My Inaugural 2012 MIGF Experience at Lai Poh Heen And Mandarin Grill

It is always a treat to eat in Lai Poh Heen at the Mandarin Oriental, because as far as pork free Chinese dining goes, it definitely ranks as one of the better ones, and Chef Ricky Thein, Executive Chinese Chef does take pains to ensure innovative and creative dishes tantalize our palates.  MIGF, or the Malaysian International Gourmet Festival stretches from 1-31 October, with quite a number of participating restaurants.  But like choosing a spouse, one has to be selective, I suppose....and unfortunately, cannot indulge in all the participating restaurants.





To begin, we were treated to the Hunan Ice Chilled Whole Baby Abalone.  Hunan in the way of preparation, and not in origin, according to Jean. 


The presentation is really rather attractive.  Bits of pomelo, avocado, kiwi and spicy sesame sauce makes the abalone salsa on this platter of crushed ice, almost poetically.  I am not sure of the significance of the caramel sugar stick though. 




Next, the double boiled "Kung Fu" soup, which no, does not contain the Panda of the same fame.  Elegantly served in what Eric Yong described as too big for a cup, and too small for a bowl, this clear but absolutely divine broth envelopes a cluster of very interesting sea food, ...


That thing on the spoon looks like a scallop had procreated with an abalone, and apparently that is precisely what it was, a painstakingly re-engineered scabalone.  (Scallop + Abalone).  No, it does not happen in nature, only in Ricky's kitchen.  My favourite dish of the night. 


Trio of Corn Fed Chicken, a Szechuan pepper spiced, wok seared with crispy skin menage a trois. 


Steamed Dragon Grouper roll, with Hong Kong Kai Lan and superior wine sauce.


Sun Dried Scallops Glutinous Rice, Serve in Dim Sum Basket.  Unlike the usual hor yip fan, (lotus leaf wrapped rice), this wrapping was edible, and it tasted as stunning as it looked.  Fluffy flavourful glutinous rice, encasing a huge scallop within. 









Chef Ricky in his signature Chef pose.  He is a Gold Medalist reciepient in the 5th World Golden Chef Competition for Chinese Cuisine in 2005.






Sweet Sensation - Peanut Coated Buttermilk cubic, green tea sauce, passion fruit infused coconut pudding.
The lunch time price is RM228++ per person without wine, and the dinner menu, which is the same, but for an additional Mandarin Orange Sorbet, is RM288++ per person, without wine. 





We move on to the next stop, the Mandarin Grill, where the flickering flames welcome wayfarers on a cold wintry night.  Well, not quite, I exaggerate. 





The futuristic entrance to the Mandarin Grill almost makes me expect to be beamed up somewhere or other. 




A wide selection of nosh is available for diners at the Mandarin Grill. 


The elegant interior of Mandarin Grill...


The breads in Mandarin Grill are superb, and usually I try not to eat too much bread as it expands like a sponge, but these hot buns with the gorgeous creamy butter and sour cream are too good to resist. 


Dug Leg Confit A la Orange - Braised apple red cabbage roasted potato dumpling.  Actually this dish is surprisingly main stream, for an MIGF dinner, which actually suits me fine.  You know how when you go for a classical concert, I actually prefer it when I know a few familiar favourites.  There's odd comfort in the familiar.  No complaints with the duck.  Love the accompanying braised  apple and red cabbage jam.







Rabbit Loin "Perigord", one of two choices in the Festival Dinner Menu.  Lamb lettuce, cep mushroom, truffle juice. 


Doversole Fillet, with salsify, baby spinach and grenobloise sauce, three words in one sentence that is beyond my vocabulary.  According to our friendly waiter, dover sole is the smallest flatfish, as opposed to Halibut, which is the biggest. 




Okay, that's not soap.  I don't know when all these foamy stuff came into vogue, probably with the advent of molecular gastronomy, but someone remarked on my facebook page that it looked like soap.  Plebians.  [tossing nose into the air with a snooty sniff, though secretly agreeing].  Halibut Fillet Winemaker Style, champagne choucroute, pomme chateaux, caramelized grapes.  The flavour of the fish was superb, though my piece might have been just slightly overcooked.  And fish can be so unforgiving. 




The choice of mains is either the fish, or the Pure Black Angus Tenderloin "saliou" with foie gras, brussel sprouts, smoked celery puree garnish bourguignon. 




For Dessert, White and Orange, white sacher sponge, bourbon vanilla bavarois, orange custard





This is Chef Reto Weber's second year in the festival.  He is the Chef De Cuisine, and has worked in 2 Star Michelin Star, Waselhorf, in 2000.


Some petit fours to wrap up the dinner, and selection of teas and coffees.

The Lunch menu at the Mandarin Grill is RM165 ++ for 2 courses, or RM195++ for 3 courses, without wine.  For dinner it is RM345++ without wine.

Check out their other festival offers
Mandarin Grill 03-21798960
Lai Poh Heen 03-21798885

Thanks to Jean, Jesslyn and Bel (in abstentia) for your ever gracious hospitality. 

