BOWLED OVER BY SIXTEEN

In years past, Les Deux Garcon was a reliable outpost for flaky croissants and freshly baked scones as well as hearty breakfast fare. Now the café is simply known as Sixteen – a trendier name in keeping with changing times but fret not, familiar staples such as Almond Croissant (RM12) and Raisin Roll (RM10) remain just as good.

The refreshed interior includes a little green nook next to the entrance: assorted potted plants clustered together with some hung overhead beside the glass picture window. Outside the walkway are more oversize pots of foliage, evoking a sense of tranquility.

Instead of run-of-the-mill ‘big breakfast’ fare of sausages, eggs and beans, we feasted on Golden Harvest (RM23) comprising two slabs of delicious sweetcorn fritters. 

Adorned with a rosette of smoked salmon and a wobbly poached egg alongside pineapple salsa and chilli oil, this new offering was akin to bursts of heartwarming sunshine albeit on the palate.

Striving to please office workers and residents from the nearby suburb, Sixteen has various poke bowl-inspired creations for lunch. Red and basmathi rice amp up the healthy, wholesomeness factor in place of white rice.

 

The Taste of Delhi (RM35) creation took us on a culinary passage to India, featuring tender cubes of lamb in an aromatic and mildly rich curry with fluffy, pea-studded pilau basmathi. Cucumber mint raita, boiled egg, diced fried tofu and crunchy papadum added textural appeal to the stellar serving.

Daun kesum (polygonum minus) was the key herb flavouring Sixteen’s special house recipe of Ayam Kesum Chilli (RM25). The bowl of Spanish rice complemented by the fragrant chicken curry was scrumptious. Tempeh, hardboiled egg, pineapple salsa, fried tofu and ulam (blanched long beans and raw local herbs) provided further enhancement in terms of textures and flavours.

 

A cohesive combo of red rice with diced seared tuna, avocado, edamame, and cucumber formed the Japanese-influenced Nippon (RM36). More alluring nuances were discernible with the inclusion of wakame, pickled ginger, spicy mayo, furikake and mildly sweetish gyoza sauce (concocted using soya sauce, lemon juice, honey and chopped spring onion).

 

Fruity-sweet pomegranate seeds and the judicious use of honey soya sesame dressing made the Buddha Bowl (RM23) comprising red rice, fried tofu, tempeh, wakame, edamame, black beans, lettuce and mushroom into a winsome vegetarian-friendly meal.

Baked fresh on premise, the splendid Scone - served with house made Strawberry Jam and Cream (RM7), and buttery Marble or Orange Cake (RM6 per slice) are compelling dessert choices, ideal as a self-pampering treat or for wrapping up your visit to Sixteen on a subtly sweet note.

For reservations and more information call SIXTEEN, tel: 03 7980 0200. Address: 16, Jalan 2/109E, Desa Business Park, Taman Desa, Kuala Lumpur. Business hours: 8am to 930pm daily

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHINTA COURTS MALAY FOOD LOVERS

Classic Malay cuisine by resident chef Sandra Samad takes pride of place at Chinta by Chinoz in Bangsar.

Heralding a fresh chapter for Chinoz on the Park after its move from Suria KLCC, owner Teng Wee Jeh explains Chinta is a totally different concept from the original Chinoz, saying “For the interim period until the other outlet is ready (in Lucky Gardens, Bangsar), some Chinoz signature specials will appear in the menu at Chinta. Once the other restaurant opens, Chinta will focused solely on Malay dishes.”

Chef Sandra Samad who has a wealth of F&B experience, started at front of house at Rasa Sayang Hotel Penang. Then she became the duty manager at BonTon KL. Prior to joining Chinoz, she was the manager at q*doz Bangsar. During her tenure at Chinoz on the Park, Sandra oversaw the pastry and central kitchen for all Chinoz outlets.

Verdant greenery outside the restaurant beckons diners in. The simple interior exudes old world charm; retro knick-knacks such as wooden biscuit moulds, Nyonya baskets, rustic side cupboards and marble-topped tables as well as framed vintage prints serve as visual interest and decorative touches. 

Teng says, “Chinta serves classic Malay cuisine. Nowadays a lot of Malay food is either too pedas (spicy-hot) or lacks subtlety. At Chinta, flavour is more important than chilli ‘power’. You won’t need a kevlar-coated palate to enjoy our food!”

Topping the must-try list is Chinta’s Northern-style Nasi Ulam Utara (RM33++). Lightly flavoured with fresh turmeric, Basmati rice is tossed with at least 11 types of ulam (fresh local herbs). We love the delicate aroma of the myriad of herbs in the rice; good enough to be enjoyed on its own with a dollop of sambal.

