PASSAGES OF SPRING AT FOUR SEASONS HOTEL KL

Passages of Spring, a gastronomic showcase celebrating the finesse of Chinese culinary artistry, brings together the talents of master chefs across the region. This year, Yun House at the Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur joins 13 other Four Seasons Chinese restaurants across Asia Pacific in this initiative, running from 15 March to 15 May.

From 23 to 25 April, Yun House elevates the experience with a refined four-hands collaboration featuring Chef Neal Zeng of the Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou at Hangzhou Centre. Together with Chef Jimmy Wong, they present a multi-course menu rooted in the delicate, understated elegance of Ningbo cuisine.

 
Priced at RM668 per person, the dinner begins on an impressive note with Chilled South African Abalone with Premium Sturgeon Caviar and Fermented Grains. The abalone proffers a gentle chew, with the fermented grains lending a nuanced umami-laced depth. Each bite is lifted by the saline pop of caviar, its briny richness unfolding in fleeting, luxurious bursts.

 
A contrasting note arrives with the Chilled Bamboo Clams, where the cool, silky flesh is enlivened by a wasabi aioli. The condiment introduces a clean, grassy heat that blooms across our palate, accentuating the clam’s natural sweetness and slippery succulence.

 
The Aromatic Fish Broth with Fresh Crab Claw, Yellow Fungus and Herbal Essence follows, offering a moment of quiet refinement. Light yet deeply comforting, the pure, clean, and delicately sweet broth is the perfect foil to showcase the ethereal crab claw softness, while the yellow fungus adds a pleasing, gelatinous texture.

 
Equally memorable is the Steamed Coral Grouper with Pickled Vegetables. The fish arrives impeccably tender, its natural sweetness beautifully offset by the bright, tangy crunch of pickled vegetables that cuts through the richness and brings balance to the dish.

 
Indulgence takes centre stage with the Golden Butter Lobster with Salted Egg Yolk, Cereal and Egg Floss. Lightly cloaked in a savoury and irresistibly moreish salted egg yolk sauce, the lobster has a light crunch from the cereal flakes and a delicate, feathery finish thanks to the egg floss.

 
In contrast, the Hangzhou-Style Seafood Noodles with Pickled Radish offer a gentler expression of flavour. The noodles, springy and comforting, are subtly infused with seafood sweetness, while the pickled radish introduces a mild tang that quietly enhances rather than dominates.

 
Dessert arrives as a duo, thoughtfully composed to end the meal on a soothing note. The Double-Boiled Winter Melon served in Snow Pear is delicate and hydrating, its mellow sweetness clean and restorative.

Alongside it, the Snow Skin Dumpling with Bird’s Nest and Coconut Milk provides a soft, yielding texture with a delightfully rounded, creamy sweetness.

 
Beyond this collaboration, diners can explore the Passages of Spring seasonal menu by Chef Jimmy until 15 May. Showcasing the season’s finest produce such as fragrant chive blossoms, tender luffa melon, vibrant asparagus, and silky bamboo pith, the menu leans towards lighter, more nuanced creations.

Highlights include Wok-Fried Dried Shrimp, gently perfumed with chive blossoms and punctuated by the crunch of wood ear fungus, and Pan-Seared Scallops, where sweet, plump scallops are paired with crisp asparagus and a deeply savoury house-made scallop sauce.

 
For reservations or enquiries, please contact Yun House, Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur, tel: 03-2382 8602.
 
 

BREAK FAST WITH CULINA BISTRO’S FESTIVE FEASTS

As a restaurant rooted in European classics, Culina Bistro weaves commendable local flavours into its culinary repertoire, befitting the season of Ramadan.

From 23 February to 19 March, the bistro offers two set menus alongside an à la carte selection for buka puasa. The four-course Festive Feast for two (RM198) is a sensible option structured with restraint and balance.

The meal opens with Oxtail Soup, made from Australian oxtail simmered in a lightly spiced broth. Carrot, celery and potato lend natural sweetness and body, while the collagen-rich oxtail is cooked to yielding tenderness.

Roti Jala follows; its lace-like crêpes made to order on the griddle then rolled neatly. Paired with a creamy, aromatic potato curry, the dish offers textural contrast: soft, airy folds against a warmly spiced sauce.

Available at a supplementary charge, appetisers such as Crab Cakes (+RM70), Pandan Chicken (+RM30), Seafood Tempura (+RM50) and Beef Bergedil (+RM50) cater to those seeking something richer or more indulgent to start with.

