FESTIVE FEASTS AND TREATS FROM EQ KUALA LUMPUR

 

Christmas cookies, chocolates, baked goods and festive hampers will be available at EQ’s Festive Bake Shop starting 15 November 2023. Customisation service is available too, to make the gift selection more personalised for the year-end celebration.

 

Having tried the Roast Cajun Turkey, we reckon it's perfect for Thanksgiving and the Yuletide holidays. It'd be a splendid attention-grabbing centerpiece. Order it from the Bake Shop from 15 November 2023 onwards.

 

Hassle-free options to consider include the hearty Beef Tenderloin Wellington and Baked Lamb Leg; they’re ideal food gifts or a celebratory main minus the arduous prep work.

Much to our surprise, the King Crab Hot Pot from Kampachi proved to be a non-traditional contender for the celebratory table during our preview. The heartwarming broth was delicately sweet thanks to the chunks of Japanese crab in it.

 

A sumptuous seven-course Christmas Eve dinner beckons at Sabayon, EQ’s celebrated fine dining restaurant. At RM888+ per person, nab the window seats with view of the glittering city skyline or at RM788+ per person for regular seats. The price includes a bottle of 375ml champagne per person.

The signature raclette and its accompaniments will add a touch of luxe on Christmas day; replicating the Chalet’s famed Christmas Day buffet lunch at RM308+ per person, and RM154+ per child under 12. Top up RM288+ per person for a free flow of sparkling, white and red wines, the creative gin trolley, juices, soft drinks and mocktails.

New Year’s Eve can be heralded at Sabayon with an eight-course Countdown degustation (RM2,688+ per couple for window seats and RM2,388+ per couple for regular seats; inclusive of a bottle of 375ml champagne per person). New Year’s Day lunch is priced at RM308+ per person, and RM154+ per child under 12. Add RM288+ per head for free flow of drinks.

Make a beeline to Etoile bistro for delectable dine-in options including Grilled Wagyu Tomahawk and tempting Christmas platters comprising a choice of meat and seafood: Ribeye, Roast Turkey, Lamb Rack, and Boston Lobster.

Delicately crafted sweet and savoury bites take centrestage at Bottega Lounge for the festive holiday Afternoon Tea. Available daily from 1 December 2023, the festive Afternoon Tea is RM99+ per person or RM198+ for two. Each set comes with a choice of premium JING tea or coffee. Bottega’s range of wines will also be available by glass or bottle.

Decorated cold Roasted Chicken, Fish Terrine in Smoked Capsicum, Seafood Cocktail with Berry Compote, and Capellini Crayfish with Spicy Tomato Basil Pesto are some dishes from the lavish Christmas Eve buffet dinner at Nipah.

Priced at RM238+ per person and RM119+ per child inclusive of unlimited chilled juices and soft drinks, succumb to the deliciousness of Roasted Cajun Turkey, Baked Herb-crusted New Zealand Lamb Leg and Baked Dill-salt Crusted Barramundi.

On Christmas Day, Nipah’s lunch buffet (RM218+ per person) will be merry and bright with a seafood selection on ice featuring oysters, mussels and prawns, festive cheese platters and a Christmas Roast selection: whole roasted Cajun turkey and leg of lamb with gravy, mushroom sauce, cranberry sauce, mint sauce, roasted Russet potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, and roasted mixed highland vegetables.

Save room for pasta and EQ’s famed chicken rice alongside a grill serving stingray, prawns, squid, chicken, and scallops accompanied by piquant sambals and tamarind dipping sauce. Finish on a sweet high by indulging on Mini Cakes, Christmas cookies, warm Stollen and Panettone, and Mince Pies.

SKY51 will host its Party In The Sky (RM168+ per person inclusive of one drink) on New Year’s Eve. Revel and ring in the New Year with resident DJs, live music and grazing platters.

Finally, make your way to the front of Bottega Lounge for the New Year’s Eve balloon drop on 31 December 2023.

