Another memorable night at Prime

Kuala Lumpur October 28, 2013

Got a late email from the Doc notifying about the wine dinner.  Billed as "Appreciate the Timeless Taste of MITOLO" it would pair Mitolo wines with the Chef's best. Also got the same email from El Presidente but also saying that IWFS members would get 20% discount. So tough to say no when these people are being so boozer friendly.

The blurb from organiser Albert Wines said the Mitolo grapes are sourced from McLaren Vale and Barossa Valley, and that the wines are apparently "praised by some of the world's toughest critics." Okay. Given the 20% discount for Prime food and the wine, the gig was definitely worth a punt.

Lenglui had originally declned but changed the mind when she saw the traffic snarl that would have lay ahead of her to get where she was scheduled to be. It was bad - at least an hour for it to clear. That's KL sometimes - the traffic can snarl for little to no apparent reason. Often a breakdown or a bump in the absence of heavy rain. Like this, better to hole up for an hour somewhere and let it pass.

Doc and friend Sunny were there though we shifted tables to accommodate El Presidente in a group of five. Maitre d' Elan was on hand to make sure all glasses were filled and everyone was comfortable. Difficult not to be comfortable at the Prime with their huge enveloping chairs. Really is a warm, comfortable restaurant. Lovely ambience, maybe a bit corporate but great lighting and lots of cheery browns. The modern touch is the kitchen staff all dressed in black. Gives an efficient sheen to the place. 

Palate Teaser

First on the table was a light amuse bouche style starter that was supposed to pair with something that looked cocktail like in a whiskey tumbler and which was way too sweet. Soda water with something called Aperol. Okay I guess, though not sure what it was supposed to do. In contrast, the Palate Teaser was dleightful. All the litttle bites were brilliantly tasty. Of particular note was the tomato and strawberry Gazpacho, a spoonful of sourish sweetness that had zing and verve and cheekily tickled the, er, cheeks.

The scallop was freshly firm and crunchy, and topped nicely with the Celeriac Espuma and truffle to taste. Paired with the Jester Vermentino 2012, a light Pinot Grigio style wine that nicely stayed out of the way of the food. Quite refreshing, not much in the way of fruit, but most pleasant.

Seared Sea Scallop

Next up was the Chicken Galantine with Foie Gras and Duck Confit. This looked similar to a Roulade of rolled chicken breast sandwiching a wedge of FG and DC. The chicken had that good firm succulent tenderness in the mouth, though the volume of meat meant that we couldn't really taste the Foie Gras - there was just too little of it to do anything to the meat. The strip of Duck Confit fared slightly better and lent the ensemble a salt crunch zap that got nicely sweetened by the fig chutney which, with the pickled shimeji mushroom, made for a full on sweet rubbery bite. 

Chicken Galantine with Foie Gras and Duck Confit

The matching Jester Shiraz 2011 was pleasant and balanced, with full sweet berry, medium body, quite supple and an overall easy drinker but with teeth and a slightly metallic edge. It drinks more like a slightly mean Merlot with some pepper in the aftertaste. With the food it paired well enough, with the food dousing the edge on the wine, though not really enough to elevate the pairing beyond "nice enough". Neither brought out any extra qualities in the other. 

The lamb was very sweet with great taste and texture and WAY better without the avocado which basically messed up the lamb! Didn't seem to add anything other than a neutraliser of the juices in the meat. But it did softens the texture which perhaps was the aim. Okay, but the avocado left a fruit oil sheen in the mouth which tinted everything that went in with it. Carnivores who prefer the juice of the meat would leave it to the side. Carnivore. 

Slow Cooked Sous Vide Seared Lamb Loin

In contrast, the dried Olive Tapendade was genius. it gave a textured taste of the olive to the lamb without that oily throat coat that often accompanies meat basted with olive oil. The biscuit wafer veil lent a crunch texture to bed the whole thing and fill the mouth with total pleasure.

The GAM is a sleek, supple, well made Shiraz of class and breeding. A very easy drinker. Full and firm, though it got a bit thin when drank next to the Samitar which came out quite quickly. This is a powerful beast with a kick like a filly that's just had a jab with a vet's dart. Brambles, bit of spritz on the tongue. Rich, full, layers, chocolate, berries, zapzap pinches on the tongue tip. Great balance across the tannins and high-ish alcohol with the big fierce fruit. Good grip going down. Quite masculine - vinous version of macho Aussie outbacker playing footie in the vineyard.

The beef is lovely. Great sear, clean meat, leanlean beef. The eggplant puree is cute, taking off the purine in the beef. These chefs really know their food molecules, and some of us are generally happy they don't deconstruct them too much. Sometimes Momma Nature puts molecules together in a certain way for a reason, and messing with this can get, er, messy. Not here, not with this. Nothing but grilled juicy meat that does so many wonderful things on the tongue. 

The Serpico. Absolutely one of the best single Cabs I have tasted. They dry some of the grapes amarone style and then crush. The smoothness is amazing - like a best blend of whiskies, only way smoother. Got supple, sleek, great fruit and balance and a mellowing sunset heat as it goes down. Be a devil to match with food though - it tastes too good on its own. Having it paired with the dessert seemed a bit strange at first, but tasting it made sense. Eat the dessert then drink the wine. An after dinner Cabernet - silky, chewy tannins, most pleasant coffee notes with chocolate. A thoroughbred stallion rather than some of the tannic monsters out there. Oh, so very, very nice. Belter belter belter. Drink this all night thank you very much. Must buy.

Dessert

The dessert was lighter than it looked. Great light texture, bit of a chocolate sorbet taste with lots of sweet fruit. Zippy but smooth. Far better with the coffee than the wine. 

A most excellent evening of great food matched with some really lovely quality wines. And the traditional takeaway of Prime's brilliant cookies is always a nice aftertaste to take home and enjoy the morning after. Always happy to go back to the Prime - it consistently makes for memorable evenings. 

