Gorgeous KL eatery Oolam captures the soul of South-East Asian flavours
The restaurant is the brainchild of serial entrepreneur Alex Anthony, who also owns the popular cafe Feeka.
The conception of Oolam happened through a series of serendipitous incidences. 'The opportunity came for us to take over this space and we were wondering what to do with it.
'We had met chef Hafizzul Hashim (who now helms the acclaimed modern South-East Asian Restaurant Fiz in Singapore). I had always wanted to do something with him, but then he moved to Singapore.
The eatery has a sophisticated charm that is instantly appealing to the eyes.
'His team was supposed to go with him but his right-hand man chef Rakesh Varma decided to stay behind as he has family here.
'We then decided to build a restaurant where we celebrate South-East Asian flavours with Rakesh at the helm,' explains Anthony.
The restaurant's name 'Oolam' takes inspiration from the word 'ulam' or the medley of leafy greens, herbs, shoots and plants typically used in Malay cooking for flavour as well as medicinal value.
'Oolam' also pays homage to Mor Lam, which is a traditional folk song popular in Laos and Thailand.
Anthony confesses that marketing and telling diners the ethos and values that underpin a restaurant like his is complex, to say the least. After all, regional fare is so incredibly diverse and robust that opening a restaurant dedicated to it requires a fair amount of storytelling and explanation.
Anthony (left) and Rakesh are the creative forces behind Oolam's masterful South-East Asian fare.
'We had to tell our customers, we're not just Thai, we have a bit of Vietnamese, we do a bit of Laotian and Myanmar flavours. We also capture some of the Nusantara flavours because it's in South-East Asia.
'With a lot of people who come here, we need to kind of educate them on what we are trying to do. Then after a while, everybody kind of understands what we do. So it's a bit easier now,' he says.
Despite its chic vibe, the restaurant espouses traditional Asian dining values, which means passing around platters and plates and sampling a little of everything ala communal meal style.
Start your meal here with the Bo La Lot (RM30). A take on a Vietnamese dish, the dish features grilled Angus beef wrapped in betel leaves. The beef here is velvety soft and plump to the touch and the betel leaves are sturdy with smoky undertones lacing each green with a hint of char.
Each parcel is given a fiery jolt once dipped in the chilli sauce served on the side, which adds heat and verve to the meal.
Betel leaves and beef make for ideal bedfellows in this tasty Vietnamese starter.
Up next, try the the Chao Tom (RM28) or Vietnamese sugar cane prawns. Here, grilled tiger prawns are minced and tossed with herbs like lemongrass and coriander, then wrapped around a sugarcane. The overall effect is one of pleasant, undulating aquatic notes interspersed and punctuated with herbaceous overtures that lends itself to an incredibly euphoric high.
Perhaps the most triumphant offerings on the menu are the range of ulam, salads and vegetable dishes on offer, which reflect the diversity and richness of the regional tapestry.
Of what's on offer, indulge in the Pomelo & Jackfruit Salad (RM28). Aside from the two stars that get top billing in this configuration, the salad is also made up of fried krill, shallots, lemongrass, onions and a range of herbs.
The pomelo is sourced from Tambun, Perak and is sprightly, pearlescent and effervescent and this freshness is juxtaposed against the fleshy richness of the jackfruit. This twosome is accentuated by the other ingredients which add astringency and a lively quality to the dish that takes it from chilled-out to party magnet in a single mouthful.
Ikan bakar is given the goddess treatment here and emerges with charred skin, supple flesh and two spicy, fiery sidekicks to boot.
The Urap Pucuk Paku with Pegaga (RM30) is another stand out from the vegetable persuasion that hinges on uniquely Malaysian greens like pucuk paku (fiddlehead ferns), pegaga (pennyworth), galangal, lemongrass, shallots and garlic. The diva of this offering is the ferns, which offer crunch, tenderness and flavour that co-mingle joyously with the shrimp paste in this constellation.
It delivers pungency, potency and a punch so strong, you might just suffer a little culinary whiplash – albeit in a delightfully good way.
From the mains, try the Thai-style Oolam's Crab Curry (RM98). Here, Indonesian mud crabs have been steamed and the flesh carefully extricated by hand by Rakesh and his team. The peeled crab meat is then scattered in a rich Thai spiced red curry infused with coconut milk.
