Prime, Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur

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6oz Imperial Wagyu strip loin with braised oxtail in roasted tomato ragout and slow-poached Idaho potato ragout

I like reading about our neighbours down south, and last week, it was about a bear hoax.  (Slow week for you guys, eh?)  It was an amazing example of viral marketing gone wrong and an apt reminder that not everything you read (or view) on the web is gospel truth.  Social media has progressed by leaps and bounds but there is always the pervasive question of how much is too much.  Don’t people consider the consequences of their actions on others any more?

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Freshly baked bread served with three types of butter (made from Echire butter)

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Foie gras experience – charcoal grilled, crème brûlée and terrine

Today’s post is about honest-to-goodness steak, grilled with just salt and pepper, naked and glorious.  If there is an equivalent of shouting on the internet, let me do it now by proclaiming that Prime is my favourite restaurant for good steak.  I go there once in a couple of months when I’m feeling indulgent because I’ve come to realise that there is a linear relationship between good steak and its price, and the enhancement in value is more than just marginal.

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Wagyu prime rib – 1 kilogram

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Seared sea scallops, parmesan potato, poached egg, fresh herbs dressing

Prime has a good selection of steaks to choose from.   My favourite order of all time (when there is company and a hearty appetite) is the Wagyu Prime Rib, a robust 1 kilogram slab of meat with an unhealthy (but extremely satisfying) portion of intra-muscular fat cells that literally allow the meat to melt in the mouth with every bite.   The meat is succulent and sweet, but I’m still fighting a losing battle when it comes to finishing a 500-gram portion.  I admit, I’m a wimp.

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Slices of Blackmore Wagyu beef oyster blade served with beef consomme, Asian spices, noodles (see below) and sesame sauce (not available on the menu now)

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140 grams braised Blackmore Wagyu beef with homemade BBQ sauce

Bald Eagle and I were at Prime a couple of months back to celebrate my birthday, and coincidentally, it was during the Blackmore Wagyu Beef promotion (which ended in August).   The Blackmore Wagyu beef is apparently known for its high marbling (score of 9+) which results in a smooth, buttery taste.   The feed is free from genetically modified foods (a secret ration developed over the past ten years) and the calves are fed this special ration for between 500 and 600 days.  Even though the Blackmore Wagyu promotion has ended, Prime has included it in its ala carte menu where a 220g striploin goes for RM388.

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Imperial Wagyu cube roll (220 grams) served with bone marrow creme brulee

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Imperial Wagyu tenderloin (220 grams)

Prime’s current promotion is the Imperial Wagyu beef.   Like the Blackmore wagyu, the calves are fed on an antiobiotic-free, hormone-free diet and the meat purportedly contains 30% more Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. (Contrary to what you may think, there is no fishy smell hehe!)  This food-tasting session was courtesy of Ms Cheryl Lum of Le Meridien KL, and thanks to our numbers (all of three!) we got to try the tenderloin, striploin and cube roll (ribeye).   I liked the cube roll thanks to its lovely marbling and robust flavour; the tenderloin was a lot more subtle in flavour and a bit of a letdown when compared to the other cuts.   The charcoal grilling lent the meats a beautiful aroma and none of the meats were adulterated with sauces or other obtrusive flavours.

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Chilled mango cheesecake, crackers crumble, coconut cream jelly and chocolate

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Crêpe Suzette, preserved orange zest, rich vanilla ice cream (Cointreau liquor upon request only)

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Rich hot chocolate cake, chocolate sauce, stracciatella ice cream (my birthday treat)

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Rich hot chocolate cake, chocolate sauce

Other types of steaks are available at Prime too – Australian Black Angus (200 days grain fed, 120 days grain fed, gourmet pasture-fed), Organic Australian beef, USDA choice grade beef and Australian Master Kobe.  Different cuts are available, and done to your preference.   A whole array of sauces are available as well.  For those who do not eat beef, Prime also serves seafood, lamb and chicken.  I loved one of our starters, a pan seared scallop dish with poached egg that was done perfectly, both warm and wobbly.