The Mitolo Wines for the evening

PALATE TEASER

Marinated Chicken with Tapenade and Cold Ratatouille on Piota bread

Cold Smoked Salmon and Crab Roll on Russian Blini's, Creme Fraiche

Strawberry and Vine Ripe Tomato Gazpacho with Yoghurt and Olive Oil

Greek Feta Olive, Preseved Roma Tomato and Bell Pepper Drizzle with Virgin Olive Oil

Aperitif: Aperol Soda Ice

TO START

Celericac Espuma, Seared Sea Scallop, Crispy Filo Pastry, Black Shaved Truffle

JESTER VERMENTINO  2012

APPETIZER

Chicken Galantine with Foie Gras and Duck Confit, Fig Chutney

Caramel and Sea Salt Walnut Crumble, Pickled Shimeji

JESTER SHIRAZ 2011

IN BETWEEN

Slow Cooked Sous Vide Seared Lamb Loin with Sweet Amoled Paprika

Avocado Puree and Dried Olive Tapenade

Hazelnut Veil

GAM SHIRAZ 2009

MAIN

Provencal Crust BBQ Charcoal Grilled Black Angus Tenderloin

Eggplant Puree with Orange Zest and Pimento Polenta Cake

Creamy Shaved Asparagus Tzatziki Salad

Porcini Sauce

SAVITAR SHIRAZ 2009

DESSERT

Deconstructed Black Forest

Cherry Gel, Dark Chocolate Cremeux, Cocoa Nibs, Cherry Tuile, Vanilla Bavaroise, Moist Chocoklate Cake, Amarena Sornbet and Cherry Foam

SERPICO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2008

Illy Coffee or Selections of Dilmah Tea

Prime Cookies

Fantastic Chateau Pontet-Canet Wine Dinner at Prime!

Chateau Pontet-Canet Wine Dinner

Prime Restaurant, Le Meridien, Kuala Lumpur May 14th 2013

Whilst overseas and on a tour with the IWFS of Bordeaux Vineyards to sample the 2012 en primeur, we received a text from the Doc saying "Bordeaux Wine Dinner at Prime, 3 seats booked." Only on getting back to Kuala Lumpur did we discover to our delight that the Bordeaux wine in question would be some of Chateau Pontet-Canet's finest. It was one of our standout Chateau visits during the tour, and with the top quality beef at the Prime it promised to be a match made in gastronomic heaven. Seemed like the food and wine gods were smiling - how not to go?  

Pontet-Canet has been a rising star over recent years, with wines that are "full bodied, well-structured, long lived and famous for their finesse and elegance" and which have garnered praise and points from the wine world luminaries. Located in the Pauillac region, it is one of the poster boys (or girls) for biodynamism in the Bordeaux wine region and the world. Biodynamism in wine is a style of organic farming where the grapes are grown according to sustainable and holistic principles as laid down by one Rudolf Steiner in his 1924 lecture series "Agriculture Course". Steiner espoused the idea that soil fertility could be increased without the use of chemically produced fertilizers and pesticides. He advocated a more ecologically based form of agriculture that facilitated and supported self sustainability where farming took place in harmony with the earth and its natural energies and motions, both seen and unseen.  

In practical terms, this means minimum to zero use of chemicals at all stages of grape growing and the utilisation of natural fertilisers and processes. Equally with technology - less is more. As an example, the guide during our recent visit to the Pontet-Canet winery made much of the effects of using horses to plough rather than tractors. The reasoning goes that tractors compound the earth which makes it harder for worms to aerate the soil - using horses means the worms are more able to do what they do best and this allows for better drainage. Equally, vine roots can dig deeper in their search for nutrients when the soil is more amenable to being rooted rather than getting blocked by compacted soil. 

Biodynamism has caught the imagination of many growers around the world. It is a commitment to respecting the soil and the various factors that impact it - enhancing the positive growing environment whilst seeking to minimise and marginalise those elements that impact good growth by natural means. It is monitored and supervised by a body called The Demeter Association which oversees the standards by which wines can be officially certified as biodynamic. Pontet-Canet achieved full certification in 2010. 

Biodynamism tends to get dismissed for being a bit hooey and new age hippie cerebral. Well and maybe, but the proof will be in the wines and certainly on our recent Bordeaux visit to sample the en primeurs Pontet-Canet stood out as stellar and the one that we would clearly buy. There was a fresh crispness and vibrancy to the 2012 that positively leapt out of the glass. Equally,  the biodynamic wines from the Domaine Leflaive consistently stun. So speak as you find, bidynamism seems to work. And naturally, the better the wine then the greater the demand and consequent chance of turning a reasonable profit on the entire exercise. Presumably, less technology means an increase in labour costs which will impact final production costs and profit margin. As ever, being allowed to compete on a level playing field with the behomoths will be central to long term success. But tastewise, it clearly makes a difference. This bandwagon has a lot more road to roll, and the momentum is gathering…

On the night there were about sixty wine and foodies who had gathered for the wine dinner, and expectations of an excellent evening ahead were running high. Organised by Kuala Lumpur wine stalwarts Milawa, the place was pretty full by the time we arrived, and indeed proceedings got underway just as we took our seats. Barely time to say hello to the many friends from the KL foodie circuit who had come out for the occasion.

Chateau Pontet-Canet's Melanie Tesseron was introduced and gave a brief introduction to both herself and the winery. 

Described on LinkedIn as General Director and Co-Owner at Chateau Pontet-Canet and Tesseron Cognac, and with a previous life as a Motion Graphic Designer, Mme Tesseron has risen rapidly for someone with just eight years in the industry. Joining with her uncle and erstwhile sole manager Mr Alfred Tesseron to jointly manage the Chateau's operations in 2005, Mme Tesseron was recently placed in the top 50 Most Powerful Women in Wine by The Drinks Business in December 2012. Chateau Pontet-Canet is a family business, and seems to be resisting a Bordeaux trend whereby Chateaux are getting bought over by the big boys and benefitting from massive investments in their wineries. Whilst this is positive in most respects, one wonders about the extent to which these Chateaux retain independence to resist boardroom "suggestions" to hasten or improve returns. It must be difficult to resist an owner seeking to dip into the business and suggesting practices which may be commercially sound though potentially negative in the impact on the final product. Well, maybe not. From what I have read, the Chateaux Madames tend historically to be a feisty breed. 

