Midday Specials.
Social Bites. The Cookbook. These catchy names denote the new lunch, light
snacks and dinner menus at Cedar on 15, the rooftop restaurant and lounge at Impiana KLCC
Hotel in line with 2019.

Following
a fresh approach taken by Chef Helmut Lamberger, Corporate Chef (WACS Global
Master Chef), local media peeps were given first dibs into the culinary team’s versatile
repertoire.


Waitstaff
swooped in bearing trays of Social Bites, catching our eye with the unusual
presentation. Our Version of
Bitterballen (RM26) — crisp potato croquettes flavoured with smoked turkey
ham and cheese finished with dollops of avocado mousse (pix below) were scrumptious enough
that I unashamedly went for repeat helpings.


Cocktail
parties definitely would be more fun with wickedly delish Rockefeller Shrimp Popcorn (RM40) — crunchy deep-fried shrimp ‘popcorn’
in waxed newsprint cones served with roasted garlic aioli (bottom top pix). These nibbles easily
reel you in so keep a tight grip on your own resolve or else...

Simpler
but no less appealing on the palate is Vine
Tomato Bruschetta (RM39). Amazing how sublime Cameron Highlands baby tomatoes
baked with ricotta cheese, parsley oil and crushed pepper (bottom top pix) can taste when paired
with some nice tipple.

According
to Chef Helmut, the new menus focus on classic European favourites with modern
updates, to cater to today’s discerning diners. He emphasised his team also
took into consideration key issues such as seafood sustainability, the use of
locally-grown herbs and mushrooms, changing food trends and evolving palates.
One of
Chef Helmut’s notable creations, Carpaccio
of Portobello Mushroom (RM54) actually won him the coveted ‘Chef of the
Year, Austria’ by Gault Millau back in 1991. His latest interpretation in which
the thinly sliced fungi came dotted with burrata cheese and whipped horseradish
was a delicate, no-frills composition of rustic earthiness — to symbolise the
Forest in The Cookbook (dinner menu).
The
evening’s showstopper for me was the Earth-inspired Cream of Kohlrabi (RM44) with butter-seared scallops, baby greens
and coral tuille. Also known as German turnip, this temperate vegetable is now
grown in Camerons. Part bulb and part vegetable, it’s a cross between a radish,
jicama, collard green and broccoli.
The Cedar
on 15 team did an excellent job turning it into a lush, creamy soup that
allowed the scallops’ natural sweetness to shine and enveloped the asparagus
tips with its sleek smoothness.

With
sustainability issue gaining traction in the food industry, Chef Helmut and his
team selected Pan-fried Fillet of
Malaysian Barramundi (RM64) as their main course of choice during the menu
launch. A good decision as the fish itself proved on-point, accompanied by
churned almond butter and sides of artichokes, potatoes, asparagus tips,
olives, herbs and lemon wedges.

Passion
is essential to chefs and the entire gastronomic feast we had experienced
proved Chef Helmut Lamberger and his chaps spared no efforts in ensuring we
went home happy. Their finale appeared in the form of A Medley of White Chocolate & Raspberry (RM44) with citrus crème
and crispy snaps. Cloud-light with a well-balanced quotient of sweet and tangy
accents, it hit the spot for me although I’m no fan of mousse-type treats.



The chef
also demonstrated the preparation of some signature dishes such as Skaagen or Scandinavian Shrimp Salad, Foie Gras ‘Magyar’ and Barbary Duck Breast during dinner. A
plethora of specialities from all three menus was also displayed for us to
photograph and view at the launch.

