THAI ISAAN TEMPTATIONS AT MERA

Coated in airy-light wisps of batter, the crispy catfish with green mango and cashews or Yam Pa Dok Ko (RM48), is the show-stealer at Mera. The huge chunks of deep-fried catfish form a sublime combination with a tart-salty-tangy salad of shredded mango, onion and roasted cashews.

While most Thai restaurants in the Klang Valley serve central Thai food, mostly Bangkok-style, we rarely come across any Thai resto showcasing Isaan food. Now, Mera at Damansara Kim has an Isaan-born chef at the helm, tasked with ensuring the authentic essence of Isaan cooking is retained whilst catering to Malaysian palates.

Dishes from the North-eastern Thai province of Isaan flaunt bolder, more robust flavours: making them spicier and sourer. Culinary influences from Laos and Cambodia also hold sway, with fresh herbs such as lemongrass, galangal, lime, chillies and garlic commonly used. Glutinous rice is another staple; a perfect vessel to capture those punchy, vibrant flavours.

Aside from the memorable crispy catfish salad, Mera serves several typical Isaan salads. Topping the list is Som Tum (RM38), fresh and crunchy Isaan-style young papaya salad with full-blown spicy-briny-sour-garlicky accents. Cherry tomatoes add a tinge of fruitiness to it. 

Another popular option is Larb Moo (RM48), spicy-salty minced pork salad seasoned with fish sauce, chilli flakes, lime juice and assorted fresh Thai herbs. However, the one we tried tasted somewhat underwhelming so if you prefer a no-holds-barred version, let the Mera team know.

Happily, the flavour quotient is dialled back up by Tom Sap, hot and sour pork soup. Thanks to the various aromatics: sawtooth coriander, cilantro, lemongrass, dried chillies, onion and tomatoes, this clear, sweet tom yum soup gets the thumbs up.

Grilled Isaan sausages or Sa Kork Isaan (RM48) are also worth sampling. The stuffing is made using fermented pork mince, rice and garlic, and laced with strands of glass noodles, rendering the sausages with a distinct tang. This popular Isaan street food snack is usually enjoyed with chopped bird’s eye chilli, raw cabbage or cucumber and cut ginger.

Fat. Lean. Gelatinous. These varied meat textures make Kao Ka Moo (RM48), a comforting dish of braised pork trotter with hardboiled egg utterly delectable and soul-satisfying. To counter any discernible meaty richness, we savour the melt-in-the-mouth chunks of pork with blanched greens, pickles and a zingy house made chilli dip.

Kor Moo Yang (RM58) – barbecued pork neck is another crowd-pleaser. The pork slices look rather lean at first glance but on closer inspection, they bear an irresistible layer of fat on top, amplifying the pork’s juiciness. A salty-sweet chilli and toasted rice dip helps to boost the smoky, fatty taste profile.

The flavoursome party continues with Moo Yang Nam Tok (RM48), spicy and sour grilled pork salad. Tossed with shallot, cilantro, lemongrass, mint, basil, and crushed roasted rice; each stimulating mouthful leaves us hankering for more.

 

Speckled with aromatic fried garlic bits, Gai Yang (RM48) – Isaan-style grilled chicken cuts a swath with us too. Marinated with lemongrass and fish sauce, the juicy and tender chook comes accompanied by a tantalising dip of lime juice, fish sauce, chilli flakes, palm sugar, chopped coriander and toasted rice.

Steamed with lime, chilli and garlic, the deliciously tender squid dish of Pla Muk Meung Manao (RM68) instantly reels us in with its bold, piquant flavours. It’s irresistible when paired with the scrumptious Crispy Pork Fried Rice (RM38). We can’t get enough of the fluffy, wispy egg-coated fried rice studded with cubes of crispy pork crackling.

 

Pandan juice and pumpkin purée bestow jade green and cheery orange hues for the dessert of glutinous rice balls in sweetened coconut milk. Known as Bua Loy (floating lotus in Thai), the soft and slightly chewy balls, interspersed with strips of jackfruit in the coconut milk, broth prove nice and light yet interesting enough as a sweet conclusion to our meal.

Currently, an a la carte menu is available at Mera. Diners with advance reservations may ask for the chef’s table, featuring a specially composed menu priced from RM150++ upwards per person.

