French foodstuff and sake isn’t a pairing you’d usually see in a fine eating restaurant, nonetheless that was exactly what I had at DC Restaurant just lately.

After shut to a few months of not staying equipped to dine in restaurants, the denizens of Klang Valley are certainly starved for nice factors, and it is apparent by the full house I noticed even though dining at DC Cafe by Darren Chin recently. Even just after seven several years, it is even now the spot to go to for a extravagant evening out, and the only location well worth splashing out on cold capellini. What other surprises could Chef Darren Chin and his workforce deliver out for us in his latest menu? Spoiler: There’s nonetheless chilly capellini on the menu, for the reason that regulars would certainly riot if it was long gone. 

Sake fashioned right after French wine

This six-course tasting menu was specifically developed to be paired with Kuheiji Sake, a brewery whose sake has been affected by French winemaking society and methods. One of the best sake varieties to come out of Kuheiji is the Junmai Daiginjo sake, which is 1 of the most sensitive and sleek tasting rice wines you’d have the satisfaction of tasting. 

But how do you vogue rice wine to be like your Sauvignon Blancs or Chardonnays? The secret lies in its tasting profiles that are loaded and floral, reminiscent of what you may possibly discover in your French varietals. 

To additional verify the richness of this pairing, we first had the Kuheiji, Ka No Chi, Yamadanishiki Junmai Daiginjo 2019 with top quality Iranian caviar — just one of the most effective grades of caviar you can find around the entire world. Pairing each the fragile flavours of the caviar and Junmai Daiginjo was a particular a person — neither overpowered the other, and both equally dancing in harmonious melody on the palate. 

An intriguing accompaniment of elements

Just one of the factors I realised in the course of the night was how sure dishes on the menu appeared like an appealing pair on paper, but actually labored out in execution. This was in part the operate of DC Restaurant’s sous chef Tran TT, whose boldness permitted him to experiment with new items in the menu. Consider the Blue Swimmer Crab dish in our initial course, for case in point. The crab arrived with avocado coated in seaweed powder. Even though that may have sounded bizarre, it incredibly gelled collectively — all in section thanks to an genuine lime and lemon gel on the facet, which slice via the rich creaminess of the avocado and the blue swimmer crab. The dish was paired with the Kuheiji, Kurodasho, Yamadanishiki, Junmai Daiginjo 2019 which experienced a elaborate bouquet.

One more attention-grabbing dish was our next program, the Scottish diver scallop. Practically the measurement of my palm, the Scottish scallop was handpicked from the sea and pan-seared to a medium rare doneness. Whilst the scallop could very easily glow on its very own, it was the accompanying sauces in the dish that definitely piqued my interest. On the plate were haricot vert beans, a corn veloute, and clam jus foam. The corn veloute was gentle and ethereal in texture, but the addition of clam jus foam with its umami flavour was intriguing — almost like a deconstructed clam chowder. 

We see the a great deal-beloved chilly capellini in the fourth program of the menu, getting on a new identify: Echo of the sea. It is not the same cold capellini that most regulars would be familiar with, forgoing its former mild style with richer indulgences of Hokkaido bafun uni, Alaskan king crab, fixed amaebi, and drizzled with a savoury seafood sabayon. 

The key mettle

Many thanks to my celebration of four, we had been ready to savour all the most important dishes presented in the tasting menu. The Miyazaki Japanese A5 wagyu tenderloin was a stunner, cooked on the binchotan grill and served along with watercress, Jerusalem artichoke, and Chitose vegetables. On the plate, it was nearly like a bountiful backyard garden showcasing the greatest of the new elements accessible in Spring. 

The Silverhill Irish duck supreme was similarly as impressive on a distinctive spectrum, geared up with a herb crust, eggplant, and toddler carrot with cumin yogurt. While the wagyu dish sought to showcase the spectacular freshness of substances in year, this dish dug deeper into the earth with its spices and herbs, enhancing the meaty flavours of the duck. 

Swimming deeper into the depths of the ocean, the other two principal dishes were being the Alaskan king crab and the Chilean seabass. The former was served two means to seriously accentuate the richness of the flesh: one particular experienced fried capers with smoked cauliflower product and umami sabayon to allow the genuine flavor of the evenly poached crab to expose by itself, even though the other was cooked a confit style with clear tomato h2o. As for the latter, it was ready basically and simply with buttermilk espuma, Chitose veggies, apple, and mussel jus for that extra touch of the sea. 

All the mains have been served with the Kuheiji, Sauvage, Omachi, Junmai Daiginjo 2019, which had a minerality to it and sweetness that only a Junmai Daiginjo can develop. Even though I felt it went very nicely with the seafood solutions, I imagine that it is more challenging to appreciate if paired with red meat. 

A sweet ending

Milk & Honey.

Is any dinner at DC Cafe comprehensive without a check out from the cheese cart? Most definitely not. Dessert was a option amongst the Rhum & Raisin, Milk & Honey, or a choice of cheeses. If you are the kind who loves to finish the night with a trusted chocolate dessert, then the Rhum & Raisin absolutely satisfies, with its gentle rhum mousse, chocolate sponge, cacao brittles, and raisin ice product concluded with a touch of darkish raisin puree. The Milk & Honey is a sweeter solution with unique wildflower honey from the Mae Rim province in Chiang Mai, caramel streusel, and milk ice cream with apple cider gel. But if you, like some of my eating companions, like to go massive and then go house, just take your select from the cheese cart. May I recommend the Brebis with fresh new honeycomb? 

(All images are shot on the Apple iphone 12 Professional)