CONCORDE HOTEL KL’S MID-AUTUMN ELEGANCE

Bold red and classy orange hues reign in Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur’s elegantly handcrafted Mid-Autumn Elegance mooncake gift boxes this year.

The square and rectangular lacquer boxes in multiple layers of vibrant high-gloss finishing, come adorned with a dainty LED touch sensor light decorative panel. These gift boxes can be transformed into elegant storage boxes or repurposed as light-up displays in the home post-Mid-Autumn Festival.

In celebration of familial reunions and communal togetherness, Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur’s Mid-Autumn Elegance gift boxes come with a set of 4 x 180g mooncakes (RM188 nett per set). Take your pick from different mooncake variants to suit your tastebuds.

My red lacquer square box contains Set A consisting of Pure Lotus Double Yolk, Pure Lotus Paste, Pandan Pure Lotus and  Japanese Red Bean – classic baked variants ideal for the traditionalist in me. I’m happy to note the mooncake fillings aren’t overly sweet; the smooth paste with the requisite taste of red bean, pandan-infused lotus and classic lotus pleasantly delicate.

 

Should you lean towards the Lacquer Rectangular (RM188 nett per set), each box will come with 5 Mooncakes (1 x 180gm & 4 x 120gm).

Visit Concorde kiosks now to purchase those Mid-Autumn Elegance gift boxes:

Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur (Lobby) until 29 Sept, 10am – 8pm

·  1 Utama Shopping Centre (Centre Court, Ground Floor) until 1 October, 10am – 10pm (Sun – Thurs) and 10am – 10.30 pm (Fri & Sat)

Enjoy 20% Discount for CIMB, Citibank, HLB, MBB, OCBC, PB, RHB, SCB, UOB cardholders.

For more information, call/WhatsApp: 012 399 5021 or email to fbkl@concorde.net 

KOPITIAM EXPERIENCE AT DORSETT GRAND SUBANG

Hankering for some good old kopitiam fare such as Nasi Lemak, Roti Bakar with Butter & Kaya or Soft-boiled Kampung Eggs with your fave cuppa? Foreign and local guests of Dorsett Grand Subang can now enjoy a first-hand experience of eating in a local kopitiam Mon-Fri, 10.30 am to 5 pm without stepping out of the hotel.

Priced at RM12.80 nett per order inclusive of a cup of Milo, Teh Tarik, Kopi Lokal or Nescafe Tarik, you can select Roti Bakar (toast) with Butter & Kaya (local egg jam), Soft-boiled Kampung Eggs, Nasi Lemak Bungkus, Cucur Udang (2 pcs), Giant Chicken Curry Puffs, Popiah Goreng (2 pcs) or Portuguese Egg Tart.

We gave thumbs up to the delicious Nasi Lemak. Wrapped in banana leaf lined paper, the coconut cream-enriched rice was fragrant and went like a dream with the sambal which had a hint of sweetness to it. Ubiquitous accompaniments: a slice of omelette, sliced cucumber, and fried peanuts with ikan bilis (anchovies) lent textural interest.

Unlike Cucur Udang (prawn fritters) sold elsewhere where the prawns are non-existent, we are pleased to find several small prawns atop the crispy pieces. Served with a chilli dip, the fritters were so delectable we couldn’t resist a second helping.

Another on-point offering was Popiah Goreng. The generous filling of shredded jicama, carrot and mushroom inside the fried spring rolls was reminiscent of Penang Nyonya-style chun piah.

As a fan of local curry puff, I was delighted to find the Giant Chicken Curry Puff came up to scratch. Besides diced potato and chicken, it included a wedge of hardboiled egg.

 

If you’re slanted towards Continental fare, individual portions of Big Breakfast (RM48 nett) are served from 11am to 3pm daily. A hearty plate big enough to two light eaters to share, it consisted of fluffy scrambled egg, chicken sausages, crisp beef bacon strips, baked beans, sautéed mushrooms, hash browns, cherry tomatoes, salad, and slices of buttered toast.

MOONLIT SERENITIY

Celebrate the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival with Halal mooncakes from Dorsett Grand Subang, available now until 29 September.

Perennial best sellers: Premium Musang King Durian Snowskin Mooncake (top right, RM63) and Dorsett Signature Blue Mooncake (bottom right, RM43) comprising white lotus paste single yolk encased in organic blue pea flower snowskin continue to be the top draw among Dorsett guests.

The sweetness of the Signature Blue mooncake is just nice, with the salted egg yolk giving the lotus paste filling balance. We also like the inclusion of kuaci (melon seeds) in it.

A standout in our book this year is the Honey Purple Potato Paste with Single Yolk in Lemongrass Snowskin (RM43). The delicious sweet potato paste melds harmoniously with the fresh herbaceous-lemony imbued snowskin.

A touch of bright sweetness from yuzu honey citron lends distinct edge to the baked variant of Pandan Lotus Paste Single Yolk in Yuzu Honey Citron (RM43). Although it's an unlikely combo, the flavours work like a charm.

Made from pure Musang King pulp, you'd realise why it remains such a hit with mooncake fans of the Premium Musang King Durian Snowskin. The luscious taste is incomparable and as good as eating the actual fruit.

Dorsett Mooncake Gift Set (RM128 nett) makes gifting easier for the Mid-Autumn Festival celebration. It comprises a set of 4 baked mooncakes and a box of 10 sachets Rhymba Hills sampler. 

For more information, call Dorsett Grand Subang, tel: 03 5031 6060.

TOUCH OF FINE ART FOR MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL AT FOUR SEASONS HOTEL KL

Acclaimed contemporary ink artist C.N. Liew has added his fine art touch to this year’s limited-edition Four Seasons Mid-Autumn Festival (MAF) gift boxes.