In this, Mme Tesseron proved an erudite and knowledgeable host with a hint of a dry British wit and whose passion and pride for the biodynamic achievements of Pontet-Canet were clear to all. No feistiness - but without a doubt eminently capable. The branding tag line semed to be the quite snappy "new world wines in old world bottles."  A brief overview of the 2003 vintage was given before Mme Tesseron sensibly opted to sit down to let the food and wine speak for themselves. 

The first course came out, albeit a bit slowly - sixty plus people to feed to fine dining standard is no mean feat and when your table is the furthest from the kitchen you will suffer a bit. Lenglui complained of slightly cold food. Mine was fine, so we swapped. We had already been drinking the 2003 as aperitif and though there seemed to be a slight reluctance for glasses to get sufficiently topped off we did get a fair second round to match with the food. The 2003 had been billed as a "great vintage" with a heatwave creating "water stress" on the vines and producing full bodied grapes as a result. It was also the first year that Pontet-Canet stopped using weed killer. There was cassis, spice and green pepper on the nose with chewy tannins and a pleasant though slighly alcholic finish. This was tamed into fighting submission by the rich and sweetly zippy sauce of the hugely tasty Wagyu. I have previously suspected Chef Antoine of adding shakes of curry powder in the sauce, giving rise to a spicy mouthful of Mulligatawny curry-like broth. And on this occasion it worked a treat, erasing the alcohol on the tongue and letting the fruit and structure of the wine shine through. It also gave a spicily sweet finish to the meat. On the night, the 2003 was to prove the best drinking. The Foie Gras coddled egg with Bordelaise sauce looked influenced by the Half Boiled Egg and Soy Sauce combo that is both breakfast and supper on the street for many Malaysians. Except for the Foie Gras, of course - rarely on the menu at the local hawker stall. The Prime scallop was its usual firm textured self. They are claimed to be fresh though I still retain a sneaking suspicion of them spending some time in a fridge somewhere.

The 2004 was now on the table. Mme Tesseron confessed to it not being a classic year, though the grapes retained elegance due to a cool and lengthy Indian summer across the Bordeaux region. Thought to have more finesse as a result, and showing Morello cherry, cassis and almond with pronounced tannins, it became the good value wine filler sandwiched between the bread and butter classic vintages of 2003 and 2005. Drinking wise, the tannins felt a bit pronounced with the fruit a bit further back in the mix. There's a lot longer in the bottle needed for this one, though a slight question for me as to whether the fruit will stand for a great length of time. 

The salad combo was cute, but at first it didn't seem to be going anywhere. The cheese neutered the tannins enough for better balance, though its addition to the salad felt odd. There was something that seemed to be missing that was needed to bring it all together. In fact, it wasn't missing, it was just hidden at the bottom of the ensemble. The eggplant nestling there proved to be the foundation for the otherwise confusing mix of tastes and brought it all together in both textural and taste terms. Its firmish squishy sweet blandness set everything off, taking the sour edge off the cheese and letting the other ingredients get a look in on the tongue.

And then out came the 2000. Oh, the 2000. Alleged Vintage of the century to date. You are a big wine - full of body, with a rich nose of dark fruit and coffee notes from the easing tannins. For some reason, your finish felt a bit dried out as compared to the 2003 and 2004. Maybe this was the fertiliser at work in the soil at the end of the century. Maybe you just need more time in the bottle. Whatever, you went gangbusters with the Beef Tenderloin. There were two pieces of meat, one of which was perfectly grilled to medium perfection with the melted marble blending superbly with the slight char on the meat and the understated seasoning;  and the other which felt massively oversalted and killed the tastebuds. Strange. Not sure if it was the result of this chunk of seasoned beef, but the potato and spinach also felt well salted. Most odd. We had to drink the water since the wine pourings through the night seemed to have gone from somewhat parsimonious (read "stingy") to the point of almost stalling. Certainly far less than we tend to be used to at other wine dinners in Kuala Lumpur.

Rant alert - our IWFS normally budgets about one bottle per guest for the functions. My count of bottles on the night was forty-eight which would explain why the wine felt a bit thin in quantity. I do understand the math involved and the need to keep the final price affordable and attractive to fit within Milawa's philosophy to bring great wines to more people. And indeed, given the wines and the food it was tremendous value. It's just that things would have been a shade more perfect with an extra glass of something and it just didn't quite feel like a good enough drink to go with the food. My usual trick of waiting until the dear lady with the wine bottle was coming near and taking a swift swig to entice a top up failed miserably on this occasion. And it seems I was not alone in feeling dry - a number of friends seemed to say the same thing at the end of the night. Maybe we've been spoiled and gotten used to expecting a full skin. Maybe. No matter, in some ways it was quite refreshing to drive home comparatively sober. Always a silver lining, eh?

Rant over - the final wine was the 2009 and this was lovely. We'd had a bottle of this cracked for us at our visit to Pontet-Canet and we fell for it then. Benefitting from stable temperatures through the summer, the grapes produced a wine that Mme Tesseron described as "very complete" - elegant structure, layered and perfumed, with classic blackcurrant nose and well integrated tannins. Mr Parker apparently gave it 100 and for once I agree with him. This wine is the total business. Everyone should be so lucky and get a glass at some time in their life. Milawa, I thank you. Just maybe a little more next time, can?

The 2009 went surprisingly well with dessert. The light chantilly cream, crisp soft pears and crunchy nibs combined well with the deep chocolate which brought out hints of cocoa in the wine. And notwithstanding that the sponge felt a bit stodgy, it made for a firm solid finish to the meal. 

