L'Heritage at Royale Chulan - not so good

13th January 2015

Scouting round for a venue for an upcoming IWFS function, Food Chair David hit on L'Heritage located in the Royale Chulan hotel off Jalan Conlay. This is a massive expanse of a hotel with a huge ballroom and opulent marble and big space everywhere. I had been to a function there with our acapella group a couple of years back and enjoyed a decent buffet at the coffee shop there, though there was no indication at the time that there were other restaurants elsewhere in the complex. Notwithstanding, L'Heritage appeared to be of good standing. Seems it was featured in the recent MIGF 2014 offering a decent looking and (according to the menu I received) award winning Western set meal for a fair price. David talked to them and they must have said the magic words "no corkage" so a trial dinner was fixed for Committee to sample.  

Table and ambience of L'Heritage

Parking was straightforward, though getting to the restaurant involved a stop at reception to ask how to get there. Once on the correct first floor, following signage proved a detour - had I ignored the direction signs I would have got to the place in five seconds. As it was I walked through the Malay, Chinese, and some other restaurant, all of which were empty. On reflection, seeing them all empty should have put me on alert that not all was well, but there you go - when you're on a mission to get somewhere you're not always open to these things. It was indeed, as the Kiwi remarked, like the Marie Celeste - empty and desolate and little evidence of life. Though a very pretty Marie Celeste it should be said - the room designated for our meal was most pleasant, reminiscent of a colonial deck with pristine chairs and tables. Table settings, wine service and glasses were excellent - the staff seemed to be good with people, though they did need a bit of wine guidance from David on occasion. Food service was also good - plates were cleared quickly and requests for more bread and water were met quickly and graciously. 

Oysters were a bit not good

The wines brought by the company (nine of us, though I brought an extra bottle of fizz) were superb. Three champagnes, one white, a Burgundy and three top end Bordeaux. I had brought a Connetable Talbot, the 2nd Wine from Chateau Talbot to try and pair with the beef. It was a bit second level in the vinous company so it got parked aside. It would eventually get drunk, though, as would the spare fizz. We are IWFS, these things are necessary.

Ultimately, though, it was all about the food and it was here that things fell quite flat. The Fin de Claire oysters were tiny and shrivelled and chewy and with a suspicion of age about them. The toppings were tastyish and well presented, but there was little to comment about them otherwise. Fail.

Seems the King Crab Royale and Atlantic Scampi were not available, so we got some greyish Crab on Mash potato with a rather large prawn whose homes of origin I did not manage to find out. Whilst the prawn was freshly acceptable and displaying good bite and chew, the crab and mash were a bit meh and snuzz. Individually each was not too bad, though the combo seemed to give an impression of stodgy. Seemed also to be a little over-salt on the potato. Fail.

Crab and Prawn - hmmm...

Drinks-wise, we were enjoying some lovely bubbles - starting with a delightfully light and fruity Thierry Grandin and giving way to a gracious 2004 Dom Perignon and a brawny 2002 Pol Roger Winston Churchill. I was half tempted to stand to attention and sing Rule Britannia while the Churchill got popped but the steely stern eye of the Governor from across the table quashed my eagerness. Winston was lovely and totally overpowered the Dom when supped side by side. Very masculine fizz. I'd had the Churchill at a Ribs dinner in November 2014, but tonight it was colder and the sense of frozen biscuit on the nose and yeasty bubbles in the cheeks was wonderful. Later on, though, the Dom showed a beautiful balance of bubbles and crisp crunchy verve. Lovely finesse in this one. Lady Astor's grace to the Winston Churchill wit. 

Roast Garlic Soup - tasty

Next out was the Roast Garlic soup which was the dish of the night - lovely texture and light crust which soaked up the broth a sweet and flakey treat. Could have supped this one all night, though the resulting Garlic Breath would make me vampire repellant for a year. Lenglui repellent also. Though Lenglui is not a vampire. Leastways not that I know of. Better stop this line of thinking…  the soup gets two thumbs up.

The Chapoutier Les Tanneurs Marsanne-Roussane blend was in the glass and was proving a delightful mouth of marzipan and lychee oriental fruits. Cool and mellow though with a lightness on the roof of the mouth. Tasty wine.

