Samplings on the Fourteen

Samplings on the Fourteen recently started serving dinner, so customers can now savor the setting here at night. The restaurant feels more romantic in dim lighting, with an enchanting 14th-floor view of KL's skyline that naturally includes the Petronas towers.

We secured a table by the window for the best seats in the house, but fear not: even if you come blindfolded, the most crucial component of the Samplings experience is partaking of the French and Italian fare confidently prepared here.

Raw salmon with lumpfish caviar, mango puree & lettuce. The epitome of an appetite-whetter; moist, delicate fish with creamy roe and tangy dressing.

Marron with asparagus, artichoke, cepes mushroom salad & white truffle oil vinaigrette. A light, guilt-free recipe that still provides plenty of pleasure; the tender crayfish would taste fine on its own, but the infusion of truffle oil makes every bite a beautifully aromatic one.

Pappardelle with slipper lobster & green zucchini in pesto sauce. A refreshing change from heavy, creamy pastas. This must be what springtime tastes like.

Pan-seared Belgian sole & scallop rolls with champagne trout caviar sauce, green asparagus & saffron potato. Succulent stuff, sublime with the savory sauce. A seafood dinner like this makes us believe that meat might be an unnecessary evil.

Service is sparkling and the wine list is OK, though it tips toward the pricier end.

Traffic never ceases; on the bright side, this steady stream of car lights was visually splendid.

Samplings on the Fourteen,

Berjaya University College of Hospitality, Berjaya Times Square Hotel,

Kuala Lumpur.