Saturday, November 09, 2013

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE CHEF KIND

Foodies had a field day recently when two celebrity chefs made their waves in Kuala Lumpur recently. Firstly, Sean Connolly - the leading man for Asian Food Channel's (AFC) Under The Grill and On The Grill series cooked up at a storm for the local media members.
Hot on his heels came Korean celebrity chef Edward Kwon whose debut TV show, Ed-Ventures in Asia (also shown on AFC) was feted for his appointment as Honorary Chef of Berjaya University College of Hospitality (UCH).

Lucky fans and media invitees had a chance to get up close and personal with Australian based Connolly - one of Oz's and NZ's most respected and recognisable chefs at Samplings on the Fourteenth. He also gave us a sampling of his culinary wizardry by rustling up three courses within a short span of time.

The delicious aroma emanating from his first dish of Grilled Garlic and Prawns was enough to leave us drooling with anticipation. The actual creation naturally tasted sublime; the succulent crustaceans laced generously with golden, rich garlicky sauce.
 

This was followed by a splendidly grilled Australian Ribeye with Miso Hollandaise, Fondant Potato and Watercress. The steak was cooked just how I like it - medium rare bursting with flinty juiciness that was good to the last bite.

Crowning the session with a sweet flourish was a simple and oh-so-refreshing Fresh Berries with Elderflower Jelly and Raspberry Lime Sauce dessert.

For more information on Asian Food Channel and Sean Connolly, visit www.asianfoodchannel.com/seanconnolly


In a separate event, Korean celeb chef Edward Kwon flew in specially to receive the Award Certificate for his appointment as Honorary Chef - the first ever presented by Berjaya UCH - from Executive Director of Berjaya Corporation Bhd, Freddie Pang.

Also present to witness the event was Chung Chi-won, Consular Attaché from the Korean Embassy and representatives from the Korean Tourism Organization as well as other invited guests from the hospitality, tourism and corporate circles.
As a successful entrepreneur, Kwon is also the Executive Chef of EK Restaurants, The MIXED ONE (a Californian style family restaurant) and Eddy’s CafĂ© (a casual dining outlet). Bubbling with enthusiasm, Kwon enthused that he looks forward to share his expertise and experience in the Culinary Arts and Entrepreneurship with the Berjaya UCH community. 
Thanks to his international experience and illustrious career, Kwon is one of the few Asian chefs who confidently deals with incessant media scrutiny on his vocation and varied business interests while lending unstinting support to guide young, aspiring chefs who want to follow in his footsteps. Devoid of airs and diva attitude, Kwon readily made time to pose for photos, speak with the local media and acknowledge his adoring fans; completely charming everyone in his wake.

Congratulations to Chef Edward Kwon for the honour - his fans and Berjaya UCH Culinary Arts students shall look forward to see hin more often in Malaysia.

For more information on Berjaya UCH, visit www.berjaya.edu.my

Thursday, October 31, 2013

MAKAN KITCHEN'S MONTHLY SPECIALS




Look out for fresh inspirations from Makan Kitchen's Chinese sous chef Cheong Boon Fei the next time you dine there.


In October, the youthful chef impressed us with his Cantonese showcase featuring an array of signature appetisers, BBQ specialities and a la carte dishes. We believe there will be more interesting specials that will take the spotlight for the coming months - not just from the Chinese kitchen but also other sections. After all, Makan Kitchen's unique concept covers Indian, Malay, Nyonya and even Sarawakian under its roof.
We were lucky to sample a premium selection of fine Cantonese delights such as whole steamed fish with scallions, ginger and sesame oil (the unmatched classic), scallops on half shell with glass noodles and garlic, and Buddha Jumps Over The Wall. 
When it comes to steamed fish, the Cantonese does it best. The sumptuous garoupa that we had was top notch even though we had to allow ardent shutterbugs let their cameras 'feast' on it first!

Dainty hand-made dumplings are always something to look forward to here. They may be stuffed with interesting filling of otak-otak paste, minced chicken, garlic and kaffir lime leaves or yield characteristically 'ching' (clear) flavours that are so beloved by the Cantonese.
My mouth still waters at the memory of the 'wor tip' or pot-stickers that we had - those delicious pan-fried, crimped dumplings filled with chopped chives and minced chicken.
Tiny baby abalone, bamboo pith and dried scallop were some of the treasured goodies in the sweet, velvety soup. Slightly unctuous on the tongue, it was warmly comforting and came served in a whole winter melon.

The steamed scallops with black beans atop clumps of glass noodles also struck a nice chord; their delicate sea-sweetness and rounded beany brininess absorbed by some glass noodles.

Chef Cheong also proves to be a dab hand at cooking loh shi fun - those fat, rat tail-shaped noodles that we Chinese are so fond of. Stir-fried with minced chicken, some piquant chilli paste and choi poh (preserved vegetable), the noodles soon had us returning for repeat helpings.
Keep your eyes peeled for similar special dishes on Makan Kitchen's rotational menu for dinner in addition to the regular parade of Malay, Indian, Nyonya, Iban and Melakan Portuguese specialities.

