Ah, 7.50, I beat the KL Jam by making a few smart detours, and taking the back lanes to emerge on the right side of Jalan Tun Razak. I have to say that after all these years, the lighted up Twin Towers is a spectacular sight, juxtaposed against the naked dark sky.
Of all the Delicious outlets, the one at Dua Annex is my favourite. Although the one at Bangsar Village is nearest to me, it strikes me as one of those places people go to be seen, and me being shy as I am, shy away from places like that unless I have no choice. I meet Poh Lin, the Marketing Boss of Delicious, whom I have also met at JHP's baking class last year. (Her tongue is featured in that post)
After the cursory hallos with our fellow diners, we start with a lovely starter of deep fried shrimp, that called out for a beer. However, I had no drinking company, so had to content myself with water.
An amazing garlic bread with an even more amazing tomato salsa. Very good.
Deep Fried calamari with Tom Yam dip was a winner. The dip was absolutely gorgeous. Bunga Kantan in a thick mayonaisse cum thousand island dressing kind of combination. Lovely.
French Fries Doused With Truffle Oil. I personally would have preferred it without the parmesan cheese that was scattered on top, tilting the entire dish to the salty side, and fries are usually already salty on its own. It also overpowered the subtle truffle oil, which really should be the star of this dish. Fries, truffles, heck, you cant really go wrong.
I have always been intrigued by the concept of the peanut butter banana sandwich, which Nigella Lawson, my goddess, demonstrated in one of her programs, inspired by the King himself, Elvis Presley. Apparently it was one of his favourites. I remember her frying the bread in liberal doses of butter, in a combination that looked shockingly unhealthy but divinely tasty all at once. This version seemed a bit healthier, as the bread wasn't swimming in butter.
Brioche wrapped in beef bacon (my hand quivers whenever I type those words.....bbbbeeef bacon...stammmering)....and perfectly done half boiled eggs. Oh, in case you hadn't figured it out, this was the "Breakfast" portion of the tasting menu. But who eats half boiled eggs in those elegant little egg stands??? Aiyo, I like my eggs in a bowl, with soya sauce and pepper. You're meant to dip (I think) the brioche into the eggs, in polite movements.
Croissant, scrambled eggs and smoked salmon. I could easily have this for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The creamy scrambled eggs, still runny, but not yolky, despite its sunshine yellow appearance.
We move on to the Salads.
Trio of Japanese salad. For the health enthusiast, the slimy seaweed offers lots of nutritional benefits. It was a tad fishy for me, and the taste of raw seaweed made me feel like a dugong grazing in the grassy waters of the South China Sea, just before being mowed down by errant motorboats.
Crabmeat tart. Absolutely loved the buttery pastry encasing the tart. The crabmeat was a bit overpowered by the eggy filling.
For those who don't like the taste of crab, but enjoy its complex texture, then this tart would be crab nirvana, as there is barely a hint of crabbiness or marine life.
Someone said they saw the Macdonalds delivery guy at the door. Kidding. The fish burger, which originally Abby kept saying, Chicken Burger...and all of us were looking at the menu perplexed. The Pescatarian (not Presbyterian) American couple next to me were thinking, Oh no, yet another inedible item for them. (Unless some of my half past six pescatarian friends who dont mind meat tainted food, this couple are stricter, and declined to partake of dishes that had been tainted with meat). Turns out, Abby was confused, and it was actually butterfish.
Portobello Burger, for the vegetarians, and pescatarians. As long as there is a meat eating bone left in me, I doubt this will rank high on my "must order" list.
Cross section of the butterfish burger.
Sour Plum Fizzy. Frozen asam boi in sprite. Interesting, but a bit too sweet for me.
Lamb kebabs With Yoghurt sauce, and mediterranean salad.
Wagyu Rump with three dipping sauces, Bernaise, Mushroom Reduction, and one other. As my beef palate has forever been spoilt by Michael Elfwing in the Senses lunch, I think I am unqualified to comment on any beef dish from thence forth and forevermore.
Oxtail Meehoon. A local version of what seemed to be a combination of the Vietnamese pho, and our local soup ekor, with hints of a chinese herbal soup, with chinese wolfenberries, and star anise. The garlic chilli sauce, with hints of fish sauce, added kick to the dish.
Balinese Chicken With Rice. Apparently this is a family favourite with the Delicious owners, and they have kindly offered it to the world.
Gravy Boat anchors over the Hainanese chicken chop. Mention hainanese chicken chop, and straightaway memories of Yut Kee, Coliseum and all the other old hainanese and now defunct establishments come to mind. They might be better off not making any Hainanese reference to the Chicken Chop, or just call it Delicious Chicken Chop, as it sets all kinds of expectations.
One of my favourite dishes of the night. Tuna meatballs with Pesto pasta. Yummy. The texture of the meatballs was interesting, without being dry, or bland, as tuna can sometimes be. The pasta and sauce were a marriage made in heaven. This I could eat a whole plate.
The other pasta.....with beef bacon, and a tomato based creamy sauce, which I found too rich. But if you're into rich pastas, hey, knock yourself out with this dish.
The two prominent ladies at the helm of delicious. Abby and May. Lovely bubbly fun.
Baked Cherry Chocolate cake, rich moist chocolate with a dark cherries somewhere inside.
Macadamia caramel cheesecake, which the Pescatarian Americans loved, but I found too sweet.
My favourite dessert, the coconut cake, LOVELLLY light layers of ethereal sponge, with layers of gelatinized coconut water I think, in between and smothered with a generous layer of fresh cream, coated in fresh grated coconut, not dessicated. Light, refreshing, and a MUST order for me.
The boys proceeded to strip the cake.
