Hakka Republic, Menara Hap Seng

Posted on June 5, 2009 by Lyrical Lemongrass

Welcome to Hakka Republic where the only thing Hakka about this place is this smiling naked peeing kid.

Corn bread and sweet buns

Okay, the truth is, I have no inkling as to what Hakka decor is supposed to look like, but I must say that I was very impressed when I stepped into Hakka Republic last night. The place is dimly lit, perfect for a romantic tryst but not necessarily for that purpose only, and the decor is oriental chic, classy with dark wood fixtures, high ceilings and wall to wall windows that overlook the bustling Changkat Raja Chulan road on one side and a rooftop garden on the other side. A bar counter separates the dining and drinks section, and whilst the tableware, music and decor suggest a classy environment, there is no dress code at Hakka Republic. Good news for those who are glued to their slippers.

Steamed Grade 9 Wagyu with Ponzu Sauce (RM120/100g)

The corn bread and sweet buns are such a treat for our asian palates which are more accustomed to softer breads. Grade 9 wagyu is served as a starter here, and the marbling is perfect for steaming, resulting in melting tender slices, which, when dipped liberally into the ponzu sauce and sesame sauce, is simply remarkable.

Tuna Tartar with Green Tea Cold Soba (RM25 for a full portion)

Champagne

Wild Trio Mushroom Soup with Truffle Oil (RM22 for a full portion)

Ciku Sorbet – palate cleanser

The menu is clearly Western with Japanese influences. Chef Adi Radzi has trained for several years in Japan and his accumulated experience of 11 years in the industry there is put to good use at Hakka Republic. Another starter, the marinated tuna tartar served with springy green tea cold soba with a citrus dressing, is an example of Chef Adi’s prowess in Japanese cooking. The mushroom soup is rich and thick (although I didn’t quite taste the truffle oil) but the William Fevre Chablis 2005 with its fruity nose and mild acidity was an excellent pairing that reduced the cloying feeling from the soup.

Miso Marinated Black Cod (RM55 for a full portion)

Slow Braised Black Angus Beef Cheek with Creamy Polenta (RM52 for a full portion)

Wines

Between the two Mains that I tried, I preferred the slow braised black angus cheek with creamy polenta over the miso marinated black cod with braised baby kailan and sesame dressing. This certainly doesn’t indicate that the black cod dish is substandard; au contraire, it was excellent too with its buttery texture that absorbed the miso seasoning. But the angus cheek was gelatinous and melt-in-your-mouth and so amazingly good that I had to stop myself from yelling Hallelujah for this RM52 dish of ecstasy.

Desserts – Hakka Republic’s Special Rich Fruit Cake with Brandy Sauce, Sticky Date Pudding, Baileys Infused Croissant and Butter Pudding

Desserts felt like Christmas, especially since fruit cake was served. No complaints here. Everything was good.

Enomatic Machines

I first heard about the Enomatic Machines from Masak-Masak’s blog and was keen to see it for myself. Hakka Republic is perhaps the only bar in Malaysia that owns one. The enomatic machines allow bottles to be opened and protects the wine from oxidation. They purportedly preserve the quality of the wine for up to three weeks. With up to 16 bottles attached to the machine, this basically means that customers can have tasting portions of any of these wines (at different prices) instead of purchasing full bottles.

The restaurant runs Friday lunches (4 courses) at RM48+ (without wine) and RM86+ (with 3 glasses of wine) which I think is pretty reasonable for food of this quality. I also like the fact that it’s happy hours all day long on weekends!

Thanks very much, Sue Lim, for the invitation to dine at Hakka Republic. Please note that the food featured above are all tasting portions and are thus smaller than the actual serving size.

Hakka Republic (website HERE)
Lot 2.05, Level 2
Menara Hap Seng
Jalan P Ramlee
50200 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2078 8908/9908

Open daily for lunch and dinner (exception: closed Saturday lunch).

Pork free.

NB: Thank you Ryan Khang and Fatboybakes for kindly inviting me to Hakka Republic. I’d be lost and lonely and friendless without you.

Hi, I’m Chucky! Mummy sez don’t play wif your food (Artistically created by Ciki of CumidanCiki)

Rama V, Jalan U Thant

Posted on May 26, 2009 by Lyrical Lemongrass

This great purple butterfly,
In the prison of my hands,
Has a learning in his eye
Not a poor fool understands.

~William Butler Yeats, “Another Song of a Fool”

Yesterday, I spent a couple of hours writing what I thought was a pretty good piece on Rama V, but….I fell asleep while reading it.

Writing something, be it a blog post or a cookbook, isn’t as simple as rattling off a few thoughts. It’s about engaging the audience and putting your thoughts across clearly. And most importantly, it’s about knowing when to stop.

If you bring that sentence in for a fitting, I can have it shortened by Wednesday.

~MAS*H, Hawkeye, “The Gun”

The restaurant still retain its old charm, parquet floors, popular in the 70s, and bathtub in the restroom. The tables are dotted with jasmine buds which permeate the air with a mild scent. Lights are dim and warm, and the stage is set for an evening of indulgence.