For mains, choose two main courses from a line-up that reflects Culina’s hybrid identity: Ayam Percik, Beef Pizza, Butter Chicken, Clam Aglio Olio or Prawn Spaghetti.

The Ayam Percik is particularly noteworthy. Using organic, antibiotic-free lacto chicken, the meat is marinated for 24 hours with galangal, lemongrass and a measured blend of spices before being grilled in a Mibrasa charcoal oven. The result is succulent flesh beneath lightly charred skin, with a nice smokiness infused into the spice paste. It's a complete and substantial meal when partnered with nasi jagung (corn rice) and some zesty, crunchy achar (carrot and cucumber pickles).

Handmade fresh to order, the delectable Beef Pizza attests to the kitchen’s grounding in European techniques. 

The crust emerges properly blistered and crisp at the edges, spread with a savoury, slightly piquant sauce. Pepper-crusted beef slices, mushrooms and capsicum are applied with a generous albeit disciplined hand, allowing each component to shine through.

Desserts lean toward familiar comfort with regional nuance. Options include a Pandan Crêpe (+RM10), Flourless Chocolate Cake (+RM28), Kueh Bakar with coconut ice cream, Soft Serve Sulawesi Vanilla (+RM10), or a Dessert of the Day (+RM10).

The Pandan Crêpe is a contemporary riff of kuih ketayap — tender-soft pancake filled with candied grated coconut and cream. Accompanied by coconut ice cream and a scattering of crumbs for texture, it wraps the meal up on a nostalgic yet modern note.

Situated within The Shoppes at Four Seasons Place, the concept at Culina merges gourmet market and bistro with tasteful coherence. Premium meats from Australia, New Zealand and Korea, seafood from France, artisanal cheeses, olive oils and baking provisions are displayed across specialty counters — from butchery to delicatessen. Diners may even select cuts or seafood from the retail section to be prepared à la minute by the Culina team, an approach that underscores transparency and ingredient confidence.

Open daily from 11.30am to 9.30pm (last order 9pm), Culina Bistro offers a thoughtful Ramadan experience; anchored in good produce and adept techniques, with just enough festivity to mark the fasting month season without losing its culinary compass.

For reservations at Culina Bistro, call tel: 03-2779 7313. Address: B1, Shoppes at Four Seasons Place, 145, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur

SIZZLING GOOD TIME AT HANAM BBQ

 

Pork cuts cooked at tableside. Unlimited refills of kimchi, lettuce and marinated wild garlic leaves. Fluffy steamed egg and Korean tofu stew on the side. As far as first impressions go, Hanam BBQ knocked it out of the park from the get-go.

My belated birthday treat – an unforgettable, slap-up Korean bbq lunch – comprised a superb good-value set at RM175++. It comprised 360g pork belly, 180g collar butt and 150g jowl meat; ample enough to leave our party of four replete.

We also ordered Soft Tofu Stew (RM30++) and Steamed Egg with Flying Fish Roe (RM20++) in addition to a serving of rice (RM6++). 

Hats off to the service team for taking such meticulous care in grilling the three different pork cuts. It was nice not having to lift a finger.

Not only did they patiently grilled everything in an orderly manner, they even stacked up the pieces of cooked pork nicely. The tilted grill pan had a spout to drain off excess oil; that flowed into a paper cup.

When the kimchi was being cooked, we dug into the fluffy, piping hot steamed egg. So delicious! The two types of kimchi were so appetising we asked for repeat servings.

Two signature offerings stood out at Hanam BBQ: the tangy, refreshing condiment of Calamansabi (calamansi with wasabi) and tangy-sweet Myeonginamul (marinated wild garlic leaves) lent a distinctive dimension to the bbq pork.

All the meaty richness were offset by the pleasantly piquant Soft Tofu Stew. A moderately spicy broth made with gochujang and gochugaru, it had a hodge-podge of sliced cucumber, soft beancurd, oyster mushroom sliced leek and onion, and an egg to give textural substance.

It was fun, slurping up the stew as we took our time savouring the bbq pork pieces wrapped in fresh lettuce. Raw garlic slices, house gochuchang paste, calamansabi and sesame seed-flecked salt dip along with more cabbage as well as chives and lettuce kimchi enabled us to create multiple variations of our little lettuce and pork wraps.

 

Overall, it was a splendid experience as the restaurant’s efficient ventilation system ensured we didn’t leave imbued with bbq fumes.

HANAM BBQ, B-019, The Starling Mall, 6, Jalan SS21/37, Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya Selangor