BREAK FAST WITH CULINA BISTRO’S FESTIVE FEASTS

As a restaurant rooted in European classics, Culina Bistro weaves commendable local flavours into its culinary repertoire, befitting the season of Ramadan.

From 23 February to 19 March, the bistro offers two set menus alongside an à la carte selection for buka puasa. The four-course Festive Feast for two (RM198) is a sensible option structured with restraint and balance.

The meal opens with Oxtail Soup, made from Australian oxtail simmered in a lightly spiced broth. Carrot, celery and potato lend natural sweetness and body, while the collagen-rich oxtail is cooked to yielding tenderness.

Roti Jala follows; its lace-like crêpes made to order on the griddle then rolled neatly. Paired with a creamy, aromatic potato curry, the dish offers textural contrast: soft, airy folds against a warmly spiced sauce.

Available at a supplementary charge, appetisers such as Crab Cakes (+RM70), Pandan Chicken (+RM30), Seafood Tempura (+RM50) and Beef Bergedil (+RM50) cater to those seeking something richer or more indulgent to start with.

For mains, choose two main courses from a line-up that reflects Culina’s hybrid identity: Ayam Percik, Beef Pizza, Butter Chicken, Clam Aglio Olio or Prawn Spaghetti.

The Ayam Percik is particularly noteworthy. Using organic, antibiotic-free lacto chicken, the meat is marinated for 24 hours with galangal, lemongrass and a measured blend of spices before being grilled in a Mibrasa charcoal oven. The result is succulent flesh beneath lightly charred skin, with a nice smokiness infused into the spice paste. It's a complete and substantial meal when partnered with nasi jagung (corn rice) and some zesty, crunchy achar (carrot and cucumber pickles).

Handmade fresh to order, the delectable Beef Pizza attests to the kitchen’s grounding in European techniques. 

The crust emerges properly blistered and crisp at the edges, spread with a savoury, slightly piquant sauce. Pepper-crusted beef slices, mushrooms and capsicum are applied with a generous albeit disciplined hand, allowing each component to shine through.

Desserts lean toward familiar comfort with regional nuance. Options include a Pandan Crêpe (+RM10), Flourless Chocolate Cake (+RM28), Kueh Bakar with coconut ice cream, Soft Serve Sulawesi Vanilla (+RM10), or a Dessert of the Day (+RM10).

The Pandan Crêpe is a contemporary riff of kuih ketayap — tender-soft pancake filled with candied grated coconut and cream. Accompanied by coconut ice cream and a scattering of crumbs for texture, it wraps the meal up on a nostalgic yet modern note.

Situated within The Shoppes at Four Seasons Place, the concept at Culina merges gourmet market and bistro with tasteful coherence. Premium meats from Australia, New Zealand and Korea, seafood from France, artisanal cheeses, olive oils and baking provisions are displayed across specialty counters — from butchery to delicatessen. Diners may even select cuts or seafood from the retail section to be prepared à la minute by the Culina team, an approach that underscores transparency and ingredient confidence.

Open daily from 11.30am to 9.30pm (last order 9pm), Culina Bistro offers a thoughtful Ramadan experience; anchored in good produce and adept techniques, with just enough festivity to mark the fasting month season without losing its culinary compass.

For reservations at Culina Bistro, call tel: 03-2779 7313. Address: B1, Shoppes at Four Seasons Place, 145, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur

DE.WAN 1958 INFUSES CNY SET MENUS WITH MUHIBBAH SPIRIT

Chinese New Year menus shaped by regional pride and the personal touch of Malaysia’s most recognisable culinary raconteur take the limelight at De.Wan 1958 by Chef Wan.

Three set menus priced at RM1288++, RM1588++ and RM1988++ per table of 9-10 persons are available; specially conceived for those who prefer something different from the usual Chinese fare or wish to celebrate in true Muhibbah spirit with non-Chinese friends. (Note: CNY set menus not available at TRX outlet)

De.Wan 1958 at Bangsar Shopping Centre is the epitome of style and taste, with the IG-worthy interior exuding clubby library vibes at the entrance before segueing into a spacious dining space. Vintage colonial era fans move languidly and warm lighting at strategic spots give way to a warren of tastefully furnished private dining rooms.

Most befittingly, our preview of the RM1288++ menu commenced with Golden Jade Prosperity Toss: an astute composition of vibrant hued vegetables and crisp snow pear. 

Pulled together by orange honey, sweet red chilli and nutty gado-gado sauce in addition to crushed peanuts and sesame seeds, the refreshing yee sang salad is a nod to the archipelago’s influences.

 
The same sense of joyful plurality runs through the meal. As a platform for telling Malaysia’s food story in full colour, and sweet, tangy and spice-laced flavours, each dish at De.Wan echoes those of home cooking, elevated without losing its soul.

 
Rice, always central to Malaysian meals, comes in two symbolic expressions: Nasi Bunga Telang, tinted jade-blue with butterfly pea for wisdom and fortune, and Nasi Pandan Delima, liberally studded with raisins and pomegranate, for vitality and wealth. The ideal foil to capture the lush flavours of the myriad main dishes.

Immersed in an aromatic green gravy, the braised Signature Green Lamb Opor entices with fork-tender meat redolent with the warm, hearty richness of spices and coconut milk.

Equally noteworthy is Auspicious Jumbo Sotong – succulent calamari pieces simmered in coconut milk and coastal spices – boast more delicate depth; the sublime flavours unfolding with each bite.

Fish, a perennial symbol of abundance to the Chinese, arrives as Five Blessings Steamed Siakap. Its clean, delicate flesh is enlivened with a fragrant topping of chilli padi, lemongrass, ginger and tomato. The harmonious balance is thoughtful rather than showy, allowing culinary and symbolic facets to take centrestage.

Delicious fried chicken pieces acquire extra appeal in the taste and colour spectrum with the accompaniment of glossy orange-butter sauce, creating a most winsome Golden Orange Treasure Chicken.

 
The assertive umaminess of fermented shrimp paste meets wok-fried greens, ensuring the Four Treasures Belacan King Vegetables an agreeable inclusion for the celebratory menu.

Dessert keeps things light and rooted in the tropics. Tropical Jewels of Longevity offers sun-ripened fruits, while little bowls of soft Gula Melaka Sago Pearls deliver subtly sweet indulgence without excess.

 
Toast to the Fire Horse Year with two specially concocted drinks: Jade Lychee Sparkle and Imperial Lychee Sparkle (RM15++ each). The first features refreshing lychee with watermelon and lime, infused with mint and pandan, topped with soda and finished with lychee and edible flower. The latter has lychee, grenadine, lime and mint with fresh orange pulp, adorned with dried orange slice, promegranate and edible blossom.

 
Signature Cucur Udang and Kerabu Paku Kerang round out the experience, grounding the menu in unmistakably local nuances. The huge, crispy prawn fritters are an unmissable appetiser for any visit to De.Wan. Young fiddlehead fern shoots coupled with cockles tossed in invigorating mixture of kerisik, (toasted grated coconut), shallots, torch ginger flower and lime juice is another must try option.

Dining at De.Wan 1958 is more than a mere meal. It speaks of a truly Malaysian story, told through the unmistakable voice of its owner-chef; a genial host who knows prosperity tastes best when it’s shared. 

For reservations at De.Wan 1958, visit the link below: 
https://www.tableapp.com/de-wan-1958