Le Sense is one of the few restaurants in the Klang Valley where dim sum is revered as an
art form. Restaurateur Chris Chew is so discerning when
it comes to the serving of these delicate morsels that patrons of Le Sense who
wish to sample the restaurant’s lunch-tasting menu (starting from RM138++ per
person) must make reservations at least two days in advance.
Before you scoff and think it's nonsensical, the request is more pragmatic in reality. The
culinary team needs time to source and buy the necessary ingredients and to prepare
the specialities for your lunch at Le Sense.
Understated and elegant, the interior of Le
Sense is accentuated with inlaid wood panels, beautiful oversized Chinese paintings, modern
pendant lights, and strategically placed side tables -- setting a befitting stage to
further enhance your dining experience.
In line with Chew’s exacting standards, every dim
sum item served bears testament to the resident chef’s skills and techniques, as
well as his meticulous attention to detail. Market-fresh, premium ingredients such
as amaebi (sweet shrimp) and kurobuta (pork from Japanese black
pig from the Berkshire breed), coupled with artfully made ‘produce’ such as dumpling
skins and house sauces result in some second-to-none creations.A fine example of this is the curtain-raiser of
Truffled Dumpling: a steamed charcoal-skin
Xiaolongbao brushed
with edible gold, placed atop a wafer-thin slice of yuba.
Bite into the dumpling’s delicate pleated
folds and you'd get a delicate whiff of the musky scent of truffle. Take care as you attempt to slurp up the deliciously sweet broth encased within - you won't want to waste a single drop of that precious liquid. For the final flourish, savour the juicy
kurobuta filling with the tender dumpling skin.
The bar of excellence rises further with Kagoshima Pork Dumpling & Fish Maw Bouillon. Stuffed
with delectable Kagoshima pork, the divine dumpling is nestled amidst slippery smooth
braised fish maw and the sweetest-tasting fish bouillon. An ensemble made
in culinary heaven.
The pace rolls nicely
along with Yuba Skin Roulade and Collagen Demi-Glace – a delightfully
crispy fried Japanese beancurd skin roll stuffed with chopped amaebi and Kurobuta. Rich, glossy pork bone sauce and crunchy snow peas ensure this offering underscore
deliciously distinct contrasts, taste and texture-wise from the earlier
speciality.
Marinated in a sake-shoyu
concoction then cooked to meltingly tender perfection, the Spanish Iberian
Jowl with Seasonal Organic Vegetables cuts quite a swathe with us. The enticing
umami accent blooms on our palate the longer we chew on the meat. Even the supporting
cast of green mustard stems,
lotus root, ginkgo, wood fungus and dried scallop threads, exudes ample
appeal of their own.
Dried sakura ebi
and fried onion atop the Daikon Radish cake (which has jamon and Kurobuta
incorporated in it) lend beguiling depth of flavours to this familiar homey treat. Little pieces of pickled green mustard that’s mutedly spicy-sweet help
to offset its richness. IMHO, the Crystal Prawn
Wonton with Smoked Dover Sole and Egg Noodles is possibly the closest replication of a good Hong Kong-style wantan meen in Klang Valley. Made with a
mixture of sweet shrimp and sea prawn, and smoked Dover sole for the elusive combination
of sweetness and desirable mouthfeel, the prawn wonton is scrumptious.
Made in-house and cooked
to the right toothsome texture, the fine egg noodles in a
nice clear broth and blanched greens are so soul-satisfying good you'd wish
the serving is somewhat a tad bigger.
To finish, the savoury
dessert of Yam Croquette is a show-stopper. Golden brown with a lacy-wispy
exterior, the powdery-soft Japanese mountain yam mash is filled with savoury-sweet
Iberico char siu.
A crisp, buttery and
mildly sweet Egg Tart serves as the finale to the
lunch-tasting menu. You can’t fault this on-point classic creation to wrap up
your meal.Diners are welcome to
bring their own wine for their culinary sojourn at Le Sense as there won’t be
any corkage charged. For bespoke dinner menus, prices will be slightly higher
so kindly call the restaurant for more information.
For
reservations, call Le Sense Restaurant, hp no: 018-268 2333. Address: 8, Jalan
SS 20/10 Damansara Kim, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.