Sunday, November 16, 2014

GRILL FISH STEAMBOAT WITH A DING DING-FERENCE





It was the unique name that piqued my interest to review Private Kitchen's latest promo.
With an unusual name like Ding Ding Grill Fish Steamboat, I couldn't fathom how the exact dish looks like. Now, Hong Kong native and chef owner Lam Fai has always went against the grain with his HK-centric Chinese food and this time, he has chosen to highlight a regional Chinese-style steamboat that few of us has ever encountered.

Named after Ding Ding, a freshwater fish production area in China, the one-of-a-kind steamboat features a rectangular stainless steel tray (similar to a roasting tray) imported from Japan filled with a choice of three stock base: Fragrant Spicy Soup, Typhoon Shelter Spicy Garlic Soup or Fresh Tomato & Sweet Corn Soup and fish: Australian Jade Perch (pre-order necessary at RM98) or Red Pearl (RM58). 

The whole fish is usually partially grilled and placed into the tray so that it would cook slowly, immersed in the broth and kept warm atop a portable gas stove. Diners can add their selection of steamboat items into the tray, making the entire combo a hefty serving of fish and different goodies.

It is interesting to note how different the broths eventually turn out as the meal progresses. Also the resultant taste hinges on the types of ingredients chosen to boost the steamboat base, be it meat (RM6.90 - RM16.90 per dish), vegetables (RM4.90 & R5.90), seafood (RM4.80 - RM20), mushroom (RM5.80), noodles (RM2 - RM3.80) or others (RM1 - RM4.90). 

For our Ding Ding Steamboat, we had Fresh Prawn (RM20), Sea Urchin Balls (RM6.80), Pork Dumplings (RM4.90), Pork Wontons (RM4.90), Egg (RM1), Pork Belly Slices (RM11.90), Homemade Pork Meat Balls (RM6.90), Enoki Mushroom (RM5.80), Thick Beehoon (RM2), Crab Stick (RM4.80), Chicken Fillet (RM8.90), Siu Bok Choy (RM4.90), Nai Bak (RM5.90) and Beancurd Skin (RM4.90).
Interestingly, no dips are provided nor was it necessary as we found the broth and all the ingredients in the steamboat became more flavourful with each passing moment. The Fragrant Spicy Soup was incredibly addictive thanks to its zesty tongue-tingling effect and tasty sweetness from a bounty of sliced zucchini, beancurd puffs, chunks of sweet corn and tomatoes, onion, chilli and garlic. The stock drew its robustness from a blend of black beans with peanuts, Sichuan peppercorns, red and green chillies and coriander.
The Fresh Tomato & Sweet Corn version struck a familiar chord with its simple, uncomplicated nuances; its basic stock of pork bones, pig skin and chicken feet redolent with the warm notes of ginger and clear sweetness of radish.
If you prefer more piquant overtones, the Typhoon Shelther Soup's dau pan jiong (spicy preserved bean paste), sesame oil, dried chilli and fried minced garlic mixture would set your tastebuds alight.
This speciality is best savoured slowly and leisurely with family and friends, especially on a rainy day. It also calls for interactive participation from everyone around the table so stash those smartphones away and get in on the fun!

Private Kitchen is now located at its new premises in SS2 - sited in the bustling stretch known as Chow Yang. The pared-down interior is functional enough to make diners feel at ease, letting them dine in air-conditioned comfort.

For reservations, call tel: 03-7874 8399. PRIVATE KITCHEN is located at 20 Jalan SS 2/10, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Thursday, November 06, 2014

