PRINCELY SET LUNCH AT JOON DINING

Lamb, lobster, dry-aged chicken. These are some of the tempting choices you'd find Joon Dining's Set Lunch...minus the princely sum. The restaurant’s 3 course Set Lunch at RM48++ per person and 4 course for RM60++ per person is a good deal these days.

The culinary force here is 43-year old Tyrell Joon whose fine-dining credentials include stints at the much-lauded Les Amis and Iggy’s in Singapore. Opened last year, Joon Dining is part of the Rare Food Company; the modern, minimalist restaurant is located at B.Land in Petaling Jaya where several other hipster joints are also onsite.

 

Chef Joon said “the set lunch is a pared-down version of our degustation menu. Our aim is to entice more local diners to try Joon Dining’s specialities; enabling them to learn about my modern European cooking infused with Asian influences. We hope they will understand and appreciate the new ingredients we use, and our innovative food preparation techniques such as meat ageing and sous vide. We also want to educate more people on food and wine pairings.”

The Set Lunch first course comprised warm, house-made Ciabatta Roll with Garlic Lemon Butter – a nice starter to whet the appetite whilst we perused through the list of five starters, five main courses and two desserts.

My personal favourite starter is the truffle oil-scented Mushroom Cappuccino with Sourdough Melba Toast. Foamy at first sip, we took to the lush and creamy soup instantly; relishing every delicious spoonful in-between bites of the crisp wafer-thin toast.

Tossed with shredded lettuce, purple cabbage and chunks of pomelo sacs, the refreshingly tangy Baby Octopus al ajillo style (it means cooked in garlic) came flecked with crisp garlic and chilli flakes. This on-point salad also got the thumbs up.

Chef Joon’s Sautéed Wild Mushroom with slightly chewy Duck Gizzard and Balsamic Crème proved winsome too. We enjoyed the varied range of textural interplay from the custardy soft onsen egg, chewy gizzard and tender fungi. The lightly toasted pieces of bread were great for mopping up the sauce.

Another locally inspired appetiser is Pani Puri. The fried semolina-wheat dough, sized like ping-pong balls, came with an appetising filling of diced salmon, compressed apple and ginger ponzu dressing. So fun and delightful to eat.

Vegetarians and health-conscious diners may opt for Roasted Cauliflower with Salted Egg Gribiche, Pumpkin Seeds, and Sultanas. Joon tweaked the gribiche (French cold egg sauce) with salted egg yolks, emulsifying it with oil and mustard then adding chopped chervil to finish. Sultanas and pumpkin seeds lent mild sweetness and crunch to the dish.

Zingy Sichuan peppercorns’ tongue-tingling heat dialled up the appeal of Mala Mongolian Lamb Ragout. Served with mini fried mantou buns, we had a field day chomping on the juicy chunks of lamb amidst soft radish pieces and deep-fried lotus root crisps.

Chef Joon’s meat-ageing showcase is exemplified by his Free Range Dry Aged Chicken Confit with Tajin Lyonnaise Potatoes and Sweet Corn Velouté. Complemented by sweet, creamy smooth velouté, caramelised onion and fried baby potatoes, the tender chicken and spiced potatoes hit the spot for us. He told us the ageing process tenderises the meat and intensifies its flavour.

For a supplementary charge of RM18, you can savour the chef’s show-stealing Lobster Pasta. The natural sweetness of the wild-caught spiny lobster meat was accentuated by mellow spicy-sour kimchi sauce, making it a superb pairing with his fresh, handmade pasta.

Tuak along with chilli and garlic was Joon’s choice to flavour his famed Vongole Pasta (RM48). Suffused by the heady rice wine and aromatics, the Bornean clams’ sea-sweetness was thoroughly soaked up by the house-made pasta.

The Super Seafood Paella (supplementary charge of RM28) was laden with clams, prawns and half a lobster (mixed seafood may change dependent on catch of the day). Rendered with tomato cream and sweet basil aioli, this hearty rice dish left no room for complaints.

From the a la carte line-up, we fished for Broiled Izumidai with Ulam Raja Parmesan Espuma and Choy Poh Popcorn (RM58). TBH, we found the tiny bits of preserved radish ‘popcorn’ barely made a difference to the sweet white Nile tilapia, somewhat eclipsed by the more distinct nuances of parmesan and local herb.

Dessert was a tad underwhelming as only Lemon Cheese Curd Tart was available during our visit. Even though the tart had canned peach slices and honey tuile as adornments, the lemon curd didn’t leave any impression.

Dry-ageing eel and chicken in the special cabinet at Joon Dining

For reservations at Joon Dining, call tel: 016-848 4257. Address: Lot 1, b. Land, 2, Jalan 51a/225, Seksyen 51a, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Business hours: Mon-Sat 12 noon – 2 pm; 6 pm – 9 pm

 

HOT WOK EATS FROM WOK HEY

Tasty, fast and convenient Asian stir-fry dishes with a modern twist. Singapore’s WOK HEY – a fast-casual, Asian stir-fry take-out kiosk concept has made its maiden debut at Sunway Pyramid recently.

Inspired by the cornerstone of Cantonese-style cooking, WOK HEY was founded by Huang Changyong and Jake Chia, in 2017 whose idea was to create modern interpretations of traditional Asian stir-fry staples in a box. To cater to a broader consumer segment, WOK HEY offers customisable stir-fry dished based on two Asian staples: rice and noodles.

