Waxing lyrical about Cafe Bistrot David

I like that Cafe Bistrot David has a casual Parisian vibe about it. Having been around for a few years now, the cafe’s menu is David Chin’s playground to create and experiment with new ingredients and food ideas. Cooking out of passion to please himself, it’s a luxury not many chefs have. 

The man behind the iconic Dave’s Deli recently opened Bar X Grill upstairs of the cafe, focusing on food cooked on a Spanish grill. Serving cafe food with a gourmet slant, pies and sandwiches which I’ve had here are out of this world. The stained windows which you see are from the home of the sugar king in Java, century-old terracotta tiles for the stairs, and emotive photographs by well-known photographer SC Shekar adorn the walls.

He’s also launched his Penang outlet, Beach St Bistrot in a heritage building in Penang.

At the last visit, we tried the CBD Original Burrata with tomato, beef cecina, pecorino, parsley butter and basil oil. This unique ensemble had two shards of beef standing tall in the middle of the creamy cheese. Smothered with passata, the saltiness of the beef, sweetness of the cherry tomatoes, combined with all the  other elements make this a must-try dish here.

Fat Hokkaido scallops, sea prawns and baby octopus enriched the linguine with Garlic Kombu Butter sauce. Definitely not your average pasta dish, the Italian Mama would be so proud of this exquisite offering.

David jokingly said his Paella with Mixed Seafood from Bar X Grill, was the best in town. And after we’ve had a try, we’re inclined to agree. Stacked with prawns, mussels, clams, baby octopus and scallops, the paella is cooked over hot coals on the grill, and finished in the charcoal oven. The rice had a deep flavour, infused with the  juices of the seafood, and each mouthful was a treat that teased the palate with a promise of more good things to come. 

Prices may be a little steep but justifiably so as only premium ingredients are used. Service is impeccable and my only regret is that I am limited by my tummy and my wallet.

Add: 135, Jln Aminuddin Baki, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 018-912 0332