Liyen at the Ritz Carlton

We are all victims of preconceived notions. I for one, when you mention Ritz Carlton, see Ringgit Signs flying out of the wallet faster than you can say WHY TEE EL! I've always thought the price to eat in any outlet there is beyond ordinary mortals like me.

When Lyla of Il Lido invited me to sup there one night, I was thrilled. And with such good company too, for on the guest list, were Marian, aka The Makan Fairy Godmother, Alilfatmonkey, Aly of Red FM, Ciki of Cumi & Ciki, and the Goddess of the Food Bloggers herself, Boolicious of Masak Masak. At hand to play host were Oliver Ellerton, that young dashing Brit fella, and the very demure Andrea.

The Ritz Carlton is a boutique hotel, so its not so easy to waltz in and out anonymously. Which I find intimidating. However, we were politely led to Liyen, the Chinese Restaurant.

Alilfatmonkey trying to discreetly dislodge a piece of monkey food from his jaw perhaps?


Is Marian saying a little prayer, "oh Lord help me get through this nite with all these monkeys around me"...


First, a most homely watercress soup with pork ribs, wolfenberries, (gei chee). This is one of my favourite comfort soups. I love the bitterish tinge imparted by watercress. Although, it has been seared in my mind, that classic scene in Dynasty, (yes, I am from that era), where Joan Collins says to Linda Evans, who had served watercress sandwiches, "dahlink, only giraffes eat watercress". Call me a giraffe then, albeit a portly one...I love my watercress.


Glistening Peking Duck. It's strange how it's retained the name, no one calls it Beijing Duck. Peking Duck does sound more perky... and pecking.





I love it that its served with these traditional flourlike pancakes, the chinese tortillas. I am not a fan of those eggy yellow pancake impostors that many chinese restaurants use to serve their Peking Duck in.





Fragrant Prawns in Champagne. The aroma of champagne was very distinct, and imparted a subtle flavour to the prawns, which were fresh sea prawns.


Ah, all the British fella flocking together. (Private Joke)


The Lovely Lyla of Il Lido


Them Camw****s.


Ciki and the demure Andrea


Look at my prawn shells, says Aly, the Queen of the Prawns


This has to be my favourite dish of the night. Baked Spare ribs with chinese tea leaves. The slightly charred glaze, paired together with the wonderful scent of tea leaves, plus the excellent cut of meat, ribs that fell of the bone....ah, I could just eat this alone. And, it is reasonably priced at RM14 per rib, if I recall correctly. Same price as some establishment in Robson Heights famous for their ribs.





Honey Glazed Cod Fish. Some commented that it looked like Char Siu. Well, it might have, but it didn't taste like char siu. Cooked to perfection, flaky yet firm, just the right amount of glaze so as not to make it sweet like a cake.





Liyen's signature Spinach Tofu with Honshimeju (what a mouthful) mushrooms. Can't go wrong with beancurd, and paired with Popeye's favourite green vegetable, makes for a power packed parcel of goodness. Actually, I wouldn't mind having just this, the ribs, and rice.


But speaking of rice, OHHHH MY, this fried rice, fried with the duck meat from the Peking Duck, absolutely glorious. Fluffy grains of rice, fried in a hot enough wok, interspersed with the juicy flesh of the duck, ....I'm in fried rice heaven!




And to wash it all down, avocado cream! Frankly, a bit too rich a way to end such a superb dinner. A clear sweet tongshui would've been much better. Nevertheless, for avocado fans, this is a must. Rich, creamy and bursting with avocado goodness.






And Alilfatmonkey in the various stages of his avocado cream.

So yeah, the the preconceived notions dispelled, I look forward to heading back to Liyen for some lovely tea leaf ribs, and oooh, just about everything else. The place is non halal.

Thanks Oliver and Andrea for being such gracious hosts, and Lyla, for the invite.

