It is hard to find quality bistro these days. BUT thankfully Chef Darren Chin decided to open his little retreat named - Bref by Darren Chin, an alternative way to enjoy his work of art in an affordable manner. Bref by Darren Chin is a contemporary Parisian Bistro that public can enjoy dining delicious meal, at a moderate priced meal.

Went there as a couple, that have my seat placed at the kitchen counter. At the kitchen counter, you will be able to experience open-kitchen concept, witnessing how the young Chef de Cuisine runs the show. The waiter will brief you on the menu and give you some recommendation!, but please be aware that the menu is seasonal and will change periodically.

 2016 BK Wines “One Ball” Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills, Australia (RM 42.00, by the glass)

Knowing what I will feast later on, this glass of white wine was the right decision I ever made. Vibrant and full of brightness, able to cut through extremely high fat content and cleanse my palate. Comes with a fruity sensation such as blueberry and orange, then leaving behind pepper, cloves and very obvious honey.

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Food

 Complimentary Antipasti - Crusty bread accompanied with Giant mammuth olives, piquillo peppers, pepperoncini & onion jam.

Loving the warm crusty bread. The mix giant mammuth olives, piquillo peppers pepperoncini and onion jam was outstanding.

 [Antipasti] - Torchon of foie gras fait a la maison (RM 55.00)

Two pieces of round seasoned foie gras accompanied with Chiang Mai's wild flower honeycomb at the side. The fattiness of the foie gras blends well with the authentic honeycomb from Northern Thai, gives a creamy nutty sensation on the tongue. Sadly, not my type of dish. Anyway, good experience thou.

/pro-tip: looking for combo with this dish? order a glass of champagne of any kind OR sweet wine of any kind. For cleansing palate wise, you may ordered like what i did above or you may ask the server to recommend you a few wine with high acidity characteristics/

[Pasta]- DC's Signature (RM 75.00)

Prior to my experience in Bref, was wondering what's the hype with this dish that the netizen had been raving about? Surprisingly, this is the best dish I ever had in my life. A plate with cold somen, covered with aged ponzu, topped with  Hokkaido bafun uni and roasted celeriac. Great texture within the somen, the aged ponzu blends well with the noodle. What more when there's exquisite ingredients on top of the cold somen. Portion of the noodle was on-point. Very satisfying.

 [Main]- Australian grass-fed rib eye steak au poivre (280-300gms) (RM 120.00)

An Australian grass-fed rib eye steak with roasted celeriac cream, buttered kale. To me, this dish is just "so-so", no Wow factor. Maybe an aged Wagyu can impress me. The size is just right for two pax, but if you are a bodybuilder, the portion is awesome for your gains.

 [Pasta]- Spaghettini with fresh red prawns from Kuala Selangor (RM 58.00)

"The simplest meal is the hardest to cook" - Ah Xian (2018), during his interview with Chef Darren Chin, got me curious and wondered why would Ah Xian said so? It is true, a simple pasta dish like this may look so simple but when it comes to preparation, it is another story. Thus, this pasta is pack with great taste and aroma. Pasta texture was on al-dente, the tomato passata taste great with seafood broth mixed in. Simply delicious.

Dessert

 Chocolate (RM 35.00)

Have you tried tasting local cacao? It is as good as imported cacao. The 60% & 70% cacao was used in Chef Han's Chocolate Royale, planted and grown by the Semai hill-tribes in Sinderut, Pahang. Garnished with boozy macerated cherries, dark chocolate creme and chocolate crisps. Taste delicious, minimal sweetness and leaving behind pleasant creamy mouthfeel.

Score

Price & Service: 4/5
Ambience: 3.5/5

It was then, all the shareholders and the important people behold to their bottle of wine prior to the grand opening.

Bottomless wine pouring to fulfill the evening event.

Then, I spent the rest of my evening indulging their small plates and tried some of their main dishes. Some of it may look simple however it taste amazingly delicious. Below are the food that we sampled throughout the event.

- THE BAR°N Mini Open-faced Sandwiches -

- Oven-baked Portobello Mushroom with Bacon, Tomato & Cheese -

- Bacon Wrap Sausages -

-Luncheon Fries with Chili Dip-

-Scallops Wrapped in Bacon with Passion Fruit Sauce-

- All-American Wagyu Beef Burger -

- Oven-roasted Baby Back Pork Ribs -

After hours of feasting on their food, I love the All-American Wagyu Beef Burger the most as the charcoal bun itself is indeed fluffy that complements well with the Wagyu patty that is succulent and flavorful. Once again, kudos to other food as well!

I would say, this is by far the most longest cocktail domino in city!

Thanks to THE BAR°N and the event team for the memorable evening.

Once again, I would like to thank Ren and the team from THE BAR°N for the grand opening invitation, its a pleasure to be there as a guest.

THE BAR°N @ Pavilion Kuala Lumpur

C4-04, Level 4, Pavilion KL, Jalan Bukit Bintang, 45800 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Tel: 03-2110 3223

Hours: Every day 10 am - 10 pm

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebarnpavilionkl/

Remarks: Non-Halal.