Sunday, January 03, 2016

FIVE FAB DINING PLACES IN LONDON



Gone are the days visitors have to contend with stodgy and bland British fare. Today, London is a thriving hotbed of fab restos of all shapes, sizes and cuisines. For the duration of our all too brief sojourn in the cosmopolitan city, we were overwhelmed by the vast selection of good food everywhere at every turn. This very brief guide focuses on the handful restos us lucky sods were hosted to by Kattie Hoo of Dorsett Hospitality International and Visit Britain (Masala Zone & Fish).

SHIKUMEN
 
Meaning “stone gate” (库门) in Chinese, this trendy Chinese restaurant at Dorsett Shepherds Bush is inspired by the roaring 40s in Shanghai; an exotic gateway to exquisite Chinese specialities melded with Western individualism in terms of its serving presentation.
A brainchild of Malaysia-born executive director Simon Chai, the refined 150-seat restaurant opened in February 2015 and has since been the toast of London culinary scene – hailed by the media as a beacon of modern Chinese cuisine.
Our five-star dinner comprised a stellar line-up, starting with the much-touted Peking duck carved at table-side. The meaty slices came in two types of wraps: a thin skein like those for spring rolls and a thicker, fluffier 'pancake'.
The assertive flavours of Sichuan hot & sour soup stirred fond memories of our Chengdu fam trip with every spoonful. Although this version is tame by comparison, we lapped up the appetite-whetting broth to the last drop.
Any homesickness was adequately banished by the pair of delicately pleated xiao long baos. We greedily slurped up the tasty broth inside the dumplings before devouring the yummy pork filling.
Lobster stir-fried with garlic & chilli reminiscent of Hong Kong typhoon shelter crabs blew us away with its whirlwind of piquantly pungent accents. It went splendidly well with fried rice with edamame and the house beancurd speciality which bore more delicate taste profiles.
Our feast also featured Shikumen's legendary roasted lamb cutlets before a trio of sweet temptations left us stuffed to the gills.

For more information on Shikumen, visit: http://www.shikumen.co.uk

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FISH!
Right in the heart of Borough Market, you can enjoy typical British fish & chips in the glass & steel enclosure of Fish! Restaurant. Fresh, reliably sourced and where possible, sustainable fish supplies are available for your selection.

21
Interior shot courtesy of FISH!

The airy interior includes an open kitchen and lots of seating, looking out to the Southwark Cathedral and the hustle-bustle of Borough Market. Topping the chart is beer battered fish (a choice of cod, haddock, skate, plaice or Atlantic halibut) with chips and mushy peas.


Calamari with rocket & lemon mayo, swordfish club sandwich and prawn cocktail are the other scrumptious options to reel you in.



For more information, check out Fish! website: http://fishkitchen.co.uk/
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MASALA ZONE
Masala means spice which forms the heart and soul of Indian cooking. Founded by Ranjit Mathrani, his wife Namita Panjabi, and sis-in-law Camellia Panjabi, the Masala Zone restaurant group has seven outlets dotted throughout London but each is distinctly different in character to complement its location.

Visit Britain hosted us to a pre-theatre dinner at Masala Zone near the Royal Opera House; its mellow-lit spacious premise adorned with hundreds of vibrant Rajasthani puppets suspended from the ceiling.
We partook a hearty Thali dinner which proffered each of us an Indian street food starter like Aloo Tikki Chaat (spiced mash cake with yoghurt & chutney) and Pau Bhaji (spicy potato mash & veg with warm bread) followed by a stainless steel platter with little bowls of curry, two vegetables, dal (lentils), raita (yoghurt), Indian salad, papadum & chutney. A choice of freshly-made whole wheat chapatti or rice forms the basis to capture the spectrum of textures and spice nuances.

For more information on Masala Zone, browse: http://www.masalazone.com/
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HIX SOHO


 

An eclectic collection of mobiles and neons from celebrated British artists provided plenty of visual interest inside the trendy HIX Soho restaurant. Celebrated chef, restaurateur and food writer, Mark Hix serves up a changing weekly menu of seasonal British fare so we had may not necessarily be available on the next visit.
Notable appetisers served during our visit ranged from classic prawn cocktail and stewed forest mushroom. The well-stocked bar dispensed a wide selection of tipples, be it cocktails, beer, wine or cider.
My choice of grilled scallops with pumpkin mash were ‘da bomb’ as was the hefty burger our friend chose. Puddings such as Bromley apple and blackberry pie were comfortingly satisfying despite their mini portions.

