Spanish Octopus Salad.
If you don’t like vegetables, you might change your mind after trying the cabbage dish at Topshelf in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur. The Burnt Cabbage may not be pretty on the plate, looking a little burnt at the edges and all, but it’s the sum total of the whole that sears an impression on your palate.
The two chunks of cabbage have been braised in stock, then charcoal-grilled and served with white wine miso and chilli oil, topped with shaved truffle and bacon bits, resulting in a creation that’s nothing short of delicious. I enjoyed the burnt bits, the smoky creamy miso and the tough heat from the chilli oil.
Burnt Cabbage.
Besides this burnt cabbage, two other standout vegetable dishes on the menu that should interest vegetarians are the Grilled Corn on Cob with shaved cheese and curry butter, and the Grilled Lion Mane Mushroom with romesco and hummus.
The Spanish Octopus Salad is listed under “small plates” but it’s quite a fair serving. The octopus has been slow-cooked in olive oil and herbs till tender, then finished on a charcoal grill. Slices of the succulent and sweet octopus rested on a spicy harissa sauce with crispy duck fat potatoes. The harissa sauce of sun-dried tomatoes and chilli peppers complemented the octopus well. And, you can never have too many potato wedges fried in duck fat!
Chef Christopher Yee went for a holiday in Britain last year and discovered fregola (semolina pasta also known as giant couscous) in one of the restaurants there. Duly inspired, he came up with Freshwater Prawn Fregola with lobster bisque, which guests can now enjoy at his restaurant.
Freshwater Prawn Fregola.
The brilliant colours on the plate were dazzling − the orangey red freshwater prawn resting on a bed of rich deep yellow fregola “beads”, cooked in white wine, lobster broth and sundried tomatoes. Then, there’s also the toppings of black caviar and salmon roe.
Ideally, a meatier udang galah would have been good, but I’ll take what nature offers. My attention was on the fregola – smooth, crunchy and nutty – basking in the flavourful lobster bisque. I loved this dish and finished every last bit of the fregola.
Pistachio Mille Feuille Detail.
Our dinner ended with a new dessert − Pistachio Mille Feuille Detail, a mille feuille with cream patisserie, pistachio cream and thinly baked tuille. It’s a nice and light dessert, the cream and pistachio cream topped with roasted pistachio and wispy tuille, yielding a little crunch while the moist black currants added sweetness.
All these four dishes are available on the new menu at Topshelf. Of course, you may wish to select some wines from the wine list to pair with the dishes to complete your French affair.
