TGIF...Thank Goodness il Lido's Fabulous!

Bruschetta with Cod and Potato Mousse

Whether it's for pre-dinner drinks, post-work pleasure or pre-club get-togethers, any time's a good time at il Lido's new European-style lounge bar.

Yes, folks. Hot on the heels of its spanking new sister il Lido restaurant just a floor below comes the il Lido Lounge Bar where you and the gang at work or play can 'chillax' over trendy music that's comfortably audible but not ear-shattering, drown out those rat race sorrows over creative cocktails, mocktails and wines of the world, and even assuage expectant hunger pangs that are bound to arise.

Touting itself as a “sanctuary” for discerning KL-lites: yuppies, nearby embassy crowd, tourists, et al, il Lido's stylish and sleek semi-al fresco setting boasts loads of grey-black-earth tones with long, boxy padded seats and Starck stools in pop art colours. A stretched white canopy provides ample shade and come dusk, nothing beats the sweeping vistas of the city's towering concrete jungle and lush old raintrees that soar majestically around the vicinity.

Drink to each other's health with a glass or two of Bellini – Prosecco (Italian sparkling wine) with peach puree or ilLidotini – a mixture of martini, Smirnoff orange and red vermouth. For oenologists, check out the notable wine selection that naturally includes quite a few Italian labels.

Parma Ham with Rucola Pizza

Aahh...feeling peckish? No need to fret as the bar snacks here are way better than those half-baked, run-of-the-mill offerings found elsewhere. After all, few bar lounges can lay claim to a full-fledged Italian sister outlet downstairs.

BBQ Chicken Skewers

Hence you'd be tempted with an array of delectable Euro-Italian offerings: Crisp Fried Calamari with a piquant Arrabbiata Sauce, Bruschetta with Cod and Potato Mousse, BBQ Chicken Skewers and Parma Ham with Rucola (rocket leaves) Pizza among others. Everything was scrumptious; familiar yet each dish we sampled bear subtle, novel twists that enhance and delight.

Crisp Fried Calamari

ilLido Lounge Bar

Level 2 Lot 183 Jalan Mayang

Off Jalan Yap Kwan Seng

Kuala Lumpur

Tel: (03) 2161 2291

Fax: (03) 2161 2295

www.il-lido.com.my

Afternoon Tete-a-Tete

Nothing beats stress like a soothing cup of freshly brewed tea with oven fresh home-made scones...

For traditional English scone with Devonshire cream and strawberry jam, pop into the Angelic Tea & Scone House in Plaza Damas. Trust me, the interior is an exact replica of some rich lady's elegant and plush seating room with typically English rose-themed decor, ornate furnishings and sparkling chandeliers.

I can't recall when was the last time I had a well-made cuppa brewed with choice tea leaves (the selection here is from Sri Lanka) complemented by organic molasses sugar and warm milk. Mind you even the 5-star hotels in town lose out on the details.

My BFF and I were suitably impressed when the lady boss (resplendently dressed in a long floaty white dress; she looked as if she has stepped out of one of Jane Austen's novels!) actually presented us two cool dainty hankies on a porcelain tray to refresh ourselves...

The scones came piping hot and tasted superb; buttery and crumbly, we smeared dollops of cream and jam on them and literally floating up to cloud nine!

Although the Afternoon Tea Set that we opted for indicated that we were supposed to be sandwiches, the subsequent offering that appeared was Spinach & Pumpkin Pie. Not that we mind as it proved to be equally rich and scrumptious!

I just wish we had a slice of cake to round our tea properly. Anyway it was still a good place for a quiet tete-a-tete in cosy luxury and comfort. We shall return!

Glory Glory in Manchester UK

Norman Musa shot into the limelight when he became the team chef for Malaysian-owned Lotus Racing Formula One team earlier this year.

I managed to catch up with the youthful chef and interviewed him when he was in town recently thanks to Sidney Kan of Big Boys Oven. Norman's whirlwind visit to KL and Singapore was also to promote his self-published cookbook titled Malaysian Food; the Butterworth boy conducted several live cooking demos in the city's major bookstores to give readers a sampling of what's in his maiden publication.

