Hakka Republic, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

What I love about Hakka Republic are the garden views, stylish interior (designed by an award winning architect) and the awe inspiring wine menu. Executive Director, Sue Lim Siok Chin, is an expert in old world wines and, taking full advantage of her expertise, every item on the food menu comes with not one, but a number of suggestions for wine pairings. Per glass, recommended wines range from 22 – 39RM which I think is quite reasonable, especially when the guess work is taken out of the “wine + food = ?” equation for you. A few things that caught my eye on the menu are:  smoked duck salad with rocket & honey hoisin dressing; asparagus risotto; pan fried salmon with spinach, olive relish & balsamic emulsion; pan fried cod on beetroot puree & caramelized broccoli & Holland cherry compote and; the crispy chicken confit with Japanese sweet mashed potato, onion marmalade & fig compote. Mmm!
My gracious hosts for the evening delivered a wonderfully delicious line up of treats. While not what I would have chosen myself from their mouth-watering menu, all were ‘melt-in-your-mouth’ delectable, leaving hubby’s tongue tingling for more of these sinful sensations. After trying seven courses I’m betting that taste-wise you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. My personal highlights of the evening were: the Baked Miso Marinated Cod with Braised Baby Kailan and Sesame Dressing and; the Wild Trio Mushroom Soup with Truffle Oil and Gruyere Toasts.  And, what I believe sets apart an average restaurant from a great one are the small extras such as the palate cleansing kiwi sorbet and the uncommon addition of corn bread to the bread basket. Sound advise is to also take the proposed wine pairings. There is nothing more fabulous than a perfectly matched food and drinking experience. The two wines that caught my attention were the 2006 Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir – balanced with hints of cherry and spice and a persistent full finish – and the Château Haut Batailley Pauillac 2004 – a big ripe berryish potion, slightly smokey on the nose. If you find what you quaff appealing, it’s good to know that Sue Lim Siok Chin is also a wine dealer so you might consider arranging an appointment with her for further purchases. 

Hakka Republic
Wine Restaurant and Food Bar
Lot 2.05, Level 2
Menara Hap Seng
Jalan P Ramlee
50250 Kuala Lumpur
+603 2078 8908
www.hakkarepublic.com

2 Comments

  1. i'm pretty impressed with how this place has managed to survive & cultivate a loyal following! they won one of the 'time out kl' restaurant awards this year, beating out several more high-profile outlets. i've only eaten here two or three times, back in 2008/2009, and i really did like the food & the setting. haven't returned since then, but i should rectify that mistake sometime! 😀

  2. I think so, particularly the wine menu is worth visiting 🙂

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