At Kindling, a Chef’s French Rendition of Asian Flavours

by Raina Alonge
4th February 2025
At Kindling by BIKO Group, chef-owner Vallian Gunawan employs French techniques on familiar Asian flavours, delivering a dining experience that’s as unexpected as it is comforting.

Much can be learned about a restaurant through their ability to make diners “feel at home”. At Kindling, a newly-opened fine dining restaurant in Menteng by BIKO Group, that sense of ease is explored through both menu and design. Modelled to mirror the experience of visiting a friend’s home, dining here unfolds across three spaces: the Living Room, where diners are served a trio of amuse-bouches; the Dining Room for mains and dessert; and the Library, where the evening concludes with a final round of petit fours.

“We want people to dismiss any intimidation that often comes with the idea of fine dining,” shared chef-owner Vallian Gunawan. “Of course, everything is executed with finesse, but we make sure it remains familiar and comfortable.”

Restoring an old 1900s residence in Menteng, Kindling retains much of its historical charm. The restaurant reveals itself through a secluded courtyard, hidden from the street behind a wooden door. Stepping stones lead to the entrance, where white-framed windows with diamond lattices, wooden accents, and tiled floors infuse the space with added warmth.

Inside the kitchen, Chef Vallian draws on his French culinary training, where the interplay of techniques and ingredients aren’t simply aimed to impress, but rather “showcase them from another point of view,” said the former Executive Chef of SKOOL Kitchen in Bali. The crab custard, for starters, arrives concealed beneath a dark tangle of black sea moss and bafun uni, revealing a silky chawanmushi that gives effortlessly to the spoon. The algae takes on a starring role, melding with the crab roe to absorb and thicken the sauce, deepening the dish’s already umami notes.

For the main course, highlights include the 14-day dry-aged and slow-roasted duck that delightfully marries the crackling skin of a Hong Kong-style roast with the succulent, tender flesh achieved through French confit. Nectarine poached in elderflower adds a slight zest, which is further rounded out by a spiced duck broth. Meanwhile, the Paofan reinterprets a comforting Teochew classic, where fish maw and a blend of sakura and crispy rice is served in an aromatic chicken broth with a crown of shaved winter truffle, its earthy notes coyly surfacing as it dissolves in the tongue. 

Despite, or rather because of the refined casual set-up, there’s a certain assertive quality to the food at Kindling. While built on comforting flavours, Chef Vallian displays his ability of nudging the familiar into something unexpected, introducing subtle surprises without straying too far from its origins. This also rolls into the non-alcoholic drink pairing, where house-brewed kombucha and other creations often echo the flavours on the plate. 

As the meal winds down, the dessert takes on a lighter, more playful tone. The Sunchoke showcases the chef’s playful take on the Nestum cereal sachets his mother would brew for him as a child. Subtly sweet and distinctly grainy, the dish combines the nutty undertones of the toasted buckwheat and sorghum with the malty layer of sunchoke ice cream drizzled with soy caramel. 

A short walk past the open veranda leads to the Library, where dim lighting, plush sofas and a bar nook encourages diners to linger over petit fours and, for those not ready to leave just yet, a few rounds of cocktails to end the meal. 

Best enjoyed unhurried in the company of a small group of friends or a loved one, Kindling arrives like a breath of fresh air in the city’s fine dining scene. Here, it’s easy for the evening to stretch for hours, with no rush to leave—just like a night in at a friend’s home.