The glass walls give an amazing view of the city from Luuma Dining. — Photos: CHING YEE SING
Luuma Dining & Bar is what one would call a hidden gem. We were reminded afresh that we shouldn’t judge a restaurant by the office building it occupied.
Ensconced on the 20th floor of a nondescript office building in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, we were astonished to walk into an unexpectedly bright and spacious venue with high ceiling and glass walls upon exiting a bleakly lit lift.
The bar counter is set against an illuminated, colour-changing wall on one side and opens out to the main dining area, contained within a sleek, interlocking framework of steel and glass. Several overhead chandeliers and a small raised stage complement the understated, neutral-toned furnishings while floor-to-ceiling windows provide unimpeded views of nearby office buildings and residential towers. There’s also a private dining space with access to a wraparound balcony available, making it a desirable venue for corporate and private events, and even wedding receptions.
From left: Whisky sour, Jungle Bird and Mojito.
Luuma bills itself as a skybar restaurant so we were encouraged to sample its cocktail offerings as the litmus test of the outpost’s creative flow.
My tipple of choice, Jungle Bird (RM40) passed at first sip. The invigorating concoction of dark rum, Campari, pineapple and lime juices left me with a nice buzz. My dining companion had Whisky Sour (RM40) that passed muster whilst the jury’s still out on Luuma Surprised (RM42). Served in a tall glass edged with dried chilli flakes, we were intrigued by its spicy, sour and sweet blend of asam boi (preserved salted plum), tequila, orange juice, Campari and mango juice.
Smoked Duck Pizza.
Crowd-pleasing dishes such as pizza and pasta seem to be the mainstays at Luuma. We noticed almost every table ordered a pizza or two, prompting us to follow suit. Our Smoked Duck Pizza (RM48) proved to be a good choice as the thin-crust pizza came laden with slices of smoked duck breast and canned peaches, melted cheese and lashings of barbecue sauce. Less sauce would have done the pizza greater justice, but it didn’t stop us from relishing the slightly toasty, savoury-sweet slices.
Nasi Lemak Pasta.
Our curiosity was instantly piqued by the house speciality of Nasi Lemak Pasta (RM38). After our first bite, we billed it as the day’s show-stealer. Who would have thought spaghetti coated in piquant nasi lemak sambal could be such a trailblazer? Thanks to the dish’s well-balanced spicy-sweet-savoury accents and on-point accompaniments of fried chicken fillets, crispy fried anchovies and peanuts, we promptly made short work of everything.
Aglio Olio Tiger Prawns Pasta.
Although it was deftly prepared, the subsequent serving of Aglio Olio Tiger Prawn Pasta (RM39) didn’t measure up to the earlier pasta in terms of deliciousness.
Mutton Varuval.
Mutton Varuval chalked up another win for Luuma as the rich, robustly flavoured mutton unleashed a lively milieu of aromatic and sublime spice accents in our mouths. It’d be perfect eaten with plain rice or bread.
We were also enamoured by the skewers of Chicken Tikka Kebab (RM38 for five sticks). Slightly charred and delectably juicy with a sweetish aftertaste, the chunks of chicken threaded alternately with pieces of red and green capsicums tasted even better when dipped into the accompanying creamy mint sauce.
Our only beef was the underwhelming Sirloin Steak with Black Pepper Sauce (RM108). Such a pity the zingy black pepper sauce couldn’t save its hide. Otherwise, the stakes would have been more favourable in capping off our maiden visit.
Still, Luuma Dining & Bar has a lot going for it as the outpost was positively humming when we rocked up on a weekday evening. The extensive menu offers a wide selection of Asian and Western dishes so it’s definitely worth a return trip and more.
Luuma Dining & Bar
Level 20, Menara Sentral Vista
150, Jalan Sultan Abdul Samad
Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur.Business hours:
Daily: 4pm-12am.
