The author recounts fond childhood memories of wine from Christmas parties. They visit The Press Room in Bangsar for a wine pairing session, where they sample various French wines paired with small plates of food. The cheeses, meats, and dessert are expertly chosen to complement the wines. The manager explains the French tradition of enjoying wine with every meal. The relaxing atmosphere makes for a wonderful dining experience.

1. PARGOLF MAY 2010112
WINE&DINE
I’ll never forget that one Christmas party a zillion moons
ago – a mirthful night with spirited kids carolling the glory
of Jesus. Aunt Winnie had offered me a glass of ruby-
coloured wine, while her dad had asked everyone to raise
their glasses for a toast. I still remember my first taste of
wine, rather vividly I might add. It was like sweet assorted-
berries juice, with a hint of bitter and a heck of a kick.
Although the stinging sensation it left on my throat had me
fearing for dear life, I swilled it in split seconds. Hey, what
did I know about wine appreciation? I was five!
To this day, port wine has a special place in my heart
– one of those things I could never refuse, trailed by rosé
and chardonnay. I have to admit, I wasn’t sure of what to
expect when I moseyed into The Press Room for a wine
pairing session. Taking up residence in Bangsar Shopping
Centre about six months ago, The Press Room occupies a
spacious lot next to La Bodega. Warm amber lighting filled
the Anglo-French brasserie, accented with rustic timber and
wood-planked ceiling, immediately wheeling me into ‘at
ease’ mode – as woody ambiances often do.
The reddish maroon carved stucco wall panels and
floor-to-ceiling café doors added vintage European charm to
the restaurant that specialises in simple yet hearty Anglo-
French fare. The timber-decked front, furnished with wood-
carved tables and benches, lent a friendly, relaxed winery
cottage ambiance to the modish diner.
In the company of great food and wine,
Syama Ramasamy gets acquainted with
the French joie de vivre
THE FRENCH LIAISON
Pan-seared black pepper crusted 1824 medallion with creamy pepper sauce
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2. MAY 2010 PARGOLF 113
Upon exchanging the usual formalities
with restaurant manager Matthieu Lartigue, I
waited for my first dish – riffling through the
impressive wine list and the sea of wine bottles
decked by the bar. Joining me at the table were
reps from Gastrodome Management Services
Sdn Bhd (the proprietors of The Press Room)
and Bacardi-Martini Malaysia Sdn Bhd (the
importer and marketer of Paul Jaboulet Aîné
wines – the wines paired later with a select
course).
The hors d’oeuvre, white asparagus with
egg ravioli, arrived just then, garnished with
coriander and sprinkled with chopped herbs.
The very polite Lartigue poured me a glass of
Parallele ‘45’ Blanc, a French white wine from
Maison Paul Jaboulet Aîné. The brilliant pale-
yellow blend of grenache, marsanne,
roussanne, bourboulenc and clairette was a
crisp tasting wine that I could have chugged all
night. The ravioli, with egg yolk and truffle
paste filling, was mildly flavoured, which went
really well with the citrusy notes of the wine.
Next up was a jazzy entrée that was almost
too pretty to be wrecked – caramelised red onion
and goat cheese tart, garnished with rocket salad
and grilled cherry tomato. The moist crust, filled
with creamy goat cheese and onions, simply
crumbled in my mouth – leaving behind a
smooth, creamy flavour, while the rocket salad
and juicy tomato added extra zing to the cheesy
tart. The dish was paired with Parallele ‘45’
Rouge, an easy organic red wine with just
enough bitter, sweet and spicy notes to balance
the tang of the goat cheese. I must say, the
combination was well beyond my expectations.
The main dish was next – pan-seared black
pepper crusted 1824 medallion with creamy
pepper sauce. As a finicky eater when it comes
to beef, I took a deep breath and precariously
sliced into the solid 200 gm chunk of meat.
Perfectly seared on the outside, it had a
gorgeous pink glow in the inside – succulent
and tender was the meat, without the
overpowering whiff of bovine meat. The
ochre-coloured sauce was a luscious mix of
cream, mushroom and fresh black pepper,
flambéed with a dash of cognac. Coupled with
Crozes Hermitage rouge ‘Les Jalets’ – a deep
red, almost violet, wine with rich tart berries
flavour, the pairing was quite the surprise. The
peppery, creamy sauce balanced the dryness
of the weighty wine really well, although just a
smidge too tannic for my saccharine-seeking
palate.
The conversation at the table drifted off to
the Rhone Valley and back as Chef Thierry
explained to me the French joie de vivre – they
always take the time to relish each morsel of
food and every sip of wine. “We hardly eat
without wine, and we hardly drink without
food,” said the Frenchman, a well-travelled chef
who’s been sharing his savoir-faire of French
gourmet in many continents over the years.
It was finally time for dessert (and yes, I
was doing gleeful cartwheels in my head). As I
sat there waiting to be bowled over, Lartigue
brought over a dainty bottle of honey-gold-
hued white wine. The Muscat De Beaumes De
Venise ‘Le Chant des Griolles’ dessert wine
had a delicious peachy, candied scent that I
was dying to taste. A tiny sip was all it took –
the flavours came alive in the warmth of my
mouth as marvellous perfumed sweetness
rolled onto my taste buds. It had the slightest
tinge of sour that could’ve gone unnoticed if it
weren’t for the dessert, petit pot au chocolat
(which translates to ‘small pot of chocolate’) –
a simple yet sinful dark chocolate mousse-
textured pudding that I unabashedly dived into.
The velvety, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate set
in wonderfully as the wine of muscat berries
countered its slight bitterness with ease. C'est
magnifique! What a divine dessert experience
the potful of chocolatey sin was!
Paul Jaboulet Aîné wines were mighty
impressive, to say the least, as a wine
connoisseur would expect of a French wine
maker with presence that spans almost two
centuries. And the beautifully prepared food
that was paired with each wine was minimal,
yet superbly French. As I lingered at The Press
Room, downing my last glass of the fabulous
Le Chant des Griolles, I watched friends catch
up after hours. The relaxed, mellow ambiance
of the place was just the perfect spot to wind
down after a long day with good company,
great food and some fine wine. At The Press
Room, experience the true definition of ‘wining
and dining’. ■
THE PRESS ROOM
G110 Ground Floor,
Bangsar Shopping Centre
285 Jalan Maarof, Bukit Bandaraya
59000 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 603 - 2095 8098
www.pressroom.com.my
Opening Hours: 12 noon - 2 am (daily)
Caramelised red onion and goat cheese tart
White asparagus with egg ravioli
Petit pot au chocolat
RestReview•pg112-113.May09.indd 113 4/21/10 6:25 PM