EASY, SIMPLE BITES FOR A GRAND OPENING CELEBRATION

 

Let's face it, Malaysians love a good celebration! Whether it's a wedding, a birthday, or even the grand opening of your kedai runcit, there's one thing guaranteed to bring a smile to everyone's face: great food! 

But when you're busy setting up, decorating with grand opening flowers (because, let's be honest, they make everything merrier!), and getting everything ready, the last thing you want is to stress over a complicated menu.

Catering vs. DIY?

Before we dive into the details, let's talk about the age-old question: to cater or cook it yourself? Both options have their pros and cons. Catering takes the pressure off you, but it can be expensive. Cooking yourself gives you more control over the menu and budget, but it's definitely more work.

If you have a small crowd and the time to spare, DIY is the way to go. It's a great way to show your personality and add a personal touch to your grand opening. But if you're expecting a large crowd or are short on time, don't be afraid to outsource some of the work. Remember, you can always mix and match – make some things yourself and order others.

Easy To Eat

Kuih: These bite-sized treats are naturally finger-friendly and come in a variety of flavours and textures. Think colourful kuih lapis, fragrant kuih bahulu, and the ever-popular kuih kapit. Arrange them on a platter, add some colourful sprinkles, and you've got an instant crowd-pleaser.

Satay: A classic for a reason! Marinated chicken, beef, or even seafood skewers grilled to perfection and served with a creamy peanut sauce and crunchy cucumber slices. Set up a mini satay station with skewers and dipping sauces, and watch them disappear!

Mini Curry Puffs: These flaky pastry pockets filled with savoury fillings like potato and sardine or chicken and peas are a guaranteed hit. You can even offer vegetarian options with lentil or mushroom fillings. Serve them warm with a dollop of chilli sauce for an extra kick.

Spring Rolls: Fresh and light, spring rolls are a great way to showcase your culinary skills. Fill them with julienned vegetables, shrimp, or even tofu, and wrap them in rice paper. Serve them with a sweet and sour dipping sauce for a refreshing treat.

Sweet & Savoury

Murtabak Bites: This popular street food can be easily transformed into bite-sized portions. Fill mini roti canai with your favourite fillings like cheese and egg, chicken and curry, or even Nutella and banana. Cut them into triangles and watch them vanish!

Nasi Lemak Cups: A deconstructed version of our beloved national dish, nasi lemak cups are fun and easy to eat. Layer cooked rice with sambal, peanuts, anchovies, and a fried egg in small cups or cones. It's a complete meal in one bite!

Chicken Satay Skewers with Peanut Butter Dip: Mini skewers of grilled chicken with a playful twist! Dip them in a creamy peanut butter sauce flavoured with a touch of soy sauce and lime juice. Kids and adults alike will love this sweet and savoury combo.

Mango Sticky Rice Balls: These bite-sized versions of the classic Thai dessert are perfect for a grand opening. Mix sweet sticky rice with ripe mangoes, form them into balls, and roll them in toasted sesame seeds. They're a beautiful and delicious way to end the celebration.

Tips for Success

Variety is key: Offer a mix of savoury and sweet options, as well as vegetarian and non-vegetarian choices.

Presentation matters: Arrange your food creatively and use colourful platters and garnishes.

Portion control: Smaller bites are easier to eat and help avoid waste.

Label clearly: If you have any dietary restrictions catered for, clearly label the dishes to avoid confusion.

Don't forget the drinks: Offer a variety of beverages, including water, juices, and coffee or tea.

Relax and have fun! This is your big day, so enjoy celebrating with your community.

 

FISH FOR ABUNDANCE AT SOUTHERN ROCK SEAFOOD

年年有余 is a customary wish for abundance and surplus during Chinese New Year, spurring the Chinese to toss Yee Sang with gusto, and load up on fish and seafood during the festive celebration. You can do so at Southern Rock Seafood Kitchen & Fishmonger, one of the most established seafood importers in the Klang Valley with its own restaurant in Bangsar (and a few off-site in major shopping malls).