MIGF in Chynna

THREE OUTLETS, THREE CHEFS, THREE FESTIVAL PROMOTIONS AND A MICHELIN STAR CHEF, cries the press release.



So when Aly of Red FM asked me if I would like to attend the MIGF thingie at Chynna, I replied, "Hmm, let me think long and hard about this. Great company, great venue, possibly great food"...think think think..."duhh, [slapping forehead], I think I have to say YES".


The very affable Chef HH Lam, who has been with the Hilton so long, he says his H H stands for Hilton Hilton. (His real name is Chef Lam Hock Hin).


Cold Black Ink Soba in Sesame Sauce and Smoked Seared Hokkaido Scallops. The soba was delightfully al dente. At first bite, I initially thought the sauce was too salty, but surprisingly, as I continued eating, it didn't seem so, and by the end of it, all of us wouldn't have minded wiping our plates clean with a slice of bread.


Picture of a Picture..the Canon people took this nice pic of us...our fellow diners for the night are Celebrity Penang blogger, CK Lam, (the definitive Penang Street Food Guide), Eric Yong, Aly of Red FM, and ...little old me.

Double Boiled Duck Broth With Good stuff, Radix and Yu Zhu. Since Chynna is pork free, duck actually makes a fabulous substitute, because its fattiness and red meatness imparts a distinct flavour to the broth. Since I am one of those who goes, "Give Us This Day our Daily Soup" I was delighted with this dish. Clear, but so tasty, and chock full of goodness.


Seafood Platter With Canadian Cod, Curry Dry Prawns and Salmon Tangy Mustard Sauce. I personally liked the Cod the best, despite not being a big fan of cod. The salmon was also very well cooked, not overdone, still moist in the centre. The interesting sauces that accompanied the trio really complemented each one.


The Salmon, and a crispy bit of deep fried salmon skin. Absolutely yummy.





Sous Vide Lamb Cutlet With Pepper Mint Sauce. Behold the lamb. Not something you'd make at home, coz you need to marinate, vacuum pack it, steam it, and pan sear it. Excellent dish this. In fact, Chynna is famous for its lamb. Their mint fried lamb is always a hit.


Wok Fried Somen Noodle With Shell Meat served in a Golden Katafi. You know, every last bit of this was good. Even the golden katafi nest. Finished every last strand. Truly inspired, this dish. The piece of shell meat gave that interesting chewy texture, the noodle the springy texture, the nest, the crispy texture. Can a tongue handle so many sensations I ask!


I love the setting of Chynna.... the hot steaming steamers... I am not sure what they were steaming at that hour of night.


Coconut Mousse Cake With Pumpkin Puree. More western than chinese, as pointed out by my fellow diners. But good, nonetheless. A bit like a panna cotta, but not as smooth.



The Hilton PR people were doing musical chairs, flitting between Iketeru, Senses and Chynna, and here we manage to capture the very belle Bel.

At RM168++ per head without wine pairing, I'd say this was pretty good value for money, as far as the MIGF selections are concerned. Wine pairing is RM 248++.

I'm putting this up in a hurry so ahem, it'll get longest and soonest possible exposure, since MIGF only lasts a month, and a week is already gone.

Thanks to Chef Lam, Bel, Jean for being such gracious hosts, and of course to Aly for inviting me.

Villa Danielli, MIGF

It is upon us again, that annual event of gastronomic pleasures for an entire month. Our very own Octoberfest so to speak. The Malaysian International Gourmet Festival.



When all the best chefs showcase their talents. Actually, I think it's just an excuse to fill the gaps. Malaysia is one annual eating fest anyway. In the beginning of the year, there's the Chinese New Year frenzy, then there'll be Valentine's Day, ...any excuse to eat.

I was delighted to get an invite to Villa Danielli, by the lovely Evelyn Koh of Sheraton Imperial. Traffic that day however, was diabolic. It took my fellow diner, Unkaleong, 1½ hours to travel from his office at Citibank to Sheraton Imperial. Half the other guest were late as well.


