SUSTAINABLE FINE-DINING AWAITS AT EQ'S SABAYON X JAMPA DINNER

A four-hands, one-night only dinner partnering Sabayon’s Chef de Cuisine, Steve Ariffin at EQ with JAMPA’s Executive Chef, Rick Dingen from Phuket will be held on 26 April.
 
Billed as a sustainable seven-course menu (RM650 nett per person), the dinner will showcase T’lur – Malaysia’s own local caviar, the vaunted Harumanis mango and exotic ingredient like bael, known as the Bengal quince or wood apple.

The two culinary creatives hope to reframe diners’ perceptions of value, creativity and promote the advantages of sourcing and using local ingredients.
 
Chef and Netherlands native Dingen has chalked up stints at Michelin-starred Dutch restaurants: La Rive and De Heer Kocken. Dingen’s Chef de Cuisine phase at celebrated Bangkok restaurant Savelberg saw the restaurant awarded a Michelin star.
 
He then proceeded to the one Michelin starred and Michelin Green Star Haoma which espoused sustainable, seasonal, local ingredients sourced from farmers, breeders, fisherfolk and the restaurant’s own garden. A subsequent stint at Madison Steak Avenue, Anantara Bangkok prepared him for JAMPA in Phuket.
 
At this one-of-a-kind dining destination, Dingen assimilated his fine dining restaurant experience with the use of local produce and woodfire cooking skills, elevating JAMPA’s fame throughout Thailand where live-fire cooking and sustainable gastronomy result in sophisticated dishes that celebrate the ever-changing seasons of nature. JAMPA also owns an organic farm, reducing their environmental impact while enabling the culinary team to showcase the best from the land and sea.
 

Back on homeground, Chef Steve Ariffin’s three-year tenure at Sabayon has cemented his reputation as a technical innovator. Conceiving and curating menus for some of Malaysia’s most influential personalities, historic wineries and gastronomes, Chef Steve Ariffin will work hand-in-hand with JAMPA’s Dingen, bringing the exclusive dinner to stellar heights.

For reservations, please contact EQ Kuala Lumpur:

https://www.eqkualalumpur.equatorial.com/guest-chefs/

GET SET IN MARCH AT ELEGANT INN

Life’s a continuous feast at Elegant Inn Hong Kong Cuisine. March looks set to be marvellous with the debut of two special set menus: Bountiful Harvest and Golden Harvest at this city’s arbiter of fine Cantonese cuisine.

Highlighting a judicious selection of familiar favourites and newer creations, we were accorded a taste of the Golden Harvest menu recently.

Things got off to a happy start with us savouring Crispy Soft Shell Crabs in Light Spicy Sauce, Hokkaido Scallop Bacon Rolls and E.I. Crispy Vegetable Rice Rolls for openers.

Plump Hokkaido scallop wrapped in crisp, tasty bacon stirred our gastronomic juices with the scallop’s oh-so-delicate sweetness amplified by the bacon’s savoury richness.

Nice contrasting textures came into play from the Hong Kong-inspired jar leong. Instead of yutiao (fried fritters), the smooth flat rice rolls were filled with crispy taro strips. Drizzled with a little soy sauce, this delicious morsel made for a sublime mouthful.

I’m not a fan of deep-fried soft shell crabs so this appetiser was par for the course for me. Dressed in a tantalisingly spicy sauce, there were also crispy onion rings amidst the crab chunks.

Known for its salubrious soups, Elegant Inn reinforces its stellar reputation with a superbly Braised Twin Fish Maw with Sakura Ebi in Flaky Fish Winter Melon Broth. 

We lapped up every drop of that viscously silky broth whilst relishing the slippery suppleness of the fish maw strips. Lending it subtle crispiness and umami accent was some sakura ebi for that perfect finish.

Deserving a gold medal IMO was the serving of Golden Fried Sea Crystal Prawns in Salted Egg Yolk paired with Golden Prosperous Chicken Meat Balls. Springy to the bite, the big prawns had us hooked at first bite thanks to the attendant richly flavourful salted egg yolk crust.

Equally raveworthy were yummy chicken meat balls, reminiscent of classic hai jou (deep-fried crab and pork mince balls). The hearty bites brought back such nostalgic feels.

Heralding a sense of celebration in its wake was the show-stealing Braised Five Treasure Pork Belly with Whole 9-head South African Abalones, Black Garlic, Lotus Seeds and Chestnuts.

It was a stellar showcase of varied textures juxtaposed against a supremely lustrous, full-bodied sauce. We thoroughly relished soaking it all up with deep-fried mantou.

