Rougeur Champagne Brunch @ Menara Tokio Marine Life

Never in my life, had I set foot into Menara Tokio Marine Life before, let alone, heard about Rougeur.

Well I had to quickly google it because I had a Champagne brunch to attend, and I hadn’t the foggiest clue where this place was.

Champagne brunches are all the rage these days. And I am not one to say no to an acute case of the bubbles.. or the giggles.

So here we were. At Rougeur.. prepared to get all rosy.

Thai Salad with Smoked Salmon Roll  paired with the Mimosa Champagne Cocktail

Let me just say that as the lunch progressed, it was apparent that the cocktails were of some caliber, and the food was not. Out of the entire 8 course meal, only maybe one or two of the dishes were satisfactory. The drinks on the other hand, made up for it.

Mimosa Champagne Cocktail – made with champagne nicolas feuillatte, blood orange, mango juice that was tangy, sweet and sour in the right proportions. Loved the zesty flavour as one sipped on it, and the lovely bubbles imparted by the champagne.

Chicken Consomme Brunoise paired with the Poinsettia Champagne Cocktail

This soup was thin, tepid and forgettable. The Poinsettia Champagne Cocktail made from champagne nicolas feuillatte, cranberry juice, triple sec curacao, was refreshingly fruity and highly pleasurable to drink. So far, we had been served, two really nice cocktails.

Glutinous Rice with Smoked Duck and Dried Shrimp Sambal paired with the Elder Champagne Cocktail – champagne nicolas feuillatte, elderflower syrup, fresh grape juice.  This dish was not bad. The glutinous rice was flavourful but the duck was thin and dry. Not a great smoked duck specimen if you ask me.

Grilled Prawn with Sambal Kacang Malaya paired with the Delicious Champagne Cocktail – champagne nicolas feuillatte, lychee liqueur, frozen lychee.

This grilled prawn was slightly overcooked. The saving grace was the sambal it was served with – I dunked my prawn into it and slathered it generously with the spicy sauce. It was not bad. Those who like lychee would surely appreciate this light, sweet and fruity cocktail. It paired well with the prawn actually.

A grilled to death, fish that we were not impressed with. It was further drowning in a sauce that was way too strong and overpowering for it – a Marinated Spicy Coconut Champagne Seabass in a penang mamak curry sauce was just too full on. Not my cup of tea.

Coq au Vin, braised chicken in house champagne and red wine sauces with shallots and carrots, served with garlic bread was the other option for mains. I would have picked this one over the fish.

Both mains were paired with the Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte which turned out to be a light, fresh and fruity Champagne with fine discreet bubbles and subtle overtones of citrus fruits. It paired well with the Coq au Vin.

Apple crumble with vanilla ice cream & Triple chocolate cake with mixed fruits and cream finish lunch off on a sweet note.

The menu here is probably still a work in progress. I would come here for the cocktails though. Rougeur by Astelier itself can be rented for events – it is made up of 12,000 sq ft of space that can be transformed into any themed event or setting – from a place to host dinner for friends, to product launches or even a wedding banquet. Not the most conventional of locations, but accessible enough.