One of Kuala Lumpur’s best restaurants, Entier French Dining, is located high atop the Alila Bangsar building, affording guests sweeping views of the surrounding cityscape. We recently took the lift to level 41 at Alila’s lovely hotel, one that says it’s in Bangsar, although locals know it’s actually next door in Brickfields. We like the easy parking and incredible views all the same, and Entier is well known for its decadent modern French cuisine and next-level wine program, so we were certainly keen to see what was on offer.
Entier’s kitchen is helmed by Executive Chef Masashi Horiuchi, a Japanese-born culinary craftsman from Fukuoka whose career spans over two decades in Europe. He sharpened his skills in Switzerland and France, including five years as sous chef at London’s two-Michelinstarred L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon. Chef Masashi embodies Entier’s namesake philosophy of entier – meaning whole – championing nose-to-tail dining and wholeproduce cooking, combining French technique with Japanese precision while prioritising seasonal, local ingredients.
Supporting him is Head Chef Romain Fabre, a graduate of Institut Paul Bocuse in Lyon. Chef Romain trained in respected Michelin-starred restaurants across France and Switzerland before joining Entier. He brings continuity alongside Chef Masashi, contributing innovative reinterpretations of classic French dishes and fostering a collaborative kitchen culture.
With a duo like this leading the team, it will surprise no one that the food at Entier is largely beyond reproach. Poring over the menu, diners could be forgiven for thinking they had landed in a Parisian haute cuisine restaurant, and the food backs that up once it arrives. It’s no wonder the Michelin Guide has recognised Entier in their most recent lineup of noteworthy Kuala Lumpur restaurants. But beyond the cuisine, Entier’s wine program truly stands out.
Entier offers a 52-page wine list, a gold mine for diners who like wine with their meal. Wine lovers could spend ages perusing the selections by the glass, bottle, magnum, and the impressive Private Collection. Few wine lists in the city come close, which is why Wine Spectator accredited it in 2024 with an Award of Excellence, given to only 2,150 restaurants worldwide.
The wine menu impressed us with its clean design and clear nett pricing, avoiding those end-of-meal billing surprises. Junior sommelier Goh Joyin does a fine job pairing wines with dishes and offering informative details about each pour. We counted 22 wines by the glass, spanning sparkling, reds, whites, a rosé, and even a dessert wine. All are served in elegant hand-blown Riedel glasses..
As we opted for the dinner tasting menu, we decided to pair it with several wines by the glass. Diners can add five wines to the degustation menu for RM285, with pours of 100 ml each, slightly below a standard glass. We left the selections in Joyin’s capable hands and were not disappointed.
For the amuse bouche selection, Champagne accompanied the seafood-forward bites, ideally matched. This was no ordinary fizz, but a 2013 vintage prestige brut bottled by Laurent Robert exclusively for Entier. Produced from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, it showed a fine bead and minuscule bubbles dancing across the tongue, with brioche notes complementing the seafood. A superb start.
THE MEAL
The starters included foie gras on brioche with fig jam, paired with Domaine Rolly-Gassmann Pinot Noir de Rorschwihr from Alsace. While not as refined as a Burgundian Pinot, it offered robust character and worked well.
A scallop dish, beautifully plated, was matched with a 2022 Torre Rosazza Chardonnay from FriuliVenezia-Giulia, Italy. Bright golden yellow with aromas of ripe apple, jasmine, and peach, it offered a creamy texture balanced by lively acidity
Sea urchin spaghettini with lime and chive paired surprisingly well with the 2020 Herdade do Freixo Reserva branco from Portugal’s Alentejo, a blend of Arinto, Chardonnay, Alvarinho, and Sauvignon Blanc. Fresh and tropical, with peachy notes, it enhanced the tricky dish.
A black cod and caviar dish, perhaps the star of the night, was paired with both a 2022 Delas Frères La Galopine Condrieu Blanc from the Rhône (Viognier) and a 2020 Domaine Albert Bichot from Meursault, Burgundy. Though visually buried under Champagne foam espuma, the dish was sensational on the palate.
The Wagyu beef course, topped with foie gras and served with Perigueux sauce, lived up to expectations. It was paired with a 2019 Vivaldi Valpolicella Ripasso DOC, a Corvina-led blend. (The Wagyu option adds RM80 to the tasting menu.)
As desserts approached, we noticed the menu listed a 2012 Oremus Tokaji Tempos Vega Sicilia Late Harvest dessert wine from Hungary, but it didn’t make it to our table. A shame, as this is a showstopper.
If the world’s top sommeliers were tasked with compiling an essential wine list, it would look very much like Entier’s. Leading estates such as Chapoutier, Guigal, Castello Banfi, Dr Loosen, Catena Zapata, Torbreck, Cloudy Bay, Château Haut-Brion, Domaine Faiveley, Felton Road, Petrus, Opus One, and Screaming Eagle all feature. Bottle prices range from RM188 (2018 Beso de Rechenna Crianza from Valencia) to RM50,000 (2010 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Richebourg Grand Cru).
Dining at Entier ticks all the usual boxes: flawless food, chic ambiance, polished service. What we’d like to see, though, is a touch more character in that service. Too often, the delivery feels scripted, lacking passion. In fine dining, we value interaction with a confident, personable team who can guide, suggest, and share enthusiasm. Tell us why you love a wine, steer us away from weaker dishes, and don’t be afraid to laugh with us. Fine dining should have as much joy as a meal at the neighbourhood mamak.
This observation is not unique to Entier; many fine dining venues in KL could benefit from more personality at the table. That said, Entier easily competes with regional peers. With its culinary finesse, unmatched wine programme, and those sweeping views, it remains one of the city’s best bets for an elevated night out.
LOCATION AND DETAILS
Entier French Dining Level 41, Alila Bangsar 58 Jalan Ang Seng, Brickfields 50470 Kuala Lumpur Reservations recommended
Tel: 603 2268 3819
Web: https://entierfrenchdining. com
