HK- STYLE ROASTS AND MORE AT MASTER CHEF KITCHEN

Kai tan chai is a cutesy name for those airy-light, spherical-shaped egg 'waffle' that you'd find at certain street food kiosks in Hong Kong. A convenient anytime snack that staves off unexpected hunger pangs, I was delighted to sample it again during a recent review at Master Chef Kitchen. Diners can expect this lovely treat for tea at RM5.80 per serving.

This simple, air-conditioned restaurant across the road from the newish OneCity in Subang USJ is several months old and specialises in Hong Kong-style roasts. Among some of its more distinct specialities are Beef Char Siew, Long Jing Smoked Chicken and Roast Duck.

Prepared by experienced master chef Chan, the roast specialities alone are worth repeat visits. The most intriguing in this repertoire has to be the Beef Char Siew (RM25) made using Australian beef - a winning creation that had earned the chef an award in a Chinese Muslim culinary competition.

Suffused in the chef's self-concocted marinade, the grilled meat reminds me somewhat of beef satay; its unique flavour profile a nice amalgamation of mildly caramelised sweetness and beefy gaminess. Lightly streaked with some fat, the moist beef slices are superb with plain rice. If you'd like to sample this, call and pre-order at least 2 days in advance.

The definitive show-stopper here is HK-style Roast Duck (RM16-RM68 depending on cut of choice and serving size). Chef Chan told us that he prefers to use slightly smaller ducks as they're less fatty and the meat is not as coarse once roasted. We love its flabby, faintly gamey nuance; slicked with the roast duck's own jus. Don't bother asking for thim jiong either - the chef won't hear of desecrating his masterpiece with local sweet bean sauce.

Of course, no Cantonese meal is complete without soup. Urban singletons or time-pressed nuclear families will find ample succour in a bowl of Lotus Root and Chicken Feet or Sweet Corn with Pork Ribs Soup - homely broths that are prepared daily. The variety changes constantly so do check what's in the soup pot when you visit.

Wantan Meen (RM12.50) is also synonymous with Hong Kong and both soupy and kon loh (dry) versions are served. The latter has been adapted to suit local taste but we love every strand the springy noodles that are tossed with dark soya sauce and crispy deep-fried pork lard.

Plump succulent pork&prawn wantans and greens complement the soupy wantan meen

The chef is equally proud of his Long Jing Roast Chicken (RM18-RM50) - his version of tea-infused roasted chicken. Steeped in a combination of Dragon Well tea and lou sui (braising stock) for about 40 minutes, the chicken is juicy and succulent to taste. Complementing it is a Hong Kong-style ginger & spring onion dip, to lend the meat a touch of zingy robustness. Delicious!

Of course, no HK roast repertoire can do without siew yoke (roast pork). I have yet to meet any Chinese who can resist a good slab of roasted belly pork with golden, crispy skin. Chef Chan certainly excels in this delightful offering - his ticks all the right boxes that should leave you clamouring for more.

Owner Eric Teong highlighted the selection of home-style dishes available such as Steamed Fish with Tau Gan & Wood Fungus, Ham Yue Fah Lam Poh (sliced belly pork with salted fish in claypot), Yuin Kwat Poh (braised soft ribs in claypot), Stir-fried Lotus Root with Nuts and Nam Yue (red fermented beancurd) that are perfect for family dining and communal sharing meals.

Braised with carrot and radish, the soft ribs form a thick, unctuously rich milieu that's rib-stickingly scrumptious when eaten with white rice. The fish is done the classic Cantonese way - with superior soya sauce albeit with the addition of tau gan (layered beancurd sheet) and wood fungus. Macadamia, almond, celery, carrot and dried octopus shreds play a laudable supporting role to the stir-fried lotus root with savoury-sweet nam yue.

On days when you just want something fast and simple, we recommend the hearty and perennial crowd-pleaser of Master Chef Fried Rice (RM14.50). Brimming with good wok hei, the soul-satisfying serving has plenty of chopped long beans and carrot, egg and pork char siew to boost its tasty quotient.

According to Eric, the restaurant offers a reasonably priced set lunch of rice or noodle with a glass of tea at RM9.90 per person. There's 21 options available so you'd be spoiled for choice.

Plans are also afoot to churn out Baked Polo Buns - another popular HK tea staple. These crusty top buns with barbecued pork filling are light yet substantial enough to satisfy growling tummies; ideal as a mid-morning or post-lunch snack.

For reservations and information, call Master Chef Kitchen - tel: 011-2313 6769. Address: D-01-GF, Garden Shopped OneCity, Jalan USJ25/1A, Subang Jaya, Selangor.