Which would have been belter with the Salmon if the Salmon had been a bit warmer. Poached and cold is not a good thing. And being paired with some Foie Gras was perhaps a bit adventurous and might have worked if the ingredients were totally fresh off the plane. As it was, the seeming slight age on the ingredients gave a somewhat ordinary result. The menu talked of mint, which might have zested the pairing, but I didn't get much mint in the mouth. The FG was wonderful on the bread with some butter, though. Ah, bread and butter and pate with a glass of wine and good friends around a table - the world comes into perfect focus. Bare pass for this dish.

Salmon and Foie Gras

The sorbet was decent enough, though perhaps a shade sugary in texture. 

And then came the start of greatness. A Vosne-Romanee 2004 had been brought and poured. Magnificent glass of wine. Breathing in cherry and perfumed air, roiling around the mouth like a soothing balm and coating the throat with that delicate film of delight that fires the senses into the poetic and exalted heights of the sublime. Darn, this was nice. A Brigit Bardot of a wine, starlet, full of life and body, a little voluptuous but chic and powerful. It was love at first sip. Well, maybe lust with shades of infatuation. O fantasy…

I had picked Beef and three of the Bordeaux had been poured to accompany. With the Vosne still in the glass, this was as close to vinous heaven as I have ever been. 

I quite liked the beef, though I might have liked it better if it had not been smothered in Bisto like gravy. It gave it that Heinz Oxtail soup feel, all meat stock and beefy oomph which is fine for stew but gets in the way of the steak. There was a slight herbal note which intrigued, though for me sauce should enhance rather than potentially hide. Can't remember the veg, though someone said the carrots were nice. Passable, though not in the league of Prime or Lafite.

The Black Angus with vegetables

And the three Bordeaux…  we had a 2008 Pontet-Canet, a 2003 Leoville Barton and a 1985 Domaine de Chevalier. Each showed definite Bordeaux character and quality, and varied only in finesse and silkiness in the finish, which one would expect given the softening tannins across the years. The Pontet-Canet was in good bloom, with the tannins coming into good season in the wine. The Leoville was tasty, with characteristic big fruit and mellowing tannins. The Chevalier was a charmer, all fine and glissando steely silk finish. Lovely, lovely wines all. But it was the Vosne that kept coming back and setting them all in context. Definitely a touch of greatness here. I have been darn lucky with some of the darlings I have tasted and this was a definite add to the list. Semi charmed kind of life? You have no idea…

The cheese was awful - looked and felt like supermarket offerings cut into slices and tasting of rubber. Complete fail. 

The final dessert was snuzz. Pretty ordinary ice cream and chocolate sponge of standard hotel quality. Not much to write about in glowing praise terms. Bare pass.

The Champagne and Marsanne

Both the 2009 Connetable Talbot and Vincent NV Cremant got cracked to end the night. The Talbot was most pleasant in a fruity way - Kiwi enjoyed it and said to give it three years to come into better balance. I have a couple left in the wine fridge, so three years it is. The Cremant was a most pleasant and boozy way to end the night - creamy crisp bubbles with a firm finish to cleanse the throat. Darn sight better than a sorbet. 

The Reds and my spare Cremant

So…  in sum, lovely venue, excellent service, a Brahma of a night for wine but pretty grim food. I think the problem with this place is two fold. First, there is clearly not enough business to maintain a top level foreign chef. These guys are like thoroughbred horses and footballers, they need to perform and cook and when they don't get the chance then their form and fire will start to fade and they'll be looking to new pastures. You have to let them run if you want them to stay; if you can't let them run because there's no one to run for, they'll die of boredom. I was later told that the Executive Chef was not in the kitchen for the evening and that it had been the number two in control. Hmmm….    

Second, it is a hotel restaurant and as a consequence blandness is often necessarily built into food preparation so as to not offend patrons. Couple this with the absence of the chef at a test dinner for a gourmet group and some of the food not appearing because it could not be sourced...  res ipsa loquitur. Would no way have won an award from me on this performance. 

