TIPPLES & TREATS AT FARQUHAR'S BAR

Lovers of Happy Hours and discerning bon vivant who yearn to slake their thirst can make a beeline for the much-loved Farquhar’s Bar. Remodelled as a vintage cocktail bar, Farquhar’s Bar at the Eastern & Oriental Hotel Penang is relocated further down the marble and French doors walkway at the newly refreshed Heritage Wing.

Subdued, mellow lighting coupled with deep teal blue hues and white cornices evoke a rarefied atmosphere similar to a gentlemen’s club and private study. The oak and brass-finished long bar serves as a focal point near the entrance whilst the inner sanctum boasts studded leather Chesterfield sofas, retro arm and wing back chairs, antique fittings, and collections of monochrome prints. Scenic views of Penang’s waterfront beckon beyond its expansive picture windows.

Cocktail o’clock has never been more atas...the resident mixologists are adept at whisking up classic and contemporary tipples. To wet our whistle, we opted for Gin Setengah (RM45) – London Dry Gin with Grand Marnier, longan and a splash of pineapple juice (3rd pix below); Pink Lady (RM50) – London Dry Gin with Applejack, lemon juice, housemade grenadine and egg white (2nd pix below); and Moscow Mule (RM45) – Vodka, lime juice and spicy ginger beer (pix below).

Should you wish to chase your drinks of choice with light refreshments, the snack creations are worth the calorie intake. Simplistic in approach but lush and big on flavour is Potato & Caviar (RM28), airy-light potato crisps with sour cream and caviar dip.

Heartier but a definite palate-pleaser is the sumptuous and melty Gruyère Cheese Sandwich (RM28). Savoury rich with a smoky aftertaste, the brioche toast triangles were sublime and satisfying.

Delectable options to stave off hunger pangs include Peranakan Sliders (RM20) of braised duck breast sandwiched in crispy mantou with chilli dip, and

Beef Lollipop (RM28) – superbly tender and juicy marinated beef cubes with saffron and garlic aioli. 

Having sampled them, the snacks hit the spot well. We even ordered additional portion of the Beef Lollipop and Gruyère Cheese Sandwich.

Note: Farquhar’s Bar is open daily from 230pm to midnight during the pre-Covid19 days. To sample the Sundowners' Tapas mentioned above, head over to Palm Court from 4pm to 7pm daily (refer below pix).

For more information and reservations, please call Eastern & Oriental Hotel Penang, tel: 016-419 8923 or visit:

 https://www.facebook.com/eohotels/

NEW MENU FEEDS ALL AT HOTEL MAYA KUALA LUMPUR

One menu integrating signature specialities from Still Waters (Japanese and Cantonese), Maya Brasserie (all-day dining) and Ramah Tamah (deli) makes it debut at Hotel Maya KL, to provide a seamless dining experience in the new normal.

 

Sharmini Morganasundram, General Manager of Hotel Maya KL said “a lot of thought has been put into this initiative, to ensure diners can enjoy their preferred cuisine at affordable prices whilst maintaining safe social distancing guidelines.”

 

The expansive selection lists Malaysian favourites, Western choices, Japanese and Chinese specialities, and even healthy vegan fare. 

 

 

Deftly prepared appetisers such as Wok-Fried Shelled Tiger Prawns with Butter, Golden Oats, Curry Leaves and Bird’s Eye Chillies (RM23), and Butter Squid with Salted Egg Yolk (RM28) hit the right note thanks to the delicacies’ airy-light batter and on-point crispiness.

We highly recommend the show-stealing Set Nasi Kerabu (RM18) – blue-tinged rice with butterfly pea flower jus accompanied by delectable fried marinated fried chicken, fish crackers, salted egg, grated coconut fish flakes and shredded raw vegetables. A marvellous ensemble of vividly robust accents and varied textural interests that will induce you to make short work of everything.

For a perennial dish that conjures up the feeling of festive revelry, nothing beats the stellar Set Nasi Tomato, Ayam Masak Merah, Jelatah, Sambal Belacan & Papadom (RM18). Again, the culinary team here pulls off the tomato rice with aplomb: the zesty-tomatoey chicken in chilli is sublime especially when augmented by the tart pickled vegetables, zingy shrimp paste sambal and crunchy papadom.

More sedate, non-spicy fare like Olive Vegetable Fried Rice with Shrimps, Fish and Golden Crispy Garlic (RM18) should go down well if you’re not partial to spices and chillies.