If you order the lunch platter of the herbed rice, it comes with Ayam Rose, telur masin (salted duck egg), keropok ikan (fried fish crackers) and acar (pickles) as a complete meal.

The Ayam Rose (RM27++) is Chef Sandra’s take on the celebratory Malay dish of ayam masak merah – chicken cooked in a vibrant red sauce of tomato, chillies and spices. We like the stimulating complexity of the thick sauce: a cohesive melange of tangy tomatoes, chillies, onion, lemongrass and various spices. 

Well-smoked beef slices make the house speciality of Daging Salai Gulai Lemak (RM39++) outstanding in our books. The  gravy, accentuated by ground pepper and lemongrass’ fresh lemony-grassiness, has just the right degree of lemak santan (coconut cream richness) to it.

It's a highly recommended dish – we can’t wait to return to try the smoked beef short ribs version or Gulai Lemak Rusuk Salai (RM48++).

For a serving of greens, you can’t go wrong with Bendi Sambal Goreng (RM15++) – tender whole okra topped with coarsely pounded and fried red chillies, and crispy anchovies. Although the various dishes are tame in the fiery-hot department, each one is redolent with appetising, vivid flavours of the ingredients used.

As an avid fan of mee rebus, I’m stoked to find an on-point Mee Rebus Johor (RM19++). The thick, sweet-savoury gravy together with some batter crisps, firm beancurd, hardboiled egg, chopped spring onion and coriander, sliced beef and yellow noodles is satisfyingly delicious.

Local kuih naturally takes centrestage for dessert. The floral-shape, pretty as a picture Kuih Lapis Sakura (2 pcs, RM9++) is a light, subtly sweet treat to conclude the meal. We can’t get enough of the local confection’s ‘boing boing’ texture.

Equally notable is Kuih Kaswi (4 pcs, RM9++) – steamed cake made with tapioca and rice flour, palm sugar and pandan, and eaten with grated coconut.

Thirst-quenchers to try include Sarbat Pulau Pinang (RM12++) – a refreshing drink of spiced rose syrup with coconut juice and Kasturi Asam Boi (RM9++), fresh calamansi juice with salty preserved plums.

Teng informs us Chinta’s menu will change periodically. “The selection will remain relatively small as Sandra prefers to maintain the overall quality of the food.”

For reservations call Chinta by Chinoz, tel: 03-2201 375624. Address: Jalan Kemuja, Bukit Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur 

12 GOOD DISHES TO EAT AT AN VIET

Ăn Viet literally means ‘eat Viet’. An apt name for the casual dining restaurant which opened at The Gardens Mall, Mid Valley City in November 2015. The second outlet at Sunway Pyramid opened in January this year with a 3^rd coming to Penang by year end.

New menu addition of Bun Suon - Vietnamese soup with pork ribs & bamboo shoot

It is one of the regular haunts for us who never tire of eating Ăn Viet’s delicious Vietnamese fare. I like the resto's concept of letting you decide how much noodles or rice which minimises food wastage – a fabulous and socially conscious idea in view of reports stating 1/3 of overall food produced goes to waste when half the world’s poorest population goes hungry.

New and existing specialities found in Ăn Viet's latest menu are great for communal sharing. Here's my recommendation for 12 good dishes (*denotes new items) to try at Ăn Viet:

*Banh Trang Tron – Rice Paper & Green Mango Salad (RM13.90)

Fitness buffs and salad lovers will like this DIY appetiser. Presented in a clasped mason jar, you are supposed to tip in the special house sauces and freshly squeezed lime juice into the shredded mango, cucumber, hardboiled quail egg halves and rice paper strips. 

Close the lid and give the jar a good shake - think of it as strength training (LOL) - to mix everything up then pour into the bowl provided. Right off the bat, the zingy and robust flavours and varied textures should raise the likeability-meter way up.

Banh Trang Nuong - Grilled Rice Paper with Minced Pork (RM9.90) 

Crispy rice paper pancake filled with minced pork, egg and dried shrimp char-grilled to toasty perfection. Light yet tasty, it can be eaten on its own or Ăn Viet's house fish sauce and chilli dip.

Xoi Chien Phong - Deep-fried Sticky Rice Puff with Green Mango Salad & Grilled Lemongrass Chicken (RM14.90)

A unique speciality that always elicits amazed gasps when the golden brown ball arrived. Tear into the hollow ball and relish pieces of it topped with forkfuls of the accompanying chicken salad. Sublime!

Chao Tom – Grilled Sugarcane Prawn (RM11.90)

Often we avoid ordering this Vietnamese appetiser as most eateries tend to skimp on the minced prawn. Not so with Ăn Viet. We found the bouncy QQ prawn filling wrapped around juicy sugarcane sticks scrumptiously addictive, leaving us wanting more.

