Food on the Boat

So, I had to do this restaurant review assignment for work the other day and I was thinking, 'Heck! I might as well kill two birds with one stone!" Since all the food were being displayed so nicely (extra nicely-cos it'll come in print right) and we get to try the food after that, PERFECT timing.



Walking in to Boathouse Restaurant really gives one an aura of under-the-sea cozy comfort. A big bar with an aquarium counter-top to boast right at the front of the entrance and red-and-white checked table cloths sprawled across wooden tables, Boathouse is definitely sticking closely to its name.

Lovin' the aquarium counter-top. Check it out!

With FISHES swimming inside...How cool is that!

When I was there 'working' (won't actually call that working cos I really enjoyed myself?), chef & co-owner, Law Yen-Ni and Adelyn Lim brought me on a very enjoyable journey through their menu. Going through it, I realized that Boathouse is not just your average everyday neighborhood bar which serves the standard popcorn chicken, BLT's and fries. I was surprised that their menu actually features some really exquisite ingredients in very interesting-sounding dishes.

Maybe it was their casual ambiance that fooled me but this place really knows how to whip up a good-looking menu! So, while my fellow photographer colleague was busy taking pictures for work, I too work my way snip-snip-snapping!

First up,

1/2 dozen Oysters served with Lumpfish Caviar
Fresh oysters with a luscious amount of lumpfish caviar
incorporated with scallion & caperbud served with lemon wedge on the rocks

Mmm....great starter to have. You know how sometimes fresh oysters give you this metallic tang taste in your mouth? I must say, pairing the oysters with lumpfish caviar (salty), capers (sour & slightly sweet) and a few drops of lemon juice (sour with a tinge of citrus) is a truly wonderful combination. You have all the elements of taste in that gulp of oyster.

Better still, it'll get you eating more. Just cos it's an Aphrodisiac...

So damn sexy.....

Next up, a dish which made quite a dramatic entrance. What with the BIG flames and all.


BIG BIG FIRE!

The meat is lightly grilled with some good ol' butter. Then, a dash of brandy is poured and WHOOOOSHHH the big flames magically appear, engulfing the meat in even more flammable goodness.

The result...


Steak Au Poivre a la Gueridon
300gm prime fillet steak with blackpepper grilled to doneness,
flamed with brandy at your table & served with a wicked Hennessy
sauce up close & flammable

Love the color. A subtle graduation from dark brown to pink and then red. Expect a very slight crisp at the seared outer layer and a juicy texture in the middle. The meat is so flavorful just by itself...but of course, I wouldn't complain 'bout the Hennessy sauce that came with it. That was really good too.

The last recommended dish was a dessert. When it was slowly making its way to the table and I could only see glimpses of it, I already knew it was gonna be a sight to behold. True enough, it was.


Black Forest Single Malt Chocolate Mousse
A fiesta of dark cherries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries,
banana & pear poached in red wine in a 1707 cup of single
malt chocolate mousse topped with vanilla cream

A good play of texture here. The various berries, fruits, bits of chocolate cake, ice-cream and berry jam all lend a helping hand in giving its own distinctive taste to what makes this dessert so good.



Sourness from the berries, sweetness from the bananas, chocolate-y taste by the cake bits, a lil' crunch by tiny cubes of granny smiths, vanilla ice-cream for that touch of 'cold' effect, a tinge of malt whiskey for that caramel taste and lastly, berry jam to stick it all together for the sweetest closing-your-eyes-while-savoring moment. Mm Mmmm!!

Boathouse really took me by surprise. A good surprise nonetheless. Didn't expect it to serve such fine food cos' all this while most people thought it was just another drinking pub along that row of shophouses (sid's pub and deutches gasthaus is just a few doors away).

I thought their food was totally well fitted-in with their motto: Serving simple, honest, unpretentious food. Fine food without all that fuss of eating fine food (different cutlery, wine bla bla bla).

OOoohhh! Some exciting news! Boathouse is gonna launch their new upstairs lounge on Dec 11, 2009. Called Upperdeck, the new area is gonna be a chill-out lounge where people can just mingle around, sit in nice big comfy sofas and sip their dainty martinis. There will also be a different menu for Upperdeck, serving mostly snacks and finger-food. So do check it out once it's launched!



Boathouse Restaurant

16, Lorong Rahim Kajai 14
Taman Tun Dr Ismail
60000 Kuala Lumpur.

03-77274426

Opening Hours: Mon-Sat: 11am-3pm, 5pm - 2am (Closed on Sundays).