This review is written by MakanMama and her teen, Caleb.
At the mention of Chalet, fond memories came flooding back. In the old days, when EQ was then Hotel Equatorial Kuala Lumpur, we would frequent Chalet for special occasions. The moment we stepped into Chalet, it felt like we had left the country – the décor and ambiance cocooned you in all things Swiss. The wait staff also played a significant role in transporting you away. Although, it being a restaurant, the food was key. I will say the food certainly didn’t disappoint. If it had, we wouldn’t have gone multiple times for celebrations!
With the advent of EQ, unfortunately Chalet was not part of the F&B line-up. But I’m happy to report that EQ brings Chalet back every year with a special Chalet Swiss Fine Dining Pop-Up. It’s heart-warming to note that EQ will run pop-ups of its dining institutions (Golden Phoenix being the other restaurant) and that it has not forgotten what these restaurants mean to so many folks here.
Teens and fine dining?
When I received the invite, I was in two minds if I should bring the teen along with me to a fine dining lunch. I took the plunge and went ahead and I’m happy to report that he behaved as he should have and also cleared his plates and then some!
Fine dining is a rare luxury that many don’t get to experience. I was fortunate enough to experience such an event last week with my mum at the EQ Hotel during their pop-up event ‘Chalet Swiss Fine Dining Pop-Up’. Chalet, a strong memory that my mum raves about, was one of the three restaurants from the original hotel that was unfortunately not brought over to the new hotel, EQ. However, I believe that this was a mistake as the food was quite unique and memorable.
Let’s dig in
For starters, we had the Foie Gras, which was velvety and rich. I clearly do not usually have Foie Gras so this was a real treat! It went well with the apple on brioche, which gave contrasting textures to the Foie Gras.
I thought this was a rather strange dish – struggling to understand how people enjoyed eating what was essentially pure fat drizzled in some sweet sauce.
Next, we had the Crème de Champignons Sauvages. This soup is one of Chalet’s signature dishes and it didn’t disappoint. The wild mushrooms really came through in taste. The soup was thick and creamy and paired well with the giant bread roll it was served in.
After this, we were served some mushroom soup in a bread roll. This was really good and the little chunks of mushroom gave the soup something nice to chew on.
For mains, the teen had Carré ď Agneau Provençale. The Tasmanian lamb rack was cooked perfectly – still pink in the middle – and wonderfully seasoned. The teen polished his plate off in no time, along with the sides of potatoes, asparagus and carrots.
For the main course, we were served either pan-fried salmon or a lamb rack with roasted vegetables. I had the lamb rack and it was quite good. Although there were fatty bits on it, the seasoning was nice and the serving was quite generous. The vegetables tasted on point too with the sauce and meat jus.
I opted for the Saumon Atlantique which was also done well. The salmon was firm, yet flaky and moist. The lemon butter sauce was creamy and went well with the salmon. The asparagus was unfortunately a little too raw for my liking and was left as is on my plate.
For desserts, the chefs whipped up Cherries Jubliee and Crêpes Suzette at the live cooking stations (these will be flambéed at the table during the pop-up). If you like alcoholic desserts, these should definitely be your choices as the chefs were (extremely) generous in the amounts of alcohol they were dishing in – a yes from me! There was also the dessert trolley, filled with all things heavenly!
Lastly, dessert was served and unfortunately I was too full to try everything fully. I did eat the ice cream pops which were a nice surprise and tasted pleasant. The dark chocolate provided a nice contrast to the sweet vanilla ice cream.
On top of the 4-course tasting menu, there were also the must-have Raclette Valaisanne, which will be served tableside during the pop-up and Fondue au Fromage, which will be served for two, along with truffle.
The Raclette proved to be surprisingly good – half a cheese wheel being melted and drizzled onto potatoes, pickles and onions. The dish was unique and, despite initial reservations due to its looks, proved to taste quite delicious with the melted cheese permeating the dish. The fondue was also another great dish – the cheese sauce coating the bread proved to be a great combination. Whilst it didn’t look the most appetising, it more than made up for it in taste.
The famed Canard à la Presse — whole roasted duck presented on a gleaming silver press — returns as Chalet’s centrepiece. The rare art of pressing the bird tableside, then finishing it with a rich sauce made from its juices, is performed with ceremony and precision, creating a meal as much about experience as flavour. This signature dish is available by pre-order and is best enjoyed by two diners.
Chalet Swiss Fine Dining Pop-Up will be running from 14 – 30 August 2025, for dinners only. I highly recommend booking your tables early. Leave KL behind for a jaunt to the Alps!
You can book your tables here.
We were invited by EQ. As always, our opinions are honest and our own.