Jake Chia, Co-founder/Director of WOK HEY says: “WOK HEY was built on the belief Asian stir-fry staples can become mainstream in the fast-casual category globally. Having created this modern and well-loved concept in Singapore, we knew this is the right time to introduce the brand to our neighbours.

“With a wide variety of meticulously sourced ingredients from regional farming communities and rice harvested from the luscious paddy fields in Japan, WOK HEY offers more than 2,000 possible combinations of high quality, affordable and fresh meals, appealing to all Malaysian taste buds.

We’ve spent a lot of time and effort working on the supplies, processes and staff training, to ensure the best quality possible in Malaysia. Hopefully the local community would love our food as much as we do."

A simple launch ceremony was performed by Chia together with Huang Changyong, Founder of WOK HEY, and Virose Yung, Senior Manager – Leasing of Sunway Pyramid to mark the official opening of the maiden WOK HEY outlet.

The open kitchen allows customers to view the entire preparation and cooking process at WOK HEY: from the wide selection of quality ingredients going into each dish, the high hygiene standards of the meals, the live cooking with eco-friendly custom-made kitchen equipment, to the packing of customers’ food orders in specially designed boxes befitting WOK HEY’s on-the-go concept while maintaining the food freshness.

We sampled the Egg Fried Rice (RM10) with Seasoned Prawns (RM13.80), Asparagus (add RM1.50) and Tobiko (add RM1.50) and Fresh Udon (RM12) with Braised Beef (RM15.80), Broccoli (add RM1.50), Shimeiji Mushroom (add RM1.50) and Capsicum (add RM1.50).

Each serving was surprisingly generous – it came up to a big plate once the portion was transferred from the box. Both the fried rice and udon were better than we had anticipated; delicious with a smoky tinge.

Also available are Shanghai Fried Rice and Fresh Ramen with a choice of Grilled Chicken, Braised Beef or Seasoned Prawns, in addition to various other toppings at an additional charge.

Lauded as Singapore’s Best Fried Rice, and the Most Innovative F&B Brand (Multiple Outlets) from Restaurant Association of Singapore in 2021, WOK HEY has 34 outlets in Singapore and will be opening its second outlet in 1Utama Shopping Mall come July 2022.

For more information and updates on WOK HEY, visit wokhey.my, FB: https://www.facebook.com/mywokhey/ and IG: @mywokhey. Address: Unit no. LG2.43A, Sunway Pyramid, 3, Jalan PJS 11/15, Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Opening hours: 11am - 10pm

 

DAILY MAKANTHON AT DORSETT GRAND SUBANG

Dim sum. Chinese dishes. Barbecued items. Noodles. Appetisers. Soup.  Western and local fare. Dessert. Close to 50 tempting culinary choices are yours for the picking at only RM68 nett per person when you partake Dorsett Grand Subang’s newly launched Makanthon promotion.

Available daily from 6pm to 10pm at The Emperor Restaurant, the unlimited, 'eat all you can' feast is a boon if you want your wide array of dim sum and other specialities in one sitting. New norm SOPs are in place to ensure you dine in comfort and safety with family and friends. The trick is to go slow and steady; take your time to sample the extensive variety available. Portions are kept small so you can try as many dishes as possible then go for repeat servings on those that catch your fancy.

 

Family-friendly and wholesome appetisers to tease the palate include Loaded Potatoes (stuffed and baked potato with creamy-cheesy filling), Dorsett Wings (scrumptious with the housemade sauce), Caesar Salad (great for loading up on your greens quota) and Marinated Jelly Fish with Mini Octopus (piquantly flavoured with a toothsome crunchiness).

Friends who tried the Dorsett Mushroom Soup gave it the thumbs up while the Double Boiled Soup of the Day (it was Lotus Root with Chicken on the eve of our visit) ticked all the right boxes for us too.

Youngsters partial to Western fare will enjoy Pan Pizza Mahalo and Mini Cheese Burger. Both exceeded our expectations; the former generous with melted cheese and the latter, a mini, delicious beef patty with medium-rare doneness.

While the Grand Mee Mamak and Char Kway Teow pass muster, the Chinese Specials (a serving is good for 2 persons) are rave-worthy. The punchy flavours of the Sweet & Sour Fish makes it a show-stealer while the Salted Egg Prawns and Stir-fried Green Vege with Garlic get the thumbs up too.

Equally noteworthy to savour are Pei Pa Duck with Traditional Condiments along with the Roasted Sesame Chicken. The duck’s inherent gaminess is subtle, tempered by the nice sauce complementing it. If chicken holds more appeal, the meat’s smoky-brininess should you’re your appetite. These along with noodle options come in a serving for 2 persons so be sure to avoid food wastage or you’d be charged for leftovers of 150gm and above.

 

Known for its pork-free, Muslim-friendly dim sum creations, The Emperor highlights a plethora of its signature delights for Makanthon. Again, each serving is good for 2 persons so it pays to strategise those items you wish to try. Our top picks include Steamed Prawn Dumplings with Coriander, Steamed Siew Mai Emperor Style, Mui Choy with Chicken Meat Cheong Fun (flat rice noodle rolls), Deep-fried Prawn Rolls with Cheese and Mini Loh Mai Kai (steamed glutinous rice with chicken).

Lovely dessert for a rousing finish ranges from Baked Mini Custard Egg Tarts and Assortment of Seasonal Fruits to Almond Beancurd Jelly with Longans and Mini Tiramisu. One cannot go too far wrong with the sweet treats except for the danger of overindulgence.

 

For Makanthon reservations, please call tel: 03 5031 6060 ext 1954 or email: bookfnb.subang@dorsetthotels.com