MID-AUTUMN HARMONY FROM CONCORDE HOTEL KL

 

Two exclusive lacquer gift sets, The Elegant Four and Four Seasons Bloom from Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur adds lustre to the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival.

Handcrafted in multiple layers of vibrant high-gloss lacquer finish, Concorde’s Mid-Autumn Harmony gift set features a set of four boxes adorned with delicate floral motifs and refined detailing reflecting the essence of Chinese art and culture.   

                                   
Better still, the boxes are designed to be repurposed post-celebration; renewing their usefulness as elegant jewellery, accessories or keepsake boxes, teabag or tid-bit holders, or even as wall-mounted art pieces.
 
Guests can choose from two themed designs comprising:
The Elegant Four featuring plum blossom, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum; symbolically paying tribute to noble virtues of wisdom, grace, integrity and tranquillity respectively.
 
Four Seasons Bloom highlights the seasonal beauty of spring orchid, summer lotus, autumn chrysanthemum and winter plum blossom.

 

Fill those elegant boxes with Concorde’s Halal-certified mooncakes ranging from Baked Lotus Paste with Single Yolk and Red Bean to inventive Snowskin variants such as Musang King Durian and Longan Wolfberry – the ideal celebratory Mid-Autumn Festival gifts for family, friends and business partners.

Based on our sampling, the Assorted Fruit & Nut Mooncake beguiles with invigorating hints of kaffir lime leaves while one cannot go wrong with the smooth Baked Japanese Red Bean Paste variant.

Also winsome are the Black Sesame Lotus Paste and classic Lotus Seed Paste, be it with or without single/double yolk(s).

We daresay the Snowskin Musang King Durian version is the next best thing to eat the actual King of Fruits thanks to the rich and luscious filling. Coming in a close second is the Snowskin with Yam Paste and Single Yolk.

The Lacquer Gift Sets (RM160 nett per set of four 180g mooncakes) are available in these options:
Set A – Baked Skin                                    
Pure Lotus Double Yolk                           
Golden Pandan Pure Lotus                            
Pure Lotus                                            
Japanese Red Bean  

                             
Set B – Baked Skin
Pure Lotus Single Yolk
Assorted Fruit Nuts
Black Sesame Lotus
Japanese Red Bean

Set C - Snowskin                 
Snowskin with Lotus Paste Single Yolk             
Snowskin with Yam Paste Single Yolk
Snowskin with Longan Wolfberry
Snowskin with Japanese Red Bean   

*Set D (RM188 nett per set inclusive of cooler bag)
Snowskin with Musang King Durian

 
Enjoy 20% Discount for CIMB, HLB, MBB, PB, RHB, SCB, UOB cardholders. For bulk orders of 50 boxes and above, it’s RM123 nett per set. Discounts NOT applicable for Snowskin with Musang King Durian Mooncake. 

Visit the following locations to purchase:

●      Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur (Lobby)       
11 August – 6 October, 10 am – 8 pm
 
●      Mid Valley Megamall (North Court, Ground Floor)
18 September – 6 October, 10 am – 10 pm

Doorstep delivery with applicable charges available. For more information, call/WhatsApp: 012 399 5021 or email to fbkl@concorde.net
 
 

HENING: A SERENE MALAY FOOD OASIS

Ikan Pekasam Utara (RM15), traditional Perakian fermented ikan loma (river carp) with ground roasted rice and salt is one of the must try dishes at Hening. Sautéed with sliced chillies and onion, the slightly funky, acidic sour-salty and gritty pekasam fish isn’t for the faint-hearted. I love it precisely due to that distinct taste.

We are stoked to savour this and other Malay dishes at Hening, one of the handful of Malay cuisine outposts in the city. Housed in a repurposed old bungalow, three enterprising young men (pic above): Mohd Syariman Zulkifli (centre) and brothers Irham Shah bin Azhar (left) and Ehsanuddin Shah bin Azhar (right) strive to raise Malay cuisine beyond no-frills stall setting into classier environs aimed at locals and tourists.

Banking on their collective strengths and F&B experience coupled with guidance from Syariman’s father and former hotel chef Zulkifli Aziz, the partners aim to draw city folks, urban families and foreign visitors to Hening.

Hening which means serenity or peaceful in Malay, exudes charming old-school vibes thanks to its terrazzo floors and vintage elements. Ehsan relied on his architectural expertise to update the all-white interior with colourful artworks by local artist Rahim Ismail.

Chef Syariman who has 17 years of industry experience is responsible the restaurant’s food and kitchen whilst Irham takes care of marketing and financial matters, and Ehsan, manpower.

Menu-wise, Johor and Perak specialities take centrestage. Lunch dishes are ideal for communal sharing, served alongside Nasi Putih Daun Pisang (RM4 per portion), steamed basmathi rice wrapped in banana leaf.

