SIZZLING GOOD TIME AT HANAM BBQ

 

Pork cuts cooked at tableside. Unlimited refills of kimchi, lettuce and marinated wild garlic leaves. Fluffy steamed egg and Korean tofu stew on the side. As far as first impressions go, Hanam BBQ knocked it out of the park from the get-go.

My belated birthday treat – an unforgettable, slap-up Korean bbq lunch – comprised a superb good-value set at RM175++. It comprised 360g pork belly, 180g collar butt and 150g jowl meat; ample enough to leave our party of four replete.

We also ordered Soft Tofu Stew (RM30++) and Steamed Egg with Flying Fish Roe (RM20++) in addition to a serving of rice (RM6++). 

Hats off to the service team for taking such meticulous care in grilling the three different pork cuts. It was nice not having to lift a finger.

Not only did they patiently grilled everything in an orderly manner, they even stacked up the pieces of cooked pork nicely. The tilted grill pan had a spout to drain off excess oil; that flowed into a paper cup.

When the kimchi was being cooked, we dug into the fluffy, piping hot steamed egg. So delicious! The two types of kimchi were so appetising we asked for repeat servings.

Two signature offerings stood out at Hanam BBQ: the tangy, refreshing condiment of Calamansabi (calamansi with wasabi) and tangy-sweet Myeonginamul (marinated wild garlic leaves) lent a distinctive dimension to the bbq pork.

All the meaty richness were offset by the pleasantly piquant Soft Tofu Stew. A moderately spicy broth made with gochujang and gochugaru, it had a hodge-podge of sliced cucumber, soft beancurd, oyster mushroom sliced leek and onion, and an egg to give textural substance.

It was fun, slurping up the stew as we took our time savouring the bbq pork pieces wrapped in fresh lettuce. Raw garlic slices, house gochuchang paste, calamansabi and sesame seed-flecked salt dip along with more cabbage as well as chives and lettuce kimchi enabled us to create multiple variations of our little lettuce and pork wraps.

 

Overall, it was a splendid experience as the restaurant’s efficient ventilation system ensured we didn’t leave imbued with bbq fumes.

HANAM BBQ, B-019, The Starling Mall, 6, Jalan SS21/37, Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya Selangor

A STELLAR CNY FEAST AT YUN HOUSE

 

Hong Kong-born Chef Jimmy Wong beguiles with a stellar array of exquisite specialities, merging cherished traditions with Four Seasons flair to welcome the Snake Year at the Michelin-selected Yun House.

At an exclusive preview hosted by the indefatigable Dato’ Rosemarie Wee (left), Chef Jimmy Wong’s epicurean Lunar New Year delights befittingly took front and centre that day.

 

A simple yet tantalising amuse bouche of Marinated Wood Ear Fungus with Onion, Coriander and Chilli Oil proffered a promising hint of other goodies to come.

 

Yee Sang, one of the most anticipated yearly offerings at Yun House, captivated us from the get-go. Once the concerted lou hei session was dispensed with, we relished the Locally Sourced Mantis Prawns with Lily Bulb Yee Sang with gusto.

 

With natural and specially selected ingredients such as deep-fried salmon skin, fresh lily bulbs, candied walnuts, pickled shallots, crispy strands of fried rice vermicelli and house-made plum sauce among others, the overall consensus was the Yee Sang is second to none. You can even luxe it up further with freshly shaved black truffle before the salad tossing.

IMO, there isn’t adequate superlatives to describe the show-stopping Imperial Fish Maw Broth with Royal Orchid and Sun-dried Scallops. Imagine it took 8 hours alone just to prep the base stock.

Soulfully rich and slightly sticky with a gelatinous finish, the precious soup laden with little yellow orchids, top shell, mini cabbage, fish maw, bamboo pith and goji berries knocked our socks off.

Chopped Sichuan chilli, garlic and spring onion atop Steamed Giant Soon Hock then left a trailblazing impression on our palate. We enjoy how the mildly briny and piquant chilli and garlic accentuated the fish’s natural sweetness. Also included was a disc of soft tofu, augmenting this fish’s delicate texture.

