BOUNTIFUL CHEF’S SPECIALITIES AT NEW HARVEST

 

Not all chicken rice are created equal. In Klang, it's no secret if you wish to eat Chef Simon Lee's signature Chicken Rice (half chicken RM70 small, RM80 medium, RM90 large; whole chicken RM125 small, RM135 medium, RM145 large), you need to pre-order the dish at least a day in advance.

Using free range chicken weighing about 2kg, Lee said he sourced the Dutch breed of chickens for his speciality dish. We had the chance to sample the delectable chicken recently: its corn-yellow skin and tender, succulent meat proved scrumptious to the bite. It made perfect pairing with Chef Lee's aromatic and deeply flavourful chicken rice.

Accentuated with pandan, ginger and shallots, the rice was good enough to be eaten on its own. Rice lovers will find it hard to stop at just one bowl. 

Lee honed his skills as a disciple of a veteran Chinese chef who made a name for himself in the local Chinese restaurant scene back in the day. Having garnered a wealth of experience under his torque, Lee now holds court at his own New Harvest restaurant in Klang.

Those in the know considers New Harvest an 'old is gold' dining bastion; a haven where pricey specialities of shark’s fin and abalone command leading roles, sharing the stage with comforting chicken rice and familiar homey braised dishes.

Looks can be deceptive as the air-conditioned, austere interior of New Harvest appears like any other neighbourhood Chinese restaurant. It's simple and pragmatically furnished yet its pulling power is undoubtedly the chef’s la sau choi (signature specialities), boldly depicted on the colourful wall-to-wall backdrops.

Our lunch commenced with Stir Fried Scrambled Egg with Crab Meat (RM12 per person, minimum 3 persons per serving). Those old enough to remember will find much pleasure to taste this crowd-pleasing opener which had dominated Chinese banquets in the yesteryears.

Wrapped up in fresh iceberg lettuce, the fluffy-soft egg embedded with dices of sweet, crunchy water chestnuts and toasty pine nuts stirred up some nostalgic memories for us.

Then New Zealand shark’s fin, fish maw and Japanese dried scallop formed a luxurious combination to entice us in Chef Lee’s Braised Superior Small Shark’s Fin Soup with Dried Scallop (RM48). The unctuously gummy and superbly flavourful broth warmed our hearts, tummies and palates profusely.

According to Chef Lee, 5 kilos of chicken feet along with old chicken, lean pork and Yunnan ham were used to simmer the soup for 12 hours before it yielded the desired results. Aside from the fins, we also relished those umami-packed dried scallops and spongy fish maw.

 

The culinary bar was raised further with the Braised Australian 3 Head Abalone with Goose Web (RM118). One look at the lustrous sauce was proof enough the dish befit a king.

We were in gastronomic heaven once we bit into the toothsomely resistant abalone, contrasting against the meltingly tender goose web. Coupled with that incomparable sauce, the whole ensemble had me counting my blessings and lucky stars.

Who would have thought peanut butter was the unlikely secret ingredient to Chef Special Stewed Pork (RM48)? Similar to ‘tung por yoke’ (braised pork belly named after Song Dynasty’s famous writer, poet and calligrapher Su Dong Po), Chef Lee made his version with tong gwai, garlic, ginger, cloves and star anise. The silky, luscious sauce was soul-satisfyingly yummy although the pork belly was a tad on the lean side.

 

Stir Fried Mixed Vegetables with Almonds (RM25) lent some balance to our meal. Water chestnuts, baby corn, shimeiji mushrooms, celery, sweet peas and almond flakes formed a sublime combination, teasing our tastebuds with a medley of varied crunchiness and delicately clear accents.

By now, our tastebuds were already saturated by the earlier spectrum of unapologetically huge flavours. Still, the plate of notable Fried Prawns with Pumpkin and Butter Milk Sauce succeeded in snagging our approval as we got our hands dirty, devouring the drool-worthy crustaceans. It was such fun, licking off the creamy sauce off the prawn shells before we sunk our teeth into the sweet springy meat. 

Slices of Klang homegrown Eng Kee pineapple and cantaloupe wrapped up our lunch on a delightfully refreshing note. 

For reservations at New Harvest, call tel: 03 3345 2288. Address: 19, Jalan Goh Hock Huat, Klang, Selangor

NEW HIGHS AT TABLE & APRON

I'm stoked to savour my favourite Ulam Rice (RM38) from Table & Apron (T&A) restaurant after a 2-year hiatus. The prolonged MCO and the inter-district/inter-state distance between my residential neighbourhood and the resto put paid to plans for food deliveries, much less dine-in visits. When a recent invitation to meet restaurateur Marcus Low came up, I couldn't pass up on the opportunity.

This perennial speciality that has been always been on the T&A menu is an updated version.  A hybrid between Hakka lei cha and nasi kerabu, the mound of rice is surrounded by cubes of crisp fried mung bean and split peas tempeh, chopped long beans, chopped fresh mint, chopped daun kesom, shredded kaffir lime leaves, raw and toasted coconut flakes, blanched beansprouts, chunks of ikan tongkol, roasted peanuts, curry leaf-infused oil, and spiced kicap manis.

