IWFS at Dewakan - Best dinner this year!

Dewakan interior

April 21st 2016

Have to say I was initally apprehensive about attending this one. Foodie friend Julian's blog posting on his visit put the fear of perdition about the journey to get there in me. Though his enthusiastic reaction to the food was heartening. And Jeremy was championing the restaurant and numbers were a bit low. And when Lenglui said we would probably never otherwise go there, then the deal was sealed.

But O Lordy, what a deal. Dewakan ticked all the foodie boxes on the page. Ambience, service, food - absolutely stunning. Best event of the IWFS season. Will DEFINITELY go back with foodie friends who want to know what Malaysian chefs can do with Malaysian produce. Darren Teoh is a total star. 

Dewakan has been making waves in the KL foodie universe for quite some time. Frequently cited as Kuala Lumpur’s most exciting restaurant to date, the MIGF 2015 brochure (I think - can't find it now) holds it to be "an ingredient focused restaurant that reflects the bounty of produce from Malaysia. The cuisine is driven by the use of local and indigenous ingredients in the most imaginative way possible. Every aspect of the restaurant has been curated to deliver an enjoyable experience to our guests with as much emphasis to the service as it is to the food."

It is essentially an academy for future cooks and students keen to get into the hospitality sector, hence its location in a Private University. But it does open to the public for dinner from Thursday to Saturday to let the staff and students get some real world experience. It also does lunch Monday to Friday. The restaurant is helmed by Darren Teoh who is an avid believer in the beauty of local ingredients. Seems he began his career as a cook in Les Amis Singapore (No. 13 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant List 2016) and recently moved back to Malaysia to teach culinary arts in KDU University College Sdn Bhd. During this time at the school, he has authored "Redefinition", a collection of Malaysian dishes reinterpreted using modern culinary techniques. He was also briefly attached to Restaurant Amador (3 Michelin stars) in Langen, Germany and Restaurant Noma (2 Michelin stars and World’s Best Restaurant by Restaurant Magazine for 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014). 

The Dewakan blurb also says that the team there is obsessed with developing a restaurant where guests return home with great memories. I usually get a bit skeptical when I see what looks like romantic seduction - when I see it I usually find that the experience rarely matches such hyperbole. On this occasion, though, my skepticism was wonderfully unfounded. This one was a total event. 

It was a bit of a drive into the unknown to get here, but Waze performed like a trouper and got us there with little fuss or wrong turnings. I had recce'd the place on the Google Maps in the office and got an idea of where it was, though without the Waze the final few turns to try and arrive would eventually have killed me. Waze rocks! It told us to avoid Federal and take the E20 toll road. Only downside with the Waze is the apprehension you get when it goes quiet for a long time. We know that this means that all is mostly well, but perhaps a bit of reassurance would be… reassuring. Still took about 45 minutes to an hour to get there. 

Once in the KDU University complex, Jeremy had stuck IWFS signs on the fences leading to the car park. The serious looking guard at the gate turned out to be totally unintelligible in terms of what he was trying to tell us, but we smiled and he smiled and opened the gate and as we went straight we saw the Dewakan directly ahead of us.  There was an outside section where cars had already parked so we just followed suit. I think the Guard wanted us to park in the covered area - perhaps he thought it was going to rain. Nice man.

Sporting a glass frontage which looked out onto an open area, Dewakan has a classically modern ambience and feel about it. Dark oak floors with soft but sufficient lighting on neutral grey chairs and walls and with easy space between the sheeted tables.The kitchen is at one end with a serving area through which all the preparation can be seen, and a bar area at the other where those who had presumably come straight from the office were sucking down the Pol Roger NV with a vengeance. When I see this I know it's going to be good - people were in the mood to party. On a Thursday night some more.   Here we go again...

"What's he doing?" "Something cheffy." 

Some appetizers came round which were tasty enough, though there was one green leaf offering that had been shocked by something into frozen crispness and was absolutely amazing. This must have been the thing that Julian wanted to leap onto the tables and sing to the heavens about. It was something else. It came with a dip which was also brilliant. Only problem was that the darn thing kept breaking in the dip and I ended up eating the leaf and gunk Banana Leaf finger style. Most excellent, though hardly IWFS. So it goes - never stand on ceremony when the food will not allow one to do so.

The Willy Doctor and...  uh...  friend. Yes.

There was also a spring roll of raw potato and radish which bit nicely into the cheek and tongue. And it was all belter with the Pol Roger. I seem to have been supping a lot of this at various parties over the past few weeks or so. Must be a lot of in in the market at the moment, and at a fair price. Have to investigate - it is a crispily pleasant drop of fizz. 

We got instructed to sit down and get addressed by President David who thanked Jeremy, May and me for our contributions to the evening's festivities. We were sat with an IWFS newbie and our good friend the Willy Doctor, one of our resident urologists now making his celebrity name on the Friday BFM afternoon radio show. We normally have a quiet bet on how long it takes from the moment of getting seated with the good doctor to when the subject gets around to the penis. Normally takes about eight minutes - tonight it was three. It WAS going to be a good evening.

The bread came out with butter bedded on a leaf we were later told was cashew and which gave a bitter hit when chewed. Can't remember the butter, but the fizz needed some carbo and it was time to shut up and drink and enjoy the combo.

