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#/

 

SAVOUR THE WORLD OF NOBU THIS MARCH

Savour a specially curated 7-course menu featuring exclusive recipes from the ‘World of Nobu’ cookbook throughout March 2019 to mark the launch of the celebrated cookbook at Nobu Kuala Lumpur.

Priced at RM600++ per person, the World of Nobu menu’s opening volley features Kin Medai Bagna Cauda with Wasabi Aioli Soy Cream, a recipe by Toshiyuki Shiramizu, Executive Head Sushi Chef of Nobu Malibu.

The three delicate strips of alfonsino or golden eye snapper look like three brush strokes, layered with sliced eringi, shaved truffle and a dimunitive dollop of wasabi aioli soy cream (presumably referencing the bagna cauda). A featherlight ensemble that unleashes wonderfully rich flavours onto our palate, leaving us yearning for more.

According to Nobu Matsuhisa: “In this book, each chef expresses the Nobu Way as he understands it through his cooking. I feel that, even when I’m no longer here, the Nobu Style will keep on living, in the cuisine of the chefs that I’ve trained. This book is the essence of the Nobu Way, and the source of the smiles on our guests’ faces.”

Representing the home team is Nobu Kuala Lumpur’s Head Sushi Chef Chico Dator who proffers a Sushi Cup Selection. The Chu Toro (medium fat tuna belly slices) with Yuzu Miso topped with Caviar wins hands down — it’s a mini mouthful of big flavour whilst cleaner nuances with an earthy finish prevail in the pairing of Tai (Japanese sea bream) & Crispy Shiitake with Sweet Shiso Sauce.

Another crowd favourite is Amaebi (sweet shrimp) with Wasabi Salsa & Ponzu Sauce although the Ikura (salmon roe) with home-made soy-laced rice tastes a tad too salty for my personal liking.

Chef de Cuisine of Nobu Doha Andrew Bozoki brings a healthy spin with his inventive creation of Lobster, Kale, Quinoa & Salsa with Dry Miso. Adhering to Nobu’s principles of freshness, quality and simplicity, the clever interplay of different textures make this speciality an epicurean delight.

Nantucket Scallop & Pickled Fennel with Beet Sauce — a signature creation of Chef Taku Sato, Executive Chef of Nobu Fifty Seven is intepreted using Hokkaido scallops for pragmatic reasons. Again, it’s an ingeniously simple yet exquisite composition.

Never mind that my scallops were a tad overdone; the slightly charred smokiness left them companionable enough to go with the sourish tang of the pickled fennel, perked up by the creamy beet sauce.

Chef Eleni Manousou — Nobu Group’s first first female Executive Chef who spearheads Nobu Marbella is renowned for her Wagyu Beef Salsa Con Hierbas. The Nobu KL team uses Miyazaki Wagyu beef imported from Japan cooked to medium rare and served it with the chef’s distinctive salsa concoction comprising coriander, parsley, onion, olive oil, yuzu juice, rice vinegar, capers, gherkins, mustard and anchovies.

While I enjoy the juicy and tender meat, I wish the herbaceous salsa packs a little more punch or acidity would have been nice to balance the meaty richness.

Fret not, the refreshing Cold Inaniwa Chuka with Caviar and Watercress Soup by Chef Philip Leong of Nobu KL is a splendid penultimate course to dive into. Ethereally light and healthy thanks to the watercress broth, the delicious dish offers contrasting textures and nuances too.

A pink-blush 'powder puff' of mascarpone cream with green tea sponge and cherry blossom mousse and green tea sauce accompanied by a quenelle of cherry sorbet atop a cherry leaf formed the pretty as picture Sakura-Saku dessert by Pastry Chef Kei Hasegawa of Matsuhisa Beverly Hills.

It’s a lovely dessert to herald the arrival of cherry blossom season. A well-balanced composition that complements the delicate sweetness of mascarpone cream and cherry blossom mousse with the subtle bitterness of green tea sauce and the sweet-sourness of cherry sorbet.

The World of Nobu menu will be available until 31 March 2019. Diners can also purchase the World Of Nobu cookbook from Nobu Kuala Lumpur for RM325+ (subject to SST tax).

For inquiries or reservations, please call Nobu Kuala Lumpur, tel: 03-2164 5084 or WhatsApp 019-389 5085.