Again, we stole some of the magnificent Prime cookies to take home. Again we got stiffed with the Car parking charges. But for once I didn't mind. We had been in the presence of biodynamic and vinous greatness, and I will happily wave the flag for ecologically sensible agriculture and those brave intrepid growers who face the barrage of contempt from those who happily continue to stress their soils to produce the large volumes they need to create the mass production glug that stocks the supermarket shelves. Yes, I am a closet tree hugger, yes I berate all actions that impact our planet to the long term detriment of the ecological system that sustains and supports all life. Anyone who doesn't recognise the effects of pollution and deforestation and is not prepared to take steps to marginalise these effects will ultimately be responsible for this host earth being consumed by our human species. And mostly all for a percentage. We do have an earth to save and the more corporately responsible practices that get initiated then the better chance that our future generations will have a habitable planet to inherit. Yes. I sure do like to rant… 

In sum, another fabulous evening of food, wine with old and new friends at Kuala Lumpur's finest steak restaurant. Fantastic wines, well matched with the food, though maybe a shade thin on the pourings. It was brilliant to meet with the owner and manager of a Bordeaux winery we had visited and where we'd enjoyed a wonderful tasting, and one hopes that the gods allow revisits by both Mme Tesseron and ourselves to our respective home towns. Ms Melanie had made time to say hello to everyone who had come to the dinner, and made a point of sending email to express thanks for my attendance with an open invitation to visit Pontet-Canet. Nice, personal touch. She is clearly aware that, as Pontet-Canet ambassador, how she is perceived to conduct herself is critical in how people view the brand. And biodynamic gets intensely personal - there is a connection between the owner and the land and the people who farm it, and the result. Mme Tesseron is as much a part of her wine as the wine is part of her. She made it, she helped pick and sort the grapes, she cared for its production and development. From the vine to the bottle, this is an expression of who she and Pontet-Canet are. And we got to meet her and drink her wines with her. Wow. I intend to buy Pontet-Canet 2012 and wait for it to come through to the drinking greatness that I believe it will mature into. And then remember the time we spent at the Chateau where it was first tasted and the people who made it and shared it. Doesn't get more personal than that.

Menu

Appetiser

Braised Wagyu Beef Intercostal, Rosemary Pumpkin Polenta Bread

Seared Sea Scallop, Celery Truffle Espuma

Foie Gras Coddled Egg, Bordelaise Sauce

Chateau Pontet-Canet 2003

Salad

Grilled Vegetables Salad

Stilton Cheese and Walnut Cumble, Aragula, Dried Fig

Pontet Canet Red Wine JKelly and Aged Balasamic Dressing

Chateau Pontet-Canet 2004

Main

Sous Vide Black Angus Beef Tenderloin, Beef Jus

Torched "Beurre Maitre d'Hotel"

Smoked Duck Roesti Potato, Wilted Spinach

or

Provencal Herbs, Olive and Sundried Tomato Brushed Roasted Black Cod

Lentils du Puy, Maine Lobster and Sweet Crab Mustard Dressing

Chateau Pontet-Canet 2000

Dessert

Chocolate and Hazelnut Cake

Guanaja Chantilly Cream, Poached baby Pears

Chateau Pontet-Canet 2009

Illy Coffee or Dilma Tea

Prime Cookies

IWFS KL PRIME APRIL 2013 - Good, not great.

We had done our food tasting (see earlier blog) and committee approved that dinner at Prime would be a great evening of food and wine. And indeed, members responded quickly and in numbers. Secretary Jeremy was forced to put members guests on a waitlist pending takeup of places by members. They naturally need to be given preference, otherwise why bother being a member? As it was, he didn't show on the night, presumably deciding to fall on the sword and give way to members. Also, he was in the middle of preparations for daughter's wedding as well as packing for our IWFS Bordeaux trip. As it was, there were only four guests in total - we had persuaded the Doc to come on board for this one. He is a Prime fan and aficionado of the meat there and when we told him there was single malt 16 year old single malt Lagavulin whiskey, well….  Almost enough for him to sign up for membership. Almost.

The evening got off to a stormy start. Literally. Leaving the office, there was a typhoon force storm blowing hurricane sheets of rain down the road and ripping branches off trees. Opting to find a port in this storm, Lenglui and I headed straight for the venue and arrived just after six. A swift change and a freshen up with the nice smelling whoosh under the arms and shirt and we were ready. Chef Antoine was ambling about outside the restaurant, whistling a Carpenter's tune. He seemed clearly relaxed, ahead of the madness and insanity that cooking up a culinary storm for 60 IWFS members and guests must be. 

Where's the beef?

The Prime doors opened at 6.30 and we sauntered in to be greeted by name by one fo the waiting staff who clearly remembered me from previous dinners. What an amazing welcome! And which set the tone for the waiting staff for the night. Abslolutely first class service all through the night. The glass of Pol Roger NV Champagne from a magnum bottle was also delightful. Chilled to lovely perfection, this steely crisp glass of bubbles soothed the storm bashed spirit back to normality with its seductive sweet lemony crisp fruit and fine refined finish. Clean, dry, acidic and electric tannins with a biscuit nose that crackled down the throat. O beautiful. Surprisingly, there were few latecomers given the horrendous floods, traffic jams, howling hurricane winds and lashing rain outside. People started arriving and soon the smallish recpetion area was abuzz with chitchat and laughing and praise for the appetizers and their match with the fizz. Indeed, it was nice - oysters with cleansing fizz, how to go wrong? Fearing an adverse reaction ahead of the Bordeaux trip, I declined the oyster, though apparently it was in a gel rather than rare. Some comment as to preference for fresh for the future. Agreed. The salmon was bliss - fresh, woody, clean bite and chew - brahma with the sour cream and lemon. And did I mention the fizz? There was one blip when one member started whingeing about the appetisers not making it to the far side of the reception area. They were getting snapped up by ravenous members before they were getting half way. The whinger in question rode shotgun for the appetiser lady and escorted her through the ravenous hordes, deftly whacking the pecking fingers as they sought to snap up the tasty oysters, salmon and caviar mash potato. We had learned our lesson from previous IWFS dinners - best to stand near where the food or booze is coming out. No problem.

