KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 13 — Chef Lau Ka Hong of Atelier Binchotan is going back to his roots.
Before he helmed the grill at one of KL’s hottest tables — reservations can be full months at a time — Lau cut his teeth in classical French cooking, most notably spending two years at the Joël Robuchon Restaurant Singapore, the country's sole three-Michelin-starred restaurant at the time.
His newest venture, Bistro Léa, is a celebration of the classic Parisian bistrot in its traditional form.
The restaurant stands on the corner of Jalan Sri Hartamas 7 and 3, and the space boasts an open-air patio with a central fountain feature.
Staples such as soupe à l'oignon (onion soup, RM25), escargots (snails, RM36), and boeuf bourguignon (Burgundy beef stew, RM88) make up most of the pork-free menu.
Not everything is strictly traditional; Bistro Léa’s take on salade niçoise features tuna tataki in place of the more conventional canned or freshly cooked tuna. Canard a l'orange (RM60) uses locally-sourced Cherry Valley duck breast for this iconic French dish.
For the more adventurous diners among us, traditional French delicacies like frog legs (RM55) and ris de veau (veal sweetbreads, RM85) in their classic preparations also feature.
Heading the kitchen here is Chef Dimitri, who spent time working in gastropubs and brasseries in the resort town of Villefranche-sur-Mer on the French Riviera.
Bistro Léa will be open for reservations starting September 17, with its official launch on October 17. The restaurant will be closed on Mondays.
Bistro Léa
1, Jalan Sri Hartamas 7, Taman Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur
Open Tuesday to Sunday, 12-3pm, 5-11pm.
On Saturday and Sunday, 9am-11pm
Tel: 012 810 3638
Instagram: @bistrolea
