Revisit: Fisherman's Cove @ Starhill

After an impressive visit to Fisherman's Cove @ Starhill some months back, I was presented with another opportunity to dine there again through discount vouchers offered by a group buying site.  Obviously, I was not going to let the opportunity slip by since I was eager to savour their food again after my (previous) very enjoyable and satisfying dining experience (read my earlier post here).

Since this is a revisit, let's not waste time and get straight to the food.  Once we've placed our orders, we were served with some really good complimentary bread.  

The piping hot white bread (this time) was even better (very crispy to the bite) while the wholemeal bread was equally good and fragrant (from the sesame seeds).  The complimentary breads, which came with a good quality olive oil + balsamic vinegar dip (not the usual butter), were top-notch!  The breads must be good because the diners at the next table requested for more refills of the bread!

We're off to another good start!

 

Our first starter was the Deep Fried Calamari with Sweet Turnips & Mint Salad @ RM28.  This was battered and deep fried calamari (or more commonly known as squid) served with the clean crisp freshness of the sweet turnips (in some kind of tangy mayo sauce).  I had asked for the wait staff to omit the mint salad (coz you know how much I hate mint) and it came with some super thin slices of radish and carrot instead.

Though the calamari batter was a bit thick, it was still a decent starter.  For sure, it can't beat the standard of the fried calamari we had at Angus House (a standard I now use to judge all other calamari).

I chose the Crispy Confit of Duck Leg with Pickled Kyuri & Plum @ RM28 as our next starter.  What is confit of duck?  It's just a fancy French technique to cook the duck in its own fat.  Traditionally, the meat is salt-cured (or you can also skip the salt-curing stage) for a period of time and then slowly poached in its rendered fat at a low temperature until cooked.  The confit of duck leg is usually then pan-fried or grilled for a well-browned and crisp texture.

For this version, the meat pieces were later fried (as it had a crisp texture) and was served with some pickled kyuri (Japanese cucumbers).  The julienned strips of cucumber were crunchy and the accompanying sauce was good (don't know what it's made from...plum, maybe?) when paired with the slightly crisp duck leg slices.

However, I must admit that both these starter choices were not as good as the ones we had on our previous visit....probably because I came with a much higher expectation (this time) as a result of our last meal here.  But, they were still more than decent starters.

For our main courses, we started off with the Honey Glazed Fillet of Cod with Mushroom & Blue Lobster Sauce @ RM96.  This was a good-sized portion of cod fillet, glazed with honey, and served with button and fresh shitake mushrooms in a heavenly lobster sauce.  [#Note: This strained broth has probably been through hours of painstaking boiling and reducing with lobster (and other crustaceans) heads and shells.]  You can definitely taste the robust lobster flavour in the sauce (which was not too thick or too thin), just perfect.....it was simply divine!

Just look at the beautiful caramelisation of the honey on top of the cod fillet...that's a little piece of heaven right there!  The beautiful sear (and colour), the sweetness of the (super fresh) cod fish flesh and depth of flavour from the blue lobster sauce worked in unison to bring out the absolutely amazing taste of the dish.  [#Tip: For me, the best cut of fish (or any fish for that matter) to eat is to have a 'just-the-right-thickness' fillet coz a 'too-thin' cut gets overcooked very easily.]  This was, by far, the best piece of cod I've had the pleasure of eating.  This cod fillet was super fresh and cooked right (unlike the ones I had in Ming Court and a far cry from the ones in Jaya Grocer/Fresco).  I just can't stop gushing about this cod...it was pure perfection!

The main course came with a side of Seasonal Vegetables made up of broccoli, squash, Japanese cucumber, tomatoes, sugar snap peas, carrot and sautéed button mushrooms.  I especially enjoyed the sugar snap peas and the tiny tomatoes (don't know what kind they were but they were sweet-tasting and juicy as opposed to the normal kind which is usually sourish).  It was fresh, it was a colourful medley of vegetables.....it was summer in a bowl!

Our next main dish was the Crispy Fillet of Threadfin with Coriander-Chilli-Lime Sauce @ RM86 served with a potato mash, which came out smooth, creamy and buttery...and utterly delicious.  The coriander-chilli-lime mix was another 'thumbs-up' sauce (much like a sweet-sour sauce, only better).  The sauce was beautifully balanced with the tartness from the blitzed-up tomatoes, the acidity from the lime, the (slight) heat from the (softened) chilli bell peppers and the lovely fragrance from the coriander.
 

The 2 fairly good-sized pieces of threadfin fillets were lightly pan-fried with the edges just slightly crisp.  The threadfin (or otherwise known locally as "ikan kurau" or "ma yau yu") was so fresh that the delicate flavour of the flesh really comes true when you bite into it.  It was again another '#ewew-approved' dish.
 

This also came with a side of Seasonal Vegetables (only minus the Japanese cucumber and lovely tomatoes).

Our choice of freshly squeezed juices for the evening were Fresh Mango Juice @ RM18 and Fresh Orange Juice also @ RM18.  Though I liked the intense mango flavour, I didn't appreciate that it was thick, so I asked for some ice (this time) to dilute it to more of a juice (which I liked).

Although RM18 may seem pricey for a glass of fruit juice, it was a good glass of juice full of fresh mango (and orange) flavours.  It was well worth the price and better than paying RM16 for a glass of Evian water (we were 'smarter' this time round and politely refused the waiter when he asked if we'd like some distilled or sparkling water again...hehe)!

My Personal Opinion

Deliciousness is when preparation and ingredients meet---fresh quality ingredients.... respectably executed! 

The food was again outstanding and the tantalising menu with captivating flavours excited my senses.

To eat here, the average 'damage' is about RM100 per person (with discounts) but may have to fork out between RM150 - RM200 per person if you pay full prices (which I feel it's still worth it if it's within your budget).  But do be forewarned that the portion sizes are rather small and (therefore) more suited for small (to medium-sized) eaters or those who prefer quality over quantity (like me).  Knowing that I only paid half price for the (truly fantastic) cod, I'm absolutely thrilled....even if I had to pay full prices, I would still be ecstatic!

Will I return?....In a heartbeat!!...You'll exit with a full (and satisfying) belly but an empty wallet!

What I absolutely loved:  Their super fresh seafood (especially fish) was excellent stuff, top of its game!  The mains were outstanding (yet again)...absolutely loved the fillet of cod and threadfin. 

What I enjoyed:  The starters were good.....just not as good as the ones on my the previous visit.

What I noticed and didn't like:  Their menu has changed slightly and the prices have gone up a little (since my last visit about 5 months ago).  I'm not thrilled that the prices are now even more beyond my budget......T_T

Fisherman's Cove (Revisit)
LG10 Feast Floor Starhill Gallery
181 Jalan Bukit Bintang
55100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2782 3848