Kam's Roast Malaysia, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur

The Malaysian offshoot of Kam's Roast Goose, Hong's Kong's Michelin-lauded purveyor of poultry, takes flight in Pavilion. Similar to Southeast Asian spin-offs of Kam's Roast in Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines, goose isn't on the menu in KL, swapped out for the more readily available duck. The meat is prepared nonetheless in the three-generation-old tradition fine-tuned by the Kam family since 1942.

Kam's Roast banks on the Michelin star that its Wan Chai original has held since 2015, with the Michelin Man mascot, Bibendum, prominently assigned outside the Pavilion outlet. That cachet is both its boon (this'll be one of Pavilion's most popular restaurants for weeks) and bane (some patrons will predictably sneer that it's overrated and overpriced).

To be sure, half a duck for RM88 is a premium that demands justification - nearly double the cost of a few of its peers within this mall. The roast is certainly enjoyable though, moist and juicy to the bone, showcasing the full-bodied depth of flavour of duck without gaminess or any sodium overload. If crisp-skinned fowl is a priority, this isn't the duck you're looking for - but if smooth, succulent and savoury flesh is your weakness, Kam's should hit the spot for you.

BBQ pork comes in two versions - the Toro Char Siu is belly at its most luscious, with a stick-to-your-gums caramelisation that's layered with lots of heart-stopping fattiness, while the regular Char Siu is leaner but still boasts a sweetly melting tenderness that speaks of meticulous marination. Have both on the platter, side by side for easy comparison, for RM45.

Noodles were not yet available when we visited, but rice platters are, with a base of tasty, textured grains and a side of poached HK choy sum partnered with pleasant protein possibilities like crunchy-crackling roast pork and simple soya chicken (RM34 for a two-choice combo).

Several other Kam's Roast highlights from Hong Kong are missing in KL - no goose liver sausages, goose kidneys or goose blood pudding, substituted with marinated duck gizzard, wings and webs (RM10 each; the gizzard makes for a fun snack, while the wings yield a soulful tenderness - but skip the webs, since the effort isn't worth the mainly-bones result). The honey-glazed soya beans (RM6) might also be redundant, since you'll uncover soya beans beneath the roast duck on the main platter.

Kam's Roast Malaysia

Lot 1.52.00-1.53.00, Level 1, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur. Open 11am-10pm.

This post first appeared on eatdrinkkl.com

Chicha San Chen Malaysia, Pavilion KL

This could be our favourite bubble tea in KL: Chicha San Chen is a two-decade-old Taiwanese brand that has found a foothold in recent years in Southeast Asia, particularly Singapore - it now embarks into KL with its first branch in Pavilion, serving up tea that truly kept us returning for more.

We initially ordered three servings, then came back to the counter for another two, before finishing the night with one more.

The trick is in the tea, each freshly brewed to order, one cup at a time, with patented high-tech precision of temperature to bring out the best in flavour and fragrance, relying on Chicha San Chen's naturally cultivated, own-harvested leaves from Taiwanese mountain farmlands.

Plenty of customisation choices are offered, but the two ideal introductions are the basic Black Tea with boba and cream (RM15.90) and Dong Ding Oolong tea latte with milk (RM14.40), which both taste beautifully nuanced, their lush aromatics flowing through every soothing sip - befitting of a full-fledged purveyor of tea, not merely a boba brand.

Other options like Cassia Black Tea with a milky mousse (RM14.40), High Mountain Pouchong Tea with lemon juice (RM12.90) and Osmanthus Oolong with mango (RM12.90) are also confidently calibrated. Service sparkles with warmth and enthusiasm.

Chicha San Chen

6.01.01, Level 6, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. Daily, 10am-10pm.

This post first appeared on eatdrinkkl.com

Element Fresh, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur

One of Pavilion's most interesting new restaurants this year, this is the first Malaysian offshoot of the Element Fresh brand that first started as a Shanghai gym-based cafe in 2002 and has since multiplied in Beijing, Guangzhou and other cities with over 40 restaurants. True to its name, Element Fresh tackles wholesome, reviving nourishment, with border-leaping inspirations that span Morocco to Mexico, Rome to Ho Chi Minh City.

Fruits play a pivotal role in many of Element Fresh's most distinctive recipes. 

