Food Explorer & Home Chef
The MICHELIN Guide Kuala Lumpur & Penang 2025 has unveiled the latest list of the MICHELIN Starred, Bib Gourmand and MICHELIN Selected restaurants, honouring 143 restaurants across Malaysia’s dynamic culinary landscape. This third edition highlights the country’s finest gastronomic experiences and introduces new award categories …
Over 2,000 people were present when Guinness Malaysia, the Official Beer of the Premier League, crowned its first Grand Prize winner at the spectacular Guinness Matchday event held at Sentul Depot recently. The sheer joy on Gregory Isaac’s face was unmistakable when his name was …
Stumbled upon Lee Ga in Desa Sri Hartamas while in search of authentic Korean food beyond the usual BBQ one of those days. Korean cold noodles aren’t as popular here but naengmyeon done right, is really quite refreshing and tasty.
The version at Lee Ga in Desa Sri Hartamas is the real deal, straightforward with only an egg for protein and some garnishing of sliced cucumber, Korean pear and pickles. The noodles looked like vermicelli but texture-wise was a slightly firmer and chewier. The cold ‘soup’ was the first thing that hit the palate. Sometimes made from beef, this tasted like it was purely from radish water kimchi as the soup was clear with just the slightest tangy sweetness. More of a winter dish apparently, however, this made more sense for our tropical weather as it’s cooling. My dinner mate didn’t care much for it as he prefers hot food. I quite liked the clean and palate-cleansing taste though for something without much ingredients, it’s not cheap.
The gukbap went down better, piping hot soup with pork slices and innards, plus rice. The white meat broth was a little bland – that’s where the condiments and banchan add flavour. Nourishing and soul satisfying, there’s a beef version as well.
We also ordered the seasoned stingray, which was raw but seasoned by the sauces, like ceviche Korean style. Somewhat fishy, tangy and strong tasting, it’s an acquired taste. I liked it but No. 2 wasn’t a fan.
I also enjoyed the Mung Bean pancake, different from the usual kimchi pajeon. Taste better with the vinegar sauce.
Certainly different from the normal Korean menu, I highly recommend Lee Ga if you’re open to trying other facets of Korean food.
Add: 34G, Jalan 27/70a, Desa Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur. Call: 03-28562041
Built around the theme of a canteen, the resto offers popular Japanese incantations and free-style fusion dishes that are pocket-friendly, suitable even for those not so keen on the usual raw Japanese offerings as most stuff here are cooked. A place I’ve been meaning to …
Off the eaten track, 3 handsome abang – Irham, Ehsan and Syariman – have banded together to open Hening in a lovely vintage bungalow off Jalan Damai in Kuala Lumpur. Decor has been kept simple, original rooms and terrazo floors retained and walls decorated with …
So happy that Emilio Cibo E Vino KL opened in my hood. Showcasing true blue Sicilian fare, Emilio is in Glo mall, PJ and offers almost home-style Italian food, as though your Italian friend invited you for dinner.
Mussels or Zuppa Di Cozze E Vongole, is a must-have here, Emilio’s version being live mussels and clam stew, done simple with garlic, chilli, tomato sauce and parsley. The starter dish to try is the eggplant – caponata, cooked the way Emilio’s grandmother used to do it, to be savoured with foccacia that feels like a cross between pita and pizza. Super delish!
While chatting, we also munched on Frittura that was deep-fried baby crab, shrimps and squid. Dangerously addictive.
Pasta is done in Italian al dente texture so if you like soggy carbs, this place is not for you as the chef will not compromise on his hometown food. In particular, the rich Tartufo with truffle cream sauce and poached egg is a signature standout, with large flat pasta pieces, quite different from the usual commercial pasta most people are accustomed to.
There’s a good selection of Italian wines, and we tried a Sicilian one. Pretty light, easy drinking white and perfect accompaniment for the food. Dessert was tiramisu of course, and here it comes with pistachio.