Price: RM98++ per adult (Thurs-Sat), RM92++ (Sun-Wed) for buffet dinner

For reservations, please call Makan Kitchen, tel: 03-2172 7272. Address: Level 11, DoubleTree by Hilton KL, Jalan Tun Razak, KL.

Saturday, October 12, 2013

DELICIOUS NEW TEMPTATIONS

Delicious at Bangsar Village 2

The restaurant business is all about survival. After 9 years in existence, Delicious has grown from a small tea room to 10 full-fledged cafés - expanding beyond the Klang Valley to Penang, Johor Bahru and Singapore under the E&O Group.
Delicious at St Mary's Residences KL

Now under the stewardship of new CEO Steve Allen, Delicious is set to maintain the pace and last the distance with a revamped menu. According to Allen, the new line-up is more streamlined with 20 new dishes and 20 new drinks taking pride of place. Of course, crowd favourites remain and have been given slight makeovers to freshen their presentation.
Delicious at Straits Quay Penang
"There's still a good variety to please diners," said Allen. "From our internal discussions, the offerings now include more fresh and healthier ingredients such as vegetables and fruits. We also use organic Colombian coffee for our Deli'spresso (espresso based ice blended beverage) so the flavours really come through."
Spiced Apple Tea

The cafe chain also has Spiced Apple Tea (RM8.90++), The Delicious Iced Tea - a cool blend of strawberry, mint and English breakfast tea (RM8.90++) and Spiced Apple Chai Latte (RM9.90++) to please tea lovers. Fruitier concoctions to tickle healthy tastebuds include Passionfruit Yoghurt Crush (RM11.90++) and Frosty Lychee & Lime (RM10.90++).

Feeling peckish while deciding on what to eat? Order a plate of Lebanese Bread with Caramelised Onion Hummus (RM10.90++) to share. The warm triangular pieces will be gone in a twinkling believe us.
Snow Peas, Long Beans & Sundried Tomato Salad
I love the Long Beans, Snow Peas & Sundried Tomato Salad (RM23.90++) with Crushed Pistachios in Creamy Dressing. It's a crunchy ensemble that's not overly cloying but redolent with nuttiness and toasty hints of sundried tomato.
Crispy Soft Shell Crab Salad
The Crispy Soft Shell Crab Salad (RM27.90++) with Som Tam seems a tad heavy for my personal liking but the tangy yet crunchy shredded papaya salad is a nice touch. I foresee fans of soft shell crabs will find this Thai-inspired creation worth tucking into.
Chicken Avocado Wrap
Frankly, I'm not a fan of chicken breast or pesto so I'd gladly pass on the Chicken Avocado Wrap (RM24.90++) -  Lebanese bread wrapped and rolled with poached chicken breast, butterhead lettuce and basil pesto mayo. But I'm sure plenty of health-conscious folks out there will consider this heavenly manna.
The Delicious Club Sandwich
Stacked with grilled chicken, turkey bacon, egg and tomato slices on toasted brioche smeared with pesto, The Delicious Club Sandwich (RM26.90++) is more to my liking. I guess such a classic creation really can't go wrong, can it? A notable ensemble of meaty, hearty goodness that you'd never tire of.
Dry Tossed Sambal Linguine
Firing up local palates in the pasta section is Dry Tossed Sambal Linguine (RM29.90++) with Fishballs, Calamari and Tiger Prawns. Should this be too hot for you, the Seafood Marinara Spaghettini (RM25.90++) may prove a viable alternative. Scattered amidst the robustly flavoured garlic tomato sauce are squid, prawns and anchovies that lend the pasta extra textural interest.

Beef Short Ribs Herbal Soup
Malaysia's strong, piquant culinary accents and multi-cultural heritage are evident in the Beef Short Ribs Herbal Soup (RM27.90++) and Chicken Kapitan (RM24.90++). The former is inspired by a popular meat and herbal broth dish; the beefy soup admittedly has greater depth that is soaked up by the other components: chewy soba noodles, shiitake mushrooms and bok choy.
Chicken Kapitan
As for the latter, I personally find the semi-dry chicken curry lacks oomph but diners in general may find it acceptable if they can't stomach overly spicy food. Served with some very good Acar Rampai (crunchy, tangy carrot and papaya pickles), prawn crackers and steamed rice, it's bound to go down well with rice fiends.
Salted Caramel Choc Cake
New cakes on the block to savour range from Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake (a contest winner creation, RM12.90++) and Banana Caramel Cake (RM12.90++) to Gula Melaka Decadence (RM12.90++), Berrilicious Chocolate Pavlova (RM13.90++) and Lemon Meringue Pie (RM12.90++). Just the kind of sweet conclusion that die-hard sweet-tooth diners crave.

Banana Caramel Cake




Find the nearest Delicious outlets to you via http://www.delicious.com.my/

Monday, October 07, 2013

INSTAGRAM AND WIN!


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