A BUBBLYLICIOUS SUNDAY EASTER-VAGANZA AT EL CERDO

Cheers! It's Good Friday and I wish Jom Makan blog readers of the Christian faith a Happy Easter ahead. Meaningful occasions such as Easter is best celebrated with family, friends and loved ones...preferably over a feast of epic pork-portions of course ;p

 

To get you into the mood for this Sunday's Easter-vaganza, El Cerdo will lay out a sumptuous Bubblylicious Sunday Brunch from 12 noon to 2.30pm. As the first European eatery in KL city to give local Chinese restos a run for their porky specialities, you can expect an unrivalled 'nose to tail' eating experience - washed down with loads of bubbly, beer, soft drinks or juices.

 

For porcine fans, it'd be love at first sight (and bite) - just the Cold Appetiser Buffet (pix above) alone would warm the very cockles of your heart and leave you weeping with joy. Choice pickings worth savouring include sliced Serrano ham with honey-sweet diced rock melon, pig's head jelly, lomo (Spansish cured pork tenderloin), smoked black pepper ham, chorizo, trotter terrine, roast pork salad, pork liver pate and pork rillette amongst others.

Serrano ham is best paired with rock melon

There's plenty to go around so remember to pace yourself and enjoy the whole plethora laid out. An ample selection of fresh salad leaves, cherry and sliced tomatoes are also available to complement the charcuterie.

 

Before ordering your main course, sample the house Sausage Platter. This is especially great for sharing so you'd have a chance to taste the different types with more than enough tummy space left over for mains.

Served on a bed of potato mash and sauerkraut with mustard on the side, our dining party made quick work of the delicious sausage platter which comprised bacon-wrapped cocktail sausages and slightly bigger Thuringer, German pepper, spicy Lyonner and farmer franks. 

Keep your eyes peeled for the hearty Roasted Pork Loin - the service personnel on duty would gladly proffer thick slices of this meaty delight on request; complete with an irresistible gravy, some veges and potato on the side. In fact, we relished this so much that most of our gang returned for additional helpings.

The day's simplest dish of Pork Belly Fettucini turned out to be a limelight hogger. Suffused with a lush, savoury sauce redolent with tomato and herbs, the fork-tender pork belly chunks were a match made in heaven with the perfectly al dente pasta ribbons. Likewise, the Seafood Spaghetti is well acquitted too with a large prawn and several smaller but succulent ones.

The traditional Austrian Wiener Schnitzel (which means 'meat in a crust') is notable for the crisply breaded coating that envelopes a fillet of moist, tender pork inside. Adorned with a dollop of potato salad, any greasiness is tempered by the accompanying tart berry compote.

Another raveworthy offering that scores highly is Hickory Smoked Iberico Soft Ribs. Mind you, just the thought of that tangy-smoky-sweet sauce smothering those meltingly tender soft bone ribs is droolworthy enough. A 'must try' dish that should have you licking the plate clean.

Other tempting main dishes to pig out on include Pork Steak (pix above), Spaetzle with Cheese & Ham (pix below) and Roast Baby Back Ribs. The luscious tiers of grilled pork and mashed potato topped with fried leek slivers are superbly yummy while the spaetzle - a comforting dish of mini dough dumplings similar to gnocchi in its chewy 'QQ' texture - comes perked up with lashings of creamy tomato-cheese sauce and diced ham. My only grouse about the baby back ribs is the scant bits of meat on them ribs.

Anyway that minor hiccup disappears since there's dessert to contend with. Sweet solace can be found in Mango Tiramisu, Spanish Chocolate Cake or Assorted Homemade Ice Creams & Sorbets.

The chocoholic in me readily vouched for the sole chocolatey option. Never mind if it's slightly dry and crumbly, the deep-seated cacao accent has enough 'oomph' to ensure a lingering impression and keep you asking for more.

