Redefining Sunday Brunch ala French style at Maison Francaise

Who would have thought that in the heart of the bustling city of Kuala Lumpur lies a stylish mansion,   defined by its simple yet elegant black and white appearance, but serves one of the finest French cuisine from its kitchen?
Surrounded by a serene environment filled with greenery in an idyllic setting, the mansion is indeed an attractive place for one to enjoy peace and tranquility while indulging in the exquisite tastes of the food served here.

Maison Francaise (translated to mean French House) is where the art of French fine dining resides. The sophisticated design of the mansion is just a glimpse of what they have to offer, and the best is to be served on the tables, with pride from their kitchen.

There are many reasons for Maison Francaise to be proud; for besides the beautiful setting of their restaurant, they have their own home Executive Chef; Chef Franck Lamache, who hailed from France and has had many years of experiences and track record under his belt.

From 3-Star Michelin restaurants to renowned hotels and restaurants in Paris, Chef Franck is definitely a top notch name in the industry, to say the least and his passion in culinary arts is displayed through his handcrafted menu and presentation of the food at this very place.

Known for his style in serving the tastes of simplicity filled with natural flavors but with a representation of elegance and artistry, Chef Franck's work has impressed many who have tasted his crafts.

It was an honor and a privilege to be invited to Maison Francaise on a Sunday afternoon to sample the works of the famous Chef Franck, in his presentation of a Sunday Brunch.

The interior of Maison Francaise; bar counter on the left and wine cellar facing the main entrance


The general dining area; spruced up with a cheerful twist with the sweet floral prints on the tablecloth



French Lace curtains adorn the windows in the restaurant; permitting the natural sunlight to light up the entire place

Classic table setting with fresh flowers 


Sunday Brunch started with Bread Basket
We were first served this simple white bread; Ciabatta (an Italian style white bread; also known as slipper bread, made of purely wheat flour and yeast)


Though simple, the bread was indeed a work of perfection as the texture of the bread was soft yet crispy at the edges where the outer crust is; giving it that chewy in the middle yet crunchy at the end quality. It was simply irresistible and if you are not careful, you will find yourself reaching for one helping after another.





This was more for our personal enjoyment, but I couldn't resist to post on this load of mixed bread and pastries, which again were some of the best I have tried.
From left; the same bread from above, chic-filled danish, and light toasts.



First Serving

La soupe de cigale de mer
Slipper Lobster Soup

As its name suggests, the soup was made with the slipper lobster (a type of spiny and furry lobster) and is a tantalizing mix with its rich flavors, not to mention the thick finishing of the soup.

It was a tempting start to tease the palates with this decadent soup.

Les ceufs brouilles et champignons
Scramble eggs with mushrooms

While this sounds and looks seemingly simple, the ordinary breakfast/brunch dish is transformed into more than the ordinary with the inclusion of cheese to smoothen the texture of the scrambled eggs and at the same time gives it that rich taste with a momentary lapse in acknowledging the existence of the eggs in them. It is truly a work of art, to blend such simple flavors and tastes of eggs with cheese to give it that exquisite feel to the combination.



A Special presentation by Chef Franck is this

Vegetable Macedoine Langoustine 
Poached diced Langoustine with fennel, celery root, diced tomato and smoked barramundi shallot in avocado dressing



The presentation of the langoustine made it almost impossible to take a bite; and once a bite is taken, I was tempted by the exotic mix of the tastes which combined the creamy avocado dressing lightly masking the integration of the fresh and crunchy bits of the vegetables with the saltish specks of barramundi shallots. This is truly an eccletic mingling of the unique individual tastes; all put together in harmony to give it that appetizing flavor.

Second Serving

Le filet de vivaneau, sauce poivron rouge
Seared red snapper with red capsicum sauce


I was starting to be mesmerized by the presentation of each of Chef Franck's dish, and looked forward to his distinctive way of displaying his food on the dish to be served.
He truly did not disappoint each time; and the appearance of the dish would be a sure start to seduce one's appetite through the visual artistic work cleverly giving an attractive cosmetic impression of the underlying great tastes of his food. It is truly art and gourmet at their best.




Le poulet roti aux thym et tomate
Roasted chicken with tomato and thyme sauce







Roasted Green Bean
Even simple tastes from the green bean was spruced up with a refreshing light blend of butter in this vegetable dish, which made it more appealing to the palates.


Cheese Course, assiette de fromage



Cheese lovers would be delighted with the presentation of an assortment of cheese in this course.

Desserts

Be enticed by the delightful platter of sweet temptations which include the following:-



L'entremet pina colada
Frozen pina colada entremet





Le mille-feuille chocolat et noisette
Napoleon with hazelnut and chocolate





Glace et sorbet
Ice cream and sorbet



A special and recommended one to look out for in the Desserts menu has got to be this

La rosace d'agrumes et sabayon au champagne
Gratineted citrus with champagne sabayon



This is truly a gratifying mix of bittersweet tastes flourished with the lightly melting texture in your mouth that gives one a sensation of pleasure with just a taste.




I do not need further testimonials to attest to the culinary skills and expertise of Chef Franck Lamache; as my Sunday Brunch will never be the same again after enjoying the finest tastes from Maison Francaise.

Chef Franck has lived up to his reputation and identity with his unique skills in transforming and intermarrying the tastes of simplicity with unique elegance and visual sophistication, to bring us an art of French fine dining at its best.

The Sunday Brunch at Maison Francaise KL is available on every Sundays; and Maison Francaise opens its doors from 11am onwards.

Priced at RM188++, the brunch includes alcohol (Red and white wine) and a glass of champagne
Alternatively, the non-alcoholic set is priced at RM148++ with soft drinks or chilled juices.

For further information, do check out Maison Francaise's website here
Private functions and events can be organized at their premises which house a private function area at the lower ground, with a swimming pool and a view of the city of Kuala Lumpur.


*Special thanks to Maison Francaise for extending the invitation, and to Chef Franck Lamache for serving us an unforgettable dining experience*



More photos on Maison Francaise