LET'S GO LABUAN WITH MAB'S PILOT PARKER

 

Meet Pilot Parker, the cutie mascot for Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) who popped out of a surprise gift box given to me and my blogger friends recently. We were invited on a familiarisation visit to the Federal Territory of Labuan by Dorsett Hotels & Resorts so all of us were eagerly looking forward to the staycation.

Thanks to the generosity of MAB, our group were accorded the rare privilege to experience the hospitable comfort of MAB's Golden Lounge in the Domestic departure area at KL International Airport prior to our morning flight.

As you can see, the spacious lounge was cosily furnished with comfy armchairs and also dining tables for MAB travellers to relax in. Its warm ambient lighting and floor-to-ceiling picture windows put us at ease the minute we set foot in there.

From the lounge, we could look out to the fleet of MAB planes which traverse the world. Just the sight of the red & blue livery and wau insignia are enough to make us Malaysians feel proud. Coupled with the charming crew on board to look after us, MAB would remain most Malaysians including moi preferred airline when ever they travel.

Yes, MAB has gone through some turbulent times recently but all the more reason us Malaysians should come out in full force to support MAB and the people working for the company. #Keepflying #MalaysiaAirlines! 

One of the perks available in the Golden Lounge is complimentary meals which are served piping hot. Of course, nasi lemak with sambal sotong and chicken rendang is inevitably on the menu but healthier, lighter options of yoghurt with cereal, fresh fruits and Danish pastries are served too.

Once on board, the flight from KL to Labuan took about 2.5 hours. Things were pretty smooth after take-off and Pilot Parker popped up to inspect our snack boxes come meal time. Ah, he is truly a Malaysian at heart when it comes to food!

After scoffing my sandwich and cookie, I settled down to enjoy the in-flight entertainment and magazine available while Pilot Parker made himself comfy in my bag. All too soon it was time to touch down in Labuan.

After a heartwarming welcome with some song and dance thrown in by the Dorsett Grand Labuan team, Pilot Parker joined us again for drinks at the Lobby Lounge for drinks and afternoon tea.

The overview of our Labuan staycation will be featured in upcoming blogposts so keep your eyes peeled for it. Let's just say Pilot Parker and me thoroughly enjoyed every minute of our weekend in Labuan...eating, drinking, hiking and doing loads of fun stuff with our amiable hosts from Dorsett Grand Labuan.

Just look at Pilot Parker tucked up in bed with a welcome platter of macarons and chocs! Now you know the kind of hospitality to expect when you fly MAB and stay at Dorsett Grand Labuan.

 

Btw, Labuan is a duty-free island so remember to make the most of it when you visit. Great buys include chocolates and giggle juice if you're into that. The stash lugged home by Pilot Parker should be a good indication of how sweet the deal is!

Special deals are always available from MAB. Check out its current Year End Super Specials now! Let's #keepflying #MalaysiaAirlines #todayishere http://www.malaysiaairlines.com/my/en.html

FIRING UP A NEW MENU AT CHARCOAL

 

Charcoal, The Saujana Hotel Kuala Lumpur’s unique grill restaurant with a Malaysian twist sets itself apart from the traditional Western-style grill rooms by using the age-old technique of charcoal cooking. 

Coupled with local condiments, dips and sauces to give its chargrilled meats and seafood additional flavour and depth, Charcoal updates this traditional alchemy and presents it in a contemporary way for modern diners.

Now Charcoal’s new Chef De Cuisine Alex Chin aims to fire up the imagination and palate with his 18 years of international and local culinary experiences through a new a la carte menu.

While waiting for your choice of prime grilled meats to be cooked, I’d recommend you scoff down some Freshly Shucked Oysters (served on ice). From the five varieties available, the sizeable Pacific Prime Coromandel from New Zealand (RM65 for 3) and meaty Fine De Claire from France (RM65 for 3) are chockful with the clean, salty essence of the sea. 

Coming in a close second are Gallagher from Ireland (RM55 for 3 pcs) and Australia’s Tasmanian Prime (RM65 for 3), putting the Creuses from the Netherlands (RM55 for 3) into the shade. A portion of five different varieties is served at RM80 per flight or eat the shellfish to your heart's content at RM118 per person.

Squirmy about downing the mollusks fresh? Then add RM10 to the oysters’ selling price for them to be baked with smoked duck bacon, fresh herb crumbs or aged cheddar cheese. Interestingly, the shellfish remains succulently sweet and toothsome on the palate despite the rich, assertive cheese and spinach topping.

