Sunday, June 05, 2016

RICE DUMPLINGS GALORE AT TAO



Celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, Duan Wu Jie for the Chinese community is celebrated with the making and eating of chungs (rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves) and dragon boat races. The occasion is believed to serve as a tribute to a brave poet cum minister in exile Qu Yuan who drowned himself in the Miluo River, in his protest against the dismal state of affairs in the ancient Chinese kingdom.

This year, Tao's master dim sum chef Lo Tian Sion commemorates the festival with five varieties of rice dumplings which will available until 9 June 2016.

Handmade fresh daily by the chef who has over two decades of experience, the most impressive variant has to be abalone sea treasure rice dumpling (RM72.80 nett per piece). Instead of the customary ginger powder, Chef Lo has used five spice powder to give the humongous chung a different accent.
We had a sneak sampling of the gigantic dumpling which came packed with roast duck, salted egg yolk, baby abalone, dried scallop, dried oysters, sea cucumber and other delectable ingredients. Chockful of hearty flavours, it was the day's crowd fave as the huge portion was left us replete and happily satisfied.
Personally, I found the mini red bean paste dumplings (RM14 nett for two pieces) a classic winner. The plain sticky rice was compact enough and boasted a generous filling of mildly sweet red bean mash.

Another savoury version consists of dried oyster with braised peanuts and black eyed beans (RM22 nett per piece) wrapped in an elongated parcel. Traditionalists will enjoy this tasty offering which stays close to the familiar ham yuk chung (savoury meat dumplings) taste of yesteryear.
The chef's inventive streak rises to fore in the spicy Nyonya rice dumpling with dried shrimps and diced chicken dumpling (RM24.80 nett). Boldly accentuated with homemade Nyonya sauce - a robust blend of dried shrimps, dried chilli and five spices powder, the rice dumpling should appeal to those partial to strong, piquant flavoured food. The purist in me yearns for the sweetish nuance of candied wintermelon which makes Nyonya changs so distinctly different.

Mindful of health-conscious diners, Chef Lo has created mini rice dumplings with preserved winter melon, maraschino cherries, dried strawberries, raisins, lotus seeds and dried mango (RM14 nett) for them. I had expected it to be sweet but thankfully it was not. Some mango sauce is served with the dumplings for moistness.
Diners are welcomed to sample the rice dumplings at Tao Chinese Cuisine, InterContinental KL, Jalan Ampang, KL for dine-in and takeaway. For reservations or more information, call tel: 03-2782 6128.

Friday, June 03, 2016

FESTIVE VARIETY FEASTS AT THE MAJESTIC HOTEL KL



Suffused with aromatic spices, the deep-fried quail should be one of the first items to savour from the tantalising spread laid out for the Majestic Festive Banquet Dinner (13 June - 2 July). The meat simply bursts with mouth-watering flavours at first bite.

Other delectable options include crispy fried chicken, fried prawns, fried fish and fried bitter gourd, all well-seasoned with local spices, turmeric and shallots. 
Chef Zaidi and his team will be pulling out the stops, dishing up the best of Malaysia’s nine Royal states. Keep your eyes peeled for Perak’s highly sought-after udang galah sambal (fresh river prawns cooked with sweet and spicy chilli paste).
 

Few diners can resist the showpiece of a whole roast lamb. Not big on red meat? Grilled fish will reel you in. There's also a dedicated nasi kandar section with assorted mains: sotong kari, spiced flower crabs, rendang itik from Kedah, curried freshwater prawns and dalcha to complement fragrant, fluffy briyani rice.
 

It's a good idea to load up on greens for such a lavish dinner. Local ulam and assorted kerabu salads (shredded mango and beef tripe variants top the list) are both healthy and can easily be perked up with zingy sambal.
 

Held at the comfortably set-up Function Rooms on level 3, diners will find themselves spoiled for choice as the buffet also features several live action cooking stalls. Murtabak and roti canai are prepared on the spot as is laksa Penang to tease the tastebuds.



Soup up with a hearty beef broth (sup daging) perfumed with star anise, cloves and myriad other spices and chopped coriander. A perennial comfort food to satisfy those hankering for rustic kampung fare.
For that early Raya mood, nothing beats some hot-off-the-grill satay. Again these meaty skewers are raveworthy complemented by chunky peanut sauce, fresh cucumber pieces and cubes of nasi impit.
The dessert wonderland proffers plenty of familiar faves, ranging from bubur kacang hijau with durian, tapai ubi, serawa durian, kuih peneram, seri muka, buah Melaka, tapai pulut and assorted deep-fried fritters (banana, sweet potato, etc).
 

The Majestic Festive Banquet Dinner is priced at RM125 nett per person. For reservations, please call tel: 03-2785 8000.

Over at Contango, expect a feast of Festive Variety (4 June to 5 July). The luxurious, contemporary restaurant features an interactive dining concept with two open kitchens proffering a sheer variety of local and international cuisine; freshly prepared to order, including a special focus on local Malay cuisine.


Priced at RM145 nett per person, call Contango, tel: 03-2785 8062 for reservations.

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