Perched high above Kuala Lumpur in the soaring Merdeka 118 skyscraper, Merdeka Grill at Park Hyatt delivers a wining and dining experience puts the focus on quality wines, premium ingredients, and quietly confident service.
This post contributed by David Bowden and Chad Merchant
We recently took a very speedy lift to the 75th floor of Merdeka 118 to enjoy dinner at Park Hyatt’s Merdeka Grill, one of the city’s newest fine dining venues. It was early evening, about 45 minutes from sunset, so we were able to take in the sweeping city views, and although it’s by no means the loftiest floor of this amazing skyscraper, level 75 is still impressively high. This is where Park Hyatt’s lobby and most of its public-access dining outlets and other amenities are, including Merdeka Grill.
While we were ostensibly on hand for dinner, we were also very keen to explore the wine tasting options available. On the one hand, it’s probably safe to say that the wine programme at Merdeka Grill is comparable to other fine dining venues in Kuala Lumpur. But on the other hand, we can report that the wine programme here stands out from the pack mainly due to the efforts of Peter Teng, Head Sommelier at the Park Hyatt. Peter has been around KL as a sommelier for a long time, and worked in some of the city’s premier venues. In a place where wine appreciation is a relatively new pursuit and doesn’t enjoy centuries of cultural and societal integration, Peter is arguably one of the OGs of Kuala Lumpur’s wine scene. That experience really elevates an already impressive tasting experience.
Of course, reviewing a wine programme is always subjective, but it is pleasing to note that Peter and his team have made an admirable effort in presenting wines from all the great global wine regions that include a comprehensive range of grape varieties and at different price points. What we did like is that a few lesser-seen regions and varieties are offered in the wine-by-the-glass list. Regions such as Martinborough (NZ), Castile y Léon (Spain), and Puglia (Italy), and grape varieties such as Grüner Veltliner, Moscato, Cortese, and Primitivo stirred our interest.
Wine lovers should request the full wine list rather than rely on the trimmed-down version in the food menu. (You may also peruse the full wine list before your visit by checking online HERE.) Found on the master list are numerous impressive wines with representations from Slovenia (an ‘orange’ wine), Hungary, Uruguay, Lebanon, Moldova, and Bulgaria, as well as all the well-known global wine regions. In line with the restaurant’s elevated position, half a dozen wines are priced in the stratosphere – Screaming Eagle (USA, RM38,000) and Château Petrus (Bordeaux, RM38,000), for example.
THE EXPERIENCE: AN IMPRESSIVE START
Our wine journey began appropriately with a glass of one of the finest Champagnes available in Malaysia. Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve (RM135/glass) is a Champagne that shows harmony between the three classic grape varieties sourced from prime locations across the Champagne region.
It also needs mentioning that the elegant Riedel wine glasses used in the restaurant are superb; we urge diners to fully enjoy the enhanced experience delivered by the use of such fine stemware. (And, of course, do handle these delicate stems with care!)
It seemed almost natural that a glass of Fred Loimer Grüner Veltliner (RM73/glass) from Kamptal in Austria followed. It might not surprise you to learn that diners quickly scanning a wine list often think this is Australian wine; however, this is of course Austria, Europe, one of the world’s premier white wine regions – and no kangaroos were involved or harmed in its production.
This Austrian wine beautifully complemented a superb Hamachi crudo starter, the generous portion of Japanese amberjack adorned with a healthy dollop of T’Lur Kaluga caviar, thinly sliced white strawberries, and a lovely shiso mayo to tie it all together. We had some bubbles left in our glasses, and this starter worked nicely with that, but as we shifted to the Grüner, we couldn’t help but appreciate the still wine for the gem it is.
Grüner Veltliner accounts for 33% of all grape plantings in Austria. It is deservedly the star of the Austrian wine world and worthy of attention, especially in Asia, where it pairs well with many Asian cuisines and dishes. These wines tend to display crisp acidity, concentrated flavour, subtle spice, voluptuous texture, and vibrant minerality. Other descriptive words for this variety include spicy, peppery, and fruity. It’s a beautiful and yet wholly underrated white wine that has long been among our favourite varieties.
We further paired a glass of the Loimer wine with Coconut Lobster Bisque, which came highly recommended, and it was perfect. Brimming with lobster and other fresh seafood, and accompanied by prawn toast, this outstanding dish could almost stand on its own as a full-fledged main course!
On the wine side, we could have also chosen a Craggy Range Sauvignon Blanc (Martinborough, NZ, RM83/glass) or a Conde Villar Alvarinho (Portugal, RM56/glass) from the seven whites on offer. There are also three sparkling wines, one rosé, seven reds, two sweet wines, and one fortified wine listed by the glass.
We were also pleased to hear that another Kamptal Grüner Veltliner will soon be listed. Laurenz V Singing (the ‘V’ is the Roman letter for five, so the estate is known as ‘Laurenz Five’) is one of a handful of labels from this well-regarded estate that only produces Grüner Veltliner. The estate’s L5, barrique-aged Grüner Veltliner, will also be listed at Merdeka Grill. This is quite a coup for the wine programme here, as only 400 cases are produced annually.
We also ordered the Spicy Angus Beef Tartare (RM128), an interesting interpretation of the classic dish with the beef accentuated with Nashi pear and drops of thickened egg yolk. It was garnished with deep-fried crispy beef tendon, which made us think of keropok, and lent a contrasting texture to the tartare. Though this particular dish did not resonate with us in quite the way the bisque and crudo did, it was still a nice treat.
