Review: Fuego Grill & Bar at Troika Sky Dining

Round Two at KL’s inventive new South American tapas bar with a view. Earlier entry on Fuego at Troika Sky Dining: June 12.

Grilled Watermellon

Watermelon comes grilled & garnished with a photogenic flair at Fuego, crowned with pickled tomatoes, fried halloumi cheese & raspberry vinegar glaze (RM30++). The kitchen performs a bravura juggling act with many of its dishes, hoping to keep a slew of tastes & textures as well-balanced as possible on each plate.

Foie Gras

Foie gras is served in voluptuous fashion, with salt-baked potato, sage-tinged hollandaise sauce & balsamic reduction. RM65++.

Soft-Shell Crab

Soft-shell crab, transformed into Fuego’s version of nachos? Partnered with avocado mayo, sour cream & tomato dice, it’s crisply addictive enough to make us wish the serving had been 10 times larger. RM35++.

Matsutake Pine Mushrooms

We’re not typically fans of mushrooms, but these ‘matsutake’ pine ones are as luscious as fungi can get, grilled for maximum smoky-earthiness, topped with eye-catching seaweed foam, deep-fried parsley & dissolve-in-the-mouth salt crackers. RM25++.

Salt Cod Croquettes

Salt cod croquettes, evocative of bacalao, a savoury treat with seaweed crust, shiso leaf gremolata & salmon roe mayo.

Rare French Beef Flank

Fuego is equally proud of its big plates & small ones. Try the rare French beef flank with peaty whiskey salt rub, yuzu & black pepper sauce; it’s the most convenient compromise here between quantity & quality, price & portion, clocking in at RM125++ for 500 grams that two can share.

Equally Unique Side Dishes

Side dishes are also far from run-of-the-mill, ranging from spaetzle prepared with lemon, ricotto & thyme (RM20++) to hand-pressed baked Desiree potatoes topped with black olive tapenade (RM20++) to a shredded potato hash brown mixed with baby spinach & sour cream (RM25++).

Cookies Marshmallow n Chocolate

Dessert? Definitely. What’s labelled on the menu simply as ‘Cookies Marshmallow ‘n Chocolate (Oreo white chocolate cream, mint marshmallow, rocky road)’ emerges as elaborately as anything else here, with a pinch of DIY assembly required. RM30++.

Flamable Pavlova

Other outlets are perfectly content to serve pavlova as it is; Fuego, of course, has to throw flambe brandy into the mix for a macerated berry-stuffed creation with shades of Bombe Alaska. RM35++.

Port (sic) Flip with Brandy, Ruby Port and Egg Yolk

One of the most fun aspects of Fuego is ordering cocktails, since they often surface in surprising presentations. Examples include this Port (sic) Flip, with brandy, ruby port & egg yolk. RM38++.

Rum with Butter & Popcorn and a “Smoky” Margarita

Rum infused with butter & popcorn (!) & the smokiest Margarita ever (Tequila Reposado, Cointreau, charcoal-grilled lemon).

Dry Martini

Dry martini, made with gin & seaweed-infused dry vermouth for a panache & a price that’s punchier than most. RM40++.

Whiskey Sour with Smoked Bourbon, Lemon, Corn Syrup & Cayenne Pepper

Fuego’s menu says ‘the cocktails listed below are the ones which name (sic) you might know, yet they differ to what you have drunk before.’ That’s certainly true of the whiskey sour (RM36++), with smoked bourbon, lemon, corn syrup & cayenne pepper.