Dining at Rachel ’s goes beyond just having a meal – it is a true royalty-worthy experience, meticulously crafted to ‘wow’ you at every touch of sophistication.
Walking into Rachel ’s is, in itself, a treat: the dimly-lit, peaceful environment of Kandawgyi Lake frames the city’s most iconic landmark, the Shwedagon Pagoda, and gives you the feeling of having it only for yourself.
Recently undergone a powerful transformation, the old Agnes restaurant at Kandawgyi Lake Hotel blossomed into the more elegant and cosmopolitan Rachel’s Kitchen and Lounge – transitioning from a fusion-inspired concept into a thoroughly authentic french menu.
Group Director of Food and Beverage for Htoo Hospitality Group, Italian Sergio Albergo, credits the rebranding efforts to their pursuit for identity. For him, it is all about making an impact since the first glance: from the long, distinguished tiled halls that welcome you into the restaurant, to the glorious, eye-grabbing local art displayed on the end of the corridors, all the way to the diligent presentation of every course served to your table. Indeed, each step into Rachel’s renders a breath of tasteful aesthetic.
Offering a glimpse into the chef’s style, an amuse-bouche – or ‘mouth amuser’, in french – is brought to the table. In the event of my visit, a fish scallop paired with truffle oil, sesame seeds, bean sprouts, pink pepper and edible flower petals was the grand-opener – and prepared me to the synesthetic experience offered by the combination of flavors, color, texture and aroma that composes every detail of the Rachel’s experience. As appetizers, the guest is presented with a selection of homemade bread and a variety of butter: démi-sel, truffled and sprinkled with himalayan salt.
Served sizzling warm in a glass dome, filled with a white mist of water droplets from the steaming pasta, the red beetroot juice ravioli (22US$) was the first appetizer of choice. The pasta is cooked al dente, or ‘to the teeth’ in italian, presenting a firm to the bite texture, contrasting well with the softness of the ricotta cheese filling, and nicely complemented by the chanterelles mushrooms emulsion sauce.
The mushroom and truffle risotto (16US$) was cooked to perfection, despite being a bit on the unsalted side, and counted with a generous piece of black truffle – the well-known “diamond of the kitchen” – one of the most expensive edible fungi in the world.
Following Sergio’s recommendation, we tried the Angus Beef Ribeye straight from Rachel’s Grill (41US$), served with grilled vegetables and potatoes. Bred from the indigenous cattle of Scotland in the mid-nineteenth century, Angus Beef is well-known for developing better marbling than most cattle – the primary determination of quality grade for meat. Served very generously, the beef was tender and easy on the knife.
Finally, the Warm Chocolate Fondant (13US$), served with vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce, was dainty and rich. We also tried the Crispy Layered Pancake (9US$), filled with cream and glazed pineapple, basil and mint sugar cane syrup.
Whilst September may mark the launch of the new concept, there are many more promises for the months to come: a brand new wine list curated by Sergio himself, happy hour promotions, set menu options and live music every night. Rachel ‘s is a unique option in town for sophisticated nights of celebration – or even perfect simply for whenever you feel like giving yourself a royalty-worthy treat.
Address: Kandawgyi Palace Hotel , Yangon
Phone: 01 249 255
