This is an invited review.
(Here are my usual disclaimers)
1) I have not been paid to write this, but neither have I paid a cent for my meal,
2) I will still be as objective as possible re. the food/ restaurant, and
3) If I go back to the restaurant incognito and find that the food/service is horribly different from this experience, I will amend my ratings here...
The Pressrooom is one of the newer additions to Bangsar Shopping Centre (BSC) post face-lift, offering a relatively more sophisticated European dining to the list of options:
That night, I was attending a really interesting wine pairing dinner, where the owners (, oeneologists and consultants) Michel and Dani Rolland had flown in all the way from France to share on their wines:
STARTER 1:
- Tian of Crabcake With Avocado & Tomatoes dressed in Cilantro Oil
Matched with a Chateau La Grande Clotte 2007 Blanc
The crabcake was yummy! - moist on the inside and crumbly/crunchy on the outside, with a mild seafood flavour accented by the piquant avocado and tomato salsa.
As for the wine, it was interestingly complex for a white wine, tasted fresh and smooth but with strong and a surprisingly long finish - complemented the seafood very well.
(I don't usually favour white wines but I thought this was nice...)
STARTER 2:
- Roast Duck Spring Roll with Jackfruit Salsa, Hoisin & Lemon Dip
Matched with a Castillo Spanish Campo Alegre 2007 from Toro
To be fair: The wine is perfectly nice on its own, medium bodied with undertones of berries and spices (and pepper, according to Eiling, but my palate is not as good as hers when it comes to wines, I think!). Unfortunately, it was overpowered by the strong flavours of the nangka....
MAIN 1:
- Foie Gras Ravioli And Beef Consomme with Truffle Foam
Matched with a Chateau Le Bon Pasteur 2006 from Pomerol
I was greedy, lamenting that the foie gras pieces weren't gigantic and that the truffle scent was a bit mild... Still, I really enjoyed this dish - a delicate balance of richness from the foie, earthiness of the truffles and savouriness from the consomme.
The wine was really nice - full bodied, robust flavours and with a strong finish but somehow not overpowering the relatively subtly flavoured food.
(This wine was rated 90 points by Wine Spectator, which as I understand it, is a pretty big deal)
PALATE CLEANSER:
- Orange sorbet
Tell you something funny: I didn't remember the menu properly, and I thought this was the dessert! - turns out its a something a bit "atas" called a palate cleanser, where you refresh your tastebuds in between courses by (usually) having something sour.
:)
MAIN 2:
- Wagyu Cube Roll With Extra Virgin Olive Oil & Maldon Sea Salt
Also matched with a Chateau Le Bon Pasteur 2006 from Pomerol
I was a bit afraid when I initially saw the beef - it looked entirely too lightly cooked (as I usually take my steak Medium done)... but after one bite, I was SOLD... and proceeded to inhale the steak.
(Tender, juicy, beef-y in the best way possible and no "bloody" taste surprisingly)
Other than being my favourite course for the night, this was also my favourite wine pairing - I think the Pomerol really shone, with the berry flavours somehow accentuated and complemented the beef very well.
DESSERT:
- Chocolate Cigarillo with Honey Mascarpone Cream & Coffee Mocha Ice Cream
Matched with a Remhoogte 2005 from Stellenbosch South Africa
Chocolate, caramel, berries and coffee - this is a combination that I like but in this case, it was a bit too sweet for me to really enjoy.
The wine made it interesting though - beyond the medium body and fairly spicy and dry finish, the Pinotage grape in the wine gave it a nice smokey aftertaste that helped balance out the sweetness of the dessert.
The one thing I find very special about Michel and Dani Rolland is that their passion for wine is not constrained to one country or terroir... and by showcasing a selection from their wineries around the world, it kinda made me feel like they took me on a journey with them....
:)
(Definitely had a wonderful time that night)
SHOUT OUT
Thank you to:
1) Michel and Dany Rolland for coming all the way to Malaysia to share their passion for wine with us that night,
2) The management and Chef Bob of Pressroom for the wonderful meal,
3) Michelle, and everyone from Sunrise Wines for the kind invitation, and
4) My fellow diners - thanks for the wonderful company!
BTW: If you want more details on these wines (and where to get them), you can contact Sunrise Wines & Spirits, at +6012-215 4811 (mobile) or +603-6272 8288 (fax).
(Also, here is the link to the Rolland Collection website)
Summary Sheet:
Rolland Collection Wine Dinner @ The Pressroom Bangsar, KL
G110 Ground Floor, Bangsar Shopping Centre, Jalan Maarof, KL
Price** : Call restaurant to ask
Parking: OK
** Can be customised according to your event
Telephone No.: 03-2095 8098
Opening Hours: 12noon - 12midnight
Parking: OK
NO PORK SERVED
MAP:
OTHER REVIEWS:
- 3iling
TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, French Wine, Rolland Collection, Wine Pairing Dinner, Pressroom, BSC, Bangsar Shopping Center, Continental
Posts
talk about wine dine and all things fine! only three more words need to be addressed more urgently.. work out woman! haha
ReplyDeleteHa ha, so have you been 'converted' to a medium-rare steak eater now? :)
ReplyDeletei've actually recently been trying to ask for beef cooked rare instead of my usual preference of medium-rare (just to experiment). but it still seems to come out medium-rare in the end! :D
ReplyDeleteI love my meat to be rare. :D It's juicier and sweeter to taste. Sounds very cannibalistic but it's good.
ReplyDeleteNice blog, beautiful pictures and amazing comments. I will stop by often for more of your intriguing articles.
ReplyDeletedishpedia
I would have paid good money to see you inhaling the steak. ;)
ReplyDeleteThe wines do have a nice colour. Wonder how much a bottle would cost ;)
ReplyDelete