Showing posts with label main course. Show all posts
Showing posts with label main course. Show all posts

Thursday, November 09, 2023

PRINCELY SET LUNCH AT JOON DINING

Lamb, lobster, dry-aged chicken. These are some of the tempting choices you'd find Joon Dining's Set Lunch...minus the princely sum. The restaurant’s 3 course Set Lunch at RM48++ per person and 4 course for RM60++ per person is a good deal these days.

The culinary force here is 43-year old Tyrell Joon whose fine-dining credentials include stints at the much-lauded Les Amis and Iggy’s in Singapore. Opened last year, Joon Dining is part of the Rare Food Company; the modern, minimalist restaurant is located at B.Land in Petaling Jaya where several other hipster joints are also onsite.
 
Chef Joon said “the set lunch is a pared-down version of our degustation menu. Our aim is to entice more local diners to try Joon Dining’s specialities; enabling them to learn about my modern European cooking infused with Asian influences. We hope they will understand and appreciate the new ingredients we use, and our innovative food preparation techniques such as meat ageing and sous vide. We also want to educate more people on food and wine pairings.”
The Set Lunch first course comprised warm, house-made Ciabatta Roll with Garlic Lemon Butter – a nice starter to whet the appetite whilst we perused through the list of five starters, five main courses and two desserts.
My personal favourite starter is the truffle oil-scented Mushroom Cappuccino with Sourdough Melba Toast. Foamy at first sip, we took to the lush and creamy soup instantly; relishing every delicious spoonful in-between bites of the crisp wafer-thin toast.
Tossed with shredded lettuce, purple cabbage and chunks of pomelo sacs, the refreshingly tangy Baby Octopus al ajillo style (it means cooked in garlic) came flecked with crisp garlic and chilli flakes. This on-point salad also got the thumbs up.

Chef Joon’s Sautéed Wild Mushroom with slightly chewy Duck Gizzard and Balsamic Crème proved winsome too. We enjoyed the varied range of textural interplay from the custardy soft onsen egg, chewy gizzard and tender fungi. The lightly toasted pieces of bread were great for mopping up the sauce.

Another locally inspired appetiser is Pani Puri. The fried semolina-wheat dough, sized like ping-pong balls, came with an appetising filling of diced salmon, compressed apple and ginger ponzu dressing. So fun and delightful to eat.
Vegetarians and health-conscious diners may opt for Roasted Cauliflower with Salted Egg Gribiche, Pumpkin Seeds, and Sultanas. Joon tweaked the gribiche (French cold egg sauce) with salted egg yolks, emulsifying it with oil and mustard then adding chopped chervil to finish. Sultanas and pumpkin seeds lent mild sweetness and crunch to the dish.

Zingy Sichuan peppercorns’ tongue-tingling heat dialled up the appeal of Mala Mongolian Lamb Ragout. Served with mini fried mantou buns, we had a field day chomping on the juicy chunks of lamb amidst soft radish pieces and deep-fried lotus root crisps.
Chef Joon’s meat-ageing showcase is exemplified by his Free Range Dry Aged Chicken Confit with Tajin Lyonnaise Potatoes and Sweet Corn Velouté. Complemented by sweet, creamy smooth velouté, caramelised onion and fried baby potatoes, the tender chicken and spiced potatoes hit the spot for us. He told us the ageing process tenderises the meat and intensifies its flavour.

For a supplementary charge of RM18, you can savour the chef’s show-stealing Lobster Pasta. The natural sweetness of the wild-caught spiny lobster meat was accentuated by mellow spicy-sour kimchi sauce, making it a superb pairing with his fresh, handmade pasta.
Tuak along with chilli and garlic was Joon’s choice to flavour his famed Vongole Pasta (RM48). Suffused by the heady rice wine and aromatics, the Bornean clams’ sea-sweetness was thoroughly soaked up by the house-made pasta.

The Super Seafood Paella (supplementary charge of RM28) was laden with clams, prawns and half a lobster (mixed seafood may change dependent on catch of the day). Rendered with tomato cream and sweet basil aioli, this hearty rice dish left no room for complaints.
From the a la carte line-up, we fished for Broiled Izumidai with Ulam Raja Parmesan Espuma and Choy Poh Popcorn (RM58). TBH, we found the tiny bits of preserved radish ‘popcorn’ barely made a difference to the sweet white Nile tilapia, somewhat eclipsed by the more distinct nuances of parmesan and local herb.

