Sunday, January 31, 2021

HUAT MORE WITH CONCORDE HOTEL KL'S TANTALI-XIN'S TEMPTATIONS

Dining at home tops the bill this year with my family for the reunion on Chinese New Year eve. Mulling over viable options, the Treasure Pot ‘Poon Choy’ (RM468 nett for 6 persons) from Xin Cuisine, Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur has emerged as an alluring option.

A potful of 16 premium ingredients: Abalone, Dried Scallop, Dried Oyster, Pork Knuckle, Tiger Prawn, Fish Maw, Lotus Root, Yam, Radish, Roasted Chicken, Sea Moss, Mushroom, Broccoli, Chinese Cabbage, Beancurd Sheet and Beancurd Gluten, it makes a great main course for the family reunion meal.

We are delighted to know orders are accepted for Xin’s CNY Takeaway/Delivery packages starting from now until 26 February, 2021. Ensure abundant good fortune for the coming year with Yee Sang (RM88 nett – RM148 nett available in regular/large) in 3 variants: Fresh Mixed Fruits; Crispy Fish Skin & Jellyfish or Salmon & Snow Pear.

Derive greater value from the Abundance Set (RM588 nett for 6 persons) featuring Yee Sang with Crispy Fish Skin & Jellyfish, Treasure Pot, Waxed Meat and Steamed Nian Gao with Shredded Coconut or select your preferred dishes from the restaurant’s a la carte selection: Stewed Pork Knuckle with Sea Cucumber in Brown Sauce, Sautéed King Prawns with Garlic Honey Sauce, Signature Spare Ribs with Champagne Sauce, and Waxed Meat specialities among others.


Sweeten the celebration with Steamed Nian Gao with Shredded Coconut, Deep-fried Nian Gao Roulade filled with Golden Sweet Potato and Tricolor Crystal Brown Sugar Roulade to wrap things up on a high note.

> Pre-order 3 days before your desired collection date.

> For CNY Eve (February 11) orders, pick-up time is from 2 pm – 4 pm

> For takeaway/home delivery, kindly call tel: 03-2144 8750/012 399 5007. Order accepted from 10 am – 7 pm daily. Delivery fee applies.

Monday, January 25, 2021

AUSPICIOUS LUNAR 'NIU' YEAR TAKEAWAYS & DELIVERIES FROM ROCKAFELLERS

A Prosperity Family Platter fit for kings from Rockafellers Kitchen & Bar is a great choice to welcome the Year of the Ox in the comfort of home this year. Executive Chefs Yogi and Jarrod Khoo have rustled up generous servings of Roasted Pork Belly, Red Fermented Beancurd (Nam Yue) Pork Ribs, Whole Roast Duck, BBQ Pork Belly (Char Siu) and Pork Knuckle for the Prosperity Family Platter (RM280 nett, 4-5 persons and RM499 nett, serves 8-10 persons). 


We had a field day digging into the meaty plethora: the assortment left no room for complaints, the riotous flavours satisfied our familial spirits. The proverbial generation gap was seamlessly bridged as everyone picked their preferred cuts.

A treasure trove of accompaniments complemented the meats too. We found crispy dices of pork lard, streaky bacon, baked potatoes, pineapple wedges, broccoli florets, baby carrots, shitake mushrooms and Yorkshire pudding. Sauces to enhance the entire ensemble include roasted brown gravy, apple puree and a spicy sambal sauce.


The Prosperity Menu, available for takeaways and deliveries also features Roasted Suckling Pig (RM370 for ½ pig@2.5-3kg, best for 5 - 6 pax and RM525 for a whole pig @5-6kg, best for 8 - 10 pax) with seasonal baked vegetables, drenched in roasted gravy and sauces to add a ritzy twist to the traditional festive toss.


Timeless classics from the à la carte menu to tempt you range from Crispy Pork Rolls, Baked Salmon Fillet, Crispy Pork Belly, BBQ Pork Belly (Char Siu), and Nam Yu Pork Ribs to heavenly Grilled Mix Seafood Platter comprising tiger prawns, squids, green mussels, slipper lobster and seabass.

