MIGF at Circus, Pavilion KL

Our whirlwind tour with the Eatertainment Group continues.. and after Al Amar, we enter Circus.

Step right up, then, to Circus’ dizzying highlight reel of fanfares. KL’s love affair with Circus is but a couple of months old.. the crowd gave it “a big huzzah,” and it was all systems go. And while Al-Amar is famous for its Lebanese cuisine, Circus has a more international vibe and feel to it, and so does the menu. Would the MIGF menu thrive or sink.. we were about to find out.

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Circus under The Eatertainment Group, truly is the place where the young, hip and happening hang out. From the word go, I liked the choice of chill, tasteful house music, the deco and the comfortable dining area and furniture. And situated right in the heart of shopping mall Pavilion KL’s latest lifestyle quarter, Fashion Avenue, this new bistro and cocktail lounge transports you right into the decadent, glamorous world of the big top, with funky lighting effects and eccentric décor.

It’s like the circus just came to town, and you’ve got front row seats.

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So what’s the highlight here? Well the International cuisine prepared by Spanish Executive Chef David Caral and a slew of irresistible cocktails, including fresh new creations, from the ringmasters behind the bar are really a must not miss, I am told.

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C for circus.. but also CC-FoodTravel! LOL

And the secret beating heart of a good Circus, hidden behind the fluff and flounce of the center ring and the derring-do on the high trapeze, has always come down to the hard logical nut of getting everything in the right place at the right time. Would Circus therefore deliver on the MIGF food and wine pairing menu? We would soon find out, as the food was about to take center stage.

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Parmesan Grissini with Bresaola paired with the French 75

One thing I find important in any good MIGF menu, is the food and wine pairing choice and how well they go together. It’s no point having terrific cuisine, but an unfortunate choice of wine to go with it. Here at Circus, the amuse bouche of bread stick & beef is an explosion of strong flavours – the cheese, the bresaola, the truffle oil – they all compete for attention. It is lucky then that the parmesan grissini is a slender stick and not too much of mouthful. And if you pair this with the French 75 ( a cocktail made from gin, champagne, lemon juice, and sugar) you will find that the lemon component in the cocktail, tempers the strong tastes perfectly. Off to a good start.

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Appetiser of Chili Crab Cake with Organic Mixed Salad paired with the La Palma, Sauvignon Blanc (Chile)

Most items on Circus’ MIGF menu is from the la carte selection, but since I have not been to Circus before, I am pretty happy it panned out this way. Next up was the Chile Crab cake and the meat was moist, flavourful and it had nice chunks of crab meat in it. However I did feel that there could have been a better wine choice than the La Palma, Sauvignon Blanc. It did nothing for the crab meat, and gave it a rather unusual fishy taste. I think that the wine which was light bodied and dry, but with a long sharp finish would have done better with fish, white meat or salad.

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Starter of Crispy Wild Mushroom Risotto paired with a Terrazazs, Chardonnay (Argentina)

Enter the starter of Crispy wild mushroom risotto. This was one of my favourite dishes of the night. I loved the play on textures – the crispy outer providing a cool textural contrast to the soft risotto interior. I could not get enough of the explosions of mushroom, soft center and the crunchy-charred risotto crust. When paired with the dry yet fragrant Argentinian Terrazazs Chardonnay, I did not want this dish to end. Each mouthful a blissful marriage of aromas. I am talking aromas of melon, peach, delicate floral and herbs paired with the unctuous and rich risotto.. you could taste loads of ripe tropical fruit notes in the wine, complementing the starchy carbs. Very nice indeed.

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Lime Granite

A sharp, tangy, lime granite, that was the perfect palate-cleanser.

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MIGF should be about wine and food pairing at its best…

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Mains of Cod Fish with Truffle Butter Foam paired with the J Lohr Painter Bridge, Chardonnay (California)

OR…

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Mains of Wagyu Beef Tenderloin paired with the Tyrells Moores Creek, Shiraz (Australia)

Hubby had the Mains of Cod Fish with Truffle Butter Foam paired with the J Lohr Painter Bridge, Chardonnay (California). He said he found this too salty.

I had the Wagyu tenderloin with potato mash. The steak riddled with a fine marbling of fat, was cooked a nice medium rare, and paired well with the full bodied Shiraz. This was a solid shiraz (one of my favourites for the night) with aromas of plum, chocolate and vanilla , complementing the rich and gamy wagyu beef. Spicy peppery characters are evident on the palate, and also loads of tannins.. which I adore in a good shiraz! Loved the presentation and trendy plating of the dish as well – I think I made the right choice choosing the steak.

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Dessert of Lavender Crème Brûlée paired with a Dr Loosen, Riesling Qualitatswein (Germany)

Finally it was time for dessert. The Lavender Crème Brûlée was unusual and fans of lavender would love it. It paired nicely with a crisp, light-bodied German Riesling, that had traces of spicy lime zest, cinnamon and a crunchy green apple finish.

Well, dinner ended in fine company.. and we should be back soon to try the signature cocktails that Circus is famed for. And with that the night’s entertainment came to an end. An eventful night out at Circus.

The MIGF Full Festival Menu is priced at RM278++ per person (with wine) and without wine it is RM168++ per person.

 

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Address
Circus, Level 3,
Fashion Avenue,
Pavilion Kuala Lumpur,
168 Jalan Bukit Bintang,
50450 Kuala Lumpur
GPS Coordinates – N 3 08.918; E 101 42.785
Phone: +603-2141 6151

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