Bijou, French for ‘jewel’, is a restaurant indeed akin to a gem: rare but of great value to its owner, in this case, customers. Set deep in the jungle of recent Mont Kiara condominiums, it’s safe to say that Bijou is one of Mont Kiara’s best kept secrets. And we now know why.

 

Upon entering, the whitewashed walls and striking fuchsia and orange d¨¦cor immediately grab one’s attention, along with friendly waiters and waitresses eager to let you in on their little secret. Elongated windows cleverly catching the rays of morning sun allow a sense of belonging, and even children are taken by the thoughtful consideration of their comfort with the presence of a little playground.

The place transforms at night, helped by the humble glow of tea candles, dimmed lights and table cloths that offer a sophisticated and sensual feel to one’s evening meal.

 

The food stands out just as much as the ubiquitous fuchsia and orange do. A quick skim through the menu and one can sense the love for food accentuated in each dish as well as the importance of a healthy diet; my kind of place.

 

For starters, Minestrone Soup(RM12) is a straight-forward choice. Unlike most others, Bijou’s Minestrone is just the right constituency of tomato broth, not too runny and with chunks of tomato. The subtle taste of gooey Parmesan cheese and garnish of mint complement the already flamboyant soup. A heavy but promising start to the subsequent dishes.

 

 

Although not particularly attracted to Caesar Salads, because a Caesar is a Caesar, it was recommended that we try the Bijou Caesar(RM20) that pledged to be different from the rest. Indeed, we were pleasantly surprised at the addition of deep-fried soft-shell crabs to the salad, substituting the croutons which were not entirely missed, as they added extra crunch. A half-boiled egg, yolk still runny, placed elegantly atop a hill of romaine lettuce, beef bacon, olives and Parmesan cheese capped this appropriate fix to the prior soup.

 

 

 

 

One of Bijou’s signature dishes, the Breadcrumb Pasta(RM22) is definitely an interesting combination of sorts: Spaghetti tossed aglio-olio style with crispy herb garlic breadcrumbs with a hint of mushroom, saut¨¦ed oven-dried tomatoes, pan-fried prawns and wilted arugula. Although the breadcrumbs offer a slightly bland taste to the pasta, combined with the herby arugula it makes for a delightfully light meal that somehow grows on you, as the prawns are a pleasant plus to the meal. Just right to prepare us for the whopping Bijou Burger.

 

Get some specially in-house prepared beef patty with caramelized onions (or onion marmalade), beetroot, lettuce and cheese stacked onto a mustard-mayo slathered sesame seed bun and a typical side of fries, and you have a Bijou Burger(RM25). Just as described, it is a mouthful. The patty is undeniably unique and appetizing, which will leave you finishing up the burger even if you’ve had too much to eat. Personally, a salad instead of fries would have been preferred, but the absence of it leads one to think that the chefs place as much emphasis on health as they do happy customers.

Beverage wise, we had an interesting sample of freshly prepared drinks: Lime Mint Soda and Ginger Lemon Beer. The latter offers no form of alcohol, lest you be fooled, but an intense ginger flavour with a trace of lemon. The Lime Mint Soda is an intriguing combo, with fresh mint leaves that serve a slight crunch together with the lime presenting a refreshing slurp.

Bijou boasts of freshly made baked goods daily, with leftovers contributed to charity, and all meals cooked without MSG or instant stocks. The open view of the kitchen allows one to watch the chefs on their feet yet not be distracted by the merging aromas of cooked food.

 

The restaurant also offers a kids’ menu with a healthy choice of food even for the little ones, served on very appealing colourful plastic plates. The convenience of a baby changing facility, complete with a friendly baby mobile is also available. An ideal site for the family.

 

The generous amount of space in the restaurant allows for a playground, breakfast, outdoor/smoking, function and lunch/dinner areas. Themed parties are made possible too, with themes like pirates, safari and circus, at which the area is transformed and closed for private function.

 

Tucked safely in a cozy corner of Mont Kiara, Bijou presents a cuisine pleasing to the stomach and beneficial to health; a place to indulge minus the guilt. No wonder it is such a well-kept secret.

 

 

 

 

Bijou is situated at the Ground Floor, Damai Sari Mont Kiara, Damai No. 3, Jalan Kiara 2, Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur and is open Monday to Friday, from 8:30am to 11pm; and on Saturdays and Sundays from 9am to 11pm.  For reservations or enquiries, please call (603) 6201 2131.

Last 5 posts by Denise Chin

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• For the Love of Money - September 1st, 2007