Aside from pekasam, the appetising Thai-inspired Kerabu Limau Bali (RM15), is a notable spicy-tangy-salty pomelo salad. We recommend accompanying the rice with robustly flavoured mains such as Masak Lemak Daging Bakar (RM40) or Masak Lemak Siakap Goreng (RM45), smoky grilled beef slices or fried whole seabass in rich, turmeric-accented curry prepared following Negeri Sembilan style.

Subtly spicy-tangy tamarind sauce, chopped tomatoes and onion boosts the appeal of Daging Batang Pinang Bakar Air Asam (RM40), grilled tenderloin skewers. Mellower but no less tempting is Johor-style Asam Pedas Jenahak (RM45), fleshy whole snapper in piquant chilli-tamarind gravy.

To wrap up your meal, try nostalgic sweet treats of Pisang Madu Tiga (RM12), caramelised bananas with vanilla ice cream, and Sago Gula Melaka with fresh mango dices. Local tea-time treats such as Curry Puffs, Onde Onde and Bubur Cha Cha are available from 3pm onwards.

Alternatively, sample thirst-quenchers: Hening Pagi (RM12) using fresh pomegranate, Hening Senja (RM12) with crushed strawberries, soda and lemon, or Hening Malam (RM12), fresh watermelon juice with soda.

When it comes to good, comforting Malay food, Hening rules the roost.

For reservations, call Hening restaurant at tel: 017-331 6964. Address: 56, Lorong Damai 1, Jalan Damai, Kuala Lumpur. Business hours: 8am to 6pm daily

PRAWNING AND STEAMBOAT SPOT IN BANDAR UTAMA

Prawning or prawn fishing looks deceptively easy but it’s trickier than it seems. A stone’s throw away from 1 Utama Shopping Centre, Prawning Utama reels in enthusiasts who are game at landing their own catch here from 3-6 pm.

Tucked between a petrol station and an office tower, the prawning spot and urban vegetable farm exude a ‘far from the madding crowd’ vibe once you park onsite.

Hungry prawning patrons who feel famished need not go far in search of food as Utama Farm Steamboat serves one-dish meals (think fried rice, mee goreng and fried chicken wings) and Muslim-friendly steamboat with a small selection of complementary cooked-to-order dishes.

Despite its spartan setting, the decorative fairy lights and fairly secluded surroundings managed to conjure up a laidback dining atmosphere at dusk.

Steamboat naturally gets top billing here with a choice of soup going for RM15 per pot. We chose Superior Fish and Mushroom Soup as the soup base for our steamboat. Distinct in flavour, both soup bases soon acquired greater depth as more ingredients were tossed in to cook.

Some of the recommended items for steamboat here include Fish Paste (RM18), Prawn Paste (RM28), Chicken and Mushrooms Paste (RM24), and Premium Fish Balls (6 pcs RM15). For textural interest, servings of Prawn Wantan (6 pcs RM22), Chicken & Mushroom Dumplings (6 pcs RM15), Stuffed Tau Pok (4 pcs RM9) or Stuffed Fuchuk (RM9) won’t go remiss.

 

Live Tiger Prawns (RM10.80/100gm) are also available as additional steamboat items. Sweetcorn (RM9), Enoki Mushroom (RM6) and Cocktail Sausages (RM7) are other choices worth considering.

The 'farm to table' concept allows diners to pick their own green vegetables at RM12 or at RM3 per bundle; depending on what’s available. These could range from siew bak choy or kailan to sweet potato leaves or kangkong.

Should you be more inclined toward having some dishes with rice, the restaurant serves Red Tail Patin or baung merah (almost 1kg) at RM118. Ours was steamed with superior soy sauce – the fish was nice with the garlicky soy sauce.

Remember to check with the service team what fish is available. On our visit, we had Seabass with Sweet and Sour Sauce but there's also an Indonesian curry listed on the menu to go with the fish of your choice.  

Should you feel peckish while waiting for the steamboat to be ready, nibble on Signature Fried Chicken Wings (3 pcs RM12). They are acceptable as appetisers go.

 

We cooled off our steamboat evening with the house Cendol (RM7.80) or milky-syrupy treat of ABC (RM8.80). The finely shaved ice desserts went down delightfully after the slew of savoury dishes, wrapping up our visit to Utama Prawning on a nice sweet note.

For more information, call/WhatsApp Utama Prawning, hp no: 011-5137 4407 and Utama Farm Steamboat, hp no: 012-969 1516. Address: Between Shell Station and 1Powerhouse, Persiaran Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Business hours: Prawning Utama: 3-6pm; Utama Farm Steamboat 6.30pm to 11pm