Chez Gaston is a new casual dining French restaurant in Bangsar which started operations in September 2018. They’re nestled in a leafy and shaded corner of Bangsar. The City List was invited to do a sampling of their offerings and we gladly jumped at the chance to review this freshly minted eatery.
Hearty French Food
What comes to mind when someone mentions French food? Well most of us will expect dainty dishes that we can clear in one or at most, three bites. At Chez Gaston, that stereotype was completely broken as they serve hearty, filling and authentic French food.
While we were there, we were served two sets of starters, two mains, two desserts and two drinks. Since the hubby was vegetarian, Chef Florian Nigen was kind enough to alter the menu to suit him. Chef Florian used to be the chef at another popular casual French outfit in Bangsar, known as Rendez-Vous and has brought his extensive experience to this new establishment. His skill definitely shines through, as we’ll soon see.
Our starters arrived first. Hubby got a serving a Salade Macedoine Mimosa (RM 14). It’s a pretty light salad with carrots, French beans and peas in mayonnaise with a hardboiled egg on top. For me, there was a small Plateau de Charcuterie (RM 41), which turned out not to be that small either.
This platter of mixed goodies included parma ham, air dried duck breasts, a slice of duck pate and a deer pate (I think, I could have heard wrong). Anyway, the whole thing was exquisite! I loved the sweet onion relish which just brought out the savoury flavour of all the cured meats.
Little Extras Here and There
As you dine at Chez Gaston, you’ll be served with little extras from time to time. Before our meal started, we were served some hors d'oeuvres which were a minced duck on a crusty baguette topped with onion relish. There was also some baguettes served with butter. As the mains arrived, so did a couple of vegetable sides, namely ratatouille and roasted potatoes.
Hubby and I fell in love with the roasted potatoes at first bite. It was truly outstanding. Jihane, the restaurant manager mentioned that they used a little duck fat to give the potatoes an outer crisp, and a hint of richness that was just right. All these extras are complimentary, and they change on a regular basis, so you’ll never know what exactly you’ll get.
The Main Characters of the Day
Hubby’s main course wasn’t on the menu, which was Raclette cheese on roasted vegetables. The juiciness of the tomatoes paired very well with the mild but full flavours of the Raclette.
As for me, there were the Côtes de porc levees grilles à la provençale (RM46), a large honey and garlic grilled pork rib, still on its bones.
This was served with a salad and some blue cheese sauce. The blue cheese sauce paired beautifully with the pork ribs, giving it a tender lilt of bitterness and creaminess. However, if you’re not used to blue cheese, this sauce can take some getting used to. The pork ribs themselves were tender and I found great satisfaction trying to eat it with my hands.
A Sweet Finish
For dessert, there was Mousse au Chocolat (RM12) and Tarte aux Pommes (RM12), or rather, chocolate mousse and apple pie.
The apple pie was a work of art. Thin, delicate slices of apple compote were baked on a beautiful crust and topped with whipped cream. Every bite was a taste of true workmanship, skill and effort on the part of the chef.
For drinks, we had a virgin apple mojito (RM18) and a Gingernade ( RM16). The drinks menu is really extensive though. In addition to non-alcoholic drinks like teas, coffees, sodas and mocktails, there’s a wide selection of wines (both red and white), digestifs, aperitifs and cocktails. Traditionally of course, French food is best enjoyed with wine and you can always ask the servers to recommend you the best combinations based on your food orders.
Chez Gaston provides a wonderfully authentic gastronomic experience, but more importantly, there is great hospitality to endow you with a truly French dining experience. Many of us may not get a chance to travel to Paris, but this no doubt comes pretty close to the real thing. Apparently, Chez Gaston is gaining ground among the expat French community in KL, but I’m quite sure it will catch on among the locals too.
- 12 Jalan Bangsar Utama 9 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- +60 11-3993 0036
- Opening Hours: Everyday 11.45am - 2.30pm and 5.30pm-10.30pm