 

They go superbly well with Saujana Hotels & Resorts Wine Collection (RM31 per glass, RM152 per bottle) especially Frankland Estate 2014 from Margaret River. A blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling, the wine’s crisp, fruity accents form a match made in heaven with the freshly shucked oysters.

If you eschew the raw stuff, Chef Alex Chin will gladly rustle up the signature dish of Seared Crab Cakes (RM35). Breaded and fried, the deliciously dainty patties come accompanied by chive cream, aioli, watercress and chunky pomelo dressing.

Few diners can resist ordering a dish or two of Charcoal’s grilled offerings. After all, those are the leading show-stoppers at the restaurant. The slab of Short Ribs with Charcoal BBQ Sauce (RM80) is guaranteed to satisfy any meaty cravings. Cut from Mulwarra Black Angus, the 120 day grass-fed and grain-finished beef rib from South-eastern Australia teases the tastebuds with its subtly charred, full-bodied flavour. A grilled tomato and peppery watercress pile on the nuance profiles while mini pots of barbecue, black pepper and mushroom sauces are served on the side.

Asian twists are woven into the chef’s serving of Lobster Bucatini – an indulgent pasta dish flecked with dried chilli and garlic flakes. Soaked up with the lobster’s inherent sweetness, the flat, thick noodles taste irresistibly scrumptious jumbled up with fresh sage, roasted cherry tomatoes and zucchini ribbons.

Meanwhile, buffet buffs will find notable pickings such as young jackfruit masak lemak, Goan fish curry, ikan asam pedas and dry crab curry from the evening spread laid out.

One of the best sweet endings at Charcoal would be Grilled Mango Pavlova (RM30). Frankly, I’m not cracked up over pavlova but Charcoal’s comes up trumps. Piped like a mini hive, the crisp but cloud-light meringue is filled with dices of grilled mango and fresh berries. Crowned with a dollop of cream, the dessert is light yet luscious, just enough for you to leave the restaurant happy ever after.

For reservations at Charcoal, call tel: 03-7843 1234. Address: The Saujana Resort, Jalan Lapangan Terbang SAAS, Shah Alam, Selangor.

GO THE WHOLE NINE YARDS AT BROLLY

Nine. That’s the magic number for Brolly’s experiential F&B concepts – all under one roof umbrella as in ‘brolly’. Geddit?

It’s another ‘giant’ step for TY Ooi and her biz partners who rocked the local F&B scene with Crab Factory in SS2. The multi-concept resto inside Menara Felda is a petrol head’s wet dream; a vintage garage of sorts with shiny tire rims adorning private dining room doors, an old car suspended upside down above the pool table and repurposed automobile parts: truck tires, petrol pumps, side and rear view car mirrors put to pragmatic uses as sinks, taps and vanity mirrors.

 

Bits and pieces of Americana e.g. licence plates, old vinyl records and a foosball table reminiscent of the Happy Days and Grease era evoke a decidedly rock & roll atmosphere to the set-up. But what about the food?

Pix courtesy of Brolly

Suffice to say, you’d better brace yourself to go the whole nine yards at Brolly. Even the heartiest appetites are known to wave the white flag after attempting to sample everything Brolly has to throw at them. The extensive menu is a compilation of TY’s fondest food memories that made up her travails as a restaurateur thus far. 

WANNA BE STARTERS SOMETHING

Moley's Oyster Bar is TY’s tribute to her own Aussie oyster odyssey where the diving enthusiast recalls plucking and shucking sea-fresh oysters to savour. Now she wants diners to replicate that experience with imported French  Fine de Claire No2 Oysters (RM144 for 1 dozen) and Irish Kelly's Gigas No4 Oysters (RM96 for 1 doz). Plump and meaty with deep-sea nuances, the molluscs are best enjoyed au naturel or with a squeeze of lemon juice.

SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES

Let’s face it, the only kind of smoke nobody minds getting into their eyes is the type arising from a good barbecue. At Brolly, the Aussie barbie meets the Asian ‘bakar’ at Ember & Bara. Get down and dirty with BBQ Small Yabbies (RM60 per kilo)…the lil’ critters yield faintly smoky chunks of sweet meat once you get the hang of shelling them.

Otherwise, beef, lamb, seafood and vege options are also available. Beefy choices include Chilled Sirloin (single portion with Old Fashioned BBQ Coffee Sauce, RM34),  Chilled Ribeye (single portion with Tarty Tropicana Sauce, RM60) and  Chilled Tenderloin (single portion with Old Fashioned BBQ Coffee Sauce, RM 70).

