Hard-pressed to find a proper fine dining restaurant, let alone a French one, in the convenience of our beloved old-world charm that is Ipoh? Ooh la la, Francophiles, your wishes have been granted!
Since its opening in November 2013, Garvy’s In The Park French Dining has been held as the epitome of French cuisine in Ipoh and even Perak.
Located along the main road of Jalan Raja Permaisuri Bainun, Garvy’s manages to steer away from the traffic and noise as it nestles amongst the lush urban greenery surrounding it. A classy orange “Garvy’s” sign in their cursive signature font, greets guests at the entrance. Inside, the black and white table setting and cream bucket chairs exude a discreet air of understated quality. The glass panels of the dining room are shaded by the trees, allowing just the right amount of sun in, bringing ease to the diners.
The lighting is soft, giving warmth and enhancing the modern décor; reflecting the surroundings, bringing nature indoors for a relaxed, yet chic ambiance. The dining room is built around a Banyan tree which harks back to more than 35 years ago. The glass-enclosed Banyan tree is illuminated at night.
Meanwhile, Garvy’s open kitchen allows mouth-watering aromas to permeate the air. The layout is done with both bigger configurations and couples in mind, with communal-style tables and also the smaller, intimate tables for two. Its limited seating of 35 diners creates further intimacy. At the helm of Garvy’s kitchen is Executive Chef, Agustin Ignacio from the Gastronomy Institute Argentinian. He has worked in various top restaurants such as Restaurant Gekkos, Democratic Republic of Congo, Hotel Terrado Suites 5 star Antofagasta, Chile, Hotel Design Suites 4 star El Calafate, Santa Cruz, Argentina and La Comarca Hotel 4 star Purmamarca, Jujuy, Argentina.
Augustin is ably supported by Sous-Chef Romain Fabre, from the Paul Bocuse Culinary School. He has worked in Auberge Basque, France and David Tarnowski, Switzerland, both Michelin star restaurants.
Their wealth of experience in prestigious gastronomic restaurants combined with their culinary dexterity,is guaranteed to delight even the sharpest of palates. Food that comes out of the kitchen is faultless, nouveau masterpieces with definitive excellence. Its detailed menu contains dishes combining French elegance with Asian flavours that can only be described as out-of-this-world with its explosion of flavours.
The single-page menu changes weekly, featuring a line-up of French classics with an inspired twist. Expect favourites such as “pan seared foie Gras and beetroot”; “escargots, mashed potatoes and herbs”; “vegetables and fish soup with local prawns and wasabi”; “chocolate Souflé”; “homemade ice cream” and “duck breast from France, shimeji mushrooms and squash”.
Each dish is an edible work of art where some molecular gastronomy techniques are applied. For instance, foam and gelation are used on mint, french cheese, chocolate, watermelon, green peas and celery. Ingredients which are imported all the way from France are butter, cream, cheese, lamb, lobster, sea bass, scallops, oysters, foie Gras, escargot and duck while its vegetables, fruits, prawns, skate fish, herbs and spices are sourced locally to complement the menu. Organic produce is used whenever possible.
Priced at RM128 for 2 courses, RM158 for 3 courses and RM238 for 4 courses, be prepared to give the highest compliments as you savour the chef’s creation of the day using the best and freshest ingredients.
Garvy’s also offers a special degustation menu for occasions such as Valentine’s Day, Christmas, Chinese New Year, New Year’s Eve and others.
It does not matter if you are looking for a weekend indulgence or looking to impress your significant other, Garvy’s which ranks third on TripAdvisor is definitely the place to be.
To add fizz to the celebration, there is an extensive selection of wine available. Do not forget to complement the joviality with their signature dessert of homemade ice cream!
Service is efficient, unobtrusive and impeccable, headed by the charming Willy Maudet (Dining Manager) from France. Willy has years of experience at Europe’s top restaurants, including La Bastide St Antoine in South of France, L’Hotel de Ville I, Switzerland, Georges Wenger and David Tarnowski.
The Parisian-style fine dining restaurant is the brainchild of 21 year-old Garvy Beh who has just graduated from the University of Virginia in May 2014, majoring in Economics and Sociology. When asked about the inspiration behind Garvy’s, the young Garvy told Ipoh Echo, “In Perak, there is no real good French restaurant. We took this opportunity to start this French restaurant to give Ipoh folks the experience to taste real authentic French cuisine. French cuisine is healthier compared to Italian, Middle Eastern or Chinese, with its small portions. Plus, it is very artistic.”
Garvy is a fan of French cuisine, citing (“real good”) pan seared foie Gras and escargot as his favourites. He also disclosed the future plan of expanding the business to Kuala Lumpur.
Everything is executed with such flair, including the design. Explaining the restaurant’s design which runs on the theme “In the Park”, Garvy explained that the Banyan tree is preserved as it is believed to be a sign of prosperity and luck because of its significance to the Buddhists.Plus, it gives a sense of being in the park as guests dine under the tree.
For Perakeans, be ready to be whisked away to Paris without ever leaving Ipoh!
Right next to Garvy’s French Dining is Garvy’s Café. Equally stunning, it makes use of flowering vines and attractive climbers to create a living roof to furnish a welcome shade to its guests. Its menu which changes every 3 months, offers breakfast, salads, sandwiches, mains, pasta and dessert. For those who prefer non-alcoholic beverages, specialities such as milkshake and fresh mocktail juices are available. Burgers and homemade ice cream become instant crowd favourites. It is built for the convenience of BP Specialist Centre clients who fast for the blood testing. After the tests, they could then break their fast at Garvy’s Café which is just a stone’s throw away. What better way to break fast than to breakfast at all times of the day at Garvy’s Café.
Garvy’s In the Park French Dining 275 Jalan Permaisuri Bainun, (Kampar Rd) Ipoh 30250. Business hours: 12pm-2pm & 7.00pm-10pm. Closed Mondays.
Garvy’s Cafe Business hours: 8.30am-2pm & 6pm-10pm (drinks only from 2pm-5pm)
