Lunch @ Gaggans, Bangkok

I've heard a lot about Gaggan's progressive Indian Cuisine and how its taken Bangkok's Fine Dining Scene by storm. As such we were lucky enough to get a reservation for 2pm on my recent visit to Bangkok with a group of my friends. We were seated at the chef's table which gave us a full view of the Kitchen and how the chefs work their molecular cuisine.





We were all hoping to try Gaggan's tasting menu but had to settle for their set lunch menu because the Tasting was only offered at night.


Amuse Bouche: Egg but not Egg

Our Amouse Bouche came in the form of a White Gelatin Capsule that was suppose to taste like Egg but was made from Yogurt. The mock egg actually mimicked the flavor of poached Egg Yolk


Umami Oysters



Soft Shell Crab

The Crab was tender and crispy. The sauce tasted similar to a Sweet and Sour Sauce but with a hint of spicyness.


Truffle Mushroom Soup

The Soup had a light and creamy texture and had a very nice concentrated but clean Mushroom Flavor.


Risotto

The Risotto had a pretty nice Al Dente Texture and was very rich and creamy.


Chicken Tikka Masala

The Chicken was very tender and the Masala Gravy was rich and had the right amount of heat.


Fish Curry

I'm not sure what type of Curry it was but it was very good with the Fish. It was spicy but had a nice Tamarind flavor giving it a sour accent.


Naan

The Naan was really good. It had a nice crisp exterior and was fluffy on the inside. We were served both Garlic and Original Naan.


Aerated Chocolate Mousse

I actually really enjoyed this dessert. The Chocolate and White Chocolate Mousse had an intense flavor but the texture was really light.

We all felt the food at Gaggan's was good but it wasn't extraordinary. We hoped to try his more creative dishes but given we came during lunch the mene was obviously catered towards the business crowd which meant offering straight forward dishes at an affordable price. I definitely hope to visit Gaggan's again but this time for Dinner.


Food: 4/5
Service: 4.5/5
Ambiance: 4.5/5
Price: $$ (Approximately USD $25 per person)


Contact Information
Address: 68/1 ซอยหลังสวนถนนเพลินจิต, แขวงลุมพินี เขตปทุมวัน กรุงเทพฯ, 10330 10330, Thailand
Tel:+66 2 652 1700 ‎
Web: www.eatatgaggan.com/
Map:

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Journal by Plan B @ Publika, Solaris Dutamas

A sister restaurant to the popular Ben's, Journal by Plan B offers a mix of Asian and Western Comfort Food. From Soups, Salads, Sandwiches, Pastas and a number of Entrees there's definitely something for everyone.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

I really enjoyed their earthy mushroom soup. It had a nice semi-chunky texture.


Spaghetti Carbonara

The Carbonara sauce was really rich and creamy. The Spaghetti was cooked just right Al Dente.


Smoked Salmon Caesar Salad

We wanted our dressing on the side but they tossed it in. The Caesar Salad was crisp and the dressing tasted similar to Delicious.


Roast Beef Sandwich

My sandwich was served with Ciabatta Bread. The Beef itself wasn't as tender as I'd hoped but it was still very good. I did wish however they added a little more beef.

Food: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Ambiance: 4.5/5
Price: $$ (Approximately USD $20 per person)


Contact Information
Address: 65, Level G2, Publika Solaris Dutamas, Jalan Dutamas 1, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: +60 3-6205 5318
Map:

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Poor Service and Mediocre Food @ Villa Danielli, Sheraton Imperial

We've never visited Villa Danielli before and decided to give the place a try to use up our RM200 Starwood Privilege Voucher.


Bread Basket



Cream of Mushroom

The Mushroom Soup contained a blend of wild mushrooms that made it very earthy. It was my favorite of everything we ordered that night.


Beef Bacon and Mushroom Pizza

The crust of the Pizza was a little dense and firm. We did however enjoy the Pizza topping of smoky bacon, mushrooms and cheese.


