TIFA TOUTS ‘THREE IN ONE’ CONCEPT

Tifa means three in Latin. It’s also the name of veteran restaurateur Angie Hiew’s latest venture at Trillion KL.

Insisting her European-inspired restaurant should not be classified as a fine-dining outpost, Angie explains Tifa incorporates three different concepts under one roof.

“Opened last March, Tifa serves reasonably priced good food in cosy, modest surroundings. Every dish, from the mayonnaise to the sauces, is prepared from scratch by me using market-fresh ingredients.”

The restaurant straddles a spacious and well-shaded patio area where quick and affordable meals are served; an al fresco seating area next to an outdoor fountain area meant for chilling out over drinks, and a nicely decorated ‘by reservation only, private kitchen’ dining space.

Angie cut her teeth in the restaurant business when she was just 18 years old, learning the ropes at Movenpick Singapore which belonged to her late husband. She came into her own with the opening of Flamenco Spanish restaurant in 1995, setting the imagination of local food lovers alight with her signature paella, tapas and Spanish wine selection.

After that stellar decade, Angie took a short break before she pivoted into the restaurant consulting business. To date, she was instrumental in the successful openings of Sentidos Tapas at Starhill, and EQ Kuala Lumpur’s Sky 51 and Blue.

The passionate cook relishes being back in the thick of the kitchen action at Tifa. “Seeing people enjoy my cooking gives me great satisfaction. I also love taking care of my guests, and at Tifa, it’s like having friends over except we're in a restaurant environment. I enjoy the freedom and flexibility to curate menus to suit my guests’ preferences; I can customise dishes based on their food intolerances, dietary requirements, and budget. All I need is advance notice so that I’d have enough time to buy the ingredients and prepare whatever’s necessary. I believe people can have a good meal without paying the earth for it.”

As proof, Angie serves good-value lunch deals on weekdays (12pm-3pm) priced from RM25++ upwards per person at Tifa. Her four-course menu degustation starts from RM148++ per person (by advance reservations only).

We are astounded by the pretty as a picture appetiser: the succulent salmon slices with avocado cream and pine nuts tastes as good as they look.

The subsequent forest mushroom soup is lightly creamy with the discernible aroma of truffle oil. Grilled sliced boletus mushroom, cherry tomatoes and edible flowers piled atop a long slice of toast lend colour and textural contrast.

Less is more seems to be Angie’s approach for main courses. She has mango-red capsicum salsa bestowing subtle fruity sweetness to the smoked chicken breast with pommery mustard cream whilst a full-bodied Rioja is used to braise beef cheeks, suffusing the tender chunks of meat with rich, deep flavours. Accompanied by silky mashed potato, the dish leaves us replete.

Her artisan dessert is whimsically delightful to bring the curtains down on your visit to Tifa. Depending on her inclination, it could be a new-fangled black forest cake in the shape of a luscious, oversized ‘cherry’ atop crumbly chocolate ‘soil’, walnuts and fresh strawberries or a pink, heart-shaped lychee-raspberry mascarpone with chocolate flakes and cookie crumble.

Angie says, “I can rustle up whatever my customers fancy as long as they give me enough time to prepare before their intended visit or any occasion they plan to celebrate. Let me work around your budget and expectations. Anything is possible at Tifa.”

TIFA KL, Ground Floor, KL Trillion, 338, Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 017-358 1338. Business hours: Monday – Saturday 11am to 11pm (last order 9.30pm). Closed on Sunday.

 

A MICHELIN-STAR DINING EXPERIENCE AT AU JARDIN

No visit to 1-Michelin starred Au Jardin is incomplete without sampling the Cognac & Jay Aged Duck. We were told by the service team the Butterworth-sourced ducks are aged 6-14 days with hay, cognac and orange, and this main course has to be pre-ordered at least two days prior to your visit (with a supplementary charge of RM75).

Presented with some fanfare in a specially designed case filled with smoked hay at the tableside, the delectable duck came served alongside fig gel, figs rehydrated in balsamic, pomme purée, and yuzu split jus. Once we had a taste of the juicy duck breast, we realise why this speciality remains a popular mainstay.

However, the Wild Caught Barracuda with watermelon radish, konbu, cilantro root emulsion, pandan oil was the unheralded show-stopper. The fish’s inherent sweetness was exquisite and the attendant ingredients’ delicate flavours simply amplified it further. I wouldn’t mind a bigger portion of it though.

