LEAN ON FIVE SEN5ES FOR THE YEAR OF THE RAT

Three set Chinese New Year (CNY) menus: Happiness, Blessings and Abundance Reunion will take centrestage at Five Sen5es to usher in the Lunar Year of the Rat.

Available from 6 January to 16 February 2020, each set menu includes a complimentary bottle of House Red or White Wine. Colourful Yee Sang salad and a la carte festive specialities will also be served during the celebration.

After sampling Chef Ron Lean and his team’s selection of culinary masterpieces from the three set menus, we gave the on-point dishes our stamp of approval and fulsome praises.

Artistically arranged into a pair of carps, the customary Salmon Yee Sang, encircled by an assortment of fresh fruits, vegetables and pickles raised our hopes for good fortune and prosperity for the upcoming CNY.

Slightly thickened for lusciousness, the comforting Braised Crab Meat Soup with Fish Lips and Dried Scallop was lapped up enthusiastically by one and all. No complaints here unless thick soup doesn’t float your boat.

 

Crispy skin and juicy meat of the Roasted Chicken with Crispy Salt Pepper was a surefire crowd-pleaser. Unsurprisingly, the delectable chook had most of us asking for repeat helpings.

Having ramped up his game after debuting at Five Sen5es, Chef Ron’s astute timing and cooking prowess proved evident upon the first bite of the Steamed Dragon Grouper with Fungus and Enoki Mushroom. 

 

Complemented by the chef’s special sauce for an extra flavourful boost, the fish beguiled us with its delicate and sweet flesh with just the right degree of doneness. Toppings of tender fungus and enoki for textural interest didn’t go remiss either.

Expect happy laughter to resonate once you savour the Stir-fried Prawns with Butter Milk Sauce. The savoury rich sauce hugging the springy crustaceans caused a flurry of effusive finger-licking at the table.

 

Broccoli florets lightened up the auspicious dish of Braised Fish Maw, Mushroom and Beancurd with Money Bags. Varying textures piqued our interest; the contrasting yet complementing components spurred us to make short work of them. Their rustic nuances was amplified by the slick coating of deeply flavourful braising sauce.

Amazingly, we had tummy space left to fit in sampling portions of the Traditional Lotus Leaf Rice with Diced Chicken. The soul-satisfying woodsy-earthy accents meant additional helpings were called for.

 

Concluding the meal on a celebratory high was a befitting trio of Chilled Peach Gum Soup with Red Dates and Longans, Deep-fried Chinese Gold Cake (nian gau) and a cute mouse-shaped Pineapple Cookie. The symbolic offerings left us in a positively hopeful mood.

Advance reservations is recommended for the Happiness Reunion Set (RM1,988 nett per table of 10), Blessings Reunion Set (RM2,188 nett per table of 10) and Abundance Reunion Set (RM2,388 nett per table of 10).

Three varieties of Yee Sang: Smoked Salmon (RM198 per serving), Abalone Slices (RM218 per serving) or a combination of both will also be served at Five Sen5es from 6 January until 16 February 2020.

For reservations, call Five Sen5es, tel: 03-2773 8338. Address: Level 1, The Westin Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.

CRÈME DE LA CRÈME X THE TOKYO RESTAURANT

A marriage made in dessert heaven. When Crème De La Crème (CDLC) partners with The Tokyo Restaurant (TTR) to merge their respective famed products: CDLC's artisanal ice cream with TTR's famed Burnt Cheesecake sweet magic happens.

 

Hot on the heels of its Sanrio collab to celebrate Hello Kitty’s 45^th birthday, CDLC dials up its game – this time in partnership with TTR in creating two artisanal ice creams and a plated dessert to excite the palate.

Our tastebuds were teased by Burnt Caramel Cheesecake Ice Cream in which smooth, rich burnt caramel ice cream swirled with bits of TTR burnt cheesecake, causing gasps of delight and garnering nods of approval. The burnt caramel taste was amplified by the lush creaminess.

Fromage and ice cream fans will adore Tokyo La Crème for its sumptuousness. The indulgent Cream Cheese Ice Cream – made with fresh Australian cream cheese – forms a divine blend with TTR burnt cheesecake, resulting in a splendid sweet-savoury treat like no other.

Just when you think it can’t get any better, brace yourself for the plated dessert which combines the best of two worlds: a scoop of Burnt Caramel Ice Cream paired with a slice of TTR Burnt Cheesecake amidst a sprinkling of hazelnuts and swirls of caramel. A brilliant dessert masterpiece guarantee to leave dessert fans up on seventh heaven.

