IN-VAL-UABLE NEW MENU AT SAMPLINGS ON THE FOURTEENTH

Chef De Cuisine Valmurugan Subramaniam is not one to rest on his laurels. The veteran chef decided to shake up and rework the menu for Samplings on the Fourteenth two months ago. Focusing on using the freshest ingredients available and marrying them with refined cooking techniques, Chef Val showed his prowess from the get-go during an exclusive media preview organised by Abel Nelson Nang, Berjaya Hotels & Resorts' perfect host for all occasions.

The opening act belonged to succulent poached sea scallops dotted with salmon caviar, some 25 years aged balsamic vinegar on a bed of chipotle tomato and spinach puree. Amply supported by a hearty yet rustic grilled Portobello mushroom salad, it left a ravishing impression.

Next came Caesar salad – the resto’s evergreen fave which is prep at table-side. Nobody can fault the jumble of fresh romaine lettuce, shards of parmesan and diced croutons after it was tossed with a creamy concoction of runny yolk, Worcestershire sauce and other seasoning.

 

We didn’t mind being in the soup after the lush cream of Jerusalem artichoke with boursin-garlic cheese hit our palate. Who knew the knobbly root veg could wield such gastronomic clout? Its delicate sweet nuttiness with a faintly astringent overtone was a perfect canvas for the French cheese’s bodacious brininess and pungency to shine.

For mains, each of us were asked to pick from salmon Napoleon or braised Australian wagyu beef cheek or roasted spring chicken. My choice of spring chicken rubbed with chermoula paste was enlivened with a marinade-like condiment whipped up using spices (cumin, cloves, paprika), herbs (flat leaf parsley, coriander), garlic, onion, olive oil and lemon juice. Served atop gratin potato and onion gravy, the moist, tender meat left me replete.

One of my dining companions waxed lyrical about the melt-in-the-mouth beef cheek served with blue cheese polenta and spring vegetable. She generously offered me a bite and I was floored by the big flavours emanating from that single mouthful.

The salmon fillet also garnered thumbs up. Layered with Portobello mushroom and spinach, the rich fish was complemented by green and red pepper coulis, angel hair pasta and spring vegetable.

By now most of us were almost fit to burst but there was still dessert to contend with. Pastry Chef John Wong outdid himself with the giandulotto terrine. We felt bad managing to scoff down only half of the wickedly decadent chocolate hazelnut mousse. Fresh summer berries, raspberry sauce and sesame tuille finished the luscious creation, leaving us on a sweet chocolatey high.

Of course, dinner with Abel and his A-team were never ho-hum or boring. From the minute we stepped into the venue to the time we left, media members were plied with good food, drinks and games to keep us amused. The opening gambit was a dish of creme brulee with our names written on it (see above pix).

Also music throughout the night was a compilation of songs selected by us invitees. Those celebrating their birthdays were also feted with personalised cakes (including each celebrant's fave flavour!).

For reservations at Samplings on the Fourteenth, call tel: 03-2117 8000 x 8131. Biz hours: Mon-Sat 6.30pm-10.30pm

DYNASTY DOES THE TWISTS

Meet Dynasty's show-stealer for Malaysia International Gourmet Festival (MIGF) 2015...this lil' piece of crispy suckling pig skin parked on white glutinous rice. The wondrous textural symphony etched itself on my mind as I polished off forkfuls of the smooth poached cod fillet whose fatty richness was aptly balanced by zesty pepper fondue.

A distinct yet complementary palette of contrasting flavours and textures, that main course was the chef’s take on ‘surf and turf’ with an Oriental slant; kinda like deconstructed sushi.

Pix courtesy of Renaissance KL Hotel

According to Executive Sous Chef Kok Chee Kin, it is the first time pork is featured in Dynasty’s MIGF menu after 14 years of participation in the event. Response has been positive among regulars and avid followers of the chef once they learn of the special menu priced at RM228 (food only) per person and RM278 (with wine pairing).

“The 4-course Festival Menu injects some Western and Japanese influences to give diners unexpected twists to familiar favourites,” said Chef Kok. His creative trio of dainty appetisers: Chilean scallop with garlic sauce, abalone salad with sesame and a shrimp bundle reflected that abovementioned approach right from the get-go. 

 

Presented on a big white plate in a curve, some delicate edible flowers were sprinkled intermittently to add colour. Personally, I found the sharp pungency of minced garlic overshadowed the scallop’s inherent sweetness a tad but it was not disagreeable.

Take your time to savour the toothsome chewiness of the marinated abalone, complemented by beansprouts, shredded cabbage and piquant Thai chilli sauce. The crispy bundle of prawn with sesame passed muster.