Dessert was a tad underwhelming as only Lemon Cheese Curd Tart was available during our visit. Even though the tart had canned peach slices and honey tuile as adornments, the lemon curd didn’t leave any impression.
Dry-ageing eel and chicken in the special cabinet at Joon Dining

For reservations at Joon Dining, call tel: 016-848 4257. Address: Lot 1, b. Land, 2, Jalan 51a/225, Seksyen 51a, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Business hours: Mon-Sat 12 noon – 2 pm; 6 pm – 9 pm

 

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

LET’S GO MEDITERRANEAN AT MARINERO


It was a Mediterranean-style Mother’s Day celebration with Mom. The venue of choice was Marinero, a newly opened restaurant specialising in Mediterranean fare at LaLaport Bukit Bintang City Centre (BBCC).

The food got Mom’s stamp of approval – a good sign as she can be rather picky when it comes to non-Chinese fare. She loves the spacious dining area which is dominated by a circular bar.
 

Eye-catching wall murals depicting scenes of Mediterranean life are Insta-worthy. One corner is dedicated to a modern wine cellar with its cachet of fine wines.


To whet our appetite, we sampled crisp, battered Calamari Fritters (RM30). Served with lemon mayonnaise, the tender squid rings went down a treat. Even better was the heap of zucchini strips - that airy light batter would make any tempura master proud.

 

Mom gamely tried the Trio Dips Platter with Pita Bread (RM49) and gave it the thumbs up. Her favourite was melitzanosalata (Greek eggplant dip) but found both the hummus (chickpea purée), and tzatziki (shredded cucumber with yoghurt) agreeable when spread onto the soft triangles of lightly toasted pita bread.

 

Moroccan Lamb Kofta (RM35) made from ground lamb mixed with spices then grilled on skewers – proved to be another winsome appetiser. The house peri peri sauce bestowed a touch of fiery heat when we dabbed the kofta with it.


The only minor hiccup was the underwhelming Watermelon Salad (RM28): the crumbly bits of feta barely left an impression whilst the chunks of watermelon, too big and the sumac vinaigrette and balsamic reduction, too little. We shared the feedback with the Marinero team who promised to improve on this.



For mains, we highly recommend Moroccan Lamb Shank (RM95) with Apricot Cous Cous (the other option is Biryani Rice). The fall-off-the-bone tender lamb shank was scrumptious; its rich meaty flavours nicely soaked up by the fine cous cous studded with dried apricots. Smooth, thick Greek yoghurt sprinkled with pomegranate seeds enhanced the dish further.

 


Infused with saffron, the Seafood Paella (RM99) came laden with mussels, squid, fish and tiger prawns in addition to red capsicum and peas. What we missed from this deliciously comforting speciality is socarrat, that layer of slightly scorched, crusty rice at the bottom of the pan.


Our meal wrapped up on a high note thanks to the excellent Chocolate Fondant (RM28). Served with a scoop of chocolate gelato, chocolate crumbs and some fresh berries, we were stoked when molten chocolate actually flowed out once we cut into the cake. Few places do this dessert well so kudos to the resto team for pulling this off.

 


A round of buttery phyllo pastry, chopped pistachios and juicy berries crowned with luscious Vanilla Gelato (RM25) proved a tad indulgent but this sublime treat is shareable when you embark on a Mediterranean culinary “cruise” at Marinero.

For reservations at Marinero Mediterranean Dining & Bar, call 012 673 0046 or visit: https://marinerokl.my/

Address: Gourmet Street of BBCC, Lot G-49,50,77, Ground Floor, Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport, Jalan Hang Tuah, Kuala Lumpur. Business hours: 1130 am to 11pm; weekends until 12midnight

 

Sunday, May 07, 2023

A MICHELIN-STAR DINING EXPERIENCE AT AU JARDIN


No visit to 1-Michelin starred Au Jardin is incomplete without sampling the Cognac & Jay Aged Duck. We were told by the service team the Butterworth-sourced ducks are aged 6-14 days with hay, cognac and orange, and this main course has to be pre-ordered at least two days prior to your visit (with a supplementary charge of RM75).


Presented with some fanfare in a specially designed case filled with smoked hay at the tableside, the delectable duck came served alongside fig gel, figs rehydrated in balsamic, pomme purée, and yuzu split jus. Once we had a taste of the juicy duck breast, we realise why this speciality remains a popular mainstay.

