Black Salt @ Semantan – Pet-friendly & Non-halal Restaurant Bukit Damansara
Words: Alexandra Prabaharan
Photos: Han Sen Hau
Not many restaurants put as much care, love, and effort into every aspect of the dining experience as Black Salt @ Semanatan does. There are a limited number of restaurants that also serve pork, even fewer are pet-friendly, and only a handful allow furbabies inside (not just on the patio). Yet, Black Salt @ Semantan ticks all of those boxes.
Black Salt @ Semantan – Pet-friendly Non-halal Restaurant KL
The restaurant’s interior is simple yet elegant, with earthy tones and dim lighting. Their logo is prominently painted on the feature wall, with each part of significance. Thoughtful ingredients are symbolised by a purple tree, cultural diversity and heritage with the black roots, and finally, knowledge and skill with the gold leaves. The menu celebrates Malaysian heritage with a twist, letting the produce sing. Ninety per cent of the menu is made in-house using locally sourced ingredients. As mentioned, it’s non-halal, and your well-behaved pets are also welcome.
Drinks Menu
We started with some bubbles, indulging in Endu’s unique classic and roselle sparkling tuak. Both were light and refreshing, readying us for the feast to come. The sparkling roselle is sweeter, a beautiful glistening pink, and the classic is more like the original rice beverage but bubbly.
My personal favourite was the unique cocktail that followed—the Scottish Breakfast. It was made with bacon fat-washed Deacon Scotch whisky, lemon juice, maple syrup, egg white, angostura, and orange bitters and adorned with a slice of crispy bacon. Think whisky sour but with salty, fatty notes and a hint of maple. This is a drink I could go back to time and time again.
Black Salt @ Semantan Menu & Prices
Starters
The menu is ever-changing to showcase the chef’s versatility and work with the freshest seasonal produce. We started with the Country Paté Platter (RM115), which features housemade duck rillette cooked with spices and Cognac, organic chicken liver paté, and pork and duck country paté with cherries and pistachios. This came with fresh sourdough studded with Sarawakian dabai (Malaysian olive) and papaya pickles. This was a rich and unctuous platter made with care, and it paired perfectly with our drinks.
Next, we enjoyed thick slabs of Bacon Char Siew (RM42). The thick-cut barbecued pork was sweet and salty, fatty and tender in all the right places. It was a firm favourite at the table.
The Scallop Ceviche Trio (RM 115 for sharing between 3) was a refreshing bite with a touch of sweetness. The Crab Terrine made with large chunks of crab, soft, meaty eggplant and pickled grapes was a pleasant surprise.
Mains
One dish I couldn’t get enough of was the Pan-fried Chee Cheong Fun with Prawn Fritters (RM36). The traditional steamed chee cheong fan with salted egg, XO sauce, and prawn fritters is fried to give it another dimension. This is a textural sensation with crispy, charred edges of rice paper that have a bite to them, perfectly balanced with crunchy, sweet prawns. Dip this in the chilli sauce, and it’s an explosion in the mouth.
Another interesting bite was the Imperial Prawn & Cognac Fried Congee (RM 52). The traditional congee is fried, giving it a chewy exterior and a fun textural contrast. It’s topped with prawns and a generous serving of caviar.
We also enjoyed the Roasted Cured Duck Breast (RM55). The duck was cooked to a beautiful medium, and the accompanying pan-seared potato gnocchi was firm yet fluffy. All of it was lapped up with the tasty red wine sauce. For our last of the savoury dishes, we enjoyed a Duck Wellington (RM 148 – two-day pre-order required), which had bacon, sour cherry sausage, mushroom duxelle and crepe enveloped in a flakey puff pastry. It was rich and decadent – leaving us stuffed to the brim.
Desserts
For dessert, guests can choose some freshly made cakes from the counter or go with their signature Crêpes Suzette (RM 38), of which there are three flavours. Of course, we had to try the signature, a wonderful thin crêpe with caramelised sugar and butter flambéed with a splash of Cognac. The sweet and bitter notes were delectable. We also indulged in the Mille-feuille, which they set on fire tableside – layers and layers of goodness served with homemade vanilla ice cream. It was the perfect end to the meal.
In addition to all the mouth-watering menu items, they also make products in-house that you can purchase and take home. We recommend the Bacon Peanut Butter (RM32) and the Supreme XO Sauce with Ham (RM60). We can assure you that both jars will not last long in your pantry.
Black Salt @ Semantan Review
If you want to be treated to good food and kind service, this is the place to be. It’s fuss-free, but much attention is paid to the ingredients and ensuring a memorable experience. As mentioned, the menu changes frequently, and the chef often has new items each day depending on what she feels like conjuring up.
Reasons to visit Black Salt @ Semantan: old-school service where guests are greeted at the door; an ever-changing menu so there’s always something new for repeat visitors; flexibility in the kitchen – just give the chef advance notice, and she will cater to your desires; pet-friendly restaurant where well-behaved furbabies are welcomed inside, not only on the patio; serves pork.
Black Salt @ Semantan
Block B, 10 Semantan Service Suites, B-0-7, East Wing
10 Jalan Semantan, Bukit Damansara, 50490 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Link to Black Salt @ Semantan on Google Maps
+6012 200 6777
@black.salt.semantan
*Non-halal (serves pork and alcohol)
**Pet-friendly
Black Salt @ Semantan Opening Hours
Tuesday – Sunday: 11 am – 10 pm
Closed: Monday
Examples of Black Salt @ Semantan Menu & Prices – Items are constantly changes so check directly with the restaurant for the latest rendition and daily specials
Find more restaurants in Bukit Damansara here, and stay up to date on the latest gourmet travel finds via The Yum List on Instagram and The Yum List on Facebook.