HIGH ON THAI AT MELTING POT CAFE

Think pink when you patronise the Thai Passion promotion at Melting Pot Café. Personally, I'd begin my Thai culinary tour with Guay Tiew Reua — Thailand's much loved flat rice noodles. This particular version features a blush pink broth with sliced fish cake, fish balls, beansprouts and kangkung. The unusual hue of the mildly sweet-savoury soup is due to the inclusion of Thai fermented soya bean curd. It's hearty, comforting fare to satisfy.

Pix courtesy of Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur

That and over 15 Thai dishes from a rotational menu are prepared nightly by Thai Chef Nopporn Nutto will take centrestage for dinner from now until 31 August 2018.  A native of old Bangkok town known as Bangkok Noi, Chef Nopporn has more than 17 years of experience when it comes to tantalising diners with his mouthwatering Thai specialities.

Depending on the night’s menu du jour, let the chef tickle your tastebuds with interesting and familiar faves from the Land of Smiles. Among the outstanding choices we glean from the spread include Yam Kai Dao — spicy fried egg salad with an enticing sour-salty-sweet dressing with lots of garlic and fresh coriander; Yum Nuea-Yarng — sliced beef salad and the popular Som Tam — green papaya salad.

Loading up on the requisite quota of greens is made easy with Nam Prik Ka-Pi — Thai sambal dip made from pinkish local belacan (shrimp paste), to be eaten with raw and blanched vegetables.

Loading up on the requisite quota of greens is made easy with Nam Prik Ka-Pi — Thai sambal dip made from pinkish local belacan (shrimp paste), to be eaten with raw and blanched vegetables.

 

Spice fiends will find ample ‘fire’ power from Red Tom Yum Seafood — spicy and sour soup with mussels, crabs and prawns. I like to pair the robust broth with drier appetisers like

Poh Pia Tod — Thai spring rolls with its glass noodles and minced chicken filling, Tod Mun Pla — fried fish cakes and Mini Prawn Cakes with Thai sweet chilli sauce.

 

Most main Thai dishes are meant to be enjoyed with rice. Instead of plain rice, we find delectable specialities whipped up by Chef Nopporn taste great with Kao Pad — Thai fried rice with tom yam paste. Among the on-point dishes to sample include Pad Gra Prow — stir-fried minced beef with basil; Pla Neung Ma-Now — steam fish with lime and chillies;

Gaeng Som Pla Krob — fried fish with gaeng som sauce and Gaeng Khiao Wahn Gai — green curry chicken with fresh green chilies pounded with fresh coriander (cilantro), kaffir lime leaf and basil. 

 

The Thais are people after our own hearts as no meal is complete without some sweet treats. All the expectant offerings: Kao Niew Ma-muang — sticky rice with mango, Tub Tim Krob and Gluay Kai Chueam — Thai roasted bananas in golden syrup among others beckon from the buffet parade. 

Melting Pot Cafe's Thai Passion promotion is served available at RM110 nett per person inclusive of the nightly buffet spread until 31 August 2018. Keep your eyes peeled for special tags indicating the Thai delicacies.

For reservations, please call Melting Pot Café, tel: 03-2717 2233. Address: Lobby Level, Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Sultan Ismail, KL.

 

MALAYSIAN CHEF ENTERS THE WORLD SUSHI CUP 2018

It’s true action speaks loud than words. Chef Steve Chua Kok Hua — Malaysia’s representative for the upcoming World Sushi Cup 2018 in Japan, showed his sushi-making prowess at a special lunch hosted by the Norwegian ambassador, Her Excellency Gunn Jorid Roset recently.

Chef Steve Chua of Two Chefs Lab restaurant in Bandar Sungai Long, emerged as champion in the qualifying competition last November. The event was a collaborative effort between the Norwegian Seafood Council and Japan’s only recognised World Sushi Skills Institute, held in conjunction with the Global Sushi Academy training session conducted by renowned chef Hirotoshi Ogawa.

At the lunch, Jon Erik Steenslid, Regional Director (Southeast Asia) of Norwegian Seafood Council presented Chef Chua with a specially made chef’s jacket and a sushi knife for The World Sushi Cup on August 23, 2018. As Malaysia’s sole representative, Chef Steve Chua will be battling 40 top sushi chefs from around the world in the prestigious competition.

