THE SEASON TO SAVOUR HILTON KUALA LUMPUR

 

Sumptuous festive dining experiences beckon at Vasco’s, Chynna, Iketeru, Graze, and Oro, Hilton Kuala Lumpur throughout November and December.

Stepping up to the spotlight is Vasco’s Christmas Day Lunch, an abundant spread of international and local favourites crafted to bring families and friends together.

 
Executive Sous Chef Mohd Ridzwan Mohamed Rasit reveals this year the major highlights will include roasted whole venison (sourced from Sg Lembing) and honey glazed roasted jumbo chicken (weighing in at 2.8kg), smoked glaze BBQ short ribs and lamb legs among others.

He also recommends distinct dishes of beef rolled with chicken liver and strawberry sambal, lamb osso bucco with rosemary garlic sauce, grilled salmon wrapped in daun kaduk (wild pepper leaves), and royale Caesar salad with reef lobster meat to tempt the tastebuds.

A luxurious display of poached lobsters, snow crabs, oysters, snails, prawns and mussels will reel in seafood lovers. Cooked seafood options such as steamed crabs with garlic, smoked shrimp and mussel platter, seafood paella and grilled oyster pineapple salsa compete for attention and tummy space.

Oven-fresh pizza with a myriad of toppings are definite crowd-pleasers as are cook-to-order pasta, assorted sushi and sashimi alongside spice-fragrant Goan prawn and kadai subji curries.

 
No celebratory buffet is complete without sweet treats. Leading the charge is a chocolate station decked with Pahang-grown chocolate, passionfruit and raspberry studded chocolate, and handcrafted pralines.

 
Choice dessert we love include plum pudding, mince pies, Mont Blanc churros, matcha and mint chocolate pops, cherry mousse cake, raspberry cupcakes and chocolate royal cake.

 
Vasco’s – All-Day Dining

• Festive International Buffet Lunch (Weekdays, Nov–Dec 12pm-2.30pm) RM158 nett per adult, RM78 nett per child

• Festive International Seafood Lunch (Weekends, Nov–Dec 12pm – 3pm) RM188 nett per adult, RM88 nett per child

• Festive International Seafood Dinner (Weekdays, Nov–Dec 6.30pm – 10.30pm) RM198 nett per adult, RM98 nett per child

• Festive International Seafood Dinner (Weekends, Nov–Dec 6.30pm – 10.30pm) RM238 nett per adult, RM118 nett per child

• Christmas Eve Dinner (24 Dec 6.30pm – 10.30pm) RM318 nett per adult, RM148 nett per child

• Christmas Day Lunch (25 Dec 12.30pm – 3pm) RM298 nett per adult, RM138 nett per child

• Christmas Day Dinner (25 Dec 6.30pm – 10.30pm) RM288 nett per adult, RM138 nett per child

• New Year’s Day Lunch (1 Jan 12.30pm – 3pm) RM198 nett per adult, RM98 nett per child

• New Year’s Eve Dinner (31 Dec 6.30pm – 10.30pm) RM318 nett per adult, RM148 nett per child

Festive Goodies Takeaway (1 Nov–31 Dec)

• Jumbo Chicken with Honey Orange Glaze, Beef Op Rib, Salmon Wellington, Lamb Shoulder, Platinum & Gold Sweet Boxes 

Graze – Italian Dining

• Festive Degustazione Menu (1 Nov–31 Dec, Lunch 12pm – 2.30pm, Dinner 6.30pm – 10.30pm) From RM298 nett per person

• Highlights include Beef Short Rib Ravioli, Seabass Fillet or Angus Beef Tenderloin, Classic Tiramisu

Chynna – Modern Cantonese Cuisine

• Festive Set Menu (1–31 Dec, Lunch 12pm – 2.30pm | Dinner 6.30pm – 10.30pm) RM238 nett per person

• Highlights: Signature Shredded London Duck with Rainbow Salad, Lei Cha Monk Jump Over the Wall, Musang King Crème Brûlée

Iketeru – Japanese Dining

• Chef Taka’s Festive Omakase (1–31 Dec, Dinner 6.30pm – 10.30pm) RM650 nett per person

• Highlights: Monkfish Liver with Red Seabream, King Crab Chawanmushi, A5 Wagyu with Red Wine Miso Sauce

Oro Café & The Lounge

• Festive High Tea Set (1 Nov–31 Dec, 1pm – 5pm) RM288 nett for two

• Highlights: Marble Chicken with Pistachio Almond Dust, Beet Salmon Gravlax, Freshly Baked Scones, Christmas Pastries, Traditional Fruitcake

For reservations or info, contact Hilton Kuala Lumpur  https://www.hilton.com/en/book/reservation/rates/
 

GR8 PICKS FROM CEDAR ON 15

 

Contemporary dining takes centrestage at the stylishly laidback, chic culinary haven known as Cedar on 15 at Impiana KLCC. The interior is stark but sleekly modernist with a nice skylight and spacious bar cum patio that looks out to the city’s skyscrapers.

 

While dry-aged steaks take pride of place in the menu and pizzas are baked on-site, we decided to explore some of the more intriguing, below-the-radar options on our first visit.

The appetiser of Seafood on the Salt Rock (RM85) made a splash thanks to its simple but impactful preso. Served on a chilled salt block, the sumptuous combination of poached Yabbies, Black Mussels and Jumbo Tiger Prawns was both impressive yet playful. The seafood’s inherent sweetness is lifted by droplets of Lemon Olive Oil squeezed from a tiny pipette.

To lessen our guilt, we loaded up on Gourmet Salad (RM48) – a posh serving of sautéed artichoke with quail egg, black truffle, shaved parmesan and semidried tomato tossed in organic green in-house dressing with raspberry vinegar. Vivid colours and layers of bright, contrasting flavours made it something to write home about.

Even the soup section threw up viable surprises, starting with the Creamy Tomato Bisque Soup (RM38). Imagine a tart tomato broth tempered by lush prawn/lobster stock – sounds sublime right? Served piping hot in a deep platter with Pine Nut Dumpling and a dash of Vodka, there was no way we could fault the ambrosial offering.

If you prefer something more decadent, the Australian Scallops Veloute (RM52) should fit the bill. Sensuously rich and silky on the palate, it came with a tasty sundried Tomato Timbale. A few drops of garlic oil racheted up its big flavour.

Served with a strong Demi Reduction and Morel Mushrooom, the diminutive Roasted Spring Chicken (RM62) got us cooing over its pint size and juicy tenderness. 

Perfumed with Rosemary Olive Oil, the mini chook was accompanied by unconventional sides of (beef) Bacon Popcorn and Corn Puree. A real showstopper, this.

Admittedly, the South Australian Venison Loin (RM138) is no pushover either. Baked in sour cream dough (interesting no?) with Sauce Bordeaux, Brussels sprouts and candied carrots, the delish chunk of red meat was an epicurean delight. A squirt of Quince Vinegar did wonders to it.

Deaf to our half-heated protestations, Impiana KLCC’s gracious marcomm lady Carol Chin insisted we succumbed to Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallow (RM32). Truly no regrets there as the slightly ‘torched’ cloud-soft marshmallow was the crowning glory alongside heavenly Honey Ice-cream, Ganache and Crumbs with Chocolate Liquor.

Amazingly, our dessert tummy had room to fit the impossibly light but luscious Triple Layer Cheese Cake (RM38) served with Figs, Tuille and Amaretto Liquor. It was a befitting finish to a convivial evening of good food and even better company. Also the moral of the story is it pays to go off the well-trodden 'path' sometimes to unearth diamonds in the rough.

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