Daily Grind. Bangsar Village. Sage. Gardens MidValley. One good Foie Deserves Another. Updated!

Foie Gras. Delicious chunks of fatty goose liver. The bad boy of fine dining. If your asked me about foie gras one year ago, I would have given you a cold, cold stare. "What? Eat forced fed duck's liver? Yucks!". I have to admit that my taste buds have changed a lot over the past few months. I used to be very quesy about food. No spare parts (innards and ofal) for me, Thank You Maam! That changed when I decided to try the wagyu beef and foie gras sushi at Senjyu. This will be my second and third attempt sampling this delicacy.

The first was at Daily Grind, at Bangsar Village and the following day, at Sage. This was my third visit to The Daily Grind. Gourmet Burger specialists. They ground their own meat for the burger patties (hence the name, Daily Grind) and it shows in their luscious, juicy meaty burgers. Their Malt and Peanut Butter milkshake is the most fun you can get while keeping your clothes on. Even their ketchup and Chili Sauce are handmade by themselves.


So, one crummy and dreary Monday morning, I dropped by BSV to get FBB's favourite tipple from Single (Malt) and Available (lovely name!), and decided to pop into The Daily Grind for my breakfast. I decided to order their Foie Gras Burger on a whim. Pan seared foie gras on top of a 180g beef pattie, served with Cranberry and Onion Jam, Portobello Shrooms and Fries. This is what I got:



Testosterone laden Macho sized Bad Boy gourmet Burger. The foie gras was pan seared with a loving kiss, creamy and rich with no powdery consistency. The beef pattie was as described by other blogs. Succulent, richly flavoured with the right hint of herbs. The buns not too dry, buttered. The shrooms and jam accentuated the creaminess of the liver and I was ecstatic.

Yummy stuff. What have I been missing so far? I ordered dessert, a double chocolate mousse pie. The crust of the pie was a tad too hard and the mousse was not moussy soft. It had the consistency of a frozen ice cream. Isn't mousse supposed to be light and fluffy, like biting into a piece of cloud? Maybe their version was different, but it was not what I had expected.

*Update! Met the owner at another event, and she has checked the pie and apparently the mousse was too thick and the storage temperature was too low. They are rectifying the problem even as you are reading this.


The next day, I trooped off to Sage, at Gardens MidValley, hoping to find some peace and quiet before I started work at 3pm. And my, my. what's on their lunch menu? Foie Gras with slow roasted duck breast. What a coincidence!


What I got was a piece of Francophile, debonair, Focoult spouting version of the foie gras. Creamy, opulent and decadent. It came with some juicy slow roasted duck breast with a thin slice of fat still stuck to the skin, surrounded by rocket leaves and a mustardy, tangy dressing that was oh so good! It all blended so harmoniously, I could hear a choir of Angels singing Mozart's Exutalte Jubilante when I bit into it. Marvelous.

The main course was Seafood Panachè with Rouille and Saffron Broth.


Have I mentioned before that Chef Kimura is a genius? If I did, I'll do it again. He's a genius. Seared Yellow Tail (Hamaki), Scallops (slightly seared, with almost raw insides), Sashimi like squids and clams. In a seafood broth flavourful and delicately infused with Saffron. There is a slight peppery tinge to the broth which takes away any fishy odour imparted by the seafood. I hate fish, but I loved this! The Angels disappeared and I was humming Trenet's La Mer.

La mer (the sea)
Les a bercés (has cradle/nestled them seagulls)
Le long des golfes clairs (along the clear gulfs)
Et d'une chanson d'amour (and with a song of love)
La mer (the sea)
A bercé mon coeur pour la vie (has cradled my heart for life)

Dessert was Baked Almond with Azuki (Hokkaido Red Beans) beans and Green Tea Ice cream. Superb. The Green tea Ice Cream was sublime. Smooth and refreshing with just the right balance of green tea and cream. Lovely way to end lunch.

There you are, two different foies, presented as a burger and a starter, but both beautiful in it's own way. The burger costs RM55 and the total bill after a bottle of sparkling water (sole) and the mousse pie, came to RM 83 (after taxes). Set lunch at Sage inclusive of Coffee, and a San Pellegrino, as usual, was RM 115 (after taxes). Add another 30 to the burger, you'll get to dine in an exclusive, swanky place where the waiters greet you by name, plus a starter, a coffee and an excellent dessert.