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Jago’s Vanilla Vodka Cream Liquor

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Bald Eagle and I indulged in a bottle of Moet et Chandon for my birthday…if only everyday could be my birthday…..

Note: The above post is from a combination of two visits, the first was my birthday celebration in August while the second, an invited review from Le Meridien two weeks ago.

Prime
Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur
2 Jalan Stesen Sentral, KL.

Tel: 03-2263 7888

Senses at KL Hilton – MIGF Festival Menu 2010

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I have my reasons for not being overly excited about the Malaysia International Gourmet Festival (MIGF) but upon chatting with Michael Elfwing, the Chef de Cuisine of Senses at KL Hilton, I realised that I had been thinking only from my perspective and had not considered the chef’s point of view.  “This is the opportunity for the chef to shine,” he said.  “In the MIGF, the spotlight is on the chef, and I’m excited to be a part of this.”  He said it with such honesty and earnestness that I felt like I had to re-examine my reasons for not being a fan.

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If it weren’t for Michael, who happens to be a personal friend as well, I could probably go through this month without trying any MIGF menus.  Thanks to him and the PR folk behind KL Hilton, Bald Eagle and I were invited to dine at Senses as their guests. Together with Chynna and Iketeru, the restaurants from KL Hilton were participating in the MIGF for the 6th consecutive year following the theme “Three Outlets, Three Chefs, three Festival Promotions And A Michelin Starred Chef”. One of the highlights of the festival is the special guest chef appearance of Chef Christopher Coutanceau (from 14 to 16 October 2010) from 2-Michelin starred restaurant, La Rochelle in France.

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I subscribe to Michael Elfwing’s Flickr feed, and was already somewhat aware of what he was going to offer to his guests, but as you already know, seeing something doesn’t evoke the same sensation as being present and eating it. All senses are employed, tickled and tantalised with a menu such as that presented at Senses right from the beginning when the edible menu is placed before you. It is a novelty to eat the menu (made of potato starch and printed with edible ink), served with taramasalata (fish roe dip), but before you know it, it’s all gone and you wonder how you’ll be able to tell what your subsequent dishes are!

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A word on the butter at Senses – I used to be bowled over by Echire butter (known as one of the best butters in France), but after trying Bordier butter at Senses, I can’t imagine ever eating anything else again. It is an artisanal butter created by a Frenchman, Jean-Yves Bordier, and is made slowly by hand.   The resultant flavour is intense and creamy, a little on the salty side, and immensely and exceedingly enjoyable.

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Canapes were served together with the edible menu – an egg shell filled with scrambled egg espuma, a sponge with miso inspired by Paco Roncero, and Senses’ trademark macarons filled with foie gras.  As this was not meant to be a dessert macaron, the macaron was denser and less sweet than normal, and when you think about it, a whole lot of experimenting has to be carried out to achieve the texture with the use of less sugar or a sugar substitute.

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I first ate a salad in the guise of a flower pot at the Mandarin Grill at Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong.  I remember falling in love with the presentation then (as an added bonus, the vinaigrette was sprinkled onto the pot with a tiny watering can), and seeing the Organic Flower Pot at Senses, I couldn’t help but draw parallels with my dinner at the Mandarin Grill HK.  The fact is, save for a handful, no particular menu is exceptionally revolutionary and chefs inspire other chefs; at the end of the day, we benefit from their continual feeding off of each other’s minds.

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Heston Blumenthal dreamt of a gold leaf soup for his latest menu, which in turn is Michael’s inspiration to create a Golden Tea soup, essentially dried consomme wrapped in gold leaf and held together on a string, much like a tea bag.  Hot water is poured onto it and the package dissolves into a soup.  Very thinly sliced lamb tongue provides a burst of intense flavour.

