GR8 PICKS FROM CEDAR ON 15

 

Contemporary dining takes centrestage at the stylishly laidback, chic culinary haven known as Cedar on 15 at Impiana KLCC. The interior is stark but sleekly modernist with a nice skylight and spacious bar cum patio that looks out to the city’s skyscrapers.

 

While dry-aged steaks take pride of place in the menu and pizzas are baked on-site, we decided to explore some of the more intriguing, below-the-radar options on our first visit.

The appetiser of Seafood on the Salt Rock (RM85) made a splash thanks to its simple but impactful preso. Served on a chilled salt block, the sumptuous combination of poached Yabbies, Black Mussels and Jumbo Tiger Prawns was both impressive yet playful. The seafood’s inherent sweetness is lifted by droplets of Lemon Olive Oil squeezed from a tiny pipette.

To lessen our guilt, we loaded up on Gourmet Salad (RM48) – a posh serving of sautéed artichoke with quail egg, black truffle, shaved parmesan and semidried tomato tossed in organic green in-house dressing with raspberry vinegar. Vivid colours and layers of bright, contrasting flavours made it something to write home about.

Even the soup section threw up viable surprises, starting with the Creamy Tomato Bisque Soup (RM38). Imagine a tart tomato broth tempered by lush prawn/lobster stock – sounds sublime right? Served piping hot in a deep platter with Pine Nut Dumpling and a dash of Vodka, there was no way we could fault the ambrosial offering.

If you prefer something more decadent, the Australian Scallops Veloute (RM52) should fit the bill. Sensuously rich and silky on the palate, it came with a tasty sundried Tomato Timbale. A few drops of garlic oil racheted up its big flavour.

Served with a strong Demi Reduction and Morel Mushrooom, the diminutive Roasted Spring Chicken (RM62) got us cooing over its pint size and juicy tenderness. 

Perfumed with Rosemary Olive Oil, the mini chook was accompanied by unconventional sides of (beef) Bacon Popcorn and Corn Puree. A real showstopper, this.

Admittedly, the South Australian Venison Loin (RM138) is no pushover either. Baked in sour cream dough (interesting no?) with Sauce Bordeaux, Brussels sprouts and candied carrots, the delish chunk of red meat was an epicurean delight. A squirt of Quince Vinegar did wonders to it.

Deaf to our half-heated protestations, Impiana KLCC’s gracious marcomm lady Carol Chin insisted we succumbed to Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallow (RM32). Truly no regrets there as the slightly ‘torched’ cloud-soft marshmallow was the crowning glory alongside heavenly Honey Ice-cream, Ganache and Crumbs with Chocolate Liquor.

Amazingly, our dessert tummy had room to fit the impossibly light but luscious Triple Layer Cheese Cake (RM38) served with Figs, Tuille and Amaretto Liquor. It was a befitting finish to a convivial evening of good food and even better company. Also the moral of the story is it pays to go off the well-trodden 'path' sometimes to unearth diamonds in the rough.

For reservations, call tel: 03-2147 1111. Cedar on 15 is located at Impiana KLCC Hotel, 13, Jalan Pinang, Kuala Lumpur.

A SEDAP STOPOVER AT SAMBAL & SAUCE

Malay food is fast making its presence felt in the city, especially in modern shopping malls like NuSentral in KL. Instead of being tucked away as part of the food courts, more independent Malay restaurants can now be found. Datin Norintan Safinas who is an avid shopper finds decent Malay food hard to come by in malls hence her decision to foray into opening one of her own at NuSentral.

Known as Sambal & Sauce, this all-day dining outlet is an ideal stopover for diners of all races and ages with different budgets. You can enjoy a simple breakfast of teh tarik and roti canai, relish a hearty nasi campur lunch or pop in for a substantial dinner in its high ceiling, air-conditioned premises with simple yet practical décor.

According to Datin Norintan, “The Sambal represents the local part of our menu while Sauce is the Western selection we cover. We want to cater to everyone so both local and Western food are available.”