After all those heavy hitters, we readily welcomed the subtler nuances exuded by the Braised Vegetarian Assortment with Cordycep Flower and Housemade Tofu. Spongy and custardy-soft melding with gelatinous and tender textures ruled here.

Claypot Rice with Sea Star Garoupa Fillet, Hong Kong Dried Prawns and Tung Choi instantly garnered effusive praises once we dug into the scrumptious rice. Possibly the next best thing to Elegant Inn’s famed lap mei farn (waxed meat rice), this fish-laden version dialled up the appeal factor with a generous topping naturally umami-sweet HK dried prawns and preserved vegetable.

Lunch finished on a splendid high with exquisitely dainty Bird’s Nest Egg Tartlets and irresistible Nutty Sesame Balls. The latter deserved special mention as each chewy ball was stuffed with coarsely crushed peanuts and sugar, to deliver better mouthfeel. A treat worth going nuts over!

We chased those dessert treats with refreshing bowls of Double Boiled Fresh Pineapple with Lily Flower and Snow Fungus. An on-point, cooling broth to counter the current hot and hazy weather.

The Golden Harvest is priced RM1,188++ for 4 persons, RM1,688++ for 6 persons and RM2,788++ for 10 persons and will be available until end March.

For reservations, call Elegant Inn Hong Kong Cuisine, at tel: 03-20709399 or 03-67379399 or WhatsApp 012-7223518.

CNY SHOWCASE OF KL’S CHINATOWN BEST HERITAGE FOOD

Speciality dishes and delicacies from 18 of Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown famed restaurants, bakeries and street food vendors take centrestage at the ‘Jom Celebrate Reunion Dinner, Chinatown KL 2025’ initiative this year.

 

Only four tables of 10 persons will be available from 25 January to 16 February (except 29-31 January), to cater for the customary family reunion meal, and subsequently for Chinese New Year dinner from 7 pm onwards nightly.

Scheduled to be held at the original premise of Seong Ying Chai, a ‘lou chiu pai’– an established bakery since 1935 – behind Jalan Sultan, KL, the *festive dinner commences with Golden Pear Yu Sheng from Westlake restaurant as the auspicious curtain-raiser.

 

Assorted ingredients: fried yam strips, colourful pickles, freshly shredded pear and vegetables, pomelo sacs, candied peel, toasted sesame seeds and ground nuts evoked that cherished nostalgic taste, pulled together by a tart-sweetish plum sauce.

Leonard Lee, manager of Seong Ying Chai, informed us ‘ma chao’ chicken is the poultry of choice for Kam Kee’s Hainanese Steamed Kampung Chicken. Served with house concocted chilli and ginger sauces, the scrumptious offering enticed us to return for additional helpings thanks to its bright yellow skin and splendidly tender texture.

A bowl of downhome Fish Paste and Malabar Spinach Soup from Sai Kee left us gushing over its clear broth brimming with handmade fish balls, Malabar spinach and clumps of ‘egg drop’.

A culinary stalwart in Chinatown, Sze Ngan Chye has drawn legions of customers as long as I can recall. Hence it's only befitting Sze Ngan Chye’s Signature Salted Duck is slotted into the menu. Dipped into savoury bean sauce, the duck’s slight gaminess added to its allure.

Topped with freshly chopped coriander, the on-point doneness of Han Kee’s slippery smooth and soft Steamed Fresh Fish (patin) augmented by house-made with soy sauce and aromatic oil, ticked all the right boxes for us.

Prosperity Pork Trotters with Seamoss (fatt choi) from Hong Ngek drew gasps of delight as we eagerly relished the juicy, fall-of-the-bone tender meat smothered in viscous collagen-rich, seamoss-threaded sauce.

Two vegetarian dishes, Stir-fried Lotus Root with Celery from Voila and Vegetarian Kottu Roti from The Lankan brought a balance spin to the meat-centric menu.

The former comprised lightly sauteed lotus root slices with sweet peas, celery, cashews, red and green capsicums; beguiling for its delicately clear flavours.

True to our Malaysian Muhibbah spirit, aromatically spiced kottu roti – a popular Sri Lankan street food staple of chopped roti, vegetables, and spices – lent an unexpectedly welcome contrast to the proceedings.  

Kiew Yee Baru stepped up to the plate with the perennial Cured Meat Claypot Rice: a huge serving of chunky liver and pork waxed sausages, waxed duck atop rice sprinkled with chopped spring onion. Finished with a drizzle of the house mixture of soya sauce, this speciality will surely leave everyone replete.

