Le Menu Dégustation Du Printemps – Chateau Dionne French Restaurant Kuala Lumpur
Words: Stephen Reid
Photos: Peter Tan
Peter Tan, one of our photographers at The Yum List, and I share a passion for the American TV series “The Bear”; this gripping show delves into the tumultuous world of the restaurant business, exploring the challenges the chef faces with staff, customers, landlords, and suppliers. The protagonist grapples with stress, anxiety, and dysfunctional relationships while striving to create a better restaurant against all odds. Recently, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Andy Choy, the Executive Chef/Partner at Chateau Dionne and Doux Doux French Bakery, to try his latest Le Menu Dégustation Du Printemps.
In the midst of launching the new Le Menu Dégustation Du Printemps, he was also preparing to open a new venture, a restaurant named “Nice” after the picturesque city on the French Riviera. Surprisingly, a few weeks away from the launch, Andy doesn’t resemble the stressed-out central character from our favourite show. His ready smile and relaxed, friendly demeanour stand in stark contrast. Interestingly, he’s never watched a single episode of “The Bear.” Instead, he unwinds with the Netflix series “The Gentlemen,” which follows the lives of London gangsters. Perhaps his secret lies in restaurant life being ‘slightly’ less stressful than the London underworld. Whatever it is, Chef Choy generously shared his time, discussing plans for their new restaurant and the recently launched Spring Menu 2024 at Chateau Dionne.
Chateau Dionne Wine List
Chateau Dionne’s wine list spans both the old and new worlds. Alongside the wines, they offer a variety of cocktails, mocktails, soft drinks, and illy coffee. Additionally, guests can consider the Tasting Wine Pairing (three glasses for RM 198) or the Degustation Wine Pairing (six glasses for RM 398). While the temptation to indulge was strong, we ultimately resisted—except for a single glass of the Paul Goerg 1er Cru Tradition Brut priced at RM 88. Sometimes, even the most disciplined can’t resist a sip of something exceptional!
Le Menu Dégustation Du Printemps
Mise En Bouche
Our Mise En Bouche, pre-starters for Le Menu Dégustation Du Printemps (RM 398 per person) arrived as we savoured our chilled Champagne. Sous Chef Wei Han explained each of them, and they all featured ingredients associated with springtime. The first saw a slender spear of crisp green asparagus delicately coated in a paste made from balsamic and truffles and crispy puffed rice atop a golden cocktail stick. Monica and I unanimously declared it would be a delightful choice for a party canapé.
The second was an excellent, crunchy, fluted pastry case containing a goat cheese mousse decorated with marinated pickled beetroot discs, balsamic pearls and gold leaf.
Next, we had charming carrot flans with luscious carrot puree crafted from heirloom carrots topped with a spiced glaze. While their appearance resembled petite glazed carrots, they held a delightful surprise: a mini carrot omelette meticulously rolled into the shape of—you guessed it—a carrot!
To complete our quartet of pre-starters, we had a choux au craquelin filled with mozzarella cream, topped with grated Gruyere cheese and a parmesan tuile dusted with basil powder. Although a good canape should disappear in one or two bites at most, this was one that I could have happily stretched that particular rule for.
Le Menu Dégustation Du Printemps – Bread
Leaving us no doubt that this was a spring menu; a wooden bowl decorated with spring greenery and two perfect little brioche buns came next. They were made by blanching fresh spring garden peas in hot water and promptly cooling them in iced water to preserve their vibrant green hue. After dehydration, the peas were ground into a fine powder, which was then incorporated into the dough of the slightly sweet and fluffy brioche buns. Dusted with an additional layer of bright green pea flour, the brioche was visually captivating, fresh and satisfying to the palate. Monica shared her belief that the quality of bread served at a restaurant is often a reliable indicator of the establishment’s overall quality and a preview of the culinary experience. Judging by the quality of the brioche before us, we could anticipate an extraordinary dining experience.
Chateau Dionne’s famous truffle butter complemented the brioche, shaped using canelé mould. This teasing hint of what would come later in the form of one of my favourite desserts at the meal’s end was the caramelised onion butter, which featured a tiny hollow filled with a small pool of turkey chorizo oil.
Amuse Bouche
Not featured on the menu, as is often the case, we were delightfully surprised with an Amuse Bouche from the chef. Chef Andy’s concept at Chateau Dionne KL involves using a free-range egg as the foundation for each amuse-bouche. The condiments vary based on the season and the chef’s creative inspiration, and this season consisted of an avocado espuma, a perfectly cooked onsen egg with a soft, custard-like yolk, a delicate beetroot tuile, and a generous spoonful of luxurious Caviar Colony Kaluga Hybrid Caviar. Chef Choy added herb-infused parsley oil using a dropper. The chef’s suggestion? Dig deep into the dish with your spoon, ensuring you savour a bit of each ingredient in every bite.
Scallops
We now arrived at our first course, the elegant “St. Jaques”, named after the French term for scallops. This dish pays homage to the historical connection between scallop shells and St. James (or St. Jaques). In medieval times, pilgrims en route to St. James’ tomb in Santiago De Compostela, Spain, would collect scallop shells as spiritual mementoes. Over time, it became customary for these pilgrims to proudly display the shells on their hats, symbolising their triumphant completion of the challenging pilgrimage. This rich tradition is reflected in the French name “Coquilles St. Jacques,” which translates to “shells of St. James.”
