[Dining]

Blonde is a Halal progressive Australian cuisine restaurant located in the gastronomic hub of Republik Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur. Blonde is part of the Serai Group of restaurants – a family-run group that started in 1990 which has over 10 restaurants up-to-date within Klang Valley.

The menu at Blonde was curated by Serai Group’s Chef Najib who took the best of modern, Australian-style cuisine and combined it with an Asian and Malaysian twist – drawing inspiration from his time in Melbourne while staying true to his local roots.

The menu features fusion dishes consisting of breakfast staples, while the lunch and dinner menus include a variety of appetisers, pastas, pizzas, steak, mains and of course desserts. The menu is halal and the restaurant does not serve alcohol which makes it suitable for Muslim diners. They do have some interesting mocktails though that goes well with the food, and the establishment also prides itself on serving quality coffee. (If you’re looking for alcohol, there are a variety of outlets at Republik Damansara that you can visit after/ before your meal at Blonde.)

It is a younger millennial/ Gen Z female’s dream restaurant. The minimalist interior is chic and contemporary (and very tasteful), decked out in pastel colours of pink, green and gold. Large windows let in the natural light during the daytime which is wonderful for selfies and photos.

Seaweed Taco – RM35

Smoked Chilli Scallop Sashimi, Tomato Salsa, Guacamole, Ikura, Calamansi

This was a very interesting starter, a real fusion of East and West, with Tex Mex flavours combined with Japanese. Somehow it works and works well! The mix of textures as the popping ikura in the mouth makes this an amazing starter. Good luck stopping at just one piece…

Umami Crusted Chilled Watermelon – RM38

Blue Swimmer Crabmeat, Kyuri Cucumber, Pickled Radish, Ikura, Ice Leaf, Avocado, Nori Sesame Rice Cracker, Yuzu Dressing

This was quite an extraordinary salad and one that had lovely umami flavours (as the name suggested) and a delightful variety of flavours and textures! This was quite a memorable salad even for a person like me who’s not really a fan of salads (obviously my partner in crime for the evening wanted this dish).

300grams Angus Strip Loin – RM138
Lebanese Style Fried Potatoes, Burnt Capsicum, Chilli Jam
Murray Pure Angus Grain-Fed Striploin 150 Days

I always gravitate towards steak, and the Angus Strip Loin was pretty decent! Cooked to medium, there were enough beefy flavours to keep me satisfied. The chilli jam (which Uncle Roger is not a fan of in fried rice) added a nice bite to the dish although I’m quite a purist when it comes to steak hence a good steak seasoned with salt and pepper often suffices for me. However, I enjoyed the fried potatoes with the chilli jam! Actually, the fried potatoes were pretty good and I couldn’t stop eating them!

Squid Ink Spaghetti – RM39

Hokkaido Scallop, Blue Swimmer Crabmeat, Heirloom Tomato, Ikura, Seaweed, Chilli Oil

This one is a must-order if you like seafood pasta! The umami flavours just shine through, balanced by the tartness of the tomatoes and chilli oil. A well thought through and balanced pasta!

Linguine Pesto Carbonara – RM35

Chicken, Swiss Mushroom, Portobello, Crispy Mushroom, Confit Egg Yolk

Woah! This one was an extremely hearty pasta! It’s delicious but I wouldn’t recommend that you attempt to finish this dish by yourself as it gets cloyingly rich after a while. Share it among two or three persons.

Blonde’s Deconstructed Pavlova for 2 – RM45
Served Tableside

If you’re looking for a video for your Instagram feed then you have to order this deconstructed dessert which is presented tableside with some showmanship. The dessert itself is not overly sweet, with the pieces of meringue and cream balanced by the piquant fruits. This one can be shared by two dessert lovers, or three to four pax, or eight Tim Chews (I’m not a dessert person).

Blonde’s Passion – RM25
Passionfruit, Menta Cubano, Fresh Lemon Juice, Pure Honey, Earl Grey

Blonde’s signature mocktail was refreshing with a good mix of sweet, citrus and piquant flavours, with a hint of mint and Earl Grey tea rounding it out. Girls with a sweet tooth like my partner in crime would probably like this one.

I was quite impressed by the food we tried at Blonde. It is obvious that Chef Najib pushed the boundaries with a variety of fusion dishes, blending Eastern and Western flavours that created unique and hearty dishes that works.

Blonde is located on the ground floor of Republik Damansara Heights, a boutique development that was renovated and re-purposed from the original colonial architecture mansion house which was originally built in 2007 and known as Plaza Epicure. It offers a variety of gastronomy and dining experience, service and retail brands.

Republik is wholly developed and managed by Nusa Baiduri Sdn Bhd and owned by PNB. Located in 1 acre of prime land with over 26,000 sqft of lettable area consisting of 11 retail units set within a 2-storey building centred around a central courtyard. There is ample parking for over 100 cars is provided in 2 storeys of basement parking and a further attraction of an 8,000 sqft destination event orientated exclusive rooftop overlooking upmarket Plaza Damansara in Damansara Heights.

Blonde is located at G.03A, Republik, Jalan Medan Setia, Bukit Damansara, 50490 Kuala Lumpur

Website: https://seraigroup.com.my/blonde/

Telephone: +603-2011 6070

The photos and video in this feature were shot with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G with very minimal post edits. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G provides superior performance, an undisrupted 7.6-inch Infinity Flex Display with the Super Smooth 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, and the first ever S Pen support on a foldable device.

The Z Fold3’s enhanced Flex mode features, allows users to multitask, such as joining a video call on the device’s top screen while checking meeting notes on the bottom with the updated Multi-Active Window.

Read more about it at https://timchew.net/2021/08/13/samsung-unveils-the-galaxy-z-fold3-5g-and-galaxy-z-flip3-5g/

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