Palillos, Changkat Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur

The intimate space of Palillos is always laced with the aroma of meats on the grill and the sounds of sake glasses clinking—a testament to the restaurant’s authentic approach. Skewers take the lead here, with a slew of Ibérico cuts flanked across binchotan charcoal, the white charcoal used in Japanese cooking that burns at high temperature and allows the meat to retain its natural flavours. Fusing Japanese gastronomy with subtle Spanish sensibilities, the premium Txogitxu beef, grilled with sides of shishito peppers and charcoal salt, flies the flag for the Basque Country and does the meat—one of the best in the world—justice.

Palillos, 18A, Changkat Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-2110 5051. @palilloskl