Chatty Lass

My colleague, Z was hankering for pasta and like the incredibly giving person that I am (missed out on taking my humble pill today), I acquiesced to her craving. The both of us set out by foot to the venue, chatting the whole way. The place was packed, but we were ushered to a table almost immediately. We sat down, the waitress took our order and the minute her back was turned, the slew of stories continued to flow freely.

If not for our rumbling tummies, I wouldn’t have realised that 45 minutes has passed. We flagged the same waitress and inquired about lunch. A little while later, she returned, only to inform us that our order was mistakenly delivered to another table. To add salt to the wound, it was also the last portion for the pasta of the day.

The manager hurried by to smooth things over and conveyed his apologies. The three of us had a good laugh about it; no tantrums, no death stares or God forbid, no raised voices.

Our food arrived shortly after and we chowed it down in record time, ravenous after the rather long wait.

Then, dessert showed up. It was creme brûlée. It wasn't what we ordered. Turns out, they ran out of apple crumble. By this time, the manager was deeply sorry about the day’s bummer. We merely shrugged our shoulders and chuckled about it not being our day.

When I went up to the counter for payment, the manager smiled, apologised again and said lunch was on the house.

Today, I learned - No matter what the circumstance, our response determines our future.

My free lunch taught me to choose joy, and keep choosing it.
My free lunch taught me to stress a little less, and laugh a lot more.
My free lunch taught me to remember that good can and will come, even in bad situations.

Source: Instagram.

Tucked away at the corner of a secluded row of shoplots in SS17, Bistro à Table might look unimposing to passers-by; yet it is anything but ordinary. This cosy nook is owned by Chef Isadora Chai, a Marketing major with an insatiable passion for food, life and her five Rottweilers.




The innovative chef switches up the menu once every few months, so that patrons are always in for a gastronomic experience whenever they visit, making it a perfect dining spot for those who love one-of-a-kind concoctions.

APPETIZER

The only permanent fixture on the ever-changing menu is Chef Isadora Chai’s Signature – Maple Syrup Coddled Egg with Fleur de Sel and Crouton Dust – which we decided to try. Within the shell was the splendid blend of sweet and savoury flavours, comprising of a well-executed soft boiled egg, maple syrup and hand-harvested sea salt, brought together by the crunchy texture from the crouton dust.

MAINS

Our next dish arrived and with it, so did the crowd. We ordered the Japanese Tarako Spaghettini with Hokkaido Scallops and Shredded Squid. As non-creamy pasta fans, we would be the first to admit; we are now converts. Each strand of spaghettini was generously coated with salted cod roe, a glorious mix of creamy and briny with every forkful. The enormous scallops were the star of this dish – Incredibly fresh and perfectly pan seared, juicy on the inside.



We also sampled the Pan-Seared Market's Best Catch with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes & Lobster Bisque. The fish was spectacularly seared to crispy skin perfection, before it is dipped into the frothy decadence of the lobster bisque. The hybrid of textures is what makes this dish outstanding – Tender, flaky fish coupled with velvety mash and decadent broth of crustaceans.

DESSERT

However, the dessert was the main attraction that stole the show.

Imagine a world where all things bitter and sour could be sweet… Magical? Maybe. Impossible? Not in the least.

Introducing the Mind Screw, a sugarless pineapple roulade with Sarawakian pink pepper tulle, green apple ice cream and mango puree.



The beautifully plated sweet course arrived and along with it, a set of instructions. In our conversation with Chef Isadora later that night, she regaled the inspiration for this brilliant edible masterpiece. On a trip to Sweden some years back, she discovered the Miracle Berry in a local pharmacy and learned that it was used as a natural sweetener for people with diabetes. Her background in science, when paired with her creative culinary genius resulted in a (as it is called) mind-screwing dessert.




We were asked to first taste the mango purée and the green apple ice cream. There was a hint of natural fruity sweetness to both, with a tinge of tartness for the ice cream. Next, we were requested to lick the lemon wedge and as we should, our faces crinkled at the burst of acidity. We were then invited to suck on the miracle berry lozenge until it is completely dissolved. A wee bit of patience is necessary, but it was worth the (slight) wait.

Once the lozenge dissipates, we were asked to lick the lemon wedge again, and the sharp taste was replaced with utter sweetness. In fact, it tasted like orange and we ended up chewing through the entire slice. It also heightened the dessert's natural flavours, minus the calories. The simple science behind this interesting dessert might not be a miracle, but I daresay, it is nothing short of god-like.

CONTACT DETAILS

Address: 6 Jalan 17/54, Petaling Jaya, 46400, Selangor.

Tel: 03 - 7931 2831

Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 6.30pm - 11pm.


*Author's note: This piece was originally intended for my little space. I only realised much later (read: after we've polished off our food and wine) that we've already covered a review for this place (with a different menu then). Never one to waste a good recommendation, I took the liberty of sharing it here on my personal blog.