 

Crowned with a seared whole Hokkaido scallop, the fluffy Wok-fried Glutinous Rice studded with chopped mushrooms, dried scallops and roasted peanuts also knocked this speciality out of the park.

The finale was no less dazzling with a sumptuous serving of Bird’s Nest with Coral Seaweed Jelly, Pear and Ginseng taking the limelight. It made a sublime pairing with Deep-fried Rice Cake with Yam and Sweet Potato.

These classical delicacies reimagined with luxurious ingredients and bold touches by Chef Wong and his team are featured in five signature menus priced between RM328 and RM1,288 person (min 4 persons per menu), available from 6 January to 12 February.

Reservations are highly recommended at Yun House. Kindly contact Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur, tel: 03 2382 8602 or email: diningreservations.kualalumpur@fourseasons.com

 

CREATIVITY RULES AT NEWLY REFRESHED TOH YUEN

Familiar yet fresh sums up the newly renovated Toh Yuen restaurant. Modern elegance with contemporary touches blends artfully with traditional accents of red and understated decorative elements to create a serene, sophisticated dining space.

 

With a seating capacity of 150 and four private dining rooms, Toh Yuen is ideal for casual and special outings.

Among the culinary gems awaiting diners is Roasted Peking Silver Hill London Duck (RM168 nett for half duck, RM268 nett whole duck). The Wagyu of ducks are meticulously roasted using a customised oven then carved tableside. Wrapped in delicate pancakes, the meltingly tender duck is accompanied by fresh cucumber strips, spring onions, and rich hoisin sauce; a delectable treat you’re unlikely to forget.

The remaining duck meat is then transformed into delicious Braised Shredded Duck with Ee Fu Noodle. Truffle oil adds a luxe touch to the silky noodles. Crisp cornets stuffed with duck meat and other dishes are available from the restaurant too.

For an overview of its dim sum repertoire, Toh Yuen offers a Dim Sum Lunch Set at RM99 nett per person. The culinary team puts a lot of efforts into creating exquisite morsels such as the goldfish-shape Steamed Cod Dumpling with Chicken Broth (so good I was tempted to lick the plate clean), Steamed Siew Mai with Hokkaido Scallop (an on-point showcase of bouncy-tender textures), and delicate Steamed Spinach Dumpling with Shrimp and Wolfberries (love the translucent skin yielding to a clean vegetal nuance touched with the fleeting sweetness of shrimp and wolfberries).

One of the show-stealers to gain two thumbs up is Baked Chicken Tart with Abalone. The flaky pastry encasing a mildly sweet-savoury chicken filling topped with mini abalone is memorable for its resemblance to char siu sou.

Even the soup course is levelled up with a mini pumpkin filled with Braised Crab Meat Broth with Scallop and Asparagus. Delicate flavours aplenty, with subtle crunch of the asparagus and supple-soft diced scallop bestowing textural interest.

Should you decide to go à la carte, we highly recommend sampling Toh Yuen’s signature offerings. Notable specialities such as Sweet and Sour Diced Chicken with Figs stood out for its enticing sauce and palate-pleasing fried chicken pieces paired with fresh sweet figs, and the supremely tender Stir-Fried Wagyu Beef with Porcini Mushrooms and Trio of Peppercorn.

Sweet with on-point doneness, the Steamed Pomfret with Pickled Red Chillies and Minced Ginger is divine. Kudos to the chef for the tantalising combination of robustly flavoured toppings.

The springy Golden Butter Prawns with Cashew Nuts appears par for the course. I’d wish the chef has given this offering a little twist, just to set it apart from the competition.  

It’s nice to conclude on a high with a distinct Egg Custard Pastry (deliciously flaky and custard-soft filling win every time). Even the Chilled Mango Puree with Sago and Pomelo finds favour with its just-nice sweetness.

Open daily from 12.30 pm to 2.30 pm and 6.30 pm to 10 pm, reservations at Toh Yuen are highly recommended. 

To book a table or more information, contact Toh Yuen, Hilton Petaling Jaya at tel: 03 7955 9122 or WhatsApp 016 216 0414, or email PETHI_FB@hilton.com, or visit eatdrinkhilton.com.