Urban’s
signature appetiser Element of the Sea by Chef de Cuisine Sharusmizal bin
Mohamed Salleh reminds me of Malaysia-born, Australia-based chef Cheong Liew’s
famed Dances of the Sea, a ground-breaking quartet of Mod Oz appetisers as
opposed to Chef Sharusmizal’s contemporary European creations.
Our
maiden visit to Urban was heralded by two molecular gastronomy-type amuse bouches: freshly shucked Oysters topped
with Seaweed & multi-colour ‘pearls’, and spoonfuls of spherical pumpkin
purée that look deceptively like egg yolks.
Weightier in substance and taste is Arborio Rice with Grilled Squid and Diver Sea Scallop. The creamy, slightly nutty grains prove ideal to amplify the lushness of the sautéed girolle (chanterelle mushrooms) and tranches of black truffle.
Another
main to reel landlubbers in is the speciality of Red Mullet. Paired with butter
poached tiger prawn, the delicate fish sweetness tastes stellar amidst tomato beurre blanc sauce, silky mash potato, crustacean
powder, salted cod croquette, jumbo asparagus and confit tomato.
To liven up the trad side of sautéed Savoy cabbage, the chef
springs a delightful curveball into the equation by proffering a savoury beef
bacon-flavoured crème caramel in place of the requisite starch or carb.
Dessert
options are worth savouring too and should rightly pique the interest of the
sweet-toothed. I’m partial to Thousand Layer (RM45 nett) – a prettily stacked
creation of crisp, paper-thin mille feuille
layered with colourful mandarin orange cream and exotic fruits. An ethereal but
almost guilt-free meal ender.
Weekdays
also see Urban as a quick lunch refuge for the white collar crowd in the city.
The Weekday Lunch Express (RM59 nett) pulls them in with a choice of Chinese
fusion, Western or Japanese set. For the Chinese fusion and Western set, diners
can select an appetiser to go with a main and a dessert. Those who opt for the
latter have two different bento boxes to choose from.
For
reservations, call URBAN restaurant, tel: 03-2141 9988. Address: Lobby Level,
Hotel Istana Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 73, Jalan Raja Chulan, Kuala Lumpur. www.hotelistana.com.my