First out was the Blue Mackerel which looked a bit small on the plate and smelled a bit fishy on the nose, though it was full on flavour in the mouth and with good bite and chew. Nice touch of sharp freshness added by the Ulam Raja and Pomelo. The flowers added bright prettiness and lovely colour to the visual aspect and were pleasantly crisp in the mouth. Good engagement of all the senses on this dish, especially if one ate the flowers with the fingers. 

Cured Mackerel, Ulam Raja, Pomelo, Local Flowers 

Getting paired with the clean and lean Lafon made sense. Squeaky on the cheeks and throat and understated on the finish, with soft clean pears in the mouth. For some reason the flowers from the first course seemed to be strangely repeating with the wine. This was a most odd experience, like burping a bouquet of petals. There you go - only in Malaysia. 

Course 2 was the braised Aubergine which came out looking like a chunk of moss you might find  stuck to the root of a tree on the roadside. It looked like green dirt, putting me in mind of something you might find at Akelare or Mugaritz in the Basque. Tastewise, it came across like a delicately textured dim sum dish of fried onion in the mouth (the aubergine in the mushroom stock), with brown and white garlic sauces forming the visual yin and yang of the dish and giving salt and heat. Never did find out what the crunchy green dirt was, though the menu says Jackfruit seeds. It felt like fried peas that had been frozen and crushed. There was a delicate cobweb of glaze strung across the top which seemed to evaporate on contact with my breath on it. 

Aubergine braised in Mushroom Stock, Jackfruit Seeds, Black Bean Sauce and Garlic Emulsion 

Yet there was something essentially and quintessentially Malaysian about it. It had that dim sum feel of Cantonese cuisine but using the Brinjal and mushroom seemed to bring that vegetal earthiness you get at the Banana Leaf stall. And the green crunch gave a Rojak texture. This one captured the essence of each and fused them together into something that transcended the individual elements. Somehow encapsulating all the major cuisines into a single combo. Brilliant, brilliant. 

None of this sadly did much for the wine -  the gungey mushroom aubergine seemed to bring out an oily note to the Lafon. Not a great match, but the wine was still lovely enough to cut through. Though it did seem to run out quite quickly - a call for an extra glass was met with a report that it had all gone. Barely had a glass and a half - someone somewhere must have been sucking it down. Same with some of the later wines - didn't feel like there was quite enough before getting told it had all gone. Seems that 32 people drank 40 plus bottles, so either there was indeed enough or some tables had a better time than others. Couldn't really complain - both wine and food were excellent so perhaps an excess of one over the other might have upended the balance. Is just that you always feel you're missing out when there's not quite enough booze to satisfy. Like someone else is getting all the love. 

The Stonier (as memory serves) had been decanted and showed a lovely classic Pinot nose and beautiful cherry pop and pepper mouth and finish. The balance was excellent, as was the acidity, length and finish. Eight years in bottle, it was drinking well with a silkiness and ease that we don't see too often. Beautiful wine. 

The waiting staff came out with a spoon and chopsticks ahead of the third course, which also somehow seemed to underline the desire to encapsulate Malaysian cuisine in its diverse totality. You don't often get changes of mixed cuisine fighting irons across a multi course meal. 

The third dish was the noodles which had amazing texture - felt like biting through octopus legs. The broth was brilliant - a fantastic zip of chives and pepper with a lovely blend of tastes and textures across the dish and a great sense of umami about this one. Lot of chives here, whose texture suggested they had been lightly toasted. Quite herbal. Mixed with the daisy fresh solid chunk of Prawn, it was Ipoh Hor Fun but amplified into loud bold taste. Again, one of those where you absolutely KNOW you have had this Soul Food before and many times but not in this context and not with this delicacy or sense of the essential. Perfect seasoning. My note at the time was "dam fantastic, dam fantastic." Could have slurped this one all night. Now for THIS one I might sing and dance on the tables…   so good.

Steamed Ming Prawns, Brined Radish, Dried Vegetables, Cold Prawn Broth 

At this point, I began to notice how good and efficient was the standard of the waiting service. So far it had been quietly polite and unobtrusive and it was only when I saw a new napkin folded on the table after a bathroom break that it registered. This level of attention you tend not to expect in Malaysia. When I asked a question about one of the ingredients, our serving friend was quick and knowledgeable in the response. Seems they cleared from the left side which I was advised was the proper side to so do. There you go - learning all the time. One point of critique - they did not pour wine for the ladies first. Well, they ARE trying to be Malaysian, no?

I also noticed that the food seemed to come out all at the same time and in pretty quick succession time following the plate clearance. Chef clearly has a tight lid on the kitchen. 

Dish Four was the Smoked Pike Conger, Custard, Fermented Long Beans Relish, Roasted Okra, and Clams Foam. This dish seemed to give off an almost deconstructed Japanese feel, kind of like a whole Bento lunch crammed into a single dish. But without the rice.  The Pike felt steamed and had a full on Tilapia chew and whack in the belly. There was a Tau Foo feel on the mushroom, and a good vegetal hit from the Okra whilst the custard gave it that chawan mushi egg custard feel. The tastes melded well whilst the belly could not complain about the fullness of it all. And the Thai Basil leaves were genius, giving a sweet soft fire and herbal hit to the whole thing. Perhaps for me a question over the clam foam - it did give some good air to the dish but for some reason I got a duck hit. Perhaps it was me, but there did seem to be some clash going on and the clams were in the forefront. Good dish on the whole, though. Very filling and well tasty. Got a double wow in the notes.

