Chinese Fine Dinning - Elegant Inn @ Kuala Lumpur

The last trip to KL, we had the opportunity to dine at this particular Cantonese Restaurant in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, Elegant Inn. This restaurant is owned by E I Foods Sdn. Bhd. They have another unit, which is the main or original, at Taman Connaught in Cheras.

The one in Cheras , is just your typical restaurant, but don't be fool by its appearance, it will cost an arm and a leg to eat there. It is no difference either here in KL, but the ambiance is a lot more classier and presentable. I remember one saying from a neighbour in KL, "Ngm Siek Tuck Dou Tai Tuck lah". Easily translated to "although the food is not good, at least it is presentable".

The KL restaurant is located in Menara Hap Seng on Jalan P.Ramlee. Quite near to Bukit Bintang. It's location and view, gives it the only or at least one of the Chinese Restaurants with the best views in KL centre. And the ambiance in the restaurant is something to look forward for. It has a warm setting with some framed wood carvings on the wall, plush and soft carpet, well equipped function rooms (Big LCD Screen, DVD) with balcony and special place for the romantic couple.



An Oasis in the middle of concrete jungle.

Clean see through Kitchen .

Ambiance in the restaurant.

View from their function balcony.

That day we had 5 dishes and some desserts. The first course was "Chu Thou Thong" or pig stomach soup. The soup was sweet and light with a hint of the fragrant of Chinese Ham (For Thui). The soup contain lots of ingredients; Chicken & Feet, Pork Ribs, Dried Scallop, Chinese Ham, Pig Stomach & "Gai Choy", which were tender and light taste. But the pig stomach that they used were not fresh or came frozen as the pieces were a bit chewy and lacks the firmness. Anyway it is a good soup dish!

Rating: 4/5 for taste


"Chu Thou Thong" or Pig Stomach Soup.

The dish that came was the starter platter. In it it had deep fried battered Silverfish, Fresh Scallop and Bacon Roll, and Stir Fried Softshell Crab with Cuttlefish. It is mixture of experience in one plate, crispy, fragrant, freshness, smokey, sweet and saltiness (ham heong).

Lightly battered silverfish deep fried to perfection and sprinkled with salt. Something light to get the pallets going.

Rating: 4/5 for taste

The scallop and bacon roll is to die for! Fresh and juicy scallop wrap/rolled in smokey and salty bacon cooked in its own fats and juices. Imagine those taste combine, it is making my mouth water writing this piece.

Rating: 4.5/5 for taste

The sweetness of this dish is from the caramelised stir fried softshell crab and cuttlefish. Deep fried softshell crab and cuttlefish coated by stir frying them in a sugary syrup to caramelised the outer surface.
Rating: 4.5/5 for taste

After the starter, came the fresh mud crab cook in claypot with vermicelli. I can't remember how it was cooked. But what I remember is the sweet and firm crab meat accompanied with mouthful of fragrant, rich and crabby vermicelli. The vermicelli had already soaked up the crab juices and the richness of the crab roe. But I can't help to think to myself, why so little vermicelli!
Rating: 3.8/5 for taste

Before we could have enough of the crabs, they were already serving the Honey Baked Pork Spare Ribs. The ribs were not extraordinary or may be it was already for some us who are still struggling with the crabs. The ribs were a bit hard though. It taste sweet ( a bit too sweet for me) and charred.

Rating: 3.5/5 for taste

Any meal must be complete with a dish of vegetable. As my brother-in-law is crazy about bitter gourd, thus we had light stir fry bitter gourd with salted vegetable. From his comment, the slices are a bit thick, or else it would be good.

Rating: 2.5/5 for taste



After the scrumptious dinner. We ordered some dessert to cleanse or pallets. I had glutenous balls with red bean soup and Gill had 'Fu Chuk Yee Mai' (Barley with Yee Mai Thong Sui). The desserts were our of expectation from a fine cuisine restaurant. The glutenous balls were soggy/soft and the fillings were not sufficient, and the red bean soup was slightly near to tasteless. That goes the same for Gill's 'Fu Chuk Yee Mai'. Those sold at normal road side stall would even taste better theirs.

Rating: 2/5 for taste

Overall it was quite a nice experience, there were just a few short coming on certain dishes. The service provided by the restaurant manager and the waitress was efficient and friendly. The manager was helpful in the dish recommendation and the waitress, although a Burmese Chinese, knows the dishes well and well verse in Madarin too. If you are thinking of a classy and cosy place to entertain clients, Elegant Inn would be a nice place to go. But be prepare to lighten your wallet! The meal that we had for six adults, cost us RM 604.65. It would be money well spent on ambiance and service, food wise near average.

We have a great food hunt experience with Ken Chan from foodpoi.com on that whole day started from the morning till late noon, and each meal put us up to brims! If we were not back from the hunt, the elegant's potion will never fulfill out stomach!

We purposely show the bill, and have you see the bill seperates the food items like below before? let say, the Crab vemicilli dish, and the dish have seperated out each of them in the bill. Live Mud Crab RM176 & Vemicili cost us RM10 per pcs!!! that would be the most costly bihun we ever had...haaaaa

On average, I would give this place:

• 3/5 for value


• 3.8/5 for taste & texture


• 4.5/5 for service


• 5/5 for cleanliness


• 5/5 for atmosphere