Yummy Malaysiana: Degustation @ Bistro a Table

Bistro a Table has kicked off its once-a-month degustation dinners, giving Chef Isadora Chai the freedom to flex her culinary chops in the most invigorating fashion.

The theme for August was "Everything Weird & Wonderful" _ a description befitting of this whimsically dubbed Traffic Light Soup, a pulpy puree of sprightly, mouth-puckering flavors, featuring ox heart tomatoes, yellow peppers & sorrel leaves with smoked creme fraiche.

Kataifi-wrapped chevre (goat cheese) in blended beetroot. The stinging pungency of the cheese was winningly tempered by the sweetly earthy beetroot mash, with their combined viscosity held together by a crisp, feather-light coat of phyllo pastry.

Irish oyster with yuzu dressing. A complimentary bonus, not on the formal menu.

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Duck tongues with quince aioli & flash-fried squid. Why do ducks need tongues? There's likely a scientific reason, but we'd like to imagine it's meant to facilitate the existence of this bravura recipe _ what sounded like a bar snack on paper was presented as a work of art, elevated enormously by French-kissed flourishes.

Cannelloni of seared scallops & school prawns in lobster bisque & "buah keluak" black nut tapenade. How many influences can a chef fuse in one recipe? Cannelloni is Italian, buah keluak is Indonesian, while bisque and tapenade are French. Three's not a crowd here; this gastronomic menage a trois is smoky and sultry, stirring the senses with a smooth, sweat-salty passion.

Stuffed cured quail with lingonberries, cassis jus & caramelized salsify. The heartiest of all these courses; the use of uncommon components made this meal's RM380+ price tag justifiable.

Champagne, pineapple & vanilla bean granita. The first of two desserts; think of this as a heady cocktail, frozen in suspended animation to crystallize its sparkling flavors.