Food Review – Topshelf TTDI

[Casual Dining]

Taman Tun Dr. Ismail in Damansara, Kuala Lumpur is fast becoming a food hub with more and more specialty restaurants taking residence there. This was not always the case as I grew up in this neighbourhood and recall how in the 80’s and 90’s there were only a couple of Chinese coffeeshops and mamak restaurants. Fast food joints such as McDonalds, Grandy’s and White Castle did open their outlets there when the very first Jusco in the country opened in TTDI but they didn’t last very long and only KFC remained until McDonalds recently made a comeback to the neighbourhood.

Anyway tucked away near the end of Lorong Rahim Kajai 13 and behind the row of shophouses which houses Sid’s Pub and 42 East is the unassuming little French restaurant Topshelf which has actually been around serving up French fare at affordable prices since March 2012.

Owner of Topshelf - Chris honed his culinary skills working in a top hotel in London before deciding to return to Malaysia — Owner of Topshelf – Christopher Yee honed his culinary skills working at the Hilton Metropole in London before deciding to return to Malaysia

I got there pretty early before any other customers and my partner in crime

The view from the reverse angle. As you can see, it's not a snobbish and pretentious restaurant. — The view from the reverse angle. As you can see, it’s not a snobbish and pretentious restaurant.

Topshelf has an open kitchen so you can watch the chefs in action

The well stocked bar which has everything from beers to wines to cocktails

The blackboard where the day's specials are highlighted — The blackboard where the day’s specials are highlighted

The menu has relatively few choices but the restaurant changes its dishes every quarter. It does however keep the popular/ staple dishes in the menu but do keep an eye out for the new and exciting dishes!

Conne Lim Jen Yng — My partner in crime finally arrived

Escargots - baked French snails in pesto, garlic & butter - RM26.00 — Escargots – baked French snails in pesto, garlic & butter – RM26.00

Not the usual style which is drenched in cream and cheese but delicious nonetheless. Went well with the rustic bread. Good start to the meal (couldn’t kiss my partner in crime without having some breathmints first though thanks to the garlic).

11120904_10153678262745278_4859220625404073368_o — Apricot & Nut Salad – mix greens, apricot, nut vinaigrette & parmesan – RM25.00

A very refreshing salad with apricots and nuts. Not the most common ingredients in salads but very welcome as the combination of flavours and textures really complemented the greens.

Orange Quail - bacon hash , egg & poached berries Apricot & Nut Salad 25 mix greens, apricot, nut vinaigrette & parmesan - RM27.00 — Orange Quail – bacon hash , egg & poached berries – RM27.00

Quail with an orange glaze which imparted a bright and perky sweetness to the bird which was beautifully cooked. However the star of this dish to me was the deliciously addictive bacon hash that I simply couldn’t get enough of especially after we broke the egg and let the gooey yolk run all over it.

Chicken Confit - corn, mushroom, potato puree and chicken jus - RM32.00 — Chicken Confit – corn, mushroom, potato puree and chicken jus – RM32.00

Confit is a cooking term for when food is cooked in oil or fat at a lower temperature than deep frying. This seals in the flavours and tenderness of the meat which is then finished off in the oven giving it a nice crispy skin! We finished up the silky smooth potato puree with the chicken jus which was full of flavour! I ended eating most of this as my partner in crime wasn’t really one for fried (or in this case confit) chicken.

Pot au feu - slow cooked beef in light vegetable broth - RM43.00 — Pot au feu – slow cooked beef in light vegetable broth – RM43.00

This was a rustic and very hearty dish! The tender beef went well with the broth which didn’t taste too green (much to my relief). Ask for some bread to mop up the remainder of the broth!

We paired the beef with the house red wine which really complemented the dish

Creme Brulee - creamy custard topped with a paper caramel crust - RM17.00 — Creme Brulee – creamy custard topped with a paper caramel crust – RM17.00

Beautifully torched caramel crust on top which we gleefully tapped with our spoons until it shattered! Do share this one as it is quite creamy! A delightful little dessert!

Chocolate & Coffee Cremeux - 70% noir dark chocolate cream with olive oil & maldon sea salt - RM19.00 — Chocolate & Coffee Cremeux – 70% noir dark chocolate cream with olive oil & maldon sea salt – RM19.00

DECADENT! Terribly decadent! The mixture of textures and flavours was good. The rich chocolate creneux was balanced out by the acidity of the strawberries, and oddly enough the olive oil and sea salt added an extra dimension which prevented you from getting too overwhelmed by the richness.

Topshelf is a restaurant that charges decent prices for pretty delicious fare, and this restaurant is a great addition to the food scene in TTDI. Who says you need to break the bank to enjoy French food?

Topshelf is located at:

61, Lorong Rahim Kajai 13,

Taman Tun Dr. Ismail,

60000 Kuala Lumpur,

Malaysia.

Telephone: 03-7727 7277

Website: http://topshelf.com.my/

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/topshelf.kl

*prices shown above excludes the government and service tax