Yellow Fin Horse 2.0: Casual, communal dining with a Mediterranean soul

The Star

5 days ago

If you walk into Kuala Lumpur's Yellow Fin Horse today, you'll instantly feel a subtle, but tangible shift in energy. The restaurant has undergone a months-long makeover and now that it has reopened, the transformation is instantly noticeable.
It begins with the meals themselves – which are less fastidious and more focused on communality, rooted in a series of shared plates that draw from sunny Mediterranean culinary influences.
The new lounge is positioned at the edge of the open kitchen – an invitation to relax after a fulfilling meal. This is Yellow Fin Horse Season 2.
The eatery now has a lounge where diners can opt to relax during or after a meal. — ABIRAMI DURAI/The Star
'If you look at the restaurant, there are little modifications here and there, but the drastic change is in the spirit of the restaurant. It's everything that's thought out – it's the music programme, the space, the lighting, all the soft touches.
'Our food has also resonated that change because we want to make it more relaxed. We're focused on Mediterranean flavours, but it's based on small plates and more casual vibes.
"You don't feel conformed into a certain format of eating,' explains Jun Wong, Else Kuala Lumpur's culinary director. (Else KL is the hotel within which Yellow Fin Horse is housed.)
The eatery's new look has transformed the soul of the restaurant and given it a more casual feel while still retaining an air of sophistication. — Else KL
Wong has been with the restaurant since its inception a few years ago and has supervised the food aspect of the eatery's shake-up, incorporating Mediterranean influences whilst still holding true to her stance of making everything from scratch.
To ease into a meal here, start with the range of dips and spreads, like the Labneh (RM28). Labneh is a soft Middle Eastern cheese made from strained yoghurt.
In Wong's iteration, the yoghurt is made from scratch in-house and infused with salted plums, pistachios, Tualang honey and mint oil in what proves to be a fresh, silken, tangy spread with hints of effervescence veined throughout its internal structure.
Then there is the Baba Ganoush (RM28) which is a luxuriant roasted eggplant dip reinforced with pine nuts and given a creative twist with curry leaf oil.
The curry leaf oil effects a subtle Indian undercurrent to the dish, lending it a stealthy new identity while still paying homage to its roots and heritage. It's a clever use of something new infused into something old.
Wong is the creative juggernaut behind Yellow Fin Horse's new Mediterranean-influenced fare. — Photos: Else KL
Perhaps the breakout star of the trio of dips on offer is the Burnt Butter Pumpkin Hummus (RM28) with maple glazed pepita (pumpkin seeds) clusters.
This whipped goodie is decadence in a bowl. It's creamy, buttery and utterly seductive.
In fact, you'll find yourself side-eyeing it constantly even through the most riveting conversation – as you contemplate treating yourself to yet another mouthful (word to the wise: please do!).
Dips and spreads would be nothing without a receptacle to mop it all up with.
Of what's on offer, look at the Challah (RM12 per loaf) which is a burnished golden bread with soft, tender insides perfect for soaking up all the flavours of the dips.
The restaurant's range of dips (from left: labneh, baba ganoush and pumpkin hummus) are very, very good. — ABIRAMI DURAI/The Star
Move on to more filling fare with the Surf & Turf Crostino (RM48) which is made up of two different kinds of crostinos (fried or toasted bread).
The first is topped with smoked trout rillette from Tasmania that has been smoked with charcoal over low heat so that – in Wong's words – 'it is fully cooked but still has that raw sort of bouncy bite'.
The trout is divine – slightly smoky like the air that surrounds a barbecue – but without being charred within an inch of its life.
Instead, you'll find fish that has retained the spring in its step and the vitality in its flesh. This is enlivened by a lightly pungent wasabi mayonnaise as well as capers to give it a salt-laced edge.
The surf and turf crostino serves up both trout (bottom) and duck. — ABIRAMI DURAI/The Star
The turf part of this duo is made up of confit duck leg that has been shredded and enhanced with mustard mayonnaise and spring onions.
This is probably going to be the less popular of the two options as it has a sturdier, gamier taste that is only slightly offset by the mustard mayonnaise.
If, however, you're a fan of the natural flavours of this avian creature, then you'll enjoy the more unvarnished features of this meal.
For more substantial selections designed to be shared, look at indulging in the Grilled Sea Prawns (RM92).
The interesting – or some might say – unusual – thing about this dish is the addition of a chilled cannellini bean salad that sits at the base of the platter.
Charcoal grilled prawns and cannellini beans may not sound like ideal bedfellows but the two work remarkably well together. — Else KL
It might sound ominous and dichotomous in theory but Wong continually succeeds in making the impossible possible.
The prawns here are fat and fleshy with a slight char on the surface that lend itself to succulent, tender flesh within.
This blistered goodness is countenanced by the fresh bean salad which adds a contrasting element to the meal and takes it to a whole new two-dimensional level.
Perhaps the biggest triumph on Wong's new menu is an unassuming pasta dish called Sage Butter Pumpkin Gnocchi (RM45).
The sage butter pumpkin gnocchi is a thing of beauty that is both indulgent and addictive. — Else KL
Here, the gnocchi has been absolutely saturated with butter (and yes, I do mean saturated) and this unctuousness adds instant hedonism to the dappled plumpness of each gnocchi – which has rich pumpkin nuances.
This nirvanic bliss is then given a refreshing twist courtesy of the homemade ricotta and pine nuts swirled into the mix.
This is a meal that will linger in your dreams (at least it lingers in mine) long after you've polished the plate clean. In a world of ephemeral pleasures, this meal is a keeper.
'The inspiration for this dish was a sage and pine nut pasta that I had 10 years ago at Melbourne's famous Tipo 00. It was so good that I locked it in the back of my mind and I thought, 'If I ever do put a pasta dish onto my menu, I need to recreate this flavour'.
'The next time I go back to Tipo 00, I'm going to give it another taste. Because now I have a feeling mine is probably better than theirs,' says Wong, laughing.
To end your meal and keep the smile on your face going with a sweet, sweet send-off, try the Deconstructed Vegan Pavlova (RM28).
The vegan pavlova is fresh and fruity with a tropical underbelly. — ABIRAMI DURAI/The Star
Enhanced with lemon passionfruit, coconut cream and mixed berries, this 100% vegan dish has been strung together out of sheer creativity.
For example, the lemon passionfruit curd has been crafted using coconut oil while the pavlova meringue is made out of aquafaba (the cooking liquid from chickpeas).
Overall, it's a lively dessert that has hints of acidity, pops of citrus and an underlying tropical quality that gives it a touch of something familiar while couched in entirely new surrounds.
Moving forward, Wong says the plan is to keep the chilled-out, laidback vibes she has cultivated through the food programme and enhance this with themed after-hours nights.
'There will be a lot of things that we're going to introduce and then repeat quarterly or monthly or something like that. So there's going to be late-night after-hours music programmes and maybe after-hours food for people in the restaurant industry,' says Wong enthusiastically.
Yellow Fin Horse
Address: Level 4, Else Kuala Lumpur, 145 Jalan Tun H S Lee, 50000, KL
Tel: [phone]
Open Wednesday to Sunday: 6pm to midnight