A BUBBLYLICIOUS SUNDAY EASTER-VAGANZA AT EL CERDO

Cheers! It's Good Friday and I wish Jom Makan blog readers of the Christian faith a Happy Easter ahead. Meaningful occasions such as Easter is best celebrated with family, friends and loved ones...preferably over a feast of epic pork-portions of course ;p

 

To get you into the mood for this Sunday's Easter-vaganza, El Cerdo will lay out a sumptuous Bubblylicious Sunday Brunch from 12 noon to 2.30pm. As the first European eatery in KL city to give local Chinese restos a run for their porky specialities, you can expect an unrivalled 'nose to tail' eating experience - washed down with loads of bubbly, beer, soft drinks or juices.

 

For porcine fans, it'd be love at first sight (and bite) - just the Cold Appetiser Buffet (pix above) alone would warm the very cockles of your heart and leave you weeping with joy. Choice pickings worth savouring include sliced Serrano ham with honey-sweet diced rock melon, pig's head jelly, lomo (Spansish cured pork tenderloin), smoked black pepper ham, chorizo, trotter terrine, roast pork salad, pork liver pate and pork rillette amongst others.

Serrano ham is best paired with rock melon

There's plenty to go around so remember to pace yourself and enjoy the whole plethora laid out. An ample selection of fresh salad leaves, cherry and sliced tomatoes are also available to complement the charcuterie.

 

Before ordering your main course, sample the house Sausage Platter. This is especially great for sharing so you'd have a chance to taste the different types with more than enough tummy space left over for mains.

Served on a bed of potato mash and sauerkraut with mustard on the side, our dining party made quick work of the delicious sausage platter which comprised bacon-wrapped cocktail sausages and slightly bigger Thuringer, German pepper, spicy Lyonner and farmer franks. 

Keep your eyes peeled for the hearty Roasted Pork Loin - the service personnel on duty would gladly proffer thick slices of this meaty delight on request; complete with an irresistible gravy, some veges and potato on the side. In fact, we relished this so much that most of our gang returned for additional helpings.

The day's simplest dish of Pork Belly Fettucini turned out to be a limelight hogger. Suffused with a lush, savoury sauce redolent with tomato and herbs, the fork-tender pork belly chunks were a match made in heaven with the perfectly al dente pasta ribbons. Likewise, the Seafood Spaghetti is well acquitted too with a large prawn and several smaller but succulent ones.

The traditional Austrian Wiener Schnitzel (which means 'meat in a crust') is notable for the crisply breaded coating that envelopes a fillet of moist, tender pork inside. Adorned with a dollop of potato salad, any greasiness is tempered by the accompanying tart berry compote.

Another raveworthy offering that scores highly is Hickory Smoked Iberico Soft Ribs. Mind you, just the thought of that tangy-smoky-sweet sauce smothering those meltingly tender soft bone ribs is droolworthy enough. A 'must try' dish that should have you licking the plate clean.

Other tempting main dishes to pig out on include Pork Steak (pix above), Spaetzle with Cheese & Ham (pix below) and Roast Baby Back Ribs. The luscious tiers of grilled pork and mashed potato topped with fried leek slivers are superbly yummy while the spaetzle - a comforting dish of mini dough dumplings similar to gnocchi in its chewy 'QQ' texture - comes perked up with lashings of creamy tomato-cheese sauce and diced ham. My only grouse about the baby back ribs is the scant bits of meat on them ribs.

Anyway that minor hiccup disappears since there's dessert to contend with. Sweet solace can be found in Mango Tiramisu, Spanish Chocolate Cake or Assorted Homemade Ice Creams & Sorbets.

The chocoholic in me readily vouched for the sole chocolatey option. Never mind if it's slightly dry and crumbly, the deep-seated cacao accent has enough 'oomph' to ensure a lingering impression and keep you asking for more.

If you love boozy ice cream, the Rum & Raisin is simply 'da bomb'. Its closest rivals are mango and raspberry sorbet (we love both flavours' seductively fruity creaminess) while the olive oil variant seems like a quirky wild card in the whole mix. The tiramisu passed muster...despite the dessert's mild alcoholic nuance, the mango component is barely discernible.

El Cerdo's Bubblylicious Brunch is priced at RM149 ++ per person inclusive of free flowing Cava, house red & white wine, Tiger draught, soft drinks and chilled juices. Teetotalers pay RM99++ per person (soft drinks and juices included) while kids are charged at RM49++ per head (6-12 years old).

For reservations, call EL CERDO, tel: 03-2145 0511 / 013-309 4197. Address: 43 & 45, Changkat Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur

BOATHOUSE'S PORK COUTURE

I always admire restaurants that can withstand the heat of competition. Now into its 11th year in business, Boathouse rightly deserves the same kind of respect accorded to newer, fancier restos in the local food scene. The secret of Boathouse's success stems largely from the chef/owner, Yenni Law who recently launched her Meatology cookbook.

During our visit, Chef Yenni graciously tempted us with her specialities for St Patrick's Day (available until 31 March) as well as Boathouse's signature show-stoppers. Top of my personal fave list is the orgasm-inducing Caramelised Bacon & Roast Pork with Garlic Cloves (RM28++) - chunky, sticky-sweet yet garlicky and super-crisp roast pork and bacon spiked with smoky sweet garlic cloves and bird's eye chilli to give bursts of heat. Lightly caramelised with brown sugar and flamed with brandy to finish, it sets off a cacophony of flavour "fireworks" with every mouthful.

