MORE THAN NORMAL PUB GRUB AT THE BELL & CROWN

 

Sizzling Mutton Tava Biryani (RM35) is not your average pub grub when you step into The Bell & Crown. According to owner Dato’ Vicky A., he included it in as he prefers sitting down to a hot meal as a regular pub goer. When he took over The Bell & Crown, he ensured biryani – one of his favourite dishes – is listed in the menu.

“Our mutton biryani is fast gaining popularity here,” said Dato’ Vicky. “It’s prepared Mumbai-style. First, the mutton is pressure-cooked then roasted slightly. We stir-fry the mutton with ghee, onion and freshly ground Indian spices in an iron skillet until aromatic. Everything is subsequently added to basmati rice and cooked in claypot.”

Served with thick, house-made yoghurt, the spice-scented biryani made our mouths water as we stirred up the fluffy rice. The heady aroma and mildly gamey taste of tender mutton and deeply flavourful rice proved immensely satisfying.

Earlier, our evening started with a bang thanks to some Pigs in Blanket (RM25). The cocktail pork sausages wrapped in bacon were moreish; a splendid complement for my Classic Margarita (RM27).

The shaken concoction of triple sec, tequila and lime was rather potent but I made it last with measured sips throughout the evening. The Bell & Crown serves three glasses of Classic Cocktails at RM78+ thus enabling its patrons to indulge in cocktail hour without breaking the bank.

A good selection of light nibbles and heftier mains, comprising classic Brit pub grub and more Asian-inspired fare is available to keep hunger pangs at bay. We were pleasantly surprised to find Penang Loh Bak (RM22) on the menu. Although the deep-fried rolls came a tad over-fried, we were relieved to find the five spice marinated pork, yam and carrots wrapped in beancurd sheets up to scratch taste-wise.

Another notable appetiser is Chicken 65 (RM22), cooked Mumbai-style. Marinated overnight with ground Indian spices, the bite-size chicken cubes are lightly battered and fried with onion, curry leaves and dried chillies until crisp.

Every morsel we tried titillated our tastebuds with a cornucopia of bright, bold spice accents; an inducement to eat and drink more amidst convivial merriment.

However, the unexpected show-stealer turned out to be the cheesy Chicken Tikka Pizza (RM20). We thoroughly enjoyed partaking the elongated pizza with delectable chunks of tandoori chicken and generous topping of melted mozzarella, parmesan and cheddar.

Those hankering for Bangers, Mash & Beans (RM36) should be happy to know The Bell & Crown proffers a choice of beef, pork, lamb & cranberry or chicken sausages alongside lumpy mashed potatoes and Heinz baked beans. The hearty serving passed muster and was par for the course IMHO.

Décor-wise, the frontage flaunts charming vintage Tudor-style windows and monochrome checkerboard floors. The warmly-lit interior incorporates a long bar, plenty of dark wood trims, cosy booth seats and whitewashed walls adorned with sepia-tone prints and antique lamps.

For reservations at The Bell & Crown, contact tel: 016 964 0786. Address: 34, Lorong Rahim Kajai 14, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.

CHINESE NEW YEAR MENUS AT ELEGANT INN HK

 

Fresh, natural ingredients form the mainstay for the customary Bountiful Harvest Salmon Yee Sang at Elegant Inn HK Cuisine (E.I.). 

Never mind about the muted colours; at least the whole platter was a natural composition of shredded carrot, radish and cucumber with pickled onion and ginger, pearl clams and sesame seeds. A dedicated member of the E.I. kitchen team painstakingly prepares this speciality throughout the celebratory period.

In addition to the house-made sauce, the raw salmon slices are sliced on premise, to ensure food safety and hygiene standards are met. Every mouthful of the delicious salad with its myriad of textures and flavours left us raving with sheer delight.

To welcome the Dragon Year with a bang, E.I. is offering 8 special CNY menus for groups of 4-10 persons and 3 individual set menus, available from 8 January (minimum 3 days prior notice) and throughout the festive period from 22 January onwards.

During our sneak preview, we sampled festive offerings selected by lady boss Jeannette Han from the different celebratory menus. A traditional soup of Double Boiled Spare Ribs with Night Blooming Cereus, Fresh Cordyceps, Organic Black-Eyed Beans and Topshell came hot on the heels after the yee sang salad.

 

The edible night blooming cereus is said to be rich in antioxidants; to help protect the body from free radicals, reduce inflammation, boost the immune system, improve digestion, and reduce the risk of certain diseases. Together with E.I.’s cachet of fresh cordyceps, topshell clams, black eyed-beans, Yunnan ham, chicken feet, dried conch and dried scallops, the resultant broth was soul-satisfyingly sweet.

