Bistro Léa Banana Pancakes

Post by Chiefeater VK

Lunch at Bistro Léa Sri Hartamas turned out to be one of those meals where the three of us (Jen, Li Ping and myself) didn’t necessarily agree on every dish, but we certainly agreed on the winner.

We started with the Vol-au-Vent. A vol-au-vent is a classic French preparation made from a hollow case of puff pastry filled with a savoury mixture, typically in a creamy sauce. Bistro Léa’s version arrived covered in a very generous creamy mushroom sauce.

Jen and Li Ping thought it was too salty.

I actually liked it, although I had an advantage: I was drinking a glass of Château Haut-Bertinerie Sauvignon Blanc. The acidity and freshness of the wine helped cut through the richness and saltiness of the sauce, so the combination worked much better for me.

The Confit de Canard was good. The duck had the richness I expected, but the sweetness of the accompanying sauce threw me off. This time the tables were turned because Jen and Li Ping enjoyed it more than I did.

Where all three of us agreed was the Croissant Langue de Boeuf (RM48).

This was excellent.

The savouriness of the beef tongue worked particularly well with the rich, buttery croissant. Add the greens and creamy dressing and there were enough contrasting flavours and textures to stop the combination from becoming overwhelmingly rich. This was a hit with all of us.

And then came the Pancakes à la Banane. This was the big winner.

The pancakes were extraordinarily fluffy, with an almost soufflé-like softness inside. They came surrounded by banana and a rich sauce, finished with cream and chocolate shavings.

Bistro Léa itself is a lovely space too. It has the feel of a contemporary French neighbourhood bistro rather than a formal French restaurant, with the wine bottles, marble surfaces and warm pink and cream interior giving the place plenty of character.

Our receipt came to RM334.50 for 3 people. This is certainly not a cheap place for lunch, particularly once you start adding wine.

But I’d come back for that beef tongue croissant.

And definitely those pancakes.

Pricing

Croissant Langue de Boeuf – RM48.00
Confit de Canard – RM78.00
Vol-au-Vent – RM48.00
Château Haut-Bertinerie Sauvignon Blanc, glass – RM35.00
Acqua Panna 1L – RM19.00
Pancakes à la Banane – RM38.00
Mont Blanc – RM22.00

Subtotal – RM288.00
Service Charge (10%) – RM28.80
SST (6%) – RM15.18
SST (8%) – RM2.50
Rounding – RM0.02

Total: RM334.50
Average per pax: RM111.50

MVX Summary

MVX Score: 8.0/10

M – Meal Value
There was some very good cooking here, particularly the Croissant Langue de Boeuf and Pancakes à la Banane. At these prices, though, dishes such as the RM48 Vol-au-Vent being too salty for two of us and the RM78 duck sauce not working for me become harder to overlook.
Score: 7.5/10

V – Venue
Bistro Léa has a lot of character. It feels polished without becoming overly formal, and the French bistro-inspired interior makes it an enjoyable place for a long lunch, particularly with a glass of wine.
Score: 8.5/10

X – X-Factor
The beef tongue croissant was a clever combination, but those exceptionally fluffy banana pancakes were what stayed with me.
Score: 8.0/10

Business Hours

Tuesday to Friday
12:00 pm to 03:00 pm
06:00 pm to 11:00 pm

Saturday to Sunday
09:00 am to 11.00 pm

Closed on Monday

Editor’s Note

Chiefeater VK reviews are paid by paid by himself and he was not invited or paid by the establishment to sample their food.