Smoked Pike Conger, Custard, Fermented Long Beans Relish, Roasted Okra, Clams Foam 

The Stonier was also being paired with the Pike. I have no notes on the pairing. Lenglui kindly let me see off the remains of her Lafon which had retained its spritzy clean feel in the glass. Very nice. 

The immediate reaction to the duck breast was "ducky" - that nose and mouthfeel that suggests a bit gamey and farmyard - but this duckiness faded after the first bite. Lovely chunk of duck meat and delightfully roasted. The Rillette was equally excellent - great texture, and seasoning and reminiscent of the big beefy meatballs we would get at the Cardiff Indoor Market when I was a kid - meat, fat, salt and pepper and oozing taste. Fantastic - love it when the tastes take you back in time. Though I would have liked some bread and butter to add some fat and counter the slight dryness which the blood sauce did not quite seem to address. [Note - when I was a kid these meatballs had a name - faggots. I would have used it in the text but I recognise some people are sensitive to its use. Shame - in this context, for me it's the absolute descriptor I associate with the taste - they were brilliant with tinned peas and vinegar and gravy. There you go. Strange how some words gain a dissociative meaning over time totally at odds with their original understanding].

Roast Duck Breast, Duck Leg Rillette, Beetroots, "Blood" Sauce 

I had reservations when I saw the Marimar Pinot being dug out for the dinner. This was a massive full on chew-and-spit-pips wine and roared like a bear when we had it with lamb about three years back at the Saujana. But on the night it was a belter - still full in the mouth, but far more in balance and with lovely pepper and a range of textures through the drinking process. Fading slightly, and still with a slight barnyard tang on the nose, but ultimately power and class and so good to have drunk it now. The fullness of the wine meant it stood up well to the chunky rich and tasty Rillette and the tannins cut the Duck breast purines perfectly. Good match. 

Dessert was Gula Melaka which paired slightly warm Pulut ice cream with soft coconut to create a wonderful sensation of the freshest coconut flesh. I got a slight hit of Toddy, that sweet smelly hooch made from fermented coconut which, when paired with the meringue and marquiese, produced a wonderful airy crunch and bite with a boozy coconut rasp. Wow. 

Gula Melaka Marquise, Sour Meringue, Pulut Ice Cream

Chef Darren and team came out to take a bow and photos. I had a quick chat, though others were very keen to get selfied with him. Clear passion for the use of local procuce in the creations and pushing the creations in terms of technique and combinations. His parting shot to me was "keep spreading the word." Any way I can, Chef, any way I can...   Save your pennies for this one - it will be worth it. There is a wine list, though if you are as fussy as we are at the IWFS you will want to take your own. Crisp spicy whites with a cracking Pinot for the duck will do you. Kudos to the Kiwi for his choices in this one. 

Dewakan staff with Chef Darren Teoh (right)

Chef Teoh clearly has culinary roots in Chinese cuisine yet his grasp of quintessential Malaysian tastes coupled with his ability to isolate and infuse them into the predominantly Malaysian produce based creations I find to be quite brilliant. There ARE quintessential Malaysian tastes across all the cuisines you can find here, and Chef having found a way to showcase them makes this a truly unique Malaysian dining experience. Fine Malaysian Cuisine dining. At last. 

Chef Darren Teoh with Dato' Jeremy Diamond, IWFS

One of the dinners of the year - actually of the last few years. Total standout in terms of memorable ambience, service, food preparations and tastes, and paired wines and company. Absolutely memorable across all boxes. Do go there if you get the chance. Especially if someone else is driving.

Thank you Dewakan - get you a double ARNIE - I'll be back - more than once.

DEWAKAN

Lower Ground Floor
KDU University College, Utropolis Glenmarie
Jalan Kontraktor U1/14, Seksyen U1,
40150 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
 +60355650767

Website: http://www.dewakan.my
Email: dewakan@kdu.edu.my

Visit us on Facebook

OPERATING HOURS

Lunch: Mon to Fri – 12 Noon to 2:30pm
Dinner: Thur to Sat – 7pm to 9pm
Closed on Sundays and certain public holidays.

For Phone Reservations:
Monday to Friday only @
10am to 12pm, and 3pm to 5pm only.

Farewell Milky Ice Lollies

THE 6 COURSE MENU

Appetizers

Aperitif - Pol Roger Brut Reserve

01 BLUE MACKEREL

Cured Mackerel, Ulam Raja, Pomelo, Local Flowers 

Heretier Lafon Vire Cleese 2013

02 BRAISED AUBERGINE 

Aubergine braised in Mushroom Stock, Jackfruit Seeds, Black Bean Sauce and Garlic Emulsion 

Heretier Lafon Vire Cleese 2013

03 HOME MADE NOODLE 

Steamed Ming Prawns, Brined Radish, Dried Vegetables, Cold Prawn Broth 

Stonier Pinot Noir Reserve 2008

03 PIKE CONGER 

Smoked Pike Conger, Custard, Fermented Long Beans Relish, Roasted Okra, Clams Foam 

Stonier Pinot Noir Reserve 2008

05 DUCK 

Roast Duck Breast, Duck Leg Rillette, Beetroots, "Blood" Sauce 

Marimar Estate Pinot Noir "Don Miguel Vineyard La Masia" 2006

06 GULA MELAKA 

Gula Melaka Marquise, Sour Meringue, Pulut Ice Cream

THE WINES

Pol Roger Champagne NV

This great wine is distinguished by much more than its links with Winston Churchill. The mid palate weight may come from a generous use of reserve wines yet the lemony core and brisk fine bubbles continue to make this a very fine and  classy Grand Marque champagne.

