PRIME , Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur — Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur

After surviving the crab cake catastrophe at PJ Bar and Grill (yes, I’m still haunted by that experience), dining at Prime in Le Meridien KL felt like stepping into a culinary oasis where customer service is actually a thing.

I booked a table online for my wife’s birthday, and to my surprise, someone from the restaurant called me afterward. Now, I’ve made plenty of reservations in my time, but it’s not every day someone rings you up and asks, “Are you celebrating something special?” I told them it was my wife’s birthday, and they made a note of it.

Fast forward to our arrival, and lo and behold, there was a sweet little birthday setup waiting for us. Nothing over the top, just a simple, thoughtful touch that instantly made the evening special. But the real magic started during that initial phone call when I casually mentioned that my wife is pregnant and comfort was a top priority. The person on the other end assured me they’d arrange a cozy spot and even promised to change our seat or table if it didn’t suit us. True to their word, we were seated comfortably, Everything was spot on.

And then came the food…oh, the glorious food! Seared scallops were fantastic. The crab cakes here were exactly what crab cakes should be: fresh, flavorful, and absolutely nothing like the horror show I endured at PJ Bar and Grill. The cod fish? Melted in our mouths like a dream. And the rack of lamb? The undisputed star of the night. Prime didn’t just serve dinner; they served an experience, every bite a testament to culinary excellence.

A big shout out to Fynas, who took care of us like we were the only people in the restaurant. This is what service looks like, take notes, PJ Bar and Grill. And let’s not forget Julie, who’s clearly running a tight ship. After having back-to-back experiences at Le Meridien PJ and KL, I can confidently say that Fynas and Julie single-handedly restored my faith in the Le Meridien brand. In an industry where true talent is becoming rare, Prime is a shining example of how it’s done.

Suggestions: While the food was undoubtedly delicious, I believe there’s room for an even greater culinary experience. For instance, the seared scallops, though tasty, could benefit from being larger and of a higher quality. Experimenting with top-tier scallops would elevate the dish and make it truly unforgettable. As for the crab cakes, perhaps consider adding chunks of crab claws to set them apart from the rest of the restaurants in town. It’s these kinds of touches that can make Prime stand out even more in an already competitive dining scene. Nevertheless, the food and service were unforgettable! Kudos to the entire team in Prime.

Note: If you want a glimpse into what bad service looks like, check out my review of PJ Bar and Grill at Le Meridien PJ. Spoiler alert: It’s like night and day compared to Prime. But if you’re looking for a place that gets everything right, you know where to go. Trust me, they know their crab cakes…..and how to keep customers...

Booked a private room for 5 persons on a Sat night for a special celebration - where we prompted the waiters in advance that it’s for a VIP. Overall 2.5/5 experience, would probably not come again unless service improves.

Here was my experience:

Welcome: nobody was at the entrance to seat us and there was a lack of servers I feel on a busy night.

Drinks replenishment: Our bottle of champagne, red wine was not speedily refilled and was left sitting empty for some time. Had to step out of the private room to prompt the waiters from time to time.

Overall service: The first senior lady was ok. I found the younger lady that was working incredibly rude. What happened was, the private room is RIGHT next to the dishwasher area in the kitchen, separated with a wall. The clink clanking felt like there was construction going on. I had to exit to find a waitress and told her that we’re still dining at 10.40pm. She looked at her watch and said, oh it’s because we’re closing soon. I politely asked if they can still reduce the volume as it’s still a fine dining setting for the restaurant and I’ve already mentioned its a VIP in the private room (with a minimum spend of MYR 2,500nett). She extended her hand and asked me to return to my seat. This was appalling amongst many small details like forgetting to replace the cutlery when our courses were served.

Food: This was ok. Oysters were meh. For the steak, there were specific cuts. We ordered the A5 Miyazaki and the Saga. Despite placing my orders, simultaneously I was told twice that someone outside ordered that particular steak already. So had to reorder my main due to unavailability. Hence there was several back and forth and delay. I don’t think I can fault the senior lady (she was nice) since it’s an availability issue and it was probably a busy evening with simultaneous orders from outside.

The food was good, but if you’re celebrating a special occasion - I wouldn’t think to recommend any future clients here, especially in their private room. Avoid...

Very disappointed with almost everything except for our mains(lamb shank & wellington) 🤦🏻‍♀️

We were seated at a corner and it was so warm and hot adding that it was so hard for us to get the waitresses attention as well everytime we needed to order smtn. Look at the wine stained table cloth with a thread hanging out directly in your face!! That’s how we were seated! All 3 butters for complimentary bread were tasteless. Crabcakes that tasted like you guys stuffed in canned tuna 😕…. Lobster bisque was rich and of quality 👌 but the puff pastry was glazed with the egg yolk together with the whites?? It was awful…

Steak fries! Oh god.. why powdered steak fries?? I get this is not philly’s but powdered ??? Packed that and just didn’t bother to eat.

Lamb shank! Yes I guess you guys only do well with your meats here! One of the best! As for the Wellington.. meat n pastry cooked to perfection but you guys have to alter the sauces that paired together man.. THOSE SAUCES DID NOT GO WELL TOGETHER! Please do something!! If only the chef was reading our expressions on the table.. we really wanted to be done and gone.. 😫

Everyone else had a complimentary birthday cake(including the comments) except for me after even asking the waitress for a candle to top my wellington and brought my own birthday gift for pictures.. :/ at the end after paying she only wished me a happy birthday 🫤 i guess spending almost close to rm1k with not that great service and tasteless starters.. won’t come back. I will spend that $$ on more amouse bouche 🙃 the amount of flaws over-sees the enjoyment throughout the meal.

The reply frm manager is work of copy & paste with no sincerity 🙄🙄. I’d pay NOT...