Bacchus at The Row, Doraisamy: Restaurant Review

Chef Angie Hiew is back: The pioneering founder of KL’s legendary Spanish restaurants Flamenco & Sentidos Tapas has been on a break for two years, but she returns this month with Bacchus, which specialises in small plates & wine at The Row.

Tapas

The selection showcases mainly Spanish & Italian inflections – tapas-style spicy chorizo (RM16), garlic prawns (RM18), beef meatballs (RM16) & potato omelettes (RM15) share the limelight with poached egg cushioned with shaved cheese & pesto (RM12), bruschetta crowned with cream cheese & pear (RM18) & fried calamari (RM18). Pretty much nothing exceeds RM20.

A smattering of recipes flaunt East Asian leanings – the stand-out is the braised smoked pork belly, with layers of tender, confidently calibrated meat in lightly savoury gravy (RM18). The Oriental roast duck is also enjoyable for sharing & snacking, featuring boneless slices of fowl flesh partnered with a rich, thick plum sauce (RM16).

Fish dishes span both the raw & the cooked, from salmon sashimi with wasabi mayo (RM18) to slabs of dory with chillies & squid ink aioli (RM14). Creamy, kitchen-made sauces with flavoursome nuances prove to be one of Bacchus’ key strengths.

Wine

Bacchus strives to honour its namesake, the Roman god of the grape harvest, with bottles of Australian Shiraz & Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon that start at RM75-RM80, plus vintages for serious enthusiasts that peak south of RM300. All in all, this is a respectable entry to The Row, accelerating the street’s revival as a reliable destination for wining & dining in the city centre.