Showing posts with label pear. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pear. Show all posts

Thursday, October 31, 2019

IN A GLASS OF ITS OWN


Tartines stole the spotlight at Glass Tartines & Tipples on our maiden visit. The French open-faced sandwiches rustled up by owner Sharon Lam and her team left such indelible impressions, we were left wondering how this outpost remained below our radar for so long.
Although we made great work out of the sharing platter of Glass’ Friday BBQ – a stellar cast of six freshly grilled items (more on that later) – we were smitten by the signature Fresh Pear with Gorgonzola Tartine (RM25). Dribbles of truffle honey emulsion along with fresh watercress and crushed walnuts amped up the deliciousness pairing of melted cheese and slightly scorched pear. Be forewarned the cheesy accent may be a tad strong if you're aversed to dairy.
Homies may find greater affinity with the Char Siew Chicken Tartine (RM28) – an ambrosial boneless chicken thigh fillet marinated in Chinese char siew (sweet barbecue) sauce then grilled to tender perfection. Served with a punchy house-made chilli sauce and decked with long ribbons of fresh cucumber, pickled daikon and carrot, the scrumptious serving left no cause for complaints.
Having cut her teeth as a professional fine art photographer at the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne, Australia, Sharon enjoys putting her own creative spin on food and drinks at Glass. She runs a tight ship too; spurring her team to make whatever possible e.g. stock, sauces and dips from scratch while keeping everything on an even keel at the frontline.
The casual, convivial vibes are accentuated by Glass' minimalist, spartan decor with gradient shades of gray. Our poison of choice for that evening comprised Red Sangria and Lemongrass Cooler but Glass is known for its eclectic range of craft beers and true to its name, tipples.
 
 
Our appetite was suitably whetted by the opener of crusty Turkish Bread with Trio of Dips: Babaganoush, Hummus and Olive Tapenade. They hit the spot in sync with the live music and BBQ Friday promotion from 6pm onwards.
On the grill, the choices include Orange & Basil Glazed Chicken Wings (RM15+), Beef Rendang Skewers (RM18+), Chicken Satay with House Made Peanut Sauce (RM15+), Sliced Beef with Chimichurri Sauce, Grilled Prawn Skewers with Lime Cilantro Glaze & Salsa (RM15+) and Grilled Squid stuffed with Cous Cous. For groups of four and more, the Glass team will be happy to rustle up sharing platters.
 
On-point faves: the smoky medium rare beef slices, the beef rendang skewers and the tender stuffed squid. Everything came up to mark – a commendable feat. The only thing more distracting than the food is the talented musical duo’s performance on Friday evenings. Their soothing repertoire is a fab precursor to welcome the weekend along with Sunset Sips and BBQ Nights.
A refreshing counterpoint to the protein quotient is the summery Fresh Watermelon Salad with Feta Cubes & Aged Balsamic Vinegar. Its vibrant sweet juiciness melding cohesively with the subtle green bite of raw watercress and the clean astringency of sliced baby radish, bound by the natural oil in the almond flakes.
 
Luscious and silky smooth Panna Cotta with Mango Puree & Pomegranate Jewels was the befitting icing on the proverbial cake, marking our maiden visit to Glass on a sweet finish.

For reservations, call GLASS TARTINES & TIPPLES, tel: 03-2302 1118. Address: A-0-6 Ground Floor, St Mary’s Place, No 1 Jalan Tengah, Off Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur. Business hours: Mon-Fri 7.30am-11pm; Sat 3pm-11pm; Sun 8.30am-5pm.  
FB: https://www.facebook.com/GlassKualaLumpur/
Instagram @glasskl

Monday, August 14, 2017

CLASSIC NANYANG CANTONESE CUISINE AT ORIENTAL GROUP




‘Hor Tsang’ is my tongue-in-cheek reference to Chef Justin Hor (left) and Chef Peter Tsang, the dynamic duo headlining the Classic Nanyang Cantonese Cuisine promotion by the Oriental Group of Restaurants. The term sounds like ‘hou zeng’ meaning very good, excellent, amazing or awesome – an apt description for the culinary creations featured.
Being hands on keep culinary skills sharp said Chef Peter Tsang

As part of the Oriental’s 9th Annual Guest Chef Grand Dinner series, the group’s Executive Chef Justin Hor said his collaboration with Chef Peter Tsang of Si Chuan Dou Hua Parkroyal Singapore was inspired by the current One Belt One Road initiative, as well as how Hong Kong chefs have influenced the Chinese food scene in Southeast Asia especially Malaysia and Singapore.
Delicious Liver Sausage & Prawn Rolls to rock you

“Having presented our annual Grand Dinner series back in 2008, we have successfully introduced a wide spectrum of classic Chinese cuisine to the dining public,” said Chef Justin Hor. “It’s a good way of educating them on the cultural significance of the dishes highlighted.”

