Maitre De Chai

Private chef-turned-chef-restaurateur Isadora Chai has infused a quiet suburb of Petaling Jaya with decidedly Gallic flair and her innovative brand of upscale bistro cuisine.

Section 17 is a quaint little neighbourhood. Set in the heart of Petaling Jaya, it might be neighbour to the haute-er Section 16 but there’s no shortage of charm.

There’s an eclectic selection of shops, including a popular morning market and charming old-fashioned shop houses, a famous international Islamic University nearby, and a hodgepodge of simple homes and sprawling bungalows.

And, in the midst of all these is Bistro á Table. Described by its owner-chef, the fiery and rather dazzling Isadora Chai, as a “humble, holein- the-wall”, it occupies the corner lot of a single, solitary row of shop houses and which used to be, according to a friend, the former office of The Music Machine – the well-known radio personality, thespian and fervent Teoh-logist, Patrick Teoh’s mobile disco company.

Upon entering Bistro á Table, you’d be relieved to know there won’t be Donna Summer playing in the background but the soothing croons of Piaf or someone similar.

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