Gaia’s new Sunday Brunch is a trip to Langkasuka in one seating

Gaia’s five-course Sunday brunch reimagines the English roast through the flavours of Southern Thailand and Northern Malaysia, with open fire at the centre of every course.

Sunday brunches now come with a side of travel and tale as Gaia’s, sky-scraping abode of Langkasuka cuisine in KL, debuts a Sunday brunch steep in the flavours and heritage of its native home. 

Gaia’s honours the warm touch of a grandmother’s cooking from Northern Malaysian kitchen that leaned on Thai-influenced spices, rice and sides. Her half-Thai heritage and stories of Kedah shaped the menu, and the room, perched on level 37 of Ilham Tower, felt like stepping into her house.

Her story led back to Langkasuka, an ancient trading kingdom on the Malay Peninsula that was a meeting point for merchants from India, China and beyond. Gaia’s drew on this history, and traces of that crossroads still show up in northern Malaysian cooking today.

Sunday is when the kitchen put it all on one table. Brunch Over Fire was a brunch that rolled into lunch, a Sunday roast with a twist and a far cry from poached eggs on a muffin. At RM220++ per guest (minimum two), the set menu paired familiar plates from the dinner menu with new brunch additions. 

Rarely does a KL restaurant deliver food, space and hospitality in equal measure, but Gaia’s struck that balance. Floor-to-ceiling windows let in plenty of natural light and framed an unobstructed view of KLCC, so the room felt like a calm, sunlit perch above the city. It opened onto the kitchen, so we could watch the grill at work and the chefs’ prep.

Here is how the meal unfolded, course by course.

Course #1: Cold Small Bites

Brunch kicked off with Wagyu Miang Kham. A beloved Thai snack of betel leaf-wrapped bites, given a luxurious twist with a tender wagyu tartare centre, and topped with a thin slice of wagyu coppa that the kitchen cured and aged in-house. The accompanying Nam Jim Grouper Sashimi, made of thinly sliced grouper, was wrapped around a filling of cucumber, green mango, torched ginger flower and pomelo for a tangy snap. A cold glaze of fish sauce, calamansi, coriander, garlic and chilli dresses it zesty and warm without overpowering. 

Freshen up with Mangosteen & Grilled Pea, served in a crisp pie tee cup that shattered at the first bite. A curveball of the cold bites, the mangosteen filling was sweet, juicy and floral, while the grilled pea added a fresh green pop. Finally, the Watermelon & Sakura Ebi, where the ebi’s gentle sweetness paired with refreshing watermelon, is a refreshing palate cleanser before moving on to richer flavours.

Course #2: Hot Small Bites

Warm up next with Cod Otak Otak, unwrapped from little betel leaf parcels that unveil wafts of lemongrass, galangal, turmeric and kaffir lime. The cod’s delicate flakes gave the paste a custardy softness while still holding together. 

Prepare for the first of the Sunday-roast twist with a Thai Scotch Egg. Gaia’s took the English pub staple and reworked it with inspiration from Sai Krok Isan, the Northeastern Thai street sausage traditionally made from fermented, spiced minced pork, rice and garlic. Gaia’s kitchen mixed fermented black sticky rice into the duck meat, giving it a tender, slightly chewy body. On the side, a homemade sriracha mayo carried a tangy and lingering kick.

Course #3: Brunch Special

The star of the table was a four-day labour of patience. The Langkasuka Roast Beef, a whole grain-fed Australian Angus ribeye chosen for its generous marbling, began with a 24-hour wet marinade and brine of local spices, including green peppercorn and fresh sawtooth coriander imported from Thailand. After a 12-hour slow cook, fire took over at the finish with Gaia’s Mibrasa oven, fuelled by mangrove wood and charcoal. The dry rub cracked open at the first cut to reveal a blushing medium-rare centre. A pot of gravy made from the beef’s own juices was then poured at the table, glossy, peppery and herbaceous. 

Move aside, Yorkshire pudding. The Crispy Eggplant & Sweet Potato reimagined the traditional Sunday roast potato and vegetable trimmings  with a light batter that gave the fried eggplant a delicate crunch, protecting the silky, almost creamy flesh within.

Course #4: Mains (choice of one)

This was not a course for the indecisive. Four proteins ranged from fresh-off-the-grill to gentler marinades and bolder, harder-hitting flavours.

The Asam Pedas Grilled Prawn arrived in a generous portion, bathed in a sour, spicy sauce of tamarind, kaffir lime and chilli. The grill added a sweet, smoky char that kept the prawns plump and fresh. Gaia’s nod to the classic Malaysian ikan bakar is the Banana Leaf-Wrapped Roast Seabass, roasted until the parcel was fragrant with smoke. Caramelised shallots, sun-dried tomatoes and palm sugar softened the sambal’s sharp chilli, while fermented soybean added a deep, savoury umami to flaky white flesh.

The Ayam Bakar may have been the safest option on the menu, but with Gaia’s twist it was our favourite. Lacquered in a glaze, the chicken gave way to a lightly sticky, caramelised crust with a smoky edge, and the meat beneath was infused with marinade right to the bone. For something richer, there was the Spiced Crispy Roasted Duck, a longstanding favourite on Gaia’s menu. A Southern Thai red curry sauce built a bold, steady heat, balanced by plump longan for floral sweetness.

Sides to Share

The Ulam Rice was the showstopper, arriving tableside in a claypot. Sixteen types of finely shredded ulam, including ulam raja and its flowers, French bean, lemongrass and bunga kantan, were tossed through the hot rice. The Pineapple Kerabu Salad was the refreshing counterpart: juicy pineapple with a touch of char, a nod to the fire-forward menu. Lastly, the Stir-fried Market Greens, cooked until crisp-tender and vividly green, glossed with garlic and a touch of soy sauce is a no-fuss dish and quietly comforting.

Course #5: Desserts

End things on a sweet note with Pulut Tai Tai Brulee, a clever fusion of a French classic and a heritage Nyonya sweet. Butterfly pea flower gave the glutinous rice its signature blue, and every bite was nostalgic with creamy coconut.

The Mango Passion Sorbet comes served in a lime wedge, ripe with the mango’s honeyed sweetness and met by passion fruit’s sharp, aromatic lift. A citrus note keeps the finish clean and zesty, providing much needed bright, cooling reset.

The verdict 

Brunch Over Fire captured the spirit of a Sunday gathering, with a carved centrepiece set down to share and a table made for lingering. The set menu left little to decide, which some diners might miss, but that was a small trade for a meal this considered. In a city crowded with brunch options, this one was worth returning to, ideally with a window seat and an appetite.

Address: Level 37, ILHAM Tower, 8, Jln Binjai, Kuala Lumpur, 50450 Kuala Lumpur

Opening Hours: 12pm – 3pm , 6pm- 10.30pm ( Tuesday to Sunday)

Contact : +6012 600 0371

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