The meal was not unfair in value terms and as said the service from the staff was excellent. At present, though, it is not a destination restaurant and it is unlikely to become one because presumably very few know it exists and one gets the feeling that no one really cares too much about raising the profile. It is a standard destination for official government functions and owned by the company that runs the Armed Forces pension fund so business revenue is fairly guaranteed. Give it a decent chef, though, and it might stand a chance. The setting is delightful. As it stands, though, there doesn't seem enough buzz about any of the food venues in the place, and the final whack of a RM24 car park bill underlined for me that a return in the near future is far from likely. Though in fairness I did get lucky with the car park - it wouldn't take my money and on trying to pay at reception the nice lady validated for me. Would be a great venue for visiting Michelin chefs, though. Now THAT might be an idea…

MIGF - AWARD WINNING MENU 2014

Full Menu RM 180+ per pax 

STARTER/ DÉMARREUR

3 huîtres de Français de Clair de style different 

americaine, polonaise et rheetaise

3 Different Styles Fin De Clair French Oysters

American, Polonaise, Rhetaise

FROM THE OCEAN / DE L’OCEAN 

Crabe royal a l ‘ivoire, scampi de l ‘ atlantique et

beurre de truffe

King Crab a l` ivoire, Atlantik Scampi and Truffle Butter

SOUP /SOUPE

Ail jeune grille  

Roasted Young Garlic

ENTRÉE

Foie gras traditionnel ‘au torchon’ served avec

Un saumon poche dans un consommé de menthes du Viêt Nam 

Traditional Foie Gras ‘au Torchon’ served with

Slow Poached Salmon in Vietnamese Mints Consume

SORBET

Baies sauvages au sirop de cerise

Wild Berries with Cherry Syrup

On Going / Sur le Depart

BEEF / BOEUF

Steak Black Angus au four, strudel aux pommes

et a la nappage aux morilles

Simply Baked Black Angus Steak, Lamb Apple Strudel

Morel and Demi Glaze

OR

Le cabillaud et thon fumé croustillante avec un beurre blanc au citron et gingembre, 

accompagné par du chou, noix de pin, Parmesan et pommes bouillies au beurre

Crispy Fresh Cod and Smoked Tuna with Lemon – Ginger Sauce, 

accompanied by Cabbage, Pine Nuts and Boiled Buttered Potatoes   

CHEESE/FROMAGE

Plateau de fromage française assortise

Assorted French Cheese 

DESERT / DÉSERT

Gâteau Opéra avec ragoût des baies

Opera cake with berry stew

CAFÉ / TEA

Coffee /Tea

PETITS FOURS

Wines

Champagne Thierry Grandin NV

2002 Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill

2004 Dom Perignon

2009 M Chapoutier Les Tanneurs Saint-Peray Marsanne

2004 Vosne-Romanee Domaine Confuron-Cotetidot

2008 Chateau Pontet-Canet Pauillac

2003 Chateau Leoville Barton

1985 Domaine De Chevalier Graves

Vincent Cremant de Bourgogne NV

2009 Connetable Talbot

Stellar Sage! IWFS President's Dinner December 13 2013

The Doc and the Lenglui

Ho hum. Another December, another IWFS KL President's Dinner. It does occasionally feel so easy to take the idea of being able to go to these parties for granted. But as far as possible it is better to bear in mind that those of us who do go to these things are very very privileged indeed. Finding oneself somewhere in the top one per cent of humanity being able to feed themselves on some of the finest epicurean creations the planet has to offer. Unbelievable. Certainly a far cry from a bag of Fish and Chips from the corner bar on a rainy night home from the pub. Always good to remember the past to see how far we fly. And how far we can fall just as easily. 

The Scribe and the Lenglui

The President's Dinner for 2013 saw 75 pre Christmas revellers decked out in their best bibs, tuckers and frocks and party down at the Sage Restaurant in The Gardens. Lenglui looked especially stunning on the night in white Prada and Chanel. Elegant and chic. Made me breathless and in need of a steadying glass. Which came. Copiously. The Sage staff were extremely generous with their pourings of Bollinger Brut Reserve Champagne, though apparently there was still some remaining at the end. Everyone was in the mood to party. Perhaps it was the special sense of the IWFS KL reaching sixty years. Which is older than most of the members. As usual, I managed to miss the canapes - got a bit busy doing the rounds and taking potshots of the assembled. 

