The director of Lyfestyl Projects speaks about her latest baby in the F&B industry, what’s keeping her busy and her taste for food, fashion and the finer things in life.
Nur Nadia Nasimuddin adopts the "elevated casual with a twist" approach at the BLVD House.
Brunch is so hot in KL right now, ask any twenty- or thirty-somethings and they will tell you that the late-breakfast-big-enough-for-lunch is their most important meal of the day on weekends.
Habitually partaken with copius amounts of champagne and cocktails, the Malaysian choice of brunch is usually had with the finest brew and fruit juices. Our city is dotted with a profusion of brunch places that take a leaf from the Australian food scene but there’s one lady who is on a mission to inject a taste of London, Paris and New York into KL’s F&B landscape.
BLVD House is redolent of great restaurants one would find in London, Paris and New York.
BLVD House at Platinum Park on Persiaran KLCC is fast becoming the city’s newest favourite brunch place and it runs on full house on weekends as well as during peak lunch and dinner hours. Realising the dearth in chic bistros with excellent food and top-notch service, Nur Nadia Nasimuddin – the director of Lyfestyl Projects – is on an unstoppable mission to take the city’s dining scene up a notch with the “good” factor – good food, good service and good ambience.
At a media brunch put together by the restaurant, we got Nadia to speak about her venture and her taste for food, fashion and the finer things in life.
Describe BLVD House.
BLVD House is set up on the premise of “elevated casual with a twist”. I wanted to extend the dining experience one would get at great restaurants in the likes of Pastis in New York, The Wolseley in London and closer to our shores, Union in Jakarta or the Greyhound Café in Bangkok.
Essentially, it’s a casual dining outlet but with added value, like foie gras on your dish if you wish, and also service which we pay a lot of attention to. We’ve hired Ansgar Schlemmer as the general manager and he brings along his experience working for a number of Michelin-starred restaurants.
What is your favourite dish here?
Oh I have so many, it’s hard to choose just one. I like the peach kale salad, the signature bean-can roasted chicken (of course), miso cod and chili lobster but my go-to meal is the burger, you just can’t go wrong with it.
What do you look out for when picking a venue for party?
I look for ambiance, vibe, space and food, also service. They’re all important. We’ve had plenty of parties here too since the opening.
How would you describe your personal style?
I like something black, white, structured, simple and sophisticated. On weekends, you will find me in jeans and tee while for formal dressing, I treasure comfort more than anything else.
5 things you can’t live without.
Phone, water (I carry a bottle of water with me everywhere), bread, coffee and family.
What is your philosophy of life?
Love and enjoy what you do. Be happy. We all get tired at some point but it boils down to your passion, that if you enjoy certain things – despite the challenges that come – you will grow to just enjoy it. It becomes a process you will appreciate later.
What’s keeping you busy these days?
I’m working on our new sky dining project, a spinoff of café and more restaurants. Work takes up 70 percent of my day while 20 percent is spent on my four-year-old son and another 10 percent is reserved for me-time, where I catch up on tv shows (which I have to pause many times if my son is awake), have coffee and pop by my restaurants.
Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?
A mother of a few children and one of Malaysia’s leading women in the F&B industry.
The restaurant's signature bean-can toasted free-range baby chicken is a crowd favourite.
Smoked duck and peach kale salad.
Chef's signature toasted miso cod.
Oozing ovomaltine beignets and vanilla sugar.
(Photos: BLVD House)
And it was only about two years ago when Nur Nadia Nasimuddin celebrated the launch of Portluxe.