Palacio Restaurant & Lounge is located at the prestigious Asian Heritage Row district in Jalan Doraisamy. Palacio means Palace in Latin and the establishment serves a fusion of Southern French and Spanish cuisine. I went there with my girlfriend to celebrate her (very substantial) salary increase. I promised to buy her dinner with just the two of us, which was a bit tricky to arrange since I had meet-ups with a lot of people during the short trip there.
Asian Heritage Row is a quaint lane that somehow organized itself into a place renowned for its fine dining, nightlife and entertainment. The history behind the establishment of the dilapidated shop houses along Jalan Doraisamy into a one of the trendiest strips in KL is very interesting transformation that I was fortunately privy to, having worked in KL when it was first proposed and built.
Palacio is divided into three (3) distinct dining experiences – there is an al fresco area in the Palacio front garden, a laid-back cozy arrangement on the ground floor and a fine dining area on the first floor. I wanted to go up to the first floor, but the air-conditioning has not brought the temperature down to a comfortable level yet so we settled with the ground floor ambiance.
The seating arrangements at the ground floor is warm and inviting, with lots of wood fittings. There is a lounge at the side for a more relaxed social gathering. The place serves beer at very reasonable prices – it’s RM 35 per jug for local draft beef during Happy Hour. The service is impeccable too – the waiters are very attentive and attuned to your every whim and fancy.
There is a wall motif running along the length of the Palacio that is almost holographic, due to the ingenious placement of lighting fixtures. The length of the ground floor is bordered by a long couch with regular chairs on the opposite side of the tables. The effective use of mirrors increase the spatial perception of the size of the restaurant – it’s a common interior design technique to make a place “look” bigger.
Foie Gras (RM 48)
This is served with tempura asparagus, caramelized onions and mango chutney on a toasted baguette slice. Palacio is a French and Spanish cuisine establishment and this is one of the specialties of the house. It has multi-cultural influences, and this dish turned out to be a great fusion of unique flavors.
The foie gras (duck/goose liver) is tender and comes in a single, intact portion. This French delicacy literally bursts with juicy goodness with every bite. Highly recommended, despite the price and small serving size. I could eat the entire thing in a single mouthful!
Cinnamon Black Cod (RM 40)
The Cinnamon Black Cod is served with sides of sweet mashed potato, mango mojo, citrus cabbage and red capsicum sauce. The “mango mojo” is the sauce and goes surprisingly well with the cinnamon marinated cod. The black cod was excellent, maintaining the natural moisture of the aquatic creature inside. It certainly hasn’t lost its mojo. 😉
The portion is a little on the small side though, but I guess “fine dining” is synonymous with tiny portions for the more refined diners amongst us. Doris thought it was just right, but she doesn’t eat much and cannot be used as an accurate gauge for the appetites of regular diners.
Braised Lamb Shank (RM 40)
I had the more reasonably portioned braised lamb shank for the main dish. It’s served with tomato and grape chutney, mashed potatoes and rosemary sauce. The serving is indeed quite large (even for my standards) – a full lamb shank smack dab in the middle of your plate with rosemary sauce and tiny mushrooms.
The braised lamb shank is delicious and the meat turned out so tender, it practically falls apart from the bone with the slightest gesture of the fork. 😉
Palacio Restaurant and Lounge also serves beer-based drinks I dubbed “beertails”. Beertails instead of cocktails. I was elated at the fit of inspiration where I thought I had coined the term, but a quick Google search revealed that the word has been around for quite a while. 🙁
Palacio Beer (RM 20) is the green beer which is a cocktail (beertail) of Midori, Malibu and beer. The Bloody Beer (RM 15) is a beertail made with watermelon liquor and a shot of Absolut Raspberri. It tastes good, but it’s definitely not a drink for beer aficionados and purists from the Holy Trinity of Hop, Malt and Barley Church.
We finished off with a dessert of Palacio’s Mississippi Mud Pie (RM 15) – a sinful concoction of chocolate cake, cream and ice cream. The Mississippi Mud Pie came piping hot and the contrast with the cold ice cream is a match made in heaven!
Palacio is a great place for a casual dinner at the Asian Heritage Row. The foie gras was memorable, the beertails interesting, and the service impeccable. The bill came up to a total of RM 244.95 which is not very expensive for the occasional indulgence. The Palace is located at:
Palacio Restaurant & Lounge
Asian Heritage Row
Jalan Doraisamy,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
I’m first! Do I get to go to Krabi with you? Or is it the next post? Hahahahahahahaha!!!!
suituapui: It’s the next post. I usually do one full normal sixthseal.com post, in this case, food review, and put up the ADV a couple of minutes later…for the reader’s benefit. 🙂
I enjoy French food very much since a child. Mom into French cooking. Is that restuarant nouvelle or country French? Guess it country style which is more hearty. Do they have Snapper en Papillote or Steak au Poivre on the menu? Duck Confit is most popular everywhere.
Thank for sharing it to all now I got to make a Creme Brulee after seeing those food.
Foie Gras!!!
i have yet to taste it…
Spainish and French sound very interesting. Foie gras been my flavorite. Did you try their if any coq au vin or chicken cordon bleu? Paella and Arroz Cubano or Bacalao con Tomato not bad here in San Francisco.
KL seem very nice place to see and try many foods. Make me hungry for crepe suzette now.
