Nestled in a green lush is Ferria KL, a grill and bar concept that promises a full-on Amazonian rainforest experience. If you want it grilled, you may as well do it the Amazonian way, right? Located within the Golden Triangle at The Westin Kuala Lumpur hotel, the restaurant—with a rather hidden entrance—attracts an equal amount of expats, travellers, and locals. As the night veil falls, the verdant space becomes spirited, with lively music playing in the background and fragrant smoke from the open kitchen gradually filling the room.
Dimly lit with warm lights and a splash of red neon signage, the spot is great for a night out. For those who want a little privacy, secure yourself one of the half-moon booths that create a semi-enclosed cubicle for you and your company. From the leafy walls and fringed lampshades, along with the use of bold colours and even the bright pink flamingo, the restaurant’s interior is incredibly social media-worthy, for those who care about these things. I was almost concerned that the food served would be not as considered as the interior design, but I would soon be proven wrong.
The night started with some Fun in the Wild, a glass of fruity gin cocktail served in a quirky coconut-shaped vessel. The lime and passionfruit-flavoured drink served as a great aperitif that preps your appetite before the feast.
For Starters
Behold, the grilled smoked corn. Hear me out: This seemingly simple and humbly plated dish was the star of the night, heightening my expectations immediately after the first mouthful. It’s a given since pearl corns are generally sweeter than its other corn siblings, but preparing them with chicken lard is a gastronomically genius way to add an extra layer of flavour profile to it.
Watermelon poppers followed—something typically served after meals, was one of the appetisers, which earned my stamp of approval. Topping the compressed watermelon cubes were a citrus trio of yuzu, lemon and lime—the main reason our appetites were whetted enough for the upcoming 15 dishes.
As we waited for the mains, I polished off the triple-cooked hand-cut regular fries and zucchini fries. The latter is a greener option for the healthy eater, but both come with an irresistible dip: wasabi mayo. Another amazing starter was the salads—little greenies to wash away the guilt of having too much even before the mains. Pick between the Jungle Chicken Salad and the Amazon Green & Crunchy Nuts Salad—the dressing on the former is a game-changer when it comes to salad and the chilli lime adds a tangy twist, adding brightness to what might have been just a regular salad.
The Mains
Next on the menu was the Wild-Spiced Lamb Pizza. Cooked in the wood fire oven, the pizza has a charmingly charred crust with just the right amount of lamb toppings. In my opinion, chefs preparing lamb dishes exist on a continuum from “novice” to “expert”. The great news is, this lamb pizza was done so well I went for a second piece. I credit the Toum spread for it—the creamy texture and garlicky taste complemented the meat, adding a hint of Middle Eastern flavour to it. Savour the lamb, wholly. The Lambazon Skewers (what’s a grill and bar restaurant without the skewers?) were served using the same recipe as the pizza, minus the dough.
The Amazon Chicken dish proved just how underrated the chicken and blue cheese combo is. Commonly paired with fruits like figs to tone down its sharpness, blue cheese is notoriously known for its pungency. When served with chicken, it gives a moreish mouthful that if done wrongly, can make the diner queasy. To balance that out, adding capers gives a slight tang that elevated the dish.
Pasta options on the menu were the Tarzan Arrabiata and Creamy Carbonara: both classic dishes. Topped with tiger prawns, soft shell crabs, and Chilean mussels, Tarzan Arrabiata was generously portioned. The Creamy Carbonara lived up to its name—the piquant Pecorino Romano went remarkably well with the beef Pastrami, and I’d personally take this over the seafood pasta.
A lobster roll is not an unfamiliar gourmet combo, but an XL Freshwater Prawn Roll? Talk about improvisation! Bolstered between the sweet homemade milk brioche buns were generous heapings of juicy and tender prawn meat. The crispy French bean fries were a great side and a palate cleanser to end the mains with.
For Desserts
Lean over and shovel them in. The desserts served were Wild Expedition Tiramisu and Grilled Crystal Pineapple. Sourced locally from Sabah, the pineapple was served with coconut ice cream and grilled marshmallows. Note: I’m allergic to pineapple so I skipped the dessert, but judging from the various heads nodding as everyone wolfed it down in minutes, it had to be good. The Tiramisu was a dangerous one—prepare yourself to return for seconds (and possibly more) after your first bite. The deceptively amazing tiramisu piece came with lemon zest sprinkled on top. Despite being easily overlooked as a garnish, it turned out to be the ultimate winner. Who would’ve thought that all you needed was some zest to turn it from good to great? It was right up my alley, that I actually returned a few days later, just to get a slice of the tiramisu. Yes, from a grill bar, the Ferria KL.
Address: 199, Jln Bukit Bintang, Bukit Bintang, 55100 Wilayah Persekutuan, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Opening hours: 12 PM – 12 AM