The Prime Trilogie

Moving to the seats, there were two long tables, two half tables and three with four seated. Table was pleasant and not overly adorned, though the glasses were somewhat less than perfect - small white and red rather than the glorious big Bordeaux bowls we had at the tasting. I guess we had maybe stretched them to the glassware limit. 

Clam Chowder "Macchiato"

In comparison to the food tasting, tonight came out a bit…  snuzz. The Prime Trilogie was good, with the Alaskan Crab and Truffle Ravioli outshining the somewhat beefy scallop.  The Clam Chowder was a bit on the paprika peppery side and somewhat over creamy being more puree than clam. The fizz made a great match for the chowder, whilst the Tenuta Caparzo Vermentino 2011 came out mixed - it was a fair partner with the chowder and outstanding as the match with the Ravioli, whose cream gave some structure to the wine's slightly industrial and oily nature. The fine spice and rose petal smell of a Gewurtz without the body slam lychee smack in the mouth.

Leek Fondue and Brioche was a fresh toasted and creamy mush which went lovely with the remains of the champagne. There seemed no end to the fizz - the glasses kept getting refilled. should have more magnums, they are clearly bottomless. The leek was a bit sweet and seemed to repeat

For the Prime Plate, the Filet Mignon was excellent whilst the Lobster was somewhat on the wrong side of chewy rubber. Buttery, less than crisp and lacking that fresh crunch that good lobster gives. In contrast, the Cod Fish was excellent - light, fluffily delicate flakes in a sweetly smooth creamy and low salted sauce. The main wine had changed from the tasting and did fair service, though the Chateau Les Haut de Conseillante 2008 still couldn't do much with the meat. The Alion Bodegas Y Vinedos Ribera Del Duero 2004 had more body and fruit to help the meat. Somewhat Australian in its bold feel and body though smoother and less tannic, it was crackerjack with the Wagyu which on the night came across as somewhat oxtail rich and mulligatawny - felt like someone had added a shake of curry powder somewhere. With a dollop of rice on a banana leaf, it would have been perfect.

The chocolate dessert was off the map - dark cocoa with creamy vanilla in a sleek dreamy concoction of milk, sugar and cocoa. And more champagne, which cut through the cocoa and rinsed the throat of all the chocolatey goo that tends to cling to it. New experience and a most happy one. The nut and blueberry Brownie gave a solid carbo finish to the meal.

I guess I would be the one to blame for suggesting whiskey with dessert. The Chocolate selections and preparations did pair quite well with the 16 YO Single Malt Lagavulin. I do now understand the attraction of Single Malts a little better now. They are for sipping, and letting the smoke and the fire in the peat mellow the night away into peaceful male no zone blissful non memory. Still don't like the taste, but recognise the appreciation. 

The service was fabulous and professional - as said, got greeted by name at the entrance and also all the way through dinner. Very accommodative, professional, courteous. Not intrusive. Almost first class.

Chef Antoine with IFWS Committee Member Ong Li Dong

Overall, the evening didn't somehow feel like value this time around. The kitchen seemed to cope with getting quality food out to the assembled punters, but seemed to be straining against getting that final "ta-daaaa" that marked the tasting as a real feasting event. Wine wise, those I spoke to seemed to prefer the beefy red over the lighter weight, whilst the white got forgotten in the late night haze of whiskey. Far from bad, just falling short of magnificent. O expectations, how you tease and tantalise us, always in the hope that they will be met and exceeded. One day…

Cheers!

Photos of people by kind courtesy of Jan Shaw

International Wine & Food Society Kuala Lumpur Menu - ‘The Best of Prime’

Pre-Dinner

Ratte potato espuma, one with truffle and one with ikura

Duck Liver Lolipop, Fresh Oyster, vichyssoise gel, harenga pearls

Buratina cheese, Bresaola dry beef, fresh fig

Apple wood chips homemade cold smoked salmon trout, blinis, lemon, sour cream and condiments

Pol Roger Brut Reserve MV en Magnum

*****

Appetisers

Prime Trilogie

Grilled jumbo Scallop, sticky oxtail, parmesan wafer

Alaskan Crab Espresso

Truffle ravioli, wild mushroom fricassee

Tenuta Caparzo Vermentino 2011

Chowder

Manilla clams chowder ‘macchiato’

Toasted brioche, leek fondue

Tenuta Caparzo Vermentino 2011

*****

Prime Plate

Roasted Fillet of Cod & seared Maine Lobster

Risotto Cake, Tomato Confit

Or

Braised Blackmore Wagyu Inter Coastal

Soft Mascapone herbs polenta & Bearnaise beurre blanc

And

Charcoal grilled filet mignon Rossini

Wilted spinach, grilled green asparagus

Chateau Les Haut de Conseillante 2008

Alion Bodegas y Vinedos Ribera del Duero 2004

*****

Chocolate Experience

Hot Dark Chocolate drink

Prime warm brownies, berries compote

Espresso chocolate tart, whipping vanilla cream

*****

Prime Illy Coffee or selection of Dilmah Teas

Prime Cookies, Macaroons and Pralines

Lagavulin 16 Year Old

IWFS Food Tasting Prime Restaurant Le Meridien 19th February 2013

Prime used to be THE restaurant of choice for a good steak. In the early days when it first opened, you'd get a good chunk of rib eye or sirloin that was cooked to juicy medium rare perfection, with little in the way of adornment save for some garlic mash and green spinach on the side. Paired with a bottle of 2000 Joseph Phelps Le Mistral from the wine list it was as close to steak heaven as you could get outside of New York or San Francisco. We would happily shell out on the Starwood Card just to get the 50% discount for two people to eat there. We'd often give the member vouchers to friends, such was the primacy of, er, Prime.

But then something happened. The meat got somehow thinner and less juicy, a bit more peppery and with jus appearing on or near the meat. The meat looked like it was getting whacked by a nine iron but was getting less tender as a result. So we stopped going with as much regularity as before. Prior to this, and outside of a visiting Michelin chef who commandeered the kitchen for a wonderful week, the last visit is a distant memory and not particularly memorable at that.

