ORGANIC VILLAGE CHICKEN AND BEST OF HONG KONG AT ZUAN YUAN

Free-range, organically raised village chicken is prized for its toothsome, leaner meat texture. This month, Zuan Yuan’s Executive Chinese Chef Tommy Choong Chan Hoo focuses on five different preparations to showcase this chook at its best eating quality.

The notable show-stealing Organic Village Chicken with Chinese Herbs (RM120 per bird) needs to be pre-ordered 24 hours in advance. Thoroughly suffused by the enticing nuances of various Chinese herbs used in its preparation, the fall-off-the-bone chicken is satisfyingly good. Not a single drop of the flavourful herbal broth is wasted either.

According to Chef Tommy, diners may enjoy the village chicken smoked, steamed with cordycep flowers, poached with dried scallop sauce and garden greens or roast with black truffle paste. The various preparations will be available until end October.

Long recognised as Asia’s "Gourmet Paradise" and "World's Fair of Food", Hong Kong holds a special place in Chef Tommy’s heart as the place where his culinary career took off. This month, he pays tribute to this bastion of Cantonese food with a special range of Hong Kong-style specialities.

His Pan Fried Scallop stuffed with Prawn Paste served with Superior Sauce encapsulates the refined spirit of Cantonese cooking perfectly. Lightly dressed with a lush, caramelised sauce, the sea-fresh sweetness of the scallops and prawns easily make this the ‘must have’ dish of the day.

Dried mandarin peel, dried prawns and spring onion are de rigeur when it comes to making fish balls in Hong Kong but for his speciality of Curry Fish Balls and Fish Maw “Hong Kong” Style in Claypot, the chef says he has tweaked the recipe to suit local tastebuds.

Served in a fragrant Indian-inspired curry gravy, the fishballs’ QQ springiness is delicious. Coupled with spongy pieces of fish maw, one can easily be induced to eat more than their fair share of rice.

Shiitake and oyster mushrooms are mixed with chopped onion, butter, milk and superior stock to form a rich stuffing for the Baked Assorted Mushrooms and Crab Meat with Cheese in Crab Shell. It’s an old-school appetiser when cheese was a novelty during the colonial era and the well-heeled preferred to devour crabs without getting their hands dirty.

The Crispy Roasted Duck stuffed with Yam Paste served with Sweet Sauce is a misnomer. In reality, Chef Tommy stuffed the roast duck between a layer of yam paste before deep-frying his creation. Served with drizzle of sweet bean sauce, the outer crust is deliciously crisp with wispy tendrils whilst the inner layer is the meaty part.

Priced between RM36 and RM48, the Best of Hong Kong selection is available for lunch (12noon to 2.30pm) and dinner (6pm to 10.30pm) daily.

For enquiries or reservations at Zuan Yuan, please call tel: 03 - 7681 1157 or email: zuanyuan@oneworldhotel.com.my. Address: One World Hotel, First Avenue, Bandar Utama City Centre, Selangor.

CULINARY JOURNEY TO WONDERFUL INDONESIA AT CURATE

Kambing Guling and Bakwan Malang are two of the interesting dishes

crafted by guest chef Robert Wisnu Untoro (right) for the Indonesian Food and Culture Week at Curate, Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur.

Held from October 7 – 13, the special food and cultural promotion was organised in collaboration with the Embassy of Indonesia in Kuala Lumpur. The sumptuous daily lunch and dinner buffet features specialities from across the Indonesian archipelago.

 

Chef Wisnu, who is also as a DJ, kept diners entertained while cooking up a storm with his inimitable flair.  We were smitten at first bite by the tender, spiced-rubbed Kambing Guling – roasted leg of goat sliced on request from the carvery.

 

Interestingly, Bakwan Malang isn’t unlucky despite its unfortunate name. In East Java, bakwan refers to fried wontons with a mixture of meat or fish and flour filling while Malang is the name of the East Javanese city. Basically, it’s a soupy noodle dish with fried wonton, fish balls, beef ball and fried beancurd. Chopped spring onion, fried shallot and a dollop of  green chilli sambal add subtle pops of flavour to the offering.

