Showing posts with label new opening. Show all posts
Showing posts with label new opening. Show all posts

Sunday, February 25, 2024

CHICKITA DEBUTS IN MALAYSIA

Banking on the naturally smoky flavours of its Asian-inspired flame grilled chicken as the unique selling point, the maiden Chickita restaurant made its debut at Pavilion Damansara Heights just before Chinese New Year amidst some fanfare.
Conceived by former Park Hyatt Saigon executive chef and F&B entrepreneur Asif Mehrudeen (top pix above), Chickita first opened in Vietnam in 2019. The founder draws inspiration from his 20-year culinary journey through Southeast Asia to conceptualise Chickita, taking pride in nostalgic Asian flavours. Vibrant colours, eye-catching wall murals and trendy décor elements set a welcoming stage at Chickita, to pique the interest of diners.

According to director Charles Chan, Chickita brings to the table its flame-grilled chicken with recognisable Asian flavours appealing to local palates. “At Chickita, it’s a celebration of community and communal dining. We want to uphold the spirit of togetherness deeply ingrained in our Asian culture.”
Aside from chicken, Chickita also serves burgers, wraps, and wings – all flame-grilled to perfection. We took instant liking to the opener of Eda-Mole Dip (RM13.50), a hummus of edamame and avocado blend served with salsa and crispy tortilla.
Toasted pita triangles are the perfect companion to dunk into the mildly cheesy Signature Hot Crab Dip (RM14.50) whilst Chicken Nachos (RM14.50) with original and cheese sauces, salsa and toasted pita can be rather addictive so try to avoid overloading on them, to leave tummy room for mains.

I am all for Chickita’s concept of allowing diners to pick our preferred chicken parts. We found the different variants deliciously on-point, from the flame-grilled Quarter Chicken Leg with Rice & Salad and Quarter Chicken Breast with Yam Pop & Corn to Quarter Chicken Breast with Coleslaw & Crispy Fries and Quarter Chicken Breast with Wok Vegetable & Garlic Bread.

A quarter chicken leg or breast is RM17.50 whilst an additional two side dishes is priced at RM26.50. Chicken wings, chicken tenders, half and whole chicken are also available so peruse the menu to select your choice.

Catering to Asian tastebuds, Chickita incorporates familiar Asian ingredients for its range of signature sauces, to bring its flame-grilled chicken to piquantly flavoursome and culturally resonant level. Our first-hand experience had us settling on our own favourite sauces out of the six available.

On the mild scale, Chickita Original Sauce comprises a bright and tantalising lemongrass-infused blend whilst the Tropical sauce lends nice balance to the savoury chicken with its sweet, sour mango-citrus accents.

My palate found the moderately hot Sexy sauce with roasted red chillies on song with the grilled chicken but the Lucky 8 Asian BBQ variant also comes close as a winner, redolent with familiar spices such as star anise, cinnamon and garlic amidst the chilli taste profile.

Die-hard chilli fiends may prefer the Dynamite Spicy Hot Sauce – formulated with different chillies or Tamarita’s savoury-hot profile which is culled from a blend of tamarind, fish sauce, Asian spices and dried chillies.
Chickita also reimagines dessert by combining ice cream potong with innovative flavours like A Classic Twist (RM14), cendol popsicle with frozen coconut and pandan with green sticky rice; and Vanilla Dreams (RM14), shaved coconut and red bean popsicle with grass jelly.
For more information, call CHICKITA, tel: 03 2011 1243. Address: Lot 1.03.00, Level 1, Pavilion Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur.

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

ACCOR DEBUTS IN PETALING JAYA WITH IBIS PJCC


Affordability, convenience and quality. Key words Ibis PJCC would like business and leisure travellers to remember.

Opened recently in Petaling Jaya amidst the commercial and residential hub of Petaling Jaya Commercial Centre (PJCC), Ibis PJCC is easily accessible via major expressways.

Officially opened by Azrul Shah Mohamad (2nd from left), Chief Executive Officer of Tourism Selangor as the guest of honour, the event were witnessed by Suresh Nair (far left), General Manager of Ibis PJCC, Michel Vivier (2nd from right), Senior VP of Accor Hotels (Malaysia and Indonesia) and Christopher Mah (far right), Director of Luxury Alpine.
Guest of honour, Azrul Shah Mohamad (pic above), Chief Executive Officer of Tourism Selangor lauded Accor for choosing to open the 161-room Ibis PJCC in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. “It aligns perfectly with the digital trends and preferences of the younger generation; making Ibis PJCC an ideal choice for staycations and business travellers.”
Suresh Nair (pic above), General Manager of Ibis PJCC said: “We’re thrilled to open in a vibrant location with immense potential. Looking forward to playing a pivotal role within this dynamic community, the Ibis PJCC team welcomes guests to a meaningful and rewarding experience during their stay here.”

The interior is a blend of modern and functional elements: the lobby boasts soaring high ceiling with modern chandeliers, and a streamlined reception area. A laidback Lobby Bar Café serves as a welcoming haven for guests to unwind.

Comfortable and contemporary aesthetics dominate the 161 guest rooms, featuring Ibis signature Sweet Beds for a good night’s sleep. Smart TV, complimentary Wi-Fi access and minibar are also part and parcel of the in-room features.

We were impressed by the rooms, especially those outfitted to accommodate physically challenged guests: the bathroom doors are wide and wheel-chair accessible, grab bars can be found inside the toilet/bathrooms and there's even a bedside emergency button.

A swimming pool overlooking nearby city skyline, a gym and children’s playroom as well as four versatile meeting rooms are available on-site.

The hotel’s all-day dining, Ibis Kitchen, offers local and international fare. We enjoyed the modest, delicious buffet lunch laid out and found the selection palate-pleasing.

Specially curated playlists to suit different mood and performances featuring emerging musicians underscore the Ibis Music programme and the brand’s enthusiasm for live music.
 
For reservations at Ibis PJCC, call tel: 03-747 7500 or email: HA8V8@accor.com or visit Ibis website:  https://ibis.accor.com/gb/city/hotels-petaling-jaya-v5488.shtml

Sunday, August 20, 2023

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 

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