Hertier Lafon  Vire Cleesse 2013

This widely sought after Macconais Chardonnay is well integrated in its fruit, minerality and subtle oak.  From Wine Advocate 90 points Oct 2014 ” The 2013 Vire-Clesse has an utterly charming nose that seems more finished than the others, with fine tension and focus. The palate is very well-balanced with fine acidity. This comes over as being very precise and poised.”

Wine Enthusiast 90 points

Stonier Pinot Noir Reserve, Mornington Peninsula 2008 

This wine pulled from deep in our cellars is crafted by the renowned Mornington Peninsula producer with Burgundian nuances and evident maritime influences Vines date back to the late 70s. Savoury notes will delight Pinot lovers in this evolved wine. A subtle Pinot for sure, with fruit, but not overpowered. There are layers of flavour over a solid back drop of oak with pretty aromas and tastes structured around a raspberry and cherry core.

Marimar Estate Pinot Noir "Don Miguel Vineyard La Masia" 2006

“The color is a beautiful garnet, classic Russian River - as is the fruit, loaded with black cherry flavors. There's mocha in the nose and perfectly balanced hints of elegant oak, which contributes a rich texture. The mouthfeel is round and engaging, classic Pinot Noir, with a note of lively spice at the end. The finish is long and the wine shows great aging potential. Alcohol 14.1% bv. (From Winemaker’s notes)

"This vineyard, in the cool Green Valley part of Napa, continues to produce outstanding, ageworthy Pinot Noirs of distinction. The 2006 is a large, powerful wine, distinctly Californian, packed with cherry, cranberry, cola and spice flavors that are immature in their fresh jamminess. But with a dramatic tannin-acid structure, and a just-right touch of new French oak, it will improve in the cellar. Best after 2010." (Wine Enthusiast 93/100)

IWFS Dinner at The Restaurant at The Club, Saujana.

Mixed feelings. Great place, food good but lacked "wow".

October 24th 2013

On paper, this should have been magnificent. Great reports from people who had dined there and a good selection of tasty wines from the storage. But for some (or maybe a few) reason it didn't all quite click. Good enough, I guess, but lacking any real "wow" factor to transport the night from the good to the memorable. 

Lenglui on the Verandah

Needing to get to the venue quite early since to ferry the bubbles, gewurtz and pinot noir for the dinner, we were greeted by F&B Manager Subra who arranged the chilling of the fizz and Gewurtz while I had a quick swoosh and change in the bathroom and don the medallion and jacket that had been determined were the dress code for the evening. 

Lenglui had found a lovely spot on the verandah of the restaurant. It was a mini manmade lake with lots of brown brick levels over which water cascaded. Proved to be very relaxing and good "chi" while watching the sun go down with a glass of Chilean House White. Most pleasant. Next time, we should have the champagne outside. Had we come earlier to vet the place, perhaps this could have been scouted and arranged.

Sunset over the Pool

Lenglui was itching to try the fizz, but I felt it was necessary to wait until guests arrive. Not the done thing to help oneself. Must serve others first. We didn't have to wait long - Datin Sandra arrived with guests and we got our new friends to pour the bubbles for them. And us. It was worth the wait - the Nederberg NV was nicely dry with good cleansing bubbles, and light to medium in body. Hints of biscuit, lemon nose. As guests arrived they got their glasses and those of us earlier got nice topups from the staff. 

Somewhat delayed getting to the table, due apparently to the kitchen not being quite ready, and we ultimately all got seated at the three long tables. The staff had laid out goblet style glasses into one of which the 2009 Hugel Gewurtz was poured. Not sure if this goblet style was intended, and in retrospect they were reminiscent of glasses I had encountered during a tour of Germany, but some eyes were raised at the absence of the standard stem white glasses. The other glass was a Bordeaux style and clearly for the ultimate red. Which would be a Pinot for which a different glass would normally be set. Hmmm. The upshot is that some of the choices of glasses seemed a bit strange for a restaurant that otherwise clearly ooozed class. Looking at photos of the other tables, there were setm style white glasses there, so maybe it was just our table. No one passed comment on this - perhaps they were just being polite.

The Restaurant Table

The deftly light Gewurtz had the standard lychee and rosepetal nose with light almond notes and turkish delight on the palate and fair acidity to finish. 

We were actually having the Gewurtz with an unexpected Amuse Bouche so much so that it had all but vanished by the time the Salmon Carpaccio had come out. We had not been advised by the staff either in advance nor at the table as to what the food was. Hmmm again. If we'd have known we could have planned for people to take their fizz to the table and quaff it with the AB. But it was a tasty enough amuse and no one seemed to be complaining. It's like being on stage when something goes wrong - only you know the script so act like it is intended and no-one knows different. Happily there seemed enough Gewurtz to go around. 

Given that I had a hand in picking the wines, I had to say something about them. I had the notes on my handphone but couldn't really read off them. Also, I'd hoped the wine supplier of the two Austrian wines we were having would speak about them. So the upshot was I wasn't really prepared and apparently it showed. Fumbling and bumbling. Memo to self - next time, take charge of the event and write the wine notes on little cards to read off.