So the chance to get a first hand taste of the chef's best at an International Wine & Food Society food tasting for a prospective members function promised much. Billing itself as PRIME SIMPLY THE BEST, the menu looked most interesting and the wines chosen by the Doc looked a fair match. Further, given that one of the senior managers of the Hotel's holding group was joining the dinner, we figured the restaurant would pull out all stops to ensure a meal of memorable proportions. And it did, though it was  the actual proportions of the meal that were to prove memorable in their size and quantity, with much of the table struggling to finish the main courses. In fairness though, it was supposed to be a tasting and it was probably our bad for scoffing down all the courses with abandon rather than tasting for future recommendation. Okay….  but it still felt large. Naughty food taster - lesson learned? Probably not.

Deftly ignoring the shame of being the last to arrive (oops!) by about five minutes, we all allowed ourselves to be escorted to the private dining room set for the nine assembled. The table was long and the seats were huge, needing waiting staff of Conan the Barbarian proportions to push them under the table.

The fizz being served was a Cava, the Castillo Perelada Brut Reserve NV from the Catalonia region. A blend of Macabeo (40%), Xarel lo (30%)and Parellada (30%) and with 15 months in bottle it proved a crispily pleasant liquid entree to the evening. Not much on the nose, but good bubbles and crisp apples and pears on the palate and a firm, sleek finish. It needed to stay cold, though - when it warmed in the glass there seemed to be an unpleasant note of rancidness. In fairness, this quickly disappeared with a cold top up.

Executive Chef Antoine Rodriguez quickly appeared with the starters (designed to stimulate the appetite) and gave a brief introduction. There were six of them, and rather than stimulate they pretty much satisfied. Of the six, the Buratina cheese, Bresaola dry beef with fresh fig, and the Apple wood chips with cold smoked salmon trout and blinis with lemon and sour cream stood out.  The beef, cheese and fig combo was a delightful firm textured melange of sweetness, salt and smooth creamy goo that played sensual soft salty symphonies across the mouth. The salmon, apple and sour cream was a similar sensation though with slightly more sour on the tongue that undercut the immensely fresh salmon a treat. The blini lent a gentle carbo foundation for the mix. Both were stars, both were also great excuses to drink more Cava to cleanse the mouth.

The fresh oyster with vichyssoise gel and harenga pearls was fine, though the oyster felt a bit aged. The pearls added nice saltiness, whilst the gel had texture but seemed to have little to no taste. Naturally good with the fizz.

The two Ratte potato espuma both felt a bit on the stodgy side but went extremely well when spread on the bread as a Danish style open potato sandwich. The bread seemed to contain way more pepper than previously remembered. Pepper can burn the tastebuds and get in the way of tasting the wines, so maybe there's a need for more neutral bread to be available.  It was good to taste the difference between the trufle and ikura styles, with the ikura edging it for me due to the saltiness matching better with the Cava.

The Duck Liver Lollipop came on a bed of chocolate pops in which the lollipop needed to be dipped before consuming. Very, very interesting and playful. The combo of the smooth and creamy foie in the mouth and the popping of the chocolate pops was like having warm sweet fatty pate firecrackers firing into the cheeks. Brilliant concept with lots of cross textures and tastes which worked delightfully. Downside for me was that it left a coating of chocolate across the palate which proved difficult to dislodge. Too much more and the remainder of the food and wine would not be able to be appreciated. The Cava was not up to the task and copious amounts of sparkling water finally did the trick. A lovely starter, but not one for a wine group.

For some reason, the table had got eerily quiet. The staff had come around and distributed marking sheets for us to grade the dishes and the group seemed to take this seriously, sampling the food soberly with gravity and consideration. Perhaps it was the room - there was a somewhat austere quality about it. Whatever. Maybe everyone just needed more booze.

Next out was the "Prime Trilogie" of Grilled jumbo Sea Scallop, sticky oxtail and parmesan wafer; Alaskan Crab espresso; and Truffle ravioli with wild mushroom fricassee. This proved a table favourite and broke the silence. Served in an espresso cup the Alaskan crab was tremendous. Firm sweet meat in a creamy pureed broth peppered with paprika - a perfect blend of taste and texture and the food star of the night. The scallop was indeed a jumbo and had that firm crunch and bite of one that was absolutely fresh from the sea. Matching it with sticky oxtail gave it a sense of surf and turf, though on one level seemed to be pairing two similar protein textures. It did work, though the parmesan chip proved a bit too much salty seasoning for my taste and overpowered the scallop. The truffle ravioli was delightful - amazingly fresh ricotta cheese and a firm pasta covered in creamy wild mushroom sauce. Perfectly underseasoned and with hints of rustic Italian herb and truffle earthiness. Stellar.

For the wines, the crisply sweet and full fruit of the medium bodied Selbach Bernkastel Kurfutslay Riesling Kabinett 2010 would make a wonderful match with a more robust meat or seafood dish. Wonderfully balanced and crisply honeyed, with apricots and orange marmalade covering a sparkling acidity leading to a full syrup finish. It wasn't really a good match with the delicate flavours of the crab and scallop. The sweetness took over the palate and the food neutralised the acidity. The Donnafugata Polena 2011 from Sicily proved to be a charming find. On its own, it came across as a shade industrial, with hints of flint and steel and ironworks. With the food, it started to dazzle and charm and showed itself as a versatile and perfect partner for all of the dishes in the course. Soft fruits, clean nose and texture, crispish yet with low acidity and hints of spice and almond on the finish. Sicilian wines have tended to be somewhat artisan and workmanlike in their presentations. This one shows a welcome maturing in the vinification and winemaking process, with a growing finesse and refinement in the wine. Most pleasant indeed.

