il Lido Italian Dining + Lounge Bar, KL

Posted on June 4, 2010 by Lyrical Lemongrass

It’s easy enough to get caught up in the excitement after reading EatDrinkKL‘s glowing review of il Lido. It didn’t take much to convince Bald Eagle to go there with me. “You buying?” he asked, his eyes twinkling with mischief, knowing that I would agree because I wanted to go so badly. “Fine,” I said. “Oh, sweetheart, can you also pick me up from the office on the way to the restaurant?” the blackmailer pressed. “I don’t feel like driving in the jam.”

I should have let him starve that night when I found him sprawled on my timber floor.

**************

The amuse bouche was a slice of bluefin tuna, cured and served with balsamic vinegar, its texture slightly chewy, and its flavour subtle, probably from a young bluefin. Good start. As we looked around, a couple of tables were occupied, and the atmosphere was jovial. Service was stellar. As the wait staff hovered around with watchful eyes, I thought to myself that digging the nose wouldn’t be a wise move. I bustled with my GF1 instead, feeling thankful that I had brought a tiny camera instead of the bulky DSLR. I glanced up, and immediately someone came to my side. “I’d like some sparkling water, please,” I said. It came in an instant. I fluttered my eyelash, and someone appeared before me again. I felt like Aladdin. Service was that good. Not only were the staff helpful, they were friendly, courteous and knowledgeable too. Please God, make this last.

Our starter, a pan fried goose liver with saba wine must and sweet potato galette, came with two pieces of liver, fried such that the centres were still soft and melting, although it didn’t possess the requisite crisp surface that I liked. This did not deter from my enjoyment of the dish; the saba wine must tasted very much like vino cotto (I reckon it is probably similar) and it provided a fruity sweetness, complemented by the delicious sweet potato galette. The risotto with gorgonzola cheese was a simple, wholesome dish, bare and unadorned. Barring the intense flavour of the exquisite blue cheese (which you could either love or hate), the rice was soft on the outside but possessed a bite or a crunch, what one would call a perfectly cooked risotto. The shredded radicchio, such a simple vegetable, balanced the flavours of the dish.

Since the restaurant was only in its first week of operation, there appeared to be teething problems, one of which was the speed at which the dishes came out. It wasn’t much of an issue for us as we were happily caught up in our conversation to notice time pass by, but hey, we’re easy to please. The idle time allowed us to observe our surroundings; nice sleek padded seats which looked like Mademoiselle chairs by Kartell/Starck and the most gorgeous and recognisable Skygarden Lights by Marcel Wanders/Flos. One of the private rooms was decked with Louis Ghost chairs by Kartell/Starck. The walls were a mixture of textures, all dark, that allowed the focus to be on the food.

The pappardelle with goose liver, duck confit and shaved truffle was decadent. Cooked al dente, it was obvious that the pasta was made fresh. The piece de resistance was definitely the Sardinian roasted suckling pig. Three square pieces formed the meal, but it was a labour intensive process, starting with a 4-hour confit, followed by chilling, pressing and grilling. The result was the most tender pieces of pork with a thin layer of fat separating the crisp skin and the flesh, all meltingly delicious. The roast was served with sweet tart cranberries that cut through the richness of the dish. By this time, we were stuffed, and shared the creme brulee sampler, and while the servings were small, each mouthful packed a punch.

Helming the kitchen is Chef Samuele Alvisi who hails from Milan and has substantial experience in the F&B industry. Beppe de Vito, the handsome man behind il Lido in Singapore, is also currently around to ensure that there are minimal teething problems. For now, the rooftop lounge is not open yet, but once it is ready, I reckon that it will be an amazing place to chill out, what with the view of the Twin Towers in the distance.

Oh, my husband ended up kindly paying for the meal, so all was well that evening.

il Lido
Lot 183 Jalan Mayang (located directly opposite the Australian Embassy)
Off Jalan Yap Kwan Seng
50450 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2161 2291

Fegato d’Oca con Galletta di Patate Dolci e Salsa alla Saba
Pan Fried Goose Liver with Saba Wine Must and Sweet Potato Galette

Risotto al Gorgonzola e Radicchio con Salsa alle Nocciole
Gorgonzola Cheese and Radicchio Risotto with Hazelnut Sauce

Pappardelle all’Anitra e Fegato d’Oca
Pappardelle with Goose Liver, Duck Confit and Truffle Sauce

Maialino da Latte con Legumi Arrostiti e Salsa alle Prugne
Sardinian Roasted Suckling Pig with Plum Sauce