For brekkie, try hot off the griddle Roti Sardin (RM5.25), a piece of roti canai stuffed with coarsely mashed sardines. It’s a filling serving that should keep you going until lunch.

About 10 dishes or more are cooked daily for Nasi Campur (expect to pay about RM3.5 to RM5 per item of your choice). From the items we sampled, the specialities which scored highly with us included Gulai Tempoyak Patin (top most pix), Ayam Masak Kicap and Asam Pedas Ikan Pari. Much to our surprise, the plain looking Sup Ayam tasted better than it looked.

Otherwise, we advise going for the scrumptious Mutton Briyani (RM15) - a great value meal with aromatic spiced rice, some curry gravy and a whole hardboiled egg thrown into the equation.

Those yearning for a late lunch or quick dinner will be spoiled for choice. The classic Black Pepper Chicken Chop (RM15.90) is a reliable mainstay as is Fish & Chips (RM16.90)

On the local front, decent recommendations include Sambal & Sauce Fried Rice (RM15.90), Mee Goreng Mamak (RM10.90) and Char Kwe Tiau (RM10.90).  Nothing high-brow here but each is passable enough to satisfy your hunger pangs.

Roti Kobra - oiginally from East Malaysia – is a reinterpretation of Roti Canai Banjir (a gravy drenched roti canai) with a fried sunny-side up egg, and deep-fried battered chicken.

Beverage to quench one’s thirst ranges from Ribena Lime Soda (RM8.90) to Double Shot Tea (RM3.80). Opened daily from 7am-12am, Sambal & Sauce is the go-to outpost for the office crowd, shoppers and commuters streaming through the busy transportation hub of Brickfields and KL Sentral.

SAMBAL & SAUCE, Unit 30 & 31, Lower Ground Floor, NU Sentral, No.201, Jalan Tun Sambathan, Kuala Lumpur. Call tel: 03-2276 1694 for reservations.

THE GALLERY OF GOOD TASTE

Risotto is a tricky dish to get right. But the chef's special we sampled at The Gallery in Taman Tun Dr Ismail hit the mark...crowned with plump Seared Scallops (RM48) and crispy leek, the risotto accentuated with parmesan fondue, brown butter and gremolata (classical condiment of lemon zest with finely chopped garlic and parsley) seduced our palate with its soulful creaminess; the grains retaining minute nuttiness at the core.

Don't let its posh looking signboard deter you from entering as The Gallery is at heart a family-run concern headed by the hospitable Latifah Abdul Latiff and her daughters, Natasha and Nabila. We love the many artworks mounted on the restaurant walls; the colourful canvases serving up a feast for your eyes while you wait in anticipation for the resident chefs - Nabila and hubby to work their culinary tricks in the kitchen. According to Latifah, The Gallery support local artists so there's always different pieces on display and for sale.

Slurping on cooling thirst-quenchers such as Peach Twist (RM13), TG Sunrise (RM16) and Raspberry Mint Tea (RM15), we had a hard time deciding what to eat as everything in the menu sounded irresistible.

 

 

The evening's curtain-raisers of TG Crostini (RM15) whetted our appetite nicely. Topped with sweet pumpkin mash, roasted cherry tomatoes and bell pepper & tuna, the toasted baguette slices were an instant hit with us.

Delicious deep-fried risotto balls with mushroom, mozzarella and parmesan known as Arancine (RM18) proved to just as addictive. Personally, I can gobble down the entire lot on my own but that would be overdoing it.

Forget about those sorry excuse of a burger from fast food joints. Yes, the prices are different but if you love burgers, save up and pay for a top notch one like TG Lord Burger (RM32). Our jaw dropped at the sight of the slab of sirloin layered on soft, fluffy sesame buns. Bulked up with fresh mixed greens, juicy tomato slices, onion marmalade and triple cheese: mozzarella, parmesan and cheddar together with a dousing of wild mushroom sauce, this masterpiece floored us with its scrumptiously rich, smoky and meaty taste.

