HOMESPUN NYONYA FLAVOURS AT MELTING POT

Nyonya laksa, ketam bercili, pie tee, onde onde and kuih kosui gula Melaka among others get star billing at Concorde KL’s Celebrating Nyonya Flavours with Chef Adriana Tan promotion from now until March 26, 2017 at Melting Pot Café.

Roping in Adriana Tan from Ayer Keroh, Melaka as the guest chef, Melting Pot will be showcasing an array of homespun Straits Chinese or Peranakan familial recipes in addition to its regular lunch and dinner buffet. 

Pix courtesy of Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur

The passionate cook who runs a home-based catering business known as Adriana Nyonya Delights, has garnered her own regular following in Melaka, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore prior to her promotional stint at the city hotel. 

We enjoyed sampling her signature Nyonya laksa - noodles drenched in lemak-rich and well-spiced curry gravy with beancurd puffs, prawns and sambal. Just ensure the chefs stir up the curry broth as it's the warmth that amplifies those aromatic rempah accents.

To whet the appetite, we suggest going for the DIY pie tee -- little top hats filled with shredded yam bean. Otak-otak, sambal timun with fish cake and sambal mangga are other notable starters to look out for.

Plain rice is called for should you want to appreciate the complex deep-seated flavours of ayam pong teh, chicken curry kapitan, sambal petai prawns, steamed egg with cincalok or asam pedas. 

Keep your eyes peeled for mee siam perked up with robust housemade chilli sauce too. Main dishes may vary based on the daily rotational menu so certain mains such as sambal sotong, sek ark (braised duck), sambal ketam, chicken rendang or sambal kupang petai may appear in the line-up, depending on your luck.

Kuih is part and parcel of the Peranakan heritage hence Adriana has ensured a wide enough variety to satisfy expectations. Proffered in vibrant jewel-like colours culled from natural ingredients like local flowers and leaves, we feasted on dainty pieces of putugal, abok-abok sago, pulut tekan served with homemade kaya and onde-onde. 

Tempting morsels of kuih ang koo, kuih seri muka, kuih kosui pandan, kuih kosui gula Melaka and apam balik durian were duly 'ooh' and 'aah'-ed over before they were polished off.

The Celebrating Nyonya Flavours with Chef Adriana Tan promotion is priced at RM80 nett per person for lunch and RM110 nett for dinner. For reservations or enquiries, please call Melting Pot Cafe, tel: 03-2717 2233.

SAKURA SPRING BLOSSOMS FEST AT GENJI

Hanami or flower viewing time in spring draws both Japanese and tourists when sakura (cherry blossoms) are in full bloom. Chef Richard Teoh and the Genji team are pulling out the stops, to evoke the freshness of spring through a Sakura Spring Blossom Food Fest which lasts till end March.

Rape blossoms aka rapeseed or Japanese flowering mustard (yau choi in Cantonese) tops the list of seasonal ingredients featured. The veggie's mild bitter aftertaste was discernible from the get-go zensai of Maguro Nano Hana Nutta Ae. 

Essentially, blanched rape blossom stems are paired with tuna in miso sauce (RM39) to create the dish. With the greens serving as a neutral canvas, the rich meatiness of the seared tuna cubes was perked up by wasabi-spiked miso sauce, giving the ensemble a punchy zing.

Our palates got another surprising jolt from the speciality of Tai Usuzukuri (RM130). Feasting our eyes on the fan-shaped slices of fresh sea bream fillet, we were thrown by the unexpected burst of chilli heat from the house ponzu sauce. Go easy on this dip should you wish to appreciate the natural fish sweetness better.

More raw appeal appeared in the Premium Set of Sashimi Moriawase Tokuijo (RM380). It's advisable to leave the final selection to the chef’s discretion and allow him to pick the freshest and air-flown seasonal catch for your enjoyment. 

Ours comprised luscious slices of aji (horse mackerel), toro (fatty tuna), kanpachi (yellowtail), shake (salmon) and hotategai (scallops) speckled with tobikko.

After that surfeit of sashimi, we took to the custardy smooth Unagi Chawan Mushi (RM28) with warm gusto. The addition of grilled eel atop the steamed egg custard was a culinary masterstroke as the eel’s unctuous saucy sweetness layered extra depth to the delicate dish.

Another bout of spring fever prevailed in the droolworthy Wagyu Beef Nano Hana Maki (RM120). Teppan-cooked to perfectly charred smokiness, the thinly sliced Wagyu beef rolled with rape flower stems went down a treat.

Non-beef eaters may find Kue To Enoki Teppanyaki (RM85) a viable but no less tempting alternative. Although our serving of grilled grouper was overcooked,the bundles of enoki mushroom in yakiniku sauce remained toothsomely tender.

For a satisfying carb fix, we recommend the signature Unagi Avocado Ura Maki (RM72). We did a doubletake when the reversed roll with grilled eel, avocado, cucumber and lettuce appeared in the form of a celestial dragon. A major crowd-pleaser at Genji, the maki sushi proved substantial and heartily flavoured.

Minimalism ruled in the two final Sakura Spring Blossoms offerings: Nano Hana Tempura (RM45) and Hamaguri Jiru (RM28). Coated in light, crisp tempura batter, the rape blossoms had a nice, fresh crunch to them. We also enjoyed the clear, mildly umami clam soup with plump, juicy clams in it, faintly imbued by the citrusy tinge of yuzu zest .

Sweet ending to succumb to would be Black Sesame Ice Cream with Sakura Cheese Pudding. Adorned with a sprig of fresh sakura, the dessert duo made a pretty picture. We were smitten with the latter's delicate baby pink hue whilst piquing our interest with its unique texture, akin to a cross between panna cotta and light cheesecake. 

For reservations at Genji, call tel: 03-7955 9122 x 4071/4072 or visit www.ZestPJ.com