Located atop The Manor in the heart of KL’s concrete jungle, one can take in breathtaking views of the city’s iconic twin towers and the enthusiastic energy of CHARR’s open-concept wood-fire kitchen.

Rooted in the age-old tradition of charring, CHARR masterfully blends the boldness of primitive wood-fire cooking with the unmistakable intensity of Cantonese ‘wok hey’ — a technique that captures the essence of heat and smoke to create an unparalleled depth of flavour.

Chef Leong Chee Mun proudly shared that there are no electric or gas stoves and ovens at CHARR, instead powered only by the pure unadulterated flames of locally-sourced mangrove wood.

Nacre had the wonderful opportunity to sample some of the signatures at CHARR with a special tasting menu. Note that the courses pictured below are not the full portions of the dishes.

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bites

ABOVE Pomme Anna

Our journey at CHARR begins with the Pommes Anna, served with herb crema & house-smoked trout roe. A luxurious rendition of the French classic, featuring buttery, crisped potato layers complemented by nutty brown butter, creamy and slightly tangy herb-infused crema, and the briny bursts of roe. Definitely a must order for potato lovers.

An unmistakable standout of the evening were the Chicken Wings with Pad Kra Pao & Fermented Hot Sauce. The wingettes were carefully deboned then stuffed with a Thai spice-infused Pad Kra Pao minced chicken filling and grilled to a crisp golden hue. These were paired with a house-fermented hot sauce (that I happily took home a little jar of) that had the right balance of heat, tang and funk.

toast

Moving on to the heavier courses, we excitedly indulged in a thick slice of Foie Gras atop buttery brioche, contrasted with the verdant pandan kaya made in-house. A clear observation is that CHARR is one of few establishments were they make almost everything on the menu. The foie gras were seared to bring out its supple, buttery flavours, further accentuated with the bright yellow egg jam on top. I thought the combination was interesting but not a stop-the-world moment as the liver was not as fatty for my preference.

What was an actually stop-the-world moment though, was my first bite of the Wagyu Beef Tongue flatbread! An absolutely flavour-bomb — the morsels of smoky, tender beef tongue were generously seasoned, and the harissa yogurt was marvelous!

Cocooning the fillings and eating the flatbread like a taco can be quite the messy ordeal, with beef and quail egg yolk trickling out the ends — but it’s exactly that moment I felt the intimacy of this dish.

vege

ABOVE Burnt Onion (left), White Corn (right)

It’s a tad bit ironic for not one but both vegetable dishes to be presented as white bowls of white food rather than green; save for the herb garnishes on both.

CHARR’s Burnt Onion with Smoked Stracciatella & Chimichurri sees the humble allium transformed by wood-fire to bring out its sweet, caramelised nuances. Now, I was a skeptic of this dish because how great can an onion be? The true star of the bowl was the smoked stracciatella lining the bottom — deeply savoury, creamy with a pleasant squeakiness.

White Corn remains underrated produce in my opinion. The CHARRed (heh) rendition here pairs fermented Jalapeño, a secret spice blend & generous shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano for an unforgettable umami hit. I especially appreciate the presentation of the corn dish in a tilted bowl embraced by dried corn husks.

plates

My choice of main was the Catch of the Day — seasonal fish (grouper here) with a rich, aromatic and slightly sweet Singapore Laksa broth, merging the best of Southeast Asian flavours with CHARR’s signature wood-fired depth. The white fish was charred very nicely, burnished on one side and with a silky soft interior. The use of the classic semi-translucent noodles were a nice touch. The portion we had was half of the usual, so it’s quite a princely portion for the price.

My dining partner went for the Sanchoku Wagyu MB 7, and based on how many plates of these were being prepared, it’s an obvious choice at CHARR. The beautiful striploin was grilled to produce a deeply burnished crust that was even all over the steak, evoking the sensation and memory of char siu. Cooked to a nice medium, my partner enjoyed this very much though I personally like my beef medium rare.

The accompanying romaine with balsamic glaze was not that memorable, but the burnt shallot puree was out of this world — rich, umami, sweet, and very balanced.

sweet

ABOVE Chocolate Lava Tart (left), Choux Craquelin (right)

If you’ve kept up with my experiences, you’d know how important dessert is to me. My Lava Tart is one of the few desserts that have wow-ed me this year, but unfortunately my sentiments were not echoes as the guests around me were raving about the Choux Craquelin, with its fantastic pineapple compote and crème diplomat fillings.

The chocolate tart has a liquid centre, held in a perfectly crisp chocolate shortcrust. Cutting into the tart flooded the plate with all that dark, rich goodness that was boldly but harmoniously paired with house-smoked vanilla bean ice cream. The smokiness in the frozen custard was very intense, perhaps why it was not for everyone, but I loved it.

drinks

The bar at CHARR is just as dynamic as its kitchen, offering a carefully curated selection of signature cocktails, wines, and locally crafted beers that enhance the smoky, bold flavors of the cuisine. Our CHARR Sour was very memorable, infused with woody, smoky scents.

ABOVE CHARR Sour (left), palate cleanser (right)

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There is a trend shift is the culinary and dining realms where instead of using technological marvels and molecular food chemistry, chefs and restauranteurs are going back to the primitive methods of cooking. Paying homage to the most important ingredient of all — time.

CHARR is one of many such examples. The brainchild of co-founders Chef James Leong Chee Mun, Chef Wah Yin Xing, and Kenneth Ngai; CHARR Dining was born from a deep-seated passion for creating unforgettable dining experiences. With over a decade in the food and beverage industry, the founders envisioned a space that celebrates bold flavours, meaningful connections, and the finest ingredients.

CHARR is also set to introduce exclusive Chef’s Table experiences and curated tasting menus, offering guests a deep dive into the artistry of wood-fire cooking. These intimate dining events will highlight seasonal specialties and showcase the restaurant’s relentless pursuit of culinary excellence. We look forward to revisiting for this immersive experience.

CHARR
47-3A, The Manor,
3 Persiaran Stonor,
City Centre, 50450 Kuala Lumpur

Operation Hours: 6.00–11.00 PM (Wed–Sun)
T: +6017-894 5447
Menu | Instagram
Reserve here

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