This is a curry befitting its price tag – the crab meat is luxuriant, fat and fluffy and the curry that coats it is robustly-flavoured with a streak of decadence running through its opulent, curried veins.
Hand-peeled mud crabs are the centrepiece of this fabulous Thai-style crab curry.
Oolam's Whole Market Fish (RM98) meanwhile features a fish of the day grilled and smattered in an Indonesian-style ikan kemiri marinade. This is paired with sambal hijau and air asam in what proves to be a resounding success.
The key focal point here is the fish, which has a lovely outer char that segues to flesh that is thick, flaky and incredibly fresh. The marinade that has soaked through the bones of this sea creature has lovely tropical nuances that are balanced dexterously against the fiery heat of the sambal and the tanginess of the air asam. It's a gastronomic marriage made in heaven that highlights the region's wealth of flavours.
No communal Asian meal is complete without rice to tide everything together and here, the Vietnamese Hom Mali Red rice (RM8 a bowl) is a stand-out hit. The red jasmine rice has nutty nuances and makes for the perfect vessel to soak in the flavours of all the other dishes on the menu.
Smoked coconut ice-cream and torched bananas make for a wonderful union of tropical flavours.
End your meal on a high note with the Caramelised Bananas with Smoked Coconut Ice Cream (RM28). The bananas here are sublime – lightly torched with a charred, blistered surface that yields to tender fruity notes within. The coconut ice-cream is a masterclass in how to make something tropical work to great effect. The ice-cream is smooth, with a wonderfully smoky overcoat embedded into its delicious configuration.
Ultimately, a meal at Oolam takes you through a wondrous journey of exploration through South-East Asian terrain. It paints a picture of the culinary richness available in the region and highlights the bounty and beauty of what's available in the countries closest to us – and it does this with respect, a seasoned hand and aplomb.
Oolam
E-1-03, Block E, The Five
Kompleks Pejabat Damansara
Jalan Dungun
Bukit Damansara
50490 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 012-600 6170
Open: Tuesday to Sunday, 6pm to 10pm
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Gorgeous KL eatery Oolam captures the soul of South-East Asian flavours
Ensconced in Damansara Heights' (in Kuala Lumpur) buzzy, vibrant The Five space is Oolam. The eatery is a stunning head-turner with a huge and busy open kitchen, high ceilings, sleek wooden tables and a general je ne sais quoi that only the most elusive beauties possess. The restaurant is the brainchild of serial entrepreneur Alex Anthony, who also owns the popular cafe Feeka. The conception of Oolam happened through a series of serendipitous incidences. 'The opportunity came for us to take over this space and we were wondering what to do with it. 'We had met chef Hafizzul Hashim (who now helms the acclaimed modern South-East Asian Restaurant Fiz in Singapore). I had always wanted to do something with him, but then he moved to Singapore. The eatery has a sophisticated charm that is instantly appealing to the eyes. 'His team was supposed to go with him but his right-hand man chef Rakesh Varma decided to stay behind as he has family here. 'We then decided to build a restaurant where we celebrate South-East Asian flavours with Rakesh at the helm,' explains Anthony. The restaurant's name 'Oolam' takes inspiration from the word 'ulam' or the medley of leafy greens, herbs, shoots and plants typically used in Malay cooking for flavour as well as medicinal value. 'Oolam' also pays homage to Mor Lam, which is a traditional folk song popular in Laos and Thailand. Anthony confesses that marketing and telling diners the ethos and values that underpin a restaurant like his is complex, to say the least. After all, regional fare is so incredibly diverse and robust that opening a restaurant dedicated to it requires a fair amount of storytelling and explanation. Anthony (left) and Rakesh are the creative forces behind Oolam's masterful South-East Asian fare. 'We had to tell our customers, we're not just Thai, we have a bit of Vietnamese, we do a bit of Laotian and Myanmar flavours. We also capture some of the Nusantara flavours because it's in South-East Asia. 