Now that the haze has finally cleared up, al fresco dining is possible again and the best way to celebrate fresh clean air, is to clink our cocktail glasses together at Mandarin Oriental’s latest dining addition, the Aqua Restaurant & Bar. Located by the the poolside, the restaurant overlooks KLCC Park and the city skyline while boasting a stylish and contemporary interior. According to Michael Groll, the Director of Food and Beverage of Mandarin Oriental KL, the restaurant was created as the perfect place to unwind, whether it is for a leisurely lunch or after-work drinks and dinner with friends. And in our opinion, they did just that.
The service at Aqua is impeccable, with every need tended to immediately and professionally. It was difficult to choose from the countless selection of dishes on the menu as everything sounded delicious, but we finally decided to start small and ordered four plates. When the food came, we were surprised by the generous portions and as it was just the the two of us, by the time we were done with the four plates, we couldn’t proceed any further. We began with the AQUA Roll, an inside out roll with spicy tuna, scallion, and a salmon & tempura filling, and the Spider Roll with deep fried soft shell crab, spicy mayo, and bonito flakes. The size of the rolls were bigger than usual and it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing as the flavours matched its size.
The Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps were more of a deconstructed salad than a lettuce wrap, but the flavours were certainly Thai with a mix of sweet basil, coriander, and a slight dash of spicy lime dressing. Just like the sushi rolls, the size of the Pan-fried Shanghai Dumplings caught us by surprise again, being a more generous portion than usual. Another pleasant surprise accompanying the dumplings, is the choice of a salsa of a spicy cucumber-tomato salsa or a ginger-cucumber-teriyaki relish.
Following in the theme of big portions, the desserts did not disappoint — each portion of dessert could feed a group of at least 3 people. If you are a durian lover (like us), you will enjoy the Durian Ice Cream Supreme served with caramelised sticky rice cubes, mango, sago, coconut milk, and ketayap kelapa, making it a true Malaysian dessert. We are embarrassed to say this but although we were already stuffed, we also had the Warm Valrhona Chocolate Lava Cake that oozed the most glorious stream of chocolate lava we’ve ever seen or tasted — worth every extra calorie.
Food is not the only highlight at Aqua, the huge variety of drinks makes it a great place to head to even if you’re not looking to have a huge meal. From the freshly homemade lemonades with five different flavours to their refreshing cocktails, yogurt smoothies, and international beers, there is something for everyone at the bar. However, a must-try for the adventurous is their best-selling Tom Yum Margarita, which is made with tequila, cointreau, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf, chill padi, and salt, which makes for a great pick-me-up.
The excellent selection of food and drinks combined with the great service at Aqua Restaurant & Bar would make a great go-to place to unwind with friends and family on weekends. This restaurant has a lot to offer, metaphorically and literally, and if you’re looking for a relaxed dining experience filled with cocktails and conversation, we would highly recommend it.
Aqua Restaurant & Bar is open daily from 8am to 10pm with food serving hours from 11.30am to 10pm. For reservations, call 03-2179 8887 or email [email protected].
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