Finishing the meal on a pleasantly sweet note will be Seong Ying Chai’s classic Almond Tofu Pudding in the famed Air Mata Kuching from Luo Han Guo Longan Dessert. We love how the combo refreshed our palate after the intense riot of flavours.

Liu Bao Aged Tea from Kean Gun Tea Merchants will keep cups filled throughout dinner whilst Cold Brew Tea from Montea in addition to Cranberry Muffins from Aooo will complete the dining experience.

The ‘Jom Celebrate Reunion Dinner’ initiative by Persatuan Rakan Budaya dan Pelancong Kuala Lumpur & Selangor is co-organised by Seong Ying Chai and supported by YB Tuan Fong Kui Lun, MP for Bukit Bintang.

Guests can also purchase a special 8-Treasure Box (RM188 each) consisting of Seong Ying Chai’s Lion Head Gong Zai Bing (baked pastry with pandas lotus paste), TK Lim’s Sliced Meat Jerky, Sweet Potato Ball’s Fried Peanut Dumpling, Ho Yoke Kee’s Lucky Candy, Washington’s Golden Grill Sponge Cake Rusk, Chai Huat Hin’s Dried Persimmon, Machi Popo’s Black Sesame Puff and Fung Wong’s Mini Walnut Cookies.

Priced at RM1,388 nett per table of 10 persons, table reservation for the ‘Jom Celebrate Reunion Dinner, Chinatown KL 2025’ must be made at least 3 days in advance on first-come-first-serve basis via mobile no: 011 1179 9082 or 016 3810 810. 

*Kindly take note necessary changes to the set menu are anticipated with substitutions offered by the 21 participating vendors.

FESTIVE CNY FEAST AT SUMMER PALACE

Three festive set menus designed to usher in prosperity, happiness, and good fortune for Chinese New Year celebrants beckon at Summer Palace, Putrajaya Marriott Hotel this year.

At a recent media review, we savoured the indulgent Good Fortune Set (RM2,688 nett per table of 10 persons with a complimentary bottle of wine).

 Everyone participated in the tossing of the house made Tuna Yee Sang with Crispy Fish Skin and Mixed Pickles. The colourful array of shredded vegetables and pickles also had pumpkin crisps and deep-fried fish skin for additional crunch.

 

A treasure trove of King Neptune’s best: sea cucumber, dried scallops, abalone and fish maw ensured the sublime Buddha Jumps Over The Wall Soup with Morel Mushrooms superbly memorable. We love the complexity and savoury depth of each spoonful of the soup.

 

Subtle herb accent was discernible when we tried the Roasted Duck Marinated with Tong Kwai, Star Anise and Cinnamon in Truffle Sauce. Tender and juicy to the bite, the distinct truffle sauce amplified the dish’s tasty appeal.

Another luxe serving of Fried Lobster with Premium Golden Pumpkin Sauce and Sea Prawns with XO Sauce left us smiling from ear to ear. The delicate flavour of pumpkin sauce complemented the naturally sweet lobster meat whilst the more piquant XO sauce bestowed zingy heat to the prawns.

Crispy Bean Crumbs and Japanese Kikkoman Soya Sauce lent textural interest and subtle flavour to the Steamed Tiger Garoupa. It was a creative and welcoming touch, differentiating the steamed fish from the usual tried-and-tested soya sauce, minced ginger and spring onion version.

The Stewed 5-head Abalones with Black Pearl Sea Cucumber, Sea Moss and Dried Oysters tasted a tad underwhelming. Not sure if the earlier dishes had overwhelmed our tastebuds. Still, the varied textures proffered hit the spot so it wasn’t a complete loss. 

My favourite dish was snagged by the soul-satisfying Steamed Rice with Smoked Duck in Claypot. It’s less greasy than the customary waxed meat version yet chockful of appetising flavours, inducing repeat helpings.

 

A generous bowl of fuschia hued Chilled Dragon Fruit Cream with Sago and Bird’s Nest brought dinner to a sweet conclusion. We like the dessert broth’s mild sweetness; it made a nice pairing with the Fancy Double Combination of mochi-type balls and another of deep-fried balls studded with puffed rice pearls.

 

Diners can also opt for the Prosperity Set at RM1,888 nett per table of 10 persons with a complimentary bottle of wine, or the Happiness Set at RM2,188 nett per table (10 persons).

For reservations at Summer Palace, Putrajaya Marriott Hotel, please contact tel: 03-8949 8888 ext. 1333 or WhatsApp: +6011 56855608.