Eats-A-Review: Highlights from Barkar KL, Fritz and Mellow Wine & Dining Room
Star dishes
In this edition of Eats-A-Review, we paid a visit to three new restaurants in the Klang Valley, namely Barkar KL, a restaurant and bar concept; Fritz, a contemporary French sky dining venue; and Mellow Wine & Dining Room, a natural wine bar and restaurant. Ahead, discover what to expect from each establishment along with the highlights from their respective menus.
BARKAR KL
Barkar is the newly opened sister restaurant of Eat and Cook by the Feast Group, located within G Tower in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. The unique concept specialises in wood fire open flame dining, featuring sharing plates that blend innovation and tradition. Upon arrival, a corridor with walls made up of stacked firewood leads the way into a modern cave where dancing flames set the stage as the culinary team tends to the ember grill and wood oven.
Its name is both a play on the Malay word for grill (“bakar”) as well as an ode to the main bar counter where guests can catch the chefs in action. The menu comprises small and big sharing plates that focus on Southeast Asian flavours, with highlights including dry aged meat and seafood as well as claypot rice and noodles. There’s also a selection of wines, premium malts, whiskies, and spirits to pair with your meal.
For starters, we had the Neo Royal Oyster that’s served with drippings of chicken fat for extra umami, and the “Canned” Sardine that is presented with a light tomato broth and refreshing local salad making for a well-balanced dish. Other small plates we sampled include the Egg and Toast, a delicious reinterpretation of the classic Malaysian breakfast featuring an Oloiya chicken bak kwa and century egg kaya sandwich with 63°C nappier eggs as a dip; as well as the Acar Forest Bowl with wild vegetables and acar whipped tofu.
Moving on to the grilled seafood section of the menu, the Fresh Tiger Prawn and Dry Aged Golden Pomfret showcased the kitchen’s wood fire skills—resulting in nicely charred, smoky flavours. For something green, the BBL—which stands for Big Burnt Leek—offered a sweet and earthy plate consisting of Chinese goose sausage, leek ash, and candlenut.
Next up from the meat category, we had the Ember Grill Dry Aged Australian Denver Lamb Ribs, which turned out to be the star of the meal for its succulent flavours that were enhanced by a black vinegar glaze. The Dry Aged Australia Wagyu Beef Short Ribs are also worth ordering if you’re a fan of rich, fatty cuts elevated with rendang spices. For an alternative beef option, get the Char Siew Wagyu Beef Cheek with Foie Gras that’s served with either claypot rice or noodles (we had the former). Barkar uses adan rice from Sarawak that is naturally sweet and has a delicate texture, resulting in a hearty, comforting dish that will satisfy bigger appetites.
There are a few desserts to choose from, of which we were presented with the Chocolate Lava Cake. It’s accompanied by vanilla ice cream—a simple, no-fail treat to cap off a flavour-packed meal on a mildly sweet note. Overall, Barkar delivered a fiery trail of dishes that didn’t shy away from char and flavour, with an aesthetically pleasing space and warm hospitality to boot.
Address: Suites G-06, Ground Floor, G Tower, 199, Jln Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur, 50400 Kuala Lumpur
Opening hours: 12pm to 3pm, 6pm to 11pm
Contact: 011 2277 3131
FRITZ
What was formerly known as Brasserie Fritz has rebranded and relocated to Fritz at Troika Sky Dining since September 2023, occupying the space that was once part of Cantaloupe. The fairly new fine casual restaurant now focuses on French cuisine with global influences, and also hosts once-a-month Sunday lunches. Featuring modern banquette seats and elegant interior finishes, Fritz accommodates up to 65 guests indoors plus 30 more at its al fresco dining area and 10 in a private room—all complete with imposing views of the KL’s skyline.
We kicked off our maiden visit with a pre-dinner drink at the bar, which features a pewter bar top commissioned from Royal Selangor. After a bubbly French 75 pick-me-up, we adjourned to the dining area where two chandeliers designed by local artist Tan Wei Ming and crafted from recycled metal hung majestically from the ceiling, alongside an abstract painting by Jonathan Waltman. To warm up the palate, we ordered the Bouillabaisse—a toothsome stew with portions of crayfish, red mullet, grouper and cat fish accompanied by a crunchy rouille toast.
