. Though not as elegantly presented as the salad, this dish was no doubt the best rendition of soba noodles I've ever had. The combination of noodles with the small shitake mushrooms and what seemed to be a sweet miso sauce sent shivers down my spine. The only complaint I had about this dish was that the duck was slightly undercooked, though I would definitely consider ordering the dish again when I return.

Finally, we were served our dessert, which was a Chocolate Tart with Filo Pastry, worth RM10. The tart was pure decadence and was truly filling, despite being small in size. Upon tasting the bittersweet chocolate, you could tell that high quality chocolate was used. The only down bit to the tart, was that the filo base made the tart slightly hard to cut and eat. Though on the whole, the chocolate tart tasted brilliant.

The 23 year old owner Tsiao Tung Wei, told us about his future plans for the restaurant, such as providing cooking lessons in their kitchen and stocking up their book corner to allow customers to borrow books. He also hinted at the fact that the restaurant was packed on its first day, despite not having any front signage. Other than selling food, the restaurant also sells sells kitchenware by Buffalo Kitchens, and is known for their specially imported coffees - which I have yet to try.

On the whole, I can envisage a bright future for this interesting new restaurant, here in Bangsar. I know for a fact that I will definitely be back as I had a near-perfect experience at F Concept by Buffalo Kitchens. The food was superb despite the minor hiccups with the duck, and the ambiance was pure-class. F, concept dining by Buffalo Kitchens, is a must try.

Presentation: 9/10

Ambiance: 9/10

Service: 8/10

Overall Taste: 8/10

General Impression: 9/10

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Cheers,

BrianandRepublic