Dior Holiday Cafe Pavilion KL – The Dior Ball of Dreams
Words: Nichole Ong
Photos: Han Sen Hau
I arrived back in Malaysia just in time for this year’s festive season, ready for a KL Christmas. Stepping into the centre court of Pavilion KL met all my expectations and then some. This year, Dior has pulled out all the stops to create a gold and white winter wonderland of opulence and luxury. The ‘ball of dreams’ set-up is inspired by the sparkling Chateau de Versailles, bringing a French twist to the centre of Kuala Lumpur. The centrepiece: a Christmas tree featuring ornaments of perfumes, bags, and makeup, which lit up the entire area. This was surrounded by several gilded Dior sales booths offering new favourites and old classics in a space one could not help but get lost in.
We headed through the glitz and glamour to our destination – the Dior Holiday Cafe. This is not the first time Dior has done a cafe-style pop-up, with a new chef taking over the menu each time. This particular holiday menu is available for six weeks during the festive season. It is helmed by Nathalie Gourmet Studio, a gourmet French kitchen renowned for exceptional French cuisine and, in particular, meticulously presented pastries. Secluded from the bustle of the entrance, we took our places at the impeccably laid tables and indulged in the elegant culinary delights that made up our Dior Ball of Dreams High Tea Set.
Dior Holiday Cafe KL – The Dior Ball of Dreams Menu
We started off with the classic Latte (RM 25), which Monica (who has more of a palate for coffee than myself) described as a standard, quality coffee. Far from standard, however, was the latte foam art on top of the coffee. Our drink came with a Dior sun intricately stamped on top, making it all the more enjoyable.
Similarly, the Hot Chocolate (RM 25) was rich and luxuriously thick. It was topped with the classic CD logo, making it both elegant and delicious.
We also sampled the two mocktails (RM 25/glass) on offer at the Dior Holiday Cafe. The Osmanthus Pear Tea smelt perfumey and inviting, with a crisp pear taste accentuated by fresh rosemary. The Orange Blossom Mocktail was similarly appealing and not overly sweet, with each tart, citrusy sip complemented by the freshness from the kaffir lime garnish.
High Tea Set
Dior Holiday Cafe’s Dior Ball of Dreams High Tea Set (RM 150) features six of Chef Nathalie’s unique creations. These include two savouries to begin, followed by four sweet treats. Everything on the plate is delicately and expertly arranged in a perfect circle. Everything on it is edible, down to the Dior embellished star in the centre. Visually, the high tea set oozes elegance and luxury, featuring premium French desserts and ingredients with a Christmassy twist in plating.
Working anticlockwise, we eagerly bit into the Comté Cremeux, an aged comté cheese mousse with cauliflower, truffle, and walnut salsa on a comté cracker. The cheese and truffle combined to create a dynamic burst of umami flavour, making it the perfect bite to start our journey with. The elements of the dish were presented beautifully, making it look like an alpine landscape, which added even more to the magic.
Our next indulgence, the Scallop Écrin, was a round golden ball on top of a sesame tart. Inside this luminescent ball, the flavours of the roasted scallop and onion burst forth, balanced with the acidity of the citrus zest to create the most delightful mouthful.
Moving on to the sweets, the Winter Fleur was a beautiful tart piped with vanilla chantilly in the shape of flower petals. The light sweetness of the vanilla and chestnut synergised wonderfully with the subtle tartness of the mandarin orange to create a medley of flavours in a single bite.
A festive treat, the Lucky Star Calisson featured orange confit and sweet spice calisson on top of a star-shaped almond cake, giving it the appearance of a miniature tiered cake. The citrus and the spice in this bite balanced well, and the calisson was rich and deep. Having the almond cake as the base gave the sweet a nice spongy texture as well to tie it all together.
The Snowflake Lumiere similarly looked like something that could be found hanging on a very elegant Christmas tree with a base and garnish shaped like a snowflake. It featured pear confit, white sesame, and lemongrass on top of this biscuit. The nuttiness of the white sesame fused well with the crisp sweetness of the pear, creating a well-balanced treat.
The finale, the Alpine Nougat, looked like the most delicious snowy mountain range dusted with powdered sugar. The white chocolate and nougat casing gave way to a sweet mango confit in a satisfying ending to a luxurious afternoon tea.
Dior Holiday Cafe KL – The Dior Ball of Dreams Review
The Dior Ball of Dreams high tea is perfect for those looking to add a touch of glamour to their festive season and don’t mind spending a bit for it. Each item on the plate has been carefully curated to reflect the luxury of the Dior brand and provide an elegantly delicious Christmas experience. Walk-ins are accepted, but booking online is recommended as seats can fill up quickly. The cafe is only open until January 1, 2025, so it is the perfect limited-edition experience for December.
Reasons to visit the Dior Holiday Cafe at Pavilion KL: impressive gold display, French pastries, festive theme and beautifully plated treats.
Dior Holiday Cafe at Pavilion KL – The Dior Ball of Dreams
Level 2, Centre Court of Pavilion Kuala Lumpur
Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Book The Dior Ball of Dreams here
Dior Ball of Dreams Holiday Cafe Opening Hours
November 20, 2024 to January 1, 2025
10:30 am – 8 pm Monday-Friday, 10:30 am – 9 pm Saturday and Sunday
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