Filled with handcrafted mooncakes by the talented Yun House team, the bespoke designs featured on the MAF gift box come from Liew’s Beyond the Border series, which was showcased at ART SG 2023 in Singapore. Liew is the first Malaysian artist whose works have been exhibited at Art Basel, Fine Art Asia and Art Miami.

The vibrant red MAF gift box incorporates a twilly scarf of Liew’s eye-catching artwork tied onto the handle, and a double-tier ‘drawers’ to fit eight mooncakes bearing the iconic Four Seasons logo.

“The custom of gifting and sharing mooncakes signifies harmony, happiness and good fortune,” says Jimmy Wong, Executive Chef of Yun House. “Our limited-edition mooncake gift boxes are the perfect way to share the festive spirit with family, close friends and valued business partners.”

Available in a variety of flavours, ranging from the traditional to the innovative, the classic Baked Mooncakes such as Red Bean Paste with Almond Flakes; Pandan with Single Egg Yolk; and Puer Tangerine with Lotus prove their timeless appeal never wanes. We sampled them at a lunch recently and each variant lived up to expectations.

Partial to Snow Skin Mooncakes? We highly recommend the delicate Bird’s Nest with Black Sesame and Almond - a winsome filling with a pleasant tinge of luxury. Equally stellar is Chocolate Lotus Paste with Himalayan Salt and Egg Yolk Custard - the fleeting chocolatey accent and mildly sweet egg yolk custard heightened by a touch of salt. The popular White Lotus Paste with Seaweed Black Sugar and Macadamia Nuts manages to hold its own. Of course, the sumptuous Musang King Durian Snow Skin Mooncake rules them all with its creamy indulgent taste and fragrant aroma.

Priced from RM42 to RM78 per piece, and from RM336 to RM624 per gift box containing 8 mooncakes, only one thousand of the exclusive MAF gift boxes are available for pre-order now, while stocks last.

To place orders for Four Seasons Hotel KL’s MAF gift boxes and mooncakes, call tel: 03-2382 8888 or email: yunhouse.kualalumpur@fourseasons.com

 

 

EQUATORIAL KUALA LUMPUR CELEBRATES 50TH ANNIVERSARY

Opened in December 1973, Hotel Equatorial Kuala Lumpur is celebrating its 50^th Anniversary this year.

Equatorial Group CEO Donald Lim (pix above) said: “Over the past five decades, the Equatorial brand has built a strong reputation for delivering exceptional service and excellent hospitality; its restaurants: the Kampachi, Chalet, Nipah Coffeeshop, Golden Phoenix, Étoile Bistro and Blue Moon lounge were household names.

 

“We’ll be celebrating our golden anniversary with our loyal customers, partners, and employees who have supported us throughout the years. Starting 5 July 2023, we will have a series of 50 commemorative events spanning a whole year, each offering a distinctive take against the historical backdrop or with an eye toward the future.”

The old Chalet restaurant remains fondly remembered by loyal guests

Highlights will include pop-ups of the famed Chalet and Golden Phoenix restaurants in August 2023 and January 2024 respectively, and a Blue Moon Night on 31 August 2023, evoking a playlist of the era. Also, in the pipeline are visiting guest chefs, winemakers, sake masters and even specially commissioned products — stay tuned for updates at www.equatorial.com/equatorial-50

 

Boxing great Joe Bugner was a guest of Hotel Equatorial KL for his fight with the legendary Muhammad Ali in 1975

A memory wall will be created in the lobby of EQ where guests can view photos of memorable events involving Equatorial since 1973. Guests can share their own memories on Facebook and Instagram as well.

According to Lim, Equatorial has redefined the hospitality landscape; its well-regarded restaurants has successfully gain mindshare and familiarity with the many birthdays and weddings held at the Hotel.

 

He also cited some of the groundbreaking trends set by Hotel Equatorial Kuala Lumpur: it’s the first hotel to have electronic key cards and fire sprinklers, and WiFi connectivity — things people take for granted now.

Kampachi, the oldest Japanese restaurant in Malaysia, remains famed for its Sunday buffet. During its heydays, reservations has to be made months in advance. The brand’s endurance is unmatched and remains one of the best Japanese restaurants today.

Equatorial Group's Chief Commercial Officer Charles Lim (left), CEO Donald Lim (centre) and EQKL GM, Gerard Walker (right)

In the four years since opening in 2019, EQ has become the standard bearer among hotels in the city, having won a slew of local and international accolades, including being ranked #1 hotel in the city by Tripadvisor since August 2019. Just last month, EQ was named Hotel of the Year Asia Pacific by Preferred Hotels group, the first time any hotel from Malaysia has won the title.

 

The new 440-room property is the first and only 5-star hotel in Kuala Lumpur with a Green Building Index Gold certification. Lim explained EQ’s sustainability measures in place means a night’s stay at EQ uses far fewer resources and has less environmental impact compared to other hotel rooms. For example, the carbon output which is equivalent to a return drive from KL to Ipoh can save up to 1500 trees.

Hotel Equatorial Penang will reopen in 2 years' time

Lim said the newer EQ brand is more stylish and innovative; its premium positioning aimed at attracting today’s younger clientele whilst the Equatorial Hotel brand - recognisable among the older generation - will retain its ‘business class’ offerings. 

The Equatorial Penang is currently under renovation and is anticipated to open in 2 years’ time. He affirms should the opportunity arises, the group will consider expanding EQ and Equatorial branded properties in Malaysia or even overseas. 

For more information on EQ 50^th Anniversary, visit www.equatorial.com/equatorial-50