"Smile dear!"   "I am smiling..."

Our President's Dinner is always a Black Tie affair, though somehow this message doesn't always seem to make it through. There were again one or two attendees without Black Tie. I never used to subscribe too much to the concept of dress code, but having done it for the last few years it really does lend a great sense of occasion. In my three year experience the IWFS has never previously been seen to stand too much on ceremony in this aspect, though this time a few grumblings made their way to my ears. I smell a resolution requiring members to ensure that guests are properly attired on pain of a flogging in the bathroom. 

Foodwise, the Foie Gras Risotto was excellent - textured, full of French umami and brilliantly off the map. The Doc is refusing to take the Foie Gras because of the way they force feed the geese. Having seen photos, I may not be far behind. Quite hideous.

Risotto of Foie Gras with Black Truffle

The Salmon and Avocado Mouselline was also a belter, with its liberal douse of truffle oil and the salty caviar crunch. A brilliant foundation for the mellow but lively and concentrated Te Koko. The age seems to give a hint of a Semillon feel but the Sauvignon Blanc shone clearly through. So, so nice.

The Lafon Meursault was a cracker with the Foie Gras - rich and beechnut woody with lovely balance across the palate. Someone naturally whinged that the FG needed an Yquem to which the response was a general "yeeee--eees…..  well anyway, cheers!" Didn't stop them quaffing the Meursault, though.

Slow Cooked Hillside Lamb Rack with Shiromiso and Blue Cheese Sauce

I had the lamb which was wonderful. Tender as a supermodel's butt, this lightly seared darling was so good with the gooeey salt of the attendant blue cheese sauce. Zippy and acidic with the lean lamb meat - first class. Pairing it with the 2008 Leoville Barton was a no brainer, though the youth of the wine raised a slight question. The LB was indeed overflowing with youthful vitality and clearly a lot of life and zip is there for time to do its stuff with the rest of the bottles in our stock. Perhaps a bit on the lean side, though with fair fruit and lovely sleek balance. Great bordeaux wine, one of our favourites. 

Wagyu Beef Striploin

The Muga was plush and crisp with a firm grip and possessed of a bold mouth with a bit of Spanish sweetness. It did sterling matador work with the little steal of wagyu I pinched from the Doc. Even balance, rich fruit, a very tasty drop of structured Spanish terroir. 

Dessert got swallowed swiftly and the bread was as stellar as it ever is at the Sage. I remember sipping the Sauternes and finding it not oversweet with good crisp fruit and a smooth but not too syrupy mouthfeel. Again, a very well balanced wine which seemed to be the hallmark of all the wines on the night. Firm, full, even. Another stellar evening at the Sage - still the absolute best in town for us.

The Wines and the Auctioneers

As recorder and spotter for the upcoming fund raising auction, I felt half a need to keep a fairly sober sheet - well, at least until my duties had been discharged. This became difficult when an open bottle of the 2008 Leoville Barton somehow appeared near the place where I had parked my glass. Sometimes the signs from the gods are perfectly crystal clear. 

Chef Daniel and team

The auction raised RM125,680. The charities supported for the year remained the Beautiful Gate Foundation for the Disabled and the Damai Disabled Persons Association, both in Petaling Jaya in Selangor. Members can be very generous when they want to be. Just have to make sure they wear their bow ties next time.

Kin Mun and Vanya

THE MENU

Appetizers

Tuna Otoro with Aioli and Nori

Kampachi King Fish with Salted Kelp

Bollinger Brut Reserve Champagne NV

First Course

Seared Smoked Norwegian Salmon with Avocado Mousseline and Avruga Caviar

Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc Te Koko 2008, Marlborough, New Zealand