Wow…this is a great place for me! I absolutely love foie gras. It is after all a delicacy that must be tried at least once in a lifetime. And the beer-tails looked great! I really have to try them. Thanks for recommending this place. I’ll try it once I come back from Dubai. Do you happen to know that each person is allowed to buy 4 bottles of liquor from the airport?!!! Wohoo…
wow, what an expensive dinner.
I learn cooking in high school class which they call home management. Guys and gals learn to sew and cook to live on their own one day. I made foie gras in class. That how I like French food now.
Foie (liver) Gras(fat) 1/2 lb (200g) duck or goose liver
2t. oil(10ml) 2T. Balsamic vinegar(35ml)
salt and pepper to taste. Saulted in pan. Serve with apple chutney or any flavorite chutney and carmelized onions
It low cost in states the ingredients. Spanish food everyone love it very much. KL seem to have restaurants that offer a variety cuisines. I would like to Malaysia one day. Enjoy your food entries.
mm.. Foie gras is a good thing to keep around. Doesn’t involve any cooking really.
Aloha, I know this recipe very well and see it need cure foie gras. Made by soak liver in milk overnight drain and in wine I like port. salt and pepper. I try to steam it to make it last longer and use for many recipe.
This sauteed dish serve with carmelized saute apple or chutney. Halloween Oct 31 street party in Hawaii and friend dressed up as Michale Phelps with fake gold metals in warmup suit. I would go as Hawaii first woman governor.
Happy Halloween and ALOHA
Now I know what that person like. Paella sound great and love Spanish desserts. Pastel de Chocolate was awesome never try yet in Malaysia but did in San Francisco. But you know me I got to pair with wine not beer SORRY. Price not really bad at all compare to states a good deal.
It must part nouvelle part country French. Do they serve Spanish food? What other kind of desserts do they have since I am dessert person.
While in States got turn away from a French restaurant due to dress code. Have to wear a business outfit with tie and women must wear skirts or dresses not pantsuits.
Eh i dont like Foie Gras very much.
Had it for Christmas when i was in France last year kinda made me feel a little sick coz it kinda has a heavy taste but maybe thats just me? infact i think all french food is really heavy and oily, not my fav.
However other meals look appetising tho ironic almost seems these days the more you pay the smaller the meals get.
I agree with Vickie creme brulee is my fav and would have finished off this meal.
Beertails yeah id never heard of them before until i was in Europe last year- they make these drinks called Monarcos which has grenadine and other really concentrated syrups which makes it taste completly different. All the girls drank them i guess makes it more lolly water for them.
Wheres your pay rise HB?
Been totaling cost of meal in states cost about 100.00 USD easy w/o drinks. French food is not all French but infusion because of chutney and desserts.
In Vietnam French food is infusion Asian culture food too. There is no wrong or right way in cooking and enjoy your food entries very much.
Hey, I just had a Croque Monsieur now planing to have Duck Confit for dinner at home.
Vickie: It’s a Southern French establishment. It serves Duck Confit as well, but I didn’t try that as we ordered other stuff.
Cheers! 🙂
xin: Oh, you will. The very first day I cash my new paycheck. 🙂
Amy: I’m a big fan of foie gras as well. I don’t know if the other two is on the menu but paella is definately one of their signature dishes. I like the one in La Bodega though, it’s their flagship.
eiling: Hey, since I’m based in KL now and getting my car on the 25th we should go out and see which establishment has the best foie gras. Asian Heritage Row, here we come. 🙂
Text or email me when you get back from Dubai. 016 888 2069
vincent: It’s a celebratory dinner for my girlfriend’s new salary increment, which is quite substantial, almost 250%. 🙂
Erica: It’s rather expensive here due to the imported stuff. I’ll try and cook it one day. Will cook at Cheesie’s condo. Heh!
Thanks for reading!
musique: Yeah, I’m going to get fresh goose liver from a specialty produce outlet and try to cook it. 🙂
Shelly: There is a Halloween party over here but I couldn’t make it, coz I had…er, commitments that I shall reveal at the end of the month. 🙂
Michale: Yeah, I like paella as well, the first time I tried it was at a Spanish outlet in Bangsar. It’s good stuff.
Wine goes better, I must admit, but beer is alright as well. I’m not very particular about beer and wine, they both have their advantages.
Tina: Yeah, they serve a fusion of the two cuisines. I have to check my photos, they have a lot of desserts in their repertoire, but I can’t recall off hand.
Keng: Some clubs in Australia practise that as well…formal tie and coat for dress codes. It’s the norm for higher end establishments.
Tom: Hmm…I like it coz I’m a big fan of unusual and unhealthy good. 😉
Yeah, the trend is indeed unusual, but it’s been around since time immemorial – fine dining restaurants = small portions.
Eh i dont like Foie Gras very much.
Had it for Christmas when i was in France last year kinda made me feel a little sick coz it kinda has a heavy taste but maybe thats just me? infact i think all french food is really heavy and oily, not my fav.
In Australia, these drinks are called alcopops. Not beer per se, just alcoholic drinks (usually 5%) with no alcohol taste.
Cathy: Yeah, it’s more like fusion cuisine which is popular here due to the multicultural influences. 🙂
Nok: Mmm…duck confit. I love that stuff as well. I had it last in Miri.
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