Food Explorer & Home Chef
It’s been years since I’ve stepped into Avenue K in Kuala Lumpur and I had no idea the top floor was such an attractive haunt for exotic food. Feliz, probably the only Peruvian restaurant around town, is headed by chef Franco Aldana who’s bent on …
Tiramisu anyone? By that, I mean latte – something in between a cake and a drink. Even looks like a tiramisu in a glass, except that you dive through layers of mascapone to get to the coffee. Nice, but too sweet for me. I preferred …
Does your wine taste cheap? The fault may lie with your stemware rather than your wine. Over the last two years, Artisan Blue which offers exclusive private RIEDEL glass wine tasting experiences in Malaysia, has been educating wine connoisseurs on how the design of a glass can significantly improve the aroma, taste and texture of a wine.
Co-founder Jeff Ng of Artisan Blue, an alcoholic beverage wholesaler, took us on a journey of discovery that explored the uniqueness of RIEDEL glasses. Armed with a 286-year-old history, the Austrian glass manufacturing label has built its reputation on designing specific stemware to uncork the personality of different grape varieties and the subtle character of wines.
We tried 4 grape varieties – Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon – using top-of-the-line RIEDEL Performance Tasting Set. Backed by science, the architecture of each glass including its size, shape and opening, is optimally designed to control the amount of contact between air and wine while directing the flow of wine at the ideal speed to the correct part of the tongue.
Exquisitely crafted from crystal with a fine, elegant stem and perfectly stabilised base, the laser-cut, fine rim creates a seamless transition from glass to mouth. For comparison, a joker glass ( a standard-shaped traditional wine glass with a thicker rim diameter) was used to prove that when it comes to wine, the right glass does matter.
In between sips of fine wine, we savoured mustard seed-crusted cream cheese and gouda truffle from France, also brought in by Artisan Blue. While learning the art of glass handling, washing and proper wine etiquette, Jeff regaled us with stories of his adventures through the vibrant vineyards of Europe.
He stayed in a vineyard during his trip to Tuscany, Italy and visited the top vineyards such as Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Margaux, Château Smith Haut Lafitte and Château Angelus in Bordeaux, France where he learned firsthand about the different grape varieties, terroir and winemaking techniques.
After a personal invite to visit the RIEDEL glass-making factory in Kufstein, Austria, he was inspired by his eye-opening trip to share his knowledge and insights by offering an experience rather than just a product. Jeff is currently pursuing the coveted title of Ambassador for RIEDEL Glass to empower more wine enthusiasts to drink less and enjoy more.
The passionate wine connoisseur says, “My mission is to make the love of wine accessible to all with a focus on fair prices, quality education, and unrivalled tasting experiences. I believe wine is a powerful tool for building connections and creating memorable experiences.”
Artisan Blue also imports its wines from renowned winemakers from Italy and France including Barolo in the Piedmont region in Italy, Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the Rhône region in France and Burgundy region in France.
Artisan Blue’s exclusive RIEDEL glass wine tasting experience is at a special price of RM189 (valued at RM1,900), available for a limited time only.
For more deets, visit badwineorwrongglass.com or call Jef at 012-349 6705.
Get a load of the fat and rich marbling seen in a raw slab of meat! That’s Kobe for you! Did you know that only 10,000 heads of cattle are produced as Kobe Beef by Japan each year, and only 10 are imported into Malaysia? …
Nestled in a cozy residence in Kuala Lumpur is a private dining experience that brings you to Spain. Chef Gabriel Bonnin who is the head chef at Artisan’s Playground by Cookhouse, also runs Verbena, a private dining enclave in Damansara Heights. Dinner usually involves a …
Normally I’ll go straight into the food, but I can’t help gushing about the gorgeous decor at Sarastro KL by Milennihm at Tribeca serviced hotel! Hidden behind a set of bookshelves at the Millenium Lounge, Sarastro opens up to an almost vintage looking dining room with ceiling high glass window on one side looking out to KL’s skyline. Feels like you’ve walked into a rich man’s personal library, especially the private rooms that come with comfy sofas and armchair. From Thurs to Sats, a live singer/band entertains to add to the romantic mood.