Diners with petite palate may prefer digging into the Classic Caesar Salad (RM25) - a delicate mix of baby romaine, soft-boiled egg, croutons, beef bacon and shaved parmesan. You can request for smoked salmon (additional charge of RM10) or roast chicken (RM8) to be included for a more substantial salad.

Prefer something light with greens thrown in? Then the yummy Grilled Prawn & Scallop Skewer (RM18) should be your choice pick. Complemented by mixed salad with corn puree and lemon chilli vinaigrette, our dining party demolished this instantly, raving over the seafood; wishing there was more to spare.

On second thoughts, that was probably a good thing since we also ordered Prawn Bisque (RM22). Redolent with deep-seated crustacean accent, the broth's creaminess was tempered by the zingy touches of salsa verde (blended parsley, basil, garlic and capers), garlic and shallot whilst several poached prawns lent textural interest.

Reclining on a bed of basil potato mash, we took turns to admire the sexy angle proffered by the Roasted Spring Chicken (RM38). Accompanied by sauteed greens and orange thyme sauce, the chook was one of the more notable ones we had encountered.

Propped atop a mound of peperonata (stewed mixed bell peppers) and a side serving of rosemary sauce, we picked the bones clean off the Grilled Rack of Lamb (RM55). The chef deserved applause for rendering the juicy meat to medium doneness, retaining the full flavour.

Just in case you think it was a fluke, our medium rare Black Angus Ribeye (RM95 for 250g) cemented our belief in the kitchen team's capable skills. Paired with rustic sweet potato mash, sauteed mixed mushroom and fresh arugula, the trump card in this dish was the sublime vin cotto sauce - essentially reduced fig vinegar to viscous caramelised thickness.

An avid duck meat lover in our midst was full of praises for the Seared Duck Breast (RM42). Sliced and placed on crisp yet soft potato pancake, the cranberry sauce that came with it evoked an unexpectedly Christmassy feel to our dining experience. Crunchy garlic flakes and mixed greens provided the finishing touches which we took to like...well, duck to water.

Carbo lovers won't be left wanting either as The Gallery has five pasta options available. Pick of the pasta heap was Farfalle alla Ragu di Manzo (RM28) made swoonworthy with a superbly rich tomato-beefy sauce that brooked no resistance. Forkfuls of chunky and meltingly tender beef ragu ramped up the dish's flavourful appeal further.

Those robustly stewed bell peppers re-emerged in Linguine de Pepperonata (RM25); their companionable presence seamlessly in sync with a multi-flavoured quartet of tomato, garlic, black olives and onion, suffusing the thick pasta threads with bright, sensuous nuances.

I would equate Petite Orange Madeleines (RM15) with our local kuih bahulu. Although the latter is drier and lighter in texture, both has an enticingly eggy richness. Most bakeries either make them too greasy or hard but the dainty cakes we scoffed down at The Gallery were tres magnifique...they were slightly buttery and spongy with a subtle whiff of orangey note.

Chocoholics will readily succumb to Chocolate Vault (RM26), a decadent dome of choc fudge brownie and milk chocolate mousse enrobed in a silky covering of rich dark chocolate. The supporting cast to liven up the luscious creations included crushed nuts with raspberry and orange coulis to offset the indulgent dessert.

Lately, Baked Alaska (RM26) is increasingly making a comeback. Each version we had tasted was as different as chalk and cheese, and The Gallery naturally added its distinct interpretation as well. While we relished the cottony-soft coconut cake and mango sorbet pairing inside the scorched layer of Italian meringue, the neon green pandan paste threw us a little. Scattered with toasted coconut crumbs, and slivers of strawberries, it was underwhelming for me in the taste department after those excellent madeleines.

The Gallery is worth visiting if you like modern European fare without having to dig too deep into your wallet.

For reservations, call tel: 03-7732 2005. THE GALLERY, 165, Jalan Aminuddin Baki, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, KL.