 |
| Svago, KLCC |
Valentine’s Menu, Svago KLCC
Words by Kirsten Durward
Photos by The Yum List aka Monica Tindall
With light, clean 1930’s design lines, and a beautiful harlequin tiled floor, Svago has a delightfully elegant ambience. We’ve always considered this to be a wonderful restaurant for enjoying a special meal. If you want to make your loved one feel really high class this Valentines Day 14th, then this airy establishment with its crisp linens and sparkling glasses would make an excellent choice.
 |
| Bar, Svago, KLCC |
We are relaxing to the gentle strains of live piano music, enjoying the vista over KLCC park, refreshing ourselves with a glass of Aqua Panna, while we wait for our first tasting. Svago’s Executive Chef Miguel Huelamo Estrada has created some dishes with tantalizing sounding combinations. The Valentine’s menu is a set menu, and although there is no vegetarian dish featured here, vegetarians can be catered to by request to dishes of the same value, if booked in advance. For walk-in vegetarians on the 14th the a la carte menu would be offered.
The Valentine’s menu includes your choice of a bottle of white or red wine. Of course it is our duty to report on both, we decide to accompany our starter with the white. Viña Cono Sur is a crisp and intense sauvignon blanc with refreshing citrus aromas. Its slightly dry finish is balanced by notes of white peaches, lychee and green apple.
 |
| Viña Cono Sur Sauvignon Blanc |
Lyrebird Red Cliff Shiraz Cabernet is full of rich red plummy notes with just a hint of freshly ground black pepper. It sits nicely with the beef dishes. Both are good clean table wines, nothing too challenging to the palate but still plenty of flavour. Definitively good offerings for house wines.
 |
| Lyrebird Shiraz |
Svago Valentine’s Menu
Amuse Bouche
Pomegranate Shot with Honey Yogurt Pretzel
Caramelized Orange with Foie Gras and Almond Crumble
 |
| Amuse Bouche |
We were taken by the balance in this pretty presentation. And what a generous looking portion for an appetite whetter! I decide to dive for savoury first, and nibble on the slender crisp bread. Enjoying the light lusciousness of foie gras interspersed with a fresh zing of lightly caramelised orange; the taste together is fresh and mouthwatering. The pomegranate shot is prettily presented with contrasting layers and a light foamy top. Monica is loving the fruity creaminess of the little slurping portion, with just a hint of tartness in the taste waking the palate.
Starters
Grilled Beef Salad with Ginger Lime Dressing, Baby Tomatoes & Lotus Chips
Roasted Salmon over Butter Onion Rice with Light Basil Pesto Sauce
 |
| Roasted Salmon over Butter Onion Rice with Light Basil Pesto Sauce |
 |
| Grilled Beef Salad with Ginger Lime Dressing, Baby Tomatoes & Lotus Chips |
The starters are served as a sharing platter, a very romantic and sexy option. The portions are generous so you’ll easily get more than a taste of both! The salmon is grilled to give an outer crunchy texture, which opposes the light piquant basil sauce. The fat rice, arboreal style, is sprinkled with the slenderest radish slices adding a light boost to the slightly sweet dish. For me this hits the perfect notes of rustic elegance, true flavours, not overpowering, comforting tones but stylish presentation and finish.
I find it difficult sometimes to be deeply impressed by restaurant food, and beef is not my personal favourite, but the next arrival has everything we are looking for in a quality dish. It is presented with a tumble of panache, each element is clearly identifiable and fresh, the beef, so tender and perfectly pink. The ginger lime dressing gets a wow from me and an ‘impressionante!’ from Caning who adds to his comment, ‘plenty of flavour, the spice is there but not too hot.’ Lotus chips add a pleasant crunch but overall it’s the dressing that keeps me going back for another taste.
Mains
For the main you have a choice of…
Beef Tenderloin served with Truffle Port Wine sauce & Mashed Potatoes
or
Prawn Tempura over Carbonara Udon noodles with Spicy Flying Fish Roe
… but nobody is saying you can’t still share from each other’s dish, and the portions certainly allow for it.
Perched atop oodles of fat creamy noodles I find the Prawn Tempura to be quite a sexy presentation. Monica oohs over the fat noodles, murmuring ‘what a combo, udon with carbonara!’ We are intrigued by the three colours of fish roe, including both tobiko and masuko. The dish is only lightly cheesy and we love the salty taste of the roe throughout. The tempura batter is light and crunchy while the prawn has a lovely dense flavour.
 |
| Prawn Tempura over Carbonara Udon noodles with Spicy Flying Fish Roe |
The beef is presented in a more traditional style with potato that I feel is more puree in texture than mash. We love the slightly sweet caramelisation with a hint of soy that coats the juicy meat. Cutting in, it is pink and tender, a good deep tasting jus, where the flavours come through but don’t overpower the meat.
 |
| Beef Tenderloin served with Truffle Port Wine sauce & Mashed Potatoes |
Dessert
White Chocolate Mousse served with Strawberry Heart, Pistachio Dust and Raspberry Sorbet
 |
| White Chocolate Mousse served with Strawberry Heart, Pistachio Dust and Raspberry Sorbet |
When we dig in the spoon, the strawberry heart is revealed in the centre of the white chocolate mousse, which is firm but light. This is a delicate sweet end to the meal.
Beverage
Viña Cono Sur Sauvignon Blanc (750ml) or Lyrebird Red Cliff Shiraz Cabernet (750ml)
The Valentines Day Menu is priced at RM 428++ per couple including your choice of red or white wine.
Reasons to visit: a well-composed and very tasty menu served elegantly but with good portion size; delightful ambience and en pointe service; jazz band each evening from 7:30pm.
Svago
Lot 136 First Floor
(entrance from Limoncello on the corner lot facing the water fountains)
Suria KLCC
Kuala Lumpur, 50088
Malaysia
+603 2163 0188
Opening Hours:
Monday – Saturday: noon – midnight
Closed Sundays