This year, the chef decided to bank on his long standing working relations and friendship with Chef Peter Tsang. Both chefs collaborated to compose two 8-course menus using carefully selected ingredients and sauces that capture the rich and vibrant culinary heritage of the Chinese community.
Tsang's speciality of Chilled Chicken with Szechuan Peppercorn Sauce

Hong Kong-born Peter Tsang who entered the restaurant industry in 1969 recalled how he worked from the bottom rung of the kitchen hierarchy over the years – from making dim sum and mastering the art of roasting to the many aspects of hot cooking.

Tsang moved to Singapore in the 1980s and even pitched in to open the Shangri-La KL in 1985. Even now, the veteran chef remains in the thick of the kitchen action as he believes “a master chef needs to be hands-on to keep their skills and palate sharp. In Malaysia and Singapore, all the Chinese master chefs still have to work or it’d be hard to win the respect of those working for them.”
Delightful nibbles of Pork Kyuri Rolls with Spicy Sauce

Our lunch preview commenced with numerous dishes of light bites; a myriad of appetisers boasting the bewildering and vast spectrum of Chinese cooking, incorporating notable flavours of the Nanyang (referring to SEA in Chinese) and Far East: salted egg, belacan, spices and wasabi among others. 
Chilled Bitter Gourd with Sweet Chilli Sauce
 

Outstanding appetisers such as Fragrant Black Sesame Flat Noodle (RM18 per portion), Capsicum & Apricot Mushroom in Miso (RM24 per portion), and Chilled Bitter Gourd in Sweet Chilli Sauce (RM18 per portion) piqued our interest, mainly due to their ingenious simplicity, textural contrasts and winsome flavours.
New twist to old fave of Radish Cake prepared 'bei fung thong' (Typhoon Shelther) Style
Familiar yesteryear faves were reinterpreted using different techniques or condiments, causing us to see and taste them in new light. Liver Sausage & Prawn Rolls (RM24 per portion), Radish Cake ‘Typhoon Shelter’ Style (RM24 per portion), Deep-fried Salt & Pepper Sea Cucumber (RM48 per portion), Pork Kyuri Roll with Spicy Sauce (RM24 per portion) and Chilled Chicken with Szechuan Peppercorn Sauce (RM24) can be group into this category.
 



Hot on the heels of the light bites was the conversation stopper of the day. Despite its pale creamy appearance, the Doubled-Boiled Snakehead Fish (Haruan) with Fish Maw and Aged Beancurd in Paper Wok was soul-satisfyingly good. The chefs even shared step-by-step preparation of the sweet, slightly gelatinous and milky white broth. Trust me, you’re better off forking out RM38 for a bowl of such salubrious goodness.




Befitting the ducks’ stature, they paired the Treasure Chest Duck with Abalone and Soft Boiled Quail Eggs (minimum a day’s advance notice at RM388 for a whole duck). Old fogeys like yours truly savoured the nostalgia the braised dish evoked. Soft and meltingly tender, the duck meat formed a dream trinity with the toothsome abalone and quail eggs with their runny yolk centres. It took restraint not to lick every single drop of that sublime sauce from the plate!

Served amidst billowing streams of dry ice, the Crystal Wrapped Steamed Soon Hock with Radish and Green Ginger (RM368 each) managed to live up its fanciful presentation. The fish doneness was on point; its natural sweetness soaked up by discs of radish and juxtaposed against dabs of blended ginger with spring onion.


A touch of whimsy emerged in the delicate speciality of Scallop in Golden Egg White Souffle (RM68 per serving for 4 persons). Presented on a bed of blanched spinach, we found the poufy light egg white pouch held an exquisite scallop inside.

 
Just when we thought it was impossible to top that sumptuous offering, along came the game-changing Ying Yang Rice with Lobster & Crab Meat in Superior Crab Soup (RM138 per serving for 4). A luxurious step up from normal fried rice, both chefs are justifiably proud of this homely dish. We agreed wholeheartedly as the rice was a fabulous canvas to flaunt those exuberant deep-sea nuances.  
Cooling dessert seems ideal in our tropical heat so the dessert of Chilled Peach Resin in Snow Pear (RM9 per person) proved a welcomed option. Its fruity sweetness was the base for poached pear stuffed with jelly-like blobs of peach resin. A rousing end to a grand meal conjured up by two acclaimed Chinese master chefs.

Set menus for the Classic Nanyang Cantonese Cuisine Grand Dinner are priced at RM1,888 nett and RM3,888 nett per table of 10. Some of the culinary creations are also available a la carte from 25 August to 30 September.
 
For reservations, please visit: http://www.orientalrestaurants.com.my/

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