For full information and details of EQ's festive catalogue and on-property events, please visit: www.eqkualalumpur.equatorial.com

 

NEW TEMPTATIONS BECKON AT KAZUMA

Oden is one of those rare but delicious specialities few Japanese restaurants serve in the Klang Valley. Hence I was stoked when I discovered Oden Moriawase (RM22) is now available at Kazuma Japanese restaurant.

This homey, heartwarming stew comes with 6 types of Japanese fish cakes (chikuwa being my favourite), radish chunks, a hardboiled egg and toothsome konnyaku. Also known as konjac, the jiggly yet firm jelly-like blocks are made from the starch of devil’s tongue plant.

Kazuma’s chef Tsutomu Haneishi has also refreshed some offerings for the latest menu. Right off the bat, there’s now a small selection of Japanese appetisers to complement your drinks of choice.

We like the crisp-crunchiness of Koebi Karaage (RM15), deep-fried small shrimps and the succulence of Salmon Tataki Carpaccio (RM30), seared salmon sashimi with black sesame dressing.

Naturally, crowd-pleasing favourites such as Hama Sashimi (5 types of sliced raw fish: RM90 – 2 pcs each type, RM125 – 3 pcs each type) and Potato Salad (RM20) with creamy Japanese mayo have been retained.

For the former, diners may choose from maguro (tuna), salmon, hotate (scallop), hamachi (yellowtail), tako (octopus) and amaebi (sweet shrimp). Rest assured the Kazuma team strives to source the freshest seafood from around the world that measures up to the restaurant’s quality standards.

 

Our penchant for sushi was amply fulfilled on our recent visit with the introduction of Special Nigiri Sushi Tokujyou (RM87) into Kazuma’s new menu. The sea-fresh sweetness of those tender slices of maguro chutoro, hamachi, salmon, hotate, amaebi, unagi and ikura (vinegared rice topped with salmon roe) was certainly on-point.

Should you prefer cooked stuff, we recommend sampling Unagi Yanagawa (RM65), scrumptious simmered eel with vegetable and egg. Served bubbling hot in a little cast iron pot, we love every bite of the subtly sweet eel juxtaposed against the ethereal cloud-like softness of the egg.

Tendon (RM34), a wholesome meal in one consisting of steamed rice topped with assorted tempura, pickles and soup is another notably classic choice to satisfy the tastebuds. The mildly sweet sauce drizzled over the tempura and rice proved appetising, enticing us to polish off everything.

Heartier servings with splendid value for money are the new additions of Teishoku Sets. These beautifully composed set meals come with chawan mushi (steamed egg custard), steamed rice, miso soup, salad, pickles and fruits to accompany a choice of mains.

Having savoured Grilled Chicken Shioyaki/Teriyaki (RM35) and Unagi Kabayaki & Sashimi (RM70), we’d say both stellar options should hit the spot.

For vegetarians, Kazuma proffers a Vegetarian Bento (RM50). The tempting set comprised tofu steak, assorted vegetable tempura, pumpkin croquette, simmered vegetable, futomaki sushi and inari sushi. A visually and palatably pleasing set guaranteed to leave you happily satisfied.

Noodle enthusiasts aren’t forgotten either. We find it hard to decide whether Tempura Chasoba (RM22) or Shoyu Ramen and Inari Sushi (RM25) is better.

The former proffers springy buckwheat noodles which can be served hot or cold, accompanied by delectably crisp, airy-light battered prawns and vegetables.

If you prefer soupy noodles then the latter will hit the spot. We found the springy ramen in shoyu broth lighter on the palate, with the supplementary piece of inari sushi providing textural contrast.

Our requisite sweetener to conclude proceedings was Kurogoma (black sesame) Ice Cream (RM15) but other options available include Matcha Ice Cream (RM15) or Yuzu Sherbet (RM18).

For reservations, call Kazuma Japanese Restaurant, tel:03-2149 2666. Address: Level 1, Wisma Concorde, Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Sultan Ismail, KL. Business hours: Mon- Sat: 11.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm. Closed on Sunday and public holidays.