One of the dishes prepared by Norman - Steamed Fish with Ginger

As the co-owner and head chef of Ning, a thriving Malaysian restaurant in Manchester, UK, Norman's self-taught culinary skills have won him plaudits from British food lovers as well as fellow Malaysians who are either residing or visiting there.

Read all about Norman's culinary success and aspiration to be Malaysia's next food ambassador in the following article published in the Star:

http://www.kuali.com/news/story.aspx?file=/2010/11/13/ku_features/7347906&sec=ku_features

Heaven Scent

Champagne Risotto with Truffle Shavings from il Lido

Truffles Create Stinky Situation On West Side « CBS New York- News, Sports, Weather, Traffic and the Best of NY

The above CBS news snippet reminded me of the sumptuous Champagne Risotto topped with Black Truffle shavings that we enjoyed recently at il Lido, one of Kuala Lumpur's newest Italian restaurants. I for one certainly wouldn't mind the pricey ingredient's seductively earthy-musky scent! Rich and creamy, the risotto was exquisitely al dente - the perfect canvas to capture the truffle's inherent and intoxicating aroma.





Earlier our meal had gone off to a flying start with two interesting appetisers: Crab Salad with Avocado & Bisque Jelly and Parma Ham with Rock Melon. Don't let the former's pared down presentation fool you as the resultant combination of flavours and textures worked out surprisingly well. The latter is another classic pairing that even the most finicky diner would gladly devour.



Honestly, I've never been that big a fan of ravioli as more often than not, they tend to be overcooked and in my opinion, don't hold a candle to Chinese wontons. Until I tried il Lido's mind-blowing Seafood Ravioli with Shellfish Emulsion.

Mind you, the dainty albeit slightly wrinkly parcels of pasta appeared so plain and simplistic in a puddle of brown sauce when it was served that I paid the dish scant attention. So imagine my surprise and delight at the unexpected bursts of full-bodied, hearty nuances and multi-layer textures that would forever change my perception of this particular pasta. The superbly flavourful shellfish emulsion left me wanting more as did the slippery smooth ravioli filled with minced seafood.



Just when we thought that things couldn't get any better, the Linguine with Jumbo Sea Prawns and Sausage proved to be worth tangling over till the last strand.



Out of the several main courses we tried, I rekon the simplest Seabass Fillet with Braised Fennel, Vanilla and ‘Taggiasche’ Olives stole the show...well at least for me.



Unsurprisingly, the Sardinian Roasted Suckling Pig with Plum Sauce has been a runaway success with diners. The best part is of course the sinfully rich yet crisp pork skin that literally crackles as you bite into it. Underneath was a barely discernible layer of fat and moist, tender meat.



In the old days, beef cheeks were lumped with cheaper cuts and offal that only the poor and desperate housewives would consider buying. Not anymore. Today many a celeb chef goes to great lengths to showcase this classic ingredient. Wisely il Lido's executive chef Samuele Alvisi opts to stay true to his Italian roots which saw his Wagyu Beef Cheek with Celeriac Pure' & Fava Beans turned out to be unapologetically hearty and rustic as any home-cooked version.



After sampling the stupendously indulgent but superlicious Baked Eggplant Mozzarella Cheese Cake wth Tomato & Basil, I wonder if this could just be the dish to trick my cheese-crazy kid into eating her veg! Gooey and creamy, this is one speciality that is bound to go down well regardless of whether you're a vegetarian or not.



Dessert options are aplenty here but it was the Molten Lava Chocolate Cake (more molten chocolate than cake but hey, what's there to complain?) that has this chocoholic go weak in the knees.



The quartet of Creme Brule Simphony featuring vanilla, pistachio, coffee and strawberry-flavoured variants makes an interesting departure from the tried-and-tested formula. I love the intense coffee accent followed by the pistachio and strawberry. As for the timeless vanilla, what's not to like?



