SHANGRI-LA KUALA LUMPUR SHOWCASES MALAYSIAN HERITAGE CUISINE

Certified as Malaysia’s first five-star Malaysian Heritage Cuisine Hotel by Jabatan Warisan Negara (Department of National Heritage), Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur will showcase its specially curated Malaysian Heritage Cuisine Menu at The Lobby Lounge starting now until the end of 2026.

The Seribu Satu Rasa, Satu Warisan launch was officiated by YB Datuk Khairul Firdaus bin Akbar Khan, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture. Also present at the event were YBhg. Encik Mohamad Muda bin Bahadin, Director General of Jabatan Warisan Negara; Mr. Samuel Lee Thai Hung, Deputy Director General (Promotion II), Tourism Malaysia; and Mr. Sharin Mokhtar, Deputy Director General (Planning), Tourism Malaysia.

Six Shangri-La KL chefs went through formal training on the preparation of authentic Malaysian heritage dishes with Dato’ Chef Ismail Ahmad, Head of Heritage Cuisine at Jabatan Warisan Negara.

The Malaysian Heritage Cuisine initiative is part of Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur’s 40th Anniversary celebration and a heartfelt tribute to Malaysia’s rich, diverse, and dynamic food legacy as the Hotel gears up for Visit Malaysia 2026.

“Our aim is to enable hotel guests and foreign visitors to enjoy a genuine taste of Malaysia’s soul through Malaysian Heritage Cuisine, weaving together stories of heritage, migration, and celebration” said Daniel Kaeflein, General Manager of Shangri-La KL.

 

Available at The Lobby Lounge, the Malaysian Breakfast (7am -11am) tempts food-loving guests with Nasi Lemak Bungkus (banana leaf wrapped packets of steamed coconut milk rice with sambal, fried anchovies, sliced cucumber, hard-boiled egg and roasted peanuts), Roti Canai (flaky Indian flatbread eaten with lentil curry), Nyonya Curry Laksa (noodles in spicy curry gravy) and Kaya Toast (toasted bread slices with coconut and egg jam) with Soft Boiled Eggs. The Breakfast Culture in Malaysia has been certified as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

More typical Malaysian fare such as Nasi Dagang, Rendang Tok, Roti Jala with Chicken Curry, Laksa Utara (northern style thick rice noodles in tangy fish and tamarind broth and topped with shredded cucumber, pineapple, onion, fresh mint and torch ginger flower), Chicken Rice (poached chicken with fragrant oil flavoured rice and sliced cucumber), Nasi Goreng Kampung (fried rice) and Sup Tulang (lightly spiced beef broth) beckons in the All Day Dining menu (11am – 930pm).

Local snacks and dessert: Colek Buah-Buahan (Malaysian fruit salad tossed with spicy sweet sauce of belacan (prawn paste), sugar, chilli paste and tamarind juice; Cucur Udang (deep-fried chive and prawn fritters accompanied by sweetish chilli dip), Goreng Pisang (fried banana fritters), Cucur Nyiur (coconut fritter balls with palm sugar syrup) and Pulut Serawa Durian (glutinous rice with creamy sweet durian broth) are also included.

To complete the experience, traditional beverages such as Teh Tarik, Kopi Susu, Kopi O, Kopi C, Teh Susu, Teh O, Teh C, Cham, MILO Ais, Teh Halia, and Malaysian Syrup will be served.

 

For dining reservations and inquiries, please contact Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur, tel: 03 2786 2378 or email: enquiries at dining.kl@shangri-la.com

R-EEL DELIGHTS AT TIEN

 
Export-grade live eels from China took centrestage at Tien restaurant, prepared in four different ways as part of the month-long ‘Flavours of Suria’ dining experiences at Suria KLCC mall recently.

In keeping with its "Always Something New” tagline, Suria KLCC invited local media members to hands-on workshops and exclusive tastings at tenant restaurants: Din, Fuel Shack, Cili Kampung, TGI Fridays, Imperial Chakri Palace and Tien.

We sampled a special seasonal menu of fresh Chinese eels at Tien by Putien, where four distinctive eel dishes were served. Flown-in from Guangzhou, we learned the eels are also exported to Japan. 

Fed with codfish powder, the eels are raised in open-air, clean water ponds. Putien uses 70 cm long eels weighing 600-800g each as they are fleshier with better bite. It’s the second year Tien is promoting these eels and the promotional offerings will be available until end October.

Our lunch began with Fresh Eel Cooked in Spring Water. It only took about ten minutes to cook the eel in spring water with spring onion, goji berries and ginger. Once done, we tasted the eel chunks which were surprisingly chewy. Its natural clear sweetness was notable when we tasted the broth and meat.

Rich, savoury soybean sauce produced in the city of Puning was instrumental in the preparation of Baked Eel with Puning Bean Sauce. Stir-fried with garlic, ginger and onion, the delicately sweet eel chunks were superbly flavourful thanks to the beany sauce and aromatics. Not surprising it was the most popular dish last year with Tien diners.

Although the generous amount of garlic was welcomed, a lesser amount of Yangjiang soybean sauce for the Steamed Eel in Garlic and Soy Bean Sauce would have been great. But that’s my own preference as others may like how the chef prepped it.

Sichuan peppercorns, dried chillies, garlic and ginger bestowed this year’s new Spicy Pan-fried Eel with some tongue-tingling ‘ma la’ power and spicy heat. This was another crowd favourite as most of us enjoyed the dish’s robust chilli-hotness.

All the eel dishes are priced at RM138 for a regular portion and will be available until end October.

For reservations at Tien by Putien, call tel: 03 2181 2839. Address: Lot 434, 4^th Floor, Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur City Centre. For more information on Suria KLCC mall, visit www.suriaklcc.com.my or www.facebook.com/SuriaKLCCMall. 

OISHII SHOWCASE OF OITA SPECIALITIES AT KAMPACHI

For the uninitiated, Japan's Oita prefecture is known for its hot springs (onsen) particularly in Beppu and Yufuin. A culinary haven with its own exceptional food culture, Oita boasts abundant local produce from the mountains and sea. Hence fresh catches of fish and seafood, kabosu (native lime), nashi pear and muscat grapes among others take pride of place at Kampachi restaurant's current Oita showcase.

At the recent media preview, a standee of Kabosu Nukumizu – the kawaii (cute) mascot of Oita prefecture caught our eye within the dining outpost in Plaza 33. Oita is out to entice more Malaysians to discover its plethora of food and drink delicacies until 24 September.

Risa Ito, Director General of Oita Foreign Trade Association (left) together with Takahiro Gokita, CEO of Fan Japan (M) Sdn Bhd and Manabu Fujimoto, Managing Director of Inspire Corporation, shared snippets of interesting information about Oita prefecture with us throughout the evening.

The specially composed Oita menu at Kampachi restaurants is akin to a sensorial feast of Oita delicacies. To toast the collaboration, specially concocted cocktails: Kabosu Tonic (mixture of shochu and kabosu, RM38) and Yuzu Honey Shochu High Ball (RM38) as well as mocktails: Matcha Ichigo Mirukusheku (bottom pix, RM28) and Matcha Yuzu (RM28) will be available to tickle your fancy.

Suffice to say the cocktails should leave you in high spirits whilst teetotalers will find ample delight in the mocktails: the first similar to a light milkshake, blending Oita green tea with fresh strawberry and the second (below pix), a mixture of matcha and Japanese citron evoking clean, fresh grassy-citrusy accents.

 

Making an indelible splash with us was the sumptuous Buri Sushi (RM150). Shaped into nigiri sushi, each one came dotted with different Oita condiments: Kabosu Kosho, Ougon-Yuzukoshou, Yuzu Kosho, Oba-Kosho and Red Pepper Yuzu Kosho.

 

Just like our sambal, the Japanese paste is made from fresh red/green chillies fermented with yuzu juice and zest, and salt. Kabosu, yuzu, oba leaf, and red pepper render the condiment with varying levels of spiciness and zingy nuances. The assorted condiments certainly heightened our enjoyment of the Buri Sushi.

We were also smitten with Ryukyu (RM98) in which slices of marinated raw salmon, tuna, amberjack, squid and scallop were draped atop mounds of rice.

Every mouthful of the irresistible fish and rice was aptly complemented by an exclusive Oita-brewed sake with a 50% rice polishing ratio (RPR). In sake-making, the level of RPR will determine the desired and resultant taste profile of each sake.

Served at room temperature, the delicate umami-sweetness of Saiki Hisho, an artisanal sake with a 65% RPR and the distinctive Bungo Meijyo no Umeshu left us game for more.

Sake enthusiasts will have a chance to meet Oita’s master sake brewers at Kampachi Plaza 33 on September 21 and Kampachi EQKL on 22 September at a special Oita food and sake pairing dinner. Limited to only 40 seats per venue, the dinner priced at RM742 nett per person featuring a selection of rare sake from Oita which have never been exported.

We also had a chance to taste a ‘gold’ soy sauce specially formulated to complement sushi and carpaccio. Served to accompany Hirame no Kobujime (RM145), thinly sliced hirame (Japanese flounder) cured with konbu seaweed, the gold soy sauce with hints of vinegar and fish sauce in it, enabled us to appreciate the hirame’s delicacy even more.

Coated in crisp, airy-light batter, Toriten (RM48) - delectable morsels of deep-fried chicken tempura with ponzu sauce - sparked joy at first bite. One could easily get addicted to them.

 

The offering of Dango Jiru (RM65) proved comforting and soul-satisfying. The flat, slippery noodles in addition to tofu puffs, spring onion, carrot, radish, cabbage, chicken and mushrooms cooked in a pale, creamy miso broth won us over with its savoury richness. 

Sweet ending options include refreshing Nashi (pear), Budou (muscat grapes) & dollops of tart yuzu Jelly (RM48), and Sorakita Mochi (RM22).

Unique to Oita, the slightly chewy, semi-flattened mochi was made using sweet potato stuffed with red bean and chestnut filling. Lightly dusted with kinako (roasted soybean) powder, the delightful treat tasted mildly sweet - a befitting way to conclude your Oita culinary adventure. 

For advance reservations and more information on the Oita prefecture showcase and sake pairing dinner at Kampachi, email: kampachi@equatorial.com or log onto: https://linktr.ee/KampachiOfficial