EQUATORIAL KUALA LUMPUR CELEBRATES 50TH ANNIVERSARY

Opened in December 1973, Hotel Equatorial Kuala Lumpur is celebrating its 50^th Anniversary this year.

Equatorial Group CEO Donald Lim (pix above) said: “Over the past five decades, the Equatorial brand has built a strong reputation for delivering exceptional service and excellent hospitality; its restaurants: the Kampachi, Chalet, Nipah Coffeeshop, Golden Phoenix, Étoile Bistro and Blue Moon lounge were household names.

 

“We’ll be celebrating our golden anniversary with our loyal customers, partners, and employees who have supported us throughout the years. Starting 5 July 2023, we will have a series of 50 commemorative events spanning a whole year, each offering a distinctive take against the historical backdrop or with an eye toward the future.”

The old Chalet restaurant remains fondly remembered by loyal guests

Highlights will include pop-ups of the famed Chalet and Golden Phoenix restaurants in August 2023 and January 2024 respectively, and a Blue Moon Night on 31 August 2023, evoking a playlist of the era. Also, in the pipeline are visiting guest chefs, winemakers, sake masters and even specially commissioned products — stay tuned for updates at www.equatorial.com/equatorial-50

 

Boxing great Joe Bugner was a guest of Hotel Equatorial KL for his fight with the legendary Muhammad Ali in 1975

A memory wall will be created in the lobby of EQ where guests can view photos of memorable events involving Equatorial since 1973. Guests can share their own memories on Facebook and Instagram as well.

According to Lim, Equatorial has redefined the hospitality landscape; its well-regarded restaurants has successfully gain mindshare and familiarity with the many birthdays and weddings held at the Hotel.

 

He also cited some of the groundbreaking trends set by Hotel Equatorial Kuala Lumpur: it’s the first hotel to have electronic key cards and fire sprinklers, and WiFi connectivity — things people take for granted now.

Kampachi, the oldest Japanese restaurant in Malaysia, remains famed for its Sunday buffet. During its heydays, reservations has to be made months in advance. The brand’s endurance is unmatched and remains one of the best Japanese restaurants today.

Equatorial Group's Chief Commercial Officer Charles Lim (left), CEO Donald Lim (centre) and EQKL GM, Gerard Walker (right)

In the four years since opening in 2019, EQ has become the standard bearer among hotels in the city, having won a slew of local and international accolades, including being ranked #1 hotel in the city by Tripadvisor since August 2019. Just last month, EQ was named Hotel of the Year Asia Pacific by Preferred Hotels group, the first time any hotel from Malaysia has won the title.

 

The new 440-room property is the first and only 5-star hotel in Kuala Lumpur with a Green Building Index Gold certification. Lim explained EQ’s sustainability measures in place means a night’s stay at EQ uses far fewer resources and has less environmental impact compared to other hotel rooms. For example, the carbon output which is equivalent to a return drive from KL to Ipoh can save up to 1500 trees.

Hotel Equatorial Penang will reopen in 2 years' time

Lim said the newer EQ brand is more stylish and innovative; its premium positioning aimed at attracting today’s younger clientele whilst the Equatorial Hotel brand - recognisable among the older generation - will retain its ‘business class’ offerings. 

The Equatorial Penang is currently under renovation and is anticipated to open in 2 years’ time. He affirms should the opportunity arises, the group will consider expanding EQ and Equatorial branded properties in Malaysia or even overseas. 

For more information on EQ 50^th Anniversary, visit www.equatorial.com/equatorial-50

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 ZINGY TWIST TO MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL AT FOUR SEASONS HOTEL KUALA LUMPUR

“Szechuan” Ma La Mung Bean mooncake anyone? Or perhaps a summer-inspired Mango with Lotus Seed Paste variant? These inventive conversation stoppers along with baked and snowskin creations form part and parcel of Yun House’s Mid-Autumn Festival cachet this year.

Trust Chef Jimmy Wong to imbue the traditional mooncake with a core of zingy-hot ‘ma la’ filling. When you bite into a wedge of his “Szechuan” Ma La Mung Bean (RM42), your tastebuds will tingle pleasantly when the sensation of burning heat blooms on your tongue before the confection's sweetness gradually creeps in.

Since gifting and sharing mooncakes is a beloved Malaysian tradition, Chef Jimmy has taken great pains to craft a variety of inventive and timeless selection for the Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur in conjunction with the Mid-Autumn Festival.