'With a lot of people who come here, we need to kind of educate them on what we are trying to do. Then after a while, everybody kind of understands what we do. So it's a bit easier now,' he says. Despite its chic vibe, the restaurant espouses traditional Asian dining values, which means passing around platters and plates and sampling a little of everything ala communal meal style. Start your meal here with the Bo La Lot (RM30). A take on a Vietnamese dish, the dish features grilled Angus beef wrapped in betel leaves. The beef here is velvety soft and plump to the touch and the betel leaves are sturdy with smoky undertones lacing each green with a hint of char. Each parcel is given a fiery jolt once dipped in the chilli sauce served on the side, which adds heat and verve to the meal. Betel leaves and beef make for ideal bedfellows in this tasty Vietnamese starter. Up next, try the the Chao Tom (RM28) or Vietnamese sugar cane prawns. Here, grilled tiger prawns are minced and tossed with herbs like lemongrass and coriander, then wrapped around a sugarcane. The overall effect is one of pleasant, undulating aquatic notes interspersed and punctuated with herbaceous overtures that lends itself to an incredibly euphoric high. Perhaps the most triumphant offerings on the menu are the range of ulam, salads and vegetable dishes on offer, which reflect the diversity and richness of the regional tapestry. Of what's on offer, indulge in the Pomelo & Jackfruit Salad (RM28). Aside from the two stars that get top billing in this configuration, the salad is also made up of fried krill, shallots, lemongrass, onions and a range of herbs. The pomelo is sourced from Tambun, Perak and is sprightly, pearlescent and effervescent and this freshness is juxtaposed against the fleshy richness of the jackfruit. This twosome is accentuated by the other ingredients which add astringency and a lively quality to the dish that takes it from chilled-out to party magnet in a single mouthful. Ikan bakar is given the goddess treatment here and emerges with charred skin, supple flesh and two spicy, fiery sidekicks to boot. The Urap Pucuk Paku with Pegaga (RM30) is another stand out from the vegetable persuasion that hinges on uniquely Malaysian greens like pucuk paku (fiddlehead ferns), pegaga (pennyworth), galangal, lemongrass, shallots and garlic. The diva of this offering is the ferns, which offer crunch, tenderness and flavour that co-mingle joyously with the shrimp paste in this constellation. It delivers pungency, potency and a punch so strong, you might just suffer a little culinary whiplash – albeit in a delightfully good way. From the mains, try the Thai-style Oolam's Crab Curry (RM98). Here, Indonesian mud crabs have been steamed and the flesh carefully extricated by hand by Rakesh and his team. The peeled crab meat is then scattered in a rich Thai spiced red curry infused with coconut milk. This is a curry befitting its price tag – the crab meat is luxuriant, fat and fluffy and the curry that coats it is robustly-flavoured with a streak of decadence running through its opulent, curried veins. Hand-peeled mud crabs are the centrepiece of this fabulous Thai-style crab curry. Oolam's Whole Market Fish (RM98) meanwhile features a fish of the day grilled and smattered in an Indonesian-style ikan kemiri marinade. This is paired with sambal hijau and air asam in what proves to be a resounding success. The key focal point here is the fish, which has a lovely outer char that segues to flesh that is thick, flaky and incredibly fresh. The marinade that has soaked through the bones of this sea creature has lovely tropical nuances that are balanced dexterously against the fiery heat of the sambal and the tanginess of the air asam. It's a gastronomic marriage made in heaven that highlights the region's wealth of flavours. No communal Asian meal is complete without rice to tide everything together and here, the Vietnamese Hom Mali Red rice (RM8 a bowl) is a stand-out hit. The red jasmine rice has nutty nuances and makes for the perfect vessel to soak in the flavours of all the other dishes on the menu. Smoked coconut ice-cream and torched bananas make for a wonderful union of tropical flavours. End your meal on a high note with the Caramelised Bananas with Smoked Coconut Ice Cream (RM28). The bananas here are sublime – lightly torched with a charred, blistered surface that yields to tender fruity notes within. The coconut ice-cream is a masterclass in how to make something tropical work to great effect. The ice-cream is smooth, with a wonderfully smoky overcoat embedded into its delicious configuration. Ultimately, a meal at Oolam takes you through a wondrous journey of exploration through South-East Asian terrain. It paints a picture of the culinary richness available in the region and highlights the bounty and beauty of what's available in the countries closest to us – and it does this with respect, a seasoned hand and aplomb. Oolam E-1-03, Block E, The Five Kompleks Pejabat Damansara Jalan Dungun Bukit Damansara 50490 Kuala Lumpur Tel: 012-600 6170 Open: Tuesday to Sunday, 6pm to 10pm