At Southern Rock Seafood, it is most befitting to welcome the Year of the Water Tiger with a towering triple tier of Fruits De Mer (RM168++). Conceived for sharing, this impressive seafood selection is a sight to behold and will make waves with ardent seafood lovers.

To fully appreciate the quality of Southern Rock’s premium seafood, we recommend starting with the bottom tier of raw Tragheanna Bay Oysters (Ireland), Australian Mussels, Cloudy Bay Clams (Australia), and blanched local Tiger Prawns.

Local oyster connoisseurs in the know can vouch for Shucked - the best oyster bar in town (Southern Rock Seafood is behind it). Freshly shucked to order, the oysters are best savoured au naturel; it allows you to appreciate the briny and minerality of the oceanic nuances concentrated within these mollusks.

Likewise, for the mussels and clams – a dash of freshly squeezed lemon juice is perhaps all that's necessary to accentuate their soul-satisfying sea-fresh sweetness. 

To ensure things go swimmingly throughout the Tiger Year, prime your palate with a surfeit of seafood appetisers in the second tier: Salmon Sashimi, Cured Salmon (Beetroot & Gravlax), seared Japanese Scallops, Anchovies in Olive Oil (imported from Holland), Smoked Ocean Trout stuffed with Marinated Goat Cheese, and House-made Smoked Mackerel Paté.

Thin crisp toast points are served to complement the assortment; to enable you to savour the paté or place the anchovies on top to enjoy them. Take your time to discover the sensuous textures and complex flavours as you devour the succulent and scrumptious morsels.

A glass of classic Prawn Cocktail serves as the crowning glory for the seafood tower. For millennials and the uninitiated, this hors d’oeuvres consists of a whole blanched shelled prawn and diced prawns with chopped lettuce, dressed in creamy cocktail sauce – a mixture of ketchup with mayonnaise (sometimes Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and cayenne pepper are added). Prawns are believed to evoke laughter so eat up and be happy for 2022!

Also eat more fish for abundance throughout the Chinese New Year and Southern Rock Seafood reels you in with an array of fresh wild imported fishes that can be grilled, steamed, baked or prepared a la Meunière. Grilled Whole Sea Bass (RM88++) with roast Mediterranean vegetables and romesco sauce is a notable option.

The simple cooking style retains the fish’s natural taste whilst the slightly charred vegetables and rich Catalonian-style sauce (tomatoes, garlic, toasted almonds or pine nuts with olive or sunflower oil) add textural and flavour contrasts, should you desire it.

Noodles is synonymous with longevity so the Crab & Scallop Linguine (RM58++) should hit the sweet spot for carb-loving diners. Globules of salmon roe enriched the plump sweet scallops while the linguine passed muster.

 

Established as a full-fledged restaurant in 2015, Southern Rock Seafood has weathered the stormy F&B scene in Klang Valley rather well. According to manager Mostaq Ahmed, the team is open to catering to birthday parties, corporate events and social gatherings of up to 100 persons since things are gradually returning to normal.

Featuring a nautical theme with seafaring vibes, the rustic restaurant interior features distressed clapboard, mellow lighting and a long bar where showcases of imported oysters on ice take pride of place.

Over at the fishmonger section, chillers filled with whole and fillets of premium fishes from Australia and Europe and fridges of smoked and cured fish, and jars of caviar, fish roe and mackerel paté beckon invitingly. Live lobsters are kept in tanks in the inner sanctum.

The beauty about Southern Rock Seafood is they can source and import the fish and seafood you want if they don’t have it in stock – all you have to do is ask. They also supply premium seafood to most 5-star hotels and reputable restaurants in town and throughout Malaysia.