Mieng kam

Mieng kam, served as an appetiser, has all the elements of an appetite stimulant. Birds eye chillies, peanuts, toasted coconut, onions, ginger, dried shrimps, sweet peanut sauce and chopped limes are wrapped in daun kadok. The time-tested combination is one that works – obviously.

Chor Ladda – blue dumplings stuffed with chicken and shrimp – recommended

Kao Tan Na Tang – crispy rice with minced chicken – light, crisp and crumbly…an excellent appetiser

Yam Som O, Yam Hua Plee – pomelo salad and banana blossom salad

The predominant ingredients seem to be chicken and dried shrimp, and the characteristic tangy taste of lime in many Thai cuisines is present in some of these dishes. The Chor Ladda, blue dumpling, is new to me, and while I’m not overly excited about the thick and chewy skin, I do love the minced chicken and peanut filling due to its savoury-sweet taste. Heck, I’d order it again just to behold its beauty. The restaurant takes pride in its presentation, and as a guest, I am enthralled. It is a night of firsts, as I enjoy the banana blossom salad which contains coconut milk to give it a richer texture.

Tom yam talay, Hor Mok Talay

Some like it mild, some like it spicy. But if you ask for a spicy version of the tom yam, you’ll be greeted by searing hot pain and numbness. I LOVE the mild version as the flavours are more discernible. The otak-otak, presented in a wooden mould that houses individual portions, is something that we ended up having mixed opinions over. I thought it was slightly overcooked, but some felt it was soft and moist and thus perfect.

Pandan chicken -flavourful, one of Bald Eagle’s favourites

Deep fried garoupa fish in three types of chilli

Green curry. I found this a little too mild

River prawn with thai chilli paste – very fresh. Excellent and highly recommended

Fried Wonton – crisp beancurd skin enveloping minced chicken meat – I LOVE THIS

Kailan with salted fish – the salted fish is of superior quality and enhances the overall flavour of this dish

Black pepper beef – the green peppercorn creates a mild burst of peppery flavour in the mouth – yummy!

The distinguishing factor about the food at Rama V is the quality of the ingredients and the subtlety of flavours. Ingredients are used sparingly but sufficiently to ensure that they are not overpowering. Rama V removes the common misconception that Thai food is fiery hot and spicy.

An array of desserts

Pumpkin custard – my favourite

Luk chup, Royal Thai dessert

Luk chup – sweet desserts – looks like chilli, feels like chilli, but it ain’t chilli

Make room for desserts. You won’t regret it. I love the pumpkin custard, a unique preparation of custard within a slice of pumpkin topped with shredded egg yolk. The durian and mango pulut are also outstanding. Unfortunately, the luk chup (glazed mung bean dessert) is only available on special request, and I hear that it took them two days to prepare this dish. Again, I am impressed by the details and the finishing. The sweet mung bean filling is very smooth and refined.

Singha beer is available

Party at Rama V

I visited Rama V three times in a span of two weeks, and on all occasions, I found the quality consistent. Service was also attentive on all occasions. Prices? You will be surprised to know that they are very reasonable. Appetisers are on average, about RM20 per dish, while mains range from RM20+ to an average of RM60 on the higher end. Desserts are from RM11 to RM22.

However, ultimately, any dining experience is pushed to superlative heights by the celebration of friendship.

Rama V
No. 5 Jalan U Thant
55000 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-21432663
Opening Hours: 11am-3pm, 6.30pm-11pm

Note:
1. Thank you to the hosts, Andre Shum and Danny Jee, for first introducing the restaurant to us.
2. Bon Voyage, Jules…it’s been great.
3. Check out Cumidanciki, Fatboybakes and Jules’ reviews of Rama V.

Tatto, Jalan Damai

Posted on April 2, 2009 by Lyrical Lemongrass

Random Thought #1

I tasted an awesome macaron two days ago. Yes, “an”, as in One. Why not more? Remember your first kiss in the rain? Nothing after that is ever as amazing.

Random Thought #2

I’m in love with Paco Roncero. I used to be a molecular gastronomy virgin, but a couple of days ago, I had a small sample of his mastery. All my senses were ignited by this man who used to train under Ferran Adria. For a limited time only (until 4 April 2009), you will be able to sample his creations at Senses, KL Hilton. The price? How can anyone place a price tag on brilliance such as this? Fine, it’s RM450++, and I’m still working on Bald Eagle. An early anniversary present, perhaps, darling? We have to top LifeforBeginners‘ wonderful week of wooing (www), if that’s even possible.

Nahhh…..

Random Thought #3

Is that smoke coming out of her nostrils?

You’re beautiful….you’re beautiful….you’re beautiful, it’s true…..

******

T.A.T.T.O.

Focaccia, risotto and fagottini

When I first heard that Al Nafourah at Le Meridien was going to be replaced by an Italian restaurant, the first thought that crossed my mind was, “Do we need another Italian restaurant?” Then when Bald Eagle mentioned to me that an Italian restaurant had replaced Kafe Ceylon Hill at Jalan Damai (a place where we used to organise quite a bit of our social functions), again, the same thought ran through my head like a Bloomberg stock feed.