Tuna Carpaccio

The Tuna Tartare was quite good. It came with Beef Slices that were topped with rock sea salt and a drizzle of a mayo based sauce.


Osso Buco

The Osso Bucco was so-so. The Demi-Glace Sauce was a little too salty for my liking. I did however like the Risotto Cake below which had a nice buttery flavor and a light crunchy texture.


Seabass

This was Itsaree's order and it was so-so. The Seabass was a little overcooked causing it to be a little dry.


Spring Chicken

The Spring Chicken was quite good. It was moist cooked just right and the jus gave it a nice earthy flavor.


Seafood Pasta

The Pasta was a little overcooked and tasted very bland.


Tiramisu

The Tiramisu was not bad. It was doused however with too much Espresso Powder on top. The Lady Fingers were soaked with coffee but we wished it contained some liquor like Rum.


Chocolate Heart

The cake did not resemble a heart at all and it was poorly done. It was suppose to be a Molten Chocolate Cake but the chocolate molten was solidified from being over baked.


Overall there were some good and some bad dishes. We felt our entire experience would have been more enjoyable if the service of the staff were friendlier. The lackluster attitude of the wait staff really brought down our overall dining experience.

Furthermore we were charged RM10 for some extra Marinara Sauce to go with our Pizza. Being a fine dining Italian Restaurant this really shocked us as to how cheap they were especially when other "cheaper" places like Porto Romano and Papa John's offer it for free.

Food: 3.8/5
Service: 2/5
Ambiance: 3.5/5
Price: $$$ (Approximately USD $30 per person)


Contact Information
Address: 129 Jalan Sultan Ismail, Bukit Bintang, 50250 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +603-2717 9900
Map:

Lihat Peta yang Lebih Besar

L'Table @ One Utama, PJ

L'Table is a French Inspired Restaurant that is located within the popular Lavender Bakery. We decided to give it a try after looking at its menu.


Summer Salad with Mustard Dressing

I quite like the Spring Salad. The combination of Field Greens, Oranges, Strawberries and Pine nuts was quite refreshing.


Bread Platter




Mushroom Soup

The Mushroom Soup was good. It had some sauteed mushrooms in the middle which heightened the flavor of the soup.


Mushroom Portabello Burger




Seabass Enpapilotte




Roast Chicken




Squid Ink Linguini

The Linguini was over-cooked and bland.


Black Truffle Tagliatelle

The Carbonara was very thick and creamy but lacked the smokiness of Bacon that we would like. The Fetuccini however was cooked just right.


Dark Chocolate Souffle

This was Wayne's Dessert. The Souffle was a little undercook.


Overall we felt the food at L'Table was a little too ambitious for the chefs. The food although some were plated nicely were rather bland.


Food: 2.5/5
Service: 3.5/5
Ambiance: 4/5
Price: $$ (Approximately USD $20 per person)


Contact Information
Address: G213, Ground Floor, One Utama Shopping Centre.
Tel ：+603 7728 6933
Map:

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Lunch @ B.I.G, Solaris Dutamas

We recently visited Ben's Independent Grocer to purchase some Wagyu Beef and decided to visit their cafe which was packed with locals and expats.


Chicken Pie

The Puff Pastry was quite flaky and the Bechamel Sauce was quite good with the chicken. The potatoes however were very dry.


Beef Pie

The Beef was very tender but lacked Gravy from being over cooked in the oven as evident by the burnt top of the Pie.


Quiche

This was Eric's order. The Quiche did not have a strong eggy flavor which I usually love when eating Quiche.


Roast Chicken

The Chicken was quite good. The skin was crisp but the meat was a little dry. The gravy that came with it was a little under salted.


Pizza Margarita

I asked for extra Basil but it they only gave me several leaves. The Pizza had a nice thin crust that had some nice air pockets giving it a nice crunch. But it definitely lacked the flavor of Basil.


