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Spice and everything nice at Herba & Rempah

Spice and everything nice at Herba & Rempah

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 

Party time with Jim Beam Highball bash

Party time with Jim Beam Highball bash

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 

Molina presents food for the gods

Molina presents food for the gods

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.

Lobster
Soft, luxurious brioche

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.

Potato
Brussel sprouts

Sepia was octopus with verbena, peanut, blueberry, goat cheese and Red Hornweed.

Sepia

The main course was lamb, perfectly done, still red at the centre, with artichoke, ramsons and buckwheat.

Lamb

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.

Sorrel
Carrot

Petite four with surprising tastes.

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

Dining extravaganza @SolaireResort

Dining extravaganza @SolaireResort

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 

Snapshots of Solaire Resort Entertainment City

Snapshots of Solaire Resort Entertainment City

It’s literally been more than 2 decades since I last visited Manila in the Philippines for a fashion shoot. I can hardly remember much of it – bits of Makati, the old church, going around in a taxi – that’s about it. This time round, 

Awesome celebration with Tiger Crystal Food Festival

Awesome celebration with Tiger Crystal Food Festival

I’ve been to quite a few Tiger Food Festivals in the last few years and I must say this year’s was quite happening! Some 10,000 guests flocked to 1U  Shopping Mall, PJ from Sept 5-8 for the Tiger Crystal Food Festival which has become a must-visit event for food lovers.

It was hot, hot, hot, yet guests showed up in full force to enjoy the mix of delicious food across four Food Zones. Of course, ice-cold Tiger Crystal was the perfect salve for the heat, light and refreshingly. There was the Tiger Crystal x CU Mart zone, offering a vibrant mix of grab-and-go bites from Korean convenience store CU Mart. This zone was all
about exploration and customisation as attendees discovered new ways to enjoy familiar favourites.

Foodie Lane united street food from around the world, from the familiar Japanese ramen and Italian pizza to local Malaysian delights. Top food vendors included Blue Reef Fish & Chips, Dai Tao Lalapot Kepong, Kinori Sushi, Isan Kaya, Na Jie China BBQ, Lut Gastrobar, Ramen Mob, Otaba, Little Lor, Undisclosed Location and Warung Babi Guling Jenny, among many others. The zone was a true celebration of global and local
cuisines.

The Supper Club zone offered intimate, interactive experiences with some of Kuala Lumpur’s most talented chefs from local restaurants Ember, Fire & Slice, Harmony House and Round Pizza. Diners enjoyed a front-row seat to culinary excellence here.

Inspired by North Asian dessert bars, the Dessert Bar zone had sweet stuff crafted with Tiger Crystal as a base ingredient, the likes of Coley, Dao Desserts, Donut Plan and MMM Café by Lesim.

We stuffed face, checked out lively games, live performances on stage and moved to the DJ spinning tunes. All in all, a successful outing with Tiger Crystal – looking forward to next year’s do already!

 

New offerings at Yun House

New offerings at Yun House

Yun House, the Michelin selected restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur. played host to a brand new menu of bold flavours, creatively crafted by Chef Jimmy Wong and his talented team. With colourful garnishes and innovative plating, pushing the boundaries of Cantonese fine dining, 

Charcoal grilled fare at Carbon fine dine

Charcoal grilled fare at Carbon fine dine

Deep inside Kota Damansara, PJ is a row of factory lots. We weren’t even sure if we were at the right place until we saw the words Carbon emblazoned across a grey building. Chef David Tay greeted us outside and took us through an amazing 

Luuma, glasshouse in the sky

Luuma, glasshouse in the sky

This is one instance where you can’t judge the resto by the building. A nondescript, almost drab office building in Brickfields, hides a lovely glasshouse on its rooftop. Spacious and bright, in the day it lets in a brilliant play of sunlight and in the night, a gorgeous view of the city skyline.

Luuma Dining & Bar offers a decent collection of cocktails, including a selection of creative surprises by the bartender when you order the Luuma Surprise. Cocktail prices are pretty competitive if not, a little lower than usual drinking spots.

The food rises above usual humdrum bar food to really praise-worthy mutton varuval (great with garlic bread) and an innovative take on nasi lemak with pasta (highly recommended). Spicy and expertly nuanced with herbs, the mutton goes well with garlic bread or rice while the essence of Nasi Lemak has been nicely encapsulated in the plate of pasta, complete with anchovies, peanuts and sambal in the mix.

Pizzas come large and unabashed with interesting toppings such as the Smoked Duck Pizza which came with duck and sliced peach. Surprisingly yummy, though I would ask for less BBQ slathered across next round. Prices range around  RM40-something depending on the topping or less that’s perfect for sharing.

We also tried the Aglio Olio Tiger Prawns Pasta – good, but not inspiring, especially since there’s other creative options like kam heong pasta and delish pesto. Skewers of Chicken Tikka Kebab, with a nice char and juicy chunks of chicken, was impressive, especially with the house mint sauce.

Only the Sirloin Steak which came with fragrant and better than average Black Pepper Sauce failed to live up to expectations as it was overcooked and tough. 

There’s a host of other stuff, both Western and Asian-fusion fare, on the menu so there’s lots more to explore here. It’s also a great place to host an event, even weddings have been held here. What’s really nice is how the skyline looks so different and even prettier at night. I would definitely say yes to a repeat visit.

Add: LEVEL 20, MENARA SENTRAL VISTA, 150, Jln Sultan Abdul Samad, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur. Hp: 019-499 6770

  

Authentic Peruvian fare at Feliz

Authentic Peruvian fare at Feliz

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