25/05/2025

ON SUNDAY MAY 25, 2025 theSunday Special IV

to his menu as part of the Delia experi ence. Laurent goes on about homemade food being unique in its preparation, “In the beginning, we had some customer feedback that our french fries are not what they are used to! Potatoes are seasonal in France, from July through August, so in September, you have lovely produce.” He mentions, “We also make our own blood pudding by cooking down the blood and our pork sausages are made in-house; we don’t buy them from outside.” Our last dish is an indulgent one, beef bone marrow served with salad and buttery bread. Each creamy bite paired beautifully with the glass of rosé Laurent graciously poured for us. The extra toppings of ebiko ¿VK URH RQ WKH bone marrow give it a slight asian touch, ZLWKRXW RYHUSRZHULQJ WKH RULJLQDO ÀDYRXU of the dish. As a restaurateur, Laurent has his personal favourites that he recommends, together with anecdotes that make dining at Delia a warm and welcoming journey. “The foie gras is nice. When you have VWHDN WDUWDUH \RX WDNH R̆ WKH HJJ \RON DQG have the marrow on top, it’s delicious,” he says, mentioning how it’s worth the spike in his cholesterol levels, in between laughs and playful banter. Although we didn’t try the more exotic delicacies, like veal sweetbread, escargot and frog legs, these are dishes readily available on the à la carte menu, alongside other French classics such as the croque monsieur, ratatouille and their popular cold cuts. The menu, together with the monthly plat du jour , gives diners the chance to discover a variety of food at reasonable prices and portions that make great sharing plates. If the idea of food, wine and music entices you, Delia Wines Bistro organises MD]] QLJKWV VR \RX FDQ KDYH WKH EHVW RI everything under one roof. Take your SLFN IURP WKH ZLQHV R̆ HUHG KHUH DQG JURRYH WR MD]]\ WXQHV ZKLOH VDYRXULQJ delectable, homely French cuisine.

pandemic were tough to navigate. We catered to home customers by packaging the food, but it’s not the same as eating in-store with the ambience and people.” Thankfully for Laurent and his team, WKH SDVW ¿YH \HDUV RI LQWHUDFWLRQV ZLWK WKH IRRG DQG ZLQH FRPPXQLW\ SDLG R̆ $V WKH pandemic eased, loyal customers showed up to support the restaurant during its opening. “When we started, we had a lot of customers who came straight to us, some who had spoken to their friends,” Laurent shares. Delia uses the concept of plat du jour , otherwise known as a meal of the day. Laurent explains, “When you go to small bistros in a French kampung , you can see what you can eat today for lunch, based on what the chef was cooking in their kitchen that day.” Updated monthly, the menu R̆ HUV GLQHUV VRPHWKLQJ QHZ RQ HDFK YLVLW along with à la carte options. We started with burrata and a seasonal salad. A light open combination blends the creamy, delicate cheese with fresh greens, juicy tomatoes, and crispy croutons for added texture. Some ingredients, like tomatoes, peaches, and butter, are often sourced from Rungis, a wholesale mar ket in France, which adds to the dishes’ DXWKHQWLF ÀDYRXU With ingredients sourced externally, the plat du jour rotates based on what’s in season, ensuring less waste and fresher R̆ HULQJV $V ZH PRYH RQ WR WKH PDLQV the Bavette à l’échalote , served with homemade fries and salad, is one to devour. This quintessential French bistro GLVK LV D KHDUW\ DQG ÀDYR u UIXO ÀDQN VWHDN a language of love for hungry carnivores. The next dish, the 3 Lamb Merguez served with the sides above, is a smoky sausage trio that comes with what Laurent describes as the French sambal - also known as harissa , a spicy pepper paste that adds a spicy kick to the dish. :LWK QR ZD\ WR ¿QG PHUJXH] KHUH in Malaysia, Laurent decided to create his own and add it served with sausage trio t describes a known a that ad :LWK in M to n e v e r

A spread of French delicacies

Ooh la la … dine like the French

Comfort food and wine at this cosy bistro bring people together I F there’s anything the French are proud of, it’s almost always their food. They’re also proud of their wine, but we’ll get into that in a second. Not only are the French pioneers of fine dining, but the pride that comes with such a remarkable culi nary history also includes sophisticated techniques taught in culinary schools ZRUOGZLGH ZKLFK LQÀXHQFH PDQ\ RI RXU modern-day cuisines. Tucked away in the cosy neighbour hood of Lorong Datuk Sulaiman at Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Delia Wines Bistro is an XQDVVXPLQJ VSRW $W ¿UVW JODQFH \RX¶OO notice the checkered tablecloths draped atop every table at the al fresco area, similar to those you’ll see in the streets of France. Inside, you’ll discover a wide selection of wine bottles decorating every corner and a portrait of a woman from the 1800s. This woman is Juliette Robert, the founder of an estate and the great-grand mother of Laurent Robert, who runs Delia Wines Bistro and has a namesake cham pagne. “The first bottle of champagne we imported was in 1997. After that, I imported some wine for myself and some close friends, then in 2009 we decided BY DENNIA LEAH

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to create a company and import more boutique-style wine,” says Laurent, who was working as a mechanical engineer at the time. “Naturally, when you work with wine, you’ll know that it pairs with food. I started cooking at home and sharing with friends, starting once a month, then scaling up to twice a week. I felt like the concept was being appreciated by the community. I told myself that we needed to step up to a proper restaurant at this point. If you never try, you never know,” he adds. But like many businesses, it didn’t come without its challenges. “After getting the keys in March 2020, we immedi DWHO\ IRXQG RXUVHOYHV LQ WKH ¿UVW &RYLG lockdown. Phases two and three of the t t d i t

The indulgent beef bone marrow