Amuse Bouche - thought it was the first course!!

The salmon made its appearance and the marinated radish and yuzu promptly blew the mouth off. That fierce salty, lemon acidandsandpaper blitz was a total kaboom that pretty much removed the skin from the tongue and teeth. Like a really fierce lime sorbet. The ensemble was better, with the salmon taming the acidity somewhat. The Gewurtz was a bit too delicate to help with this - a larger bodied Riesling with some compensating sugar fruit might have been better. We had to make do with bread and balsamic to try to neutralise the acid fire. Didn't really help.

Salmon Carpaccio - I think...

Next out was the Muscateller which came across like a very light Riesling but with a steel backbone. Light and very dry, crisp with a bit of a grape acid nose. Steel in the mouth and mineral on the throat and a good gripping finish. It was well matched with the scallop which, along with the sweetcorn veloute, took a slight acidic edge off the wine. 

The duck roll was lovely - a soft, sweet and chewthroat sucking screamer, covering both the tonsils and back of the throat with a tingle and a kiss. Lovely textures, with a medium bite on the roll, strangely reminiscent of the texture of luncheon meat. The Foie Gras Creme came over like a coffee ice cream, and somewhere between a dessert and sorbet. Lot of complex tastes and textures going on here, lots of little explosions of salt, sour and crunch. The Foie Gras took off the tannic edge of the Muscateller, and the sweetness cut the FG oily texture, but the wine lacked sufficient body to do it justice - not really a match to remember. 

Grilled Hokkaido Scallop

Next out was the scallop which, for me, didn't quite feel totally fresh and somewhat lacking tastewise compared to scallop we'd recently eaten elsewhere. It was firm and fresh enough, I guess, but seemed to lack that sweet crunch you can get from totally fresh off the Hokkaido boat scallop which was what Zipangu scallop the previous week felt like. That one was darling. A lot of sweet came from the Sweetcorn Veloute (imagine Jolly Green Giant creamed corn but crunchier), though perhaps too much and bordering on the overpowering. I might have used a hint of pepper to tame the corn. 

Getting paired with the Blaufrankisch seemed somewhat contary at first, but it seemed to work. The Blaufrankisch is very smooth with lots of cherry and pepper. Crisp, rich and drakly fruity with firm character, a whack in the mouth and a silky finish. Cross a Pinot with a CdP and you get this. Great body and taste together in the same bottle. Belter. It neutralised the sweetcorn and the silky texture cut the scallop into meltable proportions. Those who had some of the white left would have found more traditional matches. The Gewurtz went better with the scallop for me than the Muscateller, more for texture than anything. The lack of sweetness on the scallop was helped by the sweet fruit in the wine but that was more luck than judgement.

A wine too far - we were saving the Marimar Pinot for the grand finale with the lamb, but there was clearly too much red on the table already. People were calling for the whites with the food, and there seemed enough white to supply our table. Downside came in the amount of red that would be left on the table at the end.

Smoked Rack of Lamb and Confit Lamb Shoulder

The lamb was two dishes - rack and shoulder, each of which offered different textures and dimensions to the meat. Texturally, the rack was succulent whilst the shoulder was a contrasting dry. Good to taste, though having the two styles felt a little bit overkill and leaning toward the undecided. We totally appreciate that chef clearly embraced the opportunity to showcase his skill for us IWFS foodies for which we are grateful - just a question as to whether it was maybe a bit too much to take in at one time. Unbelievable - telling a chef not to give us his food. 

Notwithstanding, the lamb rack was stupendous - sweet, salt, succulent and juicy and hitting all the bases. Total standard and total belter. It needed nothing more, being perfect on its own. Eat this and die.

The lamb shoulder in contrast came dry texture, so the wafer pastry and crispy mash potato softened the texture enough to taste. Kind of a hickory smoke feel to the shoulder with a hint of sweet game. 

The Marimar Pinot worked quite well with the lamb, taking a sweet edge off the meat. Very vegetal and funky on the nose and mouth, with many layers in the mouth. I saw a lot of red wine left in the glasses as I was leaving, so perhaps the funky nose and vegetal mouth put people off. Which was a shame because once you got past the nose it was a tasty, chewy wine with a finish like clean silky sandpaper on the palate. My notes say it is "a perfect blend of nothing that zips through. Om." Not sure what that means. Sounds like I was in touch with the universe and this was what it was saying to me. Always seems to make sense when you're drunk but screwed if it can be deciphered the morning after. What was clear the following morning and well into lunchtime was the taste of the wine still in the mouth. Fierce beast of a wine - not as delicate as Burgundy, full of character. This wine would spit in your face then offer to wash you down.

Ultimate Chocolate Brownie

As usual, very few notes on the dessert, other than the Brownie felt a bit firm for taste, though the ice cream matched it well.

Lenglui and friend Julie Lim

Staff were very attentive and service was generally excellent. Some complained of delays in some of the food coming out, though personally I did not notice. Totally absorbed by the company and explaining wine to our newbie friends. 