Specially sourced from a Penang farm, the Free-Range Chicken cooked with Fish Maw, Lotus Root and Wild Termite Mushroom in Premium Soy Sauce wowed us with its impossibly tender and toothsome texture. We like the slightly resistant bite of the flesh; a far cry from the mushier mass farm-raised chickens. Of course, we couldn’t pass up the chance to lap up the slick, savoury-sweet sauce with all that chicken jus.

Fluffy-soft, crisp and succulent textures integrated nicely in the Trio Seafood Platter. The delicate, flake-like Fried Japanese Dried Scallops and Golden Coin Shark’s Fin is meant to resemble osmanthus flower petals hence the dish’s Cantonese ‘kwai fah chi’ name. A tricky dish that demands deft handiwork on the chef’s part, to prevent the scrambled egg from clumping into large clods.

Airy-light crunchy E.I. Salt Pepper Fried HK Silver Fish contrasted nicely with the earlier appetiser. Completing the tasteful trinity was delectable Hokkaido Scallop Bacon Roll.

 

The evening’s show-stopper of Braised Five Treasures Stuffed Pork Belly with Black Garlic, Chestnuts and Lotus Seeds garnered rapturous praises among our dining party. We found the black garlic’s fleeting licorice-like nuance lent a muted sweet earthiness to the meaty, collagen-rich sauce.

Almost too indulgent to savour, the expertly prepared slab of pork with its alternating streaks of fat and lean meat was sumptuously moist and sweet with rich, lustrous flavour. The chestnuts and lotus seeds lent a delightfully subtle crunch.

From the individual menus, the lady boss indulged us with Aromatic HK Liu Ma Kee (LMK) Red Beancurd Pork Belly and French Beans on Sesame Sauce, and Braised Fish Maw with Pork Cartilage Ribs and Prosperous Chicken Meat Ball in Crab Roe Sauce.

The first reminded me of an amped up version of Hakka jar yoke (fried pork); the pork belly marinated with Hong Kong’s famous and established LMK nam yue (fermented red beancurd) then fried to light crispness. Utterly yummy without being too cloying thanks to the crunchy French beans dressed in sesame sauce to balance things out.

Some clever textural interplay made the latter porky dish memorable, especially the tender meat which came off easily the soft cartilage bones. The varied softness of the velvet-soft fish maw and chicken ball with seamoss heightened the dish’s overall appeal.

To fulfill our quota of greens, we tried Fish Maw with Organic Spinach, Silky Egg White and Crab Roe. Primed up with pricey fish maw and crab roe in addition to custardy-soft egg white, the Japanese spinach would certainly induce even non-veg fans to succumb to its allure.

Instead of 'lap mei farn' (rice with waxed meat), the lady boss chose to treat us to a winsome Claypot Rice with Chicken Fillet, French Goose Liver and Fish Maw. Personally, I love it as a nice departure from the tried-and-tested. With the supremely rich-tasting foie gras oil coating the fluffy rice grains, each spoonful was a sheer joy to eat.

 

Tender boneless chicken fillet, dulcet smooth fish maw pieces and dices of melt-in-the-mouth foie gras added extra appeal to the offering. We also clamoured for the charred, smoky rice crust scraped up from the bottom of the pot.

We wrapped up our lavish preview with a light yet befitting dessert treat of Double Boiled Fuji Red Apple with Organic Apricot, Chinese Almonds and Snow Fungus. It was clear, nutritious with delicate textures; a sweet ending to another outstanding experience at E.I. 

Prices for the CNY Menus start from RM1,688++ per table of 10 persons. Festive set menus for 6-10 persons from RM2,088++ upwards and individual menus from RM228++ upwards per person are also available.

For reservations at Elegant Inn HK Cuisine, call tel: 03-2070 9399. Address: 2.01, 2nd Floor, Podium Block, Menara Hap Seng, Jalan P. Ramlee, Kuala Lumpur.

 

 

GREAT PLACE TO MEAT AT ANNE ELIZABETH

Food writing is an on-going learning journey. A visit to Anne Elizabeth, a deli-style restaurant owned by husband and wife team, Jacob Fong and Sandra Lee, proved enlightening as I grappled with unfamiliar meat cuts like abanico and picanha.

Anne Elizabeth’s best-selling Iberico Abanico (RM39.80 per 250g piece) is a pièce de résistance you are unlikely to find elsewhere. Named after the Spanish hand fan, this fan-shaped cut is the external, thin and well-marbled piece of meat surrounding the Iberico ribs.