Combinazine di Creme Catalane
Creme Brule Sampler with Vanilla, Coffee, Pistachio and Strawberry

Simple and classic decor

Ultimo, Solaris Mont Kiara

Posted on May 18, 2010 by Lyrical Lemongrass

Tortellini of basil and cheese, clear tomato and Earl Grey broth, heirloom cherry tomato and soft herbs

I visited Ultimo last month upon an invitation from Chef CQ, the proprietor (via Jek Tan of theQguides.com), to sample their degustation menu, and intentionally timed the publishing of the post a month later to coincide with the definition of Ultimo (so kindly explained by Fatboybakes in his post), i.e. “occurring in the month preceding the present”. As for its relevance to food, one can only imagine how it could take the slow food movement to a new level. Reeeeaaaal slowwwwww. In the Malaysian context, Ultimo brings to mind talented hip hop singer, Altimet (remember Chantek?), although Altimet is far from Australian. Or slow.

It was an evening of discovery for me. Not only was I introduced to Modern Australian cuisine, a result of the confluence of the specialties of different races, all cooked using French techniques, but I also met a cutie who turned out to be (sorta) related to me. I suppose, if I were to trace my roots back far enough, even Fatboybakes would be related to me somehow, possibly when the animals went in two by two (hurrah hurrah) and there was little to do in the ark.

As for the food, I have two words to describe it – simply amazing. A total of 9 dishes were served that evening, and each one was good in its own right.

Salmon Tataki, Confit and Roast, paired with Bosca Verdi Spumante – Italy

Salmon prepared three ways. All three styles still managed to maintain the moistness of the dish despite the varied preparations. I was impressed with the tataki, coated with sesame seeds and quickly seared, which provided a nice crunch to the dish. The confit was cooked to a semi-raw state, thus retaining its flavour, while the roast was delightfully crisp on the outside, possessing a peppery taste, and still moist inside. The wine paired with this dish contained 5% alcohol, and balanced the fattiness of the dish.

Scallop and Prawn Ravioli & Bisque, paired with Peter Lehmann Semillon 2005, Barossa Australia

I expected a bisque, as in soup, but the definition was stretched a little further here. The ravioli was the main star of the dish; the skin was of the right texture and the filling was substantial. The accompanying shellfish (lala) was pickled in lemon, white wine vinegar and orange zest, and this provided just the faintest citrusy flavour to the entire dish. The wine complemented the dish with its bouquet of lemon and grapefruit.

Steamed Eastern Star Coral trout Mousseline, bab bok choy, leek butter and caviar, paired with Katnook Founders Block Chardonnay 2005, Coonawarra Australia

This white fleshed fish with low oiliness was superbly paired with a butter sauce, while the chardonnay with its hint of melon and peach extended its flavour. A long finish wine.

Day braised Pork Belly, Seared Scallop, Cauliflower Puree, paired with Dr. Loosen Riesling 2007, Germany

A sight for sore eyes. The knife sliced through the pork belly like butter and the quivering fat literally melted in the mouth. The sauce was a tomato and raisin puree, providing sweetness to the preparation. The Canadian scallop, perfectly seared, was fresh.

Quail – Crusted Breast, Leg Farci, Chestnuts, Confit Shallot, Cognac Jus, paired with Beaujolais Village Joseph Drouhin 2007, France

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I imagine that quail is a difficult meat to cook, simply because of its size. Overcook it just a little bit, and it will end up dry. Not in this case, though. The quail still retained its tenderness, and the flesh was moist and succulent. The crisp skin was also very enjoyable.

Lamb – Saddle of Lamb, fondant potatoes, garlic puree, mint jelly and pepper coulis, paired with Chateau Franc Cardinal Bordeaux 2003, France

The chef succeeded in getting the texture perfectly tender with none of the harsh gaminess. The mint jelly was served creatively in tiny little cubes but was an explosion of flavour with every little bite.

Wagyu, Galette Potato, Mushrooms and Sauteed Vegetables, Red Wine Jus, paired with Evan & Tate Gnangara Shiraz 2007 Margaret River, Australia

A cut from the rump with little marbling, I was surprised that it wasn’t tough at all. At this point, I was surprised that I was even able to eat anymore. I must have heard a button pop from Aly’s direction.

Trio of Desserts, Strawberry white chocolate tart, Chocolate Bavarian, Classic Creme Brulee

The creme brulee, which contained a hint of rosemary, passed the test, although it didn’t quite match the creme brulee at Mandarin Grill and Third Floor. I’ve always loved white chocolate (although some say it isn’t really chocolate) over other types of chocolate (does this mean I’m not a chocolate snob like the delectable Eiling?), so I ravaged the strawberry white chocolate tart as well. There was also a very good home made earl grey ice cream.