I’d vouch for the succulently tender Spring Chicken (single portion with  Classic Chamalla Sauce, RM45) with the Lamb Frenched Rack (single portion with Old Fashioned BBQ Spicy Chocolate, RM120) coming in a close second.

Local tastebuds would enjoy the grilled Meat Crabs with E&B Sambal Sauce (RM65) or chunky Tomato Tango Sauce. Alternatively, sample Prawns in Fragrant Tamarind Coconut Sauce (RM25) or Fish of the Day (RM50) perked up with E&B Sambal Sauce. 

 

Balance all that seafood with Grilled Watermelon & Pineapple Minty Salad (RM15), Grilled Caesar Salad (RM15) or Spinach & Feta Melon Salad (RM15).

DRINKING LA VIDA LOCA

 

At this point, you should order glasses of Beergarita (RM30) – a high spirited concoction of beer and margarita with housemade syrups to wash those nibbles down. Whipped up by Brolly’s resident mixologists at the Bang Bang Baller Bar house in a converted school bus, the drinks menu is as colourful and varied as the food menu. 

vari.EAT.y – THE SPICE OF LIFE

For gangs of friends and cliques of colleagues, snacks and finger food for sharing are aplenty. My personal fave includes Calamari Tentacles (RM18) and Prawn Popcorn (RM23) – addictive morsels that grow on you with each bite.

The impressive Onion Flower (RM18) is excellent too. Cut and deep-fried in crisp batter coating, the huge Aussie onion looks a flower in bloom with a delicate sweetness to boot.

 

Stick to your ribs Kushiyaki (3 skewers per serving) veers between the esoteric  

Chicken Softbone  (RM9) and Chicken Hearts (RM9) to more sedate Seafood Tofu (RM9), Spring Onions (RM9) and Quail Eggs (RM9).

 

 

Soup for the soul here comes in a hearty albeit mildly spiced Short Ribs Soup (RM35) while Cajun Escargots (RM24) or Garlic Escargots (RM24) bring some snob appeal to the overall repertoire.

HERE COME THE WINGS AGAIN

More tasty temptation take flight via My Wing Man. The bold, pungently flavoured Chicken Wings with Cencaluk (RM18) dominate in this instance, far eclipsing the tamer Chicken Wings with Tomato Tango (RM18).

IT’S RAINING MAINS

Of course, Brolly’s deluge of great eats also cover Crab Factory offerings and Louisiana-style classics such as Fried Prawns Po'Boy (RM22), Fried Softshell Crabs Po'Boy (RM22) and Pulled Beef Brisket Po'Boy (RM18). The crusty baguette, submarine sandwich (traditionally packed with a choice of fried seafood, chicken or roast beef) has been given the stamp of approval from guests who hailed from that Southern state in the US.

 

Expect to land a load of crabs in this section: the Brown Crab (RM19 per 100gm) weighing in at 1.3kg (RM247) is smothered in medium spicy Jamba Jamba Sauce; the uniquely

shaped Spanner Crab (RM19 per 100gm, 1.25kg - RM 237.50) in Garlic Butter Sauce and a 1.4kg Spanner Crab (RM266) in medium spicy Signature Southern Bang Sauce. Bag Buddies (RM19 per 100gm) to boost your intake may include Button Mushroom (RM8.90) and Garlic Bread (RM8.90).

BIG ON JAPAN

Rice fiends would love Raksaksa Mirai for Japanese karē raisu (curry rice). Viable and wallet-friendly as a quick, filling lunch, plump for Tori Garlic Mayo (RM23), fried breaded chicken with curry sauce and rice (RM2.50).

Other delectable variations served are Hotate (Scallop) Eryngii Omelette (RM24) with curry sauce and Garlic Shallot Rice (2.50), and  Salmon Katsu (RM25) in Coconut Curry Sauce.                       

NOVE9 TWEAKS       

Pizzas gain fresh pizzazz at Nove9 with inventive guises, resulting in the green (spinach) base Lambogarlic (RM26) and a delightful West meets East permutation of Thai Beef Guava Salad (RM28). Purists who prefer to keep it simple will enjoy the supremely cheesy Quattro Formaggi (RM28).

SWEETS FOR MY SWEET

When it comes to Sweet Endings, succumb to a wickedly indulgent portion of Chunky Peanut Butter Granola (RM16). Lighter but no less decadent is Creme Brulee (RM16). Should you decide to share, opt for Grilled Montel Banana Parcel (RM16) for ample satisfaction minus the calorific guilt.

For reservations, call BROLLY, tel: 03-2181-4122. Address: Ground Floor, Menara Felda Platinum Park, Persiaran KLCC, Kuala Lumpur