Of course, the opposite is also true - it means that Sydney friends and family can now come and visit without having to use up their entire holiday budget for the year. And so it was that just before Easter, an entertaining ex-colleague of mine came to KL for a week with her partner and a pair of food bloggers in tow.
On the one night our schedules managed to align, The Boy and I decided to take the troop to Changkat Bukit Bintang. You would not be an expat in KL and not know of this fantastic street lined with countless bars and restaurants and offering a lively energy no matter what night of the week. It's been six months now and we have still only been to a handful of places on the street, it is my goal to gradually make my way through the entire row and choose my favourite establishments.
This particular balmy evening we headed to Gypsy for a few drinks first. There are nicer bars in Changkat, but Gypsy has a good range of beers and decent happy hour prices, which is important when you are out with thirsty menfolk.
We then headed to the main event of the evening - dinner at twentyone kitchen + bar. The Boy and I had been there before for drinks a couple of times and I liked the wide upstairs balcony where you could sit and sip on a yummy cocktail from a big list and watch the world go by. Having done a bit of research into suitable places that might impress my foodie colleague, I had read some good reviews about twentyone's menu and so for some weeks had been looking forward to finally trying it out.
What we ate:
Entree (shared)
smoked duck and sour plum spring rolls - 16RM
king prawn spring rolls with a sweet chilli and tamarind dipping - 22RM
wild rocket with feta cheese and balsamic - 22RM
The duck spring rolls were a fantastic flavour combination, while I thought the rocket was a bit overpriced in comparison.
Mains (individual)
braised wagyu beef burger with tomatoes, onions, lettuce, pickles, rosemary crusted chips and gherkin aioli - 38RM
wild mushroom risotto with tempura of oyster mushroom and parmesan wafer - 34
pan fried salmon served on a potato croquette, tomato, asparagus and caper butter sauce - 38
There is one missing from the above list (2 of us ordered the risotto) but I have simply forgotten and don't have any photos to remind me. Verdict? Good.
The Boy was over the moon with his burger, so much so that I didn't get to try more than a small mouthful. The rosemary crusted chips were rough cut and had the right amount of crispiness on the outside.
I had the salmon (which I do have a photo of!) and it was the perfect size, even a little too large. The fish was slightly under-cooked which is the way I like it. The potato croquette was yummy and reminded me of arancini balls; the vine-ripened tomato juicy and the caper butter sauce was not too heavy and provided a nice background to the rest of the dish.
Dessert
passionfruit creme brulee with dark chocolate mousse and caramel - 18RM
tiramisu with mascarpone and chocolate moelleux - 24RM
I was pretty full but my sweet tooth wouldn't let me pass up the delectable dessert menu. The creme brulee made a pleasant crack just as it's meant to and the passionfruit flavour was a nice change from the usual.
My friend had the tiramisu and proclaimed it beautiful, and this coming from someone who doesn't even like tiramisu is high praise indeed!
All in all, we had a lovely night albeit having spent a bit more than our usual budget. You can probably order 3 courses and a drink for about 100RM each but we shared the entrees so it could be even less.
The menu is appetising and quirky with its XYZ, 3-course layout. Combined with an extensive cocktail and wine list, twentyone really has everything you need for a nice evening of wining and dining. The Boy and I already want to go back, we're just waiting for a special occasion so we can justify the splurge!
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