Choosing just one place I love to eat is tough. I'm quite a whore when it comes to eating. Give me fine dining with foie gras, oysters and truffles coupled with great service and I'm one happy gal. Throw me in the back streets of Pudu to find a slurp worthy bowl of Hakka mee and I'm just as ecstatic about it. There's also the various cuisines since I'm often game to try anything under the sun (except exotic meats) - Hunan, Malay, Indian, Italian and etc. Hence it was very tough when Time Out KL asked me to nominate a favourite choice for their Bloggers Choice Awards. Pinpointing one is like throwing a needle in the haystack with me. So tough that I straight away gravitated to my auto-mode go-to comfort choices such as Cilantro and Sage. Then, I stopped myself and had a look at the nominees and discovered they are already there under their fine dining category.
Fine dining in Kuala Lumpur remains a misnomer I reckon. I've often had endless arguments about its definition - is it just the food, service or must it be like how the Michelin guide terms it - be worthy of royalty. It was strange Frangipani was not in the list since they scored high on the food and service was exceptional making them completely worthy of a nomination. It happens I guess...good places slip through the cracks of Internet voting and etc. I'll probably receive brickbats for this choice but since Sage & Cilantro have made it to the nomination list, I reckon Frangipani can also join them side by side.
Dining here is much more than just a meal I reckon. It starts most importantly from their menu that contains these lyrical short essays by Chris Bauer, the man behind the culinary creations. Each write up details where he got his muse for creativity or the rationale of some ingredient pairing that gives the much needed connection between the kitchen and the diner, that elusive link that attaches each dish with a memory and face. Unfortunately for me, those open concept kitchens they try to throw in our face to give that connection just does not cut it for me.
This is also a place to be seen...especially since most diners come here just before they adjourn upstairs to the oh-so-happening bar. I do love the whole elegant set up after you push through the metal doors especially the atrium in the middle with the jet black pool that seems to add a sense of airy space. While the side of the restaurant offers lovely nooks for private dining, I love dining a deux around the pool since it adds a certain romance and intimacy to the whole meal.
The menu features classic dishes they have perfected for years, something the typical fickle KL diner will find offensive but I love. Rumour has it that the Frangipani creators are crafting up new eateries at the exclusive dwellings of Troika on the higher floors. Seize the moment to relish a meal here before things change....it seems in October or was it November.
What struck me is this is French food with a contemporary air. There's also a deep appreciation of local ingredients here in the apple rendang and the usage of items such as the buah keluak or Indonesian black nut, betel leaf and etc.
On to the food and what stood out for me in the meals I've eaten here before. Favourites include those soft potato blinis topped with decadent caviar and sour cream. The surprise is not the caviar but the innocent looking cauliflower truffle foam on the side with a fizzy texture that gives you a truffle "hit" to the senses...simply sublime. There's also the interesting pairing of foie gras with an apple rendang served on a ring of strudel - a crunch from the crisp pastry, a rich melt-in-the-mouth with the foie gras and the earthy tastes of the spiced apple cubes.
I also enjoyed the small sweet Kumamoto oysters with beetroot and cucumber. Even someone's "black" rice risotto is perfectly al dente and packed with umami flavours from the seafood and bonito flakes topping it. I also obviously love their classic, the warm tea smoked salmon with confit potatoes topped with ikura or salmon roe. It is one of the dishes that once inspired me to smoke my own salmon at home and I love the whole intense aroma that perfumes the pinkish flesh.
It is tough to choose mains here since everything is so good. The duck confit is excellent - crispy skin with a tender tear away meat. It is paired with mustard and mashed potatoes. I also love their version of grilled wagyu beef cheek with braised red cabbage and a Mexican mole sauce. Unlike other places, the beef cheek here comes with a seared crust that slowly yields to the knife to reveal its tenderness. The mouthfeel is perfect since the slight crust offers a beautiful contrast with all the softness. I love the smoky flavours of the chocolate mole sauce too and the tanginess from the braised red cabbage. I also love the buah keluak (Indonesian black nuts) as they're generous with the chocolate-like tasting filling that pairs well with my tenderloin steak.