Early birds who place their bookings between 21 and 31 January 2021 will enjoy a 10% discount on the total order. Any Prosperity platter order will come with 5 complimentary bottles of Heineken 0.0 too. 


The sumptuous Chinese ‘Niu’ Year food affairs from Rockafellers Kitchen + Bar are available from 3rd February 2021 for takeaways and deliveries, while stocks last.

·       Pre-orders available from 1st February until 28th February 2021

·       A minimum 3 days advance notice is required for orders placed on your preferred date

·       A 50% non-refundable deposit should be paid upon placement of orders

·       Free delivery within a 15km radius 


For bookings and enquiries at Rockafellers, kindly contact:

-        Chef Yogi: +60 10 221 7302

-        Rishen: +60 16 963 2929

-        Sara: +60 12 250 7726

Friday, January 22, 2021

OX-PICIOUS CHINESE NEW YEAR TREATS FROM UPPERHOUSE BANGSAR

 


Niu Niu” – whimsical cow-shaped butter chocolate cookies and a most befitting creation – is one of the 9 delectable cookie options available from Upperhouse to herald the upcoming Year of the Ox.

Lightly buttery and bursts of chocolatey bitterness, the crisp butter-chocolate Niu Niu cookies (RM10 for two pieces) should moo-ve up the cheerful spirits for the young and young-at-heart during the festive season.


Made to order using French butter and top-quality ingredients, this year’s festive array from Upperhouse includes Cranberry Crystal Cookies, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Checkerboard Cookies, Butter Cookies, Pineapple Tarts, Nasi Lemak Cookies, Rose Pistachio Shortbread, and Lemon Lavender Shortbread.

If there’s one variant you must try from Upperhouse, make it the Nasi Lemak Cookies. The cookies’ melting crumbly texture is lush with the richness of coconut milk; its sweet-savouriness bestowed by the inclusion of fried anchovies and roasted peanuts, punctuated with the occasional whiff of aromatic curry leaves in each mouthful.

Coming in a close second is the winsome Lemon Lavender Shortbread. Kudos to the chef for ensuring the lavender fragrance and nuance remains discernible in the buttery shortbread while allowing the bright lemony accent to shine through.


Crushed rose petals and pistachios speckle the top of each Rose Pistachio Shortbread, making them not only lovely to look at but also surprisingly good to nibble on. The floral and nut combination works like a charm as the muted rose scent becomes more pronounced by the natural nut oil when you eat it.


Chewy dried cranberry bits and sugar crystal stud the Cranberry Crystal Cookies, making these subtly sweet treat the perfect CNY gifts for discerning and health-conscious family and friends.

Loaded with chocolate chips and nuts, the perennial crowd-pleasing Chocolate Chip Cookies is a bankable choice that’s sure to please die-hard chocoholics and avid cookie lovers. A failsafe option should you’re undecided on what to buy.


Each jar is priced at RM25 (large – 220gm) and RM15 (small – 135gm). Advance notice of 3 days is required as the cookies are only made upon order to ensure quality and freshness.

Gift baskets from Upperhouse are also available in a classic hamper or “dim sum” basket. Both are priced at RM188 each and comes with decorative Chinese New Year ornaments. The classic hamper contains 5 large cookie jars with a choice of  flavour selection - you can choose from the 8 available (“Niu Niu” is a separate cookie order).

For the 2-tier “Dim Sum” Basket, it's wrapped with a bow for that auspicious look and feel. It contains 2 large and two small containers of cookies, plus mahjong-shaped chocolates, a jar of chocolate spread, a jar of hazelnut spread, and decorative Chinese New Year ornaments.

To order, customers can PM @upperhousebangsarkl on Facebook or Instagram, or WhatsApp Gerard at 011-2872 0083. For full listing of cookies, please visit: www.facebook.com/upperhousebangsarkl/shop

Thursday, January 14, 2021

NEW CONG CAPHE AT ONE UTAMA



An eye-catching showcase filled with rows of colourful thread spools serves as an interesting focal point inspiration at the threshold of the new Cong Caphe (pronounced curb cafe) at 1 Utama.





