MIGF 2015 Review – Maison Francaise


[MIGF Special Feature]

 
My final Malaysia International Gourmet Festival (MIGF) 2015 review was at Maison Francaise in Kuala Lumpur, and accompanying me for this review was Nicole Fu. As we went on a Sunday afternoon, there was ample parking along the roadside.
I’m no stranger to this French restaurant as I have previously visited Maison Francaise a couple of times for events over the past few years including the House of Haagen Daz party (read more at https://timchew.net/2013/07/16/house-of-haagen-daz-party/) as well as the Polignac Cognac Extra Grande Champagne  event (read more at https://timchew.net/2013/09/15/polignac-cognac-extra-grande-champagne-launch-290813/) and the Remy Martin – Heart of Cognac Experience (read more at https://timchew.net/2013/10/26/remy-martin-the-heart-of-cognac-experience/).
 
Maison Francaise has been around for a few years and has won various accolades!

Getting settled at our table, we were served a welcome mocktail which was citrusy and very refreshing. Then it was on to the special MIGF menu that was specially prepared by Chef Thierry Le Baut.
 
Chef Thierry preparing food in the open kitchen

Amuse Bouche – Chef Delight
Appetiser 1 – Millefeuille De Foie Gras, Anguille Fumee Maison, Pomme Verte, Gratine a la Minute
Foie Gras Balotine, Home-Smoked Eel, Green Apple Millefeuille, Gratinated a la Minute Beetroot Jelly
Foie Gras is what I expect to have at French restaurants and I was happy to see it in the MIGF menu. This wasn’t the typical pan-fried foie gras though but instead was encased in a millefeuille which is a French pastry. The various textures and flavours of this dish made every mouthful very enjoyable indeed and it was definitely an impressing start to the meal.

 
Appetiser 2 – Jardin De Coquille Saint Jacques, Herbes Fraiches et Fleurs, Ecume De Carotte et Wasabi
Garden Scallops, Herbs, Flowers, Carrot and Wasabi Foam
This was a cute dish! The bed of the “garden” was actually Chinese fried carrot cake – one of Chef Thierry’s East/ West pairings! Chef Thierry had previously travelled to many countries and he loves to learn the recipes of the food he enjoys in each country, then applying his French culinary skills and incorporating it into his menu. The scallops were plump and fresh and went well with the wasabi foam which wasn’t particularly spicy. 
 
Appetiser 3 – Dover Sole Farci, Sauce Au Safron, Gambas Kanaki
Surprise of Dover Sole Roll, Saffron Sauce, Prawn Kanaki
The silky smooth Dover sole, which is a white fish, rolled around a prawn paste went well with the four (4) different sauces, while the prawn kanaki was a prawn wrapped with spaghetti then deep fried giving it a crispy outer layer! A very colourful and pretty dish indeed with lots of flavour imparted by the sauces.
 
Palate Cleanser – Hibiscus Granite
 
Main Course – Presentation D’agneau en 3 Cuisson, Sauce Au Basilique, Maron Glaces
Presentation of Lamb in 3 Coccion, Basil Sauce, Glazed Chestnuts
Lamb prepared ways – sous-vide, pan fried and oven roasted, providing three (3) different textures. My favourite has to be the sous-vide lamb as it was so tender, chewing was hardly required. The flavours of the lamb were so delicious that it didn’t really need the basil sauce. In fact, I enjoyed the unmasked flavours of the lamb on its own and had the creamy mashed potatoes with the sauce instead. The glazed chestnut was an interesting addition to the dish.

 
Dessert – Mousse Deivara, Coeur De Framboise, Gelede Chrysantheme, Sphere de Mojito, Sorbet Framboise
Jivara Mousse, Raspberry Heart, Chrysanthemum Jelly, Mojito Sphere and Raspberry Sorbet
The rich and incredibly sinful Jivara chocolate mousse with a raspberry core was a delight to partake of while the piquant raspberry sorbet balanced out the flavours preventing my palate from being overwhelmed by the richness. The Mojito Sphere burst in the mouth filling my mouth with refreshing “mojito” flavours. The chrysanthemum jelly was chef’s little East/ West balance in this dish and provided the variance in texture.
 

 
Full Festival Menu price: RM380.00++ per person
 
Nicole and me with Chef Thierry Le Baut

 
Brittany-born Chef Thierry Le Baut has over 30 years of experience in the culinary field and has travelled all over the world before being based in Malaysia for the past two (2) years. He believes in learning recipes from the lands he visits and incorporating it into his menus if he can. 
Don’t let his jovial and mild demeanour fool you as Chef Thierry is a martial arts exponent (so don’t try to run off from Maison Francaise without paying the bill)! He applies the calmness he learned from martial arts when he leads his culinary team and speaks in an even tone to his kitchen staff to ensure that the situation remains calm no matter how busy the restaurant is. Chef Thierry is also a photography enthusiast and swims regularly to keep in shape. 
After the delicious meal, Chef Thierry was kind enough to give us a tour of the restaurant.
 
The dining room is lit by the sunlight during the day but Chef Thierry told us that the ambience is very romantic at night hence it is a popular choice for couples
The view from the reverse angle
The temperate-controlled wine cellar houses over 150 premium wines from France, some of which are pretty rare!
The bar which is right beside the entrance
As the restaurant is a converted bungalow, it has three storeys and a little swimming pool on the lower ground level which also caters for al fresco dining and can fit up to 200 pax during events
The view of the lower ground level shot from the ground level
There is also a private room upstairs which has dining tables as well as a cigar lounge
The dining tables on the first floor
 
Maison Francaise is located at:
5, Jalan Changkat Kia Peng
50450 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia.
 
Telephone: 03 21441474
Mobile: 019 2431200
Email: info@maisonfrancaise.com.my
Website: http://www.maisonfrancaise.com.my/
 
OPENING HOURS
Monday – Friday: 12.00pm – 3.00pm for lunch, 6.00pm – 11.00pm for dinner
Saturday
12.00pm – 3.00pm for lunch
2.00pm – 5.00pm for afternoon tea
6.00pm – 11.00pm for dinner
 
Sunday
11:30am – 3:30pm for Sunday brunch
6.00pm – 11.00pm for dinner
*Lunch will not be served on Sunday.
 
Photos shot with the Leica C. More info at https://timchew.net/2013/11/19/leica-c-launch-with-malaysias-hottest-bloggers/