Squeeze the kalamansi lime over the rice, then pour the dark soy dressing over it and stir everything thoroughly. The cohesive mingling and melding of textures and flavours make this an incredibly appetising dish we thoroughly enjoy eating with great relish. Each mouthful is a riotous flavoursome party. Our only complaint is the roasted peanuts which would have been better crushed.

That's basically the crux of Table & Apron's success formula. According to founder Marcus Low, “It's hard to pigeon-hole us but Table & Apron is a Malaysian restaurant at heart. Most of the dishes we serve come with unexpected twists that seem familiar to our guests yet at the same time, they’re also something new.”

The former mechanical engineer reveals he couldn’t resist the siren’s call of culinary after he had given engineering his best shot. Recalling his earliest interest in food was sparked when he was around 12 years old, Marcus says he decided to get his feet wet in the restaurant business by starting out as a dishwasher and kitchen porter.

Marcus Low...Photo courtesy of Table & Apron 

Fuelled by passion, resilience, and determination, Marcus sought various other roles within the kitchen before embarking on his own private supper club stint. One thing led to another, and his dream of being a restaurateur finally came true. Marcus is understandably proud to have celebrated Table & Apron's (previously known as The Kitchen Table) 7th anniversary recently. It's a significant milestone as countless F&B entities have fallen by the wayside in the Klang Valley’s cut-throat F&B scene, amidst prolonged MCO shutdowns during the pandemic.

According to Marcus, "It's my restaurant, but I now want it to be our restaurant - a compelling reason for our employees to own their craft. It's reason enough to realise that as much as we are in the business of food & service, we’re actually really in the business of people.”

My admiration for Marcus and the T&A team grow exponentially when I realise the restaurateur is a caring, empathic employer who goes the extra mile for his team or community as he calls them. By inculcating T&A with its own corporate culture and treating the team with care and respect, I personally can bear testament to the positive pay-offs as a paying customer, (T&A prefers to call us guests). All my past visits to T&A have been positive experiences. Much to their credit, the team has always been on the ball, from the minute we step in up to the time they bid us farewell.

Not many F&B owners bother to offer a designated area for their team to rest in-between operation hours, serve familial-style meals to foster esprit de corp, conduct daily sharing/debriefs sessions, and allocate a budget for regular market intelligence to enable team members to stay abreast of F&B trends...kudos to T&A for such initiatives. 

Now the proof of such internal community TLC is reflected in the food and drink we partake, starting with the handcrafted tipples such as Pineapple & Assam Boi (RM14) and Earl Grey Milk Tea (RM15). Easily recognisable among the local populace, the slightly salty, sour and sweet Pineapple & Assam Boi drink offers a refreshing juicy version of our Malaysianised way of eating fresh guava slices sprinkled liberally with assam boi (salted preserved plum) powder.

As for the latter, Marcus recounts the Earl Grey Milk Tea as a Merdeka Day tribute some 4 years ago when bubble tea was all the rage. “We decided to put our own spin on it with Earl Grey tea, gula Melaka syrup and salted whipped cream.”

Although it doesn’t contain any boba, the fragrant, milky and lightly sweetened tea comes with a good frothy crown and an enticing bergamot scent.

Should you prefer something gut-healthy, there’s tangy Kombucha. Brewed by a former T&A team member who has since moved on to start her own artisanal F&B biz, the fizzy drink has a nice tantalising tartness to it.

Marcus and his team have grown and progressed over the years too. They also operate the adjacent Universal Bakehouse which supplies T&A with Assorted Sourdough (4 slices-RM4, 8 slices-RM8). Various condiments, ranging from Butter, Sea Salt (+RM3) to Smoked Mackerel Pate (+RM10) are available to complement the toasted bread.

Interestingly, the team is flexible enough to accommodate certain dietary requests where permissible. For instance, the Smoked Mackerel Pate – concocted from cream cheese, chopped spring onions and onion – comes sans onion upon request from one of our dining companions. Personally, I like the bursts of sharp, fresh acidity so I’m happy with the original version as it is.

Another show-stopper which has kept evolving and unfailingly gain a loyal following is Pineapple Ketchup Glazed Ribs with Tamarind and Chilli Dip (4 pcs, RM30/8 pcs, RM56).

 

While most restaurants proffer Westernised hickory smoked barbecue accents, T&A takes great pride in teasing our tastebuds with juicy fall-off the bone ribs suffused with sticky fruity-sweet and savoury flavours. You can opt to amp up the appeal even further with the tamarind-chilli dip but IMHO, it doesn’t need it.

Slightly charred at the edges, spiked with slivers of tart onion pickles balancing the creamy ricotta, the Roasted Cauliflower, Ricotta, Pickled Onion and Breadcrumbs (RM21) is the type of vegetable dish everyone will happily devour without fuss.