Best grilled or barbecued to draw out the big flavour of this prized cut, and render it juicy and crisp, abanico is one of the stellar ‘must try’ offerings at this restaurant.

A sprinkling of sea salt and ground pepper is enough to make this piece meltingly tender, blush pink pork an epicurean delight. Unlike ordinary pork meat, Fong said abanico should ideally be 70% cooked to medium or medium well doneness for best eating quality. Supply for abanico is hard to come by due to its limited availability. According to Fong, his restaurant has a firm grip on the supply thanks to established understanding with his supplier.

Heading into its 5^th year of operation come September, Fong shares he has two decades of European food expertise hence the range of deli and charcuterie offerings are slanted towards British, Spanish, Italian and French-style.

The couple has kept Anne Elizabeth's set-up simple and practical, with display chillers showcasing a wide array of premium meat cuts, gourmet sausages and some fish for diners to select. Wall-mounted chalkboards listing salads, soup and pasta add to the plethora available, leaving them spoiled for choice. Service is cordial, efficient and attentive too; everything runs like clockwork even though the restaurant is packed come peak meal hours.

 

A pair of Black Pig Meatball in a Blanket (RM9.60 per piece) whets our appetite for starter. One is about the size of a toddler’s fist so it’s good to share if you plan to load up on a main course later. Wrapped in streaky bacon, the handmade and slightly smoky Iberico pork meatball is utterly scrumptious.

We temper its rich taste with a serving of Passionfruit Salad & Parmesan Salad (RM11.90). Studded with raisins, the mixed greens accompanied by fresh, tangy passionfruit is perked up by some honey and olive oil dressing. It’s a nice complement to the surfeit of meat we’d be having.

 

Although I’m not inclined to soup, the Creamy Mushroom & Bacon Soup (RM11.90) proves notable. Lots of chopped bacon bits give the creamy, earthy soup additional appeal. Lighter on the palate is Roasted Pumpkin & Tomato Soup (RM10.90) – an interesting combo which seems to work cohesively, taste-wise.

We also pig out on Pork Jowl (RM23.20 per piece, about 180g). Don’t knock its plain and lean appearance as the pork slices are superbly delectable. Each piece is surprisingly moist with an excellent, toothsome bite to it. For some flavour variation, dip it into the house sauces: caramelised roast gravy and pepper cream.

 

Lightly seasoned with grain mustard and sea salt, the splendid rack of Iberico Spare Ribs (RM68.20 per 600g slab) vanishes within minutes it hit our table. I find it goes well with the housemade apple sauce.

 

Another rare cut avid meat lovers will enjoy is the Australian Wagyu Picanha (RM66 per 200g piece). Also known as rump cap (UK) or sirloin cap (US), picanha is the most prized beef cut in Brazil. Again, a dash of salt and pepper does the trick in bringing out the inherent nuances.

 

 

Side dishes to complement mains include hearty baked Portobello, Bacon & Cheese (RM14.90 per piece) and the humongous U.S. Russet Jacket Potato (RM10.90) with sour cream, bacon, spring onion and grated Parmesan.

Fong tells us about 50% of the sausages sold at Anne Elizabeth are made to his charcuterie recipes by his suppliers. “We opt for a combination of European and local flavours, to ensure the end products aren’t too fanciful or foreign to our customers’ liking.”

The quartet of Honey Pork Sausage (RM7.90 per piece), smoky Bacon Bratwurst (RM10.90 per piece), Anne’s Cumberland (RM17.60 per piece) and Spicy Russian (RM7.90 per piece) exemplifies that philosophy. It’s hard to decide which we like best: the subtly sweet honey pork sausage, the smoky savouriness of the bacon brat, the Cumberland’s herb-spice accents or the hot & spicy Russian which is spiked with chopped bird’s eye chilli.

For now most of the resto’s sausages are pork-based but Fong reveals he may introduce more variants with pork-beef and lamb stuffing in the near future. Also in the pipeline will be more varieties of ikejime fish, in addition to the existing salmon and seabass selection.

Should you have room for dessert, try the luscious Banana Crème Brulee (RM10.80). It’s up to scratch and a boon for sweet-toothed diners who cannot bear wrapping up a meal without any luscious treat.

For reservations, please call ANNE ELIZABETH, tel: 03-9130 0319. Address: No.1, Jalan Manis 4, Taman Segar, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur. Business hours: Mon-Thurs 12noon to 11pm, Sat & Sun 12noon to 11pm. Closed on Friday.