Fun, feisty Latin flavours at Sol, a new rooftop restaurant in KL
Perched on the 40th floor of The Met in Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur, is a restaurant called Sol. From an aesthetic perspective, the place is a head-turning stunner. A large, expansive space with a show-stopping bar and an open kitchen somewhere in the corner.
Foliage is omnipresent throughout the restaurant and cascades alluringly from the ceiling like verdant green chandeliers.
And then there is the view. High above the city's hustle and bustle, you'll get a panoramic visage of KL, from its restless traffic to the copious skyscrapers that wound around each other. And when you squint hard enough, you'll see the denizens of the city in miniaturised forms.
It's an enthralling window into the cityscape and its people – all captured within a picturesque restaurant.
Sol is the creative output of Leslie Gomez, the founder of the Olive Tree Group which operates restaurants like Frangipaani, La Chica and Luca, to name a few.
Gomez has been blazing a trail in the local F&B scene since he first arrived from India many moons ago and opened his first restaurant, Pride of India, in 2003. In those fledgling years, his rate of expansion was relatively modest but began to pick up pace from 2013. Today, he owns and operates 30 outlets.
The restaurant has a glass encased eating area that is ideal for star-gazing.
With Sol, Gomez says he was actually looking to craft a rooftop bar in the city centre but chanced upon this space instead.
'I always wanted a rooftop bar somewhere in the city centre but it's tied up with buildings, so there's nowhere you can really get a good view of the KL skyline.
'When we saw this place it wasn't really designed for an F&B outlet – it was just an office space. So we redesigned it and everything fell into place,' he says.
The restaurant is unique in that it espouses the values of fun-dining, a concept which juxtaposes good food and drinks against the backdrop of live entertainment in the nights.
'This idea is popular in places like Dubai. The food is a highlight but we also bring in good bands to play at night and over the weekends, so there is an entertainment element to your meal. It's something that no one else in KL is doing – I think we are the first ones to introduce the concept,' says Gomez.
Gomez is the creative force behind Sol, which celebrates fun-dining and Latin flavours.
The food is fused around Latin-American themes that also celebrate the eatery's Josper grill. The menu itself is spearheaded by experienced group chef Fazil Shahreen, better known as Jjay, who recently introduced a spanking new a la carte menu.
To begin your culinary adventure here, sample the new fare like the Octopus & Chorizo Skewer (RM42), which is accentuated with pomegranate chimichurri and lime.
The chorizo makes use of lamb and has been grilled with chorizo butter, lending it a smoky, meaty countenance that permeates throughout the musculature of the meat.
The octopus has spring and bounce in its step, rationed out in bite-sized portions that take the hassle out of excessive mastication.
Up next, try the Sesame Crusted Manchego Pepper (RM24). Here, Mexican peppers are stuffed full of Manchego and mozzarella cheese and topped with a pimiento salsa.
Stuffed full of cheese, this breaded, deep-fried Mexican pepper is an instant charmer.
The pepper is a breaded bombshell that is crisp to the touch and yet yields easily to a gentle succulence and sweetness.
This Mexican beauty's natural attributes are given a shot of hedonism, courtesy of the ooey-gooey cheese that oozes out of its pores. It's the equivalent of pairing a good girl with a bad boy and watching sparks fly.
Then there is the Rosaceo Salmon (RM42). Here, the salmon has been cured with sugar and salt for six hours, before being sliced up.
Soft, velvety salmon is paired with dill oil and cauliflower crema in this inspired dish.
The fish is then paired with a cauliflower crema, dill oil, caviar and capers crisp in what proves to be an inspired configuration that puts the voluptuous, silken qualities of the salmon on a pedestal.
And yet, as good as the salmon is, the breakout star in this amalgamation is the surprising duo of cauliflower crema and dill oil which collude to provide creamy, oleaginous undertones and a touch of elegance to the meal.
If you're up for another dip in sea-faring waters, look at indulging in the goodness of the Charcoal Seared Halibut (RM75). The fish is seared first before being lightly kissed with charcoal on the surface.
The charcoal-seared halibut is paired with both salsa verde and salsa macha. — YAP CHEE HONG/The Star
This aquatic stunner is paired with a salsa verde and salsa macha (made with toasted chilli peppers, garlic, peanuts and sesame seeds) and juxtaposes the freshness and smoky undertones of the fish against the robust, slightly fiery salsa macha in what proves to be an union of equals.
Perhaps one of the scene-stealers on the new menu is the Taco Beef Gnocchi (RM48) which features a classic chilli con carne interspersed with gnocchi – both of which are baked together and topped with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
Gnocchi and chilli con carne make for an unconventional yet winning pairing.
This dish is the dictionary definition of 'hedonistic'. It's an unabashedly cheesy offering enlivened with the richness of the chilli con carne, whose goodness soaks into the pillowy contours of the gnocchi, lending the meal an instantly addictive appeal.
The Nduja Cabbage (RM29) is a game-changer of a dish – the sort of revolutionary culinary icon that startles you into covert submission from the get-go.
Even if you're not a fan of cabbage, you'll find yourself bending to the will of this vegetal vixen.
While Nduja is traditionally a pork sausage, in this iteration, Jjay has converted it into a lamb variant and then turned that into a nduja butter.
The Nduja cabbage converts a pedestrian vegetable into a culinary superstar. — YAP CHEE HONG/The Star
This unctuous power tool is then brushed over the cabbage, which is grilled and subsequently oven-baked.
The cabbage is then enhanced with feta cheese, which has been whipped with jalapeno and coriander leaves and the entire concoction is topped with dehydrated black olives.
The cabbage is astoundingly good – lightly charred, caramelised to a buttery, burnt consistency outside with a sweet crunch inside. The savoury richness of the nduja permeates throughout the vegetable while the feta adds a creamy, herbaceous element to the meal.
End your meal on a sweet note with the beguiling qualities of the Tiramisu (RM30), which has Spanish coffee, smoked mascarpone, smoked paprika and honey chilli powder.
Chilli in your tiramisu might not sound great in theory, but this sleeper hit is a surprising winner. — Photos: YAP CHEE HONG/The Star
I understand the foreboding and sense of apprehension you might feel about even trying this sweet, spicy temptation but let me assure you, sometimes the best adventures can only be experienced when you choose to take a leap of faith.
Do this and you'll discover a world of pleasure hidden within the chambers of this dessert, which churns out a tapestry of bold, caffeine-laced flavours with surprisingly good fiery underpinnings.
Moving forward, the industrious Gomez says he isn't content to rest on his laurels. Despite having only just opened Sol, he has plans to open even more outlets in the near future.
'I have been in Malaysia for 26 years now, and this country has given so much to me. I am very grateful and want to continue to give back, so in another three to four years, I hope to have 50 outlets,' he says, smiling. Address: Level 40, Menara The Met, Jalan Dutamas 2, 50480 Kuala Lumpur Open: Monday to Friday: noon to 2am; Saturday to Sunday: 3pm to 2am
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