ALIYAA SHOWCASES SRI LANKAN CUISINE

 

Cinnamon, cardamom, chillies and coconut are essential building blocks of Sri Lankan cuisine. Tamarind and curry powder are also favoured in the arsenal of spice mixes for Chef Sivarajah Suppiah of Aliyaa.

Hailing from Nuwara Eliya also known as Little England, the tea growing hills of Sri Lanka famed for its cool climate and colonial era bungalows, Chef Siva started cooking at 18 years old. As the eldest child, he was responsible for preparing family meals when his parents were at work.

Chef Siva was recruited to join Aliyaa in 2008 and worked hard to eventually spearhead the Aliyaa team in 2012. He was instrumental in promoting the diverse flavours of Sri Lanka to the restaurant’s local clientele. “From our famous crab sambal to soul-warming kothu, Aliyaa strives to showcase Sri Lanka’s vibrant food scape through the intricate use of spices and techniques passed down through generations.”

The homespun Kothu (RM30-RM45) is a compelling must try offering. An ingenious way of using leftover string hoppers, roti or puttu (steamed cylindrical-shape ground rice cakes layered with grated coconut), it’s cooked with chicken, mutton, seafood or vegetables in addition to egg, onions, and chillies. Stir-fried in a heated stone pot, the comforting kothu’s enticing charred smokiness and mouth-watering medley of flavours and textures are similar to that of char kway teow.

Earlier we had devoured some golf ball-sized Fish Cutlets (RM24), crisp yet tender orbs of flaked mackerel fish and aromatic spices dipped into luscious onion sauce. No prizes for guessing why this dish remains a favourite among Aliyaa customers.

Another classic hit is Crab Meat Curry (RM185) in which chunks of sweet crab meat comes served in slightly creamy, robustly flavoured curry. Such bliss to enjoy sumptuous bites of crab meat minus the hassle of cracking shells and extracting bits of crab meat. The curry’s stealthy heat also left us hot under the collar.

Named after Sri Lanka’s beach resort with its time-honoured seafood and ancient fishing traditions, the speciality of Tiger Prawns Negombo (RM38 per 100g) proudly stood up to scrutiny. Huge, succulent tiger prawns in thick, aromatic curry reeled us in; capturing our hearts and tummies with a symphony of winsome flavours and texture.

We then relished scraping out the soft pulp from long, slender Moringa pods in a notable Drumstick Curry (RM22). Dousing the turmeric-accented gravy over rice, we were gratified to know drumsticks are good for digestion, high in fibre and rich in calcium and iron.

A gastronomic journey to Sri Lanka can be sampled via the Aliyaa Experience set menu (RM128 per person, minimum 2 persons per table). Crab Samosa and Atukkal Rasam served as the opening salvo.

The isle’s vibrant food heritage will be revealed to you as you work your way through the small portions of Fish Sothi, Prawn Varuval, Devilled Chicken, Mutton Curry, Cashewnut Paal (brinjal) Curry, Brinjal Moju (pickle), Nethili (dried anchovies) Sambol, Vallarai (medicinal herb also known as daun pegaga) and Carrot Sambol, Papadam and Chilli, along with Nei Soru (ghee rice) and string hoppers.

Completing the sensorial tasting party are warm, fluffy soft Sweet Appam sprinkled with palm sugar.

To cap off our Sri Lankan culinary adventure, we indulged in Wattalappam (RM15), a classic steamed custard pudding of coconut milk, eggs and spices delicately sweetened with jaggery.

For reservations at Aliyaa, call tel: 017-883 3738. Address: 48 G&M, Jalan Medan Setia 2, Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur.

 

CHICKITA DEBUTS IN MALAYSIA

Banking on the naturally smoky flavours of its Asian-inspired flame grilled chicken as the unique selling point, the maiden Chickita restaurant made its debut at Pavilion Damansara Heights just before Chinese New Year amidst some fanfare.

Conceived by former Park Hyatt Saigon executive chef and F&B entrepreneur Asif Mehrudeen (top pix above), Chickita first opened in Vietnam in 2019. The founder draws inspiration from his 20-year culinary journey through Southeast Asia to conceptualise Chickita, taking pride in nostalgic Asian flavours. Vibrant colours, eye-catching wall murals and trendy décor elements set a welcoming stage at Chickita, to pique the interest of diners.

According to director Charles Chan, Chickita brings to the table its flame-grilled chicken with recognisable Asian flavours appealing to local palates. “At Chickita, it’s a celebration of community and communal dining. We want to uphold the spirit of togetherness deeply ingrained in our Asian culture.”

Aside from chicken, Chickita also serves burgers, wraps, and wings – all flame-grilled to perfection. We took instant liking to the opener of Eda-Mole Dip (RM13.50), a hummus of edamame and avocado blend served with salsa and crispy tortilla.

Toasted pita triangles are the perfect companion to dunk into the mildly cheesy Signature Hot Crab Dip (RM14.50) whilst Chicken Nachos (RM14.50) with original and cheese sauces, salsa and toasted pita can be rather addictive so try to avoid overloading on them, to leave tummy room for mains.