However, the Wild Caught Barracuda with watermelon radish, konbu, cilantro root emulsion, pandan oil was the unheralded show-stopper. The fish’s inherent sweetness was exquisite and the attendant ingredients’ delicate flavours simply amplified it further. I wouldn’t mind a bigger portion of it though.
Even before the Michelin Guide recognition, chef proprietor Su Kim Hock is already making waves among fine food connoisseurs with his artisanal menu designed to showcase the freshest local and seasonal ingredients; shining the spotlight on the culinary traditions of Penang and Malaysia through beautifully crafted dishes.
The 18-seater Au Jardin is located in a quaint repurposed warehouse within the former Hin Bus Depot in Georgetown. As we stepped into the elegant restaurant’s little courtyard adorned with potted orchids, towering palms and a leafy tree, we found its high ceiling let in plenty of light. After ascending a flight of stairs, we found ourselves in a cosy dining space outfitted with a bar and a trio of origami bird-shaped light fixtures serving as the focal point.

 

Au Jardin’s menu degustation (RM388++ per person) not only adheres to Chef Kim Hock’s ‘buy local first’ philosophy, but also showcases with aplomb his skilful culinary expertise, artistry and inspirations drawn from his own culinary journey and past travels.
Our lunch started with two beguiling amuse bouche: dainty nests of dehydrated glass noodles – deep-fried to crunchy crispness – topped with lumpfish emulsion, orange mascarpone and salmon roe, and little charcoal choux pastry balls filled with bacon and truffle cream and crowned with a sliver of white truffle shaving on top. Suffice to say, these left us in eager anticipation of what to expect.

 

Warm, crusty slices of lacto-fermented bread came next, accompanied by house-made tomato chutney butter and curry leaf oil – a flavoursome pairing inspired by thosai.

 

That paved the way for Hericium Mushroom Remoulade, a lush and creamy monkey head mushroom broth dusted with cep powder. For textural contrast, we savoured a diminutive boat-shaped feuille de brick (light lacy-satiny Tunisian pastry dough) with chopped Hericium mushroom, black garlic espuma and kaffir lime leaves.

 

The quenelle of Century Egg Ice Cream served atop diced Hokkaido scallops and century egg ‘white’ was sublime. Tiny coral horn-shaped gingerbread added a touch of playfulness to the ensemble.

 

For a supplementary charge of RM250, the Grand Caviar Au Jardin lent a touch of extravagance to our lunch. Twisting open the tin lid, we dug into the sturgeon caviar-topped picked lobster with cauliflower crémeux using a mother of pearl spoon. It was an indulgent treat but heck, we only live once.

 

A fleeting burst of tongue-prickling heat from the zingy Sichuan pepper emulsion hit our tastebuds when we sampled the Cured Red Snapper Tartare with salted longan jelly and Nashi pear. The cohesive flavours were delicate yet palate-pleasing.


We also opted for the A3 Wagyu (A5 is the other choice) with Celeriac Purée, Jus Maison and Grain Mustard (supplementary charge of RM280). No surprises here as the steak was on-point   - it was a failsafe albeit unexciting choice.


Our faith was restored by the delicious Mussel Parfait Beignets which dialled up the big, hearty flavour quotient. It was a nice teaser before we segued into enjoying the ephemeral sweetness of the Braised Chinese Cabbage.

 

Topped with lumpfish roe, we found a smoky-sweet steamed mussel tucked inside the rolled cabbage. Savoury-sweet braising liquid dotted with parsley oil completed this splendid dish.

 

We adore the Magnum Sorbet – ice lollies made from blended guava and kaffir lime leaves, sheathed in a shell of red wine-infused coconut oil touched with sour plum powder and popping candy. Delightfully refreshing, kudos to the chef for making such ingenious use of our local fruits.

 

It nearly eclipsed the dessert of Over Ripen William Pear with Madagascan Vanilla Ice Cream. Admittedly, this creative treat was enticing in its own right, thanks to the myriad of airy-light textures and sweet subtleties bestowed by vanilla sponge, sugarless meringue, canalé royale and brulée.
Service was personable and attentive – the team took time to explain each and every dish to us, and capably answered our queries. They also anticipated and swiftly attended to our needs throughout the lunch so we had no room for complaints. 

For reservations, contact Au Jardin, tel: 012-428 9594 or book via TableApp. Address: The Warehouse @ Hin Bus Depot, 125, Jalan Timah, Georgetown, Penang. Business hours: Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday: 1130am – 230pm; 5pm – 10pm.

 

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