An Orgasmic Five Movement Symphony. Pris-Fixe Dinner. Cilantro, Micasa All Suite, KL.

(no pork served)

Bird of Paradise

There is something intensely sexual about a good dining experience. From the smacking of lips, licking of fingers, the sighs and moans of pleasure, the mixing of bodily fluids with the food right down to the pleasure of evacuating it. A labour of sorts as penance for seeking fulfillment from carnal gustatory pleasures. A dull Saturday saw me trudging to see solace from food at Cilantro. It had been quite a few months since my last visit and the menu has recently been revamped.

The menu at Cilantro is very seasonal and also very intensely rich, indulgent and opulent. Their Degustation menu comes with 6 to 7 courses that might be very daunting even for a person with a voracious appetite. It is heartening to know that they have recently introduced a Prix-Fixe Menu where diners are given a choice of 2 starters, one mains and a dessert from the a la carte menu.

Smoked Ocean Trout with Salted Kelp

The food was contemplative and serene and dinner as usual, a beautifully ochestrated symphony that began with a lovely, fleeting prelude of a small piece of Smoked Ocean Trout with Salted Kelp as an Amuse Bouche. The Trout was smooth and natural oily, and the natural succulence played with the ocean flavours of the kelp animatedly to ensure that interest was maintained for the rest of the meal.

Sous Vide Baby Abalone with Daikon

The second movement was Sous Vide Baby Abalone with Daikon, the perfect amalgamation of thermodynamics, microbiology and culinary arts. The Abalone was placed inside a vacuum pack and immersed in a warm water bath below boiling temperature and cooked under low heat for a prolonged period of time, cooking the ingredient while maintaining the integrity of the abalone and getting rid of harmful bacterias that might putrefy the abalone prematurely.

The result of this is a beautiful piece of Baby Abalone, buttery soft in consistency while maintaining it's chewy elasticity with enhanced pristine, natural flavours. The beautiful abalone juice was absorbed by the daikon which acted as a sponge. The dish was topped with a piece of slightly salty duck ham that resembled a folded origami corner. It was the perfect introspective ensemble, the Andante Sostenuto e Molto Cantabile of the second movement.

Mentaiko Angel Hair Pasta

The Third movement was a more pedantic Largo, the Mentaiko with Capelli d'angelo. The richness of the Mentaiko Roe was brought up to a magnificent crescendo with the help of some butter and some seafood. Togarashi (Japanese Five Spice Powder) and Dried seaweed strips played the part of Prozac which lifted the dish out of it's somber mood by adding a dimension of capricious vivacity. This was a decadently rich dish without being cloying and played the part of a melodious Largo served with al dente pasta.

Both entrees were paired with Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc (House Pouring) which had a rich bouquet of passion fruit and lyches and vibrant acidity with some hints of leaves.

Chateau Pinchon and Mouton Rothschilds peeking out from the cellar, guarded with a coded entry lock system.

The Wine list at Cilantro is generously extensive. Particularly drool worthy Bordeaux are the Premier and 2nd cru wines from Paulliac, the eldest which is still in their adolescence. Margauxs and the two Saints are not particularly well represented but was made up for with some beautiful Borgognones.

Roast Pigeon with Hatcho Miso and Kinome

The Fourth Movement was an Allegro Vivace for Mains. It was a beautiful medium roasted deboned pigeon resting on some Miso and sprinkled with some Kinome leaves, served with potatoes. The meat of the perfectly roasted was so perfectly tender and the flavour of the pigeon was simply astounding. Such purity, such beautiful texture. The kinome played the role of an experienced lover who coaxed the bashful pigeon out of shyness. The pigeon played along and once shed of inhibition dominated the game and turned this dish into an orgasmic hedonistic feast.

The Pinot Noir

The Pigeon was paired with a glass of Beutiful Louis Jardot Borgognone Pinot Noir (House Pouring). Ruby in colour, with predominantly berry notes and a slight greenish mossy undertones. It had medium longevity on my palate and accompanied the Pigeon Beautifully.

Cigar Room

The final movement, the Dolce was A beautiful Pistachio Souffle puffed up with pride and confidence, served with Bitter Chocolate Gelato. And complimentary petite fours were mini canalles and chocolate truffles.

Clockwise from top left: Rose, Pistachio Souffle, Exterior of Cilantro and The Bar.

Another beautiful meal by Chef Takashi, and as usual, the service in Cilantro under the watchful eyes of Jason was faultless and impeccable. It is hard not be effusive when served a meal like this. Obviously the Chef had put in a lot of effort to come up with the menu. He has studied, subdued and tempered all the ingredients and forged them into little notes in his Symphony. Bravo to another masterpiece.

Dinner was RM 245++. With San Pellegrino, coffee and wines was RM 370.

Cilantro Restaurant Wine Bar,
MiCasa All Suite Hotel,
368-B, Jalan Tun Razak,
50400 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tel: +603 2179 8082