Drop your dinner plans and drive on over to this new modern American restaurant, which records an ace on multiple fronts - a refreshingly distinctive menu, a skilfully energised team, and a sleek setting that includes a terrace with a sprawling view of KL's RGSC greens. This is the first overseas offshoot for Drop, a fixture of Hong Kong's nightlife since the millennium's turn; thankfully, the Malaysian locale is as much an eatery as a club and bar, making it ideal for lingering throughout the evening.
Drop's executive chef Tim Jay is originally from Chicago, but his three decades of professional cooking have taken him from his home country to the Middle East and Asia, imbuing plenty of cross-cultural inspirations into his menu here.
Start with the house-made flatbreads, elaborately rounded out with the tastiest toppings - Duck Duck Goose is our best bet, blanketed with smoked duck, goose foie gras, miso, prunes, ginger and goat's cheese, supplying sumptuous layers of flavour and texture (RM85).
For a somewhat simpler but still satisfyingly nuanced ensemble, Dirty Clams is beautifully balanced with clams, caramelised onions and Provolone (RM22).
Terrifically crafted, with thoughtful choices for every component, extending even to the cheese - other flatbread options come crowned with possibilities like rabbit and artichokes with tallegio cheese or wild forest mushrooms with scarmoza cheese.
Start with the house-made flatbreads, elaborately rounded out with the tastiest toppings - Duck Duck Goose is our best bet, blanketed with smoked duck, goose foie gras, miso, prunes, ginger and goat's cheese, supplying sumptuous layers of flavour and texture (RM85).
For a somewhat simpler but still satisfyingly nuanced ensemble, Dirty Clams is beautifully balanced with clams, caramelised onions and Provolone (RM22).
Terrifically crafted, with thoughtful choices for every component, extending even to the cheese - other flatbread options come crowned with possibilities like rabbit and artichokes with tallegio cheese or wild forest mushrooms with scarmoza cheese.
Much of the menu is a nod to North American favourites, executed with confident flair, from the Real Deal Mac & Cheese (RM32; made irresistibly delectable with five cheeses, cream, butter and garlic bread crumbs - perhaps the nicest mac & cheese we've had in ages) and the Creole sweet potato pie (RM42; lusciously fluffy on top, concealing a savoury base of seafood in sauce Nantua) ...
... to south-of-the-border recipes like classic Mexican chicken or fish tacos (RM22 each) and the cheekily named Go Ask Alice, a wonderfully vibrant and vivid rabbit stew with chickpea 'sope,' pico de gallo, roasted red peppers and slaw (RM85).
Even the side dishes aren't an afterthought - cauliflower is enriched with thyme, butter and duck jus-lie (RM18), while Louisiana-loving turtle beans come mixed with yogurt cheese and coriander (RM18), working well as accompaniments or even on their own.
Even the side dishes aren't an afterthought - cauliflower is enriched with thyme, butter and duck jus-lie (RM18), while Louisiana-loving turtle beans come mixed with yogurt cheese and coriander (RM18), working well as accompaniments or even on their own.
Drop currently serves only four desserts, but all are intriguingly worth checking out - poached apricots stuffed with mascarpone cheese, chocolate and pistachios (RM15), preserved blue fig with spiced caramel sauce and kitchen-made ricotta (RM22), a delicate goat's cheese flan (RM19) and Dad's Great Chocolate Cake (RM30; chocolate mousse with walnuts). In the case of the cake, it's a lovable family recipe - 'Dad' refers to the father of Drop's general manager, New York native Alison Christ.
Alison doubles as Drop's certified sommelier; she's curated a meaningful selection of wines here, built on natural, sustainable philosophies - you'll find a sturdy range at reasonable prices even by the glass, drawn from vineyards that span Argentina to Austria, California to New Zealand, Spain to South Africa, France to Italy.
Come for cocktails too - Drop's young Kiwi bartender Tim Clark is as passionate as his peers about his craft; potions like the Horchata Amor (RM36; Teeling Small-Batch Irish Whiskey, sherry, fresh orange juice, sugar syrup, almond juice) and Un-holy Matrimony (RM37; Cimarron Blanco Tequila, Strega Italian herbal liqueur, fresh grapefruit juice, hibiscus syrup, lime juice) are invigorating. Tim is also completely capable of whipping up special cocktails tailored to your preferences.
In the pipeline: Super Food Cocktails, showcasing ingredients like chia seeds, pomegranate juice, fresh papaya, organic yogurt and kale. These should be available by month's end.
Come for cocktails too - Drop's young Kiwi bartender Tim Clark is as passionate as his peers about his craft; potions like the Horchata Amor (RM36; Teeling Small-Batch Irish Whiskey, sherry, fresh orange juice, sugar syrup, almond juice) and Un-holy Matrimony (RM37; Cimarron Blanco Tequila, Strega Italian herbal liqueur, fresh grapefruit juice, hibiscus syrup, lime juice) are invigorating. Tim is also completely capable of whipping up special cocktails tailored to your preferences.
In the pipeline: Super Food Cocktails, showcasing ingredients like chia seeds, pomegranate juice, fresh papaya, organic yogurt and kale. These should be available by month's end.
Drop KL
First Floor & Rooftop, The Terraces, TREC KL, Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur.
Open Tuesday-Saturday, 5pm-late. Tel: +603-2110-4343
First Floor & Rooftop, The Terraces, TREC KL, Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur.
Open Tuesday-Saturday, 5pm-late. Tel: +603-2110-4343
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