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One may see the Smoked Jade Tiger Abalone salad as a departure from the Modern Australian cuisine which Senses boasts of, but as Michael claims, abalone is as much an integral part of Australian cuisine as it is in Chinese cuisine.  Sliced abalones braised with konbu, smoked mushrooms and sea lettuce make up the dish that is presented on a stone atop a piece of smoked cedarwood.  The cedarwood is more aesthetic here as opposed to  the subsequent dish where cedarwood is used in the baking process for the organic beef cheek.  Nevertheless, we enjoyed this dish, particularly the synergy achieved from the combination of the konbu and sea lettuce with the abalone.

senses collage

The menu at Senses is as much theatrical as it is functional as demonstrated in the main course – the Stanbroke Organic Beef baked in clay.  A piece of beef cheek is slow cooked after barding with truffles, encased in cedarwood and clay and then baked.  The “package” is rolled out on a trolley and cracked to reveal the tender meat within.

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Despite the performance, I preferred the lesser star of the evening, the Dorper lamb rack.  I was mesmerized by the tiny rack, probably about a third of my fist, and what captivated me the most was the flavour – it was sweet but mild and very succulent.  The cooking technique involved preparing it in truffle gel, a molecular technique which enabled the truffle jus to adhere to the flesh, and this ensured that the flavours were evenly spread over the rack.  The accompanying French lentils did nothing for me as I’m not a fan.

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Our palate cleanser was inspired by Michael’s Scandinavian heritage – a roughly grated frost with violet meringue, vanilla gel, gin and leatherwood honey.  Dried berries complemented this fragrant mound of ice.

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I expected our desserts to be three dimensional like our earlier dishes, but it came presented as naive art within a picture frame.  The flower petals were a jelly like texture made of poppy flower extract mixed with Ivoire chocolate and water.  We loved the banana ice cream that was served together with the “flower”.

The menu is available at Senses from 1 – 31 October 2010 at RM318++ per person (without wine pairing) and RM398++ per person (with wine pairing).  Hilton Premium Card members will enjoy a 10% discount off on food only.

Thank you, Michael Elfwing and KL Hilton for your kind invitation!

Senses
Hilton Kuala Lumpur
3 Jalan Stesen Sentral, KL

Tel: 03-2264 2592/2596

Also check out:
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Hennessy X.O Appreciation Grows Gastronomy 2010 with Chef Alvin Leung

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We had just come back from Bali the day before, browner than normal and exhausted from the days of doing…well…almost nothing, except for eating and lazing by the pool with martinis in our hands.  The weather gods were not on our side.  Despite the sunny days which allowed us to get our tan, the evenings were wetter than a striptease bar and we were thus compelled to enjoy our sunsets huddled in claustrophobic spaces.

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I used to sink into severe depression at the end of vacations. I’d cry myself to sleep because I’d always have left a part of myself miles away in some foreign land.   My most meaningful holidays are usually the ones spent with people who matter, and I’m not perturbed about not having time to see famous sights.  You can’t carry those in your heart, but people…you can.

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Glass Garden

On my last trip to Hong Kong, I was rather devastated about not having time to dine at Alvin Leung’s Michelin-starred restaurant, Bo Innovation.  I had researched his cuisine and printed out information in anticipation of a mind-blowing experience, but it never happened, and so I was quite ecstatic when the PR company for Hennessy X.O Appreciation Grows series, Milk PR, contacted me and asked if I’d be interested to attend the event and sample Alvin Leung’s cuisine.   I did several leaps of joy in my rather subdued accounting office, then sent off a reply immediately saying Yes Yes Yes!

Meeting Alvin Leung was like a dream come true.   Not all my wishes materialised, though – I had wanted to try his molecular xiu long bao, but it wasn’t on the menu.   I had no cause for complaint, though, as the menu for the two nights that I was present managed to put a big smile on my face.  Two menus were offered to guests – the non-vegetarian and vegetarian menu.   Like me, many others sniggered at the idea of opting for a vegetarian menu for a dinner that was worth RM800 per head.  No foie gras?  No wagyu?  How cannnn…?

I grew up in a household where we were vegetarians one day a week, and although I am averse to certain types of leafy green vegetables, I wholeheartedly approve of vegetarian cuisine.   Nevertheless, it took me some convincing to opt for the vegetarian menu by Alvin Leung, but I figured that I’d do myself a favour by eating just a little less foie gras for a change.

