Traditional flavours and spices of South Indian and Northern Sri Lankan cuisine refined and tuned into fine dining at Nadodi KL. Overall it presents a fun and luxurious experience, yet doesn’t stray too far from their roots.
Nestled in the concrete jungle in the middle of Kuala Lumpur, lays an adventure of spices at Nadodi Kuala Lumpur. Getting out of the elevator you’re greeted with a huge sign “NADODI; Engaging Nomadic Cuisine” which right from the get go presents the fine dining restaurant with an aura of sophistication and class, which for some can be a bit threatening.
Kind and thoughtful staff would lead you to the table and present you with a menu. Slowly, you would let out a laugh and become less tense due to the name of the dishes that’s full of punchlines and puns. Feeling less tense you’ll realise that Nadodi is full of exuberant energy and we could not wait to dig into the South Indian and Northern Sri Lankan cuisine.
There are two types of course menus available along with optional drink pairings that are offered with it. Finally we decided for The Elevated Experience, where we’ll be served eight dishes in total. Starting out with the amuse bouche named the Nadodi Surprises.
The Nadodi Surprises comes with three kinds of bites that’s very reminiscent of traditional street food you would find but in a more unique and refined twist. We were served masala thosai that uses mung beans instead of fermented rice batter, a refined twist on panipuri and beetroot taco. These small bites packed a punch of flavour and gets you excited for what’s to come, full of spices yet balanced with some sweet and savoury notes.
The first course was Pickled Hokkaido Scallops with Shisito Peppers, Moringa Coconut Stew and Drumstick Oil. Fresh, sweet yet tangy sliced scallops gently placed around the plate, enveloped with creamy coconut stew and topped with peppers. Starting off bright and creamy, the dish was definitely memorable due to the balance of flavours bouncing off from each other.
Next course was the Canadian Lobster with Spiced Pineapple Pulissery, Sun Dried Chilli Oil and Passionfruit Gel. The delicate and sweet protein was accompanied by punchy flavours topped with caviar. As we were recommended to spread the caviar along the lobster tail and accompany it with the sauces, what seemed delicate suddenly became a symphony of flavours with the sweetness of pineapple coming through, spiciness from the chilli oil, tangy pop of passion fruit with a bit of brine and saltiness from the caviar.
Char Grilled Dutch Octopus with Pondicherry Ghee Roast, Seasoned Black Garlic Blanket, Wild Puffed Rice and Yuzu Bubbles was served as the third course of the meal. Plated in a mysterious way, a savoury black garlic blanket hides pieces of spicy and tender octopus accompanied with yuzu bubbles for that touch of citrus. The dish is also accompanied with fried lotus root to tone down the spiciness.
The fifth course is named “Wag-You!!!”, consisting of A5 Miyazaki Beef with Vindaloo Emulsion, Spice Foie Gras, Onion Seed Jus and Smoked Broccolini. An already prime cut of meat that melts in your mouth brings you one step closer to heaven with the accompaniment of the creamy foie gras, spicy vindaloo and a much needed sweetness from the onion seed jus.
Pyrenees Lamb with Burnt Pickled Shallots, Seasoned Baby Corn, Saffron Mash Potato, Spinach & Bone Marrow Curry was given as the sixth course. This dish was plated beautifully with tender lamb and savoury condiments but quite a tone down in terms of spiciness.
The last savoury dish for the night was the Nadodi Globe, which consists of Free Range Pounded Chicken Biryani with Cashew & Sesame Salna and Tempered Daikon Raita all stacked on top of eachother in a globe-shaped plating. Could be considered one of the most filling dishes of the night yet one that hits close to home due to how heartwarming and delicious it was. Though the traditional dish was made in a much more elevated way, it still felt like eating it at home as the staff offered for second portions.
Rose Jam was served as the dessert for the night, made up of Ceylonese Love Cake with Rose Petal Jam Ice Cream, Whipped Coconut, Cremeux and Cashew soil. Overall, it was a simple dessert that was sweet but not too indulgent. The dish is filled with floral scents and earthy flavours that complement each other. It was a good way to end a meal that was full of spices.
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