DOUBLE INDULGENCES AT SINFUL SEAFOOD & DESSERT

They say life is short so eat dessert first. Opened in late December 2018, Sinful Seafood & Dessert aims to satisfy the hankerings of local seafood and dessert lovers in one spot.

Furnished like a hipster café, Sinful’s simple and spartan interior treads the fine line between the raw industrial feel of bare concrete walls awash in warm, mellow lighting and the practical modernity of blocky wooden furnishing and dark armchair seating.

True to its name, Sinful’s straightforward menu focuses solely on seafood and dessert. Sweet-tooth enthusiasts should get the ball rolling with the Chocolate Magic Ball (RM29.50) or the Chocolate Crepe (RM20). Both are equally sinful but heck, you only live once so go for a sweet surrender.

A decadent treat no chocoholic should pass up on, the Chocolate Magic Ball is served at the tableside with some flourish. A small jug of warm chocolate is poured over the white chocolate ball — the melted chocolate dissolving the white chocolate ball before completely blanketing the dark, fudgy chocolate cake inside.

We like the thoughtful touch of presenting the ultra-chocolatey treat with a mound of fresh strawberry slices and cream; the burst of tart acidity a welcome counterpoint after that rush of rich chocolatey sweetness. 

Somewhat lighter in texture albeit no less generous on the amount of chocolate used, Sinful’s signature Chocolate Crepe has white, milk and dark Belgian chocolate drenched over it. The top quality chocolate is silky smooth with a lingering finish, making it a heavenly pairing with the paper-thin crepe.

Personally, I prefer the Sinful Fruits Waffle (RM38.50). IMHO, the waffle is hefty enough for sharing. Texture-wise, it’s a light and pleasant canvas to pull the assortment of sliced banana, kiwi, strawberries, pineapple and chocolate together.

More tropical fruits make their presence felt in the Sinful Fruits Pancake (RM28.50). The stack of fluffy soft pancakes came up to mark, layered with chunks of tropical fruits and lashings of chocolate. A creation that’s hard to fault and guaranteed to leave you replete.

Wallet-friendly Seafood Combos are the other headliners at Sinful. Solo and group diners are catered for so you’d find different combos available; from RM22.90 for a Single Combo (for 1 person) up to RM224.80 for a Party Combo (for 10 persons).

Each Seafood Combo consists of deep-fried crispy baby crabs in addition to mussels, squid, prawns, fish and clams prepared in a choice of piquant house-made sauces available: Sinful Signature, Honey Mustard, BBQ, Spicy & Sour, Garlic or Curry. Also part of the meal deal is free flow of Rice, Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes and Coleslaw.

Our top vote goes to Honey Mustard — the subtle mustard zinginess works well to blunt the saucy richness whilst simultaneously enhancing the natural seafood sweetness.

Coming in a close second is the Curry sauce. More delicately spiced like a Japanese curry than a local one, we find it works like a charm with the seafood; suffusing their inherent flavours with rich complexity. 

Savoury-sweet accents are most pronounced in the Sinful Signature sauce. Admittedly, it’s an acquired taste for me personally but some diners may find it float their boat. Give it a shot and decide for yourself since the jury is out on this one.

If you’re working in the vicinity, Sinful offers a wallet-friendly Single Set Lunch at only RM14. Choose from Seafood (with a choice of Curry or Sour-Spicy Sauce) or Chicken Wings accompanied with Rice & Egg and a complimentary drink.

Delectable snacks to stave off hunger pangs while you wait include Chicken Wings (RM10.90, 6pcs) and Chicken Balls (RM10, 8pcs). Both are freshly cooked to order so you can be assured the crowd-pleasers are notable enough to make waiting time bearable or work up the appetite before succumbing to the main attractions.

For reservations, please call Sinful Seafood & Dessert, tel: 03-2780 7336 or 016-2205 713. Address: Block Hutton, G-3A, Plaza Arkadia, Jalan Intisari Perdana, Desa Park City, Kuala Lumpur.

