Portuguese Chef Louis Anjos at Horizon Grill KL
Monica Tindall
For four days only, KL-ites can dine with multi-award-winning Portuguese chef Louis Anjos at Horizon Grill. Head of the Michelin-starred Al Sud Restaurant in Palmares Ocean Living & Golf on the Algarve coast, Anjos brings traditional Portuguese flavours prepared with modern flair to diners in Malaysia.
The star chef is taking over Horizon Grill at Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur from January 12– 15, 2024, with both lunch and dinner sessions. We’re fortunate to dine on opening night with the Symphony of Flavours menu (RM 588) with wine pairing (RM 888) and share our experience with you.
Portuguese Chef Louis Anjos at Horizon Grill KL
Bread
The bread course is warm and satisfying, with olive baguette and a soft garlic bun, accompanied by sun-dried tomato and mixed nut butter.
Portuguese Snacks
A duo of snacks sees a nod to the East with a paper-thin crisp honey puri filled with prawn cream and topped with prawn meat. The partner tart is filled with octopus and covered with potato espuma and green olive oil. Paired with a crisp and effervescent NV Taittinger, it sets the tone for the evening.
Tuna
Tuna comes in two ways: a plump fatty slice topped with Imperial caviar alongside chopped pieces with creamy oyster. Cucumber sauce is poured over upon serving, adding freshness and crisp vegetable cleanliness to the plate. It’s accompanied by Trimbach Riesling, a perfect complement to the seafood ensemble.
Squid
Squid, fried and grilled, sits in a smooth peanut cream with a swirl of black ink sauce. It’s a juxtaposition of earth and sea. A few sips of the Albert Bichot Chablis elevate the experience.
Canadian Lobster
Canadian lobster completes the seafood trio before the choice of mains. Sweet, tender pieces of the crustacean rest in an orange saffron sauce. Thin potato noodles are a fun addition, and a black tuile lace contrasts the vibrant base.
MAIN COURSE
Main courses see a choice of fish or beef on the table. Dine with a friend, and you can try both.
Barramundi
Barramundi is a deconstructed version of the traditional Portuguese stew, caldeirada. A poached fish fillet lays aside the other components, with shaved fennel adding freshness to the plate and a rich sweet potato terrine switching up the usual white potato. It’s best eaten simultaneously with a small piece of everything on your fork. The wine mate, Kim Crawford Pinot Noir, is light enough for the delicate fish but has enough body and flavour to stand alongside the rich stew.
Wagyu Beef
Choose the Wagyu A5 Tokushima if you enjoy intense, rich, fatty flavours. The heavily marbled meat is enriched with black truffle, wild mushroom and the distinctive flavour of artichoke puree. It’s too concentrated in the mouth for me, but my fellow dining partners dive in with gusto. I need the glass of red to slice through its richness. The fresh fruitiness of the Casa Lapostolle Carmenere is a flawless counterpoint to the fatty meat.
Pre-dessert
A petite chocolate cone filled with cherry jelly, chocolate mousse and cinnamon cream serves as pre-dessert. The tiny treat is just enough to stimulate the palate for a little more sweetness.
Sweet Ending
Simply named, Banana, dessert is an enticing presentation of hazelnut cream, chocolate sponge, and a banana-shaped white chocolate shell holding the sliced fruit and mousse. It’s cute and tastes good, too. The wine pairing is the luscious Thomas Barton Sauternes, balanced in acidity and fruit.
Petite Four
The meal concludes with tea or coffee and petite four. Raspberry chocolate praline, coffee jelly, almond puff pastry and caramel pudding resemble tiny gems on the black plate. Each with its own character, they’re an elegant finale.
While Chef Louis is the first to point out how challenging it is to replicate flavours without the use of Portuguese ingredients, we are blessed to have a small taste of the Algarve coast and humble Portuguese hospitality right here in KL. Chef Louis will be at the Horizon Grill until January 15. Don’t miss the chance to meet him and experience his culinary artistry firsthand.
Reasons to book dinner or lunch with Portuguese Chef Louis Anjos at Horizon Grill KL: a limited-time opportunity to dine on recipes from a Portuguese Michelin-starred restaurant; lovely views and service at Horizon Grill.
Portuguese Chef Louis Anjos @ Horizon Grill
Level 58 Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur
+6010.566 0968
[email protected]
January 12 – 15, 2024
Lunch: 12:00 pm – 2:30 pm
4-course set menu
RM288 nett per person
Dinner: 6:30 pm – 10:00 pm
6-course set menu
RM588 nett per person
RM888 nett per person with wine pairing
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