[KL] Table and Apron: Made from Scratch with lots of Heart

Table and Apron. It's a good egg.

There are no theatrics here, no wildly overstated decor nor fancy plates. Instead, a quick scroll through the lunch time offerings (and a few dishes created exclusively for Chinese New Year) reveals that the core strength and motivation of the establishment, rides on the work of the bleeding inevitable passionate kitchen maverick. All scepticism was thrown out the window upon my first bite into the apple sourdough - aka vehicle extraordinaire for some extremely succulent Pulled Pork (RM 18)

We eventually secured a loaf for purchase, just mere seconds after tucking into our first dish. Infused with apple chunks and apple juice, the tight and moist crumb is nuanced with a hint of sweetness that compliments the unctuous pulled pork so well. If it all gets a little too sweet for you, the side of cilantro salsa smacks you with a vibrant herbaceous note to get you started again.

Pulled Pork with Apple Sourdough and Cilantro Salsa

Calamari and Citrus with Brown Butter, Garlic and Celery

Calamari and Citrus with Brown Butter, Garlic and Celery (RM 24) turned out to be a wild card - the missing method of preparation on the menu not warming me up for its grilled outcome. Grapefruit and mandarin segments form the practical backbone of the dish, but one would wish it was better incorporated to enhance the overall mouthful. A minty salsa would have been nice.

Roasted Cauliflower with ricotta, cilantro, red onion and celery

One other dish, though fine, lacked oomph. The Roasted Cauliflower with Ricotta, Cilantro, Red Onion and Celery (RM 23) looked every bit the part of a sexy side dish - charred floret tips and sporting a glossy sheen of oil. However, uneven cooking led to some majorly magnetising bits while neglected sections were akin to soggy, porous un-chewable cardboard.

Fortunately, the chefs have nailed the other side dish: a sweet, soft Charred Eggplant (RM 21), gently curled at the edges from the smoke; smothered in rich miso paste and flourished with a serve of green onion puree. It's got a weird and wacky appeal to it, each bite exploding in a triumphant umami-fied mouthful.

Fried Chicken

The Fried Chicken (23 for half/ 36 for full) proves that the finest things in life doesn't have to be complicated. Brined and finished through a crispy buckwheat dredge. The absence of any excess spices, (cue the rolling ideas of har cheong gai and salted egg yolk sauce) allows one to fully bathe in the glory that is the explosion of natural sweet chicken juices when you chomp down.

The food at Table and Apron is mostly innovative, yet celebrating local market ingredients to keep things snugly familiar. Also, the staff are hugely welcoming, seasoned players with a knack for anticipating moves. But you've been warned, the figures add up quickly,  so choose your small plates wisely and you're guaranteed a pleasant dining experience. With a side of take-home sourdough, if you must.

Table and Apron

23 Jalan SS 20/11

Petaling Jaya

Selangor 47400

t: +603 77 33 4000

w: http://www.tableandapron.my/

Operating Hours:

Tues - Sun: 11 30am - 4pm; 6 - 10pm