Canh Chua Ngao Nuoc Dua - Clams in Coconut Broth (RM14.90) 

Perfumed with dill, this sweet and subtly tangy broth is made using fresh coconut water and lemongrass in addition to plump hard shell clams. Soups up the sweet spot for us.

Goi Cuon - Fresh Spring Roll with Tiger Prawns (RM9.90)

Light, satisfying and packed with shredded fresh veggies, herbs and sliced tiger prawns, these mildly chewy rolls are always on-point. The diping sauce of fish sauce, minced garlic and chilli is lighter compared to southern Vietnamese hoisin sauce dip but it's sufficient to enhance the rolls’ fresh and delicate nuances.

*Pho Bo Dac Biet - Vietnamese Beef Noodle Special (RM23.90 a la carte, RM27.90 set)

Hailed as the national dish of Vietnam, Ăn Viet takes its pho seriously. The scrumptious broth is simmered with beef bones and various secret ingredients for 12 hours. The  comes in your choice of noodle portions, from as little as 80g to the maximum 200g serving. A myriad of textural dimensions comes to the fore from the beef slices, tendon and house-made beef balls handcrafted using pure beef mince and devoid of additives. To soak up the flavourful broth, some fried yu tiao (dough fritters) are provided on the side.

Just add beansprouts and fresh basil (diners at the Sunway Pyramid outlet can pluck fresh organic basil from pots of the plant on every table), squeeze some lime juice over the noodles and add the house sriracha chilli sauce to taste and presto! You'd be slurping up every strand of the delectable noodles.

*Cha Ca La Vong - Hanoian Fish with Turmeric & Dill (RM23.90 a la carte, RM27.90 set)
Made famous dish by Cha Ca La Vong restaurant in Hanoi, this popular speciality is Ăn Viet's own take of it. Perfumed by the herbs and sweetened by caramelised onion, the saucy fish pieces goes well with coarse Vietnamese vermicelli.

To enjoy this dish, tear lettuce into your bowl. Add vermicelli, fish, peanuts and herbs on top. Mix everything up and eat it hot with nuoc cham (fish sauce dip) and mam tom (fermented shrimp sauce).

Bun Cha - Hanoi Style Grilled Pork with Vermicelli (RM18.90 a la carte, RM22.90 set)

A typical Vietnamese dish fit for former US President Barack Obama and celeb chef Anthony Bourdain. Ăn Viet’s version includes slices of belly pork, minced pork balls and lean pork for extra textural interest. Again the right way to eat this is to tear lettuce into bite-size pieces, add them to the dipping sauce of basil and mint then dip the vermicelli into it. Pair each mouthful with a piece of pork for an unbeatable gastronomic experience.

 

*Banh Mi: Dau Phu Voi Pate Nam - Vietnamese Baguette with Tofu Patty & Mushroom Pate (RM14.90)

A wholesome vegetarian offering that even meat eaters will like. Sink your teeth into this ultra-crispy, airy-light baguette stuffed with toasty beancurd and mushroom pate. Pickles, fresh vegetables, coriander and Sriracha sauce bestow layers of tantalising accents, loading this sandwich with winsome meat-free goodness.

*Caramel (RM6.90)

A legacy from the French colonial days, this smooth, dainty pudding is richly satisfying with a deep caramelised finish. Complement with hot, refillable Vietnamese Artichoke Tea (RM6.90 for a cup, RM9.90 for a pot) or the potent Vietnamese Drip Coffee with Egg (RM9.90).

*Viet-ffogato (RM9.90)
Want a post-meal caffeine buzz? Look no further than the indulgent treat of condensed milk ice cream with Vietnamese coffee and some coconut milk. Bitter sweet takes on pleasantly new albeit agreeable meaning when you sip this at your own sweet time.

The above dishes are but a fraction of what's available at this convivial restaurant. Keep your eyes and tastebuds peeled for other homely fare such as Lon Kho Nuoc Dua - Braised Pork Belly in Coconut Juice (RM17.90 a la carte), Bun Ga - Grilled Lemongrass Chicken with Vermicelli (RM16.90 a la carte) and Bun Suon - Vietnamese Vermicelli Soup with Pork Ribs & Bamboo Shoot (RM19.90 a la carte) among others. 

Ăn Viet’s Kids Menu also present viable options for family dining. Thoughtfully and attractively served in whimsical trays, no kid can resist trying the cook-to-order, children-friendly food options here.

For reservations, call Ăn Viet, tel: 03-2201 1191 (The Gardens Mall, Mid Valley) or 03-5611 2226 (Sunway Pyramid). Address: LG-203B, The Gardens Mall, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City, KL & LG2.127, Sunway Pyramid, Jalan PJS11/15, Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Website: www.anviet.com.my