DC Restaurant by Darren Chin

DC restaurant brings something new to the Malaysian fine dining scene.  It not only boasts a three-floor 'mini complex' - comprising Le Comptoir/The Counter on the ground floor (where quality food is served in a casual environment), La Salle/The Room on the first floor (the main dining area), and L'atelier/the workshop/test kitchen on the top floor - but also promises a menu that changes on a daily basis.  As you can imagine, I didn't need much persuading to try it out!

We were sent the menu the day before we went to dinner and were instructed to choose our main courses and desserts.  As there were only 2 choices each, there wasn't any faffing about and we were able to make our selections pretty quickly.  I'll go through these in more detail below, but let's start from the beginning of the meal (it generally makes sense to start from the beginning and finish at the end, doesn't it, Hannah?!)

Amuse Bouche 1

From L-R: Charcoal Choux, Aioli with Smoked Kippers, Basil Cream; Sago Crisp with Lime-Honey Hollandaise; Buckwheat Crepe, Tuna & Cured Mackerel, Savora Mustard, Grilled Persimmon.

Really great combination of flavours, fab way to start the meal off.  Special mention must go to the grilled persimmon - I am not usually a fan of persimmon but the grilling created a slightly smoky, nutty taste which perfectly offset the sweetness of the fruit.

Amuse Bouche 2

Jellied Savoury Eggplant, Cold Potato & Leek Cream, Caviar.

Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this as much as the first amuse bouche.  To be fair, I'm not a big fan of jellied anything so I was probably already biased against the jellied eggplant even before the dish arrived.  That said, I did feel nevertheless that it looked a bit of a mess and constituted a somewhat unsatisfying cross between a soup and something with a firmer texture.

1st Course: Pre-Entree

Poached Smoked Haddock, Creamy Polenta with Aged Cheddar, Poached Quail's Egg, Fine Herbs.

This was probably my favourite dish.  The flavours melded so well together and I suppose my tastebuds are fairly 'traditional' so this was right up my street.

Perfectly cooked (runny yolk) egg = YUM!

2nd Course: Entree

Guinea Fowl Confit, Sauce ala Moutarde de Meaux, Green Apple Gel, Jellied Consomme, Swiss Chard Salad.

I must admit I was a bit wary of this dish to begin with - after all, I'm not a particularly adventurous eater and guinea fowl seemed a little too 'out there' for me.  However, I'm so glad I was brave and had a go, because it was absolutely delish.  The meat was tender and (most importantly) did not have a gamey taste or smell.  The swiss chard provided a fresh bite to the dish and so rounded it out perfectly.

3rd Course: Choice of Mains

The main problem with the mains was that they took a while to arrive, and when they did, they were slightly cold.  This was obviously not ideal.  

Seared Canadian Sea Scallops, Butter Poached Catch of the Day (Pomfret), Garden Pea Veloute, Smoked Kipper Emulsion, Green Tea.

The scallops were beautifully cooked - so tender yet not slimy - but the fish was perhaps a little overdone.  I did like the presentation of the dish, but I must admit that it wasn't particularly imaginative: I've had seafood with pea veloute in several other restaurants.

Wagyu Sirloin Medallion, Onion Puree, Lentils Du Puy, Endive Fine Tart, Eryngii Mushrooms, Au Jus.

I'm sure the first thing most people will notice about this dish is that the wagyu is WAY too raw.  I know people like their meat cooked differently, and that accordingly some people fancy 'a cow being walked through a warm room' sufficient, but they should have asked the diner how he would like his beef done when the order was taken.  It's also unfortunate that the gravy has spilled, creating a mess of the presentation.

3rd Course: Dessert or Cheese

Raspberry Sherbert, Valhorna Guanaja Chocolate Orange Tart.

Thankfully, DC Restaurant redeemed itself here.  The chocolate was smooth and velvety, the orange flavour wasn't overwhelming, and the sherbet was smooth & flavourful.  One of the best desserts I've had in a long time.  Yay!

Farm Fresh Cheese From France with Side Accompaniments of Homemade Confiture, Spiced Chutney, Fresh Salad. 

I didn't go for the cheese (couldn't resist the sweet stuff!) but by all accounts it was superb.  In particular, the goats cheese (second from left) was 'to die for' and the Roquefort (first from right) was just the right texture, flavour and temperature.  Sounds perfect!

Coffee

We ended the meal with coffee, and unfortunately once again the service let us down slightly here.  Apparently the coffee had to be brewed downstairs meaning that it took rather longer than expected to get to us.

Overall, I really enjoyed my meal at DC Restaurant.  Sure, there were a few hiccups here and there, but this was made up for by the attentiveness of the staff and their eagerness to please.  I even got a photo with the ever-charming Chef Darren, and we were given really pretty boxes filled with chocolate treats to take away with us as a New Years' gift - very kind!

Overall rating: 8/10

DC Restaurant by Darren Chin - +603 7731 0502 - www.restaurant-dc.com

No. 44 Persiaran Zaaba, Taman Tun Dr. Ismail, 6000 Kuala Lumpur