THE Big Mixed Platter makes a terrific starter at Chez Gaston in Bangsar. On it are Iberico and Parma ham, smoked duck breast, saucisson (a thick dry-cured sausage), chicken and rabbit pate, pork and duck rillettes, goat cheese and brie, olives, gherkins, salad and caramelised onions.

The rabbit pate with dried prunes stood out, with a fruity sweetness amid the salty. The pork and duck rillettes scored for their tasty, fibrous meatiness. Who could resist Iberico ham or the saucisson, which looks like salami, and all the different pates on the plate, paired with sweet caramelised onions and salad, and the cheeses? These are such delightful nibbles, enough for the six of us, at RM99.

We added to that foie gras with brioche, apricot jam, caramelised onions and smoked duck breast for RM25.

We moved on to the tomato-based Mediterranean Fish Soup, served with croutons, rouille sauce and grated Emmental cheese. I found the soup to be a little fishy, but the tart and garlicky rouille made it more palatable.

Prawns Moscato had prawns pan-fried and finished with a Moscato bisque sauce. The prawns were fresh, plump and delicious.

The Boeuf Bourguignon was excellent. Chef-owner Florian Nigen uses beef cheek in this classic French beef stew, which is slow-cooked for eight hours. The meat was so tender, bursting with the flavours of the thick red wine stew with carrots, onions and herbs.

Another main course, Sea Bass Fillet with Saffron Cream Sauce, was well executed, with the fish skin crispy and the flesh firm and fresh. The creamy saffron sauce complemented the fish, served with potatoes and Chinese cabbage (that tasted like endives), and did not overwhelm it.

Rabbit in Creamy Wholegrain Mustard Sauce had the roasted meat finished in a piquant sauce. I liked the rich meat, which found balance in the mustard sauce.

It was my first time tasting a blood sausage, an item you will not find in any French restaurant here. This dark sausage is stuffed with pig’s blood and fat, as well as onions. In France, the sausage appears generously speckled with white fat, but not at Chez Gaston. The soft sausage tasted good together with the diced caramelised apple on the plate.

We loved the Chocolate Mousse, made with 62% chocolate from Ghana. It had a slightly bitter edge, which I liked. The Creme Brulee was superb, with its sugar crackle descending into smooth creaminess.

I was not so fond of the Floating Island, a huge blob of soft meringue with caramel, vanilla custard and almond flakes, but I enjoyed the French Apple Tart. It had a thin pastry covered with thinly sliced apples, served with cream.

It is quite inexpensive dining at Chez Gaston – the Boeuf Bourguignon is priced at RM48, Sea Bass Fillet with Saffron Cream Sauce (RM39), Prawns Moscato (RM48), Small Mixed Platter for Two (RM41), and desserts are from RM11 to RM12.

There is also an Express Lunch Set, with two courses priced about RM19 and three courses, RM26.

Chef Flo, as he is called, showcases the home-style food of his grandmother back in Brittany, France.

Gaston is his grandfather’s name. He had his French restaurant Rendezvous in Jalan Maarof for four years before moving to a tucked-away corner in Bangsar Utama two months ago. It is just a few minutes’ walk from the Bangsar light rail transit station at Menara UOA.

Chez Gaston is located at 12, Jalan Bangsar Utama 9, Bangsar Utama, 59000, Kuala Lumpur. It can be reached at 011-3993-0036. – November 10, 2018.

* Eu Hooi-Khaw has been writing about food for the longest time, covering all aspects, from restaurant reviews to cooking and recipes, as well as the healthy side of it. She has written for major newspapers and magazines, published the cookbook Fresh Ingredients, and also writes for her website hooikhawandsu.com.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.