Wizards at Tribeca, New Restaurant Bar, Bukit Bintang

Monica Tindall

Brought to us by the same team behind the Red Beanbag and Yellow Brick Road, Wizards at Tribeca presents a slightly snazzier experience with an elevated dinner menu, craft cocktails and some beautifully plated desserts in a contemporary restaurant and bar concept.

Located on the lobby level of Tribeca Bukit Bintang, Wizards benefits from loads of natural light, leafy green décor and a stylish contemporary finish. Potted and hanging plants brighten the neutral flooring, bar and walls. Warmth is appended with natural-wood feature-tables and emerald-blue upholstered seating.

The five wizards behind the new opening like to think of Wizards at Tribeca as their new Emerald Castle and hope that guests feel like there’s a little magic in the air when they also visit.

Cocktails, Wizards at Tribeca

Using his mixology background, Shaun, chief Social Wizard, is in charge not only of stimulating online interest but also of lubricating social conversation with his crafted cocktail creations. Well matched to Malaysia’s warm climate, each cocktail, while possessing its own distinct profile, is designed to be light and refreshing.

Empress Dream (RM38) was inspired by one of the first female emperors in China, Wu Zetian. It’s served in a whisky glass, which gives it a bit of a masculine appearance but the flavours are stereotypically feminine. Osmanthus syrup, lemon juice and egg white are shaken with Botanist gin providing a restorative pick-me-up ideal for livening the end of a long workday. Wizard’s Potion, on the other hand, is a dark mysterious number bridging the cocktail menu to the wine list with its base of red wine and Campari. Blood orange syrup, passionfruit and rosemary turn it into a sweet herby beverage and both potions get a thumbs-up from The Yum List team.

Wine

The wine list is compact, composed of labels from around the world with a good balance of old world and new world representatives. Currently, they stock around 24 labels with two reds and two whites by the glass. With bottles ranging from RM85 to RM165, wine pairing with your snacks or dinner is very affordable.

Menu, Wizards at Tribeca

Chef Ryan (formerly of Metal Box, Red Bean Bag and Cilantro) describes the menu as based on “what people love to have, rather than solely on what I would like to do.” He speaks enthusiastically about the increase of the amount of produce that is now grown locally. Even just a few years back he says that close to 100% of ingredients were imported. As much as possible, he sources supplies locally.

Wizards at Tribeca is designed for all-day-dining with brunch, lunch, dinner and snacks all covered. In an attempt to get an overall introduction, we sample across the pages.

Specialty Brunch

Wizard’s homemade lightly smoked salmon is the star of the Eggs Royale (RM30). Perfectly poached eggs, kale and avocado top a brioche base. Hollandaise sauce crowns it all and drips down the side mixing with the runny yolk as we slice in. A sprinkling of bonito flakes is scattered over the top.

Pizzas

The Tree-Hugger (RM28) pizza immediately catches my interest. Pesto, avocado, tomatoes, baby spinach and buffalo mozzarella are ideal toppings for a meat-free Monday (or any other day for that matter). The slim base is thick enough to hold all of those ingredients but thin enough to just be a background and let the toppings be the stars of the show.

Pastas & Grains

A tataki salmon (cooked on the outside but not within) rice bowl is topped with avocado, pickled vegetables, seaweed and and an onsen egg in the Sally Bowles (RM32). Short grain Japanese rice sticks it altogether. Done tataki style we can still appreciate the freshness of the fish but with the charred edges the intensity is enhanced. Chef Ryan says you get the best of both worlds – raw freshness in the middle and full-flavour from the cooked fringe.

Burgers & Sandwiches

A crunchy-crusted buttermilk fried chicken sits between a fluffy buttery mildly sweet brioche bun in the Buttermilk Fried Chicken (RM28) burger. Cabbage with a kimchi dressing and mango relish ensure not a single taste bud is left unsatisfied and crisp French fries guarantee every pocket of tummy space is satiated.

Dinner at Wizards at Tribeca

Hail Halibut (RM56) sees the white moist flesh of halibut pan-fried quickly before a Japanese soy glaze is applied and then baked in the oven caramelizing the skin while keeping the flesh succulent within. Tempura oysters are a fancy addition beside sautéed greens (in season today is the Hong Kong baby kailan) and a seaweed butter sauce cascades irresistibly down one side of the fish.

Dessert, Wizards at Tribeca

If you don’t have time for an entire meal, I highly recommend grabbing a cocktail (or a cup of coffee) and heading straight for dessert. Chef Ryan has some beautifully plated options sure to keep the sweet tooth in high spirits. Citrus Delight (RM22) features luscious lemon and lime curd infused with fresh mint leaves. Served atop rounds of dried meringue and dacquoise and sided with a deliciously tangy yuzu sorbet, it turns one of my fave desserts into a sophisticated art piece. Lemon meringue pie may never be the same again.

Specialty Coffee at Wizards at Tribeca

With their esteemed coffee background, it would be near impossible for the team at Wizards at Tribeca to serve anything but excellent coffee. KL coffee roaster, Artisan Roastery, and the Singaporean 2 Degrees North, are the primary suppliers. To give more variety, however, filtered coffees are purchased in small batches from a variety of sources. My Flat White (RM12) is superb.

Specialty Chocolate by Choc Concierge

Also, worth an order is a Specialty Hot Chocolate by Choc Concierge. The mastermind (Ning) behind this local company has the taste buds of an angel and the precision of a scientist. Farming his own cacao in the state of Pahang, he takes the bean from tree to cup forging an artisan beverage fit for royalty. The choice is bold or fruity. You can’t go wrong with either. Order them both!

Congratulations to the team behind Wizards at Tribeca. They’ve designed a wonderfully welcoming experience and exciting food and beverage menu adding a fresh and contemporary accent to the Bukit Bintang dining scene.

Reasons to visit: pretty setting with loads of natural light and lots of leafy green; refreshing cocktails; speciality coffee and chocolate; beautiful desserts; a reasonably priced inner-city dining experience.

Wizards at Tribeca
Ground Floor Residensi Tribeca
Jalan Imbi
55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
+6 03 2715 5308
Open daily 10 am – 10 pm