Starting today, The Grill at the Setai reboots culinary offerings. Executive chef David Werly has been busy remaking the menu, choosing to selectively focus on French and European classics in contrast to the Asian-infused global cuisine at The Restaurant. This menu truly takes advantage of the chef's Alsatian roots and, as he described the new lineup, he laughed that it is indeed a Euro-mix, "just like the chef."
The aim is to bring a more casual balance to the on-site food program. While The Restaurant provides a more formal environment, The Grill is supposed to be your place to grab a drink and linger. Chef Werly has joined the ranks of tapas plate purveyors, creating everything on a smaller scale. "All the dishes are appetizer-size, so you can really eat according to your appetite and share. Here it is more relaxed, an extension of the bar."
We are more than happy to come for cocktails and stay for dinner, particularly when the meal includes braised veal cheeks and foie gras custard. Get a first bite after the jump.
Roasted scallops with langoustine en kadaif (which means those little nuggets are surrounded in crisp threads of shredded philo dough) are served with fresh beet salad in a white balsamic dressing.
Octopus carpaccio is served with a crown of baby gem lettuce and an orange and avocado vinaigrette, while local prawns are tempura battered and fried up as "garnish."
There's a creamy foie gras custard as well as a thin slice of duck breast underneath that broth-like substance, which is duck consomme. Micro-cauliflower and delicate hon shimeji mushrooms float happily on top.
Provençal-style braised veal cheeks, which require no knife, come topped with a few errant Brussels sprouts leaves and a smooth-as-can-be sunchoke mousseline.
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