Second Course

Risotto of Foie Gras with Noix de Saint Jacques and Black truffle

Domaine Comtes Lafon Meursault, 2007

Palate Cleanser

Soursop Granite

Main Courses

Slow Cooked Hillside Lamb Rack with Shiromiso and Blue Cheese Sauce 

Or

Wagyu Beef Striploin with Mashed Potato and Natural Juice

Bodegas Muga Selecion Especiale, 2005, Spain

Chateau Leoville Barton 2008, Bordeaux, France

Dessert

Calvados Glace with Fuji Apple and Almond Gougat

Chateau Guiraud Premier Grand Cru Classe, 2005, Sauterne, France

           

Coffee or Tea

Serena, Prakash and Y C Yap

THE WINES

Bollinger Brut Reserve Champagne NY

It is three years under sixty since Bollinger appeared as James Bond’s virile sophisticated Champagne. Not a pound or franc changed hands in lining up the man with the bubbles. ‘Diamonds are Forever’ was the movie and lovers of the masculine full bodied wine have known for decades that this non-vintage has crystalline elegance. Depth is balanced by a weighty mid palate and a biscuit, long finish.

Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc Te Koko 2008, Marlborough, New Zealand

Te Koko o Kupe (The Oyster Dredge of Kupe) is named after a mythical Maori super hero warrior and it is the original name of sweeping Cloudy Bay on the Marlborough coast line. If you aim high in Maori names, you have to justify it. So we have an oak-aged Wairau Valley, harvested ripe from five sites and matured for a year on lees. There is fleshy complexity in a long non-herbaceous style. Rated a Super Classic by renowned Kiwi, Michael Cooper.

Domaine Comtes Lafon Meursault 2007, Burgundy

This biodynamic Chardonnay from some of the deepest cellars in Burgundy is brimming with the balance of a carefully crafted and weighty white. It is tempting to passionately enjoy the creaminess, nuttiness and ripe fruit balance with a substantial finish in sheer delight. We suggest you do linger over this Meursault as it evolves in the glass, if you can.

Bodegas Muga Seleccion Especiale 2005, Spain

Fruit and evolved complexity are led by a multifaceted aroma which shows why aged styles from Rioja hold their own. Critics from both sides of the Atlantic lavish 93 points on wines like this from this particular vintage. Elegance in the plum, black raspberry, vanillin and tarry notes of this Tempranillo dominant classic are structured towards a very long finish.

Chateau Leoville Barton 2008, Bordeaux

Ripe, opulent and bold in an inky brawny Saint Julien style. Aged in 60 percent new oak, this is an intense Cabernet Sauvignon dominant wine with a long sweet finish and a strong tannic backbone. This rich, young wine shows the winemaker’s skills in an uneven vintage. (Robert Parker 92 points, Jancis Robinson, 16.5)

Chateau Guiraud Premier Grand Cru Classe 2005, Sauterne

The fruit for this classic style is grown on over 40 year old Semillon and Sauvignon vines and after noble rot imparts its fickle pleasures, the wine aged is for over two years. The 2005 Guiraud has a bouquet with dried honey, marmalade and just a hint of minerality emerging with aeration. The palate is medium bodied with a viscous entry, crisp acidity, touches of beeswax and almond define the harmonious waxy textured finish. It has already evolved into a delectable Sauternes. (Robert Parker 93) 

Cheers!!

IWFS President's Thank You dinner Vintry Damansara April 4th 2013

The IWFS regularly holds it committee meetings at the Vintry in Damansara for a couple of reaons. One: they always set aside a table with glasses and cheeses and fruit for us; and two: it's usually not too difficult to get to and park reasonably close to it at 6pm on a Thursday. Our wine sub committee often holds its tastings for prospective purchases there for the same reasons, with the added fact that the staff are very accommodative in changing glasses and chilling wines. 

Whilst the wine sub comm often ends up having dinner there to try and finish off the wines, the main committee often leaves straight after the meet to get to dinner dates elsewhere with nearest and dearests or business entertainment. So it was a pleasant surprise that President Rajan decided to organise a Thank You dinner for IWFS KL Committee 2012-13 and partners at the Vintry following our penultimate meeting for the year. Everyone was to bring a bottle of something nice for the dinner and simply enjoy the food and the company.

