Lafite Western Restaurant, Kluang
Today, I saw the most daring restaurant ever in Kluang. The restaurant name is Lafite Western Restaurant. Why I use the word "daring"? There are few things. First, Lafite Western Restaurant is bringing you the high class dining experience which is something quite similar like Cafe Cafe at Jalan Maharajalela, KL or more like Vintage at IOI Boulevard. Second, the location is pretty far away from the town. Maybe I should rephrase by stating the location is rather not very happening during at night. Third, since I said high class means you need to expect RM50.00 spending per person. This is something I guess most of the stingy Kluang people like me will say, "No way!"
I am still here anyway...:)
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| My girl with me to witness this restaurant. By the way, we are there for lunch instead of dinner. |
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| Such a rare scene to have this at Kluang now. |
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| Their 1st Floor design. I should have a flash in this photo. Pretty badly done. Sorry. |
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| A nice sofa and high tea dining area. Their high-tea only cost RM5.00++. It is only a cake with a cup of tea. Do not expect the afternoon set tea with the 3 tier tea set which I used to have. |
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| Cigar is only for display but not available for sale and surely you are not allowed to smoke cigar in the restaurant |
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| Complimentary bread which is soft and delicious. It will be perfect if the butter is refrigerated. |
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| CaraMilk @RM9.90++ |
Outlook: 4/5
Creativity: 5/5
Taste: 5/5
Price: 3/5
Overall: 4/5 - CaraMilk, my wild guess already know is caramel + milk. Very delicious combination and I am surprised that it is not just a cup but a pot instead.
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| Manuka Honey @RM6.90++ |
Outlook: 3/5
Creativity: 3/5
Taste: 3/5
Price: 3/5
Overall: 3/5 - Just a basic Manuka honey taste. I wish to have honey milk~~~
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| Escargot de Bourgogne @RM36.80++ |
Creativity: 1/5
Taste: 0/5
Price: 1/5
Overall: 1/5 - Look at those oil...who will have the appetite seeing those oil. Okay, never mind. Take the first bite and as expected it is oily. Not just that, the escargot does not really taste good at all. Oh my goodness...with the fishy and salty taste, I really doubt is this a high class restaurant? Who is the chef??? Come out here and show yourself!!! Have you taste your own cooking before??? Some more dare to sell at this kind of price!
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| Chicken Cordon Cleu @RM32.80++ |
Creativity: 4/5
Taste: 4/5
Price: 3/5
Overall: 3/5 - Maybe you will think that with such a price, you would might as well eat twice at Cafe De Kokok which is just few km away. BUT...I can assure this is much more delicious than Cafe De Kokok and the portion is way bigger! I like how they fried the skin. Very fragrance and delicious. As for the Mash potato, it is splendid! Same standard like what I used to do at home myself. The minus part will be the corn without a thin layer of butter on it and the chicken meat which is rolling the ham with cheese should be thinner. The reason is with just pure breast meat, it is very easy to make you full and hard to chew plus digest.
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| A closer look... |
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| Grill Lamb Loin @RM38.90++ |
Creativity: 4/5
Taste: 4/5
Price: 3/5
Overall: 3/5 - Grill lamb with black pepper sauce is old style. This grill lamb with cranberry sauce which bringing sweetness to the lamb you eat. It is like eating a lamb dessert. Pretty interesting and creative! The lamb has no gamey taste. For those people who hate to taste that, this is what you should order.
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| Smoked Salmon with Mayo |
Creativity: 4/5
Taste: 4/5
Overall: 4/5 - I forgot the name of this dish as this dish comes together in a set which cost RM68.00++. Together in this set is a cup of tea/coffee and a main course which is called Teriyaki Chicken. This dish is not bad for me as I like the smoked salmon mixed with the black color sauce which is made by red wine.
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| Teriyaki Chicken |
Creativity: 2/5
Taste: 3/5
Overall: 2/5 - The lady boss introduce their Teriyaki Chicken for mum's who is not so into western food. But they just do not know how hard for a mum to use a knife and fork to cut through this thick skin chicken. I saw my mum inclusive mums from other tables were striving hard by using all their strength to slice the chicken. A western restaurant which makes their customers to work hard for their food is not a good restaurant. As for the taste, it is way way way...too dry.
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| Cream Sauce Scallop Spaghetti @RM26.90++ |
Creativity: 3/5
Taste: 2/5
Price: 2/5
Overall: 2/5 - Their scallops are real big. After I finished one scallop and gave one to my mum, I have no other things to eat but the spaghetti itself only. Even if they are stingy enough, they should have chicken bits or slices in it. Terrible!
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| Grill Halibut Fillet @RM38.90++ |
Creativity: 2/5
Taste: 3/5
Price: 3/5
Overall: 3/5 - When you see their every dishes, you will see the lack of creativity in it. Almost all the same. As for the taste, I will say pretty common...common enough you won't remember how it taste like after the meal.
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| Lafite Fresh Salmon @RM38.90++ |
Creativity: 2/5
Taste: 3/5
Price: 3/5
Overall: 3/5 - Very soft salmon meat which melts in your mouth without chewing works required. But the taste is really spoiled when the dark and black spots which they over grilled has provided the bitter taste in this dish. What an amateur chef!
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| A complimentary dessert - very delicious! 4/5. It will be perfect if they torch the above layer to become cream brulee. Because the above layer is full of sweet syrup which makes this tiny dessert to sweet. Torch the sweet syrup...this will become your best selling dessert in the restaurant. |
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| There you go. This is a two-storey restaurants. It is not a corner lot and you will simply miss it if you do not concentrate to look at your right. |
As for the whole, the location is a bit out from the crowd but somehow this place brings a peaceful night to the diners in this restaurant. I would prefer them in a corner lot. But nothing can change on that now.
About their survival, it is really a BIG test for them. The first year is crucial. If they can successfully endure it, they will survive another 2 - 3 years. For their lunch hour, they will not get any customers for sure because the nearby salary workers do not afford to have a RM50.00 lunch. They have an option to offer lunch set but that will definitely will lowered down their high class restaurant standard. Well, this is a challenging move to make.
My opinion is to provide buffet lunch and become high class restaurant during dinner time. Of course, they will need a break in between. Why buffet lunch? Because that is the mindset where people will think a RM50.00/pax buffet is more worth than a normal ala-carte meal. Ground floor for the buffet spread and first floor for the dining area. Perfect~
Next, they need to have signature dish or chef recommendation. It is not in their menu yet. With that, a diner will slightly make a faster decision. However with the introduction of chef recommendation, they need to maintain the quality of those dishes because anything wrong with them, people will decide other foods are not good as well.
Last but not least, taste your own food! Especially the escargot! Oh my god...oh...I really "oh my god" for twice which means it is really terrible. How can you serve that kind of food to your customer? Please quality check on all the food you are serving. If continues like this, I doubt to see this restaurant by end of this year.
Total Damage: RM137.85
Ambiance: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Food Serving Speed: Fast
Will I Revisit?: Occasionally
Lafite Western Restaurant
30, Jalan Lambak
86000 Kluang
Johor
Tel: 07-7768889
Business Hours: 12.00pm - 12.00am (closes on Wednesday), Last Call at 10.00pm.