For those who seek a lighter but no less exquisite treat before calling it a night, the marble smooth Vanilla Panna Cotta with Fresh Berry Basket is the perfect choice.

Naturally dining at il Lido won't come cheap but if you're a Citibank cardholder, you'll enjoy 50% off main course (with a minimum purchase of appetizer or pasta per person) at il Lido from now until 30 December 2010. Offer is valid for up to 6 persons per table and applicable for lunch and dinner daily except on the eve of and actual public holidays. Just quote the Citibak promotion upon booking/before ordering.

The outlet also offers a special set lunch priced at RM50 per person. It's a good deal worth taking if you wanna check if all the gushing reviews on il Lido are for real ;-D

il Lido Italian Dining & Lounge Bar
Lot 183 Jalan Mayang
Off Jalan Yap Kwan Seng
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: (03) 2161 2291
Fax: (03) 2161 2295
www.il-lido.com.my

SLEEPLESS IN SHENZHEN

It felt a bit weird when you can’t Facebook nor blog while in Shenzhen...

Anyway the 3 days/2 nights working trip was rather unexpected but I guess I should be used to such turn of events by now. It an uneventful 1^st day save for the fact that I unwittingly became d proverbial sui yue (Chinese terminology for sucker!) and boarded a (unauthorised) taxi (Chinese-style kereta sapu) fm d airport and was conned out RMB400 (approx.RM200) just 4 tat trip! >.<

The person I was s'posed 2 meet turned out 2 b friendly n spent some time explaining abt their company’s BJD range. Lets just say their dolls r NOT yr average mass produced Barbies...While I lurve some of d doll outfits, I found certain dolls’ large glassy stares and facial expressions somewhat unnerving.

Was ravenous by the time I checked into the nearby Hanting Express (inn). I popped into a nearby convenience store n bought myself a rice dumpling and a herbal tea egg. Gobbled tat down but was hungry again by 6 pm. Being the coward that I am (of course u cant tell cus I was so-oo good at walking around with some kinda swagger and a sense of bravado ;p) I went 2 a no-frills restaurant for dinner after being taken in by all the hanging goodies in the window display that looked similar to our regular chicken/duck rice stall.

I ordered fried noodles – the waitress assured me it’s a manageable portion – until i saw the actual serving! It could hv fed a family of 2 adults & 1 kid seriously...the noodles weren’t great although it was handmade and the 'liew' (ingrdients) were kinda lame: long stringy beansprouts, shards of omelette, ham strips of some kind and chives.

Greedy me also ordered a side dish of stir-fried corn kernels with pine seeds, peas and diced carrot which tasted decent albeit slightly oily. In the end I had to pack the leftovers 2 takeaway. What I like most was the appetiser of pickled kelp strips with chilli, garlic & vinegar – it was tangy and left a fiery-hot burn at the back of the throat. Sure made an impact.

That dinner cost me RMB32 which works to abt RM15 – d boss even asked me how come i couldn't finish d food! Well hello obviously it was too much for one person ... unless u happen 2 b a voracious local?!!

Admittedly everything else that came out of the kitchen n headed for other tables looked way way better than what I had! What was that pearl of wisdom again abt observing what locals eat n then ordering d same? Must remind self 2 practise what's being preached!

Really kicked myself when I strolled to d front of my htl n found that the whole frigging place was Restaurant City! I kid you not...the whole row of them boast huge flashing neon signboards as if it was a Las Vegas-style food show!

The 6-7 restaurants proffer Chaozhao, steamboat, salt water duck ...well, my Chinese knowledge can't even match up to primary school standards so the rest’s lost on moi! Terribly frustrating as I only recognised certain words like mien (noodle), ya (duck), yue (fish), hu’o (fire something which presumably means ‘for wor’ or hot pot in Cantonese!) There was one ultra-modern outlet that looked intriguing like a Japanese restaurant nut I could be wrong. Like us Msians d Chinese here also love to eat...some eateries were fuller than others – dunno if it was becos they’re cheap & nice or just cheap...

TO BE CONTINUED