Chef was clearly on a roll and his Manilla clams chowder “macchiato”with toasted brioche and leek fondue continued this gastronomic streak with a delightful vengeance. It was creamy, smooth perfection - must have been what Coleridge's poor hero must have felt when he had drunk the milk of Paradise in his search for the lost Xanadu. Total immense pleasure, melting on the palate and disappearing like a creamy whisper to rest warmly in the belly pit. When paired with the light crusty Brioche it was stairway to gastronomic heaven, with the carbo and sweet tomato cutting through the cream. Perfecto. Contento.

Getting paired with the Luciano Sandrone Dolcetto d'Alba 2011 looked good on paper but didn't really come over as a great match on the night . A WS 91 and WA 89 and billed as an easy drinking food partner with plum and dark berries, good structure, minerality and firm ripe tannins, it seemed to be more of a fighting partner with the Chowder. Whilst it did drink nicely on its own, it battled against the Chowder's textured creaminess which all but killed off the fruit in the wine and made it taste alcoholic. Equally, the tannins felt like they needed some proteins and fat to cut through and let Dolcetto's silkiness shine. So it goes. The Sicilian also failed with the Chowder - it neutralised the wine completely. The Riesling fared slightly better due to its larger body and texture, but failed as a match because of its sweetness. Possibly a white burgundy might offer a more robust match for the Chowder.

The Chowder finished me off. I could happily have marched off into the sunset and slept the dreamless sleep of the satiated. But not to be. There were the Prime Place main courses to get through (get through…   sounds like a chore, doesn't it? Nice work if you can get it). There was a choice of either Roasted Filet of Cod and seared Maine lobster with Risotto Cake and Tomato Confit; or a combo of Braised Blackmore Wagyu Inter coastal (with Soft Mascarpone herbs polenta & Bearnaise beurre blanc) and Charcoal Grilled filet mignon Rossini with Wilted spinach and grilled green asparagus.

On the table, both felt a little on the cold side, though maybe this was because the conversation had heated up slightly so that the food was kept waiting on the table for us to finish our chatting.

The fillet mignon felt a little dried out on the tongue, though the meat had been seared perfectly. A lovely chunk of meat, firm in texture but somewhat lacking in fat and leaner than is personal preference. The cut did appear a shade thin compared to tenderloin tasted at other restaurants, so possibly the searing may have dried out what little juice was in the meat. It's probably more a matter of personal taste than anything - the character of the meat is lighter and more delicate and, for me, just missing a little fat.

In contrast, the Wagyu was immediately excellent. Wonderfully succulent and tender texture that was not to the point of waxy liquefying, as some Wagyu tends to be. The Jus was rich and smooth and not oversweet, with some herb undertones. One of the best.

There were two wines to try, both Bordeaux - the right bank Chateau Les Hauts Conseillante Lalande de Pomerol 2008 and the left bank Chateau Dufort Vivens 2000. A WS 88 pointer, the Pomerol presented nicely - light body but full mouth, lean yet firm structure, lovely nose and balance, and fair fruit with a lingering finish. The 2008 also stayed nicely in the glass till the end of the night and made for a pleasant quaffer to toast the road. It paired well with the lighter filet mignon which brought out pepper and powered up the fruit, but it was maybe a little overpowered by the Wagyu. An excellent find nonetheless.

The Dufort needed a lot of time in the glass for some bottle stink to evaporate and open up. Once done, it became clearly a wine of breeding and class. Powerful, structured, blackcurrant and full fruit, good tannins and excellent balance with that unmistakeable full mouth that says "je suis Bordeaux, dare you drink me?" We dared, and it was delightful, though there were still some odd notes on the nose and finish. The Dufort seemed to lack persistence in the glass, with some lingering faustiness toward the end. Maybe a decant would have improved it. It stood up to the Wagyu nicely, but it whacked the filet mignon into beefburger submission. Decanter reviews have the 2000 as having an "Elegant nose and superb colour, fine blackcurrant fruit and deep Cabernet richness… a combination of finesse, length and power on the palate, which remains typically Margaux." Well, and maybe. The Dufort should have been good - I'm not entirely sure it was. Didn't taste the Lobster, but it looked magnificent. Would like to have tried it with the Sicilian.

There was some Dolcetto left which had been spared the somewhat overenthusiastic removal of glasses by the staff. It fared somewhat better with the meats than it did with the Chowder.

The Chocolate experience dessert comprised three tastes - a Hot dark chocolate drink; Prime warm brownies and berries compote; and Espresso chocolate tart with whipping vanilla cream. All were wonderful in their own ways. The chocolate drink had mint and cocoa and was liquid velvet rich and endless on the tongue. The chocolate tart was full, rich and creamy whilst the brownies compote was pleasantly acidic against the rich and toasty brownie.

Someone wondered what wine might go with chocolate dessert, and the response referred to the recent posting on the IWFS blog which offered suggestions. One that found favour was Yamazaki whiskey, though a good Port was also thought to be possible. It's difficult to contradict the blog comment of APZ President Yvonne Wallis that the best partner to chocolate is a good coffee, and the excellent Illy espresso coffee provided at the Prime offered the ideal accompaniment. Well worth the sleepless night that always follows a late night espresso. The macaroons were also excellent. The fact that we did not steal the cookies as we normally do showed for sure it had been a memorable evening of excellent food, wine and company that should prove to be a great evening for a members function.

The service was generally excellent, though occasional over eagerness to clear the glasses without checking whether they were finished with was a shade irritating. It is good to have the glasses left on the table so as to be able to monitor the wine's progress through the evening. The aroma left in the glass after an hour can tell much about the wine that was in it. So I got a bit miffed when a glass with some white got cleared without my consent, and had to ask for it to be returned. Perhaps the assumption was that since the matching dish had finished then the matching wine could also be removed. Okay, but maybe better to get the staff to double check with the person whether a glass can be taken away.

Final note - I think there was a small charge for the water. Bearing in mind the ShangriLa experience, maybe check the costing with the hotel and clarify if can get FOC. Also, be prepared to get whacked with the car parking - restaurant gives you a ticket which gives two hours for RM8 but every hour thereafter is RM5. 

