SOME years back, I read about tips on where I to dine in foreign countries with one of the advisories being not to eat in a restaurant perched on top of a skyscraper as the view would always be better than the quality of the food on offer.
While settling in at my table at Horizon Grill on the 58th level of Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur, I realise that Malaysian restauranteurs obviously has not received this memo.
It would be a brave, or foolish, Malaysian developer who didn't allocate space for a restaurant or bar on or near the top floor of any new skyscraper under construction.
So yes, the views from Horizon Grill with uninterrupted vistas of the Twin Towers and many other city landmarks; are spectacular.
Scanning the menu, I quickly realise that most of the dishes offered look as impressive as the views so it is with great anticipation that I set about ordering.
It's important to note that the restaurant is a grill, not a bistro, café or dining room; it's a grill. My understanding of a grill is that it involves meat cooked over a griller and, another glance at the menu confirms this.
To some, this might all sound a little disappointing. With numerous restaurants in the city dabbling in new culinary styles, a grill sounds a little old-fashioned and perhaps too traditional.
However, there is a sense of reassurance in that it is not just any grill but a Santa Maria Grill they have out there in the kitchen. But, I admit, I am none the wiser, so a quick Google search informs me that a Santa Maria Grill is the Rolls Royce of grills in originating from the Santa Maria Valley in coastal Central California.
Apparently, Mexican cowboys introduced this style of wood-fired grilling using a cast-iron grate and oak wood which generated hot but near-smokeless coals. Obviously, such a grill calls for premium red meat.
BEEFING UP THE MENU
So, somewhere out in the back of Horizon Grill, I assume there is a serious grill and someone who knows what they are doing when it comes to grilling.
Just as that thought crosses my mind, Chef de Cuisine Francesco Fedrighi steps out of the kitchen to do his rounds. I soon learn that he is originally from Verona, Italy but has been out of the country for some years and had last cooked at Marini's on 57 just a few hundred metres across the KL skyline from where we are talking.
He is excited that some new items are on the menu including several cuts of beef from Spain. With this news, I too become excited as one of my most tantalising encounters with beef was a few years back in Cantabria, northern Spain.
While hiking in the Picos de Europa from the summit of the Fuente Dé down the other side of the mountain, I stopped for lunch in Hotel Aliva.
After the obligatory plate of cold cuts, my main meal of steak appeared. It had to be the biggest steak I have ever seen; the size of a baseball mitten and as thick as a brick.
I had no idea of its weight but it would have been in kilograms not grams. However, it wasn't just its quantity that was impressive but also its quality as it had been grilled over hot coals like other steaks I had enjoyed in other parts of Spain.
Drifting back to reality, it now registers that Chef Francesco has added Spanish Rubia Gallega beef plus several cuts of Japanese Wagyu from Shiga Prefecture on Kyushu Island, Japan. Argentinean Devesa and Australian Angus have also beefed up the menu.
STARTING LINE
The beef has to wait as there are some tempting entrées for me to investigate. The first, of tuna tartare, is one of those dishes that just cries out to be photographed and I oblige as is de rigueur these days.
This dish consists of raw tuna on a bed of creamy avocado topped with tiny bubbles of salmon roe plus some crunchiness from a layer of pistachio nuts.
All this is enhanced with the tartness of a yuzo koshu drizzle, micro-herbs and thinly-sliced radish. The dish is wonderfully refreshing with different taste sensations that comes together like the disparate instruments in an orchestra.
Foie gras is an Asian 'big-night-out' staple and for those who appreciate the rich creaminess of this classic French dish, you will love the interpretation here.
Cooked to perfection of a firm caramelised outer layer with just the correct degree of cooking on the inside, this dish is another acclaimed success. Chef Francesco sets this on brioche and accompanies it with caramelised apple and a truffle-infused sauce.
MAIN EVENT
As I dine in a small group, strategic decisions are made to order risotto bouillabaisse (offered as a dish for two) and a platter of three cuts of beef – Kyushu, Rubia Gallega and Angus. Horizon Grill's risotto is certainly a treat with premium seafood at a premium price.
The risotto bouillabaisse is prepared from plump Arborio rice cooked with Irian saffron and topped with Boston lobster, Hokkaido scallop, barramundi and octopus that has been cooked with care to maintain freshness and tenderness.
The highlight of the meal is being reacquainted with Spanish beef. Had I just ordered the Japanese Wagyu or the Australian Angus, I would have been very well satisfied as they are both premium cuts.
However, it almost seems unfair to pitch them against the Rubia Gallega which is raised in grassy meadows overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in the Spanish far northwestern province of Galicia. It is amazing beef; just order to find out just how wonderful it is.
A LITTLE TART
Desserts present few surprises - apple tarte, tiramisu, ice creams and sorbets (the Campari sorbet looked tempting). We decide to share a Valrhona chocolate tart served with a scoop of hazelnut ice cream for a Nutella finish to a wonderful dining experience.
With a contented stomach, the thought crosses my mind; would Horizon Grill be the success it no doubt is, in the hotel's ground floor lobby?
I conclude that in Kuala Lumpur there is a strong correlation between appetite, acclaim and altitude.
FAST FACTS
Horizon Grill
Level 58, Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur, No. 2, Jalan Conlay, 50450 Kuala Lumpur.
TEL 03-2113-1821
HOURS Open daily from noon to 2.30pm and from 6pm to 10pm.
EAT This is a classic grill with classic dishes featuring premium seafood and red meat cuts.
PICK Tuna tartare (RM72), seafood bisque (RM128), pan-seared foie gras (RM128), Rubia Gallega sirloin, 1kg (RM528), risotto bouillabaisse (RM588) and chocolate tart (RM38).
PAY Modest diners (Angus beef at RM88) could get off quite lightly but order a few premium dishes and it's a different story. Visit with some friends and speak to the staff regarding sharing platters to bring the bill to perhaps RM200/head. All dishes are listed with '+' charge to be added.
MOOD The most atmospheric seating is on the open balcony offering full-frontal views of the KL nightscape. The air-conditioned interior is more appropriate for tropical lunches or monsoonal downpours.
SERVICE Impeccable, informed and interactive – the staff know their stuff.
I SAY A peak location with panoramic views justifies a celebratory meal at Horizon Grill. While prices almost match its stratospheric location, those used to paying for premium produce will have few complaints. This is the place I would take a foreign visitor to impress them.
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