The Banquet

Ever since the Banquet opened at Bangsar Village II, fans of Café Café, its sister café have been visiting it to see if they can experience the same magical feeling they’ve been getting at Café Café. Boasting an interior totally unlike the French cabaret-inspired Café Café, at the Banquet you get a classic garden atmosphere with rows of dark green Christmas trees, white furniture, chandeliers and floor-to-ceiling mirrors to create an illusion of space.

Although the owners are trying to create something different, they’ve kept their old favourites like the Duck Confit, Beef Bacon Salad with Red Wine Poached Egg, Hot Chocolate Cake and Tiramisu to keep Café Café fans happy. Aside from the Western selection, the Banquet also serves Asian dishes based on recipes from Penang where the owners hail from.

For starters, you can choose to satisfy your local tastebuds or go for something more exotic like foie gras. The Mango Salad (RM13) was quick to arrive on our table once we placed our order. Delicious slivers of green mangoes and onions were tossed in a mix of peanuts, crushed crunchy ikan bilis and chopped bird eye chili. Next was the Aromatic Chicken Wings (RM14 for 6 pieces) which was deep-fried until crispy. With a slight hint of shrimp sauce, the chicken wings were a good snack to indulge in while waiting for our main meal. Although the Crispy Brie (RM23) came in a small portion, it was delicious with the melting cheese centre that paired well with the tangy sauce served on the side.

The Wok Fried Special Noodles (RM18) looked and tasted similar to the mamak mee goreng found at roadside stalls. It smelled heavenly though especially when it arrived piping hot. Also aromatic was the Chicken Casserole with White Wine and Mixed Mushrooms (RM35) which was topped with beef bacon. Unfortunately the chicken was not fork tender. If you like fish, try the Oven Baked Butter Fish Served with Creamy Honey Mustard Sauce (RM25). You’ll need patience though as it takes 20 minutes to prepare. Although the fish was tender and flaked off easily with a fork, it felt slightly dried out on top. Dip the fish into the rich and creamy honey mustard sauce made with butter, minced garlic, honey and wholegrain mustard. Though it tends to get quite rich after a while. Perhaps it would’ve been better with a squeeze of lemon juice to cut through its richness.

A must have when you dine here is the heavenly Tiramisu (RM18). It’s just a small portion but perfectly done with just the right amount of brandy-soaked sponge fingers topped with creamy whipped mascarpone. Special mention should be given to the service as they were especially attentive and well versed on each item on the menu. Although this place is catered for casual dining, a meal here can be an expensive outing as items on the menu are on the costlier side for the portions served compared to other cafes.

TEXT KY LEE
PHOTO SHERMEN MUKHTAR