The Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill is a unique proposition in the Malaysian dining scene. It is the first of this particular concept outside the United Kingdom. Located on the lobby level of Sunway Resort, it offers a complete and encompassing experience that begins even before the menu is considered in a way that might be unmatched in the country.
The venue is expansive and high-ceilinged, dressed to the nines in Art Deco revival and hinting at retro luxury: mottled stone, dark wood, and polished metal in geometric and symmetrical forms lit by floor-to-ceiling windows. The front half of the restaurant is lighter and airier, with the atmosphere of a lounge. Meanwhile, the rear half is somewhat more buttoned-up and serious, with the countenance of the dining room of a member’s club. Timelessly fashionable black-and-white portrait photography lines the walls, while the bar stands in one corner, its selection concise and well-curated. The wine room is impressive on its own, encased in glass and shelves lined all the way up to showcase its expansiveness. The restaurant can accommodate up to 150 guests, and there are three private rooms each named after one of London’s famous upmarket districts: 8 Mayfair, 10 Soho, and 12 Chelsea.
If it was not already obvious, these names are statements of the restaurant’s goals. When discussing the new restaurant, the Savoy Grill is frequently mentioned – the iconic London dining location that has been under Gordon Ramsay’s umbrella since 2003. Indeed, like the Savoy Grill, the menu of the Bar & Grill in the Sunway Resort is dedicated to classic British fine dining.
A question that has been asked – and answered, given the difficulty of finding an available table since the restaurant opened earlier this year – is how receptive local taste buds might be to traditional British fare. Diners in Malaysia are generally spoiled with bold spices, chillies, sauces and homegrown talent that draw on eclectic pan-Asian influences for fusion inspirations. But some things need no embellishment nor introduction – the Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill boasts of a seafood tower, for example, piled high with chilled oysters, lobster, crabs and more, while a citrus-cured salmon offers a fine balance of lightness and richness. Other established dishes have an element or two that elevates them over the norm; in the case of the steak tartare with egg yolk, it is the game chips – fine-cut lattice-like fries that lend a light crunch that is the perfect textural counterpoint to the steak. In the case of the traditional Sunday Roast – available only on Sundays, of course – it is the porcini rub of the sirloin, which adds a crisp, decadent highlight on top of an already incredible slice of beef. There is also the Yorkshire pudding, which must be one of the best in the country. And for those asking – yes, Beef Wellington is on the menu, in all its browned-pastry, pink-middle glory, carved tableside to be better appreciated.
There is still a curveball or two on the menu, however. Take for example the Arnold Bennett smoked haddock souffle, which is served with an aged cheddar sauce – and, incidentally, a dish introduced to the Savoy Grill just this year. To most local diners, it would present as an unusual combination of textures and flavours, and tastes exactly how it sounds. The twice-baked souffle is at once rich and fluffy and populated with pieces of smoked fish, while the dusting of chives over the cheese sauce does little to temper its intensity.
It is not something that many locals would ever have thought to order, but that is the point – one no longer must fly to London to get a taste of the Gordon Ramsay experience. From the stunning décor of the restaurant to the bar and its extensive wine options, from the private rooms to the menu, there is little else like the Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill in Malaysia.
