ATAS Modern Malaysian Eatery is one of those restaurants that have been making its mark on the Malaysian dining scene, presenting as a fine casual in one of the most beautiful hotels in Kuala Lumpur, the RuMa Hotel & Residences. The kitchen is led by Canadian born chef Tyson Gee and while most are familiar with their weekend brunch, seating only 6 and only twice a month, the Dinner at the Long Bar is something quite exclusive and uniquely different.
Dinner At The Long Bar by Tyson Gee
The degustation at the long bar is located within ATAS itself which showcases the culinary prowess of the chef. Using local ingredients which are usually acquired from artisanal local producers such as Fish For It, or as in this menu, Chocolate Concierge, where each course have been carefully curated to pay homage to the fantastic fruit that it cacao (it is only called cocoa once it has been roasted). From the use of pickling cacao flowers to the Oaxacan mole, the creativity and ingenuity of this menu was truly an eye opening experience.
“Dinner at the Long Bar is 100% different from the menu at ATAS. I follow the same ethos when creating the menu, but the menu is an in-depth journey of my time here in Malaysia. For these dinners we are able to use hyper seasonal ingredients that are difficult to source/ have consistent amounts for the regular menu. The menus are less based around Malaysian flavours, but reminiscent of my upbring, my travels and generally foods that I enjoy eating.” — Tyson Gee, Executive Chef of ATAS Modern Malaysian Eatery.
Oyster
Fine de Claire, cacao husk tea, cacao vinegar mignonette
The first course was a Fine de Claire sits in a cacao husk tea, with a certain element of metallic brininess which was elevated with the sweet savouriness of the cacao vinegar mignonette. A simple but effective starter.
Collard-Picard NV Cuvee Prestige Brut
The oyster was paired with a Collard-Picard NV Cuvee Prestige Brut, an acidic and dry champagne which went well with the Fine de Claire.
Yellowfin Tuna
Yellowfin tuna, cacao juice, pickled baby cacao pods, kombu oil, crispy seaweed and gula Melaka soy sauce
The second course was a cubed yellow fin tuna, which came alive with the fruity cacao juice, which had an umami note running through the dish coming from the kombu oil and gula melaka soy sauce. The pickled baby cacao pods were beautifully symmetrical and added a layer of visuals to the dish.
Vasse Felix 2017 Filius Chardonnay
The dryness from the chardonnay paired well with the tuna, balancing out acidic and umami flavours of the dish.
“I wanted to create a space where I could cook and create freely and not follow so much the same philosophy of what I have conceptualised at ATAS. The idea was to essentially “freestyle”, have no limitations to just Malaysian, but bring in my experience from my travels. It was also to pair wines not available on our wine list, so the experience here is completely different from what you would find in the restaurant. For each dinner I source different products, wines, even cutlery and plates. I wanted to create a different experience that was very intimate but interactive, that is why I limit each to 6 guests max.”
Grouper
Ikan bakar style spotted grouper cooked in cacao leaves, beurre blanc, lime juice, cacao juice, cea grapes, sawtooth coriander oil
The grouper was cooked in the traditional ikan bakar style, but used cacao leaves instead of banana leaves. The beurre blanc married well with the texture of the fish which is less oily, balancing it well. Another beautiful dish speckled with ogonori and dollops of fragrant sawtooth coriander oil.
Duck
Duck neck sausage, foie gras, black truffle, cognac, Cheroh dark chocolate jelly, duck jus and garlic foam
One of the best dishes on the menu, the dish is made from duck sausage which uses the neck as its casing, adding layers of texture and flavour. The sausage itself was milder than you would expect in terms of gaminess, but flavourful. Slivers of truffle add a layer of fragrance to the dish, with the cheroh dark chocolate jelly making it work in places you wouldn’t expect. Definitely one of the more unique dishes we have come across.
Prunotto 2016 Barbaresco DOCG
This Italian wine was used to pair with both the duck and grouper, the acidic and tannic leaning wine worked very well with the duck dish, but wasn’t too bad with the grouper either as the acidity from the wine managed to cut the fat from the beurre blanc.
“I have known Ning from Chocolate Concierge since I have arrived in Malaysia, close to three years now. What inspired me for this menu was Ning’s passion for all things cacao. I wanted to highlight Malaysian chocolate, but not many people are aware of the whole process on how chocolate is grown/ processed. I sought to highlight the entire process of cacao from bean to bar! For the menu I incorporated cacao leaves, baby cacao pods, cacao flowers, fresh cacao, and 4 types of single origin chocolate used in both sweet and savoury applications. Honestly a few dishes were just thoughts I had jotted down over time but was unsure on how to execute. A few weeks prior to the dinner I visited Ning at his workshop, we discussed and tasted all things chocolate. This solidified the ideas for the menu.”
Venison
Slow roasted venison, Oaxacan mole, venison jus, Sungai Rambai chocolate and garlic flowers
Venison is a very tricky meat to cook well, with just a little overdoneness and it becomes powedery. As this rather delicate game meat, the Oaxacan mole managed to offset the gaminess of the venison, which were perfect in some parts, and slightly over on the tips, which can only be expected. Overall, a good venison dish.
Maison Alexandrins 2016 Crozes-Hermitage Rouge
This syrah leaned towards being bold and dry, with a medium acidity, which worked with the gaminess of the venison, mellwoing the dish out.
Cacao Explosion
Chocolate shell, fermented cacao juice
The palate cleanser was made with a white chocolate shell and fermented cacao juice, which butsts in your mouth as an explosion. A fun little morsel between courses.
Macaron
Ice cream macaron, Batang kali chocolate
The first dessert was one of the most decadent one, an extra creamy chocolatey dessert. Simple in idea but tough in execution, the ice cream macaron was presented quickly so that it does not moisten the macaron shell too much. A simple yet elegantly fun bite.
10 Ways
Chocolate ganache, chocolate panna cotta, chocolate foam, chocolate crème brûlée, chocolate ice cream, chocolate froth, tempered chocolate, roasted butter crumble, white truffle and cognac syrup
The pièce de résistance of the chocolate homage menu, this dessert used 10 forms of chocolate, simply titled 10 Ways. Each bite was filled with a different texture, temperature, flavour and form of a different type of chocolate. This dessert was robust and completed the meal very well.
The Dinner At The Long Bar Experience
This is definitely one of the more unique chef’s table offerings around town, with many pleasant surprises all coming from the single and humble plant, the cacao. Chef Tyson is one of the most creative chefs when he is allowed to, and the Dinner at the Long Bar is one such opportunities.
“I want the Dinner at the Long Bar to be quite exclusive, as each month I focus on a different producer/ or region. Some of the ingredients used are extremely difficult to receive even in small quantities. Each dinner has a vast number of logistical issues to work with. A previous dinner I did took three months of trial and error to finally get the logistic aspect correct and arrive on time and in good condition.”
Make your bookings now as each month there is only 2 seatings of 6.
For
Atas Modern Malaysian Eatery
The RuMa Hotel and Residences
7, Jalan Kia Peng,
50450 Kuala Lumpur
|+603 2778 0888
Opening Hours:
Tuesday to Saturday, 12.00 pm to 10.30 pm
Closed on Mondays
| PHOTOGRAPHY: ATAS & NICHOLAS NG | WEBSITE: THE RUMA HOTEL |