KL Restaurant Week 2025 Summer Edition – Amazonas TRX
Words: Stephen Reid
Photos: Han Sen Hau
Kuala Lumpur’s dining scene is always a thrill, and it’s set to become even more exciting with the Summer 2025 edition of KL Restaurant Week, running from June 6 to 22nd. This biannual event is a fantastic opportunity for food lovers to explore specially curated menus at attractive prices. Among the stellar lineup, Amazonas is a name that always brings a smile to our faces here at The Yum List. It was with a sense of eager anticipation, almost exactly a year since my first visit, that we returned to check out their offerings.
KL Restaurant Week Summer 2025 – Amazonas TRX
Amazonas makes a striking first impression. Its handsome wooden facade and rust-coloured steel panels, adorned with Aztec art, lead you into its inviting charm. Stepping inside, the grand ‘Parrilla’ Grill immediately catches your eye. This is the heart of the kitchen, where cooking is an art form, fuelled by wood and charcoal. The menu is a vibrant tapestry of Peruvian, Brazilian, Spanish, Mexican, and Caribbean influences.
Spread across two levels, the upstairs bar is a vibrant spot to hang out over cocktails. Downstairs, a beautiful wooden parquet floor, stylish sage green and terracotta red upholstered chairs and inlaid marquetry tabletops create a warm space. The decor, inspired by the Amazon rainforest, features sculptures and paintings that truly amplify the Latin American vibe. On weekend evenings, a DJ spins lively Latin music and Afro-beats. At other times, an authentic South American soundtrack sets an upbeat mood that Monica, a devotee of all things South American from her time living there, particularly enjoyed!
We were greeted with the same warmth we remembered by familiar faces, including our waiter, Fuad, and Chef Shaun. It’s always a heartening sign in the fast-paced hospitality world to see low staff turnover. Chef Shaun also introduced us to a new sous chef, Q. Despite a background in French cuisine, Q was enthusiastically mastering the art of the grill under Shaun’s expert guidance. It turns out that Chef Q and Shaun are old friends who have worked together before – a lovely touch of camaraderie.
Happy Hour TRX
We’d highly recommend taking advantage of Amazonas’ Happy Hour. It runs daily from 2 pm to 6 pm, featuring tempting deals on beers, wines, and cocktails. A little tip from us: aim to arrive by 5 pm before your dinner booking. This gives you ample time to indulge in their buy-one-free-one cocktails before the Amazonas menu for KL Restaurant Week Summer 2025 service begins at 6 pm. This strategy certainly worked for us, allowing us to explore all four delightful cocktails on offer. They are RM 50 each outside of happy hour, but we got two for one!
We began with a classic Mojito—served in a cut-glass highball over crushed ice; it was exceptionally refreshing, its mint and lime notes a welcome remedy to the heat. The iconic Junglebird followed, a tropical Kuala Lumpur-born cocktail of dark rum, pineapple and Campari, expertly balanced with just the right touch of bitterness. For those with a sweeter palate, the Lichi De Hibisco blended vodka with lychee and hibiscus syrup in a light, floral sipper reminiscent of Malaysia Airlines’ signature mocktail. The standout, however, was the Ancho Margarita —a bold mix of tequila, Ancho Verde, pineapple and lime, with a hint of Tabasco adding an unexpected, smoky warmth that lingered long after the last sip.
KL Restaurant Week Summer 2025 – Amazonas TRX Menu
The five-course Amazonas menu for KL Restaurant Week Summer 2025 is priced at RM360++ for two people.
Pre-Course: Awakening the Palate
Our meal began with two vibrant bites on a rustic green ceramic dish. First, Amazonas’ signature Guacamole—creamy avocado topped with pickled fennel and smoked broccoli, served on a crisp patacones disc (twice-fried, smashed green plantains)—was as moreish as I remembered and best enjoyed with cocktails (a tip for next time). Alongside it, a colourful Fruit Salpicon of orange, blackberry, blueberry, and jackfruit, served in a tangy citrus dressing, offered a bright, palate-awakening start.