 

For reservations, call MERA, tel: 018-268 2333. Address: 6, Jalan SS20/10, Damansara Kim, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

CHINESE PALACE’S NEXT LEVEL HOT POT EXPERIENCE

It still takes an old chef to teach the industry new tricks. Upping the ante on good Chinese food is none other than Chef Frankie Woo – one of the few Chinese chefs in Malaysia with an almost cult-like following. The industry veteran turned consultant chef now displays his mettle at Chinese Palace, a newish Chinese restaurant adjacent to the stately, whitewashed Chinese Assembly Hall building.

Having notched up decades of experience at several five-star hotels in Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia: think Shangri-La KL, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, the Regent KL, and Concorde Hotel Singapore to name but a few, and the now-defunct Gu Yue Tin restaurant, Frankie’s stellar reputation is now drawing hordes of admiring fans to Chinese Palace.

Tastefully conceived, Chinese Palace’s interior combines classic Chinese and rustic Old Malaya elements, amidst a soothing green and burgundy-red colour scheme to splendid effect. A warren of seven private dining rooms accords privacy for those who wish to entertain in discreet comfort.

Together with Executive Chef Sam Loo, distinctive dishes such as Sliced Cold Pork Knuckle (RM38 per portion) reign supreme here. This Shanghainese ‘yuin thai’ (cold pork knuckle) starter boasts Frankie's inimitable twist; the slippery-smooth and slightly gelatinous pork faintly perfumed with aromatic star anise, cinnamon and cloves thanks to its being simmered in a braising broth of the said spices.

Another exemplary speciality is Shanghainese-style Smoked Fish Fillet (RM38 per portion). Boneless smoked toman fillets come slicked in a glossy sauce of caramelised rock sugar, mustard and Chinese vinegar.

The Insta-worthy Sichuan-style Shredded Kampung Chicken in Chilli Oil (RM28 per portion) is almost too pretty to eat. Succulent smooth shredded chicken is hidden beneath a pretty dome of daintily cut ladies’ fingers. It’s almost criminal, us destroying the nice presentation in order to mix the okra, chicken and peanuts together with the piquant chilli oil (coarsely ground chilli-infused oil with Sichuan peppercorn, black vinegar, and sesame seeds).

From now until 30 April, Chinese Palace is promoting Hot Pot with housemade premium ingredients. You can select Fish Maw Chicken, Beef Tendon, Hong Kong Style Beef Brisket, Giant Garoupa Head with Yam, Spicy Mala or Dang Gui Gou Qi Zi for your hot pot of single or dual soup base.

 

During our visit, we savoured *Braised Pork Tendons (RM88 per pot, *subject to availability). Braised with superior stock for over 1.5 hours, the tender, toothsome pork tendons were superbly delectable whilst chunks of radish lent subtle sweetness.

We had a field day loading up on the rich, gelatinous gravy and pork tendons before Frankie poured in more superior stock, elevating and transforming the dish into a hot pot.

The soup was further enriched when Lamb Slices and American Beef Slices (fei ngau or Hong Kong-style short rib slices) were cooked in it. For extra textural interest and substance, we enjoyed the inclusion of Handmade Prawn Dumplings, Handmade Prawn and Cuttlefish Balls, and Deepfried Beancurd Rolls. Mind you, these are not your run-of-the-mill prawn, cuttlefish or pork balls and beancurd rolls as everything is made in-house using fresh, premium produce. One bite and you'd detect the difference.

 

Maximising on the flavourful stock, we added Hong Kong Ee Foo Noodles alongside two types of mushroom, sliced beancurd, and fresh romaine lettuce to it, transforming the hot pot medley into a most soul-satisfying offering. By now, the pork tendons had turned melt-in-the-mouth tender and went like a dream with the noodles and accompanying ingredients.

Two housemade green and red chilli dips bestow some variation to your enjoyment of the various hot pot ingredients but TBH, with such premium ingredients, there is hardly any need for dips or sauces. After this incomparable hot pot experience, we agree Chinese Palace's version would be a hard act to follow.

