SWEET DESSERT DREAMS AT CRÈME DE LA CRÈME

Frolic with a cute and fluffy coconut meringue rabbit perched on a sunny yellow Bunny petit gâteau at Crème De La Crème (CLDC) — Kuala Lumpur’s and Malaysia’s coolest dessert haven right now — for a irresistible taste of ‘Easter in the tropics’.

Created using a tropical combination of coconut, mango, calamansi, pineapple, lemongrass and passionfruit on a deliciously crunchy chocolate hazelnut feuilletine base, the artistic ice cream cake masterpiece is one of the many intricately handcrafted dessert selection served at the newly opened Crème De La Crème in Damansara Uptown.

A brainchild of creative soul and passionate ice cream connoisseur Lio Lim (left), CDLC is a stylish haven exuding sleek, clean lines with hip, Instagrammable vibes: a unicorn wall-mounted lighting feature, minimalist furnishing, and expansive glass and chrome showcases.

Lio emphasised “only 100% all-natural, fresh and wholesome ingredients are used to create CDLC ice creams from scratch without the use of preservatives, artificial flavourings and colourings”.

Trained by renowned Australian dessert meister Christy Tania, CDLC aims to raise the bar in Malaysia for ice cream dessert creations. The team at CDLC headed by Pastry Chef Evelyn Chung is meticulously hands-on in every aspect of the creation process in their bid to entice dessert lovers with a plethora of the richest, smoothest, and most irresistible ice cream dessert treats.

Our palate-pleasing welcome drink, Unicorn Dream was concocted from blue pea flower-tinted lemonade with dragon fruit sorbet. To start the ice cream party rolling, we sampled Barley Lime Sorbet — a clever inspiration of local iced barley drink with freshly squeezed lime juice. Served on imported dainty lemon cones, the superfine sorbet won us over from the get-go with refreshingly well-balanced sweet-sour accents.

IMHO, that strong showing eclipsed the Dragon Fruit Strawberry Sorbet somewhat. Rich in fibre, anti-oxidants, potassium and vitamin C, the vibrant purple icy treat should hit the spot for berry fans thanks to its tart fruitiness.

Fresh kalamansi lime juice and salty assam boi made a compelling combo to create the Limau Assam Sorbet, a godsend solution for bringing the temperature down in countering the current hot spell. 

Proof of the pudding is truly in the tasting here as top grade Alfonso mangoes are used to churn out CDLC's Mango Passion Sorbet. We could tell from the intense fruity aroma and the sensuous sweetness alone. You have to savour it to believe it. Ditto for the umami-rich and complex Miso Caramel ice cream which put ordinary salted caramel flavour into the shade, making it so passé and ho-hum by comparison.

Looking for a low GI, sugar-free option? The Madagascar Ash made using maltitol, high quality Madagascar vanilla beans and premium bamboo charcoal powder will be just the sweet treat for you and health-conscious patrons including diabetics.

For  licks of nostalgia, the Pandan Kaya Toast ice cream comprised a seductive mixture of pandan, coconut & eggs. Fresh fragrant pandan leaves are first dehydrated, blended into powder form to create fresh, wholesome, aromatic and all-natural pandan kaya flavour ice cream. Then a house-baked crumble of almond flour and butter is swirled into the ice cream; to add a toasty and crunchy bite. Sedaplicious!

Bubble tea fans can now savour their milk tea with a chi chi touch at CDLC. Try the floral-accented French Earl Grey Boba blend served with al dente brown sugar pearls. We did and that milky tea creaminess coupled with perfect QQ chewiness left us no cause for complaint.

Millenials and the hipster set may prefer brekkie flavours such as Cerealicious (lower pix) and Cookies & Cream (upper pix). The former — strongly reminiscent of cereal soaked in fresh milk — flaunted a baby blue hue from butterfly pea flower extract whilst the latter is made by mixing vanilla ice cream with chocolate cookies baked from 63% French Weiss dark chocolate ganache and extra house-made chocolate cookie crumbs.

What takes the cake at CDLC is the Petit Gâteau — Instagrammable handcrafted masterpieces that are almost too pretty to eat! According to Lio, “We are highly passionate ice cream aficionados who strive to be the best ice cream artisans in Malaysia. We not only want to make ice cream that tastes good but also looks good.”

The belle of the ball here is the gorgeous Beauty & The Beast creation. A heavenly match of 63% Dark Chocolate and Vanilla ice cream, the spellbinding blossom is complemented by Morello Cherry Sorbet to achieve a perfect balance of bitter, tangy and sweet. At the base, dark chocolate crumble, chewy chocolate brownie and almond nibs gives the delectable and beautiful treat extra crunch.

Inspired by a lady’s pearl necklace, the elegant Lady Pearl is an exquisite sight to behold. A delightful mix of Strawberry and Madagascar Vanilla ice cream,  this lovely petit gâteau includes Dragon Fruit Strawberry sorbet to bring out the fine flavours it has to offer. Amidst textural contrasts of buttery crumble, red almond sponge and  passionfruit crémeux, there’s a perky taste of raspberry glaze too.

For more information, please call Crème De La Crème, tel: 03-7494 0735. Address: 35G, Ground Floor, Jalan SS21/60 Damansara Utama, Selangor.

CRAB CHOWDOWN AT VASCO'S, HILTON KL

Flower crabs or blue swimmer crabs from Tanjung Karang, Selangor and local coastal waters will take centrestage at Vasco’s throughout April for the Crab Chowdown promotion. Crab enthusiasts will find Vasco's chefs have pulled out the stops in rustling up a versatile showcase of Chinese, Malay, Japanese, Indian and Thai specialities to whet the appetite.

In keeping with its Travel with Purpose commitment, the culinary team is ensuring its crab and seafood supply are responsibly sourced, used and served in their efforts to preserve the enviroment. Hence the crabs will be procured from the coasts of Selangor, Johor and Sarawak.

For openers, the inventive appetiser of Kerabu Ketam with Avocado strikes a harmonious chord where East meets West tastefully. Another stellar showstopper is the soul-satisfying Crabmeat Soup with Cordycep Flowers — coming from yours truly who isn’t big on soup, this broth hits the spot!

Do keep your eyes peeled for notable tummy pleasers such as crunchy Deep-fried Baby Crabs with a dash of Vasco’s special sauce and Soft-shell Crab Maki (both laver-wrapped and ebikko-crusted made reverse-roll style).  

The crabs’ natural sweetness also make them a shoo-in for Indian-style cooking; both the smoky Tandoori Crabs and the piquant Chettinad flavoured Xec Xec Crabs get our thumbs up. In addition, there’s a tempting Goan Crab Curry to boot.

Chilli and spice fiends will find ample satisfaction from flower crabs freshly cooked in a choice of Thai tom yum or white coconut gravy with oyster mushroom and complementing condiments.

Milder and rendered with minced garlic and mixed spices, the Kam Heong Crabs and Hong Kong-style Crabs pass muster. Alas, the Black Pepper Crabs misses the mark as the dish tastes a tad sweet for our liking and lacks that necessary ‘bite’ to be of interest.

When it comes to saucy offerings like Crabs in Pineapple Curry or Chilli Crabs, some man tao buns or plain rice may come in handy to soak up the delicious gravy. This is one combo to spark joy for your crab chowdown.

Priced at RM178 nett per person, the Crab Chowdown at Vasco’s is available from 1-30 April daily from 6pm to 10.30pm. Add RM100 nett per person for Vasco’s beverage package for free flow of Tiger beer, selected house wine and soft drinks.

For reservations, please call Hilton Kuala Lumpur, tel: 03-2264 2264 or email: KULHI_FB@hilton.com