Go and peruse current menus and glean other info via http://www.hixsoho.co.uk/

* * * * *

JAMIE’S ITALIAN
Spacious, high-ceilinged with lots of rustic wood accents and warm lighting, this serene haven is homely and packed with everything Jamie Oliver – from the cookbooks and kitchen paraphernalia to the hearty servings touted in the menu.
Just about a 10 minute walk from Dorsett Shepherd’s Bush, there’s an open terrace edged with greenery to complement the buzz inside. Our DHI host with the most, Kattie Hoo ensured we were so well fed that we gluttons even passed up on dessert!


Gluttons may wanna share the Ultimate Plank – an elongated serving of yummy nibbles including artisan fennel salami, mortadella, prosciutto, spiced chicken-liver pâté, Cobble Lane bresaola & pork scratchings with grissini & music bread, Italian nachos, mini buffalo mozzarella, aged pecorino & chilli jam, olives & pickles, grilled marinated peppers & rainbow slaw.
Gennaro’s famous porchetta of roasted pork belly filled with garlic, chilli & herbs, served with roasted root veg, spiced apple sauce & salsa verde should leave you replete. There’s also fresh crab spaghetti, prawn linguine and several irresistible options for pasta lovers.
For reservations and more info about Jamie's Italian and his culinary empire, visit: https://www.jamieoliver.com/italian/

Friday, January 01, 2016

GR8 PICKS FROM CEDAR ON 15



 

Contemporary dining takes centrestage at the stylishly laidback, chic culinary haven known as Cedar on 15 at Impiana KLCC. The interior is stark but sleekly modernist with a nice skylight and spacious bar cum patio that looks out to the city’s skyscrapers.

 


While dry-aged steaks take pride of place in the menu and pizzas are baked on-site, we decided to explore some of the more intriguing, below-the-radar options on our first visit.



The appetiser of Seafood on the Salt Rock (RM85) made a splash thanks to its simple but impactful preso. Served on a chilled salt block, the sumptuous combination of poached Yabbies, Black Mussels and Jumbo Tiger Prawns was both impressive yet playful. The seafood’s inherent sweetness is lifted by droplets of Lemon Olive Oil squeezed from a tiny pipette.



To lessen our guilt, we loaded up on Gourmet Salad (RM48) – a posh serving of sautéed artichoke with quail egg, black truffle, shaved parmesan and semidried tomato tossed in organic green in-house dressing with raspberry vinegar. Vivid colours and layers of bright, contrasting flavours made it something to write home about.



Even the soup section threw up viable surprises, starting with the Creamy Tomato Bisque Soup (RM38). Imagine a tart tomato broth tempered by lush prawn/lobster stock – sounds sublime right? Served piping hot in a deep platter with Pine Nut Dumpling and a dash of Vodka, there was no way we could fault the ambrosial offering.



If you prefer something more decadent, the Australian Scallops Veloute (RM52) should fit the bill. Sensuously rich and silky on the palate, it came with a tasty sundried Tomato Timbale. A few drops of garlic oil racheted up its big flavour.



Served with a strong Demi Reduction and Morel Mushrooom, the diminutive Roasted Spring Chicken (RM62) got us cooing over its pint size and juicy tenderness. 

Perfumed with Rosemary Olive Oil, the mini chook was accompanied by unconventional sides of (beef) Bacon Popcorn and Corn Puree. A real showstopper, this.



Admittedly, the South Australian Venison Loin (RM138) is no pushover either. Baked in sour cream dough (interesting no?) with Sauce Bordeaux, Brussels sprouts and candied carrots, the delish chunk of red meat was an epicurean delight. A squirt of Quince Vinegar did wonders to it.



Deaf to our half-heated protestations, Impiana KLCC’s gracious marcomm lady Carol Chin insisted we succumbed to Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallow (RM32). Truly no regrets there as the slightly ‘torched’ cloud-soft marshmallow was the crowning glory alongside heavenly Honey Ice-cream, Ganache and Crumbs with Chocolate Liquor.



Amazingly, our dessert tummy had room to fit the impossibly light but luscious Triple Layer Cheese Cake (RM38) served with Figs, Tuille and Amaretto Liquor. It was a befitting finish to a convivial evening of good food and even better company. Also the moral of the story is it pays to go off the well-trodden 'path' sometimes to unearth diamonds in the rough.


For reservations, call tel: 03-2147 1111. Cedar on 15 is located at Impiana KLCC Hotel, 13, Jalan Pinang, Kuala Lumpur.

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