Traditional and modern techniques merge at Brasserie Alma (Photo: Brasserie Alma)
Italian food usually comes to mind when one considers Yap Ah Shak House, that sleek space blending business, leisure and culture which somehow gives Kuala Lumpur a New York-ish and Tokyo-esque vibe all at once. Its ground-floor dining room Osteria Gamberoni and sister rooftop champagne bar Terrasse are not a secret, but the fact that Andy Choy, the amiable talent behind Nice Bistronome and THB, has been looking after the kitchen of Brasserie Alma on the fourth level since last September seems to have been missed by KL-ites.
With Italian flavours taken care of by Gamberoni, Straits-inspired bites at Kapitan’s Club, and Kiku — Yap Ah Shak House’s rather divine vinyl-led listening café-meets-jazz bolthole — providing Japanese-grade kakkoii-ness, it certainly makes sense to have a French touch somewhere. And who better than Choy to fill the gap?
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With over 20 years of cooking experience in China and Malaysia, and having made a name for himself with the Côte d’Azur inspired offerings at Nice Bistronome, Choy brings classic brasserie fare to Alma’s table in the form of favourites such as foie gras terrine, house-cured smoked salmon served with egg mimosa and blinis, Boeuf Rossini and duck confit. Post-entrée cheer comes in the form of beignets, Le Guaya dark chocolate mousse, vanilla crème brulee and the legendary Poire belle Hélenè pudding, created in the late 1800s by the great Auguste Escoffier, who was said to have been moved by the story of Helen of Troy after watching Jacques Offenbach’s famous operetta, Le belle Hélenè.
It is perfectly fitting that after a meal inspired by the City of Light, you can saunter just one level below to wind down to the smooth music of legends like Charles Mingus Jr, Clifford Brown and Wes Montgomery. Jazz is always about collective improvisation. Somehow, so is every Yap Ah Shak House experience.
Level 4, Yap Ah Shak House, 17 Jalan Yap Ah Shak, Chow Kit, KL. Open Wed-Thurs, 6-11pm; Fri-Sat, 6pm-midnight. Closed on Sun-Tues.
This article first appeared on May 11, 2026 in The Edge Malaysia.
