Upper Deck

Tanzini has formally opened its 29th-floor pavilion for nightly dining, calling it "Upper Deck" _ a standalone restaurant with its own chef, a unique menu & a warm new look.

There are no a la carte selections here. Instead, customers are restricted to a set menu, with prices fixed at RM155++ for four courses, RM185++ for five and RM215++ for six. The menu will likely be changed every few weeks.

Upper Deck's food is tastier than Tanzini's downstairs. Loved the crab tartare _ densely packed, elegantly plated & gently seasoned with herbs that evoked a European garden's fragrance.

Baby lobster tail _ firm and juicy _ blanketed in an apple mint sheet & partnered with aged balsamico, three types of full-bodied heirloom tomatoes & ravioli stuffed with basil sauce. An excellent ensemble, one of the most satisfying starters we've savored this year.

Scallop carpaccio in crab roe emulsion. Fragile slices of luscious mollusks, combining forces with a wondrously creamy sauce to unleash a luxurious sweetness.

For a completely different take on scallops: a caramelized one, firm and meaty, with edamame puree. We preferred the raw preparation, but both were delicious.

Palate cleanser of apple & candied ginger sorbet. A frosty, refreshingly tangy intermezzo for this dinner's symphony of seafood. By the way, meat is also available at Upper Deck, of course, but let's leave that for another time.

Chilled Momotaro tomato succo with tiger prawn salsa timbale & apple mint oil. A memorable gazpacho-like recipe with vibrant hues & a perky taste that was both pleasantly piquant & softly saccharine. And no, that's not a marijuana leaf there.

The highlight of this meal (and one of our favorite recipes of 2011): Pacific rainbow trout with sweet corn "risotto," black truffle shavings & Styrian pumpkin seed oil. Possibly a perfect recipe, melding earthy & oceanic flavors to create pure ambrosia.

Desserts seem far less creative, but this sampler of sugary & fruity treats mostly hits the right notes for a fulfilling finish.

Also worth noting: service is stellar, with a team that oozes charm & consideration.

Adamo Tanzini (vodka, apple sour, apple juice) & Summertini (absolut vodka mandarin, lychee liquor, orange, cranberry juice). Martinis at their most marvelous.