LET’S DO THE SWISS AT CHALET

You know the Chalet Pop Up has returned to EQ Kuala Lumpur when you detect the distinctly earthy-nutty cheesy smell of Raclette Valaisanne in the air. Also present will be original Chalet Restaurant Managers, Azlan Alias and Amerjit Singh Lakha Singh. Both stole the show with their nimble footwork as they demonstrated the vaunted sabayon routine along with younger team members at the recent media preview.

From 29 July to 17 August, get ready to savour classic Swiss-Continental specialities at the upcoming Chalet Pop-up. Once the go-to fine-dining outpost from 1973 until the original Equatorial Kuala Lumpur Hotel closed for redevelopment, Chalet will once again relive its halcyon days by serving its nostalgic culinary gems to loyalists and guests.

We experienced the restaurant’s theatrical table-side presentation with the chef on duty scraping off the melted Swiss raclette cheese on the spot. Served with new potatoes, pickled cornichons and pearl onions, we sighed with satisfaction upon tasting the nutty and creamy Raclette Valaisanne (RM118++). Its nice milky aftertaste and lush richness was balanced by the pickles and baby potatoes.

Cheese lovers mustn’t pass up on Fondue Au Fromage (RM288++ for 2 persons). Scented with truffle, the bubbling pot of savoury Swiss cheese also known as fondue promises an interactive dining experience. Dipping bread cubes into the melted cheese infused with wine makes for a novel, fun-filled experience for the uninitiated.

We also sampled the popular appetiser of Salade De L’Empire Romain (RM78++), romaine lettuce salad flecked with shaved Parmesan cheese, croutons and a sprinkling of diced air-dried beef. Light and refreshing.

Those tasting portions did the trick to whet our appetite, priming us for Crème De Champignons Sauvage (RM68++), Chalet’s signature creamy wild mushroom soup. Served in a crusty and warm bread roll, the salubrious broth brimming with rustic woodsy broth beguiled us to lap everything up.

We also relished every bite of the sumptuous Émincé de Veau à la Zurichoise (RM208++), Zurich-style sliced veal in creamy mushroom sauce. Paired with a generous portion of crusty rosti potatoes to absorb all those rich flavours, we were transported to seventh culinary heaven.

Personally for me, the day's show-stealer was the supremely tender Duck Breast à l’Orange (RM188++). I was completely smitten by the excellent, full-bodied sauce bigarade – a classic Provence (bitter)orange sauce – matched the meltingly tender slices of duck breast. The rich flavours made resisting the dauphine potatoes (baked sliced potatoes with cream and garlic) and pine seed-broccolini impossible.

 

Amerjit wrapped up the lunch sess with his blazing Crêpes Suzette (RM68++), artfully flambéed pancakes in orange juice and Grand Marnier liqueur. The tissue-thin pancakes drenched in the slightly bittersweet boozy-citrusy sauce and complemented by vanilla ice cream was a most befitting finale.

Reservations are now open for the special Chalet Pop-up restaurant at EQKL. For reservations and enquiries, WhatsApp +60 12 278 9239 or call tel: 03 2789 7722 or email: dineateqkl@kul.equatorial.com.

 

A STELLAR SABAYON X ALEX DILLING SHOWCASE

 

The Sabayon x Alex Dilling showcase started on a luxurious note with a tin of Aged Kaluga Caviar with Smoked Scottish Salmon Rillette, Crème Cru and Dill.

 

TBH, this is one of the times I felt truly blessed with the perks of being a food writer and blogger. After having our appetite whetted with warm, crusty bread, Bordier butter and cold pressed extra virgin olive oil, we were gobsmacked when a whole tin of caviar prettily garnished with tiny edible flowers and gold leaves was placed on each of our plate.

According to Chef Alex Dilling, his interest in caviar developed during his two-year stint with Caviar Russe, a fine caviar house. “Since then, I’d acquired a deep appreciation for caviar and to me, caviar as a first course makes dining out special, bringing a sense of occasion to the meal.”

Who could quibble with such reasoning? Especially when we got to savour the little pearls layered with silky smooth crème cru (raw, naturally cultured sour cream) and subtly savoury salmon rillette (a preservation technique using fat and slow cooking method).

We were instructed to sample the appetiser on its own first before proceeding to enjoy the caviar and salmon rillette with the spongy-soft crumpets followed by thin slivers of pickled cucumber for textural contrast. Every mouthful was enough to induce gastro-orgasm…Dilling said he chose Kaluga caviar for its slight crunch and umami, nutty nuances. 

The London-born chef whose interest in food and cooking was attributed to his mother, gained his culinary pedigree under the legendary Alain Ducasse and another reputable chef Helene Darroze.

 

Risotto was the first dish Dilling learned to cook at 15 and his love for eating motivated him to become a chef. He soon garnered attention for his talent at turning classic European dishes on its head as exemplified by the stellar Wild Mushrooms Macaroni Gratin.

Simplicity rules in the presentation but oh, the umami ‘bomb’ we encountered upon tasting that first spoonful of tender pasta knocked our socks off. Our tastebuds were suffused with the complexity of rich, earthy flavours thanks to the attendant 36-month aged parmesan, black truffle and Vin jaune (a dry, yellow wine from eastern France) sauce.

