FIRST IMPRESSIONS Perched on a small hill along Jalan Sultan Ismail in the chic part of Kuala Lumpur, Neo – which opened last October – has been described as “your hilltop oasis in the city”.
The minimalist interiors are contemporary yet understatedly stylish, making this restaurant one of the “it” spots in the Malaysian capital. The most popular seats are located at the side where floor-to-ceiling windows provide diners a vantage view of the lush landscaping around the restaurant.
THE FOOD The restaurant specialises in tapas created by Canadian-Thai chef Thiti Thammantr. Each dish carries more than one culinary influence, often from both East and West. For starters, we had raw scallops marinated with caviar, balsamic reduction and truffle oil, followed by grilled tiger prawns over scallion risotto, with teriyaki glaze and cherry tomato confit. From the starters alone, it was obvious that this was your not your average fare. A lot of thought had been put into the preparation and presentation of each dish. I had cream of mushroom soup with sweet potato while my companion had smoked salmon with asparagus. For mains, we decided to share the cajun halibut with pesto fusilli.
DRINKS Neo has concocted an impressive list of cocktails and their choice of non-alcoholic drinks is equally varied. We ordered lemongrass juice.
SERVICE For an upscale establishment, the waiting staff are rather young and inexperienced. Asked for a recommendation, our waiter could barely utter a word. It took more than 15 minutes to process our credit card payment, but no one came to inform us that the machine was acting up.
VERDICT Imaginative cuisine for adventurous gourmets who are looking for new tastes to titillate their palate. With the nice ambience and the designer food, be ready to pay a hefty price.
FACT FILE
Prices Prices range between MYR35 (US$10.55) and MYR55 (US$17) per dish. A full dinner for two with entrée, soup and one main dish shared, costs MYR262.20 (US$79).
Contact 19 Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur tel 60 3 2148 3700
Opening Hours Open daily from 12 noon till late
