A STELLAR SABAYON X ALEX DILLING SHOWCASE

 

The Sabayon x Alex Dilling showcase started on a luxurious note with a tin of Aged Kaluga Caviar with Smoked Scottish Salmon Rillette, Crème Cru and Dill.

 

TBH, this is one of the times I felt truly blessed with the perks of being a food writer and blogger. After having our appetite whetted with warm, crusty bread, Bordier butter and cold pressed extra virgin olive oil, we were gobsmacked when a whole tin of caviar prettily garnished with tiny edible flowers and gold leaves was placed on each of our plate.

According to Chef Alex Dilling, his interest in caviar developed during his two-year stint with Caviar Russe, a fine caviar house. “Since then, I’d acquired a deep appreciation for caviar and to me, caviar as a first course makes dining out special, bringing a sense of occasion to the meal.”

Who could quibble with such reasoning? Especially when we got to savour the little pearls layered with silky smooth crème cru (raw, naturally cultured sour cream) and subtly savoury salmon rillette (a preservation technique using fat and slow cooking method).

We were instructed to sample the appetiser on its own first before proceeding to enjoy the caviar and salmon rillette with the spongy-soft crumpets followed by thin slivers of pickled cucumber for textural contrast. Every mouthful was enough to induce gastro-orgasm…Dilling said he chose Kaluga caviar for its slight crunch and umami, nutty nuances. 

The London-born chef whose interest in food and cooking was attributed to his mother, gained his culinary pedigree under the legendary Alain Ducasse and another reputable chef Helene Darroze.

 

Risotto was the first dish Dilling learned to cook at 15 and his love for eating motivated him to become a chef. He soon garnered attention for his talent at turning classic European dishes on its head as exemplified by the stellar Wild Mushrooms Macaroni Gratin.

Simplicity rules in the presentation but oh, the umami ‘bomb’ we encountered upon tasting that first spoonful of tender pasta knocked our socks off. Our tastebuds were suffused with the complexity of rich, earthy flavours thanks to the attendant 36-month aged parmesan, black truffle and Vin jaune (a dry, yellow wine from eastern France) sauce.

More caviar crowned the speciality of Olive Oil Poached Black Cod. Complemented by smoked eel consommé and dices of marinated turnip, this was my favourite dish.

Personally, I reckon the delicately tender fish was sterling proof of the chef’s 2 Michelin starred stature – it’s neck-to-neck with an on-point Chinese-style steamed fish. The unexpected bursts of crisp acidity and sweetness from the diminutive turnip dices lent a nice counterpoint to the salty smoked eel consommé.

Dilling’s famed signature Hunter Chicken was indeed the show-stopper that draw epicureans to his eponymous London restaurant. Interpreted from the classic French poulet (chicken) chasseur, Dilling used a custom-made mold to shape the external layer of chicken mousse.

“We mixed some smoked duck into the mousse which we made using trimmings from the corn-fed chicken breast featured in the dish. Then we layered on the mushroom duxelles followed by a piece of chicken breast at the core.”

Glazed with enticing sauce Albuféra (a sauce of Spanish origin comprising an emulsion of chicken stock, Madeira, cream and butter), the delicious speciality were augmented by buttery, velvety pomme purée and fresh salad on the side.

We were ecstatic to finish lunch with a heavenly dessert of Tainori Chocolate with Sourdough Ice Cream, Salted Caramel and Pedro Ximénez sabayon. That judicious balance of sweet-salty accents coupled with the beguiling chocolatey bitterness and lusciousness of sabayon – a blended mixture of egg yolks, sugar and Pedro Ximenez (in place of Marsala) – made our sweet dreams came true.

The proof of the chef’s skills is in his food so hurry and make your reservations at Sabayon soonest possible. Alex Dilling will only be showcasing his curated menu until 15 June.

