Dark always spells elegance - ground floor interior of dining & kitchen area
The BIG Group is always coming up with new F&B concepts to surprise us. While some of us have already mastered the skills to tell if a new eatery is BIG-associated, the Ben siblings never fail to surprise us with the unthinkable... like this new concept restaurant & bar, quirky-ly named 'Hit & Mrs', a homophone to Hit & Misses -- a general expression writers or bloggers use to put a verdict to food reviewed.
The dinner tasting menu @ RM175/pax (additional RM10 if you opt for the 'pricier' mains) & the drinks menu
I had the pleasure to give the dinner tasting menu a try as a birthday treat in December last year. The restaurant was still relatively new, but word of mouth has spread like wildfire of this new BIG venture. The restaurant seats not more than 30, and has 2 sessions per night - either 7pm or 9pm.
How it works?
You can have the option to order the dishes in the dinner menu as an alacarte item (portions will be appropriately adjusted) or go for the tasting menu, with 2 choices from small plate (appetizer), 2 from main plate (mains) and 2 from sweet plate (desserts), + 2 surprise chef's special.
Bread and butter
Amuse bouche - can't remember exactly what this was?
Small Plate - Beetroot, Orange
Small Plate - Scallop, Paprika, Confit of Potato
Small Plate - Foie gras parfait, Brioche, Cranberry
Small Plate - Salmon, Horseradish, Celery
Chef's special #1 - Pan seared foie gras, peanut crumbs, raspberry jam
The appetizers were done up nicely - playing with flavours and texture. I don't usually willingly opt for anything with beetroot, but this combination is really refreshing maybe because of the strong citrus taste. The other favourite is the salmon which was done sous vide (actually we notice that all the meat and fish are done sous vide before being seared, grilled or pan fried, etc), hence the incredibly smooth and soft texture. The salmon is a melt-in-your-mouth! Foie gras parfait was a very different experience - foie gras (savoury) in ice cream format. First taste was unique... but once you acquire the taste, there's no reason to dislike it. No complains on the scallops and very delighted with the bonus of pan seared foie gras :)
Big Plate - Lamb, Barley, Peas
Big Plate - Fish of the day, Brown Butter, Chestnut
* additional RM10
Big Plate - Grain fed tenderloin, BBQ gnocchi, Onion toffee
* additional RM10
Big Plate - Chicken, Trufflondaise, Quinoa
Chef's special #2 - Brie, barley, mushrooms
The sous vide method was genius on the salmon, but didn't quite work for the lamb. We had to send back the first serving as it was not the texture we were expecting (still raw-ish, even after grilled). The second serving that came back from the kitchen was much better but the enthusiasm was gone. The fish and chicken dish was nothing memorable (I don't really like quinoa - the black grain-like seed). The beef tenderloin was okay, though again expectations were high especially on the poultry and unfortunately the expectations weren't met.
The second chef's special which was aimed to be a palate cleanser before moving on to desserts was quite ingenious. Who would have thought these 3 (rather) independent ingredients can jive so perfectly.
Sweet Plate - Peanut butter, Chocolate
Sweet Plate - Lemon custard, Raspberry
Small Plate - Tiramisu, Mixed berry sabayon
Desserts were presented in a 'deconstructed' manner, but unfortunately nothing over the moon. If you're a fan of peanut butter, then you may like the peanut butter & choc combo as it's rich and filling.
Tequila watermelon punch - RM90
Tequila, agave nectar, watermelon, lime, soda, aloe vera
Drinks are not easy on the pocket with cocktails starting at RM30 - RM40 per fix and punches in jug ranging from RM90 - RM240.
Perhaps aptly named, we find the food somewhat refreshing and interesting but not all were inspiring and memorable (prices are steep too). We heard that lunch is now available and we'll see if it renders for a return...
Hit & Mrs
15, Lorong Kurau,
Taman Weng Lock,
Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.
Biz hours: 6 - 10.30pm, closed on Mondays
Tel: 03-2282357
* Visuals by iPhone 4 & 5
[Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are based on my personal views, tastebuds and preference and may vary for others. Please don't sue me, I don't have money. Kthxbye.]