Aromatic spices like cloves and pepper are evident in clear, tummy-warming Sop Buntut (Javanese oxtail soup) which has chunky pieces of bones and tender cubes of beef in it.

 

 

A plethora of salads such as Urapan Sayur, Lalapan, Tahu Gejrot (fried tofu and beansprouts in sweet spicy sauce), Ketoprak (tofu, shredded vegetables and pressed rice cakes in peanut sauce), Salada Ayam Bumbu Bali, Pecel and Karedok piques our palate before we descend on the main courses. The lightly blanched salads are mostly tossed or served with peanut sauce.

 

 

 

Spicing the meal up are an array of curries; some flaunting lush, fragrant coconut milk-enriched gravy, others accentuated by drier spice blends. Notable dishes worth sampling include Telur Pop (deep-fried hardboiled eggs in pale coconuty gravy), Bebek Sambal Hijau (duck in dry green chilli curry), Ayam Gule (Sumatran chicken curry) and the classic Rendang Daging (beef braised in thick coconut milk, ground chilli and spices).

 

 

Different combination of spices are employed with finesse to produce delicious specialities such as Terong Belado (eggplant stir-fried with coarsely pounded chilli), Ikan Bakar Padang (grilled fish with spice rub), Gule Kapau (young jackfruit curry with long beans & cabbage) and Sambal Goreng Uti (stir-fried chicken liver & potato dices with sambal).

 

 

Dessert bears close similarity to our local kuih such as the colourful renditions of Kuih Lapis (steamed multi-layer rice cakes) and Kek Lapis (baked Indonesian layered cake enhanced with spices). Simpler street-food delights like Timus Ubi (baked tapioca cake) and Bubur Sumsum (thick gruel of coconut milk with rice flour complemented with palm sugar syrup) are also served.

A showcase of hand-drawn batik, pretty and traditional Indonesian apparel and handicrafts beckon at the mini Indonesian bazaar outside the bright and breezy Curate.

Dinner guests were also entertained by the percussive melodies of gamelan, a musical ensemble combining Javanese and Balinese influences together with the genteel movements of trad dancers.

For reservations, call Curate, tel: 03-23828888. Address: Level 5B, Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Ampang, KL.

MORE SHABU-SHABU SATISFACTION AT WAGYU MORE

How would you like to load up on unlimited servings of Japanese A5 Wagyu Beef, Spanish lberico Pork and Australian Wagyu Beef at a shabu-shabu restaurant? Such food dreams do come true at Wagyu More, a Japanese Shabu-Shabu Restaurant at The Gardens Mall.

 

Established by Global Food Culture Group Limited in 2014, the first Wagyu More restaurant opened in ShaTin, Hong Kong’s most crowded hub. Wagyu More’s All-You-Can-Eat Japanese Shabu-Shabu concept soon had Hong Kongers buzzing as diners find themselves spoiled for choice thanks to Wagyu More’s unlimited supply of beef, pork and chicken for an unforgettable hot pot meal. In addition, generous offerings of vegetables, hot food, sushi, meatballs, drinks and dessert are included.

According to Wagyu More’s Senior Marketing Executive, Irene Loh, the cute mascots featured in the resto’s decor and marketing collaterals stemmed from the founders’ seed of a dream where two good friends - Red More and Blue More – from the Japanese village of Beppu aspire to globetrot their way to sample the world’s finest delicacies.

After five years of traversing the world, Red More and Blue More decided to compile all the delicacies they had tried under one roof, resulting in the debut of the first Wagyu More in Hong Kong. The resto’s Japanese Shabu-shabu concept stands out for its airflown premium Saga Wagyu beef, tender Australian Wagyu beef and succulent Spanish Iberico Pork as well as a vast array of delicacies and dessert, making it a big hit among Hong Kongers. Todate, Wagyu More has six restaurants in HK, making it the island city’s hottest shabu-shabu restaurant chain.

Opened in August 2018, Malaysia is Wagyu More’s first overseas flagship resto. As expected, scores of food lovers were soon raving about its much touted All-You-Can-Eat Buffet starting from RM36.80++ per person.

Step into Wagyu More and your attention will be instantly drawn to the colourful wall murals depicting Red More and Blue More with their whimsical friends: the learned Professor Dr Pig, the petite Wakadori chicken Hiyoko, and the spotted, stocky Cow Cow.