For reservations at Southern Rock Seafood Kitchen & Fishmonger, tel: +6 012 385 0266. Address: 32-36, Jalan Kemuja, Off Jalan Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur. Business hours: Mon-Fri 11 am-10 pm; Sat & Sun 8.30 am – 11 pm (last call 930 pm) Website: www.southernrockseafood.com

AUSPICIOUS LUNAR 'NIU' YEAR TAKEAWAYS & DELIVERIES FROM ROCKAFELLERS

A Prosperity Family Platter fit for kings from Rockafellers Kitchen & Bar is a great choice to welcome the Year of the Ox in the comfort of home this year. Executive Chefs Yogi and Jarrod Khoo have rustled up generous servings of Roasted Pork Belly, Red Fermented Beancurd (Nam Yue) Pork Ribs, Whole Roast Duck, BBQ Pork Belly (Char Siu) and Pork Knuckle for the Prosperity Family Platter (RM280 nett, 4-5 persons and RM499 nett, serves 8-10 persons). 

We had a field day digging into the meaty plethora: the assortment left no room for complaints, the riotous flavours satisfied our familial spirits. The proverbial generation gap was seamlessly bridged as everyone picked their preferred cuts.

A treasure trove of accompaniments complemented the meats too. We found crispy dices of pork lard, streaky bacon, baked potatoes, pineapple wedges, broccoli florets, baby carrots, shitake mushrooms and Yorkshire pudding. Sauces to enhance the entire ensemble include roasted brown gravy, apple puree and a spicy sambal sauce.

The Prosperity Menu, available for takeaways and deliveries also features Roasted Suckling Pig (RM370 for ½ pig@2.5-3kg, best for 5 - 6 pax and RM525 for a whole pig @5-6kg, best for 8 - 10 pax) with seasonal baked vegetables, drenched in roasted gravy and sauces to add a ritzy twist to the traditional festive toss.

Timeless classics from the à la carte menu to tempt you range from Crispy Pork Rolls, Baked Salmon Fillet, Crispy Pork Belly, BBQ Pork Belly (Char Siu), and Nam Yu Pork Ribs to heavenly Grilled Mix Seafood Platter comprising tiger prawns, squids, green mussels, slipper lobster and seabass.

Early birds who place their bookings between 21 and 31 January 2021 will enjoy a 10% discount on the total order. Any Prosperity platter order will come with 5 complimentary bottles of Heineken 0.0 too. 

The sumptuous Chinese ‘Niu’ Year food affairs from Rockafellers Kitchen + Bar are available from 3^rd February 2021 for takeaways and deliveries, while stocks last.

·       Pre-orders available from 1^st February until 28^th February 2021

·       A minimum 3 days advance notice is required for orders placed on your preferred date

·       A 50% non-refundable deposit should be paid upon placement of orders

·       Free delivery within a 15km radius 

For bookings and enquiries at Rockafellers, kindly contact:

-        Chef Yogi: +60 10 221 7302

-        Rishen: +60 16 963 2929

-        Sara: +60 12 250 7726

IMMERSIVE STAYCATION AT ALOR RIMBA ORCHARD VILLAS

Wake up to the sound of roosters crowing and listen to the morning call resonating throughout the village. Honestly, I had forgotten when was the last time I was roused from my slumber by such a lively greeting to start the day.

Gateway to a private paradise that's Alor Rimba

Keep your eye out for the Alor Rimba Orchard Villas signpost once you turn off from the highway

It is one of the many sensorial and immersive experiences we had throughout our brief but memorable staycation at Rimba Alor Orchard Villas. Just 45 minutes from the historic city of Melaka, this private homestead is located in Melaka Pindah, a quiet village sited off a small lane from the main Alor Gajah highway.

A nicely paved driveway leading to a large tract of well-trimmed lawn greeted us as we drove up to Rimba Alor. Glimpses of rustic dwellings surrounded by leafy trees and foliage hinted at what was in store for our weekend staycation.  

Tuan Haji Kaspur Mat, manager of Rimba Alor, welcomed us with a quick tour of the two holiday homesteads: Villa Rimba (RM900 per night) and Villa Alor (RM800 per night). Ensconced within a 1.7-acre orchard which has been in the owners’ family for generations, Tuan Haji Kaspur said “originally there was only a simple kampung house with a well fed by an underground spring here”.

Now, the owners have built two beautiful traditional Melaka-style wooden village houses onsite. They wanted to offer guests a taste of the slow-paced, relaxing village life without them feeling too isolated from everything else. Designed to accommodate 16-20 persons, each villa boasts 4 bedrooms, with 4 single rollaway beds (RM70 per bed per night) available on prior request.