Even before the Michelin Guide recognition, chef proprietor Su Kim Hock is already making waves among fine food connoisseurs with his artisanal menu designed to showcase the freshest local and seasonal ingredients; shining the spotlight on the culinary traditions of Penang and Malaysia through beautifully crafted dishes.

The 18-seater Au Jardin is located in a quaint repurposed warehouse within the former Hin Bus Depot in Georgetown. As we stepped into the elegant restaurant’s little courtyard adorned with potted orchids, towering palms and a leafy tree, we found its high ceiling let in plenty of light. After ascending a flight of stairs, we found ourselves in a cosy dining space outfitted with a bar and a trio of origami bird-shaped light fixtures serving as the focal point.

 

Au Jardin’s menu degustation (RM388++ per person) not only adheres to Chef Kim Hock’s ‘buy local first’ philosophy, but also showcases with aplomb his skilful culinary expertise, artistry and inspirations drawn from his own culinary journey and past travels.

Our lunch started with two beguiling amuse bouche: dainty nests of dehydrated glass noodles – deep-fried to crunchy crispness – topped with lumpfish emulsion, orange mascarpone and salmon roe, and little charcoal choux pastry balls filled with bacon and truffle cream and crowned with a sliver of white truffle shaving on top. Suffice to say, these left us in eager anticipation of what to expect.

 

Warm, crusty slices of lacto-fermented bread came next, accompanied by house-made tomato chutney butter and curry leaf oil – a flavoursome pairing inspired by thosai.

 

That paved the way for Hericium Mushroom Remoulade, a lush and creamy monkey head mushroom broth dusted with cep powder. For textural contrast, we savoured a diminutive boat-shaped feuille de brick (light lacy-satiny Tunisian pastry dough) with chopped Hericium mushroom, black garlic espuma and kaffir lime leaves.

 

The quenelle of Century Egg Ice Cream served atop diced Hokkaido scallops and century egg ‘white’ was sublime. Tiny coral horn-shaped gingerbread added a touch of playfulness to the ensemble.

 

For a supplementary charge of RM250, the Grand Caviar Au Jardin lent a touch of extravagance to our lunch. Twisting open the tin lid, we dug into the sturgeon caviar-topped picked lobster with cauliflower crémeux using a mother of pearl spoon. It was an indulgent treat but heck, we only live once.

 

A fleeting burst of tongue-prickling heat from the zingy Sichuan pepper emulsion hit our tastebuds when we sampled the Cured Red Snapper Tartare with salted longan jelly and Nashi pear. The cohesive flavours were delicate yet palate-pleasing.

We also opted for the A3 Wagyu (A5 is the other choice) with Celeriac Purée, Jus Maison and Grain Mustard (supplementary charge of RM280). No surprises here as the steak was on-point   - it was a failsafe albeit unexciting choice.

Our faith was restored by the delicious Mussel Parfait Beignets which dialled up the big, hearty flavour quotient. It was a nice teaser before we segued into enjoying the ephemeral sweetness of the Braised Chinese Cabbage.

 

Topped with lumpfish roe, we found a smoky-sweet steamed mussel tucked inside the rolled cabbage. Savoury-sweet braising liquid dotted with parsley oil completed this splendid dish.

 

We adore the Magnum Sorbet – ice lollies made from blended guava and kaffir lime leaves, sheathed in a shell of red wine-infused coconut oil touched with sour plum powder and popping candy. Delightfully refreshing, kudos to the chef for making such ingenious use of our local fruits.

 

It nearly eclipsed the dessert of Over Ripen William Pear with Madagascan Vanilla Ice Cream. Admittedly, this creative treat was enticing in its own right, thanks to the myriad of airy-light textures and sweet subtleties bestowed by vanilla sponge, sugarless meringue, canalé royale and brulée.

Service was personable and attentive – the team took time to explain each and every dish to us, and capably answered our queries. They also anticipated and swiftly attended to our needs throughout the lunch so we had no room for complaints. 

For reservations, contact Au Jardin, tel: 012-428 9594 or book via TableApp. Address: The Warehouse @ Hin Bus Depot, 125, Jalan Timah, Georgetown, Penang. Business hours: Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday: 1130am – 230pm; 5pm – 10pm.

 

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