ATLANTIS DIVES INTO FEASTS FOR GENERATIONS

Designed to serve a familial clan of up to 20 persons, the Generation of Jubilation set menu (RM4,388++) by Atlantis Seafood Restaurant & Bar is more than a lavish banquet — it’s a celebration of legacy, family bonds and specialities that balances between tradition and indulgence.

 

The opening salvo of Forever Grateful Platter featuring a quartet of starters: Deep Fried Lychee Shrimp Balls, Salt & Pepper Abalone, Crispy Scallops with Wasabi and Mayonnaise, and Braised Fish Roe Prosperity Bag, is richly infused with symbolism.  

Coated in puffed rice crisps, the lychee-shaped shrimp balls deliver a satisfying crunch with subtle sweetness, playing on contrasts of texture and flavour. Ebikko and wasabi mayo lend the Crispy Scallop a lightly creamy touch with the fresh punchy spiciness of wasabi.

Translucent, eggy sauce enhances the Braised Fish Roe Prosperity Bag – a beancurd skin pouch stuffed with fish roe-accented fish paste shines the light on subtler tastes and delicate textures. Sheathed in deep-fried batter, the Salt and Pepper Abalone teases the tastebuds with its toothsome texture and mildly briny nuance.

A soulful clear broth packed with meaty chicken, chicken feet, cep mushroom and the ethically controversial shark’s fin in the Double Boiled Chicken Soup with Shark’s Fin underscores the menu’s adherence to classic banquet fare. A dish to evoke nostalgia and the weight of old-school tradition.

Choi poh or preserved radish adds comfortingly earthy depth to Steamed Soon Hock with Preserved Radish. 

Steamed to just right doneness, the dish is a masterclass in Cantonese technique. Dried shrimp and chopped bird’s eye chillies dial up the flavour dimension further.

Rich and decadent, the Baked Canadian Oyster with Black Truffle and Cheese should appeal to the young and young-at-heart.

The Double-Delight Crispy Chicken lives up to its name with chicken prepared two ways: deep-fried bite-size chicken coated with mayo, and well-rendered chicken skin stuffed with prawn-fish paste and almond flakes.

 

Whilst the former is underwhelming for me, the latter – a mainstay from yesteryear banquet – wins the day. Special mention must be made of the accompanying pickled cherry; the tangy-salty-sweetness is marvellous for alleviating any cloying richness.

More Cantonese influences appear in the Stir-Fried Australian Scallops with Truffle and Mixed Vegetables, highlighting a refreshing balance of clear, distinct accents to the overall meal.

 

For a hearty finale, the Longevity Egg Noodles with Three Shredded Meats offer is a perennial trans-generational favourite. Loaded with beansprouts, shredded chicken and mushroom, the saucy noodles will leave everyone replete.

 

Dessert to sweeten the occasion consists of cool, gelatinous, and subtly sweet Double-Boiled Hasma with Peach Gum and Red Dates, paired with fluffy soft Longevity Peach Buns—a nod to good health and long life. Perfect for rounding off the meal with such splendid treats.

Overall, the Generation of Jubilation is a well-crafted menu that is cohesive and celebratory—perfect for marking milestones with loved ones.

Guests who pre-book the two set menus: Generation of Jubilation (RM4,388++ for 20 persons) and Generation of Joy (RM1,788++ for 10 persons; RM1,248++ for 6 persons) will receive a complimentary family portrait to commemorate the occasion.

Exclusive for Jom Makan Life readers: Quote MD02 to enjoy 5% off the Parents' Day menus with your reservations at Atlantis.

For reservations at Atlantis Seafood Restaurant & Bar, please contact: 011-2888 1544. Address: Ground Floor, Life Centre, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.

ON CULINARY CLOUD NINE AT NIMBUS

 

Prawn Bisque Noodles and Herbed Crusted Lamb Rack are two heavenly show-stoppers that left an indelible impression during our maiden visit to Nimbus.

