The eatery occupies a charming space that is accentuated by strategically positioned foliage scattered throughout.
Ensconced in a quiet corner of the bustling Suria KLCC shopping mall is Coal & Clouds. The eatery is the brainchild of Tan Boon Yao, who was inspired to launch it as a counterpoint to Babel, the gym that he also owns and operates in KLCC.
“My dad passed away eight years ago but I felt he would have lived longer if he went to the gym, so I created one in memory of him.
“Why I ventured into food is because diet is part of wellness, so I wanted an experience for not only gym-goers but everyone too. I wanted to cater to as many markets as possible,” he says.
In many ways, Tan’s foray into the F&B industry is something that is coded in his DNA. The youngest of three brothers, he comes from a family of passionate foodies. As a family, the siblings run multiple businesses – his oldest brother heads the Dragon-I chain of restaurants while another brother runs the hugely popular Petaling Street speakeasy, PS150, and eateries like Tapestry KL.
While Tan has been involved in the family businesses, Coal & Clouds is his own particular passion project, which is why it took 18 months to put together.
The watercress kerabu is a scene-stealer that features fresh, exuberant flavours.
“We took our time to refine the restaurant because we really wanted to deliver on the consistency of food. Coming from the F&B industry, I understand how tough it is so I really took the time before launching it,” he says.
The eatery is named Coal & Clouds for two reasons: the “coal” bit represents charcoal grilling as a favoured cooking technique while “clouds” epitomises the eatery’s commitment to using natural produce over processed ingredients.
The menu is designed with all sorts of diners in mind – from gym-goers on a particular diet to those who simply want to indulge in heartier meals. Everything is made from scratch and there are as many healthy low-calorie meal options on the menu as there are more indulgent offerings.
Service is guided by restaurant manager Floyd Charanjit Singh, who has a perennial smile, impeccable manners and the ability to answer any question you might have about the food, drinks and the eatery. If you have the good luck of seeing him in action, you’ll understand why he is such an integral part of the restaurant’s charm.
The heartwarming soup is packed with the goodness of red bell peppers and is a smooth operator from start to finish. — Coal & Clouds
To begin a meal here, start with the Surprisingly Heart Warming (RM24) which is a soup fashioned out of red capsicum and cream in what proves to be a hearty, satiating meal opener. The red peppers have been char-grilled, then stripped of their skins and blitzed in a blender with garlic, onion and lime. As a result, this concoction offers lovely lusciousness and piquancy while the cream adds thickness to the soup, giving it a richness that is celebratory without being overwhelming or cloying.
Up next, have a go at the Watercress Kerabu with Pickled Jambu (RM35) which features mizuna leaves, pickled daikon, guava, watercress, bunga kantan (torch ginger bud) and double-fried shallots in a citrus dressing.
It’s the sort of meal that offers freshness, zest and contrasting elements all in one plate – from the crunch of the onions to the crisp effervescence of the guava and the tropical nuances of the bunga kantan. It’s hard not to enjoy this East-meets-West interplay.
The Furikake Corn Cob (RM28) is another delight that features charcoal grilled corn that is studded with Japanese furikake and sesame seeds. It’s a lovely, light dish that highlights the natural sweetness of the corn whilst also delivering bursts of umami via the seaweed.
For more substantial offerings, look at indulging in the eatery’s selection of pastas. The Aromatic Thai Chicken (RM38) features spaghetti laced with Thai tom yum sauce and chicken breast. It’s a tricky thing – turning a beloved classic into a whole new meal altogether, but in this instance, the essence of a traditional tom yum has been distilled into the sauce that coats this pasta. As a consequence, you will find that the arteries and veins of this dish are packed with flavours that remind you of classic tom yum without desecrating it or taking its name in vain.
Corn and furikake make for a very amiable pairing.
Another pasta option that ticks all the right boxes is the house-favourite Bunga Kantan Cream Carbonara with Duck Bacon (RM42). The road to making the duck “bacon” is a tedious one that involves cooking duck breasts sous-vide style before freezing them, thinly slicing the duck breasts, cooking sous-vide style again, deep-frying for four minutes, cooling and then deep-frying again for maximum crispness.
The result is a carbonara that is lightly creamy with an herbaceous undercurrent courtesy of the bunga kantan. But the clear star of this show is the duck bacon, which offers little curled up crispy slices of salty goodness that pepper the meal with crunchy goodness. In fact, the duck bacon does such a stand-up job that you’ll find there is little need to compare it to the base material that it is meant to emulate.
While the carbonara is a clear winner, perhaps the biggest success story in the eatery’s pasta oeuvre is the Tiger Prawn Lobster Bisque (RM65). Here, the pasta sauce is fashioned out of a lobster bisque that has been reduced to a desired consistency. This is accentuated by fat, voluptuous char-grilled tiger prawns and fettuccine pasta in what proves to be a wonderfully memorable meal.
The duck bacon is the highlight of this delightful carbonara.
The prawns have been grilled to perfection and retain a slight char that yield to succulent, sweet flesh while the pasta itself is coated in the bisque, which is redolent of the seductive powers of the sea. It all comes together in unison on the palate, like a mesmerising siren call.
Moving forward, Tan says he hopes to help Coal & Clouds find its footing first before deciding if expansion is plausible.
“I think what we want to do right now is to keep the restaurant attached to the gym, because the restaurant is built primarily around the gym. So if we separate it from the gym, I could create something that I could go crazier with.
“If the opportunity arises, I will definitely look at it, especially if the location is right. At the moment, I am looking at another space but it might be a different concept – like a bakery or pasta bar,” says Tan.
Coal & Clouds
Ground floor (Ramlee entrance)
Suria KLCC
50088 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 016-963 3520
Open daily: 10am to 10pm