TIME TO MIX & MATCH AT THE EMPEROR

Tongue-tingling Poached Fish Fillet with Dried Chilli & Szechuan Herb Chilli Oil is one of the many sizzling Szechuan and Oriental dishes to set your palate alight in line with the current Mix & Match promotion at The Emperor Chinese Restaurant, Dorsett Grand Subang.

Ideal for groups of 4, 6 and 8 persons, the great value Mix & Match meal deal comes with complimentary soup of the day and dessert too. A 4-course menu, priced at RM298 nett for 4 persons, allows diners to select 1 meat dish, 1 seafood dish, 1 tofu or egg dish and 1 seasonal vegetable dish from the Mix & Match menu. 

For a table of 6 persons, the 6-course menu at RM498 nett entitles diners to pick 1 meat dish, 1 seafood dish, 2 poultry dishes, 1 egg or tofu dish and 1 seasonal vegetable dish. Likewise, the 8-course menu (RM698 nett) means a choice of 2 meat, 2 seafood, 2 poultry, 1 egg or tofu dish and 1 seasonal vegetable dish.

For our lunch preview, the comforting Lotus Root Soup and Chicken Soup won plaudits for its timeless, homey appeal; a nice opening volley for our pick of mains to follow. The broth would have Mum's approval as it was chockful of lotus root, chicken, wolfberries and peanuts.

 

Despite its lethal, blazing hot appearance, the Poached Fish Fillet with Dried Chilli & Szechuan Herb Chilli Oil was surprisingly addictive. Buried amidst the layer of dried chilli, sliced ginger and spring onion in Szechuan herb chilli oil were smooth, tender pieces of poached fish.

Amazingly, the fish’s delicate sweetness remained discernible even as pin-pricks of pleasant ma la numbness zip and bloom across our lips and tongue. We found ourselves returning for repeat helpings throughout the lunch, eager to relive the adrenalin ‘rush’.

Memories of a cherished Chengdu trip returned the minute we savoured the sublime Szechuan Style Deep-fried Crispy Chicken & Dried Chilli.

Again, don’t be intimidated by the generous heap of dried chilli as the deep-fried chicken dices proved on-point. The dried chilli merely imbued the delish meaty morsels with subtle heat whilst cashew nuts and sesame seeds lent crunchy and nutty appeal.

Prefer a more child-friendly or less spicy-hot option? We highly recommend Sweet & Sour Chicken, a notable classic offering designed to please both young and old alike. Lightly battered, the boneless chicken chunks complemented by red and green capsicum pieces, whetted the appetite with its tangy-sweet sauce.

Red meat lovers may like to try Braised Lamb with Preserved Vegetable. Served in a claypot, the tender lamb strips and briny preserved veggies formed a hearty, rustic casserole of sorts. Best eaten with plain rice for maximum enjoyment.

More delectable substance to supplement our Mix & Match meal came from fluffy Fried Omelette with Onion & Barbecued Chicken, and Deep-fried Crispy Beancurd with Chilli & Spiced Salt. Such evergreen specialities with mass appeal are guaranteed to hit the spot, whether you’re dining with the family or friends.

The seasonal vegetable ranges from Chinese spinach, choy sum, kai lan, French beans to siew bak choy. For our lunch, we had an extra a la carte serving of Green Dragon Chives stir-fried with beansprouts & garlic.

To cleanse the palate after the profusion of heavy flavours, choose from a choice of Herbal Jelly with Honey, Mango Pudding or Almond Beancurd Pudding for dessert. This is part and parcel of the Mix & Match deal, to leave you with sweet memories of your visit to The Emperor.

The Mix & Match promotion is available for lunch and dinner daily until 30 April 2019. For reservations, call The Emperor Chinese Restaurant, tel: 5031 6060 ext 1954. Address: Level 1, Dorsett Grand Subang, Jalan SS12/1, Subang Jaya, Selangor.