Restaurant Fiz

Stopped by Fiz for dinner. We didn't feel like ordering a la carte, so we requested to have their 'full-experience' menu. While it would have been much better to have it for lunch, we weren't able to make the time to sit down for a long one. It had to be dinner. As it is, it has taken us ages to make a date for any sort of meal lasting more than 1.5 hours.  

Tonight, we weren't disappointed. Flavors, textures and every dish was gorgeous. It was absolutely delicious. Chef-owner Haffizul Hashim turned his childhood memories into a menu, refining it, and bringing elegance and a nod to traditions. Sure, the chef's hometown is in Lumut in Perak. He's Malaysian, and he draws from Malaysian recipes and produce, but he has been lauded for his borderless approach to highlight Southeast Asian cooking. 

The kaya toast was one of the fanciest we've ever had. Ahahahah. With Iranian beluga caviar, and century egg kaya. Then came a really good ang kar prawn with white curry custard topped with uni. That was one superb otah. I felt that the shima aji ceviche topped with Iranian caviar (again) was just there to... cover the price of the menu, but it was well-executed. It felt like a palate cleanser of sorts; a light teaser before the heavier flavors came in. 

The sotong sumbat sambal hitam was quite fun. They bothered to grill it and stuffed, then fried up the tentacles for a different texture, matched it with latok (sea grapes) and shikuwasa (lime). The thing about the names of dishes on this menu. The chef termed this period's menu as 'Ep 3.0'. Sure. He used a mix of terms in its different languages for the ingredients and its dishes, not just by its anchor Malay and heritage. It was fine by me since I knew all of them. But for some, it would be quite fun, I suppose. 

The last few items before dessert came this 'communal' set. It was nasi dagang with urap, kerabu, chayote shoots and crackers. There was also fiddlehead ferns with sambal tumis. OMG. The meat came in the form of wagyu beef percik for me, and a lamb chop percik for the husband — ahhhh....that massaman gulai was soooo good.

We were also treated to a great side of sambal hijau. The servers and Chef Fiz warned us that it was spicy. I heard them. It was honestly not too spicy for me. It was just about the right amount of spice, and so much aweomeness in there. I had that with the nasi dagang, and over-ate the carbs. Nasi dagang is this rice from Teregganu and Kelantan. It's a rich, fragrant mix of rice and glutinous rice steamed in coconut milk with shallots, ginger, and fenugreek seed. I've had it a loooong time ago on dive trips off of the east coast. (But you know I don't go to Malaysia.) They usually serve it with a spicy tuna curry, but tonight, it was with percik. 

I kept hearing Khruangbin on the sound system. I was tickled. The band found a real market. LOL Is that like the standard of music at restaurants nowadays? Not that I mind, but who would have thought? Khruangbin.

It was dessert. OMG We got there. I loved them all. The buah keluak mousse with macadamia ice-cream and Vietnamese single-origin Li Chu chocolate (from Ben Tre) was paired beautifully. We ate ALL the kuih bahulu. That's just a mini sponge cake right? But whoa, freshly-baked kuih bahulu is the bomb. The gula apong in these was measured and so fragant. I couldn't resist. I used to call it ‘Malay madeleines’. And I do somehow like madeleines and financiers. The husband was ecstatic about dessert and ate all of his too.

The dishes were executed so well. All the flavors were there, and nothing was too oily. It was quite perfect. I enjoy Chef Haffizul's approach to his chosen cuisine and use of spices. I've missed food that tasted like this. Rasanya memang sungguh lazat. I was pleased to have had dinner here tonight.