I am all for Chickita’s concept of allowing diners to pick our preferred chicken parts. We found the different variants deliciously on-point, from the flame-grilled Quarter Chicken Leg with Rice & Salad and Quarter Chicken Breast with Yam Pop & Corn to Quarter Chicken Breast with Coleslaw & Crispy Fries and Quarter Chicken Breast with Wok Vegetable & Garlic Bread.

A quarter chicken leg or breast is RM17.50 whilst an additional two side dishes is priced at RM26.50. Chicken wings, chicken tenders, half and whole chicken are also available so peruse the menu to select your choice.

Catering to Asian tastebuds, Chickita incorporates familiar Asian ingredients for its range of signature sauces, to bring its flame-grilled chicken to piquantly flavoursome and culturally resonant level. Our first-hand experience had us settling on our own favourite sauces out of the six available.

On the mild scale, Chickita Original Sauce comprises a bright and tantalising lemongrass-infused blend whilst the Tropical sauce lends nice balance to the savoury chicken with its sweet, sour mango-citrus accents.

My palate found the moderately hot Sexy sauce with roasted red chillies on song with the grilled chicken but the Lucky 8 Asian BBQ variant also comes close as a winner, redolent with familiar spices such as star anise, cinnamon and garlic amidst the chilli taste profile.

Die-hard chilli fiends may prefer the Dynamite Spicy Hot Sauce – formulated with different chillies or Tamarita’s savoury-hot profile which is culled from a blend of tamarind, fish sauce, Asian spices and dried chillies.

Chickita also reimagines dessert by combining ice cream potong with innovative flavours like A Classic Twist (RM14), cendol popsicle with frozen coconut and pandan with green sticky rice; and Vanilla Dreams (RM14), shaved coconut and red bean popsicle with grass jelly.

For more information, call CHICKITA, tel: 03 2011 1243. Address: Lot 1.03.00, Level 1, Pavilion Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur.

JOM MAKAN BUKA PUASA BUFFET AT GRAND MILLENNIUM KL

A delectable Xinjiang Roasted Whole Lamb along with fluffy spiced nang (the Chinese Muslim version of naan) emerged as the most compelling drawcard at The Mill, Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur for buka puasa this year.

Marinated with cumin, Szechuan peppercorn and chilli, the lamb speciality is a favourite with the Muslim community in Xinjiang, China. Once you taste the tender meat imbued with aromatic spices, you’d be asking for repeat helpings.

Executive Chef Rudy Junaidie and his team will prepare a combination of street food-style eats and traditional delights for The Mill’s Jom Makan buka puasa buffet throughout Ramadan.

Keep your eyes peeled for the Belanga Bakar section where claypot specialities are rustled up by the chefs on duty. With nine types of Belanga Bakar choices available, guests can select their choice of protein and have the ingredients cooked Malay, Chinese or Indian-style.

We recommend the Fish Asam Pedas with eggplant, okra and tomatoes. The tantalising spicy-tangy gravy coupled with the fresh fish went like a dream with plain rice. Other options on request include curry masala and kung pao.

In addition to the requisite Kerabu and Ulam selection, take the opportunity to relish traditional Malay delicacies such as Rendang Tok, Ayam Masak Madu, Telor Itik Masak Lemak dengan Belimbing Buluh, and Kambing Masak Hitam.

Each of the timeless dishes proved on-point and begged to be eaten with plain rice. The tart sourness of the little belimbing buluh (bamboo starfruit) lent nice acidity to the turmeric-flavoured duck egg curry; a must-try dish to whet the appetite.

Fans of Shawarma will be pleased to know the popular Middle-Eastern street food snack is served piping hot. The essential condiments are laid out for you to customise it to your liking.

Another eye-catching highlight to enhance the buffet dining experience is Jajan Pasar – the culinary team’s interpretation of an al fresco Asian market where women vendors sell snacks and sweets on raised platforms.

The international cornucopia also straddles tempting Japanese, Italian and Indian specialities; from appetisers and mains that leave diners spoiled for choice.

Top draws from this section proffered Malaysian desserts: Pulut Panggang, Steamed Ubi Kayu (tapioca) with Coconut and Sambal, Bubur Serawa Nangka (sweet jackfruit in coconut milk dessert broth), Bubur Pulut Hitam (black glutinous rice dessert broth) and Red Bean Soup with Glutinous Rice Balls.

Perennial Malay Kuih ranging from Pandan Layer Cake, Kuih Koci, Kuih Bingka Ubi and Kuih Talam among others also jostle for attention at the expansive dessert line-up.

 

The Mill’s Jom Makan Buffet (7pm to 10pm) will be available from 12 March to 9 April 2024 at RM168++ per adult and RM84++ per child (5 to 12 years old). 

Early-bird Offer: Purchase 10 vouchers at RM1,350++ (RM135++ per adult) from 4 February to 9 March 2024. Free parking (first 3 hours) applicable for dine-in guests.

For bookings and enquiries at The Mill, WhatsApp: +60 12 317 0120 or call tel: 03-2117 4163 or book online: https://bit.ly/3Saz5mk