Interlude at Taman Tun Dr. Ismail: Restaurant Review

This post is brought to you by Interlude.

It’s not a stretch to say that the people behind Interlude, another great addition to a host of expat-friendly F&B outlets in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, have taken a well-known concept and both expanded on it and freshened it up to deliver a unique and eclectic dining experience.

Everything is Made From Scratch

Walking by Interlude and peering in, you could be forgiven for thinking a meal there would deliver a hefty dent to your wallet. The chic, sophisticated design incorporates modern furnishings, fabric- and smoked mirror covered walls, indirect lighting, and washed oak-like flooring. It’s an ambiance that’s at once comfortable and decidedly upscale. But despite the trendy, upmarket feel of the place, the menu prices are a pleasant surprise. And once the chosen dishes arrive, that surprise segues to pure delight. Virtually everything at Interlude is made completely from scratch, and as we tucked in to our tapas and mains, we found that homemade touch was evident. This is good food, both prepared and presented with panache. We started with the mushroom soup – hot, flavourful, and topped with a light foam – then proceeded quickly to a procession of delectable choices: a trio of gourmet sliders on mouth-wateringly perfect little brioche buns; a crispyskinned Norwegian salmon served with a portion of delicious Korean kimchi with adornments of cream and caviar; and a succulent house-smoked duck breast that was juicy, tender, and delicious.

The Menu is Short and Sweet

The menu at Interlude is refreshingly short and sweet – really just two pages: one for international tapas, the other for mains. Some of the tantalising tapas include sweet potato wedges, homemade meatballs (beef, chicken, or pork), spicy calamari, sautéed sausages (a lovely blend of chorizo, Hungarian sausage, and cheese frankfurter), and even a dish of spice-roasted peanuts, if you just want something simple and delicious to accompany your pint of lager. The mains range from a traditional Indian lamb stew to a thin-crust margarita “piezzette” made with Buffalo mozzarella and Interlude’s own house tomato sauce. Another standout we tried, in addition to the sliders, salmon, and duck breast, was the lip-smacking 17-hour slow-cooked pork belly. Three sizeable squares of moist, flavourful pork belly with a crisp skin, served in a puddle of Gribiche-inspired sauce and festooned with crunchy pork cracklings – this plate was demolished in short order. We finished up somehow with a banana bread and peanut butter ice cream dish. A light, sweet conclusion to a terrific meal.

An Evolving Menu

Rabin, the affable and talented chef behind the delectable dishes of Interlude, told us that the restaurant revisits and reinvents its menu every month or two, adding new creations to complement the customer favourites. With its “no borders” concept of international tapas, Interlude won’t be running out of ideas for its evolving menu anytime soon!