Ultimately, Ultimo impressed simply because of the care that went into the preparation of each dish, the thoughtful matching of ingredients and their belief in everything homemade, from breads to ice cream. Bravo, Ultimo!

Ultimo
13A Jln Solaris 4
Solaris Mont Kiara.

Tel: 03-6204 0887

You may also make reservations via theQguides.com.

Mandarin Grill and MO Bar at Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur

Posted on April 28, 2010 by Lyrical Lemongrass

MO Bar (photo courtesy of Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur)

When it comes to fine dining at Mandarin Oriental, our instinctive reaction is to exclaim that the food is overpriced, even before trying it. This leads to the next question, that is, whether or not the quality and experience justifies the high prices. The proliferation of loyalty/membership cards at hotels have enabled us to enjoy food at hotels at more modest prices, but this then begs the question, would we pay full price for the meal if we did not have the card? It is precisely this issue which will be a struggle for Pacifica and Mandarin Grill (and for that matter, any other restaurant based in a hotel of a similar standard) which hopes to be a dining destination not only for the upper crust but also for the pervasive middle class in Kuala Lumpur.

With such preconceived notions of prices, Mandarin Grill‘s boast and drawing power will have to be the quality and exclusivity of the food. Granted that, due to certain restrictions on halal meat in Malaysia, the best may still not be able to rival that of our neighbours, Mandarin Grill still has an impressive selection of beef, from Master Kobe Grade 10 to USDA Prime 80% Angus and 1824 Australia in various cuts. Much has been said on the blogs about the 1824 beef, a prime aged beef with robust flavour, and indeed, it was very good and tender in a moderately fatty piece of ribeye, which I had medium rare. The 1824 1kg T-bone, which our host Christophe Mousset ordered, came to the table whole, and was subsequently carved in elaborate fashion and served. Incidentally, and here’s where I inject some useful trivia, the blood that you see in your rare or medium rare steak isn’t really blood but myoglobin, a type of protein. This eventually oxidises when it is cooked, resulting in a grey shade. Wiki it for more information.

Two additional notable things that set Mandarin Grill apart from its competitors are, interestingly enough, the cutlery and oven. The oven is a Spanish oven that allows the meat to be cooked evenly and retains the moisture, and the knives are exclusive Le Thiers knives from France, presented to the dinner guest in a wooden box, wherein the guest selects the knife of his choice and proceeds to use it. Far from a novelty, the knife cuts through meat like butter and is a pleasure to use.

If you are a fan of pumpkin soup, you will be bowled over by the pumpkin veloute which has a texture akin to a dense foam rather than a traditional soup, a recipe which Chef de Cuisine, Cedric Darthial, is very proud of. The lobster bisque with armagnac is robust in flavour, making each mouthful extremely gratifying. The foie gras au torchon, which is probably the best way to eat foie gras as it allows the least amount of fat loss in the cooking/poaching process, was excellent and had a lovely buttery texture. The black angus steak tartare is only for those who can stomach raw meat with egg. To me, it was not only a work of art, but also very flavourful and paired wonderfully with the accompanying sourdough bread. Aside from grill items, there is also a selection of seafood on the menu including whole dover sole meuniere. If you have room for desserts, try the hazelnut creme brulee with blueberry compote which has a perfectly crisp surface and lovely custardy centre, and which is probably one of the best I’ve had in KL.

For after dinner drinks, the MO Bar is situated alongside the Mandarin Grill and offers an impressive array of single malt whiskies, from the Lowlands, Highlands, Speyside, Islay and Campbeltown & Scottish Isles. These include Quinta Ruban, Glenmorangie and Highland Park from the Highlands, Auchentoshan from the Lowlands, Laphroaig, Ardberg and Quarter Cask from Islay, Aberfeldy, Glenfiddich and Macallan from Speyside and Springbank from Campbeltown. All these are served by the glass, and thus enables one to sample a wider variety at any one time. The atmosphere at the MO Bar is cozy and relaxed, with an interior of oak and dark wood.

Mandarin Grill, on the other hand, has a contemporary feel about it and has a relatively more casual approach to it as opposed to Pacifica, which is more formal. The decor is charming, with LED lights suspended from the ceiling to resemble modern-day chandeliers and paper animal sculptures scattered all over. I expected more of the service, where orders got mixed up along the way, and hopefully things have improved since my visit several weeks back. For a three course meal (without wine), prices approximate RM300 per person (before tax, on average).