Prices are pocket-friendly, ambience is cozy, like your neighbourhood diner, and if Emilio is free, he’s more than happy to share about the ingredients and Sicilian cooking style, and why it’s a little different from the rest of Italy. His wife is Korean, BTW, so he’s pretty well versed in Asian nuances.
Add: LG-10 Ground floor, Glo Damansara, 699, Jln Damansara, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur. Call: 03-7731 6337
Almost every other Nyonya resto offers Melaka-style Peranakan food so it was a nice change to find Herba & Rempah offering flavours that’s Penang influenced instead. Owner/cook Jay Mee, formerly a PR consultant, started her online biz during MCO which transitioned into a physical shop …
Jim Beam, the world’s number one bourbon brand, cranked up the excitement at the highly anticipated Jim Beam Highball Bash 2024 at APW Bangsar on Sept 26 and 27. Attendees came together to vibe with their tribe with dynamic personalities and Tribe Leaders in their …
Sitting pretty on the 51st floor of THE FACE Style hotel, Molina is the product of a partnership between epicurean Datuk Alex Tan and 2-Michelin starred chef Sidney Schutte from the Netherlands.
A visionary chef, keen to bring a spectrum (also the name of his restaurant in Amsterdam) of delicious and intense flavours to this part of Asia, his menu is a wonderful avant-garde selection with Northern European sensibilities.
Vegetables and seafood are the big stars of Molina’s menu; this is where Sidney’s roots are established, at
the shores of the south of the Netherlands. Recognised as an SVH Master Chef, the highest recognition a chef can achieve in the Netherlands, Sidney was awarded Chef of the Year by Gault & Millau and ranked number 65 on the list of “The Best Chef Award 2017”. Known for his use of bold flavours and unique culinary style, his dishes
render an exquisite aesthetic appeal, superior display of textures, and perfectly balanced tasting notes.
He has entrusted the kitchen to his former sous chef, Belgian Guillaume Depoortere, to flesh out the tastes and flavours of his choice, and this he has managed to capture beautifully.
Molina is cozy and intimate, oozing sophistication with gorgeous views of the KL skyline. One floor up is a private room for 12, with huge windows showing off more of the spectacular view. Only 7 to 9-course tasting menus are available (RM788), with an option for wine pairing (RM378); it felt like 4 hours went by almost too fast in this private space.
We were gobsmacked right at the start with Lobster that had beetroot, cherry, foie gras, tomato and tonka bean. Plating was on another level – everything from the whimsical sugar cylinder, twirly bits to the fuschia coloured base – were edible. And how do we eat this? Just mixed everything together, we’re told.
This, and the rest of the dishes, revealed a taste sensory fiesta; a tinge of sour when you least expect it, a note of sweet which didn’t seem possible, a hint of woody savoury which you can’t put a finger on. Every dish was too pretty to eat, in particular Potato with oyster, vanilla, sour cream, pear and caraway, that looked like a miniature beach with pebbles and tree branches reaching to the sky. Even the Brussel Sprouts looked like a lush forest.
Sepia was octopus with verbena, peanut, blueberry, goat cheese and Red Hornweed.
The main course was lamb, perfectly done, still red at the centre, with artichoke, ramsons and buckwheat.
Followed by Sorrel which had white chocolate, basil, fennel, rhubarb and wheat grass. Yes, this was dessert, so different but still delightful in every facet.
Another astonishing creation was Carrot, a mix of liquorice, cream, pumpkin caramel and smoked butter.
Even the Petite four had so much effort put into them, despite being just a light end to a meal.
Service was personal and impeccable, and Molina’s outstanding culinary experience leaves a distinct impression.
Add: Level 51, The Face Style, 1020 Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur. Call: 03-21681771
I was whisked away over a weekend to Solaire Resort Entertainment City in the Philippines recently, and what an experience it was! The huge imposing facade of Solaire Resort greeted me way before I was anywhere near, it’s that big. Once we arrived, it was …