Our first entree was the Hokkaido Scallop, seared to the perfect bouncy texture and arriving on a bed of stewed annelini beans with fried homemade ‘Nduja sausage. Not A Pig’s Trotter was a dish that’s as interesting as it sounds—featuring a creamy, collagen-rich terrine of beef brisket, tripe and tendon that’s deep-fried and breaded. It was served with an earthy medley of watercress puree, horseradish cream and lamb lettuce to balance out the meaty flavours.
For our third entree, we opted for a timeless French dish of Escargots de Bourgogne, presenting brined snails cooked in a delightfully aromatic garlic herb butter. It was complemented with a mini baguette a l’ancienne that’s great for soaking up the garlicky sauce. Our main dish of Steak Flambe au Poivre Vert was a theatrical display in its own right, where the seared tenderloin was flambéed at our table and then bathed in a sauce prepared with port, green peppercorns, beef jus and cream. Accompanied with potato mille-feuille and french beans, the steak was tender and loaded with flavour, enhanced by the creamy gravy that had nice hints of tang thanks to the peppercorns.
To complete our meal, we had two desserts: the Creme Brulee Flambe and the Tart of the Day. The former featured a vanilla sponge that’s also flambéed before us with cognac, along with vanilla ice cream. Meanwhile, the latter was a decadent banana custard tart with a delightful pastry crust that was definitely worth the extra calories. If you’re looking for a place to enjoy delicious French cuisine with a view, Fritz marks the spot.
Address: Level 23A Tower B, The Troika, 19, Persiaran KLCC, 50450 Kuala Lumpur
Opening hours: 5pm – 12am daily
Contact: 03 2162 0886
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MELLOW WINE & DINING ROOM
As its name implies, Mellow Wine & Dining Room is an understated, relaxed wine and dine lounge located at a quiet corner of Seventeen Mall in Section 17, PJ. Opened in December 2023, the new establishment specialises in natural wines of white, orange and red varieties. In lieu of a physical menu, however, Mellow’s staff—who call themselves “walking wine menus”—will warmly take you through the three selected house pours that are rotated weekly, or suggest any label off the shelf based on your mood or taste preferences.
When we dropped by, the three house pours for the day include a Casa Marin Cartagena Gewurztraminer Chilean white wine with fruity aromas and light hints of acidity; an Arndorfer Schlehe Austrian orange wine with ripe notes of plum and apricot, and a slightly funky finish; and a Unico Zelo ‘Halcyon Days’ Nero d’Avola 2020 Australian red wine with a medium body and juicy notes of black and red fruits.
When it comes to food, the kitchen serves an array of small and big sharing plates with international influences, including vegetarian-friendly options. To start, we had a Sichuan-inspired Crisp Eggplant appetiser dressed in a fish-fragrant sauce that delivered strong, peppery, and slightly sweet flavours. This was followed by Arancini balls made with braised shiitake, panko, grana padano, and pickled calabrian chilli—a great dish to snack on when drinking. Another bite-sized dish we tried was the Panipuri, which came with an unusual filling of abalone ceviche that worked surprisingly well.
For larger sharing options, we ordered the Mushroom Risotto—a comforting, earthy medley of braised mushrooms, grana padano, broken garden peas, and truffle pate. The Ox Tongue—braised in Chinese master stock and served with a raspberry capers sauce—turned out to be one of our favourite dishes of the night for its tenderness and symphony of sweet, savoury and rich flavours. Another hit was the Iberico Pork Collar with pesto diavola, confit garlic, and pickles. Once again, the sauce took the lead, elevating the meat’s natural nutty taste with its bright and grassy notes.
All in all, Mellow is a charming spot to catch up with your pals or even drop by solo for a leisure glass of wine or three. And if you find yourself feeling peckish, the dishes here are no less satisfying, whether to pair with drinks or to savour on their own.
Address: L1-06A, Seventeen Mall, Jalan 17/38, Seksyen 17, 46400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Opening hours: 3pm to 11pm daily
Contact: 016 260 1701
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