 

Reserve your table for the Sabayon X Alex Dilling dinner at EQ via this link:

https://www.tableapp.com/partner/sabayon-eq-kuala-lumpur#/

 

FRENCH GASTON-NOMY AT CHEZ GASTON

Rabbit pâté, pork rillettes and pork blood sausage are some of the gems we discovered at Chez Gaston, a newly opened French bistro tucked away in a corner of Bangsar. House-made by chef/owner Florian Nigen (formerly of Rendez-vous), those aforementioned rustic, homey specialities form the basis of his bistro-style menu at Chez Gaston.

 

Chef Flo, whose father runs his own restaurant along the coastal road in Brittany, was inspired to name his latest outpost in honour of his grandfather. Simplistic in its overall ambience, the corner restaurant sets a no-frills stage for the chef's rustic, homespun dishes to shine.

Our bistronomy journey began with the Big Mix Platter (RM99+). Ideal for 2-3 people to share, we made a real feast out of it. Sliced toasty bread is a must, to pile on the country-style rabbit pâté, deer and pork rillettes (similar to pâté but the meat is shredded or chopped), cured Parma ham and Iberico ham slices, saucisson (cured sausage) and smoked duck breast. It was fun to complement the various starters with olives, caramlised onion, salad, gherkins and the chef’s selection of 2 cheeses. 

Do take note some of the items serve may vary from time to time as their availability depends on supply.  Rest assured, the substantial selection will definitely whet your appetite for more.

Since he came to Malaysia, Chef Flo reveals he missed Boudin Noir (RM35+), pork blood sausage so much that he was driven to make the delicacy in-house. Pork blood, onion, pork fat, salt and pepper resulted in the plump and dark sausage we ate. It was surprisingly agreeable; the sausage's faint metallic nuance and full-bodied richness balanced by some caramelised apple dices.

If that doesn't strike your fancy, perhaps the Foie Gras Terrine (RM42+) will do the trick. Dense and unctuously smooth, the French duck liver pâté is divine when paired with house-toasted garlic and thyme bread alongside sweetish caramelised onion and fig jam.

A good tummy warmer is Mediterranean Fish Soup (RM17+). Similar to bouillabaisse, this splendid tomato and herb broth floated our boat with its mélange of fresh fish, rouille (thick, garlicky mayo-like sauce), croutons, and grated emmental cheese.

In France, rabbits are a popular protein source. The lean meat is akin to chicken and I highly recommend the sublime Lapin A La Moutarde (RM59+), rabbit in creamy wholegrain mustard sauce at Chez Gaston.

Braised in red wine for over 8 hours, the Boeuf Bourguignon (RM48+) came up trumps as well. A staple comfort food in most French households, the melt-in-the-mouth tender beef cheeks were scrumptious.

Pescatarians need not fret as some fish and seafood options are available. Notable choices include Seabass Au Safran (RM39+), fillet of seabass on creamy saffron sauce and Prawns Moscato (RM48+), pan-fried prawns with Moscato bisque sauce.

The most Instaworthy has to be Floating Island (RM11+), a mound of soft meringue on vanilla custard and drizzled with caramel and topping of almond flakes. Mutedly sweet but its cloud-like ephemeral texture was winsome.

Yours truly found greater succour from Tarte Aux Pomme (RM12+), the delicious French apple tart generously filled with thinly sliced baked green apples atop a buttery crust.

Its appeal was neck-to-neck with the irresistible 62% dark Ghanaian Chocolate Mousse (RM12+). For a failsafe treat, the French Crème Brulee (RM12+) should fit the bill.

 

Prefer to finish with some cheese? Then indulge in the Cheese Platter (RM38+) featuring a selection of 4 cheeses. Ours comprised brie, raclette, fresh goat’s cheese and blue cheese.

A good overview of what to expect can be savoured via the Express Lunch Set (RM19+ for 2 course, RM26+ for 3 course) inclusive of Ice Lemon Tea, Parisiene Coffee or English Breakfast Tea. 

For reservations, call Chez Gaston KL, tel: 011-3993 0036. Address: 12, Jalan Bangsar Utama 9, Bangsar, KL.