An Afternoon Of Decadence With Galvin Lim, Of Les Amis, In The Mandarin Grill

The invitation from dear Jesslynn, Communications Exec of the MO, read, Media Wine Lunch Preview Of Contemporary European Cuisine With Galvin Lim, Group Executive Chef of Legendary Les Amis Group of Restaurants, Singapore, at the Mandarin Grill. It is seldom I see so many words that I love, all encapsulated in one invitation. Wine, Lunch? European Cuisine? Legendary Group of Restaurants? Mandarin Grill? Wow, it was like I had struck the eater's bingo. So, even though the event was on a Thursday, I thought oh well, life is leasehold, so why not indulge.

The thought of driving into the city, especially to Mandarin Oriental, is daunting, but the idea of driving BACK AFTER a wine lunch, is even more so. So, I decided I would join the rakyat and hitched a ride on the LRT, the best way, really, to get from Bangsar to KLCC. The MO was as usual, bustling with activity, and I was delighted to see that charming Belle, a familiar face, who led me to our little cosy enclave....




Wow, that is a LOT of alcohol for consumption at lunch time, I thought to myself. How absolutely lovely. And, a generous flow of Laurent Perrier champagne, which was absolutely sublime.


I had the good fortune to be seated next to Raymond Lim of the Les Amis group, (which encompasses a whole list of restaurants, like Les Amis, Cepage, HK, Au Jardin, Torisho Taka by Aoki, La Strada), who was great company for this luncheon. His vast knowledge of wine, and food made the hours fly by very quickly. Of course, the wonderful lunch, which ended at 4pm, is easily the best lunch I've had all of this year and last. Seriously.


Freshly baked bread which is so good, but so fatally filling, and really, should be totally omitted when serving such a lunch, as it takes up valuable stomach space.


Two types of butter, and fancy sea salt.


Scottish Clams Served on Black Sea Salt. No, not salt from the black sea, but Sea Salt which is black. I am not sure how this is achieved, or if it's from its natural state, but the glasses of Laurent Perrier, and subsequent other tipple, is like a "delete" function in my brain.





Eggplant Caviar. Gobules of goodness (and fish spawn) popping in the mouth, a staggering variety of textures, with the chewiness of the octopus, and the soft creamy texture of eggplant, and the salty marine goodness of the caviar.


I love eggs. If there is one thing I can eat everyday, (and heck, actually I almost do), it's egg, WITH a runny yolk. Pair this with my favourite white asparagus, this Ciabatta wrapped in white asparagus is really to die for. And that runny yolk. Something so simple, yet so incredibly good.





And these were just the WHITES to go with the first two starters. Not to mention the champagne before that.


Slow Cooked Danish Halibut "Sous Vide" Style - Black Winter Truffles, Potato Gnocchi and Sakura Ebi. Served with Perrin Reserve, Cote Du Rhone Blanc, 2009. Classy hor, old world white some more. Need I say more? Just look at the ingredients, and WEEP! Okay, perhaps the truffles were winter truffles, therefore could not have come from Europe, but they were still good. (From Australia)


Char Grilled Wagyu Rib Eye Cooked in hay.


Actually, there are two cuts here. One is the rib eye, the other is...err, I can't remember, but it is leaner than the Rib Eye, which is marbled. But both cuts simply melt in the mouth. I am not sure what the effect of cooking with hay is, maybe its an euphemism for cooking with grass, ...and begs the question, where does one buy HAY to cook with? Raymond, who has to eat the same thing again that night, gave me his chunk of meat, which I gladly accepted.


These glorious bovine beauties were served with M Chapoutier Bila Haut, Cotes Du Roussillon 2009. Live vicariously through me, and imagine a very red faced, chirpy diner at 3pm (which would be around the time we had the beef). On a weekday. It's nice to indulge in such decadence once in awhile.


For dessert, "sunny side up", pineapple with chilli. An interesting creation, consisting pineapple, some espuma like substance, and a hint of chilli. It's almost like eating air....very light.


Deconstructed lemon tart. Well, the menu says "Fancy Lemon Tart", but I love using the word "deconstructed" these days. Whilst of course, there is nothing random or messy about this particular creation, the use of deconstructed will hide a pot of sins (thanks Awhiffoflemongrass for you help with the collective noun) for messy bakers like me. Served with Chateau Tireculs Les Pin la Graviere, Monbazillac 1997, (NINETEEN NINETY SEVEN! I just got married that year). A perfect end to a perfect meal.


We have here Chef Galvin Lim of the Les Amis Group.

Now, as all fabulous shows should, this ended with an encore. From Raymond's personal stash.







Hibiki, single malt from Japan. The Japanese seem to not follow the usual Scottish in terms of aging, ie, not the usual 12,15,18,21....

This 17 yr old Hibiki, really made the day end on "high" note.

I must have reeked like a distillery as I waded amongst the rakyat in the LRT on the way back to reality.







Anyway, a truly fabulous and memorable lunch. Raymond, if you are reading this, do let us bring you around for Street Food the next time you are in town!