Perched atop Alila Bangsar overlooking the KL city skyline on one side and the lush neighbourhoods of Bangsar, Entier beckons guests into its timber and stone-clad dining rooms. The space was warmly lit by the setting sun at dusk, which transformed into a more sensual atmosphere later in the night. Seating was spacious and comfortable, with ample distance between tables so one does not accidentally eavesdrop on conversation. 

As we approached the restaurant, we were graciously welcomed and escorted to our reserved table by the maître d’hôtel. We were there to experience Entier’s tasting menu, which rotates as the seasons change, as the establishment seeks to highlight seasonal produce at its best. The Spring menu, priced at RM650 per person, consists of seven courses plus a few extra in between, served across two hours.

amuse-bouche

Our dining experience kicked off with a quintuplet of impeccably presented dishes as part of the amuse-bouche. The Abalone & Foie Gras dish was presented with interlayered slices of unctuous foie gras and bouncy grilled abalone in its shell. The grenobloise sauce of burnt butter, lemon, capers and parsley brought bright complexity to the richness of the dish. We all agreed that this was our favourite of the amuse-bouche assortment.

A sliver of croque monsieur, sandwiching house smoked Salmon and emmentaler cheese, provided deep woody notes following the abalone and foie gras dish, balanced by a herbaceous dill bechamelle.

T’lur Tropical Caviar from Tanjung Malim takes center stage in the third bite, delicately placed atop a sweet potato blini accompanied with crême fraiche, shallots, chives and capers. Our local caviar farmers are up there with the best in the world, as evidenced by Entier’s offering. Definitely an easy highlight.

Onion & Anchovy were highlighted in the fourth bite, housed in a beautifully crisp tart shell. The sweet darkness of caramelised onions and deep briny umami of anchovies were rounded out by assertive aromas of thyme and olive as in a traditional Niçois pissaladiere. 

Smoked Fish Roe in a crisp cornet concluded the amuse-bouche quintet, which is one of Pearl’s evening highlights. The intense savouriness of the trout roe paired fantastically with two creamy elements in the form of egg mimosa and tarama cream (an emulsion of fish roe, olive oil and bread). C’est magnifique.

bread

We were delighted by the scent of freshly baked bread soon after. Entier is very well known for their corn bread and kombu butter, which once kept them afloat through the early days of the pandemic. The bread had a shatteringly thin crust, and a fluffy steaming-hot crumb that had us singing songs of praise when slathered with the kombu and truffle oil-infused butter.

earth

Dinner continued with a Tomato & Ricotta tart with marinated tomatoes paired with ricotta. Sean enjoyed this dish and commented that it was an excellent transition from the amuse-bouche into the main courses. He really liked the floral notes, though the basil pesto and fig chutney did not leave a strong impression. Sprigs of frisee rounded out the dish with a peppery kick.

Flavour came knocking on the door with the Celeriac & Nuts course. Soft slow-roasted celery root swimming in a crystal clear celeriac consommé accompanied by a slice of beef speck and roasted nuts. The nuts provided a crunchy contrast to the silky celeriac underneath. My only gripe is that the celeriac was a tad too salty.

sea

Spring features two main courses that highlight oceanic ingredients. The first was a roasted Lobster dish with the most delightful crustacean sauce and lemongrass foam. A lone codfish raviolo and spears of asparagus completed the dish. The lobster was cooked to just the right texture and clean flavour, hallmarks of expert preparation. One of our favourites of the night. However, we all agreed that the raviolo was quite forgettable next to the lobster.

Grilled Turbot followed the lobster course. A fillet of the flatfish was served with fresh blue mussels, a disc of poached turnip topped with our favourite T’lur caviar and a seaweed-infused nama nori cream. The fish was adorned with threads of confit lemon that looked unassuming but carried much needed brightness to the plate and palate.

sweets

The pre-dessert course was a refreshing Pineapple and mango concoction. The tried and tested tropical combination of mango, lime, coconut and pineapple can never disappoint. Fresh mango cubes prepared in a compote with lime, topped with whipped coconut and a quenelle of pineapple sorbet whetted our palates and prepared us for the final dessert course. This was one of my personal highlights.

I am a dessert person through and through, and I believe that it is one of the most important aspects of a dining experience because we leave the table with it. The Fig dessert was as elaborate as a dessert can get. We experience fig in three forms – a set compote, fresh fig slices and refreshing fig sorbet. I personally thought the sorbet could have been sweeter with more flavour. The most interesting element on the plate, however, was the île flottante or “floating island”. A soft meringue broken open unleashed a flood of sweet vanilla crème anglaise across the plate. Beautiful!

We ended our meal with two petit fours: a vanilla-forward sandwich of soft cake and pastry cream with whipped ganache and caramel; and a dark chocolate-coffee sable tart with cocoa crunch and notes of roasted nuts. The sweet medley checked all my boxes for an interesting and balanced dessert course: “Something sweet and creamy, something dark and chocolatey, something bright and refreshing, something floral or fruity.” What more could you want?

hospitality

A top priority for Sean, the service at Entier was impeccable and exceptionally attentive, ensuring that our needs were met without delay. Empty plates were swiftly removed almost immediately after we had placed our cutlery down. Our glasses of sparkling water were always filled. When Sean helped himself to the San Pellegrino, a passing server promptly assisted in filling his glass. 

One minor drawback was that our curiosity about the tasting menu and certain dish components wasn’t fully quenched. Despite our inquiries, we didn’t receive complete explanations, leaving us with some gaps in our dining experience. It would be wonderful if the server took extra initiative to provide detailed information.

end

We left Entier feeling satisfied and inspired. From our entrance, throughout the meal and after, the hospitality was warm and welcoming. To enhance your experience at Entier, we suggest going for the wine pairings with the tasting menu (RM280/320); something we opted out of during this visit.  Thank you to the team at Entier for a lovely evening.

written by Bryan Yap & Sean Koay
photos by Sean Koay

Entier French Dining (pork-free)
Level 41 at Alila Bangsar,
58 Jalan Ang Seng, Brickfields,
50470 Kuala Lumpur, W.P.K.L.

Operation Hours: Open daily (Lunch 12pm – 4pm; Dinner 6pm – 10pm)
T: +603-2268 3819
Menu: https://entierfrenchdining.com/menu/
Reserve at: https://www.tableapp.com/partner/entier-french-dining-kl#/

Note: This is not a sponsored post.