D Empire at Pavilion, Bukit Bintang: Restaurant review

This review is brought to you in part by D Empire.

D Empire seeks to bring a sense of classical European elegance to Pavilion; Malaysian chef-founder Dallan Tan is a firm advocate of fresh, quality ingredients in crafting a well-executed menu that mainly borrows inspiration from Italy and France, with crowd-pleasers like clam pasta and pizza margherita sharing the spotlight with four-cheese bruschetta and pan-fried foie gras.

Tried and true staples

The selection hits reassuring notes, with tried-and-tested staples such as escargots a la bourguignon among the experienced chef’s recommendations. Six French snails, stuffed with English parsley in a garlicky sauce built with unsalted butter (RM26.90 nett), bring back positive memories of bygone times when this dish was an enjoyable should-order during visits to restaurants.

We can’t resist risotto – D Empire does a respectable job with its attractively presented sea prawn rendition: Al dente rice brimming with peeled crustaceans and green peas, finished with garlic, onions, English parsley and a dash of cream (RM39.90).

It’s also been a long time since we last had spaghetti al cartoccio – we like D Empire’s version, with plenty of prawns, mussels, stone clams, squid and fish fillet baked in foil, resulting in a satisfyingly flavourful, slurp-worthy recipe that any Italian establishment would be justifiably proud of (RM39.90 as part of an executive set lunch on Monday to Friday with a soft drink).

D Empire’s char-broiled Australian Black Angus rib-eye scores reasonable points for both its colourful allure and juicy appeal (RM128.90 for 200gms with a side dish such as pasta). Dallan is especially particular about meat, from how it’s sourced to the way it’s cooked – for Christmas, the restaurant is highlighting its halal roast turkey, which it promises will be a fine feast for family and friends, potentially juicier than the Malaysian norm, with house-made stuffings and sauces (bookings now available).

Drinks

Drinks prove a pleasure too, from a solid Mojito (RM25.90) to deliciously creamy ice-blended beverages (RM16.90). All in all, this restaurant feels like a worthwhile addition to Bukit Bintang’s top mall; our thanks to the D Empire team for having us here.

Location & Details

Address: 6.33.00, Level Six, Pavilion, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: +603-21106196
Find: View directory for D Empire Pavilion here