“This year, the ritual has taken on added importance, since many of us haven’t been able to meet loved ones and close colleagues for a long time”, said Chef Jimmy Wong. “Sending and gifting mooncakes expresses our good wishes, to remind people we care about them and a gesture to value their presence in our lives.”

His Baked Mooncakes with luxurious fillings include Pu Er Tea Paste with Tangerine Skin (RM42) and the summer-inspired Mango with Lotus Seed Paste (RM42). The former is subtly sweet with the citrus peel lending it a nice ‘bite’ while the latter yields a sublime candy-sweetness, remarkably similar to the fruit itself.

 According to the chef, mooncakes with egg yolk are symbolic of the harvest moon and good luck hence his Pandan Paste with Single Yolk (RM42), and Lotus Seed Paste with Single Yolk (RM42) offerings. For purists, there’s White Lotus Seed Paste (RM42).

 

Overall, the timeless selection are on-point and should please sticklers for tradition.

The mooncakes come packed in the Four Seasons gift box. Clad in theatrical red with a magnetic gilt clasp, the oblong box is embossed with the floral outlines of lotus leaves and butterflies, evoking feelings of joy and harmony with nature.

For more information, contact Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur: https://www.fourseasons.com/kualalumpur/dining/restaurants/yun-house/

COOL HELLO KITTY CREATIONS AT CREME DE LA CREME

Global icon Hello Kitty turns 45 in cool, sweet style at Crème De La Crème (CDLC) with ultra-cute Hello Kitty themed ice-cream, petits gâteaux, and CDLC's “Bloop! Bloop! Bloop!” beverages.

 

A first-of-its-kind collaboration between Sanrio and CDLC to mark Hello Kitty’s 45th birthday resulted in a selection of delightful treats specially created for Malaysian fans. Us privileged few walked in to the debut party, to find CDLC walls and table tops adorned with cute and colourful decals of the ultra-lovable icon.

Inspired by Hello Kitty’s favourite things, CDLC teased our tastebuds with two artisanal ice cream variants: Apple Pie Crumble and Strawberry Fantasy.

The first interprets Hello Kitty’s favourite apple pie as a delectable scoop of Madagascar vanilla goodness, swirled with homemade fresh apple compote, cinnamon and crumble. 

 

More delicate but no less delicious is Strawberry Fantasy – a sublime combo of strawberry-centric flavours: luscious strawberry ice cream with housemade strawberry jam and fresh strawberry bits. 

 

Passionate Hello Kitty fans will go gaga over the petits gâteaux named after Hello Kitty herself. The whimsical Kitty White treat is crafted from Madagascar vanilla ice cream, strawberry passion fruit sorbet, passion fruit crème, crumble and chocolate.

As a tribute to Hello Kitty’s favourite word “friendship”, cream-cheese ice cream is artfully melded with strawberry ice cream, strawberry jam, peach sorbet, citrus crumble and chocolate to create the Friendship Ring.

 

You can also raise a toast to the kawaii occasion with two Bloop! Bloop! Bloop! beverage. Named after Hello Kitty’s pet hamster, Sugar comprises a mixture of fresh strawberries, fresh sweet basil leaves, freshly squeezed lemonade and raspberry sorbet. 

Referencing Hello Kitty’s pet cat, Charmmy Kitty blends fresh milk with strawberries, complemented by toppings of strawberry ice cream and peach chunks.

Lio Lim, the managing director of CDLC said: “We are madly in love with Hello Kitty and it’s such an honour to be chosen by Sanrio for this special collabora- tion. CDLC’s Hello Kitty creations promise to be a multi-sensory experience for everyone who savour them!”

Caroline Tsang, COO of Sanrio Wave Hong Kong enthused, “Sanrio strives to bring people together and create happiness to make the world a better place. We are excited to partner with CDLC to bring our Hello Kitty fans this once-in-a-lifetime experience. With CDLC’s premium, one-of-a-kind artisan ice-cream creations inspired by Hello Kitty’s favourite things and CDLC’s Hello Kitty Land, it will be an unparalleled treat for the senses.”

The CDLC Hello Kitty selection will be available until end December 2019.

For information, please call Crème De La Crème, tel: 03-7494 0735.  Address: 35G, Ground Floor, Jalan SS21/60 Damansara Utama. Business hours: Sunday – Thursday: 12pm – 11pm, Friday & Saturday: 12pm – 12am