Akito Sakamoto, General Manager of The Tokyo Restaurant said: “When it comes to deciding on a trusted partner whom we can work with, to design ice creams of the highest standards, Crème De La Crème stands heads and shoulders above them all.”

Lio Lim, Managing Director of CDLC enthused “We are thrilled to partner with The Tokyo Restaurant as TTR’s famed burnt cheesecake needs no introduction. Having shaken up the ice cream world by reinventing the look and taste of ice cream, we couldn’t have found a better partner to recapture the imagination of ice cream and cheese cake lovers alike.”

For more information, visit Crème De La Crème FB page: https://www.facebook.com/pg/mycdlc & The Tokyo Restaurant FB page: https://www.facebook.com/thetokyorestaurant/

CONG CAPHE BREWS UP VIETNAMESE COFFEE CULTURE IN KL

“Coffee and love are best when they’re hot” goes a German saying. The same holds true when you sip Nau-Da (RM10.90), a cup of hot Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk, lounging in cosy Cong Caphe in Nu Sentral.

Established in 2007 by enterprising singer Nguyen Ha Linh in Hanoi, Cong Caphe has 62 cafes throughout Vietnam, six in Seoul and one in Malaysia. Jaemie Lew and Peter Tan who became smitten with Cong Caphe on a visit to Hanoi brought Cong Caphe (pronounced kerb cafe) to Malaysia in November this year.

According to the partners, Cong Caphe caught the imagination of Vietnamese coffee drinkers with its retro-inspired ambience of old Vietnam harking back to their childhood. Cong Caphe artfully combines the vintage, homey charms of mismatched and upcycled furniture, and old-school memorabilia with comfy reading nooks. 

 

The Nu Sentral outlet stays true to the original concept with almost everything displayed and used at Cong Caphe: stools, tables and chairs, collectibles and the wall-to-wall shelves of books on the upper level, shipped in from Hanoi. A propeller plane suspended at the heart of the rustic, wood-accentuated cafe space serves as a focal point.

We stopped to smell and savour the selection of Vietnamese coffee recently and came away impressed by the smooth brew and distinct variations available. Brewed in traditional metal coffee pots with drip filter, the Phin Brew – Vietnamese black coffee forms the main base for Cong Caphe’s signature drinks.

Although the inclusion of condensed milk of the Nau-Da was some cause for concern, we were instantly won over aftter the first sip. The milky, mildly sweet coffee hit the spot, leaving us with a nice buzz.

The laidback atmosphere spurred us to sit back and nibble on Sunflower Kernels (RM4.90 per plate) while chatting leisurely over cups of creamy Bac-Xiu, coffee with coconut milk (RM12.90 hot, RM13.90 cold). We enjoyed every drop of the creamy-sweet coffee with its enticing nutty aroma.

 

We sampled it with buttery, airy light Croissant (RM6.90) which came with a saucer of condensed milk for dipping it in. It was delightful as the imported condensed milk lacks the cloying sweetness of our local version.

If you are partial to chilled coffee drinks, the Coconut Milk Coffee Smoothie (RM14.90-RM16.90) is worth slurping up. Rest assured the blend of coffee and coconut milk is on-point without being overly cloying. 

Cappucino, latte, Americano and espresso are also served with the Cong Caphe coffee beans giving them a distinctive taste.

Aimed at the busy mall’s constant stream of grab and go crowd, Cong Caphe also offers banh mi, Vietnamese baguette sandwiches and some cakes like Banana Cake and Brownie. Jaemie explained the Tofu Banh Mi (RM11.90) is something created for the Malaysian market, in response to increasing demand for vegetarian options. 

Marinated with soya sauce and sesame oil then panfried and sliced, the subtly smoky beancurd held its own nestled within the shatter-crisp baguette filled with fresh coriander, and  cucumber and carrot pickles.

 

 

Likewise, we found the Beef Ham Banh Mi (RM15.90) and Chicken Ham Banh Mi (RM13.90) decent enough. More of the pate spread would have ramped up the sandwiches' overall appeal.

 

Should you have friends in tow who prefer non-coffee drinks, Cong Caphe serves a tantalising Iced Honey Kumquat (RM14.90) and hot Peach Tea with Passionfruit (RM13.90). These drinks are refreshing in their own way and will leave no room for complaint.

For more information, call CONG CAPHE, tel: 03-2276 3135. Address: LG19, Nu Sentral, Jalan Tun Sambanthan, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur.