Live
music has a new home at Bobo Kuala Lumpur – a cosy restaurant with a ‘hidden’
speakeasy bar cum lounge upstairs in one of Ed Soo’s repertoire of F&B
ventures in Bangsar’s Bangkung Row.
Bobo
marks a significant ‘coming of age’ phase for Ed who has always nursed a much
cherished dream of combining his different passions: food, wine, art and music
into one single entity over the years. As serendipity would have it, Ed met renowned
Malaysian thespian and entertainer Sean Ghazi at a dinner party and the rest
was history.
Only
an ardent art lover and collector like Ed Soo would conceptualise a restaurant
around his treasured artistic masterpieces. From the ambient lighting to the
minimalist furnishing in the restaurant, visual feasts abound in Bobo.
Named
in honour of Ed’s fave huggable stuffed doggy Bobo (it occupies a discreet
corner in the little lounge next to the balcony), the resto’s ambiance exudes
as much charm and conviviality as its tasteful, worldly owner.
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| Local music talents take centrestage at Bobo KL |
The
pride of Bobo KL is the music lounge complete with a curtained stage, top-notch
sound-proofing and high-ceilinged ambient lighting (proof of Sean Ghazi’s
expertise), the resultant acoustics and overall vibe are second-to-none. No
wonder local musical talents like David Gomes, Izlyn Ramli and Sean G (yes, the
man himself!) have taken to Bobo like bees to honey.
After
an effusive welcome, Ed got his culinary team to conjure up a repertoire of
starters for our sampling. Red and white wines accompanied our companionable
evening, amidst cordial chit-chat and bouts of cheery laughter.
Soon
we were inundated by a melange of textures, flavours and tastes as the plethora
of appetisers appeared. My personal vote goes to the unconventional Bobo’s
Caesar Salad (RM28) - a wicked composition featuring a mound of velvety
parmesan mousse atop a crouton base.
Crowned
with shredded romaine and a baked parmesan wafer on the side, the supporting
cast for the wondrous speciality included a strip of anchovy, parmesan
shavings, dollops of aged balsamic vinegar and savoury dressing.
It
was a naughty way to get non-vegetable eaters to eat greens as there was more
of that rich umami mousse than lettuce! Still, a few more leaves of romaine
would go down even better.
Coming
in a close second is the Charchuterie & Cheese Board (RM39), a platter
guaranteed to make fromage fans go
weak at the knees. A robust red
is best to down with the irresistible cured meat cuts and cheeses.
We were amply satisfied by the big, boldly
flavoured chorizo de pavo (fermented, cured and smoked Spanish sausage),
salchicón de pavo (cured summer sausage), cecina de vacuno (air-dried
beef), manchego (Spanish semi-soft cheese made from sheep’s milk),
mahón
(Spanish semi-hard cow’s cheese) and nectar-sweet rock melon.
Plump
and brimming with hints of their deep-sea origins, you can’t go wrong with
Fresh Irish Oysters (RM38) here. Shucked and served on the half shell with a
splash of olive oil, black pearly caviar and if you wish, a squeeze of lemon
juice, the slickly smooth molluscs go down a real treat.
Decadently
voluptuous on the palate, we raved over the slab of Foie Gras Pate (RM45); the
chicken liver pate’s unctuous richness aptly balanced by the attendant
cranberry sauce and onion marmalade. A serving is ample enough for sharing, to leave
your tastebuds well-primed for other good things to come.
The
bright and cheery tangerine hue of Salmon Crudo (RM34) demands full attention
and rightly so. Drizzled with olive oil and horseradish cream alongside dainty
dots of horseradish cream, some micro herbs and salmon roe, the simplicity of
this raw fish dish again underscores the ‘less is more’ maxim.
If
you prefer warming up with hot stuff, Polenta Fries (RM24) with Lemon Truffle Aioli
or Arancini (RM28) should do the trick. Personally, I’ve never been partial to
cornmeal but the thick, golden batonnettes came up trumps once dipped into the
aromatic and creamy aioli.
The
Arancini also ticked all the requisite boxes: crispy crumbed shell – checked, ball-shaped
soft, slightly nutty risotto – checked, a melty, oozy buffalo mozzarella filling
– checked, tangy chunky tomato sauce – checked.
Choices
are aplenty when it comes to mains but I readily vouch for the show-stopping Crisp Paupiette of Barramundi (RM75).
Imagine sinking your teeth into sweet, flaky barramundi flesh enrobed in crisp,
wafer-thin layers of baked potato. Tender braised leek and shallot in red wine
sauce with fresh sprouts lift the dish to heady gastronomic heights.
Red meat enthusiasts will put their hard-earned
money on Herb-crusted Rack of Lamb (RM75). Pink at the core, the meat’s
juicy tenderness stood out in agreeable contrast with asparagus spears and
dauphinoise potatoes (sliced, layered and baked au gratin potatoes with garlic, butter and cream). A little bowl of
lamb jus is served on the side to lend flavourful depth.
Garlic
and bits of bird’s eye chilli imbued Spaghetti a la Bobo (RM42) with
discernible aroma and heat. The aglio olio preparation is switched up with
succulent scallops, squid and prawns in addition to cherry tomatoes. A
sprinkling of toasted breadcrumbs and chopped Italian parsley lends a subtle
finishing appeal.
We
had high hopes of the Moules Mariniere
(RM58) but the mussels’ delicate freshness barely made an impression. Possibly
because we were wishing for lashings of white wine sauce to smother the
shellfish and those tiny dices of leek, celery, carrot, and onions? You know,
put those freshly sliced baguette to good eating. LOL.
Dessert
can be partaken at the lounge upstairs upon request. At Ed’s persuasion, we did
just that…although I daresay we were far too distracted by the intimate
environs and melodious renditions of Malaysia’s piano man aka David Gomes that
evening. Hence no photos – only ebullient memories that make me yearn to
return. Music to Ed Soo’s ears, yes?
For
reservations, call BOBO KUALA LUMPUR, tel: 03-2092 5002. Address: 65-1, Jalan
Bangkung, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur. Latest music performance updates in www.facebook.com/BoboKualaLumpur
