REAL FLAVOURS OF MEXICO RULE

 

Meet the real enchilada when you dine at Flavors Of Mexico Asia. Chef Ivan Chavarria Hernandez will tell you the rolled fried black tortillas (coloured with charcoal powder) stuffed with mozzarella known as Flautas (RM18) are the authentic Mexican ones.

Accompanied by salsa roja, pico de gallo (chopped tomatoes, onion and serrano pepper with salt, lime juice and cilantro) and sliced radish, the moreish speciality is one of the many delicious things to enjoy at his restaurant.

 

Opened some months ago, Hernandez is keen to introduce his native food to local diners albeit with subtle Asian flavours incorporated.

After trying Jarritos, Mexican bottled soda, we were surprised by the moderate sweetness. Available in seven flavours, I like the Tamarind flavour best followed by Fruit Punch and Lime.

Coctel de Camaron (RM26) comprising diced prawns, avocado cubes and onion in smoky chipotle sauce relished with crunchy corn chips proved incredibly addictive. Add a dab of the chef’s house-made chilli oil for a zingy boost.

Unlike the Tex-Mex version, the Nachos here came laden with chopped tomatoes, pickled onion with pico de gallo, beans, creamed avocado, sour cream, jalapenos and fresh coriander. Cheese sauce is merely drizzled on as it’s not supposed to overwhelm everything on the plate.

A hint of Japanese influence was apparent in the Ceviche (RM24) with Chips once we tasted the tangy-savoury lime-cured tilapia in seafood broth. Mixed with diced avocado, tomatoes and onion alongside fresh herbs, the corn chips disappeared in a twinkling.

“Vendors selling paper cups of corn chips down by the beach are a common sight back home. That’s why I use the same plastic plates lined with ‘newsprint’ paper, to evoke the same vibes here,” said Hernandez.

Ardent taco lovers like us had a field day feasting on five types of Tacos (RM10-RM16 per 4-inch piece). Piled with marinated and braised lamb with fresh herbs, topped with cured onion and guacamole on the tissue-thin house-made corn tortilla, the scrumptious Birria Lamb Taco brought us up to gastro heaven.

Surprisingly, the vegetarian-friendly Hongos Taco scored well too thanks to the cohesive combination of blanched spinach, black bean mash, sautéed mushroom and vegetarian sour cream.

Equally rave-worthy is Taco de Pollo Al Pastor featuring marinated chicken with red chillies, achiote (Mexican paste of annatto seeds, cumin, pepper, coriander, oregano, cloves and garlic) and pineapple relish. 

Tasty but more ho-hum options in my book are Taco de Camaron and Taco Baja. The first had tempura prawn with chipotle mayo and pineapple relish whilst the second consisted of tempura fish with pico de gallo, coleslaw and sour cream.

Hernandez also told us churros was Spanish and Portuguese iteration of Chinese yu tiao (deep-fried crullers). “They just added eggs and sugar to the original recipe. In Mexico, we serve it with chocolate or cajeta, caramel sauce spiked with rum but the alcohol is omitted at this restaurant.”

Lightly crunchy on the outside and custardy on the inside, the ridged tubular Churros Con Cajeta (RM17) hit our sweet spot. We recommend chasing it with Horchata (RM10), chilled rice milk served with a dusting of cocoa powder too.

Now you know where to go for truly Mexican fare with Asian touches. There's also a small selection of Mexican treats and groceries for aspiring home cooks to attempt replicating the Mexican dishes on their own.

For reservations at FLAVORS OF MEXICO ASIA, contact via DM @flavorsofmexico.asia (Instagram). Address: Ground Floor, Hartamas Shopping Centre,Kuala Lumpur. Business hours: Tues-Sun 12noon-8.30pm

ALL TUNA TREATS AT IKETERU, HILTON KUALA LUMPUR

Highly revered by the Japanese, maguro or tuna is the king of fish when it comes to savouring sashimi and sushi at any sushi-ya (sushi restaurant) worth its salt. The bidding for this deep-sea fish in Japan is fiercely competitive with record-breaking sums paid each year for the biggest tuna.

 

When invited to witness Hilton Kuala Lumpur’s Japanese Executive Chef Masami Okamoto perform a live tuna-cutting demonstration at Iketeru Japanese Restaurant, it was an opportunity no foodie can refuse.

 

Weighing in at 30kg, the tuna’s sleek, torpedo-shaped body was an awesome sight to behold. Chef Okamoto soon held us spellbound when he set about carving and filleting the huge fish with practiced finesse, his sharp knife cutting through the tuna as if it was butter.

 

 

 

Before long, he was deftly slicing up fresh, deep-red slices of chutoro for our sampling. Every slice tasted soft yet toothsomely succulent with an imperceptible flinty sweetness to it. The chef also hand-crafted dainty pieces of maguro sushi to tickle our tastebuds before we sat down to Iketeru’s All Tuna Course Menu.

 

 

 

 

The duo of curtain-raisers featured Tuna Sumiso Sauce and Tuna, Avocado, and Tomato with Wasabi Mayo Sauce. Both appetisers showcased how different preparation techniques resulted in palate-pleasing morsels to pique diners’ interest.

 

I enjoyed the latter for its simplicity as the diced tuna with little avocado and tomato wedges were lightly dressed in zingy wasabi sauce. However, the former proved interesting too as the cooked tuna paired with some kelp came anointed with sumiso sauce – a mixture of white miso, sugar and vinegar.

 

After these profusion of rich flavours, we sipped on Tuna Belly Soup. The clear, savoury broth was conceived to cleanse the palate yet its full-bodied nuance was unmistakable, thanks to the meaty tuna belly immersed in it. Tofu and negi (Japanese leek) lent textural contrast to the overall dish.

 

A generous serving of Tuna Sashimi then enlivened our dinner further. Some of the raw tuna I savoured au naturel whilst others I dipped in shoyu and wrapped in shiso (perilla leaf) with a dab of wasabi for added punch. Slivers of gari or Japanese pickled ginger came in handy to temper the fish’s inherent richness.

 

 

Teppanyaki-style Tuna with Truffle Teriyaki Sauce was the night’s stellar show-stopper. Although my serving of tuna was a tad overdone (a seared crust with a raw core would have done the fish greater justice), its sumptuousness was dialled up by the accompanying truffle-infused teriyaki sauce.

 

 

Reeling us in further was Deep-fried Tuna Tatsuta Age with Spicy Miso Dip. Marinated earlier in soya sauce, the deep-fried tuna with its nice crisp crust boasted distinct savouriness reminiscent of fu yue (Chinese fermented beancurd). It was a sublime treat when relished with the tangy-sweet-savoury red miso dip and grilled shishito pepper.

 

More of the fresh tuna returned to delight us; roughly chopped and sprinkled with sesame seeds then set atop white rice, we valiantly found tummy space to fit in the Oshokuji Tekka Don with Miso Soup. Again, this no-frills approach was an apt reminder that a prime quality fish such as tuna is best treated with respect and doesn’t need frills to shine.

Black Sesame Ice Cream with fine watermelon and dragonfruit dices wrapped up our exclusive tuna dining experience on a high.

 

 

 

 

 

The All Tuna Course Menu is priced at RM480 nett per person inclusive free flow of house red and white wine, juices and soft drinks, and at RM300 nett per adult for food only.

For reservations, please call Iketeru @Hilton Kuala Lumpur, tel: 03-2264 2264 or visit www.life.hiltonkl.com