Storming Chili Crab at the Hai Peng!

October 21st 2015

Been a bit lax with the food blog of late. Fact is, I was five songs shy of breaking the fifty mark for my Rock and Blues singing uploads to the Youtube channel and the urge to crack that particular milestone proved compelling. Gives one something to brag about on the Facebook, yes? So. That milestone has been cracked and duly bragged about and now I can carry on with a farily large backlog of foodie tales to tell. Those keen to hear what I sound like can check out the tunes and vids at www.youtube.com/user/gwailoah and hope you enjoy them!

To the food - it has to be said that the crab has never been a massive favourite of mine. Whilst my Malaysian friends attack the things with greedy gusto, I always find myself left somewhat non plussed by the whole experience. Fiddly things they are, hiding their meat deep within thin legs and sharp outer armour and needing some dedicated digging and hammering that leaves me thinking "why bother?" 

The Hai Peng Seafood Restaurant has shown me the light. Jalan Taman Desa to Jalan Klang Lama has proved to be my road to Damascus. Well, at least in crustacean terms. 

The Hai Peng has been lurking at the fringes of eating destinations for a while now.  Parked on a strip of shophouses near the Taman Desa turning, its bright colourful and well lit shingle display stands it out in the otherwise pretty dark and somewhat scary and lonely looking surroundings. Pretty unassuming inside, the tables and chairs are totally functional and clearly geared to the serious connoisseur of the Crab - you don't need frills getting soiled by flying crabshell.  If you are making the U-turn to go back to KL or turning right from the Taman Desa side, you have to cut across the 3 lane Klang Lama racing strip to make the turning into the restaurant road, which can be a bit hairy. Lenglui had been there on a couple of previous occasions with her Pang Yau, and it was also one of Dr Gan's destinations when the sap for the Crabmeat was on the rise. So it came to pass that Lenglui needed some Cantonese pronunciation training with her Pang Yau and standing a Crab dinner at one of her favourite restaurants seemed like perfect reciprocity. 

And o, it was. Starting with some tasty prawn and vegetable noodles, the crabs came out two styles - steamed and chili - and they were magical. The steamed was hot and the meat was sweet whilst the chili was tongue spicy but not mouth or lips burning. The Chili came with a well tasty sauce that was tomato based but laced with crabmeat and given a light dose of chili. It was sweet and sourish brilliant with the roti bakar (toast dry bread) to mop it up from the plate. Part of me thinks it might have been plain ketchup mixed with boiled crab bits, but no matter - an amazing taste on this one. 

But the crabs were the total stars. Hot sweet meat with that hint of crab flavour and textural heaven on the tongue - simple and perfect. I also learned to cover the crab with a tissue when giving it the tenderising hammer so as not to pepper Lenglui and everyone with exploding crab shell shrapnel.

We had brought the remains of a Gruner Veltliner from the previous evening's Iberico Ribs and Collar party we had at home along with a 2013 Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc. The SB totally shone with the crab, its grapefruit zing giving way to a tongue soothing melon on contact with the crabmeat. Tamed the chili a treat as well. Around RM130 in the supermarkets and very nice indeed. The Gruner was tasty, through its leaner fruit got rendered a shade flat by the crab. Was belter with the ribs and collar the previous night, though.

In sum, excellent crab that was a wonderful match with a young SB, and paired with a superb chili sauce to get mopped up by dry toast bread. So darn good that I forgot to take photos - totally absorbed in sucking down this magnificent crab and sauce and wine. For three crabs and the noodles with a vegetable we paid RM200. Free ice and no corkage, though better to take your own glassware if you're a bit anal about drinking wine from a whiskey glass. We also take a portable plastic PVC Ice Bucket bag on our food adventures - you can always get ice but not always a big enough bucket to take a wine bottle. Been a life saver on numerous occasions. 

The Hai Peng feels like it has been turning out these crabs for decades and remaining totally consistent in the quality and taste of the daily results. We were there on a Wednesday night and it was pretty full (NB not much seating space in the main area, but there is a back area out in the open). Definitely worth driving the the distance to get there, though the restaurant does advise not to leave valuables in the car. It is a bit dark and does look a bit forbidding parking-wise. Notwithstanding, give this one a double Arnie - I'll be back!

Hai Peng Seafood Restaurant

Lot KS-5 Taman Evergreen

4th Mile Jalan Klang Lama, 58200 Kuala Lumpur

Tel +603 7982 5072

HP +6012 2393649

GPS:  3.082926, 101.669972

Daily 6pm to midnight, closed on alternate Tuesdays

Extra Super Tanker - extra darn good!!

Quick report on a dinner we had at the Supertanker on Sunday 14th June (or the Extra Super Tanker Restaurant to give its full name). One of our serious wine afficionado friends had been inviting Lenglui and I over muliple occacions to come and drink his wine at some tasty restaurant but the scheduling fates had been continually against us. Holidays and other dinners seemed to have a way of getting in the, er, way. Finally the schedules aligned and so it was that nine of ended up at the Supertanker in Damansara Kim. Four and a half fairly serious winers, the others happy with a glass or two to taste. One of the group arrived forty minutes late, claiming that dinner was 7.30pm. Whatsapp proved that 7pm was correct. We said nothing, having arrived at 7.20pm though we did text ahead to say we were delayed. 

