More
than just a meal
IMAGINE THIS. A SOFT breeze
caresses your face as plants sway gently as if in tune to the
background music. You drink in the tranquility of the setting
as twilight falls.
But this is not a faraway beach. This is smack in the heart of
Kuala Lumpur yet, blaring horns sound so distant. That’s the
beauty of Rahsia — a spot-on location flanked by hotels, art
galleries and office lots.
Rahsia is located at Jalan Damai, just off Jalan Tun Razak,
Kuala Lumpur. From a previous tiny outlet in KL Plaza, Rahsia
has moved into a more spacious 60s-style bungalow.
The new setup offers Rahsia’s regular customers a chance to
rediscover intimate dining or to escape from it all without
having to travel far — the bistro and wine bar is just a
mere two minutes from KLCC!
By all accounts, Rahsia is a well-kept secret and it’s sheer
coincidence that the word means secret in Bahasa Malaysia. The
original choice of moniker was ‘Khatulistiwa’ but since
the restaurateurs wanted a ‘hot, exotic and mystical’
name, they settled for Rahsia.
Its owner Oh U-Chen is new to the business. A PR man for 15
years, he was looking for space to expand his office, Ovation
Sdn Bhd, which incidentally sits above the bistro. Rahsia was
born instead. But it wasn’t entirely U-Chen’s idea.
“Mom always wanted to start a smart-looking Asian restaurant
and we’ve been throwing ideas back and forth for several
years,” he says.
Decor ideas, however, were his own, with a keen sense of
detail and creativity as in the woven baskets fashioned into
lampshades.
A gentle mix of the ethnic and contemporary, Rahsia strives
for individuality. Indeed, it would be difficult to replicate
the serenity and calming effect Rahsia has on one.
U-Chen’s mom, a Penang nonya, has included all her favourite
recipes in Rahsia’s menu. Though somewhat limited, the menu
also offers some western, Indonesian and Malay dishes.
According to U-Chen, the menu is upgraded every month to suit
the taste of its customers.
“Customers inspire us in terms of what food they go for and
we’re glad that they always give us ideas on how the dishes
can be improved.”
U-Chen urged us to try Rahsia’s appetisers. The deepfried
soft shell crab (RM18) was impressive, seated on a bed of
salad and topped with pesto cream sauce.
Also a favourite was the Smoked Salmon Salad (RM19) with honey
mustard dressing and a crispy Parmesan cheese lattice.
For the main course, Rahsia serves dishes like Secret Duck
(RM37), The Balinese Set (RM28) and Chicken Roulade (RM38).
It transpired that these meals were more popular during
dinner. The variety of side dishes presented on each platter
was certainly enticing.
The Secret Duck, one of U-Chen’s recipes, was done in two
styles and presented in a lovely dish. Braised duck leg in
turkey ham juice accompanied by crispy slices of pan-seared
duck breast sat on a enticing marriage of mashed potato and
ratatouille. I liked the meeting of two worlds.
However, it was a match made in heaven when we tried the
chicken, which was rolled into a concoction of polenta and
turkey ham and smothered with mushroom barbecue sauce.
And of course, there was N.I.N.G. (RM19) to savour. Noodles In
Ning’s Gravy — yes, the diva had a part in the sassy dish
of noodles, prawns, and tofu in a gravy reminiscent of
Sarawakian Laksa.
If you prefer a western starter, Rahsia also offers beef and
lamb. Chargrilled Ribeye steak (RM45) is a thick slab of meat
prepared to your liking and served with vegetables and a
choice of mustard, black pepper or barbecue sauce.
For dessert, we decided to go with Rahsia’s Crumble (RM10),
Poached Pear (RM10) and Panna Cotta (RM12).
The homemade apple crumble, served with vanilla ice-cream and
cinnamon sauce was delightful, yet funky. While the house
favourite of poached pear was an acquired taste, the dash of
pepper and bay leaf in its sauce gave it a spicy rush.
I preferred the panna cotta. Smooth and creamy, it went down
the throat without even a tickle. As for the light caramel
custard drenched in cranberry sauce (U-Chen said canned), the
dessert was a perfect end to the evening.
Another plus point that I liked about Rahsia is its MSG-free
food. Besides set lunches (by reservations), the restaurant
also caters to small dinner parties.
RAHSIA BISTRO & WINE BAR
13, Jalan Damai,
off Jalan Aman/Tun Razak,
Kuala Lumpur.
03-2142 5555