For the soup course, ham and steamed pumpkin formed the base for the lobster and blue ocean treasure with pumpkin essence. Laden with chunks of sweet lobster, diced sea cucumber, scallop and fish maw, few diners would diss this luxe broth.

Clear, uncomplicated nuances ruled the second main dish of silky tricolour noodles with crab meat & seafood. Muted pastel pink, yellow and cream hues of the mini udon, egg and hiso noodles respectively served as a delicate canvas to show off the seafood’s sweet ocean freshness. Chicken stock and Chinese wine were the other components which lent a surge of savoury tastiness to the overall dish.

Mindful of today’s health-conscious diners, Chef Kok has gone for a pared-down dessert of pandan layer cake with almond crisp, red pitaya ice cream and bird’s nest. Mini pickled apples and seasonal berries boost the dish’s appeal even further.

For reservations, call Dynasty, tel: 03-2716 9388. Address: Renaissance Kuala Lumpur Hotel, Corner of Jalan Sultan Ismail & Jalan Ampang, KL. Facebook/RenaissanceKL.

36 YEARS OF GOOD EATS AT NEW FORMOSA

New Formosa - PJ’s bastion of Chinese-Taiwanese cuisine - celebrated its 36^th anniversary in September. To mark the milestone, owner Jeanie Lee and husband Lee Weng Eng (also the resto’s chef) came up with special celebratory menus (RM498++ and RM598++ per table of 10 persons) showcasing the resto’s perennial signature specialities.

Ever the genial host, Mrs Lee decided to fete our dining party to handpicked specials from the celebratory menus and popular signature dishes which made New Formosa what it is today.

Big flavours and multi-textures reigned in the opening Formosa Special Combination. The quintet of tasty Yam Balls, 3-cup Squid, Formosan-style Butter Fish Slices, Deep-fried Oysters Taiwanese-style and Stuffed Lotus Root with Special Fish Paste were hard to fault. Some of the offerings stirred up fond memories of old-school wedding banquets while the distinctly Taiwanese ones piqued interest with new tweaks. Overall, it was a substantial platter that left no cause for complaints.

 

As a kid, I’m a huge fan of chicken meat and the Steamed Village Chicken with Black Fungus took me down my childhood memory lane. Toothsomely tender, the super-succulent chook were raveworthy thanks to the trinity of minced ginger, spring onion and crunchy black fungus blanketing it.

 

For farn toong or die-hard rice eaters, the Bamboo Rice definitely rose to the occasion. Studded with diced pumpkin, mushroom, dried shrimps, lap cheong (Chinese sausage), minced pork and fried shallot, the aromatic and delectable grains were satisfyingly out-of-this-world.

 

Crabs are rarely found at New Formosa so when you do encounter them, the critters should ‘grab’ your attention. We couldn’t decide which was better – the fresh, sweet crab claws or the addictive sweet-sour sauce redolent with garlic, spring onion and vinegarish accents which we greedily soaked up with fried mantou.

The piquancy of hot bean sauce in the local seabass dish should please those with a penchant for strong flavours. Surprisingly, the fish’s delicate sweetness remained discernible despite being inundated by a generous helping of tart-salty-hot sauce. 

 

Only available on weekdays, the unique Formosa Stone Fire Pot (RM20 per person, min 3 persons per table) features 22 ingredients. Assorted housemade meat and fishballs, mushroom, corn, pumpkin, cabbage, crabstick, bamboo pith and other ingredients are more than ample to make the speciality memorable. Prawns can also be added (charged according to market price) for that luxe dimension.

 

A durable ‘stone’ pot placed atop a portable stove is heated up for sautéing garlic and chicken meat. Once the Taiwanese satay-type sauce is added and the meat cooked through, the stir-fried dish is ready to be sampled.

The same heated pot is then reused to partially cook the prawns before steamboat stock is poured in. All the other goodies are then added and slowly brought to boil. Is it any wonder the resultant milieu tasted superbly good and incomparable to normal steamboat?

When it comes to dessert, few diners can resist the resto’s evergreen Sweet Yam in Honey Sauce. Soft and powdery, the chunks of warm yam were coated in caramelised sugar at the table then plunged into ice-cold water. This process turned the outer coating crackly, edged with wispy sugary tendrils, making the yam pieces a joy to eat.

Clean and astringent, the second dessert of marble-smooth Green Tea Pudding with Red Beans also went down a treat. Besides cleansing the palate, it left all of us in a jolly sweet mood to wrap up the night.

For reservations, call New Formosa, tel: 03 7875 7478. Address: 46, Jalan SS2/24, 47300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.