Looking for Way Modern Chinois was almost like looking for the entrance to Narnia; we wandered around the lobby of Work@Clearwater for a while before flagging down a bystander to show us the way to the restaurant. Soon, we were ushered to an elevator facade, situated a few feet from Way’s sister restaurant Ploy, and asked to push the elevator button. Upon doing so, the doors of the elevator slid open with a smooth whoosh and we found ourselves at Way’s interiors, aka the ‘Narnia’ we were seeking.

Taking a bold and novel approach to Chinese dining, there are no large banquet dinner tables here at Way, nor are there your usual Oriental paintings on the wall. True to the meaning of its name in Mandarin (translated to mean “unique” or “one and only”), the restaurant takes pride in its contemporary and avant-garde approach to fine-dining Chinese cuisine.

Once you take a step through the elevator doors that form its entrance and into its classy and sensual interiors dominated by dark furniture, rosewood panelling and strategically placed spotlights, you are sure to be transported into a world of eclectic indulgence in your five senses.

Guiding you through the experience at Way is Chef Louis, who worked together with the restaurant’s owners to celebrate the diversity of Chinese and Asian cuisine by crafting truly extraordinary dishes with a deft and modern twist. The pork-free menu was reportedly formed after 15 months of food tasting and experimentation and after a sampling session, we could certainly taste its results.

A must-try here is Way’s signature Waterless Chicken Soup, an imperial essence of double boiled kampong chicken. Served in a transparent teapot and teacups, the soup consists of pure chicken essence. It is as rich as it is nourishing, and it goes easy down the throat. Another popular soup selection in Way’s menu is the Elixir of Youth. The broth promising youth and beauty is anchored with the taste of collagen-filled shark bone that was double boiled in milky essence of chicken with baby pak choy. The soup is loaded with flavours, so do savour each sip instead of gulping it down at one go.

Dim sum and dumplings make up a majority of its starter offerings: we picked out the Shanghainese dumplings, a four-piece dish that features a spicy and non-spicy version to enliven the taste buds. We were told to enjoy the soup by sipping it through the ‘straw’ on the dumpling. This straw refers to a carefully created tiny hole at the top of each handmade dumpling, where we sipped at the piping hot soup within the skin of the dumpling before finishing the entire piece with one bite. If you are up for something a little different, do also try the PacMan Dumpling, stuffed with steamed prawn marinated in Szechuan spices and spicy ponzu.

The highlight of our meal at Way is its Truffle Roast Duck, which features a serving of truffle-infused roast duck. As it arrived on the table, the unmistakable scent of truffle that mingled with the duck was enough to make the mouth water. The truffle oils trickling from the slices of truffles atop the duck meat, as well as those from the special marinade, result in a juicy sensation that bursts on the palate when you take a bite. Do take note that the truffle roast duck, being high-in-demand at Way, requires a 24-hours timeframe for pre-ordering.

To meet our carbohydrate quota for the day, we settled on a plate of crab roe fried rice. High-grade basmati rice is stir-fried with scallops and abalone before being topped with a generous topping of crab roe. A departure from the usual tai-chow style of fried rice that we are accustomed to at Chinese restaurants, the use of roe in this dish gives the rice a springy texture when chewed. Next, opt for the cold flower crab with colada ice. The crab is perched atop of refreshing colada ice, which will satisfy a sweet tooth. The crab meat itself is fresh and delectable, its light taste and the cool ice will help cleanse your palate for your dessert.

It is a must to finish your dinner at Way with a serving of its signature Musang King durian pancake. The flesh of the durian is incorporated into the batter, as it’s the custardy and pungent flavours from this highly coveted durian breed. Lighten up the palate with an order of cocktails from the bar, which were tailor made for the restaurant and infused with tea. For example, the White Tiger combines genmaicha-infused gin, sweet vermouth, limejuice, egg white and roasted rice, and the Forbidden City cocktail is made from earl grey-infused gin, maraschino liquor, lime juice and lemon peel. 

Let the drinks from the chic bar at Way refresh you while an excellent playlist of hypnotic new-age music hits the spot to soothe the soul.

We’d also like to note that a Chinese New Year set menu is also available so if you are looking for a contemporary space to usher in the Year of the Horse, Way is the place to go.

Way Modern Chinois is located at G-1, Work@Clearwater, Jalan Changkat Semantan, Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur; Tel: +603-2095-1118