The fine dining, elegant romantic setting...great for couples, nightmare for food bloggers...terrible lighting for photography.


Il Divo Malaysian Style? Preparing their next presentation?

Guest Chef Fabrizio hails from The Westin, Beijing Financial Street, and his Festive Menu which we got to sample included:


Cappesante marinate agli agrumi, micro insalatine, mandorle tostate...all these Italian names...sounds like a catholic liturgy...almost want to say AMEN after that...
Citrus marinated scallops, micro salads, toasted almonds
Torralta Prosseco, Piedmont Prosecco. This was probably my favourite dish. Simple, refreshing, fresh, and the tangy citrus complemented the scallops.




Crema di cannellini, raviolo al fegato grasso e granchio al vapore
White bean soup, goose liver raviolo, steamed blue flower crab
Kim Crawford, Malborough, Sav Blanc 2009. I love the soup, a thick, hearty wholesome soup, a meal on its own. I thought the raviolo was a bit too heavy.


Tagliolini di grand duro, cream di zucca, gamberi croccanti e chips di patate rosse
Hard wheat tagliolini, pumpkin veloute, crispy prawns and beetroot chips
Ruffino Libaio IGT, Tuscany, Chardonnay 2008. I'm impressed they managed to keep the crispy prawns moist on the inside.


Filetto di spigola, torata di pomodorini, rucola
Pan seared sea bass fillet, cherry tomato tart,, rucola. Initially, I thought it smelt fishy, but there was no fishy flavour accompanying the smell, and it was a delightfully light and clean dish.
Robert Mondavi Private Selection, California Pinot Noir 2008


Herb crusted Lamb Cutlets.




Cannoli Sciliani Ripieni di ricotta al cioccolato e canditi, salsa al pistachio
Deep fried crispy shells, chocolate and canditi ricotta, pistachio sauce
Ruffino Serelle Del Chianti, Tuscany, Vin Santo 2006. Now, I've always been fascinated by Cannolis ever since learning about it on EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND, where there was one episode that featured this dessert. The ones I've had so far, in KL, have been shockingly disappointing, so I was pleasantly surprised by this one. The pastry was light, and almost fluffy, and the fillings were good too.






My fellow diner, and Evelyn of Sheraton.


The two chefs, Fabrizio, and resident Chef De Cuisine, Chef Kamaruddin, aka Chef Bob


Chef Bob's Festive Menu

Saffron risotto timable filled with beef ragout, green pea and poached quail egg served with fresh ricotta cheese and wild mushroom sauce

Mille Feuille of Purple Potato, tiger prawns, slipper lobster and tarragon mantecato

Gnocchi with white wine braised onion, venison ragout and light taleggio cream

Anchovies and stracciatella cheese ravioli with lobster and artichokes in red mullet star anise broth

Purple asparagus cream, oyster foam and basil oil with crushed pink peppercorns

Seafood soup caciucco style, spicy blue crab broth and fresh buffalo mozzarella

Lamb cutlet thyme gratin with parmesan potato lasagna, olive oil artichoke cream and herb jus

Sea salt crusted beef tenderloin wih crunchy polenta and white asparagus compote with grain mustard and beef jus

Pan fried wild sea bass medallion on capsicum panzanella topinambur cream and anchovy oil


Pricing:
5 course set RM220++
4 course set RM180++
3 course set RM150++

Wine Pairing
4 glasses wine RM120++
3 glasses wine RM90++
2 glasses wine RM60++

Many thanks to Cindy and Evelyn for playing the gracious hosts, as usual.

To contact, Call Sheraton Imperial, 03-27179900.

Jarrod & Rawlins Revisited

It's nice, and almost flattering, when people from F&B establishments reinvite you to a particular outlet. It kinda reinforces your worth ... alright, maybe I exaggerate, but you get my drift, its a nice feeling. It's like when there are repeat orders from customers for cake. Speaks volumes.