Overall, excellent food and service, excellent individual wines, some pairings better than others. The stars give my ratings (* is okay, ** is good, *** is very good,  **** is stellar)

Food choices would be
STARTERS
***Buratina cheese, Bresaola dry beef with fresh fig
**Apple wood chips with cold smoked salmon trout and blinis with lemon and sour cream.  
*Fresh oyster with vichyssoise gel and harenga pearls
*Ratte potato espuma with the ikura (to give a contrasting texture)

wine match - The **Cava was fine, though if any ***Vallaformosa left in IWFS cellar, that also would work

PRIME TRILOGIE
**Grilled jumbo Sea Scallop, sticky oxtail and parmesan wafer;
****Alaskan Crab espresso;
****Truffle ravioli with wild mushroom fricassee.

wine match - The ***Sicilian. The Riesling had too much crisp honey. Be a cracker for a dessert.

CHOWDER
****Manilla clams chowder “macchiato”with toasted brioche and leek fondue

wine match - The **Dolcetto didn't work for me. Suggest a good white burgundy - can also flow through for the Lobster

PRIME PLATE
***Braised Blackmore Wagyu Inter coastal (with Soft Mascarpone herbs polenta & Bearnaise beurre blanc)
Roasted Filet of Cod and seared Maine lobster with Risotto Cake and Tomato Confit

wine - Not convinced the **Pomerol or the **Dufort did a good enough job. Anything in the IWFS Cellar needs drinking?

DESSERT
***The chocolate experience is very good.

wine - if we have the dark chocolate drink, nothing will really match. Port an option, or a good brandy.

NOTES
Less pepper in the bread
Ask before removing glasses
Will water be charged?
Maybe a sorbet after the Chowder?

Hilton KL Senses Restaurant November 10th 2012

Surprisingly good steak. Senses were having a beef promotion and this was the star. Meat quality on the Angus was very good and the medium rare ribeye steak was nicely prepared. Lamb cutlets also very good, above the usual con-fusion food that I seem to remember Senses excelling at. Guigal Cotes Du Rhone was an excellent partner to both. Steak was even better than recent eatings at the Prime next door in Le Meridien. Don't seem to have much luck at Senses - every time we go there I get an earful of criticals from Lenglui. Must be the feng shui of the place. 

New Menu at the Prime October 2012

Been threatening to give this one a shot for ages, and with someone's birthday looming a booking was made. In the end the birthday girl couldn't show but Lenglui myself and the Doc went ahead. The Doc had a RM200 voucher that needed redeeming, and wanted to try out some dishes on their recently amended menu. What to do?

Whilst the reception area was clearly undergoing major renovations, the interior of the Prime had not changed. Long legendary for some of the best steak in the city, we naturally wanted to see if it still had the mojo. The menu had indeed been updated, and the prices had evidently been revised upwards. Maybe blame the bad harvest on increasing grain prices. Inflation had clearly come to the Prime.

Lenglui opted for Angus ribeye, the Doc went for an 1824 Sirloin and I went with a different ribeye. Shared starter of green salad and a delightful Thai style beef with crispy noodle - sweet without cloying and great texture and carbo to combine with the beef proteins. Washed down with a glass of Mumm NV cold fizz, it made for a delightful ensemble.

The Prime is quite reasonable on their corkage, opting to allow no corkage on a bottle brought so long as one is bought from their list. Always a good reason to prefer one restaurant over another. We'd brought a 2005 Brunello which the Doc had brought to a previous food outing and had gone undrunk. Big berries on the nose, powerful and full fruit on the mouth, lovely tannins and great balance, a wine of flair and finesse. It paired with the steak magnificently. The steak was…. okay I suppose. We all opted for the 8oz and they were all done according to our tastes. I just wasn't blown away by them. As we always do here in Malaysia, we all tasted a bit of each others food. Again, all were good and fine and tasty but just not… mindblowing. I guess if we want mindblowing we have to buy the wagyu steak with the marble, but at triple the price it felt too much of a whack to the wallet. 

Another whack to the wallet was to come. Whilst most KL Hotels mark the car parking at a flat rate for the weekend, Hilton and Le Meridien do not. You get two hours at RM8 but each successive hour is RM5. So total carpark whack was RM18. At the Shang, max on a weekend after 7pm is RM10. Feels like quite a lot to pay for the privilege of dining at the Prime. Certainly a reason not to go back there. Coupled with the so so okay only steak, will look to retry the Dish on Tun Razak. Cheaper parking too.

PRIME, Le Meridien Hotel, July 3rd 2011

A late decision to go here after a planned rehearsal with accapella group Six2eight was cancelled. I love the ambience of Prime - the wod, the bottles stacked to the impossibly high ceiling, the windows onto the kitchen and the chefs all in black, inlcuding the big chef hat. Does get a bit cold, though. They were doing a special on the Black Angus so dearest went for the rib eye while I had the striploin. Mine came with ricotta and greens and was most tasty, though the meat was smeared with the gravy and I prefer mine on the side. It was tasty enough, though, and went well with the cheapest wine on the list, a Beringer Stone Cellar Merlot from 2006. Still prefer the steak at the Dish though - better meat and more of it. The Starwood Card gives us 50% off the food and 20% off the drinks, so the total after tax was about RM300. Not bad for a decent steak with trimmings and a shared bottle. Plus the delightful starter bread and the varieties of herb and garlic butter. Must try the rib eye sans gravy next time.

The Dish Jalan Tun Razak

Just a shout out for our present favourite destination for steak - the Dish on Jalan Tun Razak. Part of the Dua Residency condo, Dish is part restaurant part delicatessen and a delightful experience. We have had steak there on a few occasions and it has been unfailingly excellent. Australian or USA beef charred outside and done to your liking inside, it can pair with a variety of sides. We like the potatoes fried in duck fat. Quite an extensive wine list at fair prices, and the bread and the hot cross buns are magnificent.

Other steak restaurant - Prime at Le Meridien. Went for lunch there recently, still got standard. Haven't done dinner for a while, but hope to go soon, will update then.