1.
“I am living in a landscape that marks the clock
Where heat is the brief midsummer play
Of jasmine on the slated roofs.”
It is the season of the coming and going of friends.
A brief weekend of girlish giggles over insightful, whimsical, intellectual, playful Readings at Seksan’s, where she read her poems to an attentive crowd, shortly after he read his lovestruck lovelorn writings.
“I’ve lost that endless season
Of sun and rain
Where I eked out existence like a
Lizard on a rock
Quick to run and fix my beady eye
Upon the blazing sun.
Recall, the sudden squall
The gust of wind
The towering rumble from canyons of air
Beating on my pedaling schoolgirl frame
Lonely, toiling uphill past the house
of love lost and friends betrayed.”
He brought a delicious butter cake that sang of sunshine and laughter. It was warm and rich, kissed with rosemary syrup and a hint of sea salt. We ate it after Readings, under the trees, under the setting sun.
2.
We dined at Chiaroscuro. Not to be confused with churrascaria (a brazilian steakhouse), this is an Italian tratorria which means light and dark, referring mostly to the decor, with simply done up walls in grey and tableware in white in muted lighting all around. We were served thick cut bread to dip into little bowls of sundried tomatoes in olive oil.
Greek salad (RM22)
The key to a good salad is fresh and good quality ingredients. The greek style salad with capsicum, onion, cucumber, fresh tomatoes and fennel with the most wonderful fluffy feta cheese was delicious.
Whitebait polpette with balsamic reduction (RM26), Bresaola (RM28)
The fresh whitebait polpette had the appearance of fritters rather than meatballs. The balsamic reduction with its lovely syrupy consistency elevated this dish to higher level. The thinly sliced bresaola, with its salty taste from the curing of the meat, tasted lovely with the grilled mushroom, mixed salad and smoked cheese. The dish was drizzled with lemon olive oil.
“I’ve lost the peculiar awareness burning
At the timid nape of my neck
At tender junctions of elbow and knees
The brown peel chafing away to new skin.”
Clockwise from top left: Beef carpaccio served with rocket cress salad, shaved parmesan & truffle oil dressing (RM28), Pan roasted pork tenderloin with potato, spinach and balsamic vinegar reduction (RM46), Spring chicken with mediterranean style vegetables (RM34), Homemade fettuccine pasta with crab meat and baby spinach (RM28)
“Sudden morning incense makes me long
For my grandmother’s red altar
And the Jungle Book,
Hiding from afternoon times tables
My mother makes me chant from a sheet.
Trailing after her at the market
The loud,”CHOP” of steel parting meat
The bag of chicken feet, or nangka
Or petai, pigs liver, roses and chat
To the Aunties of the street
With their curious eyes lingering
Between my shoulderblades.”
Other than the balsamic vinegar reduction, nothing masked the robust flavour of the pork tenderloin. The spring chicken was roasted well, but lacked saltiness, an easily rectifiable deficiency. The carpaccio was matched with rather strong ingredients, but they complemented each other rather well.
“Here the kinetic buds foretell
The rain of blossom on the black tar road
Endless patter of water at midnight
Fills me with cool relief
Seasons come and
Leave my past to another country.”
From a poem entitled “Lost Seasons of the Sun and Rain” by Pey Colborne, read at Readings at Seksan’s on May 24, 2008.
Chiaroscuro
Ground Floor, 38 Bidara, (Behind Istana Hotel)
30 Jalan Bedara,
50200 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2144 8006
Also see The Zest of Life.
LL: The way you put your posts together are miniature works of loving art. Thank you for spending a lovely weekend with me and I’m really touched you liked my poem enough to put it in your special blog. Big Hugs! xx
Ah, I remember those two wonderful days well. I have my version of our night out at Chiaroscuro up already; will have something on “Readings” posted on Monday hopefully. Thanks for sharing with us one of Pey’s wonderful poems, dear. 🙂
more interested in the Carpaccio, reminds me of beef sashimi.
Good find.
Great photos. Yummy food. Sad thing is that these menu prices will be shooting up. 🙁
had it last week, the ambience definitely puts u in the mood to ease and the food was rustic and delicious..bread was definitely handy if your food had a lot of sauce!
wow, what a feast! poetry reciting + bloggers gathering = memorable outing + fine blogging material. 🙂
Msiagirl, thanks for the poem (s). I love them all. You have an amazing talent. And it was wonderful to spend time together, even if it was just a weekend.
Kenny, I thought that one was supposed to be anonymous? 😛 I echo Nigel’s comment on your blog. Muahahahaha. But seriously, am very proud to have attended both your Readings sessions. Now waiting for your book!
Henry: Yeah, I guess it’s beef sashimi. Really yummy too!
Tunku Halim: Yeah, it’s great to come across finds like this. And I hope some of them will maintain their prices (wishful thinking?).
lotsofcravings: I like the ambience. It’s very unpretentious. I can’t wait to go there again.