THE MALAYSIAN TWIST IN A JOURNEY THROUGH TIME

“Let’s do the twist” is the clarion call that Shook!’s executive chef Matthew Ona plans to send out for this year’s A Journey Through Time at Starhill Gallery Kuala Lumpur. The premier watch and jewellery exhibition returning for the eighth year will showcase rare private collections, first-in-market editions and exquisite timepieces from over 125 luxury brands, 20 of which are debuting in Malaysia.
Gala nights from 21 – 28 November will see guests relishing scrumptious creations by Chef Matthew Ona and his team at Shook! based on the Twisted Malaysian Fair theme. With the minutes ticking away after we arrived, samplings of what’s in store came fast but not too furious. Dainty rolls of Brown Sugar Smoked Pacific Salmon with Cucumber Yogurt Tzatziki and Salmon Roe quelled our rumbling tummies. Slick and succulent, one could polish off quite a few of them at one go.
Expectations were heightened and met by the Chilled Prawn Salad with Avocado, Cilantro and Toasted Cumin. Cusped in little buttery pastry tart cases, the subtly spiced accent lent an apt touch to the delicate morsels. Rustic and rich with coy tinges of garlic and chives, it’s best to go easy on the Braised Wild Mushroom Vol Au Vent with Roasted Garlic Cream & Spring Chives. These wickedly decadent offerings primed our tastebuds adequately for the upcoming preview dishes.
Chef Ona who hails from Minneapolis, Minnesota, started his culinary journey at the age of 14. From the U.S. to the Bahamas and onwards to Tokyo and Shanghai, Ona was previously the Executive Chef of Shook! in Shanghai before his current KL stint. Wise to the ways of us Asians and our love for strong flavours, the chef soon proved his mettle in pleasing discerning foodies. Veering from West to East, Ona’s time-travelling selection would have the well-heeled crowd savouring every culinary moment during the week-long A Journey Through Time galas
 
The classic French Salad Nicoise appeared in new guise with Ona serving of Yellow Tuna Carpaccio Nicoise-Style, adorning the lightly seared squares of fatty fish with tiny quarters of sun-dried tomato, Kalamata olive, green beans and organic egg. Fresh herbs and lemon dressing lent finishing touches to the bright, summery salad.
Next we were whisked away to Land of the Smiles where the Thai-inspired Spicy Lemongrass Broth sparked riotous flavours on our tongues. Lightly creamy on the palate, the inherent sweetness of shellfish was discernible, melding seamlessly with the broth’s briny-punchy-tangy accents whilst shrimps and seasonal mushroom added bouncy, tender textures.
The main course of Rusuk Rendang Puncak Mahligai brought us back to familiar home ground; emphasising Malaysia’s culinary heritage with beef short ribs grilled and then painstakingly braised like rendang. We love the clean, orderly presentation that makes this perennial delicacy so haute; the buttery meat set atop a pool of smooth unctuous spiced gravy, accompanied by a pair of turmeric-poached shallot, crisp slivers of fried ginger and kaffir lime leaf, crowned with a whole red bird’s eye chilli.
Using local fruits and herbs to great effect, the Malaysia Flavour 2014 dessert was a mind-boggling platter; a future-forward creation that looks like a UFO. The stunning ensemble is something that I think the Demon Chef aka Alvin Leung would approve of…we went wild over the cornucopia of lemongrass jelly, coconut mousse, pandan sponge, mangosteen sorbet, peanut gianduja crème and gula Melaka sago pearls. Like pieces of a puzzle, the different components somehow fitted perfectly and caused time to stand still.

For details on A Journey Through Time, visit www.ajourneythroughtime.com.my or call
SHOOK! for reservations: +603 2782 3875. Address: Feast Village at Starhill Gallery,
Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur

Monday, November 03, 2014

TEN HOT HITS OF CHENGDU CAN DO

Mapo tofu, hot pot and dan dan noodles are some of Chengdu’s most famous dishes. Hailed as UNESCO’s City of Gastronomy, the capital of Sichuan province sets foodies’ imagination and tastebuds alight with its plethora of kick-ass chillies and Sichuan peppercorns. Local dishes run the gamut from fried and stewed to steamed and boiled with strong fiery-hot to sour & spicy flavours.
To spur more Malaysian visitors to visit Chengdu which is also home of the world-famous giant pandas, the Dorsett Grand Chengdu has flown in their chefs: Zhou Xiang Rong, Bill Wang and Harry Chen for a charm offensive; enticing food-loving locals to sample the city’s piquant fare at the Chengdu Can Do Food Festival from 27 October to 16 November.
Topping the hot chart is Beef Shank with Chilli; the slices of flinty meat flecked with bits of red chilli gently scorching the tastebuds amidst the leafy bright freshness of coriander.
Coming in a close second is the ‘ma la’ (tongue-numbingly hot) yet tender Steamed Chicken in Chilli Oil with a rounded nuttiness from the generous sprinkling of sesame seeds in it. Blunt the burning effect with some Papaya with Honey Sauce or refreshing Lettuce with Sesame Paste.
Briny and zingy accents coupled with crunchy texture rule in the Marinated Black Fungus with Chillies and Jellyfish Head in Vinegar with cucumber strips heralded a welcome change of flavour dimension as the appetisers go.
Third winner has to be Double Boiled Duck Soup with Pickled Radish – an appetisingly sour, salty and mildly spicy broth with little yellow chilli padi in it. The faint-hearted may opt for a slightly unctuous but heartwarming Seafood Broth with filigree strands of egg or Assorted Mushroom & Bamboo Pith in Superior Soup – by far, the mildest broth with a peppery edge similar to that of pig’s stomach soup.
Notable mains to look out for include Steamed Fish with Chopped Chilli, Green Peppercorns and Garlic, Kunpao Prawns and Beef Ribs with Green Chilli. We picked the bones clean off the fish; its inherent sweetness amplified by the accompanying piquant topping.
Kungpao Prawns
Cashew nuts, rotund dried baby chillies and diced spring onion lent layers of textural and robust dimensions to the springy prawns coated in some caramelised sticky sauce; effectively reining in a bit of the diminutive chillies' kick-ass hotness.
Interestingly, the chopped green chillies piled atop the beef rib slices tasted more herbaceous than spicy hot; its fresh acidity balancing the meat’s lush richness.
More little round chillies made their presence felt in the Braised Duck with Chillies. Bathed in mildly tangy-sweet tomato sauce, the duck was so fork-tender that we could scoop up the meat with a spoon.
Ramping up the hotness to mega sweat-inducing levels are Braised Sea Cucumber and Braised Abalone with Mapo Tofu. The first offered a plethora of textural contrasts – from the crunchiness of bamboo shoot to slippery succulence of mushroom set against the warming heat of ginger, the smoky zing of diced red bird eye chili, the fresh clean taste of chopped green scallions and the pungency of garlic.
Tart and zesty hot, Chengdu’s famed mapo tofu – diced custard-soft beancurd flavoured with Sichuan peppercorns, red chilli oil and minced pork was given a luxe touch with whole abalones bearing criss-cross patterns.
The Boiled Dumplings with Chilli Sauce were decent too; stretchy wheat skin parcels generously filled with minced chicken with scallions. Again the ubiquitous chilli paste gave them a delicious punch that won’t scorch your tongue too badly.
It would be unthinkable not to try the Poached Noodles with Vegetables in Hot Chilli Oil. Freshly hand-made by the chef in attendance, the rough ribbons of chewy noodles are pleasantly tangy having been tossed in a sourish vinegar-based dressing with black fungus giving extra crunch.
Vegetable dishes are no less intriguing in the Chengdu foodscape. The crunchy and sweet Stir-fried Cabbage with Chillies won us over with its faintly charred overtone.
Spice fiends may prefer the Mixed Vegetables in Chilli Oil – a lethal pool of tart and fiery-red chilli oil brimming with fish cake, fish balls, bamboo shoot, beef balls, squid and sliced lotus root.
Surprisingly, the Boiled Mustard in Mineral Water was better than we had expected; the green’s delicate sweetness enlivened by a dollop of ground chilli paste.
The Chengdu Can Do Festival is held at Checker’s Café and served buffet-style at RM88++ per adult for lunch and RM108++ for dinner.

CHECKER’S CAFÉ, Dorsett Regency KL, Jalan Imbi, KL. Tel: 03-2716 1000

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