Hide KL, as the name suggests, is a quaint little restaurant somewhat hidden in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, behind a cleverly placed painting/door at the concourse of Ritz-Carlton Residences (not the Ritz-Carlton Hotel – don’t make the same mistake this reviewer did!).
The establishment opened in 2020 and is headed by chef Shaun Ng, a law degree holder turned restaurateur. Ng apparently spent time honing his craft at Michelin-starred restaurants such as Le Bernardin in New York and Kato in Los Angeles.
Hide KL is classy, cosy with slightly over a dozen diners at any given time, and very intimate. The seating arrangement is such that you get a good view of the kitchen and the food preparation counter. Chefs and servers will then bring your food over to explain them to you.
The experience is like a cross between seating in front of a sushi chef and being hosted by a close friend in an open kitchen: very warm, friendly, and interactive.
When the writer visited, the tasting menu – which changes from time to time – comprised an intriguing and exotic lineup spelt out as follows:
- Pineapple, Rum, Campari
- Ikura, Mud Crab
- Black Truffle, Comte
- Black Truffle, Uni, Dadinho
- Scallop, Caviar, Dashi
- Uni, Clam, Chawanmushi
- Kinmedai, Hotaruika, Meuniere
- Hokigai, Razor Clam, XO, Koshihikari
- Silver Hill Duck, Sunchoke, Savoy
- Yam, Banana, Sweet Potato
- Kaya, Horkasai, Coconut
- Petit Fours
The amuse-bouche, a one-spoon mocktail, kicked off the meal and awakened the senses; while the onion brioche with homemade butter was sweet, warm, and made for a beautiful opening to a highly anticipated evening.
This was chased by an exquisite trio of appetisers that provided the kind of umami explosion you’d expect from ingredients such as caviar, crab, cheese, and black truffle.
The uni (sea urchin) and black truffle, meanwhile, elevated the heights of savouriness to a whole other level.
More seafood followed, with clam and uni on top of a perfectly steamed chawanmushi. And then it was the first of the main dishes with kinmedai – a splendid Alfonsino fish- and hotaruika (firefly squid) in meunière, a delectable French sauce: well cooked and perfectly done.
The next couple of dishes were intrepid experiments using ingredients from various culinary cultures. The razor clam and fried Japanese rice, for instance, was spicy and absolutely delightful – a bold break from the more subtle, understated offerings one might expect from a fine-dining experience.
For meat, the famed Silver Hill duck from Ireland was dry aged and expertly prepared, served with a sauce from apple reduction. It was done just right, with the duck skin perfectly charred and crunchy – wholly satisfying.
Dessert was a trio of playful creations that involved sweet potato, kaya, coconut, and more. They were certainly appropriate for the occasion and provided a more-than-satisfying ending to a memorable night.
In fact, the whole experience will leave you wondering: how many lawyers are better-skilled in the kitchen than in the courtroom?
Find out more about Hide KL by visiting its website and Instagram profile.
Read the original article here. Trying to influence your cravings since 2005, Kar Yeong was Guest Judge on Versus 1001 Rasa Baba’s 2018, R.AGE Food Fight Judge 2015 and NTV7 Foodie Blogger 2014. To read more about Kar Yeong’s food journeys, visit his blog at KYspeaks.com.