Our Hokkaido scallops were meticulously sliced to create a delicate carpaccio with alternating layers of radish, adding a refreshing crunch. Tiny, tangy, fresh mango fruit cubes balanced the flavours, including passionfruit and lemongrass puree. A quenelle of intense purple fresh plum sorbet provided a splash of colour, and curls of sliced semi-pickled cucumber added a subtle hint of acidity.
Capellini
For just RM 98 more, you can add Chateau Dionne’s signature Cheveux D’Ange dish—cold capellini with seasonal asparagus, dressed in tangy ponzu sauce and topped with Kaviari Kristal Caviar. The caviar is Chef Choy’s favourite due to its firm, delightful pearls. Interestingly, our meal today includes three different kinds of caviar, all hybridised and produced in China. Surprisingly, China accounts for over 70% of all caviar produced worldwide – even though labels might show European ownership.
Foie Gras – Le Menu Dégustation Du Printemps
Foie gras took centre stage in the next course, resting on a torched kiwi fruit crumble with a Granny Smith espuma on the side. The liver was velvety smooth, soft, and creamy, and the pecan and kiwi fruit crumble provided textural contrast. While some find foie gras a tad too rich for their taste buds, others abstain due to animal husbandry concerns. Personally, I enjoyed the dish, although I would have welcomed a touch more sharp sourness in the Granny Smith foam to balance its indulgent richness.
Canadian Lobster
At this point in the meal, an additional course for those with hearty appetites is available for a supplementary RM180. Featuring Canadian lobster (known as ‘Homard’ in French), this dish is one of the most visually appealing items on the menu. A deconstructed version of lobster thermidor, the head was served in a gilded ceramic bowl with a beignet crown—a savoury French doughnut filled with lobster (header photo). On top was a cheese béchamel sauce and Russian Colony Caviar. The tail was lightly cooked by torching, leaving it firm and succulent. An intensely flavoured bisque sauce was poured into a circle of piped pea puree and then beautifully decorated with fish roe to enhance the flavours. Monica said that she preferred this over tradition as it allowed the sweet taste of the lobster to be enjoyed on its own rather than being swamped under the cheese and bechamel sauce.
Le Menu Dégustation Du Printemps – Turbot
The turbot dish, sourced from France, stood out among the menu offerings with its tender texture and delicate flavour. Expertly cooked and accompanied by roasted artichoke and a nuanced Buerre Blanc sauce, this dish showcased Chef Choy’s skill in highlighting the natural essence of the ingredients. The addition of a fragrant Parmesan crumble complemented the turbot beautifully, resulting in a sophisticated and highly pleasing dish.
Pre-dessert
Monica and I both relished the pre-dessert, described to us as a little like Negroni in dessert form: ‘pamplemousse’. It was grapefruit and espuma with Campari jelly dusted with raspberry powder and micro basil leaves. It was an excellent palate cleanser, served in a shot glass on a bed of ice.
CD Signature Soufflé
The CD Signature Soufflé has consistently featured on the menu since its opening. This iconic dessert, numbered to showcase its popularity, was served to Monica as the 14,555th creation. The dark chocolate powder, which is dusted inside the ramekin before baking, is from Chocolate Concierge—renowned for ethical sourcing and reviving Malaysia’s chocolate industry—and a side of vanilla ice cream. The soufflé has an impressive rise that would be the envy of any home chef. I enjoyed Chef Choy’s addition of Grand Marnier orange liqueur and pulp into a little hole he made in the top, evoking nostalgic flavours akin to a “Terry’s Chocolate Orange,” but with a sophisticated twist.
Petit Four
To conclude the meal, I enjoyed an Illy espresso alongside Petit Four, presented in a wooden box featuring six compartments of delicious treats. It included a fresh strawberry, a buttery Madeleine with white chocolate, a flavourful mini strawberry macaron, a canelé with a caramelised crust and custard centre, a rich chocolate truffle from Chocolate Concierge, and a mini lemon tart on shortbread.
Le Menu Dégustation Du Printemps
Nearly four years since its opening, Chateau Dionne continues to impress under the leadership of Chef Choy, who seems to be hitting his stride, perhaps hasn’t even broken a sweat yet, and doing it all with a big smile. While this might not provide the dramatic tension sought by TV writers, it brings absolute joy to his customers. I eagerly anticipate trying out his new establishment, ‘Nice’, upon its opening.
Reasons to enjoy Le Menu Dégustation Du Printemps at Chateau Dionne: Try the exceptional Turbot – Chef Choy’s skilful preparation lets the fish’s natural flavours take centre stage. Also, try the Homard (Lobster) – the high-quality ingredients are handled with great care and beautifully presented. The CD Signature Soufflé is a must: A legendary dessert, each numbered to mark its continuous popularity, with over 14,555 being served to date.
Chateau Dionne French Fine Dining Restaurant
24G, Jalan Medan Setia 2, Bukit Damansara
50490 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
https://chateaudionne.com/
+60 320112333
*pork-free
**covered alfresco area
***private rooms
Chateau Dionne KL Opening Hours
Daily: 12 – 3 p.m., 6 – 10 p.m.
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