Overall, the food was good enough, I guess, but apart from the rack of lamb lacking any real "wow" factor. Though perhaps that is the European style - understate the preparation of the food and let it speak for itself. Lovely ambience and decor, lovely setting and a beautiful room. Would hope to come back at some time to try the T-Bone. Staff were very attentive and service was generally excellent. Some members complained of delays in some of the food coming out, though personally I did not notice. Totally absorbed by the company and explaining wine to our newbie friends. From my side, it just felt a bit underplanned. Guess we were all thinking that there was nothing to really plan, but there always is. 

I feel the event suffered from not having a designated person in charge to talk to the restaurant to fine check the details (ie store the wines, check the glasses, menu sequence). We also didn't have a food tasting for this one - it got put together as a response to the original venue for the October event getting ditched quite late in the day following what were felt to be excessive corkage fees. Needs better organisation next time, certainly on my part - no one really took charge of the dinner and for me it showed. Live and learn, eh?

IWFS members and friends

‘The MIGF Menu at The Restaurant @ The Club Saujana Resort’

Pre-Dinner 

Nederburg Sparkling Cuvee Brut NV

*****

Salmon Carpaccio, Horseradish Panna Cotta, Marinated Radish & Yuzu Sorbet 

Gewurztraminer Hugel 2009

*****

Foiegras Crème

Foiegras, Duck Roll & Granny Smith Apple

Weingut Tement STK Gelber Muskateller 2009

*****

Grilled Kokkaido Scallop, Sweetcorn Veloute & Young Sweet Corn

Weingut Tement STK Gelber Muskateller 2009

*****

Pan Fried Seabass, Bouillabaise Sauce, Garloc Moussline & Ratatouille Vegetables

Or

Smoked Rack of Lamb & Confit Lamb Shoulder

Eggpalnt, Potato Fondant, Baked Potato Strudel

Weninger Blaufrankisch Hochacker 2009

Marimar Estate ‘Don Miguel Vineyard La Masia’  Pinot Noir 2006

*****

Ultimate Chocolate Brownie, Iced Milk Mousse, Nougat Ice Cream & Berries

Mr Lim and Toru Kurokawa

Wine Notes

Nederburg Sparkling Cuvee Brut NV

A blend of Chenin Blanc, Cape Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc from the Paarl region in South Africa, this is brilliantly clear with a lasting sparkle. Delicate fruit on the nose, crisp and fresh on the palate with a lingering aftertaste.

Gewurztraminer HUGEL 2009

The great speciality of the Alsace AOC where the aromatic expressiveness of the varietal attains such great heights. Originally from northern Italy, it is spicy and suave, dry but intensely aromatic.

2009 was a fabulous vintage in Alsace with record levels of ripeness, and cool nights giving its full varietal expression. Deep pale green, straw yellow colour, clear, bright and nicely unctuous in aspect. The bouquet is very aromatic, perfumed and fruity, but above all spicy, dominated by saffron, cardamom, nutmeg, fresh almond, with lots of dense, oriental rose, frangipane, jasmine and fresh China tea. It is seductive and flattering yet totally dry, with a subtle astringency.

Weingut Tement STK Gelber Muskateller 2009

From the Südsteiermark region of Stiermark, south of Vienna. Weingut Tement focuses on white varietals made in the STK (Steirische Klassik) or stryian style that allows their typical characters to shine through. Light gold in color, this fresh and fruity wine has a strong flowery bouquet, with peach and lemon hints. Flavors are crisp, acidity is firm, and together they evoke a feeling of sunlight and summer. A very well balanced wine, pairing well with salads, light cheese sauces and fried dishes.

Weniger Blaufränkisch Hochäcker 2009

From 42 year old vines grown by Austrian red wine pioneer, Franz Weninger in the Hochäcker site in the Horitschon/Mittelburgenland DAC. The Blaufränkisch grapes first undergo native yeast fermentation in steel tanks. They are pressed after 14 days of mash-state, followed by biological malolactic fermentation in a large oak barrels and aged 16 months in big oak barrel and bottled March 2011.

The Blaufränkisch (aka “Lemberger”) varietal is indigenous to Austria and is the predominant grape varietal in Central Burgenland. Aged in large, used oak casks, the single vineyard Blaufränkisch Hochäcker is full-bodied, elegant and complex, well-balanced with cherry and red current aromas, spice, lingering fruit and ripe tannins on a long finish. Ideal food wine, perfect with a wide range of meats, game, poultry and cheeses.

Marimar Estate "Don Miguel Vineyard La Masia" Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2006

“The color is a beautiful garnet, classic Russian River - as is the fruit, loaded with black cherry flavors. There's mocha in the nose and perfectly balanced hints of elegant oak, which contributes a rich texture. The mouthfeel is round and engaging, classic Pinot Noir, with a note of lively spice at the end. The finish is long and the wine shows great aging potential. Alcohol 14.1% bv. (From Winemaker’s notes)

"This vineyard, in the cool Green Valley part of Napa, continues to produce outstanding, ageworthy Pinot Noirs of distinction. The 2006 is a large, powerful wine, distinctly Californian, packed with cherry, cranberry, cola and spice flavors that are immature in their fresh jamminess. But with a dramatic tannin-acid structure, and a just-right touch of new French oak, it will improve in the cellar. Best after 2010." (Wine Enthusiast 93/100)

Lengjai, new friend and IWFS KL President Dr Rajan

IWFS APZ Westin - Stellar night!!

