KUALA LUMPUR, March 13 — As restaurant names go, Vagabond leans a little edgy.
It calls to mind a nomad, a traveller — one who roams freely, like a rolling stone.
And as the saying goes, a rolling stone gathers no moss.
So what should one expect from a restaurant that embraces the spirit of wandering?
Vagabond is perched in a cul-de-sac behind SOULed OUT and Wisma RLS in Desa Sri Hartamas.
Look for the stark white sign in the corner — Picture by Ethan Lau
This was once a cutesy vegan spot, though you’d never guess it from the grey, concrete interior walls and the frenetic, scratched-on energy of its logo, scrawled across a stark white signboard.
I walked in half-expecting the nasal vocals and trashy guitars of the Ramones or The Clash, but instead, the dulcet, yearning tones of Erykah Badu’s voice on Next Lifetime set the mood.
The restaurant was founded by a trio: two head chefs and a front-of-house manager, all of whom spent time working in Melbourne’s restaurant and bar scene.
Co-head chef Woon Ming, a Le Cordon Bleu Australia graduate, was part of the opening team at Mya Tiger, a Cantonese restaurant in the iconic Hotel Esplanade — better known as The Espy — in St Kilda.
He is joined by Daniel Kong, a Kuching native whose Melbourne experience spans Asian, Middle Eastern and American cuisine, but most notably, he began his career at Attica — Ben Shewry’s groundbreaking fine dining institution, widely regarded as one of Australia’s best restaurants.
The real test was whether the food could keep up.
The menu lives up to the name — dishes draw inspiration from all over, though South-east Asia, with Thai, Vietnamese, and Burmese influences, is the running motif.
But first, something closer to home: Umai Pai Tee (RM8 per piece, a standard portion is two).
Instead of shredded jicama, these dainty bites are filled with blanched squid and an umai gel with scallop mousse as the base, topped with ikura.
The squid stands in for the raw fish in this take on the traditional Melanau dish from Sarawak, but the gel is every bit as tart as the real thing.
As a single bite, it’s a journey — an overwhelming punch of acidity hits first, before mellowing into the sweetness of the mousse, with the briny pop of ikura rounding it out.
The balance is well-considered, making for an intriguing start.
Up next, a pair of CC Sliders (RM9 each) — unfussy grilled chicken sliders with well-seasoned, juicy thighs tucked into soft milk buns.
The CC Sliders have a terrific cucumber salad inside — Picture by Ethan Lau
A terrific cucumber salad brought all kinds of tang and freshness.
Not the most groundbreaking food, but delicious.
Once again, the intentional use of acidity was intriguing on the palate.
It may not look the part, but the Prawn Scotch Egg (RM26) was one of the most impressive dishes of the night.
It may not look like much, but the Prawn Scotch Egg is one of the best dishes here — Picture by Ethan Lau
Instead of an overcooked sausage, the outer layer is a springy prawn farce, breaded and fried, holding a perfectly done egg with a still-jammy yolk at its centre.
It’s made even better by a riff on Thai yam khai dao (literally, fried egg) salad — bright with tangy, savoury notes of lime and fish sauce.
There goes that acidity again. And it’s a sleeper hit.
Not every dish feels like it belongs on the menu — most of it comes across as cobbled together with no clear throughline beyond “we make this really well (and there’s a South-east Asian element).”
Credit for sticking to the vagabond theme, but the result can feel a little aimless.
Take the Duck Mazesoba (RM32): it tasted fine but felt one-dimensional.
Duck Mazesoba (left). The housemade egg noodles have a great texture (right) — Picture by Ethan Lau
The housemade egg noodles had a lovely bite, but it mostly tasted of duck and little else, falling flat next to the brighter, punchier flavours in the other dishes.
It’s telling that this is one of the few dishes without a clear South-east Asian influence, and without a clear component of acidity.
On the other hand, there was the stunning Pan Seared Threadfin (RM78), served with a nam jim sauce.
The Pan Seared Threadfin is superb, particularly with the Thai ‘nam jim’ sauce — Picture by Ethan Lau
The fish was perfectly seasoned, the flesh firm and meaty, the skin seared to a gorgeous golden brown, and the sauce was spicy, with — you guessed it — a hint of citrus.
There are many types of nam jim; it’s not immediately clear which type this is, but it’s reminiscent of the watery, slightly sour chilli sauce often served with chicken rice here.
There’s also a generous helping of pickled ginger, for good measure. A winner.
Amazingly, even dessert isn’t exempt — Burnt Basque Cheesecake (RM16) arrives with a dollop of terung asam jam.
Even dessert comes with a bit of acidity to balance – the ‘terung asam’ jam is the perfect foil for the rich Burnt Basque Cheesecake — Picture by Ethan Lau
A fruit native to Sarawak, also known as sour eggplant or Indian nightshade, its tartness cuts through the cheesecake’s richness.
A fittingly offbeat end to a freewheeling meal.
Vagabonds in name, but this lot picked up plenty along the way — gathering moss, so to speak.
The dishes showed an assured hand for seasoning, an emphasis on balance and refined techniques, and a deep understanding of acidity and its ability to keep your salivary glands working overtime.
Like any wandering traveller, they still have some soul-searching to do, but a clearer sense of direction can only make the food better.
Because when they get it right, it’s really, really good. And even when they don’t, it’s still pretty good.
Vagabond
4, Jalan 28/70a,
Desa Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur
Open Tuesday to Sunday, 11.30am-3pm, 6-10pm.
Only open for dinner on Tuesdays.
Tel: 03-2389 2020
Instagram: @vagabond.kl
• This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
• Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.
• Follow Ethan Lau on Instagram @eatenlau for more musings on food and mildly self-deprecating attempts at humour.