Starting off the night with two bottles of fizz. The Bollinger was most pleasant as it should have been though the Taittinger was equally good - lemon biscuit and apple bubbles though slightly sweet on the back end. The Bolly was the business though - all light biscuit, firm and full in the mouth with the cleanest of finishes. Everyone should be able to drink the Bolly sometime. Me, sometimes I wonder how it all got so good, but then again to do so sometimes is to tempt fate into slapping you with something unexpected and nasty to take the wind from the sails. Need to be careful with the fates.

Starting off with Baby Spinach, Ricotta and Egg Crumble on Coriander Bagel Crostini drizzled with Hollandaise. This came across as a textural eggy delight undercut with smoky woodchip crunch, though the spinach tasted more of Basil to me. May have been the wine. Two whites got chugged - a 2010 Macon Uchizy from Lafon and a most delightful 2010 Heylesbury Chardonnay from Vasse Felix in the Margaret River, drinking like a French burgundy though with slightly more body and boldness. More a friendly whack in the chest rather than the soothing fruity caress of the Macon on the throat. 

Next out was the Smoked Duck Breast & Fruit Mince Puff Pastry Tart with Japanese Cucumber and Red Radish. This was interesting and wonderfully filling - the puff pastry was firm and crisp though with enough moisture to render it meltable on the mouth. The pairing of the sweetly spicy fruit mince with the firm and lean duck breast was magnificent - the sour purine in the duck matched perfectly the sweetly spicy mince creating a wonderful tongue tickling delight. It came served with flowertops which were a light bite delight at the back of the palate. Must be how cows and sheep feel when grazing on the hills prior to their visit to the butcher.

We were on to the reds by now. We started with a Cloudy Bay 2010 Pinot Noir, then moved on to 2010 Almaviva. Next up was a 1997 Leoville Barton and we finished off with a 2005 Barolo from Vietti in the Castiglione region. Each naturally had their own character, with the Pinot proving surprisingly friendly though still spicy and firm. The Almaviva had lovely body and fruit, with big blackcurrant and cherry and damson and a luscious velvet finish. The Leoville was naturally the business, all structure and smooth lean green pepper and cassis with superb balance and sleek on the finish. I can't really remember the Barolo, but it got finished off so it must have been good.  

Next up was Tunisian Style Harissa Lamb Chops with Onion Chutney, served with Roasted Aubergine and Mint Tomato Salad. The dictionary on the Mac says that Tunisian Harissa is a hot sauce or paste used in North African cuisine, made from chili peppers, paprika and olive oil. Usually pounded in a pestle, it had been spread over the lamb and looked like it had been roasted. The Almaviva as a Cab Sauv was a natural pair for the lamb and as the song from Grease goes,  they went together like rama lama lama lama ding dong. Leo was a bit firm for the lamb, though the Barolo tamed it nicely. 

The lamb was beautifully tender and sweet and the Harissa did…. okay. It was not overly hot and peppery, and lent a nicely spiced glaze over the meat. The aubergine was very good though the salad got passed over. The tomatoes somehow looked a bit sad, covered in some brown dressing as they had been. Killed their crunch a bit, as memory serves. Though the memory does not always serve well - we were all pretty well gone on the wine and conversation by this time. David had shared a joke about getting an erection by whistling, so all of us schoolboys started whistling at Mr Dingle much to the chagrin and bemusement of the ladies who missed the joke. 

Did not get to try the Pan Fried Chermoula Sea Bass with Caper and Oregano Cream served with Heirloom Tomato and Feta Salad, though everyone said it was very good. 

The Peach, Mango and Passion Fruit Crumble with Vanilla Ice Cream was belter. Cold creamy goo melting over sweet soft fruit crunch is as good a taste of sugary heaven as you can get. Though not as tongue busting as the fine dining establishments, this would be worth a return visit. The chef was up from Singapore for the night and had done nice work. It had that standard Vintry solid sustenance and substantive good taste without that was slightly toward the fine dine but not enough of the touch to really make it so. Which is all right. No need to try and pretend you're something you're not. Solid food at fair price with reasonably priced wines - that's the Vintry edge for me.

In all, a lovely evening of wine food and caramaderie with friends who love the wine and the food and the company. One of those merry and mellow ones rather than a full blown booze up. Should have more.