Melur and Thyme, KLCC

Although tucked at a quieter corner of Suria KLCC Shopping Mall, my eyes instantly caught the eatery's name- decorated on a wall with contrasting colours, in front of Isetan. My family and i arrived to an almost-empty eatery despite reviews i read online regarding the crowd and the need to make a reservation. As the night grew older, more people dined, so that was comforting, for me mostly, because it was our first time and because it was i who selected the place. Alas, there were significant misses.

Lets see the hits first. In a flash, this eatery serves fusion cuisine, east meets west style, which i thought would be good for my family given the options. The tapas menu comes with choice of rice or bread, and was part of the menu that was most interesting.

The contemporary decor with classy ambiance makes for an ideal gathering venue for family or friends. You could choose to sit inside the eatery, outside but still in the mall, or outside the mall, lending an alfresco feel.

The Wild Mushroom Soup was a yummy starter, definitely for mushroom lovers. Although it looked watery, it was packed with flavours and was aromatic.

The dish that would make me return, and the most memorable dish of the night, was the Duck Satay. Not only was the meat tasty and well marinated, the idea of a duck satay itself was truly unique. Dipped with the peanut sauce and you will have a joy of local cuisine with a twist.

The duck slices of the Carbonara with Smoked Duck was so good it felt as if it melted in my mouth. Thumbs up. Oh yes, this eatery used to be a duck shop so no wonder their ducks scored well (and a safe bet in choice of food).

The Grilled Venison was deliciously marinated and well cooked. It wasn't too hard. I had with rice. I ordered a 'small' portion but i have to point out that it really was small.

Now to the in-between.

The chicken breast of the Grilled Herb Chicken was tender and tasty with the dipping sauce. The sides that came with it, the mashed potatoes and vegetables, were ordinary though.

Masak Lemak Style with Salmon sealed the label for an east meets west eatery. Special but mixed review indeed, and not for all.

Poached Halibut had its gravy tasted suspiciously like the Wild Mushroom Soup, but it's not a bad thing. In fact, i thought it saved this dish. The fish tasted bland, same for the mashed potato below, but the gravy gave them a boost of flavour.

What missed?

After the mushroom soup, i was expecting the Pumpkin Soup to deliver just as well, if not better, given it's a chef special. But it was disappointing. The cream layer above tasted weird with it.

The fresh prawns in this Gambas in Salsa would have me put them in the in-between, but i cannot pass the strange, undeciding taste of the sauce, to do just that. It could be us, but the flavour was just not here nor there (not sourish, not sweet, not salty).

Service was moderate but quick (it should be since it wasn't crowded then). Price-wise, they are on the higher end of the bill but wasn't all worth it.

The desserts were tempting, especially the rainbow cake, and especially when the family next to our table ordered one and the kid playfully and cheerfully had his cake. We didn't.

Would i be back? May be a take-away of the duck satay.

What? Duck Satay. Duck dishes.
Where? Melur and Thyme, KLCC. Near Harrods Cafe and Isetan.
Website? Visit here for menu options.