Don't forget desserts here. Must-haves for me are the classic tarte tartin with its caramelised apples and the interesting iced green apple sorbet. I love the decadent chocolate ganache paired with crisp French meringue or if preferred, the creamy ice creams topped with Valrhona dark chocolate sauce. That night we dined here, it was caramelised banana and rum & raisin flavours.
We end the meal with one of my favourite teas, Mariage-Fres delicate tisanes. Its a perfect end to a perfect meal. Service is generally exceptionally good here with wonderful recommendations from the wait staff but there are of course, slight bumps on the road. When it gets packed up with people like a Saturday night, the kitchen tends to heave a little so patience is needed. Best to just chat to your dining partner and you'll find it smoothen over after some time.
Do give this place a chance and vote for it during the Time Out KL Food awards for 2011. Incidentally, go check out the shortlist of nominations and place your mouse over them to "undilah" your choices or forever hold your peace.
* Updated on 24 Sept: Duh! I forgot to ask all of you to also vote for me in the Bloggers Choice section in the Time Out KL Food Awards. Just click on the link to the shortlist. Thank you all.
Frangipani Bar & Restaurant 25 Changkat Bukit Bintang Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2144 3001
(Pork Free. Open from Tuesday to Sunday for dinner only. Choose first, second and third courses for RM160. Add RM30 for dessert. Tasting menu is RM220 and RM390 with wine. Full set of pictures are in the Flickr set. For more restaurant details, see their website link.)
* Part of the meal was an invited review but another part was all paid for by the reviewer.
I must admit I've been so busy (and pre-occupied with work) lately that I have been on auto mode with the blog. It only dawned on me today that the blog is hitting a huge milestone....5 million page views. Feels like yesterday that it hit the 3 million marker. Time does fly. Previously, I've marked the momentous occasion with a celebration but I reckon this time round, it'll be a much quieter affair. However, do stay tune for something exciting in October.
Even though I started this blog eons ago (I call them the dark ages!), I have tried to hold onto to the principle that everyone's taste buds are subjective. Blame it on family history, memories, personal dislikes and etc - what works for you may not work for others. Most of the time since the quality of ingredients is in constant flux, this also affects the taste of the food - what tasted good a few months ago deteriorates tremendously with the price hikes.
Take for instance, this new place I was introduced to a few weeks back. The first visit had uncovered Penang hawker fare that we enjoyed immensely. However, a revisit with others saw the assam laksa (RM6.90) chalking up the misdemeanours - "not spicy enough," claimed one friend - "watered down", said another. Despite the negative feedback from others and its inconsistencies, I admit I do have a soft spot for this assam laksa. Its mellow level of spiciness is just perfect for me especially after the addition of the pungent prawn paste. Perfect for rainy nights just like the ones we have been experiencing.
Equally good is the Penang Hokkien mee (RM6.90), a delicious prawn and chicken broth that we polished off the whole bowl of broth, noodles and its topping of fresh juicy prawns, hard boiled eggs and water spinach.
Even though it is not 100% genuine since it is not fried with lard, I thought the char koay teow (RM6.90) was pretty darn good. I also liked the chicken lobak (RM9), that was delicately perfumed with the spices. Its only problem would be the lack of the thick brown sauce on the side.
Not everything though will hit the pleasure mark for you. While the mamak mee (RM6.90) has a lovely wok hei, I felt it was just a tad sweet. The kuey teow soup dish (RM6.90) also failed since the broth just didn't taste like the read deal. Neither did I enjoy the pie tee or top hats (6 for RM9), stuffed with a thinly sliced cabbage instead of the crunchy yam bean. The belacan fried chicken wings (RM15) was pretty decent even though it did lack the pungent belacan aromas.
What I do love is their cendol (RM5.80) as they use this incredibly fragrant gula melaka syrup that uplifts the dessert into something so heavenly we had to order seconds. Admittedly the cendol and the rough texture of the shaven ice may not be appealing to others but for me, that rich aroma of the palm sugar hits the right spot for me.
