2ND Floor Kitchen & Bar @ Taman Tun Dr Ismail
July 20, 2017
2ND Floor has the potential to scale the ranks of TTDI's top restaurants, brought to the neighbourhood by the team behind wine lounge Private Room & cocktail bar Pawn Room, in a new partnership with German chef Gerhard Albrecht, whose nearly five decades of professional cooking have resulted in an epic career spanning three continents, royal weddings & notable hotel executive chef stints. A certified Master Chef schooled in Heidelberg & former lecturer at KDU University College, he's now funneled his experience into the kitchen of this beautifully outfitted venue where classical & contemporary European cuisine takes centre stage, borrowing inspiration not only from Albrecht's home country, but Britain, France & beyond.
Our meal kicked off on a pretty promising note, buoyed by a service team that strives to convey passion & professionalism - the smoked salmon carpaccio was irreproachable in both taste & texture, imbued with nuances of porcini oil & lemon juice for extra dimensions of flavour that proved lovely (RM23). Salads & soups struck a pleasing balance between the time-honoured & the tantalising - the house salad is a visually appealing ensemble of crisp & juicy romaine lettuce, poached egg, pork bacon, parmesan & croutons, very light & easy to enjoy (RM20). Broth enthusiasts should probably try both the barley with vegetables in chicken broth (RM11; soup for the soul) & the satisfyingly rich mushroom with thyme & crab meat (RM16).
2ND FLR's crab cakes & French-imported goose foie gras should also successfully whet the appetite, the former pan-fried & breaded with a succulent, fleshy chew, complemented by chilli jam & an orange salad (RM32), the latter perfectly seared to the right sumptuousness, cushioned with a potato-apple latke, plus sides of pickled shallots & glazed onions (RM54).
Pork is the final cornerstone of 2ND FLR's repertoire - the prized Berkshire pork makes a prominent appearance, grilled as a thick, meaty chop that seems certain to fulfill customers' carnivorous lust (RM38), while pork ribs provide an even heftier feast, sufficient for two or three patrons, slow-cooked to immaculate, peel-off-the-bone tenderness, terrifically balanced with hints of saffron, oranges & poppy seeds, with a yogurt dip for even more moistness (RM55). The new potatoes & caramelised Granny Smith apples that complete both dishes aren't afterthoughts, delicious & meticulously executed in their own right. You might be stuffed by this point, as we were, but desserts like the ginger creme brulee (RM22) & cherry jubilee (RM15) are delicate enough to down without trouble. Many thanks to 2ND FLR for having us here.
2ND Floor Kitchen & Bar
46a, Persiaran Zaaba, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur. Open Tuesday-Sunday, 5pm-1030pm. Tel: 019-914-8832
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