Shucked - oyster bar at Gardens Midvalley

I like oysters and had only developped the taste for these the last years I was in France. In Malaysia, eating oysters is still something of a luxury and a reserved activity for certain occasions.

I saw this oyster bar by chance while waiting for a friend at the Gardens and so I decided to check it out...

The variety of oysters offered was good but the price was very steep. The listed price does not include taxes. Well, anything for a one-time experience...I always had fin de claire when in France but Irish oysters were new to me so I had decided to give it a try - 3 pieces of them (Galagher) cost RM55 on the menu, ending up at RM64 after tax so it is RM20 plus a pop - not at all the kind of price one should be paying for eating out of a stand with cheap IKEA cutleries and cheap paper napkin to wipe off their hands (what, not even cheap scented wet towel in plastic packets to wipe your fingers after consumming oysters??? - see pix below)

The bar..."minimalist" at best. 

Honestly, I would have liked it better served the French bistrot way: with butter, bread and mignonnette sauce. That was not the biggest setback: they killed the oysters before serving, completely destroying the texture and flavour of the oysters as the sea water that gave part of the taste of the oysters was also discarded. The plump-looking oysters in their shell looked like a clump of shrivelled dead oysters in a cloudy juice of damaged oyster meat. They were removed completely from their shells and then put back into their shells before serving. The explanation given: Malaysians are too scared of eating live oysters. Utter disappointment. I couldn't tell if the oysters were really fresh or not...and the staff had to argue their ways are the way to do it (I am wishing the owner of the outlet good luck for the future).

Verdict: Go buy some fresh oysters and shuck them yourself would have been a cheaper and more satisfying option...lemons are cheap and sold everywhere! (plus you get to wash your hands after eating)

Rendez-vous at Bangsar

Tucked at the corner between Jalan Maarof and Lorong Maarof in Bangsar Kuala Lumpur is Rendez-vous, a new French restaurant in Kuala Lumpur. I went about two weeks ago to check out the place with two friends and here's the result:

Asked the owner why such a "kitsch" (tacky in French) decor (with a tourist Eiffel tower) and he replied to break away from the association of fine dining and French food, which tends to drive the more common crowd away. I agreed on one thing: it doesn't have to be fine dining (cost on service and decor) but the food needs to be good...

Then again it need not be borrowing concepts from gourmet restaurants: tasters or amuse-gueule. In this case tiny crostinis in huge dinner plates. For me, wrong foot in using cheap gimmicks...

Ordered a strawberry daquiri - no complains

I came for this: oysters. Though the presentation was interesting, I find it cumbersome. Oysters are reasonably fresh for the distance they have to travel from France to Malaysia but they are not exactly "plump" (They tend to shrink a bit in volume once they are kept longer than they should alive. That also explains why certain places freeze their oysters -easy to open and no risk of shrinking). At RM40plus half a dozen (minus tax), it was not that expensive...

Here's how fresh oysters should look like...

If the oysters are not alive, eg look "shrunk" or lifeless, don't consume - in this photos they tend to spread out well over the shell and look plump. They also should have nice translucent colour and smell freshly of the ocean. Those featured here are fin de claire, one of the most consumed type in France.

I always enjoy a good moules frites (mussels served with fries) but helas, this was a disappointment: there is way too much "soup" in the bowl and that drowns the sweetness of the mussels (can't taste the wine at all), and they were way overcooked and too salty. I actually had better ones from cheap unknown bistros in France, way better ones.

Result: paid close to RM110 for 2 dishes and a drink (non alcoholic). You be the judge of its worthiness...

My friends had these:

A RM53++ menu:

a cheese quiche for starter

A salted cod brandade, bane of the uninitiated diner as my friend had chosen two things that were way too close in taste to each other. Had a small bite to figure out the flavour. Needs more work. I was transported back to my university canteen in France...

Île flottante or floating island, encore something which is sooo classically canteen dessert...or it reminds me of supermarket desserts from the cold sections...I would say dump the cumbersome and oversized dinner wares and improve on the taste. I agreed with the owner, fine dining it is not.

Another menu at RM89++

Duck confit...

Pan fried cod with asparagus - still reminds me of cheap bistro food...too much thick sauce everywhere.

The cheese was actually star of the show but way too skimpy (and yeah, drop that ugly tacky cheese board with the toy cleaver too)

This three course was served with a dessert of choice...

Confit of foie gras, in cans

Believe it or not, the French make very good canned foie gras and they are about the most consumed type of foie gras (called confit because of the slow cooking method), not only because of the delicate flavour of the liver being preserved but also because it is the most practical - chill, take out from the frigo, open the both ends of the can, slide out and voila! Instant gourmet cuisine.

Most supermarket chains in France produce their own lines for consumers, often in two different grades (price is a good indicator). They also stock brands from producers. For something special, one can often buy from speciality stores but the difference in prices would often make you think twice (though the taste is arguably better, only to the dicerning tongues).

Here are some...

 This is from a speciality store selling products from regional producers, guarantee of authenticity

 This is a common supermarket grade - believe it or not, tasting ten times better than any foie gras that I have tasted in Malaysia so far (even from expensive restaurants)...

