2017 Menu: Sion @ Ara Damansara
March 5, 2017
Sions chef-founder Masamichi Shiomi continues to churn out hit after hit, melding Japanese & European culinary sensibilities at one of the Klang Valleys most fulfilling restaurants for fusion fare. If you havent ventured to Sion so far, youre missing out on one of Ara Damansaras best-kept secrets, tucked unobtrusively on the first floor of a commercial row.
The restaurants strength rests in curating impeccable produce & cooking with imagination & intelligence, ensuring that customers enjoy memorable, mouthwatering medleys of flavours & textures. Bite into the sugar fruit tomato from Japans Kochi prefecture (RM23), vividly juicy with a natural sweetness, & it becomes clear that youre in for a marvellous meal. Molluscs are served hot in heartwarming sauces, paired with thick & crusty bread for a Spanish tapas-style experience - Japanese tsubugai whelk, firm with a smooth chew, emerges garlicky in a nod to the al ajillo preparation (RM68), while oysters, fresh & fleshy, come enhanced with the ripened saltiness of black olives (RM22 for three pieces, RM38 for six).
Friends of foie, Sion deserves to be your next destination: The restaurant relies purely on French goose livers, best sauteed, with two fat slices that prove compellingly silken & rich (RM76) - the most satisfying foie weve had in Malaysia in recent years, certain to linger in our recollection. If you cant get enough, order the pan-fried foie with al dente mushroom risotto too (RM58).
Meat devotees will find plenty to desire as well: The Australian rib-eye steak, irreproachably medium-rare, spotlights the kitchens mastery of technique & balance of ingredients (RM68), while the Iberico tontoro neck cut promises pure porcine pleasure (RM62), both executed with a confident simplicity to let the protein shine, matched with suitable accompaniments.
Speaking of pork, the cutlet sandwich is exceptional, featuring strips of the most tender sukiyaki-inspired flesh shaped into patties, packed into fluffy-crisp bread - this is a favourite among Sions regulars, & we can comprehend why; its compulsively addictive in its sheer tastiness (RM42). Also crowd-pleasing, the tonkatsu kare succeeds as soul food, especially if youre a fan of crisply breaded pork & creamy, savoury Japanese curries - pretty much a cant-fail combo (RM38).
Italian inspirations ignite our final recommendations - chicken gizzard in a lively sauce that might taste like springtime in Tuscany (RM25) & mentaiko spaghetti at its finest (RM33) - while the French take centre stage for desserts of chocolate gateau (RM18) & creme brulee (RM15) that furnish the final, irrefutable evidence of Sions remarkably versatile capabilities.
Sions chef is a sommelier too, & his establishment is stocked with intriguing vintages, including some with relatively limited availability. Sions manager Seal will be pleased to recommend a bottle to partner with your meal; his selection of a Morande Edicion Limitada from Chiles Maule & Maipo Valleys, proved perfect for ours, conveying smooth tannins & a vibrant fruitiness. Many thanks to Sion for having us back.
Sion Dining & Bar
B-1-16, 1st Floor, Block B, Jalan PJU 1A/20A, Dataran Ara Damansara, Petaling Jaya.
Mon-Sat, 630pm-1130pm. Tel: 03-7840-0632
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