The menu is not limited to Penang specialties as it serves a mix of Chinese cooked dishes that includes seafood (lobster!), which I admit I didn't find incredibly exciting. However families usually dine here and order those dishes. I'm just perfectly happy to slurp down my assam laksa or Hokkien prawn noodles with a side order of lorbak. Do give it a try and let me know if it fits your tastebuds. Hopefully it does.
Magic One Restaurant 275, Jalan 5/51 Gasing Petaling Jaya
Tel: 03-77841998
(Pork Free. Restaurant is located at the Gasing area, same row as Kavitha's Indian restaurant. Open from noon to 12 midnight. Set lunch from noon to 6pm available for hawker fare with ice lemon tea and free cendol for RM9.90. Full set of pictures are in the Flickr set.
*Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here is entirely based on my personal tastebuds and may vary for others. This review is time sensitive; changes may occur to the place later on that can affect this opinion. The reviewer also declares that she has not received any monetary or non-monetary compensation from this place for writing the review.
I've grown to slowly like The Han Room, the latest venture of The Oriental Group of Restaurants. Located at The Gardens (the mall I seem to inevitably end up at), I've accumulated loads of pictures that searching through the numerous files have been a big headache. I know there is still one lost batch somewhere in that heap I call my terrabyte external drive, which I have yet to unearth. If it turns up (as all things do since it is Murphy's Law) I'll add it in the burgeoning Flickr set of pictures.
The restaurant is currently running a special Shunde menu until further notice. You can either order the full menu for ten persons or just select items from the a la carte menu. It's available at all their outlets except the Macau suckling pig (a crispy delectable porcine treat) that is only available at The Oriental Pavilion outlet.
So far favourites picked from the Shunde menu include the chilled marinated pork jelly, a cold dish with braised pig ears and meat that is served with a tangy chilli onion dip; crispy shiitake mushrooms resembling a vegetarian eel (unagi) dish coated in sesame seeds; and the Shunde fried rice with delectable morsels of deep-fried salted egg yolk coated fish crumbs, deep-fried ginger shreds, fresh crab meat and pine nuts.
Last but not least is the ginger milk pudding, a wobbly confection made with fresh Bentong ginger juice and milk. It ranks higher than the Hong Kong version since our Bentong ginger perfumes it with a far superior aroma.
Otherwise, their lunch menu offers a pretty good selection. I have grown extremely fond of their steamed rice selection that is served in glazed claypots and costs about RM12 per pot (best shared between 2-3 people of average appetites). The old school toppings such as chopped meat patty, salted egg yolk, preserved vegetable, salted fish and pork belly or mushroom and Chinese sausage, are all things that makes me wistful for my childhood meals. However, newer flavours seem to still appeal to my tastebuds more as my personal favourite is the newer fangled mixed mushrooms with pine nuts topping.
Let me run down the usual must-haves we gravitate towards during our visits. One such order is the smoked farm chicken (RM38 for half, RM76 for whole). You get one (or half) juicy succulent chook that has a light smoky fragrance, which pairs well with the tangy gem lettuces served on the side.
Another favourite is the simple braised egg noodle village style (RM20) with its chewy texture and well balanced flavours. It is a vegetarian dish with just a simple gluten puff to complement the noodles.
We usually start out with an appetizer and the tangy citrus flavours from the paku pakis (ferntops) with spicy sauce (RM8) is perfect. Deep fried shrimps and shallot crisps give the dish flavour and a textural contrast.
I'm not much of a dim sum fan and will stick to my staples such as the fluffy steamed BBQ meat bun (RM5) and the pan-fried radish cake with teochew sauce (RM6). We have also tried some new items like the intriguing "siew mai" with ginger and century egg (RM8), a flavour combination that works well. However, I'm not sold on the steamed cheong fun with crispy unagi (RM8) or the bubble fish medallion with superior soup (RM10) items. While the smooth rice roll contrasts well with the crisp texture of the eel, its flavour does not seem distinct. Essentially, the bubble fish medallion is a soupy dumpling served in a plastic wrap that comforts but maybe because we ate it after some time, I was not so impressed with the taste of the soup which became quite oily once it cooled down a little.