A hefty rib shoulder cut of Sanbanto Pork Chop (RM58-medium, RM65-large) with Chimichurri & Charred Baby Kailan. Dotted with caramelised garlic pips, the slices of lean meat are trimmed with enough fat to make it enticing.

Where possible, the T&A team advocates the use of local ingredients – the Fish N’ Chips being a good example, highlighting local catfish instead of imported fishes. The sizeable chunks of battered fish accompanied by thick-cut fries go down a treat, coated in T&A’s signature buckwheat batter that renders each piece crunchy-crisp. This was a constant best-seller when it was first introduced as a tea-time takeaway treat so much so T&A finally made it permanent in the menu. Personally, my vote still goes to the much-loved buckwheat fried chicken...another T&A must try!

Our dessert of Apple Crumble Tart with Salted Crumble and Thyme – a newish creation – is a tad underwhelming after the earlier succession of high points. We reckon an old-school apple pie would simply hit the spot better.

For reservations (highly recommended) at Table & Apron, call tel: 03-7733 4000. Address: Jalan SS20/11, Damansara Kim, Petaling Jaya, Selangor

TOSS UP PROSPERITY & SAVOUR ROMANCE AT NOBU KL

The king of shellfish rules at Nobu this Chinese New Year. Priced at RM288++, the HARHARHAR Prosperity Platter for two will leave you laughing with delight. A whole shelled lobster to symbolise happiness is complemented by batonettes of jicama, red and white dragonfruit, beets, carrot, tsuma (shredded radish), thin slices of Asian pear, green apple and rose apple, crispy strips of wanton skin, seaweed salad, pine nuts and sesame seeds.

What sets this salad apart is the distinctive mixture of wafu dressing (this itself is a concoction of mirin, soy sauce, rice vinegar and vegetable oil), honey and sour plum sauce that manages to raise the whole ensemble a toss above the ordinary.

Executive Chef Philip Leong and his team also offer a Salmon & White Fish Prosperity Platter (RM188++) using similar salad ingredients. The results is no less pleasing as the salmon and white fish proffer succulent texture that are quite different.

Getting into the Chinese New Year spirit, the Nobu team thoughtfully conjures up Steamed Plaiced with Iwashi Dashi, Goji Berries & Black Moss (RM158++) since fish is considered a symbol of abundance and surplus among the Chinese.

It is on-point dish that ticks all the right boxes for me. The main ingredient — plaice imported from Iceland takes centrestage; its natural sweetness shines through unhampered atop the pool of umami-rich iwashi dashi (Japanese sardine stock). All the attendant black seamoss, goji berries and edamame included are to lend hints of colour, nuance and texture.

Sweet prosperity comes with a touch of whimsy at Nobu in the form of its God of Wealth dessert (RM48++). The rotund white chocolate mousse figurine with pineapple yuzu curd, pineapple filling and cheese sable cookies tastes surprisingly light and refreshing on the palate despite its deceptively decadent appearance.

Gather family and friends to celebrate with these auspicious dishes at Nobu from until 25 February 2019.

When it comes to romancing the day of love, Executive Chef Philip Leong and his team are guided by Nobu’s Japanese-Peruvian culinary philsophy in creating the indulgent 7-course Valentine Omakase menu priced at RM500++ per person.

Available from 13 to 17 February, love birds can dive in with Cured Salmon with Caviar, Beetroot Gel & Nuts before segueing into Assorted Nobu Style Sushi. Then set your pulse racing with an exquisite dish of Seared Botan Ebi with Glazed Vegetable, Wasabi Salsa & Ponzu Sauce.

After sampling the seductive Fresh Water Prawn with Butterfly Pea Flower Dressing, Coral Crumble & Prawn Oil, we daresay it would be hard to resist its siren’s call. Again, the focus lies in allowing the key ingredient to shine — the inherent sweetness of the prawn meat, its flavourful oil and coral.

Another winsome main set to steal hearts is Grilled Wagyu Beef & Bottarga with Corn Cream, Dry Miso Popcorn & Roasted Romanesco. An artful composition, it’s a colourful palette of interesting textures and nuanced flavours that may prove too distracting to passionate foodies but then again, there’s no love sincerer than the love of food...

The evergreen maxim of ‘less is more’ resonates soundly in the speciality of Truffle Rice with Spinach Chazuke. Personally, I’d like to equate it to a simplified Japanese distillation of lap mei farn or rice cooked with waxed sausages and pork. A comforting dish packed with all the hearty, rich and soul-satisfying accents nobody ever tire of eating.

A litle tart with just a touch decadence, the Strawberry Pavlova with Vanilla Cream & Strawberry Jelly is slightly naughty without overdoing it in the dessert department. Piped into a lovely rose bloom, it gives the Valentine’s menu the pretty panache for the occasion.

Better hurry and nab a table now before it’s too late. Call Nobu KL for reservations, tel: 03-2164 5084 or Whatsapp: 019 389 5085.