A central, orderly buffet set-up dominates the premises; streamlined and pragmatic, the counter presents a hygenic and visually pleasing selection of fungi, greens, pasta and noodles, beancurd, root vegetables, etc that makes self-service a breeze.

 

A multi-shelved chiller allow diners to help themselves to assorted fish balls and fish paste products. The expansive line-up also proffers ready-mixed salads and dessert, hot and cold drinks, condiments for mixing your own sauces, hot appetisers and simple dishes such as fried rice, spring rolls and stir-fried mixed vegetables.

 

Available in single and communal pots, customers can choose up to two soup base from the eight types on offer: Kombu, Sukiyaki, Miso, Tomato, Pork Bone, Spicy Pork Bone, Kimchi and Japanese Curry. Our dining party opted for Tomato, Pork Bone and Spicy Pork Bone. We also chose the monthly special (add RM4.80++) which was Tamarind Pineapple Soup in April.

Personally, I’m partial to the sweet, rich Pork Bone soup with the appetite-whetting Tamarind Pineapple coming in a close second. Honestly, each soup base has its own appeal, depending on taste preference.

 

 

The secret to Wagyu More’s success is the great value prices: the All-You-Can-Eat Buffet during lunch is RM36.80++ per person (11am to 5pm) and RM44.80++ during dinner (5pm to 10pm). An additional surcharge of RM3.00++ per person is applicable for weekends and public holidays.

Discerning meat lovers may prefer to elevate their dining experience with Wagyu More’s All Day Premium Buffet (above) featuring: 

•             Spanish Iberico Pork Buffet at RM98.80++ per person

•             Australian Wagyu Buffet at RM148.80++ per person

 

•             Japanese A5 Wagyu Buffet at RM388.80++ per person

To ensure best eating quality, the meat served at Wagyu More is only sliced upon receipt of customer’s order. “Although it’s more time-consuming especially at peak hours, the brief waiting time is worthwhile as the texture and taste of freshly sliced meat is far superior to pre-sliced meat that’s kept in the chiller” said Irene.

The proof is always in the eating. We thoroughly enjoyed sampling the different cuts and types of meat dipped in the assortment of soup base. Sweet and tender, the lush richness makes our shabu-shabu dining experience second to none.

IMHO, the US Pork Loin (RM10.80++ per plate), Imported Pork Collar (RM12.80++ per plate), Imported Pork Belly (RM12.80++ per plate) and Spanish Iberico Pork (RM22.80++ per plate) go well with any soup base since the meaty sweetness remains discernible once cooked.

It’s advisable not to overcook servings of Australian Beef Chuck Roll (RM13.80++ per plate), Australian Beef Brisket (RM14.80++ per plate), Australian Wagyu (RM32.80++ per plate) and Japanese A5 Wagyu (RM88.80++ per plate). The delicate beef flavour goes best with Kombu, Sukiyaki, Miso, Spicy Pork Bone and Japanese Curry soup.

 

If you decide to order the a la carte Seafood Platter (4 prawns, 4 scallops & 4 mussels RM28.80++), we recommend sampling it with Tomato, Pork Bone, Spicy Pork Bone or Kimchi soup. The fun lies in cooking the various ingredients in different soups. Even the Sea Urchin Flavoured Balls, Fish Chilli Paste Balls and Cheese Fish Tofu are delicious when eaten piping hot, dipped in whatever saucy concoctions you have rustled up.

Children below the age of 12 and within the height of 90cm – 120cm will be charged at 50 percent off adult price while senior citizens aged 60 years old and above will enjoy 20 percent off for all packages.

Weekday Set Lunch for single plate meat with choices of chicken, pork and beef, and free-flow of meatballs, vegetables, drinks, ice-cream and desserts, with the price of RM28.80++, from 11am to 5pm. The time limit of dining is 60 minutes for Weekday Set Lunch.

For reservations, call Wagyu More, tel : 03 – 2202 1811. Address : T-216-B, 3rd Floor, The Gardens Mall, Mid Valley City, KL. Website: www.wagyumore.com.my/