2015 Lunch Menu at Ohla At The Intermark: Review

When Toni Valero Ruiz launched the kitchen of Ohla in August 2013, he instantly established himself as a talent to watch. Nearly two years later, his determination to remain in KL & bring the best of Spain to this city marks Toni as a chef to cherish.

‘Honest’ is the word that both Toni & Ohla’s sommelier extraordinaire Gustavo Arriaga rely on most often when describing the ethos that fuels their fare, which includes creamed cauliflower soup with crumbs of Bellota Iberico ham & pan-fried onions (crafted with a resonant purity of ingredients, teased out with subtlety & restraint) & piquillo peppers stuffed with salted cod fish brandade, served with a sprout salad & parsley oil (combined with a clear recognition of how to make flavours & textures sing).

These recipes form the current afternoon selection that Ohla started offering this year – it’s the ideal business lunch menu, showcasing flair & finesse in a setting that straddles the line between formal & relaxed. Executives seeking wholesome creations will be thrilled with platters of charcoal-grilled vegetables with Romesco sauce & artichoke-crowned rice in a creamy stock. The provenance of the produce is key – irrepressibly fragrant Spanish red peppers & tomatoes for the Romesco sauce & irresistibly juicy Spanish artichokes for the Bomba rice, which bears the certified firmness of Valencia’s Albufera variety.

Meat Specialities

Our favourites are the meat specialities – can’t go wrong with the comfort-food stew of Iberico pork belly & suckling pig cooked with chickpeas & pork jus, made even more indulgent with sous-vide egg, or the most satisfying duck leg confit we’ve savoured in years, fleshy & flavoursome, with potatoes prepared in duck fat & Mediterranean herbs. Toni’s mantra is that everything at Ohla must be exactly what he’d be proud to serve back home in Spain; we’re convinced that he succeeds in that responsibility.

Wine

Wine makes every lunch better – Gustavo will help you discover a compellingly selected Spanish range, such as crisp DO Jumilla beauties from the south-eastern Murcia region. Don’t skip the Spanish-inflected cocktails either – there’s everything from a Rebujito made with sherry to a Kir Royale with Cava to surprising off-menu concoctions that’ll linger long in the memory.