Some of the items were similar for both menus.  The opening dish, called Glass Garden, seemed aptly named with withered branches in an electrifying green and brown soil, entirely edible and immensely enjoyable.   The menu had described this dish as “an avant garde Hong Kong interpretation of a garden dish, made from baked morel soil, dehydrated enoki, braised caterpillar fungus and green onion puree.”   As unattractive as it sounded, the green onion puree was heavenly.   It had a silky, buttery texture which seemed to lightly graze the tongue, but we learnt later that no butter was used in this dish and it was extremely healthy.

Everything was close to perfection.   The pan-fried foie gras on my first night was good but not exceptional as it was a little too mushy and lacked a crisp surface, but my second time trying it (off a friend’s plate) showed a vast improvement in the dish.   Likewise, the dessert of kikorangi blue cheese, milk, cream and dried longan granita seemed disproportionately doled out with the piquant taste of the blue cheese overpowering every other flavour, but this was quickly rectified the next night and it finally occurred to me why the good chef would pair a seemingly chinese dessert with blue cheese.  The resultant dish with the ingredients combined was a creamy iced dessert with a mild sharpness in flavour from the cheese.

One other dish that caught my fancy was the Kukomi Intrigue, a dish created from boiled chicken soup, sous vide egg white, foie gras and julienned truffle.  The flavour was like a pure extract of chicken essence, and the texture was a thick, curdled consistency from the egg white, foie gras and truffle.  The vegetarian version of the soup was less attractive in appearance but every mouthful was extremely pleasurable.   The ingredients seemed rather similar.   The egg white was present, as was the julienned truffle, but the vegetarian version was bursting with the flavour of mushrooms.   Fans of mushrooms would also have been thrilled with the vegetarian menu, where an assortment of fungi such as enoki, morels, black truffles and ceps were used in the cooking.

Only two types of beverage were served together with the specially planned menu – water and Hennessy X.O cognac.  The pairing of the food with the cognac was excellently done.  Hennessy X.O could very well be my tipple of choice in the future!  Halfway through the meal, we were given the opportunity to savour the Ultra Limited Edition Hennessy X.O Mathusalem created by master blender and secret keeper, Yann Filloux.  Speeches were aplenty, and Alvin Leung was a delight to listen to.

The event was held for six nights in September at a specially built “dome” in Bukit Kiara Equestrian Club with constantly changing 360 degree visuals on the walls with every new dish.   Tables were adorned and spilling with flowers and crystals, and guests were dressed to the nines in line with the black tie theme.   Service moved like clockwork.  It was absolutely beautiful.

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Table setting

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Hennessy X.O

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Har Mi – A perfectly executed crouton of carabinero, sauteed capellini, roasted cherry tomatoes and deep-fried sage

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Mystique Morel – A distinctive delight made from sauteed morels, braised Korean vermicelli, onion foam, dried morels and ceps

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Bloggers in action hehe – BabeKL, Lyrical Lemongrass and Nigel Skelchy

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Bloggers in action Part II – Alison Victor, Alilfatmonkey and Fatboybakes

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Palate Fantastique – With pan-fried foie gras, metilcellulose and xantana

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Puntalette risotto

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A different table setting

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Beautiful people

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Kukomi Intrigue – An umami dish created from boiled chicken soup, sous vide egg white, foie gras and julienned truffle

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Vegetarian soup created with egg white, mushrooms and truffle

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Bald Eagle with the Mathusalem

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Regional Brand Ambassador Arnaud Mirey with Paprika

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Wagyu Wonders – Sous vide wagyu striploin, cheong fun and black truffle

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Risotto Relish – A dish of sauteed cauliflower, preserved duck egg sauce and sauteed yak cheese

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Managing Director of Riche Monde Malaysia, Frederic Noyere on the right

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Eastern Ascent – kikorangi blue cheese, milk, cream and dried longan granita

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Tiramisu with X.O

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FBB is pleased

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Great job, guys!

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Beautiful

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Me and Alvin Leung and everyone else

Thank you, Adeline, Janis and Wei from Milk PR, and Andrew and Frederic from Riche Monde Malaysia for inviting us and for making our dreams come true.