 A slightly better quality type from local French producers (this one with port wine)

Those that come in glass jar are much better: this one has a famous chef lending his name to the marketing (also a supermarket brand). If you are at lost, always look for the AOP or AOC label, indicator of its geographic origin, a seal of authenticity (observe the small blue label with yellow fringe on the jar sealer above)

Once taken out from the can, they are cut with a special wire cutter (or any slim warmed blade) to avoid damaging the buttery consistency of the foie gras. Serve cold with toasted bread, savoury jams (usually onion jams but apricot and peach jams do equally well) and if you have, a swivel of balsamic reduction syrup....and to drink? Being a festive food, classically champagne if you are toasting, if not, a good Sauterne (classic choice) or any sweet wine like Monbazillac...They are often eaten at the beginning of a meal...bonne fête. 

Dinner at a 2 Michelin-starred Restaurant at Arbois (reblogged from July 2013)

My friend reserved a place for us to try out (for once at least in a life time) a 2 Michelin-starred restaurant in Arbois. It is a small town about 40 minutes drive from Besançon town and like all quaint little towns of France, extremely charming and rustic. If there isn't that much to brag about restauration in Besancon, this tiny little enclave has much to shout about: its famous yellow wine called "vin jaune", a wine with an interesting yellow tint and an earthy taste, another light claret wine called "vin de paille" or "straw wine" is equally famous for its sweetness close to a Sauterne...But the two biggest draw has to be the world renowned Hersinger Chocolate Maison and a 2 Michelin-starred restaurant called simply Jean-Paul Jeunet d'Arbois (namesake of the chef).

 View of the town centre in the evening...

 Outside of Hirsinger, right in the middle of the town...

 A sweet toothed person will have troubles in this shop...

 Nougat in all its possible incarnations...

 and fruit candies too...

 some remaining pastries and chocolate confisserie at the end of the day...

 Chocolat galore...the price is actually not as forbiding as one would imagine from an upscale chocolatier but it is never cheap to begin with...

 The name of the shop...

 and outside...

 Across the street, at a turn and this is a rather unassuming hotel/restaurant...

 Beautifully dressed room with a brigade of service to make sure everything meets the client's expectation. I ordered the tasting menu (lowest priced) at 110 euro...the waiters are extremely competent and will be able to address any requests, big and small...however, they'll never cease to try to push their expensive wines to you...

 A small tray of tasters called amuse-gueule to get things going...the fried quail egg was interesting but not shouting...the rest is a tiny window to the taste range of the region - summer tastes are typically linked to fenouil, aneth, artichokes, and wild flowers as well as regional products like the absinthe (a strong liqueur), jésus de Morteau (a large sausage) and vin jaune... the restaurant seems to concentrate on quality regional products used in imaginative ways.

 A trio of butter was offered to go with the meal: simple salted butter, seaweed infused butter and speciality sausage-infused butter (jésus de Morteau).

 Maquereau de Ligne Juste Poché au Beurre Citronné,

Sablé & Royale aux Graines d’Aneth Torréfiées,

« Chantilly » Légère à l’Absinthe

 Truffe d’Été & Artichaut Bouquet en Salade Décomposée,

Barigoule à l’Amande Fraîche & Fleurs d’Origan,

Croustillants d’Artichaut

 The summer truffles were crispy but they only have a faint perfume. The use of raw almond to balance the saltiness of the sausage and almond parfait was interesting.

 I chose this special bread - it is really yellow in colour because of the use of absinthe as a flavouring agent...

 ESCARGOTS DU PETIT MERCEY, BLETTES & ORIGAN

Etuvés au Beurre de Gingembre, Côtes de Blette Glacées, Tuile de Lard Cul Noir,

Petit Farci de Vert de Blette & Jus mousseux à l’Origan

 There are actually only 3 snails inside, perfectly cooked and prepared without a single trace of earthy sandiness. However, this is really a light dish, even for me who doesn't eat a lot.

 Entrecôte de Boeuf « Hereford Prime » à l’ Armoise,

« Farçon » au Jésus de Morteau Révisité

Radis Confit & Girolles Clous,

Beurre de Vin Rouge

 The beef was by far the most outstanding dish but again, too tiny for my liking. I actually had 5 entries (+ 2 light tasters and a selection of cheese) but felt like I didn't actually had that much to eat...

 Les Affinés à Souhait du Pays Comtois & de France: cheese as much as you can take.

 Chose a 24-month and 18-month Comté, a light blue cheese from the Jura and a smoked cheese from the Perigord...

 Abricots Bergeron Juste Pochés dans un Sirop Aromatique,

Blanc Manger à la Reine des Pré, Un Lait d’Amande,

Sorbet Abricot

La reine des prés, Filipendula ulmaria, is a wild flower that grows in wet habitat and has a rather strong aroma that needs getting used to.

 To finish, some tiny sweet things...

 Arbois is the birth place of Louis Pasteur...

 Some famous chefs came visiting...

 and the restaurant...