The food is Spanish/European with Asian accents, with emphasis on small plates. We tried some 9 different dishes, among the notable ones include spicy squid with gojuchang sauce, portobello fries, sriracha boxing chicken and crispy calamari with squid ink aioli. Only thing that didn’t measure up was the seafood croquette that was somewhat dry and doughy.
The portobello fries were quite unusually done, and being temptingly crisp and yummy, this finished quite fast.
The chicken wings were well marinated and very flavourful.
One of the fav of the night was the spicy squid with gojuchang. The umami in the subtle beldn of sweet, savoury and spicy really brought out the best in this dish.
The lightly sweet and spicy okra Thai salad was nicely different and appetising.
We tried the miyazaki wagyu tenderloin that was seared nicely pink for medium rare. This was good but the lamb rack with dijon aioli wins the night with its lovely moist meat. The soft shell crab sambal was a pleasant surprise, with a slight kick to the spiciness and giving a wake up edge to the meal in case the flavours were too mundane.
Only the chicken piemontese was a bit bland and didn’t stand out. The tomato pesto could have been heartier.
We ordered all the 3 available deserts to share – brownie was perfectly moist though a scoop of ice cream would have sealed the deal; the Sago mango Panna Cotta was fruity and refreshing. The churros though looked like they had been put on diet and lacked oomph.
Generally, Sarastro offers good quality food, and for a hotel, the prices are quite affordable. Definitely worth a night out to impress your date!
Add: 8th Floor, Tribeca Serviced Hotel, 215, Jln Imbi, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. Call: 03-2727 2280
For Mid-Autumn Celebration 2024, Oversea Restaurant features two new exclusive limited editions. The two new flavours – Snowy Tangy Yuzu and Snowy Hazelnut Chocolate Ganache mooncakes – are limited to 1,000 pieces each only. Each mooncake flavour showcases a delightful fusion of flavours, expertly handmade …
This year, Lady Yi’s Tea House at Four Points by Sheraton Kuala Lumpur, Chinatown is presenting its Lunar Treasures Mooncake Collection, an ode to childhood memories and time-honoured traditions. This year’s celebration features two new additions to their crowd-favourite mooncakes and a festive gift box …
Once a year, the Oriental Group of Restaurants come up with a special chef’s menu, and this year is extra special as it is their 25th anniversary. Curated by their Master Chefs team, the unique dishes require special ingredients, arduous preparations and delicate skill.
The media had a sneak preview:
*Soft shell crab and crispy enoki mushroom fruit and veggies salad.
*Double-boiled superior birds nest stuffed in chicken
*Deluxe roast suckling pig platter
*Braised whole 5-head abalone with dried seafood in whole lotus root
*Braised ramen with king prawn
*almond cream with egg white
*Jade corn desert and green tea mochi
Every dish was pure delight, executed with finesse. I enjoyed every single one of them but if I had to choose I would say the suckling pig was in a class of its own, and the soup quite unusual, generously stuffed with birds nest. So rich and full of umami, the soothing soup was nutritious and indulgent.
The starter salad had elements of CNY with a prosperity toss of sorts while the seafood lotus ‘boat’ contained ingredients that had been braised for hours. Even the ramen was quite special, with the gravy rich with the sweetness of the prawn coating the noodles.
Available from Aug 8 till 29, the dishes can still be ordered after this period thru special request.
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#masterchefcuratedmenu
For Mid-Autumn Festival 2024, EQ presents a delicious array of mooncakes in both traditional and modern interpretations – Celestial Treasures with 11 flavours of mooncakes to choose from. The traditional baked mooncakes in golden brown traditional pastry comes with white lotus with a single yolk, …