You'll sense a subtle tropical tinge of coconut in the batter for the oysters, juicy and punchy, not as greasy-tasting as many deep-fried dishes, drizzled with a sweet-and-soothing mango sauce and dished out with a thick-and-tangy caper tartar sauce (RM32, a fair price for a substantial serving of fresh oysters).

The tang of oranges is more pronounced in the Cointreau liquor-laced fish broth for the sauteed black mussels - this could be an acquired taste, since mussels with oranges might not be the most conventional preparation, but the fleshy mussels remain entirely enjoyable in their own right, their gentle brininess contrasting clearly with the broth's sweet citrus dynamics (RM30).

Naturally, salads are a solid choice here. Grilled apples lay the foundation for marinated chicken that channels the flavours of Marrakesh with a warmingly earthy ras el hanout spice blend, rounded out with bulgur wheat, plus plenty of red peppers, turmeric carrot, mint, almond and various veggies in yogurt dressing (RM36; a hearty meal on its own, no side salad for sure).

Lots of other temptations to try on the menu, from quesadillas made with whole-wheat tortillas to Vietnamese steamed shrimp spring rolls with papaya sauce to penne with yellow squash and zucchini.

Can cocktails be a guilt-free indulgence? Beefeater is the base for two beverages here that taste as uplifting as the food, the Amaroni (RM42; with Benedictine herbal liqueur, Jagermeister digestif and orange peel) and Garden Gin and Tonic (RM36; with pink grapefruit, rose liqueurs, tonic, strawberry and rosemary).

Both the setting and service at Element Fresh KL sparkle, with several very cheerfully enthusiastic members of the crew.

Element Fresh Malaysia

Lot C3.03, Level 3, Pavilion KL, 55100 Kuala Lumpur. 
Tel: 03-2110-5661

This post first appeared on eatdrinkkl.com

Calia, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur

Calia first carved out its reputation in Melbourne as an upmarket restaurant and retail business, launching in the CBD's Emporium mall before branching out to the Chadstone fashion-store hub. It brings that pedigree to Pavilion KL with the brand's first international outpost, a stylish, sunshine-swept space that comes closest to a leafy patio garden within a shopping centre.

Calia Malaysia sparkles with the polished sheen of professionalism, striving to ensure a smooth experience. While waiting for a table, browse the front-of-house sales shelves for everything from sake to spoons, Merlot salt to macadamia nuts. If you purchase wine, whiskies or other liquor, you can consume these in the restaurant at their retail price, without corkage fees.

Calia's menu is not outrageously expensive; for context, it's certainly far from Pavilion's priciest restaurant. A compromise in produce quality might however be the consequence - only mildly discernible, since the kitchen is capably skilled, but if you're ordering the signature bowls, you might feel more satisfied at one of the city centre's true-blue Japanese restaurants instead.

The Chirashi (RM45) is alluringly canopied with six varieties of sustainably caught seafood. Mostly thickly cut, the sashimi is decent but not divine - the first bite of the akami is indicative of middle-of-the-road tuna, borne out by its fellow fish in the bowl, fleeting in the memory, missing the scintillating nuances for which sushi counters are celebrated.

Calia's flagship Aburi Salmon (RM43) is more distinctive, with salmon that's confidently flame-seared, each slice slick and succulent, straddling that delicate line between raw and cooked, though its sweet-savoury sauce could be slathered a little less heavily, teetering perilously close to cloying.

The Australian Full-Blood Wagyu 6+ with a 63-degree egg (RM78) yields beef with a coarser-than-expected chew, though that's no fault of Calia's culinary crew, who managed perfectly medium-rare meat with the requisite char. While portions are hearty, proportions might be problematic for some patrons - we had vinegared rice left over in each bowl because the carbs were both too much and too clumpy for the protein.

Some of this seems like quibbling, but Calia suffers from elevated expectations, with its repertoire conceived by a Chilean-born chef who spent a season at Catalonia's El Bulli and co-founded a Michelin-starred modern restaurant in Tokyo.

 All in all though, Calia is still worth an hour or two if you're at Pavilion. We had a pleasant afternoon here, sipping on Hiroshima-brewed, gold-flaked Kamotsuru sake (RM157), as well as Kyoto-harvested matcha and Korean sweet potatoes infused into soothingly earthy lattes (RM15 each; possibly KL's most natural-tasting purple sweet potato latte).

Calia
Level Six, Pavilion, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Daily, 11am-10pm.

This post first appeared on eatdrinkkl.com