Mother’s Day Menu
Open
in April 2016, Coquo Restaurant and Wine
Bar is an elegant speakeasy restaurant and wine bar yet to be fully
discovered by many. For gourmands who makes extra effort in seeking out Coquo, they certainly know how to
return for an unforgettable culinary journey of modern cuisine.
Located
in Solaris Dutamas, just right above a popular hangout bar named Barfly, Coquo is helmed by Spanish chef
extraordinaire, Chef Toni Valero together with partner Tricia Kandiah. Tricia
first met Toni when she dined at Ohla Tapas & Cocktails, where Toni was
working previously. Through mutual passion for the love of food, they ventured
on their first restaurant together with Coquo.
Coupled
with Valero’s impressive resume which boasts of Michelin star establishments in
Spain like El Cellar de Cane Roca (El Cellar) and Mugaritz, diners are in for a
gastronomical journey of flavours like no other on our Malaysian shore. Having
successful stints in London, Barcelona and was even responsible for the popular
Ohla Tapas, Valero hopes to embark on a new culinary journey of modern cuisine
at Coquo.
At
first sight, Valero remains reserve and direct but as we progressed through the
dining experience, Valero speaks passionately about the culinary world with
much pride on where his vision for the modern cuisine is heading towards. The
very talented and meticulous chef show exceptional culinary foresight through
the use of Malaysia’s local produce combine with modern culinary skills and
techniques. Foraying into the world of molecular gastronomy, Valero uses
various modern culinary techniques to showcase the best of our local produce to
its best potential. It is only when the local ingredient is not available, the
chef will then outsource it from elsewhere in the world.
Coquo, which
translate to I cook in Latin, is designed with elegance and easement in
mind of diners enjoying great food and wine set in smart casual ambiance. Pure
wood and leather takes precedence in the theme of the décor as well as artist
Thomas Powell’s Banksy style art reflects the speakeasy’s concept of food and
wine. Elegant, mysterious as well as exquisite modern flavours brought together
by the skill of Valero and his team sums up Coquo.
The
restaurant and wine bar currently carries over 80 labels of wine with a small
and tight menu that changes every four months.
Through
the eyes of the famous personalities of the Banksy art mural who has created
history in the culinary world such as Audrey Hepburn, Ferran Adria, Louis
Pasteur, Joan Roca, Andoni Luis Aduriz, Aretha Franklin, Bob Marley and
Salvador Dali, Valero hopes to create his own gastronomic history in the
culinary scene in the city.
This
Mother’s Day month, Valero takes his inspiration from non-other than his
beloved mother’s recipes to bring diners a taste of Spanish dishes prepared the
Valero way. Though Coquo menu doesn’t focus solely on Spanish cuisine, Valero
speaks fondly of his yesteryears of growing up and enjoying his mother’s
cooking, saying that the memories of that flavours are priceless. In tribute of
his heritage and his mother, Valero brings forth two special dishes available
only for a limited time during this Mother’s day in Coquo.
Gazpacho
is said to originate from the southern Spanish region of Andalusia but today,
it’s widely savored all over Spain and Portugal, especially during summertime
when the hot weather is cooled down with this chilled soup. Valero whips up his
gazpacho from his childhood flavours in his mother’s kitchen and elevates the
chilled soup with slipper lobsters from Johor in Gazpacho with Grilled Lobster and Cured Egg Yolk (RM 48++).
Succulent
lobster tails poached to perfection is paired with brunoise of bell peppers
while the gazpacho is poured at table side on to the crustacean. The gazpacho
has vibrant freshness of sweet tomatoes along with peppers, garlic and herbs.
Velvety smooth and fairly thick, each spoonful of gazpacho was fresh and
heavenly on the palate, leaving me satiated for more to come.
Through
tedious efforts and days in the kitchen, Valero creates an intense and smoky
caramelized sofrito for his base of
Spanish Bomba rice cooked paella
style. Tomatoes slow cooked over 8 hours in Jasper oven, a seafood stock that
screams crustacean essence, Iberico pork ribs sous vide over 14 hours and more
is meticulously prepared in honor of his interpretation of his mother’s dish of
Pork Rib & Crab Rice (RM 58 ++).
The
result is perfection of a cast iron pan of smoky and unctuously creamy al dente
rice with crusty bits, served with delectable and fabulous Iberico pork ribs
and sweet chunks of crab meat from our very own Pulau Ketam shore. Talk about
flavours, this plate is jam-packed with rich and luscious flavours that is
heighten with porky ribs and crab. The dish is divine… so much so that you may
not want to share this with anyone else.
Apart
from the special Mother’s Day menu, one should not miss the Prawn Carpaccio (RM38 ++) from the
regular menu. Locally sourced prawns, artfully bundled and sliced carpaccio
style is served with Laksa caviar, prawn cracker and spicy Laksa oil.
When
asked what inspired the dish, Valero immediately says that one of his favorite
local dish is Sarawak Laksa. Inspired by the rich flavours of the laksa, he
uses molecular technique to create laksa caviar pearls to be paired with the
prawn carpaccio on crackers. Everything is literally made from scratch,
including the laksa paste he uses to create the laksa caviar downright to the
crackers.
When
savored together, this dish is truly memorable on the palate. Lush flavours of
popping caviar of creamy and spicy laksa, sweet prawns, crispy prawn rice
crackers and hints of spicy oil is a clever compilation unlike any other dish
that I have ever tasted. Addictive as well as moreish, we kept going back for
more of this delectable dish.
Just
when we thought that nothing could outdo that excellent Prawn Carpaccio, Valero
brought out his Curry Leaf Ice Cream
(RM22 ++) served with strawberry Szechuan pepper and jasmine green tea gelatin.
Wait
a minute, I had to ask Valero again to reaffirm what I heard, strawberries with
Szechuan pepper and curry leaf ice cream? Try it first, he says.
Upon
savoring the curry leaf ice cream on its own, it was an instant hit of cold and
smooth sensation of cream and aromatic curry leaves. There is no sweetness at
all in the ice cream but rather just notes of rich cream and curry leaves.
And
then we savored the ice cream with the strawberries set in light floral jasmine
green tea and what a turnaround. The strawberries were sweet and fruity with a
lovely tang, smoothen out by the aromatic ice cream. Then you get an after
subtle hit of heat from the peppers creeping slowly up which really gave the
dessert an element of surprise. The duo of cold and heat really works wondrous
on the palate. Kudos to Valero for his brilliance on combining unusual
ingredients together and this extraordinary dessert!
If
you’re looking for a culinary journey like no other, Coquo is the place to be. Intimate, excellent modern cuisine,
impeccable service and a menu that truly epitomize gastronomic sensations, Coquo is a haven for those seeking
adventurous culinary journey as well as a place to unwind with good wines and
company. Reservations recommended.
Coquo Restaurant and Wine Bar’s special Mother’s Day menu is
available from 12 to 14 May, 2017.
For
reservations call 03-6211 2822 or email reservations@coquokl.com.
COQUO
RESTAURANT & BAR (located above BarFly)
D1-G4-6, Jalan Dutamas
1,
Solaris Dutamas,
50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: + 60 3-6211 2822
Website: www.coquokl.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CoquoKL/
Business Hours: 6pm to
12 midnight (kitchen menu ends at 10.30pm)
