January 17, 2020 Food & Drinks 26 Comments

Dining in the Sky Kuala Lumpur | Ummi Goes Where?

Dinner in the Sky, Kuala Lumpur - A Review

Have you always wanted to have dinner high up in the sky overlooking a beautiful cityscape, with your feet dangling in the air? Well, now you can. And if you have never had that kind of thing on your bucket list, now you should.

Brought to you by TwoSpicy Entertainment, an up-and-coming event organizer in Malaysia, Dinner in the Sky is a Belgian-based novelty restaurant service that uses a crane to hoist its diners, table and waitstaff 50 meters (150 ft) into the air. Guests are served an hour-long 3 to 5 course dinner prepared by renowned chefs in the city.

Since 2006, the company has been hosting similar events in over 65 countries across 5 continents — including the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Japan, Australia, the United States, Brazil, and China. Currently, Kuala Lumpur is the only place in Southeast Asia that offers this experience.

Table of Contents

How to Get to Dinner in the Sky Kuala Lumpur

Address: 231, Bukit Bintang Street, Imbi, 55100 Kuala Lumpur.

Nearest MRT/Monorail Station: Bukit Bintang (900 meters away)

6.30 p.m. & 8.00 p.m. (7 days a week, including public holidays)

How Much is Dinner in the Sky Kuala Lumpur?

Probably one of the first questions you have in mind is how much the whole thing is. Anything involving heights, be it bungee jumping or sky dining usually come with an equally sky-high price tag.

And you’re right.

There are three different packages offered for this experience:

Economy (RM369)

Access to Skyland Lounge
1-hour dinner session in the sky
Exclusive 3-course dinner menu from Elements KL
Free water & juices during dinner

Business Class (RM569)

Access to Skyland Lounge
2 glasses of cocktails/mocktails served in the lounge upon arrival
Pre-starter course in the lounge: Curried pumpkin croquettes
Priority boarding
1-hour dinner session in the sky
Exclusive 4-course dinner menu from Elements KL
Free water & juices during dinner

First Class (RM939)

Access to Skyland Lounge
Free-flow cocktails/mocktails served in the lounge upon arrival
Pre-starter course in the lounge: Curried pumpkin croquettes, charcoal rice crackers with avocado, and smoked bonito
Priority boarding (first to board)
1-hour dinner session in the sky
Exclusive 5-course dinner menu from Elements KL
Free water & juices during dinner
Takeway gift: 6-pc colored macarons

How to Book a Dinner in the Sky, Kuala Lumpur

The table can only seat 22 pax per flight, and can sometimes be fully booked for corporate events. So, prior booking is a must. They do not entertain walk-ins.

Booking can be done at their ticketing office (same address as the dinner venue), via their official website, or via several other online booking apps. You can Google them to compare prices. I used Klook because it had the best offer during the time of my booking. Besides, I could also get points and cashback for every booking and review I made.

If it’s your first time using Klook, register using my referral code to get an extra USD 3 off: FFKSC

Klook.com

Is Dinner in the Sky Safe?

Well, you do have to sign an indemnity form, as you would for any activity involving heights, speed, water, or any risk of injury. Which is to say that there is no 100% guarantee that you’ll come out of it alive.

That said, the Dinner in the Sky experience has been approved by TÜV Rhineland, a German organization that inspects all kinds of products to certify that they are safe for humans and the environment.

Dining in the Sky Kuala Lumpur review | Ummi Goes Where? — Diners and crew of Dinner in the sky all strapped up

Every passenger and crew member will be secured by safety harnesses at all times throughout the flight. There is also a safety supervisor who will be in constant communication with the crane operator and ground staff to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.

What to Expect at Dinner in the Sky Kuala Lumpur

Check-in

Similar to a regular pre-flight experience, guests need to check in an hour before take-off and wait in the departure lounge before being called for boarding. Check-in process was very smooth for me, as I was the first to arrive.

When you book, you are required to select your menu. Any special request has to be made at this point and cannot be changed afterwards. During check-in, they will confirm this menu selection with you and assign your seat number. It’s important for every guest to stick to their seat numbers so that everyone will receive the correct order.