Coming in at a close second is the appetiser of French Air-flown Foie Gras (100g @ RM67++). Seared to render a crusty veneer on the goose liver and then deglazed with Pinot Grigio, the tender and velvety rich pieces came sheathed in an inviting gloss. Served with homemade raspberry relish and fresh rocket leaves, this is a classic winner that needs no reinvention.

Our curtain-raiser is no pushover either.  Pretty as a picture, the Fresh Oysters with Lumpfish Caviar (3 pcs, RM23++) slid down with slippery smoothness, punctuated by bright pops of the tiny fish roe's muted brininess. What's not to like?

Now if I sound disconcertingly messed up, I shall blame it on all that Guinness infused St Paddy's Day specials. You would be green with envy too since the Guinness Porker (RM59++) paired an irresistible bacon steak with cured pork loin steak, served with legumes and pepper mushroom for textural contrasts. Robustly flavoured while retaining the meat's distinct salty accent, this dish is conceived to hold its own against a good pint of Ireland's most famous stout.

 

Staying true to Chef Yenni's meatology approach is Guinness Shepherd (RM68++) - 400gm of blackened lamb loin soused with a fruity-malty apple, BBQ and Guinness sauce. The tender, slightly fatty cut ensured the resultant taste hit all the right notes on our palate.

More Guinness is used to lend cachet to her Guinness Catch (RM78++) of grilled Atlantic cod with risotto, Guinness-anointed onions and Guinness balsamic honey. Cooked to just-right moist flakiness, the fish doubled up as an apt canvas to showcase the flavourful symphony that runs the gamut from the delicate oceanic sweetness of the cod to the intermingling creamy (stout), acidic (balsamic) and sweet-spicy (onion) profiles.

Raising the stakes further here is the house speciality of Steak Au Poivre a la Gueridon (RM76++). Once upon a time, the art of flambé was confined to truly haute restaurants like the Chalet. Chef Yenni Law should be lauded for training her Boathouse team to uphold this culinary art form. Be prepared for a flaming great show as a 320gm charbroiled prime steak flecked with black pepper is artfully flambéed with brandy at your tableside. Medium rare is the way to go, to appreciate the meat's natural jus but the accompanying wicked VSOP sauce does it ample justice too.

Weighing at about 1kilo, lesser mortals would have quaked at the sight of Boathouse's Baked Holland Pork Belly Rib (RM78++). Heck, our dining party had no such problems and gamely demolished the gargantuan portion of buttery-tender belly pork. It's a painstaking speciality that demands loads of TLC - slowly baked over Granny Smith apples, the rib has to be charbroiled after, to caramelise the fat and crisp up the skin. Then some housemade apple BBQ sauce is doused over it for that perfect finishing touch. 

The solo pasta offering of Fettucine Carbonara with Real Bacon & Caviar (RM39++) was almost eclipsed by the surfeit of porcine delights earlier had it not been laden with chopped bacon. Honestly, I'm not big on this cloying rich pasta but I daresay some kids and a few teens will beg to differ.

More retro revival was in store when desserts arrived. As the blue flames lapped at our Bombe Alaska (RM35++), it evoked an instant throwback to the Merlin Ballroom aeons ago when I first encountered this treat. A dome-shaped cake layered with chocolate and vanilla ice cream, studded with strawberry and rum-soaked raisins, the confection is covered with satiny meringue. Once the flames have disappeared, we dug in with gusto; the simple but impressive old-school confection taking me down memory lane.

Stale bread just don't cut it at Boathouse as far as Chef Yenni's bake-to-order Jamaican Bread & Butter Pudding (RM26++) goes. You'd need patience too to enjoy this dessert as it takes 25 minutes to prepare the layers of bread and butter, sprinkled with rum-macerated raisins and banana slices and soaked in fresh egg custard. Topped with a crumbly crust and baked to perfection, the piping hot dish is served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream - a sensational dessert that artfully melds fire and ice!

If you feel all these effusive praises are too far-fetched, the proof of the pudding is in its eating. Go dine at Boathouse and you'd discover the solid substance and ship-shape style that has kept Chef Yenni Law in the challenging F&B scene for over a decade.
 

Boathouse
16 Lorong Rahim Kajai 14
Taman Tun Dr Ismail
60000 Kuala Lumpur
Tel:  03-7727-4426 - See more at: http://pureglutton.com/boathouse-ttdi-kuala-lumpur-food-to-rock-your-tummy-heart#sthash.LrSuMKFE.dpuf

For reservations, call Boathouse, tel:  03-7727-4426. The restaurant is located at 16 Lorong Rahim Kajai 14, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur. Open Mon-Sat 12 noon-2 am; closed on Sun.