Opened in late December 2020, local Cong Caphe franchise holder Peter Tan reveals the second outlet ID is based on a textile factory from Vietnam’s bao cap or subsidy period. Hence the decorative elements feature multiple tiers of vintage sewing machines and glass-topped tables strewn with oversized thread spools.






Certain trademark touches such as military green uniforms of the frontline team, retro collectibles and household memorabilia, mismatched rustic and upcycled furniture, sepia snapshots and enamelware complete the charming vintage setting.


The current beverage & food menu is more expansive too. Right from the get-go, young green rice flakes imported from Vietnam make Cong’s Signature Ice Blended Coconut Green Rice Smoothie (RM17.90 tall) a hit with us. 


Flat and almost translucent, we were told those pearly-green rice ‘flakes’ had to be steamed before it’s blended with coconut milk to create the signature smoothie. Subtly sweet and creamy, the distinct drink has tiny chewy bits that are almost reminiscent of glutinous rice.


Two other non-coffee drinks worth slurping up include Fresh Lime Smoothie (RM13.90) and Passionfruit Smoothie (RM15.90). The former is zesty-fresh with the clean sourness and sharper lime zest discernible on the palate while the latter flaunts a fruitier finish.



For coffee lovers, we highly recommend Bac-Xiu, coffee with coconut milk (RM12.90 hot) and Hanoian Coffee (RM10.90 hot). Otherwise, there are neat juices such as tart and green Ambarella Juice (RM13.90) or refreshing Watermelon (RM10.90).


Simple, quick meals are available should you feel peckish. The Beef Ham Rice Noodle (RM16.90) and Chicken Ham Rice Noodle (RM14.90) are fuss-free, ‘meal in a bowl’ options. Think of it as Vietnam's answer to a pared-down poke bowl. 

A jumble of julienne carrot, cucumber, lettuce and pickles, sprigs of fresh coriander, crushed peanut alongside rice noodles and slices of beef ‘ham’ or peppery chicken ham accompanied by Vietnamese fish sauce dressing make this offering a major crowd-pleaser once everything is tossed up and thoroughly mixed. The flavours are vivid and pleasing with enough textural interest to stimulate the appetite. Personally I don't fancy the beefy version but to each his/her own.

An unexpectedly good choice turns out to be Instant Noodle with Tofu and Egg (RM9.90). The smoked beancurd cubes add extra appeal to the chewy Vietnamese Hao Hao instant noodles, with the eggy richness lending hearty substance to leave you replete.


To whet the appetite, consider the house Spring Rolls (RM8.90, 2 pcs). The pair can be a meal for light eaters or a precursor to subsequent choices if you’re dining in a group.

Sandwich enthusiasts may prefer to sample Chicken Ham Banh Mi (RM13.90)  ̶  crusty Vietnamese baguette stuffed with peppery chicken ham slices, chicken pate, fresh coriander, julienne carrot and radish pickles. Alternative versions available include Beef Ham Banh Mi (RM15.90) and Tofu Banh Mi (RM11.90).


Assuage your sweet spot with Cong’s mainstay of Croissant with Condensed Milk (RM6.90) or an assortment of pastries. Notable finds we readily vouch for: flaky Almond Bar (RM8.90) and Orange Poppy Seed Cake (RM8.90). 


Close contenders range from Earl Grey Cake (RM8.90) to Chocolate Cake and Chocolate Muffin, all old-school buttery cakes that aren’t overly rich or cloyingly sweet.

Cong Caphe is offering 50% off drinks from 11am to 2pm with any speciality food purchased for dining in (except on Sat, Sun & PH) from now until 31st March 2021. Enjoy RM5 off Takeaway and Delivery Orders amounting to RM20 - refer to the official website for more informationwww.congcaphe.com.my/webstore


Cong Caphe is located at G130A, Ground Floor, 1 Utama Shopping Centre, Lebuh Bandar Utama, Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Tel: 03-7732 9280. Opening hours (non-MCO) 10am-10pm; Fri & Sat 10am-1030pm. 

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