Food & Dining

Want to impress a potential client or ink that mega-million dollar deal? There’s nothing like doing business over scallops or steaks. We round up the best places to go for a power lunch in Kuala Lumpur.

ENFIN BY JAMES WON

From its rose gold-plated spiral staircase which leads up to the Krug Chef’s Table to its artisanal breads made from specially imported flour from France, everything about Enfin spells power, success and wealth. Chef-patron James Won certainly doesn’t believe in doing things by half measures and his emphasis on utilising the best quality ingredients reflects deliciously on his well-rounded menu. Top tycoons and eminent CEOs make regular lunchtime pilgrimages to this opulently decorated yet tastefully restrained gourmand temple where a lunchtime degustation menu consisting of sea urchin, Hokkaido scallops and prawn ravioli fill up this rich and wealthy set where money is no object. This must be the ultimate place to wine and dine a CEO you wish to headhunt. As expected of a restaurant of this calibre, the bathroom, although closet-like in its dimensions, is pristine and immaculate.

Lot 2.05, Level 2 Menara Hap Seng 1
Jalan P. Ramlee 50250
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: +60 10 288 7920

FOOD: 4/5
SERVICE: 3.5/5
AMBIANCE: 3.5/5
TOILETS: 3.5/5

POWER TIP: Whatever you do, don’t leave home without your Platinum Card!

THE BRASSERIE AT THE ST REGIS KUALA LUMPUR

Exuding an air of refined elegance, The Brasserie at the St Regis Kuala Lumpur also packs a powerful punch when it comes to its high-ranking lunchtime crowd. With its comfy club seats, quiet nooks with banquettes and smartly attired service staff, discussing megadeals or signing MOUs is just another course not unlike the Porcini Ravioli served in Mushroom Cappuccino or the unforgettable Main Lobster Spaghetti with Coral Emulsion which are signature dishes which remain on the menu. The rest of the dishes, however, change every two weeks to ensure the menu stays fresh and satisfies the voracious appetites of their regular diners. A career in tin mining might not be a viable option today but for a bit of folly, remember to glance up at the ceiling as it’s made of press tin, a symbolic nod to Malaysia’s past as one of the world’s largest tin producers.

No 6 Jalan Stesen Sentral 2
Kuala Lumpur Sentral
50470 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: +60 3 2727 1111 or +60 3 2727 6666

FOOD: 4/5
SERVICE: 4/5
AMBIANCE: 4/5
TOILETS: 4/5

POWER TIP: Remember to spit-shine your shoes because the crowd here will eye you from head to toe.

CILANTRO

Open for lunch only on Fridays, Cilantro’s solid reputation as a culinary Xanadu has attracted a high-profile business crowd eager to usher in a much-deserved weekend. Warm and inviting with a neutral colour palette, this French inspired restaurant with Japanese undertones has an Executive Friday Lunch consisting of four courses which changes each week. Regular patrons and fans of executive chef Takashi Kimura don’t baulk at this rather lack of choice and rather rigid offering but usually lap up what he proffers eagerly. If you desire complete discretion and privacy, the newly introduced pop-up kitchen, [email protected] enables diners to try their hand at cooking in a private area located in the lower level. Impressing clients is taken to another dimension, but be forewarned – any attempt at cooking at such an exemplary establishment will inevitably draw comparisons to maestro Kimura’s creations.

MiCasa All Suite Hotel
368-B, Jalan Tun Razak
50400 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: +60 3 2179 8000 or +60 3 2179 8082

FOOD: 4/5
SERVICE: 3.5/5
AMBIANCE: 3.5/5
TOILETS: 3.5/5

POWER TIP: Lunch is only on Fridays folks, so it’s tough luck if your client can only make it on Tuesday!

This feature first appeared in the May 2018 issue of UNRESERVED.

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