Indulgence Restaurant & Living, Ipoh - Teatime on a Lazy Saturday Afternoon

It's been some time since I've dined at Indulgence (click HERE for previous instalment), hands down THE most exclusive, opulent, one of a kind restaurant in Ipoh. Wait, the term 'restaurant' alone just won't do. Truth is, Indulgence is a Restaurant, & Living (A complete experience, referring to their boutique hotel), and has been performing outstandingly in the F& B scene, garnering various accolades from time to time.

Indulgence Restaurant & Living in Ipoh

For your information, the suites at Indulgence are elegantly designed with motives and influences from all over the world (think Moroccan, Thai and Shanghai). Different themes to suit different palates, so to speak. From RM420 ++ per night, it's probably a once in a lifetime experience, given the posh location and painstakingly imagined, crafted and designed rooms.

From the exterior, resembles a bungalow more than a restaurant, is it not?

But of course, Julie Song (the proprietress since day one) excels in cooking up a storm, from the previous location of an unassuming half shoplot cafe in Canning Garden since 1996, until Indulgence moved to this grand structure in 2005. What drives her to achieve greater heights? In her own words, it's PASSION. For food, for living, and for success.

The selection of desserts from the counter

A luncheon, dinner, or even a leisurely break for tea at Indulgence never ceases to please. Specializing in Modern European cuisine, the food at Indulgence can be described as fusion, at best. Browsing through the menu may take forever, hence you'll feel much relieved to just listen to their recommendations. Specials of the Day are written in chalk on the blackboard, and your waiter may (or may not, it depends on the waitering staff) carry the blackboard to your table and point out the current specials. A unique touch nonetheless.

Pot for Two - Floral/Fruity Tea @ RM8 per pot

It was teatime on a Saturday, thus we chose to mingle around for tea and cakes at Indulgence, after a rather heavy Japanese meal. As many have thrown positive comments on Indulgence's desserts, especially the tiramisu, I was harbouring high hopes to be amazed by the sweet delights.

Rhubarb Cheese Cake @ RM9

If there's one word to describe Indulgence's offerings, it has to be UNIQUE. If you've grown weary from the usual cheesecakes, tiramisu and chocolate brownies from some other outlets, rest assured you'll be spoilt for choice at Indulgence.

The Rhubarb Cheese Cake was delectably creamy, not overly cloying, with a light tarty flavour from the rhubarb stalks and finished off with a dusting of cocoa powder (or was it coffee? darn, this has been so long).

Fudgy Brownie @ RM7

Even the brownies come in various forms, from the usual chocolate to other uncommon ones with nuts, dates etc. The fudgy brownie was as sinful as a brownie should be, dense and rich, with chocolate sauce to heighten the experience. An ode to the sweet tooth ....

Creme Brulee @ RM9

Sadly, the creme brulee was below par. Rather than being flamed on the spot before serving, the egg custard with caramelized sugar was prepared beforehand, and left standing in the display cabinet. Definitely way past its prime, the custard was not velvety smooth, with minor coagulated parts, and the layer of burnt sugar on top was almost non-existent.

The much-hyped about Tiramisu @ RM14

Indulgence's intepretation of the tiramisu was a non-alcoholic one, spongy, moist (almost soggy), but a lighter version of the famous Italian dessert. There's no trouble walloping a piece by yourself, even though you're a light eater. The texture of the cake was almost airy-like, without a substantial bite. Honestly, I still prefer my tiramisu richer, and creamier, preferably with a subtle nuance of alcohol.

Miss Fig @ RM30 - Salad with smoked duck, tangy/citrus dressing and dried fruits.

To avoid over-bingeing on the sweets, we attempted to counter with some fibres. Or so we thought. But keep in mind that whatever you order at Indulgence, you can be assured 90% of the time you've never seen the exact same dish served elsewhere. Yup, even the salad.

Miss Fig's their signature salad, with slices of smoked duck meat, sweet dried figs, various greens (including rocket leaves, if my memory serves me right), enveloped in a crispy pastry layer, and served with a fruity, tangy dressing. The combination of ingredients was a little awkward, with an indescribable sweet/salty/sour amalgam of flavours. The serving was barely enough for one, yet alone to be shared.

Promising ambience, lacklustre service?

Another major gripe I've been noticing since my first visit to Indulgence, is the service. This time around things got from bad to worse, with young waiters running around committing silly mistakes such as sending the wrong bill to the wrong patrons. I was presented with the bill for the next table, and wondered were they 'ushering' us away after a lengthy chatting session. When the waiter realised his mistake, not even ONE word of apology escaped his mouth. To face such level of service at an outlet like this is plain atrocious. And let's not mention about the attentiveness (or rather, lack thereof) of the waitering staff, requiring us to raise our hands in order to get our glassed filled. They really should dwell deeper into the public relations department, and not risk losing customers over such paltry matter.

Location : Indulgence Restaurant & Living @ 14, Jalan Raja Di Hilir, 30350 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia. Tel No : 605-255 7051. Hotel Tel/Fax : 605-242 7055. Here's a MAP.

Website : http://www.indulgencerestaurant.com.

Opening hours : Wednesday to Sunday, from 9.00am until 11.30pm.