July 1st 2013

Making friends at IWFS APZ

Coming off the horrible food that was the Opening Dinner at the Shang and into the fun that was the Chinoz on the Park, we were all togged up again in our tuxedos and best baju and dresses for the farewell dinner for the IWFS APZ Festival in Kuala Lumpur.

The Westin Hotel had been chosen, possibly as a result of The Governor having seen his daughter get married there recently and maybe being able to negotiate a decent deal on having a second function there. It's sometimes all about leverage, isn't it?

Whatever, we left home at 7pm and arrived at 7.40pm thanks to some slow traffic across town and the reception area was still quite empty. A bare few familiar faces dotted here and there from the Kuala Lumpur branch snacking on the canapes and sipping a glass of the lovely Duval-Leroy "Rose de Saignee" NV Brut. This was a fruit driven crisp clean and refreshing drop of fizz that zapped the tongue tip and cheeks with seething and scintillating bubbles. It had one problem - too darn easy to drink and too darn friendly waiting staff eager to pour. I must have downed a bottle pretty much on my own during my walkabout pre dinner photoshooting. O, the hardships we sometimes endure…

The Champagne Station, well patronised

As intimated above, the Canape Experience was distributed during the Aperifif session. Having a camera in one hand and a glass in the other means I often miss the canapes, as proved to be on this occasion, though they looked quite delightful and inventive. I did manage a couple of the quail egg and caviars - this was a lightly chewy bite through the egg with the caper and caviar giving a thrill to the fizz. Most pleasant. Everyone else seemed to scarf them down quite quickly because the charming ladies bringing them around seemed to disappear. Hungry lot, the IWFS.

The well photographed Traditional Chinese musicians

Suddenly the doors opened and everyone from the hotel entered the room. The hotel had smartly erected a champagne station so that everyone was able to walk past and grab a glass rather than hunt for the person with the tray as we had to do at the Shang. There was a wandering magician and a Chinese duo on Guqin (seven stringed zither) and Erhu (two stringed fiddle) who proved more a photo opportunity rather than a musical treat since they could barely be heard above the din of the chattering and clinking. We spotted the Governor who again bemoaned his previous sins for having landed him with organising the festival but who significantly cheered up when handed a glass of fizz. Good fizz has that effect on people. 

IWFS APZ Members at the Westin Hotel Ballroom

A gong announced that dinner was ready to be served and after a swift bathroom call into the ballroom we dutifully trotted. The Governor gave a brief speech of welcome and we were off.

First out was the Trio of Boston Lobster, a triple helping done in three styles to showcase. Of the three, the Lobster Thermidor was absolutely off the map and one of the best I've had for a long time. Totally fresh lobster, the flesh was crunchy, sweet and supple. Having that bisque feel in the jus set it off perfectly. 

The poached was okay, showing a different texture, lighter and less aggressive sweetness - somewhat more crab like than strict lobster but still excellent. 

The delightful Trio of Boston Lobster 

Lobster Timbale means it is baked in a drum shape mold so the result looks a bit like a Latin Drum. Well, and maybe but we didn't get a great sense of baked. If memory serves, it felt as if the flesh had been grated and packed into a tea candle holder with maybe a hint of radish or cucumber for texture. Well tasty, though, and lovely with the melon and lemon oil adding a slash of acid fire. The melon gave a sweet sticky coat to the throat wthich the lemon oil cut through to combine for a slight grating sensational tickle. The more disciplined had some fizz on the table whose bubbles were still fizzy enough to cleanse.  Bravo chef - stunning dish.

The 2010 Catena Zapata Tilia Torrontes also did a fair job with the Lobster though for some reason felt a bit thin, possibly as a result of its low acidity not helping to cut through the lobster. Also, sweet wine with sweet meat is a lot of sweet. The nicely balanced wine on its own showed fair fruit with a honey and lychee nose and a thinly firm finish. As said, it seemed to lack a bit of body for me, and though its pairing with lobster might have made sense on one level the result was not a cheery match on this occasion. In fairness, it was not supposed to match in the first place - according to the menu it should have gone with the appetizers which, given their sharper qualities, made sense. So it goes. As fate would have it, the Tilia was to prove the pairing star of the night. 

The lobster should have gone with the 2006 Marimar Estate "Don Miguel Vineyard La Masia" Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. As it was, most of us didn't get a chance to check the pairing as the lobster had pretty much disappearded from the plate. On its own, the Pinot had good fruit and a fair body, with dark cherry to the fore and a slight oxidised note. For some reason, got a sense of a rich rosewood feel - like sat in a boardroom somewhere sucking on a newly varnished table - and sweet jammy sugar on the finish. Maybe too sweet, bordering on the sickly. Full in body.

The Scallop Ravioli

Next out was the Herbal Black Chicken Essence with Scallop Ravioli. Essentially scallop ravioli in chicken broth without the chicken. The broth itself was fine, with a nice balance of salt and chicken taste without overtpowering. The scallop felt a bit fishball, and looked like it had been mashed up and reconstructed and the result looked like - stodge. Tasted a bit like it too - firm pasta bite and fish taste but ultimately - stodge. Sorry, chef, not sure what you were trying to do with this one but I missed it. 

It paired quite well with the Tilia, perhaps because there was not much in the way of harsh flavours but enough to take the sweet edge off the wine. The Pinot died. The chicken broth neutralised both sweetness and acidity and the wine went blandly to its sad end. RIP.

