While having our pre-dinner drinks, we met up with Michael Chong, one of the restaurant's founding partners and its Marketing Director. We asked him to describe the restaurant's concept: "Simply put, Third Floor is 'food on the edge'," he explained. At the helm of the restaurant is Chef Ken Hoh who has long been a celebrity on the KL dining scene. Before coming in as a founding partner of Third Floor, Chef Hoh had a successful term as resident chef at Cilantro, as those familiar with the KL dining scene will no doubt know. His culinary style can best be described as combining contemporary French cuisine with a fusion of Japanese fare - a direct influence of his years spent working in Sydney's renowned Tetsuya restaurant. Chef Hoh has been given carte blanche by his fellow partners when it comes to Third Floor's menu. He makes it a point to use "the best produce combined with simple sauces and a delicate touch." We commenced with a light starter. A selection comprising a sliver of ocean trout tartare; glazed scampi with beef vinaigrette and deep fried shiso; and a uniquely presented serving of chilled avacado puree with bonito jelly and oscietra caviar. To accompany this selection, Dato' Kok chose a glass of Veuve Cliquot Gold Label. "Excellent!" he enthused. The starters continued. From the choice of four, we elected to have the raw tuna and shako with ponzu soy sauce. "Very light and tasty, " Dato Kok said approvingly. The tuna also went well with the recommended wine selection - a William Fevre Chablis Grand Crus 1997. With our palates by now firmly in the mood, it was time for the next selection. Yet more starters. This time slightly heavier as the menu picked up pace. Once again, there was a choice of four dishes. We picked the seared foie gras and shimeji mushroom which was prepared to perfection. Our banquet continued. Two main courses were to follow; each one giving us a choice of four entrees.
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When
Vision KL's celebrity diner Dato' Kok Wee Kiat first heard we were
going to check out Third Floor restaurant, he could hardly conceal
his delight. "They have a unique degustation menu concept which
has really got people talking." So it was with more than an
air of excited expectancy that we made our way up to level three
(hence the name) of the JW Marriot Hotel. With a startlingly minimalist
interior of granite flooring, strategically placed lights, red candle
holders and a growing following amongst the gourmet glitterati,
Third Floor promises to take dining in Kuala Lumpur to new heights.
Television monitors at the bar area beam out avant-garde graphic
splashes - portents of the cutting edge cuisine perhaps. 
Taking
our seats in one of the restaurant's alcoves, it was with great
expectation that we picked up the special six course degustation
menu. The menu was full of surprises. A literal banquet with enough
choice to challenge and excite the taste buds of even the most discerning
epicurean. Starting off very lightly, each of the six courses gets
more substantial as the menu progresses. To the gourmet diner, good
wine must, of course, go with good food. So it was pleasant to see,
as Dato' Kok noted, that the wine list encompassed both old and
new world wines, with particular emphasis on the old world. 
For
the first, we chose the seared venison with sauteed shitake mushroom
and herb coulis - "Very tender. The herbs really add to the
flavour,"said Dato' Kok who had selected a hearty red, the
Faivelley Bourgoigne Rouge 1999 to accompany the course Midway through
our venison, the pillar at the centre of the room suddenly lit up;
a flick of a switch altering the ambience immediately and generating
an audible "ah!" from the blonde lady sitting at the next
table. With the new dramatic atmosphere in place, Dato' Kok surveyed
the menu to choose our penultimate course, our banquet building
up to its crescendo. He chose well. Chef Hoh really came into his
own with the slow roasted lamb with truffles and ceps confit. "I
would definitely recommend this dish," said Dato' Kok, "and
the Margaret River Cape Mentelle Carbenet Merlot goes really well
with it." With waistbands starting to stretch it was on to
the selection of cheeses and deserts. Our choice of dessert was
warm chocolate cake which came highly recommended. After experiencing
the liquid centre of melted chocolate we could see why. 
And
Dato' Kok's final verdict? He was unequivocal: "I thoroughly
enjoyed myself this evening. The food and wines were exceptional.
Chef Hoh's flair is reflected in the presentation of the food as
is his penchant for using innovative ingredients." All in all,
Third Floor was all that it promised to be. It breaks the mould
of the typical in terms of design, cuisine and service as reflected
by its uncompromising standards. Sure signs that the fine dining
scene in KL continues to evolve.