EAST MEETS WEST WITH FINESSE AT JAVA TREE, E&O HOTEL PENANG

Pineapple Prawn Curry. Salted Cod Fillet. Blackened Top Hats. Beef Wellington. Apom Bongkwa. East meets West with culinary aplomb at the new Java Tree restaurant, Eastern & Oriental (E&O) Hotel Penang, making it a notable outpost to dine in.

Named after a historical java tree planted in the hotel’s garden promenade even before the E&O Hotel was established in 1885, Java Tree sets a stately stage for the showcasing of Nyonya specialities and classic European dishes.

The iconic tree – immortalised on an expansive feature wall – draws the eye when you step into Java Tree. Accentuated with dark wood trims and sparkling chandeliers, the resto’s understated ambience is further enlivened by wall sconces, the occasional gilded columns, starched white linen-sheathed tables and earth toned upholstered chairs.

Otak Otak also available a la carte at Java Tree

An appetising trio of Blackened Top Hats (pastry shells stuffed with shredded jicama, carrot, cuttlefish and egg with salmon roe), Lobak (stuffed roll of chicken, shrimp, yam, shredded egg and salmon roe) and Otak Otak (steamed spiced local mackerel mousse with coconut cream, turmeric and kaffir lime leaves) from my Nyonya Signature Set (RM135) makes an great impression from the get-go. 

The Otak Otak deserves special mention as I find the mousse's spice quotient distinct on the palate, with subtle bursts of heat to set the tastebuds tingling. Spoonfuls of the soulful Itik Tim (pickled mustard vegetable with duck soup) summon up childhood memories of meals partaken at my grandparents’ house, a fond reminder that old is indeed gold.

More titillating temptations: Oxtail Gulai (braised oxtail, mustard seeds, vinegar and spices), Pineapple Prawn Curry (deep-sea tiger prawns with pineapple curry) and Terung Tempra (eggplant with lime, soya sauce and chilli) call for plain white rice – the best canvas to capture the dishes’ plethora of bright, piquant flavours. IMHO, the collective servings are generous enough for two light eaters.

A pretty floral shaped Sago Gula Melaka (sago pearls served with coconut milk and palm sugar syrup) brings the sumptuous meal to its sweet conclusion.

On the European Classics front, no appetiser evokes more nostalgia than Prawn Cocktail (RM30). Presented in a cocktail glass with tender romaine lettuce lining the base, Java Tree’s version has three cooked prawns in cocktail sauce (concocted from mayo, ketchup and lemon juice) perched over the rim. Mango dices and mustard sauce give the ensemble a touch of zippy sweetness.

Sweet caramelised onions makes the French Onion Soup (RM30) a siren’s song for the soul. Two gratinated gruyère toasts add depth and richness to the savoury broth, leaving us smacking our lips with satisfaction.

Poached in milk and wholegrain mustard, the signature Salted Cod Fillet (RM125) with baby spinach, poached egg and Hollandaise sauce is an on-point palate-pleaser. Although the dish sounds indulgent, any scepticism proves unfounded once you sample the fish’s lush yet delicate creaminess.

Meat lovers should sink their teeth into the scrumptious Entrecôte 10 oz Steak Café de Paris (RM80) with Baby Vegetables – my partner’s request for medium rare doneness is acquitted with aplomb. We also give thumbs up to the Butter Grilled Asparagus (RM30) with poached egg and truffled mushroom.

Other scrumptious options include Beef Wellington (RM85), Lamb Rump (RM75) and Chicken Fricasse (RM75) among others.

Remember to save stomach space for Java Tree’s seductive sweets from the dessert cart. Succumb to decadent creations of mildly tangy Lemon Tart or a sumptuous Paris-Brest – a circular shape choux pastry with praline-hazelnut crème, or the classic Crème Brûlée. Also recommended is the Apple Streusel Tart (RM28), a yummy crumble-topped treat with custardy apple worth the extra calories.

 

 

 

Currently, Java Tree is open for dine-in from 6.30pm to 10pm. For reservations, please call 016-419 8923 or click: http://bit.ly/JavaTree

GREAT PLACE TO MEAT AT ANNE ELIZABETH

Food writing is an on-going learning journey. A visit to Anne Elizabeth, a deli-style restaurant owned by husband and wife team, Jacob Fong and Sandra Lee, proved enlightening as I grappled with unfamiliar meat cuts like abanico and picanha.

