Small Shifting Space, Chinatown

[Pork-free] It’s SSS-moking! Small Shifting Space (SSS) is a small restaurant and wine bar located on Petaling Street (or Chinatown KL).

This restaurant was recommended by a friend – so we decided to check out the spot on a Saturday evening.

Small Shifting Space in Chinatown KL

We started off the evening with some fresh oysters. There are four flavours available – Nahm Jin with Fried Shallots; Onion Mignonette; Tabasco, Lemon & Dill; and Dashi Beurre Blanc with Tobiko.

Based on the staff’s superb suggestion – we decided to go with Tabasco, Lemon & Dill and Dashi Beurre Blanc w Tobiko (1 for RM25, 2 for RM45, 3 for RM70 – they get cheaper, the more you get – well you get the idea).

We are not oyster connoisseurs, but we did enjoy these morsels.

The oysters were fresh, and we liked the spicy hit of Tabasco with a bit of tanginess from the lime.

Meanwhile, the Dashi Beurre had a more savoury umami flavour with some brininess from the tobiko.

Potato Croquette, ok?

The Crab & Potato Croquettes, Gribiche Sauce & Jalapeno Verde (RM25) was a sufficiently satisfying starter.

The dish takes inspiration from French cuisine with the use of Gribiche Sauce (an egg yolk-mustard emulsion) and combines it with Jalapeno Verde for some Mexican flair.

The potato filling was surprisingly softer than expected with an aioli-like creaminess from the Gribiche Sauce, while the lovely Verde reminded us of Chimichurri tangy acidity.

Risotto, alrighto!

Mediterranean spices and Italian flavours come to play in the Pumpkin Risotto, cooked with Moroccan Spiced Prawns, Shimeji, Aged Parmesan and Crispy Sage (RM52).

To be honest, we didn’t expect much from this dish – but the risotto is comparable to some of the best we had in proper Italian restaurants in town.

The texture of the risotto was perfect – creamy, slightly mushy with a good bite – and beautifully flavoured with pumpkin and briny undertones of the sea. The prawns were beautifully cooked as well.

The shimeji, aged parmesan (we asked for it to be served on the side) and crispy sage leaves helped to balance out the creaminess of the dish.

Succulent steak, sir

For RM58, the Beef Eye Fillet Steak might be one of the cheapest we’ve seen in town.

Cooked medium rare, this particular cut of meat (a small section of tenderloin located close to the rib) is particularly tender and fatty, but can veer on the side of being chewy and not too “beefy-tasting”.

Nevertheless, the meat was cooked perfectly. However, we did think it could use more salt in its seasoning. Thankfully, the Harissa sauce was adequate to provide some smokiness, sweetness, and heat to the meat.

Summary

Overall, we enjoyed the dishes here. We recommend the risotto and oysters – but the steak was just so-so, albeit it was good value for the money.

Service here was excellent, and we thought SSS is a lovely space for casual dates or gathering with friends over drinks.

SSS also serves orange wine – but we still prefer the traditional whites and reds.

SSS has a pretty cool upper space where DJs regularly hit the deck for some cool after-hour vibes. Check out their socials for the deets.

Small Shifting Space
Address: 141, Jalan Petaling, City Centre, 50000 Kuala Lumpur
Hours: 4pm until late (Wed-Fri)
12pm until late (Weekends)
Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays
Phone: 017-440 5591
Reservations: https://smallshiftingspace.cargo.site

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