GRAB GOOD BITES FOR LUNCH AT MARBLE 8

Now you can lunch like a boss at Marble 8. Meet your top dog match in a stellar main like Grilled Black Angus Fillet, one of the on-point Elite Gourmand Lunch options. Deftly cooked to medium rare doneness with a scattering of black and pink peppercorns, the scrumptious steak forms an enticing affinity with buttery cannelloni beans, spring onion and beef jus.

 

With an encompassing view of the city towering skyscrapers from inside Tower 3 on level 56, the resto's dark, austere atmosphere is evocative of an exclusive gentleman’s club. The main dining space anchors a long bar with tactile cow’s hide finish and a faux tree.  Groups of tufted, leather upholstered armchairs and dining tables, juxtaposed against marble and timber surfaces are parked throughout.

 

Make no bones about it, Marble 8 is an upscale culinary pedestal befitting the city’s captains of industry and ladies who lunch by day before the posh, see-and-be-seen set ascends by night. Stepping up to the power lunch plate, the resto has refreshed its weekday Elite Gourmand Lunch (RM78++ for 3 courses, RM118++ for 4 courses) and unveiled a new Grab & Bite deal.

Breaking bread goes up to a new level here. Only sheer willpower and good manners dictate one doesn’t overdo the stuffing down of those crackly sheets of lavosh, chewy sourdough slices, rustic sundried tomato buns, soft potato foccacia and crunchy taralli (Italian bread rings).

Like proverbial matches made in baking heaven, a quartet of alluring Italian dips: kalamata olive tapenade, sundried tomato & garlic, red capsicum and oregano-garlic vinaigrette stands ready to ramp up the appeal of that bready bunch.

 

A sobering choice of Virgin Mojito or Ice Lemon Tea helps to wet the Grab & Bite whistle while you weigh up the temptations available. Headline billing goes to the Wagyu Beef Burger — a no-contest choice for serious meat lovers who won’t have any beef with the hearty serving.

Switched up with melted vintage Cheddar cheese, caramelised onion, fresh rucola (rocket leaves) and sliced tomatoes, the delectable wagyu patty in pillowy sesame seed-flecked charcoal bun proves on-point. Unabashedly big, savoury flavours tinged with mildly sweet-peppery nuances burst through on each bite of the burger. By the time you make short work of the steak fries on the side, I guarantee you’d be grinning from ear to ear with gluttonous self-satisfaction.

Delicious alternatives from the Grab & Bite menu include Steak Sandwich with fresh rucola, mustard, parmesan and tomato confit; Crab Sandwich with Japanese momotaro tomatoes, fresh lettuce, truffle aioli and steak fries; or Polenta Fries with Truffle Butter with chicken financier and sour beetroot pesto.

Ambitious souls with loftier dining goals may do well to set their sights and palate on the Elite Gourmand Lunch. Get to grips with the 3-course appetiser, pasta and dessert deal or be a risk taker and roll with all 4 courses.

Depending on personal preferences, we reckon the ace appetiser is a tussle between Crab Salad and Burrata Cheese with Momotaro Tomatoes and Asparagus Salad. Prepped with fresh papaya and lemon mayonnaise, the former boasts lightly creamy sweet-tangy accents melding with winsome, whisper-light textures. Fresh, clean vegetal-fruity flavour and textural dimensions define the latter; paying homage to the ‘less is more’ maxim.

 

Pasta still has pride of place among lunchers here with four choices proffered, keto-diet be damned. The sublime Angel Hair Aglio Olio with Crabmeat is worth waxing lyrical over; the natural crabmeat sweetness is discernible when you bite into the endearing tangles. 

 

More downhome with countryside charm, the bankable Pappardelle with Mushroom and Capsicum Salsa underscore the timeless appeal of Italian food done right. Those broad pasta ribbons simply opens up to embrace the mushroom and capsicum’s lush, sweet earthiness.

 

 

The failsafe but no less delicious Chicken Leg Confit with sautéed mushroom and chicken jus, and Lemon Sole Milanese with sautéed vegetables and lemon rosemary sauce stand up to tasting scrunity too.

Sealing the gastronomic lunch deal is dessert of the day. It may range from the house signature of wobbly but divine Panna Cotta to an arty creation of Meringue with Yoghurt Gelato, Balsamic Reduction and Strawberries. Luscious, ephemeral textures and bright, pleasurable nuances that slip and slide across discerning palates — a nice curtain-call to galvanise the mind, body and spirit for the rest of the day.

For reservations, call Marble 8 on 56 Restaurant, tel: 03 2386 6030. Address: Level 56, Petronas Tower 3, KLCC, Kuala Lumpur City Centre.

 

NEW HOTEL PAINTS THE TOWN RED

Recognised by The Malaysia Book of Records, ‘The Tallest Mural in Malaysia’ graces the exterior of RED by Sirocco, a new 4-star boutique hotel in Kuala Lumpur. Painted in less than a month by local artist Kenji Chai, the eye-catching mural conceptualises the hotel’s Relax, Enjoy and Dream (hence R-E-D geddit?) approach to hospitality.

Located at Menara M101 in the retro Dang Wangi neighbourhood, the 143-key hotel is anything but old school. A welcome refuge for business and leisure visitors, RED by Sirocco reminds me of those quirky hipster boutique abodes in Taipei I had stayed in.

Pix courtesy of RED by Sirocco

Eclectic furniture and colourful art pieces by local artists are the norm rather than the exception in the lobby and key public spaces. The Grand Sky Ballroom on the 23^rd floor accords a breathtaking view of the city skyline including the solitary KL Tower.

 

The Grand Opening party got off to an auspicious, rousing start with a pair of luminous LED lion dancers performing the symbolic blessing ritual, to herald prosperity and good luck for the hotel. Then it was the RED squad’s turn as the hotel employees sportingly delivered a dynamic dance performance.

Datin Lea Chan (centre), CEO of Sirocco Hospitality Group, said “RED by Sirocco Kuala Lumpur is the new kid on the block, committed to provide the best hotel experience to our guests. We want to make sure everyone has 101 reasons to stay with us.”

For more information on RED by Sirocco, check www.facebook.com/RedbySirocco