“What’s it called?”, I asked.
“Tatto.”
“You mean, Tattoo,” I offered kindly.
“No, I mean, Tatto.” Firm and resolute.
“The O fell off, didn’t it?”
“My nostrils are laughing.”

(Oooh, 2 nostril jokes in a day.)

Tatto interior

Tatto means sense of touch. It somehow sounds lovelier in English. Then again, I only know 1 1/2 languages and thus hardly qualify as a linguist. The decor is understated, simple and elegant. Lots of black and red. Fits perfectly with that little cocktail dress.

Portobello mushrooms

I was hooked from the moment the focaccia was placed before us. The balsamic vinegar and olive oil combo did nothing much for me, but the bread was saturated in oil and butter making it a delicious way to start our meal. From the antipasti menu, we ordered the ovenbaked portobello mushroom with tomato and mozarella, which was presented like a croquet and fried in breadcrumbs. Quite a change from the usual preparation, but still pleasing enough, especially with all that cheese oozing out with every bite. The herby tomato sauce provided a nice tangy flavour to the overall experience. He had the bresaola (air dried meat), sliced paper thin, with grapefruit and cherry tomatoes with a lemon dressing.

Clockwise, from top left: fagottini, bresaola, the bar at Tatto, risotto

A special menu is prepared weekly highlighting the chef’s specials, and it is worthwhile ordering something from this menu as opposed to the regular ala carte. My homemade fagottini (basically, little dough parcels encasing veal and ricotta, and suspiciously resembling wantans) with an asparagus brown butter sauce was just wonderful. My only complaint would be that I could barely taste (or see) the veal, but everything else was good. Because of the cheesy buttery taste, the quantity presented was just perfect. Anything more, and the theory of diminishing returns applies. His crab risotto with sauteed tiger prawns and asparagus was bursting with flavour, with visible bits of seafood in generous portions. Not as creamy and smooth as I’d expect it to be, but still very tasty. The pasta won hands down, of course.

Chocolate mousse

The world’s pretty small, and chances are, you’ll find out that there are only two degrees of separation between yourself and the stranger next to you. So as it turned out, and to cut a long story short, Bald Eagle had once communicated with one of the owners of the restaurant over a piece of bad meat in another restaurant where the owner used to work.

“You got her into trouble?” I asked Bald Eagle.

“No, they were actually very apologetic about it,” he replied.

“You reckon she’s gonna spit in your risotto?” I teased him. “You won’t be able to tell spit from cream, you know.”

No, she didn’t spit in his risotto. Hehe. In fact, dear Tabitha went one step further by offering us desserts on the house. A sampler, if you like. Two pieces of chocolate which she called chocolate mousse. And true enough, upon biting into the thin surface, the centre was a mousse-like texture. Absolutely lovely.

Prices are comparable with other Italian restaurants like Nero Vivo and Chiaroscuro. For food alone (and after tax), we paid almost RM180 for two, for starters and mains only. The main edge Tatto has over many other restaurants is the personable service they provide to the customers, mostly because the owners are also on the floor giving knowledgeable advice on menu selection. After all, nothing irks one more than receiving glazed looks from untrained waitstaff when asked for recommendations, eh? And the food’s great too.

Also check out Eat Drink KL‘s thoughts on Tatto.

Tatto
No. 19, Jalan Damai
Off Jalan Tun Razak
50400 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-2166 5212

Open daily (except Mondays) for lunch and dinner. Closed Mondays.

A Whiff of Lemongrass

NOT a food blog

Category Archives: Location: Golden Triangle

Hakka Republic, Menara Hap Seng

NB: Thank you Ryan Khang and Fatboybakes for kindly inviting me to Hakka Republic. I’d be lost and lonely and friendless without you.

Rama V, Jalan U Thant

~William Butler Yeats, “Another Song of a Fool”

~MAS*H, Hawkeye, “The Gun”

Note:
1. Thank you to the hosts, Andre Shum and Danny Jee, for first introducing the restaurant to us.
2. Bon Voyage, Jules…it’s been great.
3. Check out Cumidanciki, Fatboybakes and Jules’ reviews of Rama V.

Tatto, Jalan Damai

NB: Thank you Ryan Khang and Fatboybakes for kindly inviting me to Hakka Republic. I’d be lost and lonely and friendless without you.

~William Butler Yeats, “Another Song of a Fool”

~M*A*S*H, Hawkeye, “The Gun”

Note: 1. Thank you to the hosts, Andre Shum and Danny Jee, for first introducing the restaurant to us. 2. Bon Voyage, Jules…it’s been great. 3. Check out Cumidanciki, Fatboybakes and Jules’ reviews of Rama V.

~MAS*H, Hawkeye, “The Gun”

Note:
1. Thank you to the hosts, Andre Shum and Danny Jee, for first introducing the restaurant to us.
2. Bon Voyage, Jules…it’s been great.
3. Check out Cumidanciki, Fatboybakes and Jules’ reviews of Rama V.