SETTING

Located on Bangsar’s Lorong Kurau, this suburb-based restaurant neighbours the popular vegan joint Ganga Café, Barat’s close relative as both are run by the same owners. The interior reflects its sustainable, eco-conscious concept, with hand painted murals, brick walls and airy loft ambience. The restaurant is designed for all occasions – the ground floor is fitted with tables suited for dates and small groups, whereas upstairs, a more casual atmosphere with couches and low tables for leisurely dinners.

FOOD

The 16-course Mediterranean Experience degustation menu is an excellent way to sample the many creations of chef Lingesh DJ in one seating. First up is home baked bread with apple cider, red wine vinaigrette in olive oil. Taken together with the tummy-warming roasted pumpkin soup infused with air-dried ginger stimulates the appetite for the feast to come.

Interesting highlights include three tapas-style dishes – patatas bravas with red wine tomato sauce, grilled sweet peppers with blue cheese and herb oil, and the roasted Romano with pitted prunes and cranberry. The firm little nugget of patatas boasts of crisp skin and resembles a perfect canvas to the fresh red wine tomato sauce. Soft and slightly charred, the sweet peppers encase a robust, creamy morsel of blue cheese. And searing through the salty and sharp Romano cheese is the clever use of sweet and tangy fruit. Overall presentation is exquisite and the taste, refined.

For carbs, the mushroom zucchini aglio olio is notable for its perfectly al dente strands of pasta with extra crunch coming from shredded, lightly blanched zucchini. Mushrooms lend an earthy balance to it, with the final flourish from grilled lemons – sweet and tart, it presents a sunny freshness to the dish. Marking the middle of the meal is a palate-cleansing course of red endive with berry medley. A single red endive encloses an aromatic floral press infused with chia seeds and enhanced with a fruity essence of blackberry, blueberry, raspberry and mulberry.

The next few courses take on a heavier note, starring different types of cheese-based surprises. A trio of golden fried tri-cheese ball with apricot and pineapple spiced jam, sundried tomato pesto with ricotta cheese on Japanese cucumber and a basil pesto on aubergine and micro greens all highlight the versatility of a plant-based diet and resoundingly resemble a new way to enjoy fruits and vegetables.

What is Mediterranean dining without cous cous? Barat’s version has spiced grains cavorting with asparagus, caramelised baby carrots, generous sprinkles of sunflower seeds and a fruity pomegranate dressing to mop up the cous couse. It’s a hearty and vigorous dish with its imaginative flavours.

Our favourite, if we had to pick, is the other main of pistachio carbonara. A balanced creaminess coats every strand with satisfying nuttiness and sundried tomatoes searing through the rich ingredients. Ending the meal on a high note is a trio of desserts – a seasonal selection of ice cream and two cakes. The chocolate brownie is sinfully rich while the opera cake, being light, fluffy squares with a homemade taste to it, make for a wholesomely satisfying way to end dinner.

DRINKS

A prominent feature of Barat is its well-stocked bar on the first floor. Diners can choose from a wide choice of house pours by glass or bottle. What’s more, knowledgeable service crew will gladly recommend wines according to taste preference and plates of choice. From sauvignon blanc to shiraz, spanning regions from Argentina to New Zealand, diners will be easily tempted to order more than one bottle to share.

SERVICE

Attentive, friendly and informative, the floor staff never falls short on keeping diners satisfied throughout the meal. Under their watchful eyes, glasses are promptly refilled, and courses are swiftly cleared, allowing dinner parties to carry on uninterrupted. A good energy and synergy pervades the staff, as individual members can easily pick up from where their colleagues left off. Service comes with a smile, and should any part of the dinner be met with any dissatisfaction, the staff and chef are ever ready to replace it with a new or complimentary dish.

PRICE

Given the fact that for this review, two extensive degustation menus, two side dishes, two glasses of Chardonnay and two beverages were shared, the price of RM255 for two resembles a sensible price to pay. Quality and flavour stayed consistent, with each plate painstakingly presented with love. At Barat, ingredients are made from scratch, and dishes, though mostly tapas-sized, are recommended for sharing. The restaurant has a rustic and romantic soul that’s perfect for intimate dinners, but best of all is chef Lingesh’s creativity and passion in highlighting the potential of vegetarian food. Look out for its new degustation menu this year and an introduction of a bubbly Sunday brunch.