Anne Elizabeth’s best-selling Iberico Abanico (RM39.80 per 250g piece) is a pièce de résistance you are unlikely to find elsewhere. Named after the Spanish hand fan, this fan-shaped cut is the external, thin and well-marbled piece of meat surrounding the Iberico ribs.

Best grilled or barbecued to draw out the big flavour of this prized cut, and render it juicy and crisp, abanico is one of the stellar ‘must try’ offerings at this restaurant.

A sprinkling of sea salt and ground pepper is enough to make this piece meltingly tender, blush pink pork an epicurean delight. Unlike ordinary pork meat, Fong said abanico should ideally be 70% cooked to medium or medium well doneness for best eating quality. Supply for abanico is hard to come by due to its limited availability. According to Fong, his restaurant has a firm grip on the supply thanks to established understanding with his supplier.

Heading into its 5^th year of operation come September, Fong shares he has two decades of European food expertise hence the range of deli and charcuterie offerings are slanted towards British, Spanish, Italian and French-style.

The couple has kept Anne Elizabeth's set-up simple and practical, with display chillers showcasing a wide array of premium meat cuts, gourmet sausages and some fish for diners to select. Wall-mounted chalkboards listing salads, soup and pasta add to the plethora available, leaving them spoiled for choice. Service is cordial, efficient and attentive too; everything runs like clockwork even though the restaurant is packed come peak meal hours.

 

A pair of Black Pig Meatball in a Blanket (RM9.60 per piece) whets our appetite for starter. One is about the size of a toddler’s fist so it’s good to share if you plan to load up on a main course later. Wrapped in streaky bacon, the handmade and slightly smoky Iberico pork meatball is utterly scrumptious.

We temper its rich taste with a serving of Passionfruit Salad & Parmesan Salad (RM11.90). Studded with raisins, the mixed greens accompanied by fresh, tangy passionfruit is perked up by some honey and olive oil dressing. It’s a nice complement to the surfeit of meat we’d be having.

 

Although I’m not inclined to soup, the Creamy Mushroom & Bacon Soup (RM11.90) proves notable. Lots of chopped bacon bits give the creamy, earthy soup additional appeal. Lighter on the palate is Roasted Pumpkin & Tomato Soup (RM10.90) – an interesting combo which seems to work cohesively, taste-wise.

We also pig out on Pork Jowl (RM23.20 per piece, about 180g). Don’t knock its plain and lean appearance as the pork slices are superbly delectable. Each piece is surprisingly moist with an excellent, toothsome bite to it. For some flavour variation, dip it into the house sauces: caramelised roast gravy and pepper cream.

 

Lightly seasoned with grain mustard and sea salt, the splendid rack of Iberico Spare Ribs (RM68.20 per 600g slab) vanishes within minutes it hit our table. I find it goes well with the housemade apple sauce.

 

Another rare cut avid meat lovers will enjoy is the Australian Wagyu Picanha (RM66 per 200g piece). Also known as rump cap (UK) or sirloin cap (US), picanha is the most prized beef cut in Brazil. Again, a dash of salt and pepper does the trick in bringing out the inherent nuances.

 

 

Side dishes to complement mains include hearty baked Portobello, Bacon & Cheese (RM14.90 per piece) and the humongous U.S. Russet Jacket Potato (RM10.90) with sour cream, bacon, spring onion and grated Parmesan.

Fong tells us about 50% of the sausages sold at Anne Elizabeth are made to his charcuterie recipes by his suppliers. “We opt for a combination of European and local flavours, to ensure the end products aren’t too fanciful or foreign to our customers’ liking.”

The quartet of Honey Pork Sausage (RM7.90 per piece), smoky Bacon Bratwurst (RM10.90 per piece), Anne’s Cumberland (RM17.60 per piece) and Spicy Russian (RM7.90 per piece) exemplifies that philosophy. It’s hard to decide which we like best: the subtly sweet honey pork sausage, the smoky savouriness of the bacon brat, the Cumberland’s herb-spice accents or the hot & spicy Russian which is spiked with chopped bird’s eye chilli.

