Eest @ Westin Kuala Lumpur

Eest is located at one of KL's finest hotels, The Westin.
Add: 199 Jalan Bukit Bintang, KL
Tel: +603 2773 8338
It was fellow blogger Lianne and The Map who gave the thumbs up to this makan haven, so I had to give it a try ... before heading off to Colin's gig at Zeta later that night!

Westin describes it ...
We now know why EEST was created. There is nothing like it in KL. Your senses will be taken on a journey to a Pan Asian cuisine oasis- an oriental affair not to be missed by the adventurous. One that depicts originality while exuding the experience of tranquility in the midst of the bustling city… five countries, four senses, one oasis… The Westin Kuala Lumpur proudly presents EEST.

Pomelo salad with Betel Leaves (RM$18) - Good stuff. Nice light flavours, with a lovely dip.
Soft Shell Crab in a spring roll (RM$35) - Yummy. But expensive!


Gato Negro Merlot (2006) RM$115 - Pretty good. Easy drinking red.
Panna mineral water (Still) RM$24 - Ouch! Pricey!


Grilled Rib Eye with an oriental sauce (RM$75) - Lovely flavours, but should have ordered it in medium-rare instead of medium.
Wok Duck with a hint of coconut (RM$40) - Really good!
XO Sauce Fried rice with Seafood (RM$35) - The surprise of the night, big portion and delicious!


Complimentary honey melon dessert shaped like a lollipop ... slurp :-)


Thanks to the Starwood Privilege membership card, the price of the food was halved (YES!) and the meal came up to RM$244.

Service was immaculate. Brilliant and friendly attention, yet respecting the privacy of the diners. Maybe that was why I saw our Angkasawan, Dr Sheikh Muszaphar, at the table behind us!

The architecture and lighting was really stunning ... Intimate, flamboyant but not overly so!


Something I pulled (Pun intended!) together from poole-associates.com ...
A modernist interpretation of the traditional Asian courtyard provides the theme for this restaurant
There's far more to establishing a central theme for a restaurant than deciding on the type of food to serve. A successful identity also involves creating a convincing decor and a welcoming ambience.
Interior designer Ed Poole was asked to fit out EEST, a new restaurant in a five-star hotel. The design had to reflect a variety of Asian cuisine styles as well as have an open kitchen, a large public dining area and a selection of private dining rooms and function spaces.
In a country like Malaysia, which has multiple and sometimes mutually exclusive cuisines, pulling off a pan-Asian restaurant is tricky.
At Eest, newly appointed director of kitchens David King boldly merges Japanese, Vietnamese, Chinese, Thai, and Malay flavors with surprising results: Black truffles lend a luxurious decadence to black cod; kalamansi lime and soy offer a distinctly Asian piquancy; and mustard and miso complement crispy nests of foie gras.
But where Eest really scores is in its decor. Designed by Ed Poole, the restaurant feels Asian without any of the usual Buddha and bamboo accoutrements. Instead, the stunning design, done in leather and shades of red, relies on unusual materials and objects: cast volcanic-ash tiles from Indonesia, giant aluminum urns, and chairs made from woven banana leaves.