For reservations, call Chinese Palace, tel: 03-2022 1339 or 016-833 6228. Address: 1, Jalan Maharajalela, Kampung Atap, Kuala Lumpur. Open daily: 11am to 2.30pm, 6pm to 10pm

DIM SUM LUNCH BY APPOINTMENT ONLY AT LE SENSE

Le Sense is one of the few restaurants in the Klang Valley where dim sum is revered as an art form. Restaurateur Chris Chew is so discerning when it comes to the serving of these delicate morsels that patrons of Le Sense who wish to sample the restaurant’s lunch-tasting menu (starting from RM138++ per person) must make reservations at least two days in advance.

Before you scoff and think it's nonsensical, the request is more pragmatic in reality. The culinary team needs time to source and buy the necessary ingredients and to prepare the specialities for your lunch at Le Sense.

Understated and elegant, the interior of Le Sense is accentuated with inlaid wood panels, beautiful oversized Chinese paintings, modern pendant lights, and strategically placed side tables -- setting a befitting stage to further enhance your dining experience.

In line with Chew’s exacting standards, every dim sum item served bears testament to the resident chef’s skills and techniques, as well as his meticulous attention to detail. Market-fresh, premium ingredients such as amaebi (sweet shrimp) and kurobuta (pork from Japanese black pig from the Berkshire breed), coupled with artfully made ‘produce’ such as dumpling skins and house sauces result in some second-to-none creations.

A fine example of this is the curtain-raiser of Truffled Dumpling: a steamed charcoal-skin Xiaolongbao brushed with edible gold, placed atop a wafer-thin slice of yuba.

Bite into the dumpling’s delicate pleated folds and you'd get a delicate whiff of the musky scent of truffle. Take care as you attempt to slurp up the deliciously sweet broth encased within - you won't want to waste a single drop of that precious liquid. For the final flourish, savour the juicy kurobuta filling with the tender dumpling skin.

The bar of excellence rises further with Kagoshima Pork Dumpling & Fish Maw Bouillon. Stuffed with delectable Kagoshima pork, the divine dumpling is nestled amidst slippery smooth braised fish maw and the sweetest-tasting fish bouillon. An ensemble made in culinary heaven.

The pace rolls nicely along with Yuba Skin Roulade and Collagen Demi-Glace – a delightfully crispy fried Japanese beancurd skin roll stuffed with chopped amaebi and Kurobuta. 

Rich, glossy pork bone sauce and crunchy snow peas ensure this offering underscore deliciously distinct contrasts, taste and texture-wise from the earlier speciality.

Marinated in a sake-shoyu concoction then cooked to meltingly tender perfection, the Spanish Iberian Jowl with Seasonal Organic Vegetables cuts quite a swathe with us. 

The enticing umami accent blooms on our palate the longer we chew on the meat. Even the supporting cast of green mustard stems, lotus root, ginkgo, wood fungus and dried scallop threads, exudes ample appeal of their own.

Dried sakura ebi and fried onion atop the Daikon Radish cake (which has jamon and Kurobuta incorporated in it) lend beguiling depth of flavours to this familiar homey treat. Little pieces of pickled green mustard that’s mutedly spicy-sweet help to offset its richness. 

IMHO, the Crystal Prawn Wonton with Smoked Dover Sole and Egg Noodles is possibly the closest replication of a good Hong Kong-style wantan meen in Klang Valley.

Made with a mixture of sweet shrimp and sea prawn, and smoked Dover sole for the elusive combination of sweetness and desirable mouthfeel, the prawn wonton is scrumptious.

Made in-house and cooked to the right toothsome texture, the fine egg noodles in a nice clear broth and blanched greens are so soul-satisfying good you'd wish the serving is somewhat a tad bigger.

To finish, the savoury dessert of Yam Croquette is a show-stopper. Golden brown with a lacy-wispy exterior, the powdery-soft Japanese mountain yam mash is filled with savoury-sweet Iberico char siu.

A crisp, buttery and mildly sweet Egg Tart serves as the finale to the lunch-tasting menu. You can’t fault this on-point classic creation to wrap up your meal.

Diners are welcome to bring their own wine for their culinary sojourn at Le Sense as there won’t be any corkage charged. For bespoke dinner menus, prices will be slightly higher so kindly call the restaurant for more information.

For reservations, call Le Sense Restaurant, hp no: 018-268 2333. Address: 8, Jalan SS 20/10 Damansara Kim, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.