Sticky Date Pudding

The Pudding was moist and was good with the Ice Cream and melted Caramel with Walnuts.


Rocky Mountain Cake

I was hoping this would be good but it turned out to be very dry. The Marshmallow was very tough and chewy and the sponge layers were too dense and dry.


Peach Crumble

The Pie Crust was good but the Peaches did not have a strong peach flavor.


The food at BIG looked very good but tasted pretty bad from our mains to the desserts. We were all disappointed especially having been Ben's and Estate (restaurants owned by BIG owners) which were excellent.


Food: 2.5/5
Service: 3/5
Ambiance: 4/5
Price: $$ (Approximately USD $20 per person)


Contact Information:
Address: LOT 1A 83 - 95, Level UG,, Jalan Dutamas 1, 50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +603-2248 8790 ‎
Map:

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Refined Bistro Classics @ Estate, Intermark

A family friend took us to one of his favorite Restaurants called Estate at the Intermark. Owned by the group behind Plan B, Ben's, Tate and T-Forty Two, Estate serves up a myriad of Bistro Classics with a more refined twist than their main stream chain Ben's and Plan B.

Mushroom Truffle Pizza

An unbeatable combination. Truffles, Mushrooms and whole Mozzarella slices on a crusty Pizza Dough. What more can one say?


Crispy Confit Chicken Wings and Pan Seared Scallops

Who would have thought of serving Scallops with Chicken Wings? Eaten together it was a little weird but separately it was good. The Maple Dressing gave the crispy Chicken Wings a nice caramel flavor. And the perfectly cooked Scallops went well with the Cauliflower Mousse.


Parmigiano Reggiano-Egg Croquette

My first ever Egg Croquette. The Egg was fried to a nice Golden Brown Color. I liked the interplay between the Crispy Egg Texture, Tender Egg White and Crumbly Yolk.


Pan Seared Foie Gras

I'm a sucker for Foie Gras. The Pan-Seared Foie Gras was soft, creamy and rich in flavor.


Mussels in Provencal Sauce

The only disappointing dish we had. The Mussels were plump and cooked right but they were way over-salted.


Guiness Braised Beef Stew

The Beef was really tender and was surprisingly much better both in flavor and texture than what I had at Lee's in Toronto.


Cote de Boeuf


Our Cote de Boeuf's cut looked like a Sirloin. It was seared and baked to a perfect Medium and was well seasoned. Like any good Sirloin it had a nice meaty texture that is full of flavor. The Bone Marrow was equally just as good.


Traditional Beer Battered Cod Fish and Chips

The Cod Fish had a light and crispy batte although it could have been salted a little more. I particularly liked their Mushy Peas.


Handcut Wagyu Five Striploin Cheese Burger

One of my favorites of the night. The Wagyu Striploin was very tender without being too mushy. It had a nice combination of Fat and Meat making a really good Beef Patty that went well with the soft Sesame Bun.


Beer Roasted Whole Chicken

Nice presentation but it was impossible to carve. Our waited had to take it back to the Kitchen to carve it for us. The Chicken was quite flavorful but a little dry on the Breast Side.


Snickers Bar

We were stuffed by the time our Desserts came but this didn't stop us from finishing our deconstructed Snickers Bar which really tasted like the Chocolate Bar but with a softer texture.


Lemon Tart

This was our last dessert. The Lemon Tart had a nice Tangy flavor and the Crust was crusty.


The food was excellent and the live band that night was amazing. It was my first time at Estate but definitely won't be my last. Anyone looking for a night out with good food, ambiance and music should give this place a try.


Food: 4.5
Service: 4.5/5
Ambiance: 4.5/5
Price: $$$$$ (Approximately USD $50 per person)


Contact Information
Address: G01, Ground Floor, The Intermark, 182 Jalan Tun Razak, KL
Tel: +603-2163-5732
Map:

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