KUALA LUMPUR: If the fear of bedbugs is keeping you away from Paris and you’re aching for steak frites, fear no more. French casual dining restaurant Les Bouchons has got you covered, bringing the best of Parisian cuisine to the heart of Kuala Lumpur.
Specialising in the Paris institution that is steak frites, the Singapore chain was a pioneering French steak frites restaurant across the Causeway. Malaysian outlets have popped up in Iskandar Puteri and Kuala Lumpur over the last three years.
Their KL restaurant is a stone’s throw from KLCC and it’s easiest to get there on foot, with the KLCC LRT stop just a few minutes away. Those wanting valet parking on the premises may rejoice that it comes free with a minimum spend of RM300.
With its romantic crimson walls bedecked in impressionist and pop art paintings and posters, the elegant and spacious setting is perfect for those wishing to host corporate dinners or to celebrate special occasions.
There are two private rooms for groups who want a more unique experience. One of these offers an intimate view of the hectic kitchen with just one tap of a button.
FMT Lifestyle tried out the new weekday lunch hour set at this no-pork and no-lard steakhouse. The set goes for RM68 for two courses and RM88 for three courses. It’s aimed at the office crowd in the city’s central business district.
To start off, you cannot go wrong with the French onion soup with Emmental toast.
With the onions slow cooked, this elevated appetiser emerged spectacularly intense. Working your olfactory senses, its earthy flavour with notes of rosemary and thyme was matched with a natural caramelised sweetness.
One should also try the escargot cooked in garlic butter, another appetiser and a hallmark of Parisian cuisine.
The escargots were on the gamey side however, but they were ideally paired with the basket of crispy-on-the-outside-but-chewy-on-the-inside bread served at each table, topped with even more butter.
The Grilled Australian Black Angus Sirloin was the main meal. With a marble score of MS2, this 150-day grain-fed steak, cooked to your choice of doneness and served with a side of mixed salad and a mound of homemade fries, was well-seasoned and tender.
Despite packing a punch on its own, the steak also comes with four sauces – Dijon mustard, wholegrain mustard, bearnaise and homemade mayonnaise.
The steak goes well with the delicious garlic sauce that came with the succulent roasted French confit duck leg, another main dish on the menu.
End your meal on a high note with dessert. The tarte du jour (pie of the day) was perfect as it was subtle, and not so sweet. The crumbly butter crust was the key to this dessert, working as a blank canvas for the juicy blueberries to shine.
The homemade valrhona dark chocolate mousse, which delivered a superbly rich chocolaty flavour, was another winner.
If you wish to splurge on something not on the lunch set menu, order the lobster and prawns. This simple but delicious dish is another solid choice that’s worth every ringgit.
Of course, no French restaurant is complete without its tipple and this restaurant has an extensive list of Old World and New World wines in stock. The selection, chosen to be paired with various items on the menu, is sourced from Spain, Italy, New Zealand and, of course, France.
All in all, Les Bouchons has done well in showing Malaysians the complex flavours that make French cuisine so famous. C’est si bon.
Follow Les Bouchons on Instagram and Facebook.
Les Bouchons
Lot 183, 1st Floor Jalan Mayang,
Off Jalan Yap Kwan Seng,
Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur
Business hours:
Lunch: 12pm-2:30pm daily
Dinner: 6pm-10pm daily
Reservations: 010-217 2828