The main course was a choice of beef or fish and we normally opt for the beef. The Roast Cod tends to be a bit on the bland side and rarely pairs well with the reds the IWFS traditionally pairs with the mains. 

Decanting the Alma Viva

The 2008 Alma Viva en Magnum had been decanted in a ceremony involving two sommeliers and a degree of pomp and theatre. Still a bit of bottle rust and faust on the nose in the glass, leaning toward an oxidised note. Traditional Cabernet cassis, but with cherries on the tongue, full body with medium finish. 

The tenderloin was very good, with a firm full bite and good chew. Maybe slightly overdone, but to be expected when you're catering to 80 pax. At least it came out acceptably warm. It proved an excellent pair with the Alma Viva, taming the tannins with the result that the fruit and the structure and pedigree just shone through. A most excellent steak wine.

The rich and sweet butternut puree softened the somewhat fierce jus, rendering it nicely palatable, which in turn brought out a softer tone in the wine. Lots of tastes and textures going on with this wine. So good.

The excellent Beef Tenderloin with Foie Gras and Butternut Squash

The Foie Gras was.. not spectacular. Nothing wrong with it in taste or texture terms, just.. okay. Not memorable. Have had better elsewhere in KL. But there was a lot of it and it brought out the Tilia Torrontes fruit, the fat in the FG neutralising the sweet honey that the wine was presenting. The Tilia proved the most versatile wine of the night. Crisp apricots and that sweet crunch that seems characteristic of the Torrontes grape. I think I've seen it in the supermarkets - worth a purchase.

We also had the Foie Gras with the Pinot which also worked on one level - The FG took off the acid in the wine and let its light cherries come to the fore. Somehow the FG refreshed and resurrected the Pinot - it was clearly flagging on its own after its decimation by the scallop, but the FG breathed a bit of life into it. Interesting. 

The 2007 Cheval des Andes had a bit of a bottle stinky nose which needed a bit of time to dissipate. This was even after a decant. It came across as…okay. Aged Rioja with that Spanish terracotta brick feel in the mouth. Light body, nice structure, clean finish. Good, not great.

It was very good with the beef, taking that aged tinge off the wine. Sometimes we forget that it is often the match of the food to the wine that takes the lead in the mouth - great food will lift a middling wine into goodness. But great wines can do little when the food is not quite up to scratch. The food has to come first - only then will a great wine take the experience into the stratosphere.

The ice cream in the Westin Dessert Melody was excellent with the steamed chocolate fondant being a total standout. The strawberry meringue and lemon tartlet were probably excuses to break out a dessert wine, and the 2003 Chateau Suduiraut did admirably - a chilled nectarine and apricot liqueur like unctuous golden cheek pincher that we were able to both sip and chug as the mood took us. We also helped finish off the quite large remains of the Alma Viva which had by now come into its own. Hugely memorable wine, one to look forward to should the occasion arise. 

This is how we do it, do it - party time at APZ Kuala Lumpur Westin

By now the crowd were ready to party and the evening had been helped along by two young band boys on stage belting out oldies like there was no tomorrow. We had heard a whisper that the Governor's Dearest had been a performer in a previous incarnation and tonight she took the stage for a number. Well, stormed the stage more like - could hear the roars of approval as the crowd recognised and cheered her on.

Naturally, the Lengjai took this as permission to take the stage himself to get his Elvis Presley on and belt out some standards. At least it kept the crowd dancing. Shocked a few people too - guess they never realised the boy has chops.

View of the APZ IWFS Members from the stage

The Big Boss One gave a speech of thanks to the organisers and presented a large bottle of nice fizz to the Governor (which we subsequently polished off at a committee meeting) and then it was more dancing or go home. It had been a long week. Home it was. The bed was very welcome that night.

IWFS APZ Black Tie Dinner

Westin Hotel Ballroom

July 1st 2013

NV Duval-Leroy ‘Rose de Saignee’ Brut

Duval Leroy "Rose de Saignee"

Canape Experience

Cured Petuna Ocean Trout, Orange Chutney, Salmon Roe, Brioche Toast

Soft Poached Quail Egg, Avruga Caviar, Capers Gremolata, Blini Pan Cake

Black Truffle and Mascapone Pizzette

Apple and Walnut Macaroon

2010 Catena Zapata Tilia Torrontes

*****

Trio of Boston Lobster

Lobster Timbale, Melon Pearl, Saffron Mayo, Lemon Infused Oil

Poached Lobster, Apple matches, Lime Jelly

Traditional Lobster Thermidor

2006 Marimar Estate "Don Miguel Vineyard La Masia" Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

*****

Herbal Black Chicken Essence with Scallop Ravioli

*****

Char-grilled Tenderloin of Beef, Pan Seared Foie Gras

Pommes au Dauphinoise, Caramelised Shallot, Asparagus

Butternut Squash puree, Morel Jus

Or

Baked Black Cod Fillet and King Crab

Herbs Butter Carrot French Bean, Pea Puree, Fennel Crisp, Sea Urchin Butter sauce, Dill scented Foam

2008 Alma Viva en Magnum 

2007 Cheval Des Andes 

*****

Westin Dessert Melody

Chocolate Fondant with Straccitella Ice Cream

Strawberry Meringue

Lemon Curd Tartlet

2003 Ch Suduiraut

*****

Coffee or Tea

Homemade Petit Four  

Round of applause for the wines!!