KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 11 — Located on the ground floor of a block in 10 Semantan Suites, Black Salt isn’t exactly in what you’d call a prime Bukit Damansara location. Unless you work or live here, there’s little else you’d come here for.
The restaurant takes its name from the sulphurous mineral known as kala namak, valued in Ayurvedic preparations for its purported medical qualities.
This has little to do with what the restaurant actually offers, which is far more compelling: a wide selection of simple, “Western” – for lack of a better word – food, with a focus on house-cured meats like duck breast and bacon, as well as forcemeats like country pâté, rillettes and sausages.
The atmosphere, like the menu, is almost... earnest.
What the restaurant lacks in pretence and embellishment, it more than makes up for in heart and sincerity.
Founders Damien Lim and Loke Wai Fun previously hosted private dinners before being encouraged by regulars to open a brick-and-mortar establishment.
Everything, from the lighting to the service, feels warm and welcoming when you walk in.
Black Salt takes great pride in crafting most things in-house; the Country Pâté and Sourdough Toast (RM49) is a prime example.
This grazing platter for two showcases the restaurant’s range, with everything made from scratch.
The pâté is a rich blend of duck, pork, cherries and pistachios, meant to be gobbled down with uber-crunchy sourdough slices speckled with black beans. The pickled cabbage and papaya added a refreshing tartness, offering respite from the hearty richness of the meat and bread.
As far as main dishes go, the house-cured meats were both excellent choices.
Roasted Cured Duck Breast (RM58) was moist, still pink in the middle with each slice capped off by perfectly done, deep brown skin. The grilled vegetables were good, and the bold, intensely flavourful red wine sauce showed real technical mastery from the kitchen. I had to ask for extras.
The Pork Bacon Steak (RM59.90) is most definitely not for anyone with any kind of salt sensitivities or hypertension, but it hit the spot for me.
Sometimes you just crave a rather sizable piece of salty, fatty meat grilled to tender perfection, and this was exactly that. Nothing overly fancy, just a well-cured piece of pork shoulder, house cured and cooked well.
The gnocchi that came with it was unfortunately too loose and soft for my liking, but the grilled vegetables were good.
I also snagged a bite from my father's order of Argentinian Ribeye (RM120.90), which is 240 grams of prime, grain-fed Argentinian beef, grilled vegetables and that exceptional red wine sauce again.
There wasn't a crazy charred crust like you might see in a specialised steakhouse or grill place, instead, it was seared simply with precise attention to the doneness.
Dessert isn’t usually my favourite part of the meal, but Black Salt harks back to a time when decadent and indulgent desserts were the only options.
Baby Brioche & Ice-Cream Sandwich (RM22) is everything your inner child craves; your choice of ice cream flavour wedged between two soft, pillowy brioche buns, finished with a decadent pour of thick chocolate sauce and a sprinkling of roasted nuts.
The Grand Marnier Crêpes Suzette with Vanilla Ice-Cream (RM35) were even better. It was old school gold — thin and light crêpes doused in a masterful beurre Suzette, balanced with caramelised sugar, butter, orange juice and fortified with Grand Marnier.
C’est magnifique!
Black Salt @ Semantan
B-0-7, East Wing, Block B, 10 Semantan Service Suites, 10, Jalan Semantan, Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur
Open Tuesday to Sunday, 11am-10pm.
Tel: 018-760 1600
Facebook: @blacksalt.my
Instagram: @black.salt.semantan
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
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