By Delia Zamir | June 28, 2010
Photography by Stephenie Wong
Palate Palette, a ‘colourful’ restaurant at Changkat Bukit Bintang
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Top to bottom:
1. Green turf for a wall at the open-air section
2. The many colours and textures of Palate Palette
3. The frame of a Singer sewing machine is turned into part of a dining table |
Palate Palette is a restaurant with an artistic side, and is one of the more unique and offbeat establishments within the windy roads of fashionable Changkat Bukit Bintang.
It's a popular hangout spot for local and international artists and musicians ever since it opened its doors. The likes of Ella, Joe Flizzow, Camelia and Steve Aoki (American DJ and brother to model-actress, Devon Aoki) have been spotted amongst the motley crowd that make up the restaurant-cum-bar's night scene.
One would imagine that an establishment hosting such patrons would come with the usual trappings of snob appeal, but surprisingly, Palate Palette exudes a friendly and unpretentious feel. To boot, Palate Palette is filled with bursts of colours, statement artwork by local artists, meandering wall murals on whitewashed walls and a mismatch of furniture pieces. The place is even pet-friendly. Fresh water and pet food are available for patrons who are accompanied by their four-legged dates.
Palate Palette isn't located at the main hub of Changkat but is squirreled away on a side-street. General manager and co-owner of the restaurant Su-Ann Wong says that it was a deliberate choice.
"I've always liked a little bit of the back streets," says Wong, 32. "I've always visited all the back streets (of major cities around the world) to hunt for cute little places. I wasn't so keen on a “commercial” street because I think there's something magical about an off-street.
"Of course, it's a gamble. Some people will say, 'You're taking a big risk for not being on the main street', but there are a lot of things that I do here (decor-wise) that I think if (Palate Palette) were on the main street, (the landlords) will kick me out!"
The restaurant is a converted 1940s residence, and Wong intentionally kept the aged personality alive to honour the history of her restaurant's location. "I wanted to maintain a bit of the original quality," she says. "So this is kind of the (stripped down) skeleton, or the essence of the place (in its original form). You can see a glimpse of what it used to be."
The decor is decidedly on the rustic and fun side. There are plenty of faded (yet beautiful) fabrics laid on worn wooden frames, but these period furniture pieces are given a punch of playfulness when paired alongside more modern and colourful designs, repurposed materials (a wooden World War II period door transformed into an outdoor table) and a mismatch of colours that don't quite clash. "I wanted something creative and colourful and different," Wong grins. "Like second-hand furniture. It's unique."
Wong comes from a design background, and she studied in the prestigious Goldsmiths of London. Her education led her to challenge boundaries, and pose questions that the average proprietor might not take into consideration when thinking of a restaurant's theme. "A major force of inspiration for me is the time when I was in London, because there, they always tell you to push the boundaries and to just kind of look out-of-the-box. Constantly."
Wong names a few artists. "One of them is Mun Kao (a local artist)," she says. "He's got bold colours and he's very tongue-in-cheek. It goes hand in hand with a bit of humour. I like that. I relate to that."
"(Another is) Damian Hirst. He came up with a shark suspended in formaldehyde. It's a bit crazy!" she laughs. "Artists and designers that come from (Goldsmiths) always get critics questioning, 'Is this really art?' Because it's pushed to extremes. I think that it's very important to push these boundaries because it's not just oil paintings that look pretty in the living room. That's just old school. There's no statement. These days art ties up a lot more with reality - a political message, or a social one."
The artistic and playful side of Palate Palette is also adopted by its menu, whereby a fusion of East meets West. The food is raved about many times over in local magazines, websites and blogs. "One of the favourites here is the Minimalist Burger," Wong says. "It's basically a beef patty made with rib-eye and without bread or greens. We decided not to have anything to cover it up, because it's almost like having a steak. Our most famous drink in the menu is Oh Boi, which is assam boi (sour plum) with rum. That's our biggest selling drink. It's made very sour!"
Palate Palette hosts weekly live musical acts by local and international bands as well as film screenings. "We have a lot of artists and designers who like to work with us, because I guess a lot of creative people come here. So we hold parties and events here." Wong says.
Palate Palette is open from Tuesdays to Sundays.
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| L-R: The abstract wall mural features nature themes; The second floor features more eye-popping murals and cosy decor |
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Palate Palette |
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03-2142 2148 |
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21, Jalan Mesui, 50200 Kuala Lumpur |
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