The earlier training by sushi master, Hirotoshi Ogawa was a boon for local sushi chefs like Chef Chua as proper handling of raw fish is of paramount importance. Since most of the sushi chains in Malaysia use salmon and trout from Norway, the educational programme for sushi chefs run by the Norwegian Seafood Council is timely and helps to ensure food safety through hygienic handling of the fish.

Chef Steve Chua enthused, “Besides basic sushi making skills, the chef touched on critical topics such as hygienic handling of seafood for raw consumption. The eye-opening training emphasised every little detail in sushi making and I can’t thank Norwegian Seafood Council enough for giving me this opportunity.”

Besides the pretty platter of Edo-style sushi he prepped for the photo opp, the chef also blew us away with his exquisite creations of Salmon Bruschetta, Salmon Belly Consommé, Salmon Sushi Fiesta and Tofu Cheesecake on that day.

The opening volley of Salmon Bruschetta

Flavourful Salmon Belly Consommé

Speaking at the lunch, Mr Jon Erik Steenslid, Regional Director (Southeast Asia) of Norwegian Seafood Council said, “Norwegian salmon and fjord trout are the most preferred choice of fish in sushi restaurants in Malaysia. However, it’s imperative for us to counter unsubstantiated stories of food poisoning and claims of salmon containing parasitic worms. Often, it boils down to unhygienic handling of the fish.”

Subtle to strong accents prevailed in Chef Steve Chua's Salmon Sushi Fiesta

Steenslid also said Norwegian Seafood Council is intensifying promotion of Norwegian salmon and trout locally as “Malaysia has the highest consumption of seafood per capita. There’s massive market potential for Norwegian seafood and our survey shows Norway is the most preferred country of origin for purchases of salmon and fjord trout.”

As the second largest seafood exporter in the world, Norway is the world’s largest producer of farmed Atlantic salmon and Fjord Trout. A world-renowned pioneer in modern trout and salmon farming, Norway’s technical knowledge and management of resources is unsurpassed when it comes to handling and delivering fish and seafood of the highest quality to the global market.

OVER THE MOON FOR MID-AUTUMN AT DORSETT

Red. Green. Blue. These bejewelled hues set the tone for Dorsett’s Mid-Autumn Fest offerings this year.

You don’t need to jump over the moon to get your hands on Ruby Allure — the Red Dragonfruit-infused Crystal Skin Mooncake with Red Bean Paste (RM26 each). I’m a big fan of this healthy fruit so the delicate creation with its light sweetness hits the spot for me.

Durians — you either love it or hate it. I belong to the former camp and again, the

aromatic Golden Treasure — a Pandan-infused Crystal Skin Mooncake with Durian and Black Sesame Paste (RM35 each) comes up to mark. IMHO, I’d prefer a more pronounced durian accent but still, it ticks all the right boxes for me. A baked variation also available debuts this year in the form of Low Sugar Durian Lotus Paste with Single Egg Yolk (RM35 each). 

A Dorsett signature, the Sapphire Glitz (RM30 each) makes a comeback by popular demand. Tinged a lovely Tiffany-blue with blue pea flower juice, the crystal skin mooncake with white lotus paste and single yolk is pleasing on the eye and palate.

The quintessential baked mooncake range from Dorsett includes Pure Red Bean Paste (RM26), Pandan Lotus Paste with Single Yolk (RM30) or Plain (RM27), Six Coarse Grains Paste (RM28) and Low Sugar White Lotus Paste in Plain (RM29), with Single (RM30) or Double Egg Yolk (RM35) variants.

Packed in an exclusively designed double-tiered box with recognisable Dorsett motifs and shades of the group’s corporate blue-brown colours, the Mid-Autumn Festival delicacies are available now until 24 September 2018.

For more information, call Dorsett Grand Subang (tel: 03-5031 6060 ext 3033/3032), Dorsett KL (tel: 03-2716 1000), Dorsett Putrajaya (tel: 03-8892 8388), Silka Maytower KL (tel: 03-2692 9298) and Silka Cheras KL (tel: 03-9100 1133).