Don't forget desserts here, there's a pretty good selection of chilled and hot ones. I'm partial towards the chilled yam with sago cream (RM8) for a cool ending or their divine wobbly ginger milk pudding.
While the thousand layered cake (RM6) is not as good as the one we love from Elegant Inn, it is still pretty decent. The sesame glutinous rice balls tend to be a little on the sweeter side though.
The Han Room Lot G243 Ground Floor The Gardens Mid Valley City Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2284 8833
(Non halal. Place is open from 10am to 10pm. For more pictures, see my Flickr set.)
*Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here is entirely based on my personal tastebuds and may vary for others. This review is time sensitive; changes may occur to the place later on that can affect this opinion. The reviewer also declares that she has not received any monetary or non-monetary compensation from this place for writing the review.
In recent years, the snowskin varieties have flooded the market until they seem to have taken over the more traditional baked ones. The mochi-like skin is often dressed up in contemporary flavours that appeal to the young at heart. Sometimes the flavour combinations work while others just fall flat on the face. All kinds of items are used to create interest whether it is alcohol, coffee and even gummy bears. Even the healthy spin is employed in the form of black charcoal powder, spirulina powder to win those watching their waistlines.
This year, most of the snowskin varieties I tasted were generally good. In terms of innovativeness though, I did feel they were kinda unexciting but I guess the public's tastebuds aren't so out there to accept luwak coffee or foie gras flavoured ones that have been parading in Shanghai. I only took exception to a rather sweet tasting white chocolate, raisins and pistachio version from Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur but otherwise all their snowskin varieties were excellent especially their tribute to the King of fruits. For those who just prefer it plain and unadorned, go for the Chef Choi's version, as its silky supple skin with the oh-so-smooth white lotus paste can dangerously lure you to eat the whole box in one sitting.
Hilton Kuala Lumpur
This year's offering from Hilton Kuala Lumpur is the Flower Drum (RM18), inspired by the novel of the same name that was made into a movie and Broadway musical. Coloured a delicate lavender hue, this snowskin white lotus paste mooncake comes with a creamy custard center. The addition of salted egg yolk gives the otherwise sweet confection a much needed savoury edge. We were lucky to attend a mooncake making session conducted by the Chef Chan from Chynna. It was great fun making our own mooncakes with little imperfections. The chef made it look so easy when he demonstrated for us but as each one of us took over, we realised there's so many elements to getting it right. From the rolling of the snowskin to the right consistency, delicately covering the white lotus paste and custard center with the skin and then molding the mooncake. All that hard work definitely makes you appreciate each mooncake that is churned out.
Available at Mid Valley Megamall Centre Court Lower Ground Floor and Hilton Kuala Lumpur, Sentral, Tel: 03-2264 2515.
Chef Choi Restaurant
I often go back to this place specially for their snow skin variety. It may be plain but I do love the super smooth lotus paste with the supple snowskin encasing it. One of my friends, a recent convert to these mooncakes swears she can finish one mooncake box (with four) on her own!
Chef Choi Restaurant, 159, Jalan Ampang, Tel: 03-2163 5866
Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur
For me, Shangri-la sets the benchmark for mooncakes. Everything produced by the hotel gets high praise for me. The only exception is the mini ping pei white chocolate with pistachio flavour and golden raisins (RM17), a flavour combination that was just too sweet. My big favourite is their mini ping pei durian (RM17), filled with luscious and fragrant durian flesh. Equally good is their mini ping pei snowskin (RM15) and the one flavoured with green tea (RM15). Another big favourite for me is the mini ping pei chocolate with ganache, pecan nuts and Chinese tea (RM17). You don't get to taste much of the Chinese tea but the small bits of pecan nuts adds a nice textural contrast to its softness. Best of all the box is simply a great keepsake with its jade-like piece mounted on top of the pink box.
Available at Mid Valley Concourse Lower Ground Floor and Shangri-la Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Sultan Ismail, KL, Tel: 03-2074 3560.
Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur
Befitting its ritzy image, one of my perennial favourites is the decadent Moet & Chandon Champagne mooncakes (RM9.50) from Li Yen. There is even a dusky pink Moet & Chandon Rose version (RM16). This year, Li Yen introduces two new flavours: green tea with custard and egg yolk (RM9) and the wasabi with lotus (RM9). I'm not a fan of the green tea flavour which I feel lacks the slight bitter edge of green tea. However the wasabi flavour adds a tangy refreshing touch to the whole mooncake.
Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur, Li Yen Restaurant, 168, Jalan Imbi, Kuala Lumpur, Tel:03-21428000.
Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur
The mini mooncakes here seem to be shrinking in size as the years go by (this year it is 4cm in diameter for those who love to know) even though prices are kept to the same levels. The mini snow skin with durian paste (RM13) is filled with chunky durian that will please lovers of the King of fruits. The mini snowskin with honeydew flavoured lotus paste (RM12) bears the distinct sweet scent of the fruit.
Available at Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur, KLCC, Tel: 03-2380 8888.
Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore
We seem to have a yearly affair with these mooncakes as my sister hauls back boxes of them from Singapore. This year's version is less oily hence the snowskin has a nice bite to it. The lotus paste is also smooth and not too sweet.
For the whole haul of this year's Mid-Autumn Festival treats, see the Flickr set.
The Mid-Autumn Festival means an influx of mooncakes, the traditional delight you nibble on with a sip of Chinese tea while you savour the full moon. As a sign of respect, mooncakes are also exchanged during the festival between families and friends. They are often given as corporate gifts too hence the booming mooncake business. Fickle tastebuds see the hotels, bakeries and Chinese restaurants vying for the public's tummies with various flavours. However, traditional favourites still remain popular - the sweet and soft lotus paste encased in a baked skin that hides a savoury edge in the form of a salted egg yolk in the centre, which is said to resemble the moon.
In trying these baked skin varieties, one glaring problem stared at my face...the salted egg yolks. Said to resemble the shape of the moon, unfortunately most of these taste like the craters that dot the moon as most I encountered were dry and hard. This seems most evident in mass produced mooncakes as they use salted egg yolks that are brined for a shorter period (more than 20 days is needed for the brining process to create a softer centre, usually 30-40 days). Freshness also plays a part. Some mooncake makers try to alleviate this problem by mimicking the salted egg yolk with custard centers with the salted egg yolk aroma. These custard salted egg yolk centers keep better and avoids that unpleasant hard bite.
On a personal level, the lotus paste mooncake from Shangri-la Kuala Lumpur won me over with its not too sweet and aromatic white lotus paste. It was also very fresh where the salted egg yolk was still soft and moist. A close favourite was the Sunway Resort's low sugar white lotus paste. In the past, I've only done the hotels but this year, I dabbled with the established mooncake makers such as Tong Kee (a brand my mother swears by) and Foh San. They definitely produce pretty darn good mooncakes with aromatic lotus paste and soft skin. However, the salted egg yolks tend to be a little dried out.
A personal favourite of my mother's is the mixed nuts (ngan yan) version and the Chinese ham version (kam tui) hence this year I decided to poke around the hotels to look for a version she'll be happy with. The Shangri-la version is a firm favourite of my friends who swear by its mixed nuts scented with the grapefruit aroma but my mother finds it a tad too dry for her liking. I loved the Renaissance's mixed nuts version (macadamia nuts included!) since it had a soft texture but freshness is an issue. A friend had bought me the mixed nuts version which I loved but when I bought the Chinese ham version, it was all dried out with no evident Chinese ham aromas. Instead, my mother's all-time favourite from Tong Kee kam tui mooncake, won me over with its soft texture and aromatic Chinese ham even though it was not as nutty as the rest.
