Atelier Binchotan 備長炭坊 — Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur

I booked this appointment on the 19th of March 2021; so I waited for 254 days or 8 months. Was @atelier_binchotan worth it?

Mini Burger (RM12), succulent pork pattie sitting on a brioche bun smeared with Gribeche. The flavor is amazing; sweet, juicy without any gaminess and no fat fillers.

Green Asparagus (RM48) with broken egg, chicken skin and chimichurri. This was probably the least overwhelming if I had to sacrifice a dish, it's nicely charred but the components don't synergize as one. I constantly had to drag my fork to infuse the taste into the shoots.

Shima Aji (RM60) with smoked tomato jam and kelp salt; this is actually my highlight of dinner. This is striped jack (mackerel) on the grill and smoked, you can taste the smokiness that blends so well with the jam. This was very on point. On to mains, Pork cheek (RM55) with burnt onion and chestnut puree and 270g of Aus. Angus Ribeye (RM194) medium rare. The pork cheek is probably best part to grill because you get that crunchy texture from the fat that is crusted when you bite in. That's exactly what I tasted. The Angus highlight is actually the mash. The portion they gave is the fine dining swoosh but don't underestimate it. The mash is so decadent, rich and smooth that you feel like eating creamy ice cream. This was not meant to be a lot.

By now, old man was filled and ordered the Cucumber and Apple Granita (RM20) with celery custard and tobasco. Like the owners said, this dessert you either love or hate. The explicit instructions are to spoon top to bottom and not skim. There are 3 notes to this dessert; crunchy sweetness from the green apple then green freshness from the celery and spicy kick from the tobasco. This is the feeling in exact order when you taste it. Unbelievable.

Lastly, we were treated to the Pistachio and Cherry tart to make up for a mistake that no one could avoid. The tart like all the other dishes I had that night was sublime. I left the restaurant feeling thankful that I could enjoy a meal on par with many fine dining establishment and this experience will be etched for a long time.

So the answer is yes and you probably have to fight me as I book my next 8 months appointment. Bear in mind, they are a grill open kitchen and they only accommodate 8 or 12 a session. So get your trigger fingers on and book ahead.

For more food adventures, check out my Instagram page...

Ok listen up. Firstly, I would never want to queue for any restaurant or food, let alone wait for 6 months for get a reservation. There are always other alternatives available than going through such process.

However, I decided to try it out as it was a special day for me and my fiancée. Made a booking in May for a seat in November. To be honest, I even forgot about it had they not texted me.

The vibe was casual, nothing fine or fancy dining. Very few seats and a charcoal grill as the centre of attention when you sit. Service is great as they welcome you like a friend of theirs. And the menu was simple yet slightly experimental.

Everything was just good, nothing spectacular and I was even wondering why do people wait for 6 months for this experience? All these thoughts was going through my mind before the first bite, the pork sliders.

OHMYGAWD! What sauce-ry and devine spirit have I just tasted?! The juicy patty and the punchy sauce with the mini bun was a heavenly gift from the above. And everything single bite after that was just better and better.

I left this place knowing I have tasted something extraordinarily special and unique and that very few have tasted it. This elusive experience combined with a very affordable pricing, breaks my heart because now I have to wait for possibly another 6 months before I can experience it again.

TLDR: Probably best restaurant in Malaysia. Just book in advance for a special date with that special someone (at least 4 months in advance). And when you're there, order everything. You can...

It is really hard to get a reservation and you will have to book months in advance. The restaurant opens for lunch on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Our group booked whole restaurant for 12 seats. Seating was alongside the kitchen where our food is grilled right in front of us. We had a medley of food, appetizers to share and individual main course for each of us. Appetizers- Mini burger pork patty. $18 is the must have and the juicy charred flavor pork patty tops it all. Kaya toast with foie gras $50, is such a food art, the shaved foie gras literally explodes and melts in your mouth. Grilled brocoli with horseradish with toppings of fried brocoli and crunch of buckwheat elevates brocoli like no other. $35 Burnt French Leek with Pine nut relish was ok, not phenomenal $40 Shima aji with smoked tomato jam, kelp salt $65. Not bad but I find this not worth the price.

Mains- Half live lobster with roasted carrot jus $140. My lobster was on the chewy side. Pork cheek with chestnut purée and burnt onion. $65. Good. Aust lamb saddle with beetroot and malt vinegar $100. Very good. The lamb was so well cooked that it melts in your bite.

For dessert we had Pistachio cherry tart $15, it was ok. Food here evidently on the pricy side, it is a must have indulge session at least once. Wallet permits, I would...