If you love boozy ice cream, the Rum & Raisin is simply 'da bomb'. Its closest rivals are mango and raspberry sorbet (we love both flavours' seductively fruity creaminess) while the olive oil variant seems like a quirky wild card in the whole mix. The tiramisu passed muster...despite the dessert's mild alcoholic nuance, the mango component is barely discernible.

El Cerdo's Bubblylicious Brunch is priced at RM149 ++ per person inclusive of free flowing Cava, house red & white wine, Tiger draught, soft drinks and chilled juices. Teetotalers pay RM99++ per person (soft drinks and juices included) while kids are charged at RM49++ per head (6-12 years old).

For reservations, call EL CERDO, tel: 03-2145 0511 / 013-309 4197. Address: 43 & 45, Changkat Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur

ANTINORI & NERO VIVO - ARBITERS OF ITALIAN PASSION AND PERFECTION

Dry and floral on the palate, a chilled glass of sparkling Montenisa Brut NV Franciacorta complemented by dainty canapés: foie gras, smoked salmon and oyster Rockefeller set the recent Antinori wine dinner at Nero Vivo off to an jovial start.

 

 Held in the cheery haven of Italian cuisine where chef Michele Cuozzo holds fort, the event saw  passionate Italian food and wine enthusiasts sharing an evening of convivial laughter and light-hearted banter with Vice President of Antinori Wine Albiera Antinori.

Before dinner started, Albiera touched on the rich history behind the Antinori family which has been involved in the production of wine for over six centuries since 1385. Now into its 26th generation, the firm remains a family-run entity headed by Marquis Piero Antinori with the support of his three daughters: Albiera, Allegra, and Alessia.

The evening's pace acquired a startlingly refreshing note thanks to the crisp, citrusy white Castello della Sala Cervaro della Sala 2010. A blend of 90% Chardonnay and 10% Grechetto harvested from 15-20 year old vineyards, the elegant white bedazzled us with its straw gold tinged with greenish hue, faint floral-flinty bouquet and long, structured finish. Its persistent toasty and mineral notes were perfect counterpoints to the supple, matured richness of the roasted provolone cheese with cinnamon scented, red wine poached pears.

Tubular shaped pasta – a typical Neapolitan special – brimming with an indulgent amount of gooey, cheesy stuffing complemented by delicate pieces of bamboo lobster in fresh tomato sauce achieved sublime gustatory heights with Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva 2010. This Badia a Passignano Riserva is produced exclusively from the finest Sangiovese grapes of the property by the same name in the Chianti Classico area of Tuscany. Seductively voluptuous on the palate, the ruby red wine enthralled us with its ripe berry-cherry nuances and velvety liquorice spiciness. 

Artfully blending Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and PetitVerdot, the lush, dark red Guado al Tasso 2008 flaunted jammy plum and black currant notes mingled with coffee, toasty oak and spice overtones. Its soft, elegant tannins sustained a smooth, lingering finish that held its own against the deep-seated flavours of the roasted duck breast with asparagus, fig jam and balsamic vinegar sauce. 

Finger-licking great lamb chops with potatoes and mixed salad complemented Guado al Tasso 2004, an excellent tipple that boasted 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 10% Syrah. Scored 92/100 by Wine Spectator, the ruby red wine with its complex fruity-toasty nuances of coffee and dark chocolate, balanced, soft tannins and lingering finish bore testament to the wine's strong regional character.

For the night's finale, we made short work of the luscious cake with almond paste and chocolate served with vanilla ice cream that went superbly with the golden yellow Castello delle Sala Muffato della  Sala 2007, a well-balanced wine with intense floral and honeyed aroma and taste, underscored by fresh, almost citrusy notes.

The Antinori wines are best savoured with sumptuous Italian cuisine like the specialities by Chef Michele Cuozzo of Nero Vivo. Depending on your choice, the wines are priced from RM65 to RM1,800 per bottle in Malaysia. For information on Antinori wines, visit  http://www.antinori.it/en

For reservations at Nero Vivo Restaurant, call Tel: +603-2070 3120. Address:3a, Jalan Ceylon,
Kuala Lumpur.