L’Atelier by Cilantro Restaurant & Wine Bar, MiCasa

L’Atelier by Cilantro Restaurant & Wine Bar, MiCasa

Words: Monica Tindall
Photos: Han Sen Hau

Cilantro Restaurant & Wine Bar is one of the longest-standing fine dining establishments in Kuala Lumpur. However, we’d usually only reserve it for a special occasion because of the steep prices. With the introduction of their new lunchtime menu at L’Atelier by Cilantro Restaurant & Wine Bar, the team aims to make classic French dishes more accessible and entice repeat visits.

L’Atelier by Cilantro Restaurant & Wine Bar

L’Atelier by Cilantro Restaurant & Wine Bar offers a set lunch and a la carte menu. Tuesday to Thursday, the 2-course and 3-course set lunches are priced at RM 120 and RM 150, respectively. On Saturday and Sunday, both menus increase by RM 20. The menu is conveniently marked with vegetarian, gluten-free, nut-free and dairy-free options.

The setting is brightened with black and gold table and chair runners and matching cushions, adding a friendly bistro feel during the day. White-clothed tables are revealed in the evenings, and light green cushions replace the daytime décor. Classic French tunes hum from quality speakers. 

Wine List 

L’Atelier by Cilantro Restaurant & Wine Bar has an extensive wine-by-the-glass list with over ten options. I try a French Famille Perrin 2021 Blanc, Luberon from the Rhone Valley (RM 58 glass). It’s a fresh, well-balanced white wine with a delicate nose of white flowers and citrus. The palate is full of stone fruit and saline flavours, with a touch of minerality and a pleasing bitter mineral note on the finish. It is perfect for drinking alone as an aperitif but also pairs flawlessly with our salad and seafood starters. 

For a fine dining establishment, the restaurant also has some very approachable quaffers by the bottle, starting at RM 87 for the Spanish Borsao Chardonnay & Macabeo 2022 from Aragon. The wine opens with aromas of lime, pineapple, pink grapefruit, and peach, and a hint of honey and floral notes. The wine is fruity on the palate with tropical flavours, hints of vanilla from French oak ageing, and nutty nuances. It has good acidity and a textural palate with a clean, fruity finish. Why wouldn’t you go with the whole bottle with prices like that?

Bread

Two baguette slices come wrapped in a napkin, keeping them warm and toasty. The bread is simple and perfect, with a crunchy crust and spongy middle. The bread is enhanced with lightly salted French butter. 

Entrées – Starters

Five starters are on the set menu, with four more options at a supplementary price. 

We begin with a classic Escargot de Bourgogne – snails baked with garlic herb butter. Escargot is all about holding as much good butter, garlic, butter, herbs, and butter as possible. And there are no carbs, right, so it’s a guilt-free version of garlic bread (smile). However, you’d be wise to keep some of that earlier baguette to soak up the leftover melted butter.

We appreciate having meat-free alternatives on the set menu. We try both the Soup de Potiron and the Salade de la Maison. The first, pumpkin soup, is a wonderfully smooth, thick, creamy rendition with whipped cream and croutons, embracing the natural sweetness of the veg. The latter is a vibrant plate of mixed salad leaves, parsley, watercress, herbs, beetroot, green beans, and walnuts drizzled with a walnut vinaigrette.

If you want to magnify the fanciness of your lunch, you can top it up with Tartare de Boeuf (add RM 25). It reminds me of the French countryside with its knife-cut raw Angus beef, topped with raw egg and sided with aioli. It’s served with thin crusty bread slices, adding a textural change and flawless scoop for the raw beef.

The Moules Marinière (add RM 30) is also an excellent lux-me-up. The mussels are stewed with white wine, shallots and parsley and come with French fries. The mussels are fat specimens, almost bursting from their shells. Be sure to scoop some of the broth up with the shell and dip your fries in it, too – it’s salty, herbaceous and very more-ish. 

Plat Principaux – Main Courses

Coq au Vin is a classic French chicken recipe braised in red wine, mushrooms, and beef bacon. This hearty dish is made with free-range chicken cooked until fall-apart tender. The wine adds a rich depth of flavour, while the mushrooms and bacon provide a touch of earthiness and smokiness. The green beans and Brussels sprouts are added towards the end of cooking to keep them crisp and flavourful. The chewy beef bacon adds another layer of texture to the dish, making it even more satisfying.

Risotto Aux Truffes, truffle risotto, is a delicious meat-free option. Made with arborio rice, mushroom stock, truffles, Parmesan cheese, and butter, it is rich and tasty, with a smooth and creamy texture and a great bite to the rice. The truffles add a luxurious touch, and the Parmesan cheese gives it a savoury finish. Kenix (on reel’s duty) says this is her top pick of the mains.

Filet de Sole Poêlé is a classic French dish of pan-fried sole fish with noisette butter and fine beans. The fish is perfectly cooked and flaky, and the sauce is rich, with a hint of acidity from the capers. The almonds add a nice crunch, making the whole dish delicious. This is Han Sen’s fave.

Lastly, we come to my top pick, the Pates Aux Crevettes Sauvages – a dish of wild-caught prawns, dried tomatoes, and parsley tossed with linguine. The prawns are cooked until they are pink and slightly opaque, with a nice springiness to the bite. The sauce is made with dry tomatoes, which give it richness and a slight sweetness. The pasta is cooked al dente, so it has a firm texture that mirrors the tender prawns and the flavourful sauce.

Chef Takashi Kimura appears, and we grab the opportunity to ask how he has stayed in business for 22 years. He says he’s constantly reinventing himself and the menu and has a supportive team. He hopes to welcome more guests more frequently to lunch at L’Atelier by Cilantro Restaurant & Wine Bar.

Dessert – L’Atelier by Cilantro

Desserts are just the right size for lunch, and you can take your pick of three.

The Crêpe Suzette, a classic French dessert, features a warm crepe crowned with Grand Marnier and vanilla ice cream. Citrus peel within the crepe counters the liqueur’s sweetness. Regrettably, the dessert lacks tableside flambé, which is half its appeal. The Soufflé Au Grand Marnier is a small, airy delicacy crafted with the same liqueur and ice cream. Perfectly cooked, it exudes a gentle sweetness. Mousse au Chocolat offers rich, velvety chocolate mousse capped by pistachio sauce that balances its richness. L’Atelier’s desserts are skillfully crafted and delicious. Crêpe Suzette suits citrus enthusiasts, while Soufflé Au Grand Marnier caters to those seeking a lighter option. Mousse au Chocolat is a paradise for chocolate lovers.

Reasons to visit L’Atelier by Cilantro Restaurant & Wine Bar: classic French recipes executed exceptionally well; value-for-money wine-by-the-bottle list; an opportunity to try Cilantro minus the grand price tag. 

L’Atelier by Cilantro Restaurant & Wine Bar
Micasa All-suite Hotel
368B Jalan Tun Razak, Taman U Thant
50400 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
+603-2179 8000

L’Atelier by Cilantro Restaurant & Wine Bar Opening Hours
Tuesday to Sunday: 12 pm – 2 pm
Closed Monday

Find more French restaurants in KL here and stay up-to-date on the latest culinary happenings around Malaysia here and here.