THE MAIN COURSE
As we moved on to the next course, we looked to a different range of wines while we contemplated what to select for the main course. This seems a good place to mention that the restaurant’s menu is admirably restrained, with a healthy but reasonable number of options for each course, so diners won’t feel overwhelmed by page after page of dishes from which to choose.
Merdeka Grill’s red wines by the glass include a Spanish Macán Clásico Rioja (RM120), Erath Pinot Noir (Oregon, RM90), and Messeria Altamura Primitivo (RM82), among others. We landed on our food choices, so then decisions needed to be made as to which wine to pair with a sizeable cut of 14-day dry-aged Angus Rib-eye from Australia’s Goulburn Valley (RM425/300g). We sought the advice of the sommelier, who became quite animated with the prospects – always a good sign! We also ordered a house specialty, namely a thick cut of Salmon Roasted on Cedar Wood (RM295) served with sliced grapes, caviar, and a smoked butter cream sauce that was absolutely incredible. The only question: What wines should we select to accompany these dishes?
Fortunately, the Coravin wine preservation system enables Peter and his team to have several bottles opened and preserved at one time. He enthusiastically brought a few to the table, including an earthy biodynamic Tempranillo from Spain, as well as a glass of Macán Clásico, a more traditional style of the grape variety. The former was interesting, but a bit too left of centre for us, so we settled on the latter and were pleased that we did, as its fine tannins paired remarkably well with the steak’s juiciness and the accompanying truffled potatoes.
A FINISH THAT’S SWEET AND… SALTY?
We actually had to be talked into dessert, as we were so satisfied from the meal that had preceded it! With some encouragement and gentle nudging, though, we opted for the Pavlova with yuzu and raspberry (RM58) and the eyebrow-raising Vanilla Ice Cream with Caviar (RM88). The pavlova, though light and refreshing, was still plenty decadent and we found it a lovely choice. Really, you can never go terribly wrong with a good pavlova.
The Penang vanilla ice cream with a spoonful of T’Lur local caviar, however, left us with a few more questions. It was definitely an intriguing combination, and possibly even an enjoyable one, with the salt and brine of the caviar sharply contrasting with the creamy sweetness of the ice cream. But while there are those who enjoy putting caviar on things like ice cream, apple slices, and chicken nuggets, another cohort exists who prefer a more traditional caviar service, allowing the indulgent delicacy to be savoured largely on its own. We fall into that latter group.
We were delighted to see that are even two sweet wines by the glass, something rarely seen in Malaysia. While not a true dessert or ‘sticky’ wine, the Ghione Moscato d’Asti (RM69/150ml glass) is a light, refreshing, slightly sparkling wine from Asti in Piedmont, Italy. This is a fun wine, and at just 5.5% alcohol, it goes down very easily and perhaps too quickly to fully appreciate with desserts such as the pavlova.
Also on offer is a more traditional dessert wine, the Château Rieussec from Sauternes (RM88/70 ml). This is a genuine showstopper of a wine, and its status is reflected in its price. We couldn’t help but admire the bottle, as well, and Peter told us that the winemakers designed the bottle and its stopper so that, once emptied, the vessel could enjoy a second life as an olive oil bottle, or perhaps another use – we like that.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Interestingly, the Park Hyatt does not add on a 10% service charge, so the only surcharge on the listed prices is the government tax. That said, Merdeka Grill is still unquestionably destination fine dining and menu items and drinks are priced accordingly, with the most accessible wine by the glass being RM53 and RM280 by the bottle. However, the Merdeka Grill is a unique setting in an equally unique location, so watching the pennies is not the wisest strategy.
Of course by the end of our leisurely meal, the skies had gone fully dark and the skyline was alive with lights. However, as is the case with most venues like this, the food and wine (and conversation) largely kept our focus on the table and the people with whom we were engaging. And moreover, the restaurant’s interior lighting was reflected to some extent by the windows, diminishing the impressive views until you walked right up to the windows to take it all in.
For these reasons, we recommend an earlier seating so that at least some of your meal can be by the fading daylight, really showcasing the incredible perch on which this fine restaurant sits. The alluring ambiance here is definitely influenced by its soaring pedestal, but the refined and understated décor and an emphasis on delivering a seriously high-quality wining and dining experience showed us that they’re not expecting the whole ‘75th-floor thing’ to do all the restaurant’s heavy lifting, and we like that. Sure, you’ll get a fantastic view of KL, but more importantly, you’ll undoubtedly enjoy a great dining and wine-tasting evening, as well.
Beyond Peter Teng and the wine crew, credit goes to everyone at Merdeka Grill, including Executive Chef Stig Drageide and Restaurant Manager Kris Yau. We thought the service was crisp, knowledgeable, and effortlessly restrained – always on hand, but never intrusive. We applaud the whole team for putting Merdeka Grill on a pedestal for fine dining so quickly after its recent opening. We look forward to the venue solidifying its place among the top restaurants in Kuala Lumpur.
Location and Details
Merdeka Grill
Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur
Merdeka 118, Level 75
50118 Kuala Lumpur
T: 03.2303 2721
W: tablecheck.com (for reservations)
Reservations advised. Smart dress code applies.
Note: We have been informed that Merdeka Grill will be undergoing some “enhancements” from April 8 to 14, so the venue will be closed during that week, and will reopen on April 15.
