Snugly
ensconced in the clubby confines of Gallo Wine Bar, it was surreal knowing we
were in KL’s suburbia. With recessed ambient lighting casting a honey-gold hue
on clusters of tufted Chesterfield leather sofas, exposed brick walls and
mirror ceiling within this wine haven, the debut of Gallo signals KL’s
increasingly sophisticated F&B scene.
Opened
in Dec 15, 2016, Gallo is a lifestyle wine bar tapping into today’s burgeoning youthful
and middle class segments who thirst for immersive experiences and aspire to
enjoy the finer things in life.
Conceptualised
by the F&B entrepreneurs behind The Monkey Bar, Fuzio Bar & Ristorante, Tetto Rooftop Lounge, Gallo
(which means rooster in French, Spanish & Italian) aims to be more than
a neighbourhood wine bar. Informal wine education is reputedly the main
focus here; cordially imparted through wine tasting sessions, samplings using different
glasses for wine tasting notes comparison and the art of matching wine with
food.
Of
course, wine enthusiasts will find Gallo a shoo-in for private sessions to
indulge in their passion. Cigar smoking is permitted at the bar and a
designated seating area as well as in the private enclosure which can be
partitioned.
Come
April, Gallo will have more than a hundred labels with 80% wine and 20% whiskey in its
cellar for savouring. Complementing the range of grape expectations is an
Italian fusion tapas selection.
Each month showcases a Wine of
the Month. For the entire month of March, Litoral
Leyda Valley Pinot Noir 2012 takes the limelight – a Chilean pinot noir (promo
price RM230++ per bottle; regular price RM310++). It's a pulling factor to spur return visits to Gallo.
A supple, smooth red with berry
and smoky tobacco nuances, the Chilean
pinot noir mimics a Burgundy-style red
with big, lush flavours. Sampled from a Bordeaux glass with a more slender
bowl, the wine expresses softer acidity. The
difference was obvious when we drank from the Burgundy glass – somehow the wine
yielded well-rounded complexity & tannic characteristics with hints of
savouriness.
We
detected the tipple’s umami overtone once we tried it with the inventive appetiser
of Cheese Crackers (RM18). Propped up like a wigwam, the gossamer-thin wafers
of grated then baked Parmigiano simply amplified the wine’s delicate umami smokiness.
While
not everyone can afford a chick magnet Lamborghini, they can always trump up
enough mollah for Gallo’s signature Lambor Guinness (RM18). This house
speciality of delicious lamb meatballs wrapped with duck bacon went down a
storm to complement the red. Rich and subtly sweet from the melding of
caramelised onion and creamy Guinness reduction, we shamelessly lapped up every
drop with the hunks of garlic toast provided.
In America, the classic comfort food of mac & cheese is a perennial fave. At Gallo, it's tricked up with with duck sausage, cheesy cream sauce & minced duck Bolognese to become a decidedly on-point Grown Up Mac & Cheese (RM35). Lusciously decadent with big, big flavours, what's not to like?
Occasionally, an Asian morsel or two makes the list of tempting morsels. One of the more popular options is Sea Prawns Yakitori (RM20), skewers of grilled prawns glazed with teriyaki sauce, spiked with lime zest and served with pickled papaya. Nothing to write home about except the housemade pickle was notable but hey, the local populace may beg to differ.
Carb loading is possible with choices like Mantau
Slider with Beef Brisket Asian Slaw (RM25) and Mantau
Slider with Smoked Salmon Cream (RM12). Again these hardly rocked our world but we concurred the young mango chilli aka Asian slaw deserved special mention. The guys probably would bank on these to fill them up we presume.
More bankable fallbacks include Mushroom Pizza (RM15) and Anchovies Pizza (RM15). The former flaunted crisp but not overly thin base slathered with tomato sauce, chopped button mushroom and melted cheese. A definitive crowd-pleaser.
Likewise, the latter came up to scratch with its droolworthy appeal amped up by musky truffle oil, briny pops of capers and a handful of fresh peppery rocket.
For textural crunch, try the Threesome Mushroom (RM18) - a delightful trio of deep-fried button mushroom coated in panko breadcrumbs, eringi grilled with
tomato concasse and portobello paired with crisp pieces of moreish duck bacon.
Dessert should be compelling for cheese lovers as Gallo takes pride in its Baked Brie with Berries (RM16). A superbly decadent treat which has a whole hunk of brie baked until slightly melty before it's served in a skillet, complemented by walnuts, blueberries and diced strawberries, toast points and syrupy berry sauce.
For reservations at Gallo Wine Bar, call tel: 03-7971 9005. Address: 5-1-1, Jalan 3/109F, Taman Danau Desa, Off Jalan Klang Lama, Kuala Lumpur. Open daily from 4pm-2am.