 

To reflect their Melakan ancestry and cultural heritage, the owners have mindfully modelled both villas after the traditional raised wooden Melakan houses of yesteryear. Up front, a curved staircase adorned with colourful Nyonya tiles takes pride of place.

Ornate wooden carved window banisters, panels of decorative vintage tiles and old wooden doors repurposed into benches make the villas Instagram-worthy. Rimba Alor comes with a spacious wooden patio furnished with rattan chairs too; a vantage point to observe the many bird and animal life frolicking in the orchard.

 

Local watercolour artworks depicting bucolic scenes of fishing villages, reproduction prints of old Melaka and colourful stained glass panels bestow old-world charm to the rustic, cosily furnished living and dining areas. Modern conveniences: air-condition, fans, modern shower and water heater, television, oven toaster, refrigerator and washing machine ensure Rimba Alor guests enjoy their rural getaway without too much hardship.

 

In each bedroom, bed headboards of sarong and songket prints lend vibrant colour. The comfortable beds, fluffy pillows and pristine white linen are similar to those of international hotels. We certainly have no complaints when it comes to catching forty winks here.

 

 

 

Us city dwellers were thrilled to get our first-hand look at the various fruit trees in the orchard. We marvelled at the towering, over 90-year old durian tree, plucked mangosteens and rambutans to devour and sipped fresh coconut water from the harvest gleaned from the many coconut trees around.

 

 

The two kelulut (stingless bees) bee hives should pique the interest of nature-loving folks.Other f ruit trees such as jering (small native fruit encased in dark, hard clam-shape shells that can be eaten raw or cooked), cempedak, guava, soursop, jambu air (rose apple), lime and avocado also flourished in the orchard.

 

 

Nearby is a 8-ft deep fish pond stocked with tilapia, haruan and keli so if you fancy reeling in a catch of the day, fishing rods and bait are available on loan.

A gazebo nearby offers shade from the afternoon sun, an outpost to revel in the natural and soothing surroundings or merely to while time away. Fitted with roll-up/down wooden blinds, it can be turned into a private massage or foot reflexology haven.

Photo courtesy of pureglutton.com

We thoroughly enjoyed succumbing to the magic fingers of two local masseuses who kneaded away the stress of city living from our bodies. Again, guests can pre-booked the massage services for both men and women ahead of time before their actual visit.

 

 

 

When it comes to meals, Rimba Alor has two purpose-built barbecue pits and a dedicated al fresco dining area as well as two sets of sturdy umbrella-shaded wooden tables and chairs in the garden. The brick and mortar, vintage tile tabletops and wooden bench seats make for convenient dining. Should you prefer a more casual approach, picnic mats are available too.

 

 

You may opt to cook your own meals when staying at Rimba Alor but we found it more convenient to have food catered. Be it breakfast, lunch, tea or dinner, Rimba Alor has thoughtfully compiled a list of enterprising Melaka Pindah villagers who can cook up a plethora of typical kampung dishes on request.

 

Our delicious nasi lemak breakfast with the works was a great example. Dinner and lunch menus run the gamut from ikan bakar, asam pedas and rendang to fried chicken, kerabu and sambal with rice.

 

Alternatively, guests can also order food to be delivered or drive to nearby restaurants. Live musical entertainment — be it a solo flautist or a dondang sayang troupe — can be arranged with prior notice given to the manager.

As I sat mesmerised by the sight of a blood orange sunset against a dusky backdrop streaked with vermillion, yellow, purple and orchre, I wish I have the means to make Rimba Alor my writing retreat.

Once Rimba Alor casts its beguiling spell on you, you too will find it hard to return to the drudgery of everyday life. No matter how brief a sojourn at this holiday homestead, it is the closest to experiencing heaven on earth.

For more information on Rimba Alor Orchard Villas, please call Tuan Haji Kaspur Mat, hp no: 019-325 6582 or visit www.rimbaalororchardvillas.com