Champagne Sunday Brunch at The Ritz Carlton – Kuala Lumpur

What’s not to love about all you can drink Champagne, gourmet food (seafood, salads, meats, cheese, sushi, desserts & more) and possibly the best customer service of your life? If you’re visiting Kuala Lumpur – Sunday Brunch at The Ritz Carlton needs to be on the ‘must-do list’. It definitely was the highlight of our 5-day trip for me and it’s safe to say if we ever go back, it’ll be the first thing we book in (however next time we’re keen to try the Bubbalicious Brunch at Prego in The Westin KL).

I owe a big thanks to Alf and Tracy from Perth Cafe Culture for the heads up on the brunching culture in KL. Mr. Spittoon and I were HUGELY into our brunches when we lived in Dubai – it was the thing you did on a Friday as an expat. We always had an awesome time so we knew if the Dubai brunches were anything to go by, then we’d have a fabulous time at this one in KL.

Quite simply, this brunch was the ultimate – the drinks, food, atmosphere and service were faultless. I hate to admit it, but I was feeling pretty worse for wear the morning of the brunch. I was about to have my next 30-something birthday so the night before I accidentally drank my fair share of cocktails along the main bar strip we found along Changkat Bukit Bintang just up from Opium Bar. Needless to say I was regretting it as I was getting dolled up for the brunch. However half an hour into it, a Bloody Mary and glass of Champagne later, I was back on the horse again!

So if you are thinking about embarking on a Sunday Brunch at the Ritz in KL, here is what you can expect:

The Free Flowing Drinks

Naturally we went for the Champagne. The Champagne of choice for the Ritz is the Canard Duchene Leonie Brut which just happens to be one of Mr. Spittoon’s and my favourites. Ultimately it was the Champagne on pour that helped us easily pick our brunch venue. All the Champagne Brunches in KL typically have a different Champagne they use, Prego’s is Moet.

Before we got into the Champagne however we were served up a vodka-infused Bloody Mary which was very tasty – complete with a celery stalk and in a salt-rimmed glass.

Throughout the lunch we were also made aware of the fact we could order any drinks non-alcoholic and alcoholic from still wines to spirits and beer. Both Mr. Spittoon and I strictly stuck with the Champagne except for a wee glass of Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon served up in beautiful Bordeaux glasses to go with our roast meats.

The crystal glassware also deserves a mention, it was lovely and fine. I have never come across the brand before – Luacris Crystal. Which I’ve found out is the first luxury lead-free crystal glassware produced in Asia.

Our wonderful waiter – Tariqul – made sure our glasses were never empty and always politely asked if we wanted to try something different. Basically he said that he’ll stop pouring when we stay stop and until then, he’ll just keep going. Naturally we loved him for that!

The Delectable Food

Obviously we only have the Dubai brunches back in 2010-ish to compare this one to so going off that; we found the selection of food much smaller (however it was also a smaller venue to those in Dubai) but the quality was through the roof. Everything was cooked/prepared to perfection – whoever their chefs and kitchen team are – kudos to you! I literally wanted to try EVERYTHING! I think between the 2 of us, we may have just about managed.

Let’s start with the big table in the middle of ‘The Library’ (which is the restaurant where the brunch is held, and actually is full of books!) – half of the table was full of every kind of  mouth-watering dessert a sweet-tooth would want and the other half had everything from fresh salads to prawns, foie gras and pate.

Then there was a station purely for fresh oysters and all the different sorts of condiments you may want to go on your oysters. My first pick is always the red wine vinegar and shallot topping.

Plus another station with fresh kind prawns, lobster tails (to die for) and fresh mussels (I was a bit too quick with this photo, the mussels were placed in the middle there) – again with all delicious condiments for.

Then there was the fruit table, all perfectly cut up and of course the cheese trolley which I seriously wanted to roll right over to our table.

And the sushi table kept me entertained for a while. I think Champagne and sushi are a match made in heaven, so naturally I had to test that theory out just a little bit more.

Oh and I can’t forget one of Mr. Spittoon’s favourites – the Air Dried Beef! I really enjoyed the melon balls with it as well.

Then (yes it keeps going) there was a lamb roast on one side of the room and a beef roast on the other. I went for the beef and my oh my it was some of the best beef I have had. When I went up to grab some, the chef serving up took my plate after he carved up the meat and perfectly laid it on the plate like a piece of art, followed by dotting some veggies elegantly around the plate, then smothering it with a gorgeous peppery gravy and a yorkshire pud on the side. It was a stunning plate of food both in the mouth and on the eyes that went with the red wine perfectly.

But that’s not all! We were also able to order 2 different kinds of soups, a pasta dish and a salmon dish off the menu if we wished. Mr. Spittoon and I both ordered the carrot and ginger soup which was delightful!

The AMAZING Service & Atmosphere

Okay yes, we had been drinking Champagne for 3-hours but right from the get-go the service was impeccable. As mentioned our waiter, Tariqul, was fantastic and added to how awesome this day was. He had top-notch, first-class service that couldn’t be faulted. Every time we got up, he would fold our napkins and place it nicely on the table, our Champagne flutes were never empty and he was more than willing to cater for any whim. We felt like royalty.

During the lunch there was lovely live music, that fitted the scene perfectly and didn’t interfere with conversation but complimented the setting and we were also treated to a dragon show to help celebrate the Lunar New Year.

Mr. Spittoon and I dressed up of course for the lunch, as it was at the Ritz for goodness sake. However when we walked in we noticed quite a number of people a bit more casual. So I don’t think they are overly strict with dress code however in my opinion it’s an occasion to pretty up a bit!

The price per person for the lunch was about 400MYR, which in Australian dollars worked out to be $119 per person. Such a good deal – well worth every cent if you ask me!

There’s not a lot of info on The Ritz Carlton’s website but take my word for it – you won’t regret it! I organised my booking before we left Australia by contacting them via: [email protected] or you can also call +603 2142 8000.