More caviar crowned the speciality of Olive Oil Poached Black Cod. Complemented by smoked eel consommé and dices of marinated turnip, this was my favourite dish.

Personally, I reckon the delicately tender fish was sterling proof of the chef’s 2 Michelin starred stature – it’s neck-to-neck with an on-point Chinese-style steamed fish. The unexpected bursts of crisp acidity and sweetness from the diminutive turnip dices lent a nice counterpoint to the salty smoked eel consommé.

Dilling’s famed signature Hunter Chicken was indeed the show-stopper that draw epicureans to his eponymous London restaurant. Interpreted from the classic French poulet (chicken) chasseur, Dilling used a custom-made mold to shape the external layer of chicken mousse.

“We mixed some smoked duck into the mousse which we made using trimmings from the corn-fed chicken breast featured in the dish. Then we layered on the mushroom duxelles followed by a piece of chicken breast at the core.”

Glazed with enticing sauce Albuféra (a sauce of Spanish origin comprising an emulsion of chicken stock, Madeira, cream and butter), the delicious speciality were augmented by buttery, velvety pomme purée and fresh salad on the side.

We were ecstatic to finish lunch with a heavenly dessert of Tainori Chocolate with Sourdough Ice Cream, Salted Caramel and Pedro Ximénez sabayon. That judicious balance of sweet-salty accents coupled with the beguiling chocolatey bitterness and lusciousness of sabayon – a blended mixture of egg yolks, sugar and Pedro Ximenez (in place of Marsala) – made our sweet dreams came true.

The proof of the chef’s skills is in his food so hurry and make your reservations at Sabayon soonest possible. Alex Dilling will only be showcasing his curated menu until 15 June.

 

Reserve your table for the Sabayon X Alex Dilling dinner at EQ via this link:

https://www.tableapp.com/partner/sabayon-eq-kuala-lumpur#/

 

DRAGONITE FEAST AT DORSETT HARTAMAS KUALA LUMPUR

 

We had a rousing start with the ritualistic tossing of a multi-coloured Salmon Yee Sang, to kick off our sampling of the 10-course Golden Blossom set menu (RM1,188 nett per set for 6-8 persons) at Table Talk, Dorsett Hartamas Kuala Lumpur.

The refreshing curtain-raiser heralded everything auspicious for the upcoming Dragon Year, perked up by an enticing strawberry and blackcurrant sauce. For the first time ever, Dorsett Hartamas KL is offering four value-for-money set menus, featuring dishes with symbolic connotations befitting the Chinese New Year celebration.

Every spoonful of the Eight Treasure Seafood Soup yielded dried scallops and oysters, diced prawns and surimi crabstick in the thick marine-flavoured broth. It was rather tasty albeit a tad heavy on the salt.

 

Tender to the bite, the big flavours from the Kung Pao Beef with Cashew Nuts had us chomping at the bit. However, a zingier accent to the overall dish won’t be remiss but that’s strictly my personal take.

Subtly sweet with nicely charred edges, the delectably juicy Char Siu Chicken with Special Sauce garnered praises all round. A definite crowd-pleaser that hit the spot.

From sweet we traversed to the savoury spectrum with lip-smacking Butter Prawns. Cooked to on-point springy doneness, the crustaceans were thoroughly enjoyable, with a blanket of fried crispy cereal-oaty bits lending some crunch.

Fresh and fleshy, the Deep-fried Barramundi with Sweet and Sour Sauce piqued our interest with the fish’s natural sweetness shining through. Kudos to the chef for his judicious use of the bright, tantalising sauce to enhance rather than overwhelming the fish.

No surprises from the compelling serving of Stir-fried Broccoli with Mushroom and Bean Puffs. The crunchy broccoli florets integrated well with the softer, toothsomely tender textures of both the fungi and bean puffs.

Hearty and comforting bowls of Yong Chow Fried Rice with Brined Fish followed, leaving us utterly replete.

The winsome pairing of Sea Coconut with Dried Longans and Snow Fungus accompanied by piping hot Steamed Nian Gao with Freshly Grated Coconut was excellent. Both dessert treats were light enough with acceptable sweetness level.

Chef Lai Chan Meng has outdone himself with his festive parade; from Salmon, Jellyfish and Smoked Duck Breast Yee Sang (RM98 nett for ½ portion, RM178 nett for a full portion) to three other set menus available from now till 24 February 2024.

The 8-course Prosperous Beginning set menu at RM388 nett is ideal for 2-3 persons inclusive of yee sang. For a party of 4-5 persons, the 9-course Joyous Spring set menu is RM688 nett. Lastly, the Spring Fortune set menu at RM1,688 nett per table caters to 8-12 persons.

Table Talk restaurant is open daily for lunch and closes at 6pm. For dinner reservations of 3 tables and more, the Dorsett Hartamas KL team will be more than happy to cater to your needs. 

For further information and reservations, call Dorsett Hartamas KL or WhatsApp: +60 12 6883 043 or email to: fnb.hartamas@dorsetthotels.com