Tastes of the Orient take centrestage in three set menus: Ixora (RM60 nett for 2 persons), Hibiscus (RM80 nett for 2 persons) and Rafflesia (RM100 nett for 2 persons). Crowd-pleasing curtain-raisers such as Japanese Gyoza with Shrimp & Chicken and Unagi Tempura with Tobiko pave the way for heartwarming broths — my personal pick is the tantalising Braised Hot & Sour Szechuan Soup with Crabmeat, Fish Lip, Shrimps, Black Fungus, Mushroom, Szechuan Vegetable and Beancurd.

Creamy Chicken with Curry Leaves and Housemade Spicy Dried Shrimp Sauce, Deep-fried Spicy Seabass Fillet with Housemade Plum Sauce and Shredded Young Mango, and Stir-fried Sweet Beans with Celery, Carrot, Black Fungus, Lotus Root, Ginkgo Nuts and Crispy Almond Flakes are among some of the main dishes featured in the set menus. They pass muster with white or brown rice serving as the foil to partake them with.

 

Dessert to choose from range between Chilled Sea Coconut with Longan and Lemon Syrup and Double Boiled Dried Pear with Chrysanthemum, Sea Bird’s Nest, White Fungus and Dried Longan.

 

Dine-in at Hotel Maya KL on weekdays (except public holidays) from 11am to 8pm (last order 7pm). You can also bring Maya Meals Home via self pick-up or delivery: hotelmayakl.beepit.com daily from 11am to 8pm. Free delivery for minimum spend of RM60 within 5km from the hotel and RM80 within 10km radius.

For more information, contact Hotel Maya Kuala Lumpur F&B Hotline: 012-282 8187. Hotel Maya KL is located at 138 Jalan Ampang, KL.

DORSETT DINING CONVENIENCE AT HOME

Mmm…do you miss dining on piping hot dim sum? Imagine sinking your teeth into freshly made and steaming hot siew mai, prawn dumplings and BBQ chicken bao buns.

Pix courtesy of Dorsett Grand Subang

Now you can dine-in at The Emperor Chinese Restaurant, thanks to the resto’s Table for 2 and Table for 4 – Dorsett Grand Subang’s new norm dining experience.

If you prefer to #dinesafe and #eatwell in the comfort of home, opt for Dorsett Dining: Dim Sum Indulgence and Chill & Cook and range. We highly recommend The Emperor’s Muslim-friendly dim sum which is ready-to-eat after a quick steaming.

 

Hygienically packed in covered foil trays with simple reheating/cooking instructions, we find the Steamed Siew Mai Emperor Style (RM36 per 8 pcs/pack) utterly delicious when savoured piping hot off the steamer. Dotted with ebikko, the tasty minced chicken and prawn dumplings are second to none.

 

Whole springy prawns from the Steamed Prawn Dumplings with Coriander (RM36 per 8 pcs/pack) hit the spot with their natural sweetness. 

 

Bao fans will find the fluffy soft Steamed BBQ Chicken Buns (RM26 per 10 pcs/pack) irresistible. Trust me, it’d be hard to eat just one as the pillowy-soft buns are stuffed with flavourful, subtly sweet BBQ chicken filling.

After deep-frying the Deepfried Prawn Rolls with Cheese (RM42 per 1o pcs/pack), the crispy little parcels are simply scrumptious. For added substance, try the classic Yang Zhou Fried Rice with Shrimps and BBQ Chicken (RM 25 per serving for 1-2 persons) from the Wok Home @ The Emperor selection. Hearty and satisfying, you’d polished off every last grain.

 

 

The Emperor Chinese Restaurant is open from 12 noon to 10 pm daily for a-la-carte orders and for dim sum from 10 am to 6 pm daily from now until further notice.  For reservation, call 03-5031 6060 extn 1954.

Pix courtesy of Dorsett Grand Subang

Residents in the Mont Kiara and Sri Hartamas suburbs will be happy to know The Emperor’s Muslim-friendly dim sum will also be available at Dorsett Hartamas from 15^th June for dine-in at Table Talk and in-room dining as well as for online order, delivery or self-collection.

 

More convenient Chill & Cook options from Terazza Brasserie featuring popular Malaysian faves such as Kambing Marsala (RM65 per 500g pack) and Chicken Rendang (RM50 per 500g pack) among others.

 

Again, the Chill & Cook food packs are prepared by the Dorsett culinary team then kept chilled in sealed packaging. They save you the hassle of slaving in the kitchen as all you need to do is open the packaging and reheat the food.

Our first-hand experience is proof of its convenience and most importantly, the taste is as good as home-cooking with the spices retaining their flavoursome accents.

 

Available daily from 9am to 6pm for orders by phone, tel:03 5031 6060 ext 1954 or WhatsApp 016 2011 248. To order online for delivery or self-collection (by 5 pm) from the Dorsett website, click 

https://www.dorsettbooking.com/web/ OR terazzabrasserie.beepit.com