For now most of the resto’s sausages are pork-based but Fong reveals he may introduce more variants with pork-beef and lamb stuffing in the near future. Also in the pipeline will be more varieties of ikejime fish, in addition to the existing salmon and seabass selection.

Should you have room for dessert, try the luscious Banana Crème Brulee (RM10.80). It’s up to scratch and a boon for sweet-toothed diners who cannot bear wrapping up a meal without any luscious treat.

For reservations, please call ANNE ELIZABETH, tel: 03-9130 0319. Address: No.1, Jalan Manis 4, Taman Segar, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur. Business hours: Mon-Thurs 12noon to 11pm, Sat & Sun 12noon to 11pm. Closed on Friday.

NEW GASTRONOMIC TREATS AT CEDAR ON 15

Midday Specials. Social Bites. The Cookbook. These catchy names denote the new lunch, light snacks and dinner menus at Cedar on 15, the  rooftop restaurant and lounge at Impiana KLCC Hotel in line with 2019.

Following a fresh approach taken by Chef Helmut Lamberger, Corporate Chef (WACS Global Master Chef), local media peeps were given first dibs into the culinary team’s versatile repertoire.

 

Waitstaff swooped in bearing trays of Social Bites, catching our eye with the unusual presentation. Our Version of Bitterballen (RM26) — crisp potato croquettes flavoured with smoked turkey ham and cheese finished with dollops of avocado mousse (pix below)  were scrumptious enough that I unashamedly went for repeat helpings.

Cocktail parties definitely would be more fun with wickedly delish Rockefeller Shrimp Popcorn (RM40) — crunchy deep-fried shrimp ‘popcorn’ in waxed newsprint cones served with roasted garlic aioli (bottom top pix). These nibbles easily reel you in so keep a tight grip on your own resolve or else...

Simpler but no less appealing on the palate is Vine Tomato Bruschetta (RM39). Amazing how sublime Cameron Highlands baby tomatoes baked with ricotta cheese, parsley oil and crushed pepper (bottom top pix) can taste when paired with some nice tipple. 

 

According to Chef Helmut, the new menus focus on classic European favourites with modern updates, to cater to today’s discerning diners. He emphasised his team also took into consideration key issues such as seafood sustainability, the use of locally-grown herbs and mushrooms, changing food trends and evolving palates.

One of Chef Helmut’s notable creations, Carpaccio of Portobello Mushroom (RM54) actually won him the coveted ‘Chef of the Year, Austria’ by Gault Millau back in 1991. His latest interpretation in which the thinly sliced fungi came dotted with burrata cheese and whipped horseradish was a delicate, no-frills composition of rustic earthiness — to symbolise the Forest in The Cookbook (dinner menu).

The evening’s showstopper for me was the Earth-inspired Cream of Kohlrabi (RM44) with butter-seared scallops, baby greens and coral tuille. Also known as German turnip, this temperate vegetable is now grown in Camerons. Part bulb and part vegetable, it’s a cross between a radish, jicama, collard green and broccoli.

The Cedar on 15 team did an excellent job turning it into a lush, creamy soup that allowed the scallops’ natural sweetness to shine and enveloped the asparagus tips with its sleek smoothness. 

With sustainability issue gaining traction in the food industry, Chef Helmut and his team selected Pan-fried Fillet of Malaysian Barramundi (RM64) as their main course of choice during the menu launch. A good decision as the fish itself proved on-point, accompanied by churned almond butter and sides of artichokes, potatoes, asparagus tips, olives, herbs and lemon wedges.

Passion is essential to chefs and the entire gastronomic feast we had experienced proved Chef Helmut Lamberger and his chaps spared no efforts in ensuring we went home happy. Their finale appeared in the form of A Medley of White Chocolate & Raspberry (RM44) with citrus crème and crispy snaps. Cloud-light with a well-balanced quotient of sweet and tangy accents, it hit the spot for me although I’m no fan of mousse-type treats.

The chef also demonstrated the preparation of some signature dishes such as Skaagen or Scandinavian Shrimp Salad, Foie Gras ‘Magyar’ and Barbary Duck Breast during dinner. A plethora of specialities from all three menus was also displayed for us to photograph and view at the launch.

For reservations, call Cedar on 15, tel: 03-2147 1111. Address: Level 15, Impiana KLCC Hotel, 13, Jalan Pinang, Kuala Lumpur.