Canvass, Old Malaya

[This restaurant is on our NINE Favourite Meals of 2020 list. See the post here]

[Pork-free] Canvass KL is one of the best new eateries we’ve tried in 2020.

Occupying a 100-year colonial shoplot of Old Malaya, Canvass offers lovely Nordic-inspired cuisine with a focus on “sustainable hedonism”.

Simply put, the team led by Danish-chef Nikolaj Lenz and Dhaka-born mixologist M.I. Rony focuses on offering food with sustainability in mind.

How? You’ll find a row of ferments and pickles on their counter – which they utilise for their food and cocktail; this helps to reduce food waste. Composting is a practice here and there are plans to install solar panels.

The kitchen also sources ingredients from local farmers and suppliers to reduce carbon footprint. Very Nordic, indeed.

Fancy jargons (and commendable actions) aside – the food is truly enjoyable.

We started our night with a cocktail – Linea Verde (RM38), made with gin, fresh basil and lacto ferment water.

It was the perfect aperitif (although it functions more than that) – refreshing with balanced sweet and sour notes, and topped with a lovely eggwhite foam.

We are not regular cocktail drinkers – but this was beautifully done by Rony, a familiar face in the local cocktail scene.

*As weather was cool, we opted for outdoor seats with a view of KL Tower*

We opted for outdoor seating (weather was cool) with a nice view of KL Tower.

*Loft also offers a view of KL Tower through the ceiling*

You may opt for the loft with the bar, as Canvass offers a view of the skyscraper via the see-through ceiling.

For starters, we opted for the Heirloom Tomatoes (RM23) made with bio-diverse pesto and parmegiano.

This was lovely – the tomatoes were bright and juicy. The earthy pesto sauce complements the tartness, while the cheese “kerepek” adds some crunch and punch.

*Cured salmon with “thosai meets kuih kapit” cheese kerepek*

Next – Cured Salmon (RM24) with apple, beef tartare and sweet mustard sauce.

A nice medley of contrasting texture and flavours with tiny salmon cubes, citrus-y beetroot and a mild mustard sauce. This round, the cheese “kerepek” is mildly sour with thosai-like flavours but with a kuih kapit texture. Nice!

Scandi influence comes into play with Lenz’s Fiskefrikadeller (RM31) – Danish fish cakes made with pan seared barramundi.

We don’t know if this would make it less Danish, but we prefer our fish cakes with a little more texture and bite to it. Nevertheless, the cakes were delicious, complemented by pesto sauce and mustard sauce (with a peek of spiciness from curry).

The best dish for the night had to be our main – free-range Angus beef cheeks (RM56).

The cheeks were beautifully tender and melt-in-the-mouth. It did not have that overpowering “beefy” taste, which we enjoy.

The accompanying mashed potatoes were so good (some toasting is involved) and perfectly seasoned, with the beetroot providing some sweetness. WE REALLY ENJOYED THIS.

Chocolate mousse (RM19) was the perfect end to our meal – light in texture but dark in flavour, with nice caramel cream and acidic berry sauce on the side.

We were very satiated and HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS PLACE! And the prices were super reasonable for the quality of food, ethos and service!

Canvass
Address: No 2, Old Malaya, Lorong Raja Chulan, Kuala Lumpur, 50250 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Hours: 4pm-12am Daily (Closed on Mondays)
Website: canvasskl.com
Reservations: https://canvasskl.com/reservations-2/
Phone: 012-329 2820

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