Helmed by restaurateur-chef Fred Choong and his business partner Long Seh Yung, Nimbus draws a relatively young, hip crowd for its fine-dining level menus minus bank-breaking prices. At RM388+ for a four-course menu catering for two persons, it’s considered a snip compared to other atas (posh) restaurants in the Klang Valley.

Dinner started on a promising note with the house-made Almond Milk Bread wowing us with its cottony-softness. Slathered with sublime Mushroom Truffle Butter, it was a harbinger of Choong’s culinary artistry. BTW, the bread and butter are available for takeaway at RM10 each and RM45 per 100g.

For the 1^st course, the options listed in the menu included Seared Scallops with Tom Kha Emulsion, Capers and Ikura (supplementary charge of RM15), Turmeric Chicken Terrine, Salmon and Cured Yolk with Smoked Capsicum Sorbet, Prawn Paste and Fungus or the chef’s Octopus and Yam creation.

The natural sweetness of scallops was perked up by the bright, citrusy-grassy and creamy accents of Thai-inspired tom kha emulsion. Subtle bursts of capers’ tartness and salmon roe’s savouriness amped up the dish’s appeal.

Familiar Asian flavours shone through the escargot topped Turmeric Chicken Terrine. Sandwiched between thin, crisp puff pastry, we relished the playful textural combination with salted egg yolk cream.

Salmon and Cured Yolk with Smoked Capsicum Sorbet, Prawn Paste and Fungus proved Choong’s adroit ability at mixing and matching flavours and textures. A most creative French-style dish brimming with intriguing Malaysian accents especially that rojak-like sauce. Unbelievable but it worked like a charm.

Similar to the evergreen yam cake, Choong’s tantalising speciality of Octopus and Yam showed how a local favourite can be levelled up. The chef’s ingenious idea of placing grilled baby octopus atop an oblong chunk of yam pudding incorporating dried shrimps and chilli, and puffed rice crisps was excellent.

For the second course of Oyster Royale, dried oyster-infused oil and jus bestow depths of flavour to dulcet-smooth egg custard topped with herring roe. We also found a pair of plump oysters embedded within silky custard.

Riffs of Penang-style prawn mee made the Prawn Bisque Noodles (supplementary charge of RM28) a stellar crowd-pleaser in our book. Toothsome squid ink wantan noodles cooked in prawn broth made a sublime pairing with a whole grilled river prawn accentuated with zingy gochujang for this signature speciality. Slivers of pickled torch ginger flower and ikura added the finishing touches.

Choong’s personal favourite of Herbed Crusted Lamb Rack (supplementary charge of RM98) had us smitten at first bite. The medium rare lamb rack enticed us in with its juicy tenderness. Tricked up with longan jus and roasted garlic alongside potato dauphinoise, the delectable dish was something to write home about.

No less compelling was Mushroom and Artichoke Risotto with capers, sundried tomato and noisette beurre blanc (hazelnut butter sauce). The sundried tomato’s muted tangy accent tempered the creamy rich risotto whilst lightly grilled eringi mushroom gave the ensemble a slight meaty texture.

We found the Guinea Fowl Tortellini with seaweed beurre blanc, cordyceps flower and goji berries a tad underwhelming. It was still delicious but this speciality was eclipsed by earlier, more stellar offerings.

Choong is a dab hand at both savoury and sweet dishes as we soon discovered when it was time for dessert. His exquisite Sesame and Matcha creation with toasted sesame, summer berries and vanilla ice cream was refreshingly beguiling.

Exuding heavenly lusciousness, we readily succumbed to his sweet iterations of Hazelnut and Chocolate, Strawberry and Cream, and Orange Pudding. These stellar treats succeeded in lifting us up to a culinary cloud nine known as Nimbus.

For reservations, contact NIMBUS, 72G, Jalan SS 21/62, Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.