It is said music is food for the soul…perhaps
that’s the inspiration behind Lafite’s newly launched Beats and Brunch promotion on every first Sunday
of the month at the Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur.
Live
DJ music and free flow of champagne, wine and cocktails add to the merriment of
indulging in a fine brunch prepared by
Executive Chef Olivier Pistre. As we were among the privileged few to experience
Beats & Brunch recently, we went away impressed with the lavish, all-you-can-eat affair.
Who
wouldn’t be when chilled glasses of Veuve Clicquot welcome you upon
entry into the marbled confines of Lafite? Gasps of delight and astonishment
were heard as we gaped at the centrepiece: a glass column bearing a bountiful pile
of freshly shucked Cadoret oysters and
lemon wedges on ice, flanked by little bottles of Tabasco.
Brunch started off sumptuously with an amuse bouche of buckwheat seasoned cream and scrambled eggs flecked with smoked salmon, accompanied by oven-fresh
breads (so good but we had to restrain ourselves from stuffing ourselves with them!). A reverential hush soon descended as everyone savoured the lush
offering.
A cachet of signature
entrees fit for a king left us awed. We soon made
short work of our half of the Canadian lobster thermidor.
Gratinated with
a light creamy-cheesy stuffing, the natural sweetness of the slightly underdone lobster was so sublime.
The decadence brunch also saw us feasting on a slab of baked apple stuffed with foie
gras accompanied by a slice of chocolate-streaked
brioche. I daresay even Marie Antoinette would kill for such wicked temptations: a spoonful of oscietra caviar, appetising cold cherry tomato wedges with buffalo
mozzarella, chilled tomato gazpacho and green pea veloute.
My dining companion's Slow-cooked Lamb Shoulder with Red
Onion, Parmesan Gnocchi, Promegranate Gel and Lamb Jus was passable. It was unexpectedly eclipsed by the sumptuous Smoked Cohiba Grilled Wagyu Beef with Cauliflower Puree, Lemon Gel, Oyster & Seaweed Emusion.
Smoked
a la minute, Chef Olivier Pistre's beefy creation stood out like a gem at first
bite. Once I tried a mouthful of that, the remaining mains: Eggs Parfait Cooked
at 63°C with Asparagus Ragout and Veloute Parmesan, and Seared Cabbilaud (Cod)
simply paled by comparison.
Chocolate
Surprise was a befitting dessert choice to bring the curtains down on our classy
affair. The chocolate sphere looked plain and simple at first until hot
chocolate sauce was poured onto it. As the chocolate melted, we discovered the ball also
contained vanilla ice cream, fresh blackberries and syphoned chocolate on a bed of
Sable Breton (French shortbread) crumble.
Updated classic dessert of French Rum Baba - sponge
cake soaked in rum, syrup and orange, topped with Chantilly cream was a sight
to behold and mildly boozy to taste. Decorated with tufts of pistachio
sponge, fresh raspberries and raspberry gel, it was a nice treat to enjoy
prior to coffee.
There was also assorted eclairs with different fillings you
can help yourself to before dessert arrived. We just couldn't manage to fit in
more and decided to save our tummy space for the plated dessert.

Beats and Brunch at Lafite is priced at RM499 nett per person and
will be taking place every first Sunday of the month, from 12noon to 3pm. A
free flow of Veuve Clicquot Champagne, Terrazas
Reserva Chardonnay, Terrazas Reserva Malbec and
Belvedere Spritz cocktails is included. The next Beats & Brunch
sessions will be on 1 October, 5 November and 3 December 2017.
For reservations, call LAFITE, tel: 03-2074 3900. Address: Lobby Level, Shangri-La Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.