Shyam Thakur is seeking to change that.
Speaking with FMT Lifestyle, the Delhi-born entrepreneur said: “There’s a gap in Malaysia when it comes to Indian food. And we felt we could fill it. The idea was to pick traditional food from the various states of India, modernise them and serve them in a premium but affordable setting.”
Le Mirch, a modern Indian restaurant which opened last July, offers a menu that promises to take diners on a culinary tour of India.
Le Mirch’s use of Indian spices, sourced directly from Khari Baoli in Delhi, Asia’s largest spice market, unites all the dishes. This is consistent with the restaurant’s brand since “mirch” is Hindi for pepper.
Begin your dining experience here with the Le Mirch Signature Gin & Tonic. Their version however, is given an Indian twist with rose tea, star anise and cinnamon that infuse their flavours into the cocktail for a refreshing flavour.
Choose the Arrack Attack if you’re seeking something stronger. This cocktail features white rum, coconut liqueur, lime, banana puree and arrack, a distilled alcoholic drink native to India, Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia.
Now for some appetisers. One show stealer is the Watermelon Rasam. You read correctly. The juicy fruit and the South Indian traditional soup may seem like strange bedfellows, but this pairing of flavours is a culinary match made in heaven.
It is served chilled in a small brass kettle accompanied by a brass bowl filled with pickled watermelon and nasturtium flowers. As you pour the watermelon rasam into the bowl, a beautiful concoction will emerge, ready to awaken your taste buds.
The real star of the restaurant’s hors d’oeuvre show is undeniably the Chaat Trolley, a typical street food cart found throughout India.
A wooden box, complete with a portable mini gas stove, is wheeled directly to your table. This box of treats contains soulkadhi (a digestive drink made from coconut milk and dried kokum skins), palak patta chaat (fried spinach fritters), pani puri, tomato chaat (tomatoes and boiled potatoes) and mini potato dumplings.
All you have to do is lean back, relax and enjoy the show as the waiters prepare the food street-style right before your eyes.
For the main course, Le Mirch has a solid menu featuring various vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes such as the dal makhni, butter chicken, prawn chettinad and seafood biryani.
One dish that stands out is the Fish Alleppey. This is not the typical South Indian fish curry Malaysians are accustomed to. Native to the state of Kerala, it is a delicious thick curry cooked with coconut milk and raw mango.
At Le Mirch, this spicy and tangy dish is taken to another level with the milagai podi, a mixture of ground dry spices that adds a unique kick to the dish. The ideal accompaniment for this Keralan delicacy is fluffy steamed basmati rice. The fresh fish and melt-in-your-mouth gravy will leave you wanting more.
The Hyderabad Chicken Biryani is another offering to look out for. The basmati rice is fragrant and rich in spices and the chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender. Pour the hot chicken gravy over the rice and watch it vanish in mere moments.
The dish is prepared using the traditional Hyderabadi dum technique, in which the marinated chicken is layered with partially-cooked rice in a claypot sealed with dough for a slow, flavour-infused cook. This comes highly recommended.
Cap off your Le Mirch dining experience with the Chai Monk. This spirit-forward drink is a beautiful blend between the masala chai and Old Monk Rum, a smooth Indian dark rum. Served hot, the vanilla notes of the rum complement the spices in the masala chai.
Overall, Le Mirch’s fine dining experience and reimagined Indian cuisine make it a great place to enjoy flavourful meals with family and friends.
Follow Le Mirch on Instagram.
Le Mirch [non-halal]
Rooftop, Level 4, Avenue K
156, Jalan Ampang
50450 Kuala Lumpur
Opening hours
11am-11pm daily
Contact: 019-668 4528