IT’S open from breakfast until dinner, so Delia Wines & Bistro in Taman Tun Dr Ismail is a convenient and charming stopover for residents as well as visitors to the neighbourhood. I have been to this French bistro four times in the three weeks it’s been opened.

I was there on the second day, when things were in a state of flux, so I had to be content with Cherry Tomatoes, Burrata and Herbs with toast (RM25) and a Prosciutto Platter. The Italian burrata, drizzled with olive oil, with a sprinkling of chopped basil, sat on a cherry tomato salad.

The outer curd of fresh mozzarella held some soft, creamy and buttery curd in the burrata. The piquant cherry tomatoes were a good balance with the cheese, making a nice, healthy brunch.

The thinly sliced pork and duck prosciutto was served with pickled gherkins and onions. The pork prosciutto is from Italy; the duck is local. The smoky duck prosciutto stood out for its aroma, which reminds one of a good waxed duck during Chinese New Year.

We liked very much the pork prosciutto too. Of course, both should go well with a glass of wine, which we did on another visit in the evening.

“The concept for the bistro is tapas to go with wines,” said Delia’s owner Laurent Robert, the importer and distributor of champagne bearing his name, and other French and Italian wines. His family has a wine estate in France.

We then had the Lamb with Puréed Aubergine Pomegranate too, which was the plat du jour (special dish for the day). Lunch hour was long over but Dimitri, the chef de cuisine, still cooked it for us. The lamb was a little over done but the smooth and creamy pureed aubergine was excellent.

Pan Roasted Duck Breast with Mixed Berry Gastrique and Celeriac Puree was the plat du jour on another day I was there. The duck breast was pink, juicy and tender, with a rich, flavourful aroma.

The sweet, fruity and a little tart gastrique, reduced with blueberries and pomegranate and balsamic, was delicious with the duck. The celeriac puree, dotted with pomegranate, was so good. A salad with vinaigrette completed the dish.

Dessert was fluffy pancakes with macerated strawberries with basil and mint, honey and rhubarb jam. The rhubarb jam was lightly tart and sweet, just delightful with the pancakes.   

All the jams are house made, with the level of sweetness just right. I tried a spoonful of very fruity strawberry jam, which Dimititri put on my plate, and I loved it.

The plat du jour (RM35) changes every day. This week, it is Braised Beef Brisket Royale with couscous and roasted vegetables, Red Wine Lamb Stew with sautéed herbed potatoes and aubergine purée, Poisson en Papillote (fish) with green beans and smashed roasted potatoes with chorizo and Braised Chicken in a cardamom cream, and mustard sauce with sautéed vegetables and crispy chicken skin (Saturday).

Irish Premium Oysters are also available at RM72 for six, and RM140 for 12. At breakfast time you can drop in at Delia for a cup of coffee and croissant and other French pastries, French Toast with ricotta, honey and strawberries (RM11), French-style Scrambled Eggs with sourdough toast (RM12) and Provençale Baked Eggs a la cocotte with chicken sausage slices (RM18).

Delia Wines & Bistro is at 15, Lorong Datuk Sulaiman 7, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, 60000 Kuala Lumpur, tel: 012 375 4590. It’s open from 8.30am to 10pm daily, and until 4pm on Sunday. It’s closed on Monday. – September 12, 2020.

* 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.