Homestyle Thai cooking by Kanchanaburi-born
chef Chutikan Parnphan or fondly known as Amy rules the roost at Meat &
Sea KL – a Thai restaurant which opened last month in Desa
Sri Hartamas.
Besides the chef’s signature specials, the menu
highlights some Isan (Thailand’s northeastern province) culinary gems such as Moo
Ping (RM18) and Kor Moo Yang (RM18). In Thai, ‘moo’ means pork and ‘ping’ means
barbecue.
Suffice to say, the Barbecued Pork on Sticks Skewers are
showstoppers in their own right: tender and juicy to the bite, the meat delectably
slicked with a sumptuously sweet-savoury-garlicky marinade. Yums!
Ditto for the Grilled Pork Neck. Brimming with
enticing charred smokiness and the on-point fat-lean ratio turned us into proverbial
greedy pigs. The accompanying house dip is great for dialling up the heat- and
flavour-o-meter.
Working with her own supplier
to source for the necessary ingredients gives Chef Amy the freedom to serve
seasonal and off-menu items. For example, although Som
Tum Mamuang or Mango Salad isn’t on the restaurant menu, patrons can request
for it in advance. According to Meat
& Sea KL, they will strive to fulfill customers’ requests for off-menu dishes
provided the
required ingredients are available.
No Thai meal is complete with the ubiquitous tom yum
soup. Chef Amy’s Tom Yum Talay (RM27 – medium, RM38 – large) is chockful of prawns,
squid and mussels as well as cubes of eringi mushroom for extra textural
interest.
The soup’s piquant hotness boasted a nice creamy finish,
underscored by the distinct grassy-citrusy accents of sawtooth herb (Eryngium foetidum) and lemongrass. Few Thai eateries in Klang Valley include the aforementioned
herb in tom yum but it’s such an essential component in its preparation so we
give thumbs up to the chef for being such a stickler to details.
Prepared with equal aplomb, the Khao Ka Moo [RM35 –
medium, RM60 – large, RM110 – whole leg (pre-order)] is a comforting dish of braised
sliced pork leg with salted vegetable, hardboiled eggs and Chinese broccoli. Best
eaten with plain rice, we bet this homespun porcine classic would pass even the
most finicky matriarch’s taste test.
Meat & Sea KL is also one of the rare Thai
restaurants to serve Khai Jiao Cha-Om (RM12), a fluffly omelette laden with Senegalia pennata shoots. Rich in vitamins A, B and C as well as calcium and iron, this
Thai herb is a good source of fiber and phosphorus. According to research, cha-om
also helps to lower cholesterol, has anti-microbial and anti-oxidant
properties. It tastes similar to petai (stink beans) but subtler.
The
chef’s inimitable touches come to the fore in Pla Kaphng Nung Manaw, Steamed
Seabass with Lime and Chilli (RM45 – medium, RM60 – large) and Pad Pak Boong (RM16), Stir-fried Morning Glory with Chilli, Black Bean Paste
and Garlic to differentiate them from the usual Thai versions.
Having
plump slices of shiitake mushroom scattered amidst the steamed seabass, to soak
up the flavourful fish jus was a masterstroke. Another simple yet ingenious trick
was using black bean paste to stir-fry the greens for more rounded and
controlled umami profile in place of shrimp paste (belacan).
Her
delicate handiwork appeared in our Dessert of the Day known as Bua Loy (RM8). Shaped
like dainty pearls in pretty pastel hues, the Glutinous Rice Balls in Coconut
Milk also included pieces of young coconut flesh. Do check with the restaurant team on what’s
the dessert du jour as it changes frequently.
Some
of the house specials such as Tom Yum Talay and Khao
Ka Moo are available
as part of the resto’s lunch sets (RM19 each). A wallet-friendly deal since
some of the meal options includes rice or mee suah, and a glass of ice lemon
tea.
For reservations and more information,
please call Meat & Sea KL, tel: +6 012 800 4833 from 11am to 6pm Tues to
Sat. Address: 1 Plaza Prismaville, Jalan
19/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur.
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