First Course: A Confident Opening Act
Some performers save their biggest hits for the encore; Amazonas, brimming with confidence, opens with a showstopper—their excellent Seabass Ceviche. Generous slices of fresh seabass are cured in a spicy coconut leche de tigre and combined with avocado, fresh coconut, beetroot-pickled shallots, and papaya salsa. Encouraged to mix it all together, we discovered a vibrant medley of tart, sharp, and creamy notes in perfect balance. Monica, utterly charmed, scooped up every last drop of the dressing—it was simply too good to leave behind.
Second Course: Impressive Successors
Following such a triumph could be a challenge, but the Chicken Compressed Aji Pancha proved a confident and worthy successor. Chef Q explained that slices of chicken are vacuum-sealed with marinade. They are then cooked at a low temperature to lock in juices and ensure tenderness, before being finished with a sear on the fiery ‘Parilla’ grill for a delicious char and smoky flavour. It was served with a rich, brown Mole sauce. This sauce is traditionally crafted with chocolate, fruits, nuts, chilli peppers, and spices. Fresh green pea shoots and incredibly crisp chicken skin shards accompanied it.
Next, the Langoustino, or grilled river prawn, was so impressively large that it could easily have been mistaken for a small lobster. It boasted a generous coating of well-balanced Creole-spiced butter, where the chilli heat enhanced rather than overwhelmed the tender prawn, complemented by tasty charcoal flavours from the grill and a zesty tomatillos green chilli salsa.
Main Course: A Grand Finale
After so many flavourful courses, it was almost hard to believe the main event was still to come. Thankfully, we still had room for the premium Australian Wagyu Flank Steak. The steak, generously coated in a smoked mushroom rub, was expertly grilled. While served with a piquant salsa llajua, the steak itself was so juicy and flavourful that it scarcely needed it. It was perfectly tender and red inside, with a wonderful caramelised char and deep, smoky charcoal notes on the outside.
Accompanying the steak was Arroz Con Coco, a rice dish with grated coconut, raisins, and lime – a pleasing complement to the beef that we all enjoyed. Also served alongside was Ensalada De Palmitos, a refreshing salad of hearts of palm, arugula, and heirloom cherry tomatoes tossed in a deliciously fresh dressing.
Dessert
Even after many delightful dishes, there’s always room for dessert. This one masterfully continued the theme: light and palate-cleansing, yet bursting with flavour. The star was Java Apple, artfully paired with sweet fennel pickles that added acidity and aniseed notes. Tender shards of coconut flesh provided texture. A delightfully fragrant pink guava granita and the tartness of asam boi (sour plum) made for an exceptionally light and palate-cleansing experience.
KL Restaurant Week Summer 2025 – Amazonas TRX
Amazonas is an easy recommendation anytime. It boasts a winning combination of flavourful South American food, well-crafted cocktails, genuinely friendly service, and a warm ambience set to upbeat Latin beats. During KL Restaurant Week for Summer 2025, its fixed-price menu (RM 360++ for two people) makes it an unbeatable suggestion. It is perfect for those yet to discover its accomplished and vibrant offerings. The popularity of KL Restaurant Week continues to grow, with over 150,000 places booked last year. Spaces for the special menu are limited, so booking through the DiningCity app and website is highly recommended to secure your table and avoid disappointment. While some walk-ins may be accommodated, booking online is your best bet.
Reasons to visit Amazonas during KL Restaurant Week Summer 2025: An excellent taste of the best of Amazonas at a reasonable price; the ceviche and flank steak are favourites; arrive before 6 pm to take advantage of happy hour!
Amazonas Latin American Restaurant & Bar
The Exchange TRX, PL09 & L04.03, Park Level
55188 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (same level as Aurum Cinema)
[email protected]
+6017930 4880
Amazonas Hours
Daily: 11 am – 10:30 pm
KL Restaurant Week Fixed Price Menus run from June 6 to 22, 2025, and are available Sunday to Thursday only from 6 pm.
Find more Latin American restaurants in KL here, stay up-to-date on the latest culinary happenings around Malaysia here, and find The Yum List on Instagram here.