NEW 'TEA-RIFIC' TREATS FROM NEWENS TEA HOUSE

Fancy afternoon tea with Anne Boleyn-inspired treats in April? Perhaps you prefer to revel in a Joyous May Afternoon Tea? How about frolicking over Summer Holiday Afternoon Tea in June?

Newens Tea House will lay out these interesting afternoon tea themes so when you’re in the mood for some tête-à-tête, nip into Feast Village Starhill Gallery for a spot of tea. Inspired by the famous second wife of King Henry VIII and Queen of England in the 1530s, Newens will proffer free-flow of aromatic black STS Tea to complement the selection of typically English savouries and sweets.

 

Besides the signature Maids of Honour Tarts, the set features tempting Mini Kew Pasty, Mini Chicken Pie, Mini Salmon and Onion Quiche. They pass muster although unlikely to create much of a ripple.

Ditto for the Scones served with Clotted Cream and Preserves. It was irksome when our request for more cream was dismissed outright, leaving our group to share the scant dollop. Nobody can begrudge the chefs due praise for their creative handiwork of a small Anne Boleyn portrait perched on the Shortbread Cookie. A solitary Earl Grey Macaron, a shot glass of English Trifle, Mini Apple Pie and English Fruit Cake complete the sweet array.

Heralding the merry month of May is Joyous May Afternoon Tea with a free-flow of aloe vera and tropical fruits infusion — enticingly called Life and Beauty Tea. Picnic-worthy Open-Faced Salmon Rose, and Egg & Caviar Sandwiches partner ubiquitous Scones with Clotted Cream and Preserves in addition to Strawberry-flavoured Maids of Honour Tarts.

Sweet flirtations beckon with Apple and Hazelnut Cake interspersed with dainty portions of Vanilla Cupcakes and Rainbow Cake.

To welcome the summer season in June, the Summer Holiday Afternoon Tea with free flow of Iced Fruits of Paradise Tea flavoured with mango, pineapple and papaya will make its appearance. Nibbles consist of Assorted Homemade Sandwiches, Chocolate-dipped Fresh Strawberries, Mixed Berries Crepes, Panna Cotta, Cream Horn, Madeline and Rainbow Cake.

The thematic tea experiences are available throughout each respective month from 2.30pm to 5.30pm daily at RM150 nett per set for two persons.

 

For reservations at Newens Tea House, please call tel: 03 2719 8550 or email: newens@ytlhotels.com.my or visit feastvillage.com

NEW CHEF DEBUTS AT MAISON FRANÇAISE

Once upon a time, in October 2011, Maison Française entered Klang Valley’s intensely competitive restaurant scene. Defying the odds, it succeeded in establishing a foothold as a fine French dining outpost. 

Tucked away in a quiet cul-de-sac amidst existing posh condos and upcoming skyscrapers within the Golden Triangle, the restaurant is now the domain of Brittany-born Chef Florent Lescouezec. His culinary creations should bestow fresh shine to Maison's menu; be it a la carte, a 4-course Menu Gourmand (RM280++ per person) or a 6-course Menu Degustation (RM390++ per person).

 

Although ghastly construction goings-on nearby aren’t complementary to Maison’s elegant, monochromatic ambience, those unseemly sights can be kept at bay once the dining space’s drapes are drawn.   

Chef Florent’s exquisite opener of Larnaudie Duck Foie Gras Custard with Smoked Eel, Green Apple Emulsion and Artichoke (RM90++) should serve as an apt distraction. The feather-light custard is made from foie gras de canard (duck liver) from Jean Larnaudie, a French foie gras specialist with a long history dating back to 1950. A fleeting hint of smokiness was discernible in mouthfuls of the lush custard; its cloud-like texture enlivened by a frothy green apple emulsion.

Quinoa — once a humble, poor man’s grain now food of choice for health-conscious urbanites — made its presence felt in the subsequent offering of Gamberro Rosso Tartare with Kristal caviar, crustecean oil and quinoa taboule (RM110++). The collusion of tastes and textures: from the natural sweetness of the red prawn to the coy nuttiness of the quinoa grains was delicate, almost playful on the palate.

A key staple since Maison’s opened its doors, the Signature Lobster Bisque (RM75++) remained something to write home about. The flavour-rich broth’s unabashed umami profile simply reinforced its long-standing appeal.

Escargot fans rejoice! Snail-pace is the way to savour the sumptuous French Organic Farm Snails in Fricassée, Garlic Butter and Porcini Mushrooms (RM90++). Sautéed in garlic butter and earthy porcini, the deliciously tender morsels came encased in a crisp golden brown breaded golf ball-size ‘shell’.

Like the proverbial ‘the devil’s in the details’ saying, we were reminded why a seemingly simple appetiser such as House Smoked Duck Breast, Shredded Confit of Duck Leg, 64.5 degrees Egg & Buttered Kale (RM80++) command such a high price. Before it hit the table, the chef and his team had put in hours of painstaking labour and sometimes, days of prep work in their quest to get the various components ready. To say the speciality was quackingly good won’t do it justice as the yummilicious ducky duet took to the sous vide egg like...well, ducks to water.

New mains in the spotlight ranged from extravagant Butter Poached Lobster (RM320++), French-aged Sirloin On The Grill and Slow-cooked Rump of Lamb (RM140++) to more rustic Butter Poached Wild French Cod (RM140++) and Poultry Breast Blanquette (RM160++).

The chef’s culinary artistry and technical competence came to the fore in ensuring the lobster creation looked good and tasted even better. Never mind its pared-down preso; put it down to the French respect for letting quality ingredients shine minus the frills.

Likewise, the medium, aged beef held its own; a pivotal lead touched by wisps of mesquite wood on the grill. With a convivial coterie of anchovy, horseradish, celeriac puree and onion tart in attendance, it left our hearts and tummies thoroughly smitten.

Also deserving of applause was the lamb. Slow cooked to blush pink doneness, its tenderness provided nice contrasting textural interplay with the soft eggplant confit and buttered broad beans.

Personally, I was reeled in by the Butter Poached Wild French Cod, Pea and Basil Velouté, Sauce Vierge (RM140++). Sauce vierge or virgin sauce in French is a blend of olive oil, lemon juice, chopped basil and tomato – presumably a trick of the trade to lighten the classical velouté, a mother sauce. In this instance, the resultant liquidy mixture made quite a splash when sampled with the fab fish.

Musky aroma of truffle juice whetted our appetite for the Poultry Breast Blanquette (RM160++). Akin to a ‘white-out’ ragout (French stew), this speciality also comprised truffle white pudding sausage and black trumpet mushrooms injecting their tasteful characters into the equation.

Happily ever-afters to wrap up your dining foray to Maison should cover the alluring

Valrhona Dark Chocolate & Pistachio Lava Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream (RM40++). Thumbs up to the green, nutty and bittersweet slant.

Chocoholics may find sweet succour in the delightful Chocolate Pear, Quince Paste, Jivara and Dulcey Chocolate Mousse (RM40++). A dreamy platter of distinctive Valrhona chocolates: Jivara 40% caramel-vanilla notes with a touch of malt meets Dulcey 32% blond chocolate with buttery and toasty notes, accented by a hint of salt, guaranteed to lift choc-loving diners to new highs.

Prefer returning to basics? Chef Florent tricked up Classic Tatin Apple Pie with a scoop of Bourbon Vanilla Cream Cheese, a grown-up, boozy uptake of old-school apple pie a la mode.

For reservations at Maison Francaise, call tel: 03 2144 1474. The homey colonial bungalow-based dining enclave is located at 5, Jalan Changkat Kia Peng, Kuala Lumpur.