In the departure lounge, those with business-class and first-class tickets get free cocktails. Otherwise, you can order from the menu. You can also pre-order alcoholic drinks to be taken on board. There is no outside food or drinks allowed.

Boarding

Around 10 – 15 minutes before departure, you will be called for boarding. They will seat one group at a time.

Now is your last chance to use the washroom. There will be no more toilet breaks mid-flight. All bags and large items have to be stowed in the locker in the lounge. You may bring your phone or camera, but do so at your own risk.

As you sit at your assigned seat, an attendant will come and secure the harness on you. It goes between your legs, around your waist, and over your shoulders. You will keep this on for the entire flight.

Take-Off

After everyone is seated and ready, the platform will slowly be raised. You won’t even feel it move. Still, the crew will interact with the guests and play some music to get everyone pumped up and not think too much about falling to their deaths.

Dinner in the Sky KL Menu

Dinner in the Sky KL menu is curated by Chef Jeff Ramsey, a well-known Michelin-starred chef in Kuala Lumpur. They change their menu every few months or so — you can check their website for the latest update. These were what I had:

Appetizer:

Arugula and Romaine lettuce with feta cheese, sliced almond, pink grapefruit, orange, sherry vinegar dressing and green apple.

Main Course (A Choice of):

Blackcurrant and soy braised Angus beef cheeks with mustard seed caviar, poached bok choy and purple potato puree.

Pan-roasted deep-ocean snapper with wilted locally-sourced amaranth cress, Mediterranean non-pareil capers and Veracruz sauce.

“Coca-cola chicken” (Caramel and spiced soy braised chicken with buttery potato puree, crispy chicken skin, and glazed carrots)

Dessert:

Nitro poached coconut milk espuma, kaffir lime leaf oil and velvety strawberry coulis

They can also cater to vegetarian, gluten-free, and nut-free diets with advance notice.

Is Dinner in the Sky Really Scary?

Dinner in the Sky is not like dining on a 50-meter-high rooftop where there’s a building underneath your feet. Instead, you’re practically dangling in the air. There’s only a small platform to rest your feet on. Every time a crew member moves in their workstation, you can feel the whole thing tremble — just slightly, but enough to make you want to grab onto the nearest person (as though that would help).

The chairs can swivel and recline. Between the courses, the crew will encourage you to try and recline your chair and have your photo taken.

If you are only mildly scared of heights like I am, it is bearable. You’ll slowly gain more confidence as the dinner progresses. But if your fear is the paralyzing kind, maybe this is not the right activity for you. Remember — you’re there to have dinner. So, if you get too scared to be able to enjoy your meal, then there’s no point in going.

Additional Info on Dinner in the Sky Kuala Lumpur

You must be at least 13 years old, taller than 145 cm and weigh no more than 145 kg to participate in this activity.
Children aged 13 – 18 must be accompanied by a paying adult at all times.
This activity is not suitable for pregnant women, guests with walking disabilities, heart problems, or other serious medical conditions.
Dress code is smart casual. Dresses and skirts are okay, but keep in mind that the safety harness will go between your legs. So, if you’re wearing a long dress/skirt, you’re going to have to hitch it up.
It’s not recommended to wear loose shoes.
You’re allowed to bring your phone/camera on board, but do so at your own risk.
Lockers are available onsite for free. All bags and large items have to be stored in the lockers.
In case of heavy rain or thunderstorms, the meal may be delayed for up to 90 minutes from your selected dining time. If the weather is still bad after this 90-minute period, the dinner will instead be moved into the exclusive lounge (prepared on ground). This will be done without a refund if you did not add weather insurance (RM79 per person) during booking. With a weather insurance, you can reschedule your dinner to a later date/time.

The Verdict on Dinner in the Sky Kuala Lumpur

Is Dinner in the Sky worth the money?

Well, the food was okay. With that kind of price tag, I had expected something more. For instance, I wish there had been more dessert options (I don’t like coconut). The steak was good, but I’ve had better. The salad was so-so. And just for the record, I’m saying this as someone who has worked in F&B for many years — not as some entitled brat who knows nothing about food.

But then again, what you’re really paying for is the one-of-a-kind (and possibly once-in-a-lifetime) experience. And that’s what makes it worth it.