J2Kfm: Yeah, it’s the other events in our lives that makes our dining experiences more memorable.
I still cannot pronounce Chiaruscuro…..but lovely food. And ooo..promise me you will bake me that cake after you class.
you know, i’m a sucker for salads – a good caesar or a greek salad are the best!
have you tried goat’s cheese feta? it’s got the right combination of pungency and bite to it 😉
rosemary syrup with butter cake…
sounds exciting ~ ^_^
Can I endorse Msiagirl’s comment… This blog is so beautifully written and photographed, that it is no wonder that the visitor countre keeps ticking over and the comments keep flooding in.
The most aesthetically pleasing blog I have ever seen, and a tribute to LL’s creativity. Let’s hope it continues forever more.
Msiagirl and Kenny Mah rocked!
…and i am waiting for the day when the lyrical lemongrass reads of her sashimi experiences to an audience who has yet been awed by her inspiring posts, like this one.
Her posts are always inspiralling, which reads, inspires more and more with each post. Great pictures, and great writing….
I’ve still a long way to catch up on poetry…
Precious Pea: My cake? You mean you’d risk your life to eat a cake baked by ME?? *kissing your feet* I’m so touched!!!
james: where’s the bluntknife? Salads rock, eh? I agree with you. Goat’s cheese feta…hmmmm…I think I’ve tried that.
ling239: you’ll have to try it! Especially when it’s warm…it’s just soooooo goooooood.
Steveky: Awwww…..*wipes tear away* You’re so sweet! Thanks. It makes a difference when one puts one’s heart and soul into something.
HairyBerry: Long way to go babe…looooong way to go. But hey, thanks for your vote of confidence!
Bernsy: Thanks for teaching me a new word today. Inspiralling. hehehe. Now feeling the pressure. 😛
Jason: Well, some of us write (Msiagirl and Kenny Mah) and some of us read. So you and I fall in the latter category. That’s okay too. 🙂
good food and great company..what else to ask for? 😉
After Readings, you’re most lyrical than ever ;o). Great piece of work!
Lovely LL! Well written and lyrical. Like your nick! 😉 Hugs. Need to get around to writing mine! 😉
I’m beginning to really dig the way u arrange your posts lyrical. Keep it going!
Yet to submerge soulfully even by a whiff of the dimmest shadows into this higher spiritual / gastronomic love / escapade
that tall chap right yonder sure looks deeply immersed ( even without us peeking )
toni
Ciao Ms. Citronella! it’s lovely to see people who enjoy food at our restaurant and the group of you brightened the space considerably with your happy spirit and warm laughter. Thanks for your positive take on our food and we look forward to your next visit (perhaps a romantic one with your avian other half?)
Lastly, a note on our menu prices – while it is our policy to keep them reasonable, food cost has been rising and there will probably little adjustments here and there 🙁
Thanks again and best regards from the two of us..
Very delightful poetry from Pey. Pretty photos, too. Both your works are inspi-and-transpirational!
How bad could it be, rite? Uhm..rite?
sc: best formula in the world!
wmw: We try. hehe. Thanks!
Nigel: Thank you! Can’t wait to read your post. 🙂
daphne: Hehe…Well, it can’t always be like this. But I’ll see what I can do. 🙂
team bsg: Gastronomical adventures come in many forms. 🙂 Yeah, that tall fler is perpetually immersed and oozes “jiwa”.
Carol & Andrea: Lovely meeting you that day. Carol, you have a great way with your customers…was just reading Joe’s post…he mentioned you too. 😉 Yeah, we can be a bit loud sometimes. 🙂 (pointing at Nigel) Will definitely drop by again with the Bald One. (not pointing at Nigel)
argus: Our works are transpirational? Hmmmm. Trying to think outside the box. Nope. I give up. 😛
Precious Pea: Oh….you dunno what I’m capable of. 😛
Means quite near Palate Palette?
Simon: Betul! But not exactly there la. This one is directly behind Istana Hotel.
BLARDYHELL! I’m only loud because of the company I keep. (Pointing at LL)
PEA; It’s pronounced, KEY-AH-RROSS-KOO-ROH 😉
nice piece here.. tks for linking too…
i understand that you know joe as well? lets do Li Yen (if you’ve not done it yet), beginning of july…
I oso give up figuring out ‘transpirational’ — must’ve eaten one too many mushrooms. Again. (Transpire — mmm, maybe I meant something meaningful going on, or it made me take in a deep breath. OK, give up.)
thanks to your post on chiaroscuro, i decided to celebrate father’s day with hubby and son there today. But I’ve been so dissappointed!! They didnt allow me to take any photos… eventhough I gave Carol my word that I will not blog about it. Now that just spoilt our Father’s Day celebration this year 🙁 I could see that Andrea was really mad and pissed!! Im never gonna go there again, and I must remember to ask beforehand if Im allowed to take pictures of the food b4 I make a reservation anywhere.
BUT, the food was good 🙂
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