Cover Jade Pavilion, a new Cantonese eatery in the heart of KL city, is as elegant as they come (Photo: Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur)
Here's catering to your hankerings for dim sum, steak and Japanese food. Find out what's good at Jade Pavilion, Maria's Signature and Nobu Kuala Lumpur.

1. Jade Pavilion

Tatler Asia
Above Deep Fried Boneless Chicken Fillet Topped with Spicy Plum Sauce (Photo: Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur)
Tatler Asia
Above Deep-Fried Charcoal Rice Balls with Black Sesame Chocolate (Photo: Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur)

Lockdown might have sounded the death knell for many businesses, but for a handful of restaurants including Jade Pavilion, it presented new opportunities. Occupying what used to be Ebisu (now located in the Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur) on the eighth floor of Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur, the new Chinese restaurant is as elegant as they come. A red carpet-lined walkway running from the front entrance to the main dining room immediately sets the tone for sumptuous things to come, and the staff uniforms with frog fasteners and bright-coloured fabric look like designs hot off the runway.

Despite their shared last name, dim sum chef Dino Lee and Chinese masterchef Kenny Lee's only relation to one another is a shared passion for Chinese cooking; both Lees work in tandem to present diners with Hokkaido scallops served in rich coconut butter sauce; steamed Xiao Long Bao filled with chicken and crab; impossibly tender beef cubes fried with mushrooms and garlic; and more pork-free delicacies. Dessert, our favourite course of the day, ranges from the traditional to the contemporary, with Double Boiled Bird’s Nest with American Ginseng and Chilled Mango Purée with Pomelo and Strawberry coming out of the same kitchen.

Jade Pavilion | Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur, 170, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur | +603-2117 2823 | jadepavilion-pavilionhotel@banyantree.com | Open daily, 12 - 2.30pm and 6 - 10pm | Reservations

2. Maria's Signature

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Photo 1 of 3 A curly 'toupée' of deep-fried onions is Maria's signature finishing touch (Photo: Maria's Signature)
Photo 2 of 3 The new steakhouse boasts both indoor and outdoor eating overlooking KLCC Park (Photo: Maria's Signature)
Photo 3 of 3 Cosy booths that offer more privacy (Photo: Maria's Signature)

What is it about Maria's that keeps customers coming back time after time, even amidst new restaurant openings every month? We put it down to the beautifully charred, slightly salty crust that envelops their meat. Pair that with a perfectly pink centre, and you've got yourself a simply sublime steak

While we were initially surprised to hear that a steakhouse associated with simplicity had moved into KLCC's snazzy premises, a quick visit cemented our faith in the brand, which has come a long way from its humble roots in Ipoh

Seek out Maria's Signature, an upscale version of Maria's SteakCafe, above what used to be Mamasan. The new restaurant serves the same crowd favourites as their other outlets, albeit with slightly more premium ingredients. Furthermore, you can sling back cocktails created by renowned mixologist Amanda Wan who, taking the steakhouse's history into account, made it a point to incorporate Ipoh-sourced ingredients such as pomelos and peanut cookies in her concoctions.

TATLER TIP: Containing house-made sauces, the cocktail known as Maria’s Michelada packs a sweet-savoury punch.

Maria's Signature | Lot 157, First Floor, Suria KLCC Shopping Center, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur | +6010-9020 386 | Open daily, 10am - 10pm | View menu | Reservations

3. Nobu Kuala Lumpur

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Photo 1 of 2 Toro Tartar with Caviar and Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeño (Photo: Nobu Kuala Lumpur)
Photo 2 of 2 The Sake Room at the new Nobu affords diners a resplendent view of Lake Symphony at KLCC Park (Photo: Nobu Kuala Lumpur)

Albeit being located a lot closer to the ground now, Nobu Kuala Lumpur hasn’t lost any of its lofty ideals. While attending the seven-year-old restaurant's 'housewarming,' we were pleased to encounter a good balance of signatures with the Nobu stamp on them and new delicacies.

Occupying a whole floor of its own at the Four Seasons Place Kuala Lumpur the seven-year-old restaurant has reframed their menu to celebrate their change of address: "Seeing as we are in Four Seasons, our menu now mirrors the different seasons," explained executive chef Phillip Leong. What does this mean? Nothing ground-shaking, as far as we can tell. In addition to serving four new cocktails literally called Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, Nobu has found ways to make certain dishes fit the theme. For instance, a multicourse menu might begin with a sashimi salad that symbolises summer before segueing into a winter-inspired Tenderloin Truffle Teriyaki.

With the restaurant's dazzling views of KLCC Park's Symphony Lake and future plans to invite guest DJs, we can envision the restaurant as the next 'it' place to host all sorts of events. Sure, they offer a classy sake tasting flight, but there are also sake bombs to turn up the tempo. 

TATLER TIP: The new Nobu is much easier to access than before—you can bid adieu to the bag checks and body scans that were required of KLCC’s building management. The restaurant even has direct lift access from the parking lot.

Related: Bar And Restaurant Relocations: Cicchetti Di Zenzero, JungleBird, And Nobu KL

 

Nobu Kuala Lumpur
Japanese   |   $ $ $ $

L4A-05, Level 4A Shoppes at Four Seasons Place Kuala Lumpur, No. 145, Jln Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur

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