Renaissance Kuala Lumpur
One must admit I've been very blase about Renaissance's offerings as I still remember one disastrous year where the snowskin varieties I tried were rather dismal. When a friend bought me the baked mooncake with assorted nuts and seeds (RM22), I was won over. Filled with loads of nutty goodness including macadamia nuts, I loved the soft texture delicately perfumed with the grapefruit aroma. I decided to give the Chinese ham version (RM26). Incredibly dissapointing - dried out centre with not enough Chinese ham to give it much aroma. The double salted egg yolk with white lotus paste (RM22) was decent as the lotus paste was not too sweet but it still suffered from the slightly hard salted egg yolk centre.
Available at Mid-Valley Megamall Centre Court, Lower Ground Floor and Renaissance Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Corner of Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan Ampang, KL, Tel:03-2162 2233.
Sunway Resort
Recently, the office was pleasantly surprised with a box of mooncakes from Sunway Resort. The pink box, which comes with a handy handle consisted of four mooncakes with a packet of Chinese tea. We enjoyed the low sugar white lotus paste (RM21) with its smooth texture. Initially, the low sugar jade custard paste (RM22) didn't sound so appealing but I liked the soft custard centre shaped like a salted egg yolk. The low sugar red bean paste (RM20) was decent but got a little cloying after a few bites, while the assorted organic nuts (RM23) was way too sweet and quite dry. I remember a few readers wanted the red dates paste, Sunway Resort has that old styled flavour. Personally I find the red dates paste too sweet for my liking.
For more details on the Sunway Resort's varieties, see this link.
Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur
Another favourite of mine is Li Yen's mooncakes from their baked varieties to the snowkin ones with decadent Moet & Chandon champagne. The lotus paste version is smooth while the kam tui (RM19.50) variety was aromatic with its mixed nuts but a little too sweet for my liking.
Available at Li Yen Restaurant, 2nd Floor, Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur, Tel: 03-2142 8000.
Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur
Every year, Shangri-la's mooncakes are divine and this year's lotus paste is smooth with the best salted egg yolk with a soft centre. I love this year's box, kudos to their design theme as the green jade-like panel adds a classy touch to the whole ensemble.
Chef Choi Restaurant
This Chinese restaurant along Jalan Ampang excels in their super smooth snowskin white lotus paste. The baked variety with the salted egg yolk is just as good.
Chef Choi Restaurant, 159, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, Tel: 03-2163 5866
Foh San
I used to be a great fan of Foh San's Heong Far biscuits (RM26.50 per packet), made from the mooncake skin and studded with melon seeds. However, this year's version is dismal with a doughy texture and imbalance of spices that flavour the biscuit. Since I was buying the biscuits, I also tried their lotus paste with salted egg yolk. While the texture of the lotus paste was nice with melon seeds and a soft skin, the salted egg yolk failed again with a hard center.
Foh San Mooncakes, available at all Jusco outlets.
Tong Kee
Famous for their flaky egg tarts, Tong Kee also produces mooncakes that my mother would religiously buy each year. I really love their kam tui mooncakes (RM16.50), redolent with the smoky aromas of the Chinese ham and the white lotus paste mooncake (RM16.50) is also nice even though the salted egg yolk was a little dry in the middle.
Available at Jusco outlets and Tong Kee bakeries. See this link to their Facebook page.
Equatorial Kuala Lumpur
Equatorial Kuala Lumpur has one of the prettiest boxes around with a colourful butterfly theme. They have some unusual flavours like glutinous rice yam, a nice combination with lotus paste. I was not too keen though on the chrysanthemum pu-er tea version since the flavours were a little odd. Their white lotus paste version is also pretty good.
Available at O Gourmet, Bangsar Shopping Centre, Village Grocer, Tangs at Pavilion KL and Equatorial Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Sultan Ismail, KL. For details, see this link.
Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore
A favourite of my sister's from across the Causeway. These mini mooncakes come in a lovely red box. In terms of texture, the mooncake tends to be a little dry even though the skin is soft. The salted egg yolk is a tad dry too.
For more unusual mooncake varieties in Singapore, do check out Time Out Singapore's round up on the interesting flavours available.
Tomorrow it will be the snowskin varieties. See the Flickr set for the full set of mooncakes.