A few weeks ago, that lovely young lass, Elaine Chow, previously from Grey PR, invited me again to Jarrod & Rawlins for their new menu. It's scary how quickly time flies. A quick check revealed the last visit was in December 2009, and in the blink of an eye, its almost October 2010. Incidentally, my baby girl, who I felt was just born, just finished her UPSR last week. Gasp! Soon you'll be reading a post about my daughter's wedding dinner, and how I was drunk and don't remember anything. As I descend into a panic, let me veer back to the topic at hand.

Yes, Jarrod and Rawlins, that lovely homely place in Lorong Dungun, the perfect locale for a lazy weekend brunch with my favourite meat.... nothing like the scent of frying bacon to cheer up even the most despondent of souls. To add to the bonus, Paranoid Android asked if he could tag along, because he's never been, but not so much to eat, as to take pictures. Elaine kindly allowed it. I was thrilled, coz if you follow Paranoid's blog, you'd know that his pictures are almost too perfect to be human. He is afterall an Android.

ALL PHOTOGRAPHS IN TODAY'S POST ARE COURTESY OF PARANOID ANDROID.

Fish Fillet With Parsley Sauce, boiled potatoes and grilled zuchinni. Okay, to be honest, I think the best way to eat fish is the Chinese restaurant way. Grilling fish produces such hit and miss results. The overall presentation was pleasing, but the fish was not memorable.


Prawn Pasta with spiced cream and basil pesto. Cant go wrong with this combination, and is probably a dish I could finish on my own.



Vegetarian Pasta With Zuchinni, Bell Peppers, Tomato, Pesto and Wine. A healthy combination of deliciously grilled vegetables tossed in a springy al dente pasta.





Chicken Mushroom and Leek Pie. A winner here. Lovely light puff pastry, and a hearty solid filling, reminiscent of mother's cooking, if you are a Caucasian, that is...


Pretty as pie.


Some artistic thing taken by Paranoid Android, I also dunno from where....



J&R Premium Beef Burger with Cheese (made with 180g Prime Beef Pattie). The burger was delightfully dense, and tasted beefy alright. None of that processed stuff you get from you know where.


Now here's a dish you don't see very often. Toad in the hole...sausages in yorkshire pudding. I suspect it was a cheap dish to use up leftovers in the days of yore, a British chop suey, so to speak. However, these days, gourmet sausages replace bits and bobs of leftovers... and it makes for a substantial meal on its own.



Smoked Duck Pasta With Rocket and Mushroom. Hmm, I think this was my favourite dish of the day. Excellent combination, of the leafy greens, the earthy mushrooms, and the gameyness of smoked duck, adorning the carbohydrates in the form of pasta.


For dessert, a very acceptable creme brulee. Loved the texture. However, I feel that they could enhance it by using real vanilla bean.

These new items were launched on Sept 3rd. Amongst the other stuff that are on the new menu but we did not sample are,

Linguini Gorgonzola with Radicchio & Toasted Pine Nuts
Roast Beef & Beetroot Salad with Horseradish & Sour Cream
Creamy Pea Soup with Ham & Bacon
Pork Cumberland Sausage served with Mustard, Mashed Potato & Coleslaw
Gammon Steak with Parsley Sauce & Boiled Potatoes
J&R Club Sandwich with Tomato, Lettuce, Ham, Bacon & Cheese
Whole Slab of Hickory Baby Back Ribs (approx. 1.2 kg) served with Baked Potato & Coleslaw
Selection of Creamy Milkshakes (Vanilla / Chocolate / Strawberry / Vanilla Malt)
Chocolate Mousse

Paranoid Android, you did say you'd like to sample the food there again right? When shall we go?

Thanks again to Elaine for a lovely meal. 2 hours of workout after that was not enough to negate the effect of the decadent brunch.