Supertanker interior - pic from their website

This is about the third time I have been to the Supertanker in Damansara. It has been operating since 2004 and now has two outlets, the other being located in a club in Bandar Utama (where I have attended a couple of big wedding banquets - food was fair, and reasonably well praised by table guests, though it is unfair to try and judge quality when the kitchen is just getting food through the doors to feed the masses). For my first time at the Damansara outlet, I remember it had tried a bit too hard to impress with a fusion style Chinese menu as requested of Chef by a birthday boy. This didn't quite come off for me, though I do remember guzzling bottles of tasty white and Chateau Soleil magnums. Second time was more traditional Chinese fare which I can't quite remember much about. Don't seem to have written about it. This third time would prove to be the charm - total memory of brilliant food, wines and people around a table and having a rare old time of things. We need to savour these moments when we can get together with friends and laugh and joke and sing and leave at the end of it with a lighter heart and a full belly. I feel we sometimes take it all so much for granted that we have the means and the faculties to do these things. And that is a mistake - many out there cannot even dream of the lives we live and experience, and for me I try to relish and extract the entire atomic essence of each and every moment and squeeze it, savour it, sip it, suck it, guzzle and chew and swallow it. Breathe and live every moment of lightness and love with whom or whatever it is that brings joy to this life. It could all end tomorrow, even more so as the years rack up. 

Supertanker interior - pic from website

But I digress. Winewise, we had a Leth 2014 Gruner Veltliner that we had brought back from our Austria trip, and a Giesen August Brothers 1888 Sauvignon Blanc 2011 from New Zealand. We started with the Leth, which proved a delightful aperitif being all light honey and peach pear and crisp finish. Light, crisp but with enough heft to tickle the palate interest, it proved a hit all around the table. Well tasty wine.

Sad thing was I didn't get to try it with the food, which proved a lot late in getting to the table. We had fully whacked the bottle, though I seemed to be the only one with no Leth - the others clearly possess much more self discipline. I have a weakness for crisp tasty wine. Our host was getting animated and following a "get up from the table and verbal whack the captain" it all came at once - the fish, the duck, the omelete, with the ribs and taufoo only five minutes behind. 

It would prove worth the wait - the brother of new friend TB at the table (ex TV producer, great stories about Formula One at Monte Carlo) had bought a 2.5kg Ikan Kelah that morning in Pahang and had delivered it to TB earlier in the day, presumably driving all the way. Our friend had kept it alive all day before emptying the tank and wrapping Ikan in an old T-Shirt for delivery to the restaurant kitchen for cleaning and steaming by Chef and his team.

Known as the "King" of the river, and "Emperau" in Sarawak (where it is also apparently the National Fish), Ikan Kelah remains THE top fish that all anglers want to catch. Having the capacity to grow as large as a human being, it can fetch up to RM800 to RM1,200 per kilo live weight. It is also known as the Malaysian Mahseer and the Greater Brook Carp. The fish has proven difficult to breed and farm due to an apparent inability to find the right diet for it to thrive in captivity. In the fast and clean rivers that are its natural habitat, Ikan Kelah can happily feed on both river fruits and shelled fish that it comes across on the river bed. No one has yet been able to replicate this. In the wild, it is both elusive and increasingly scarce as a result of deforestation and environmental degradation. In this, Sarawak and Sabah have implemented a system (known as "Tagal") where the villagers themselves guard and protect these fish and their rivers. As a result, the fish population has recovered.

The Ikan Kelah - wicked tasty

So we were pretty privileged to be having this freshwater finback. It was seriously priced and totally delightful  - all fish oil, firm flakes of solid fish meat, leaning toward the gooey but a wonderful mouthful of blissful taste. Full fish without being fishy, hugely dripping with omega three; a voluptuous, sweet, oily mess of meat. Nowhere near as light as a Soon Hock, it proved a change from the normal style of fish to which Lenglui is used. But I enjoyed it hugely. A sweet salt gungey suck for the most part and slipping down so smoothly. Little bit of soy and cilantro and we were done. Good job from the kitchen.

We also had Iberico pork ribs which were equally outstanding - with just a simple rub of salt and pepper and oil and probably slow roasted for hours, they proved delightfully tasty and dry on the outside but with loads of juice in the meat. A total taste of Spain but with a Chinese twist of raucous black pepper. Tender but with firm bite on the meat, we polished off two racks of them. We even got plastic gloves to eat the ribs with - became a greasy problem trying to pour wine after chewing on the rib. So it goes. 

Brilliantly tasty Iberico Pork Ribs - yum

Other dishes came and went (duck was tasty, also some egg foo yong style omelette fried thingy with spring onion and chives). But the ribs and fish made the night. 

The Giesen SB which we were drinking with the fish seemed to lean more toward the Smith Haut Lafitte style in terms of texture - more a rich Chablis in style than anything else - and although it should have been a belter with the fish, for me it did not quite come together. Perhaps it was the slightly oily texture of the wine competing wiht the oil in the fish that did it - not enough acidity in the wine to cut through and perhaps a bit too mellow given its time in the bottle. It was still a belter, though - rich, unctuous, honey and toffee apples and a long throat tickling finish. It was just …  well, I thought it would stun and it didn't - my expectations didn't pan out together. So it goes. Live and learn, eh?

For the reds, our friend had raided his cellar and totally delighted us all with a 1999 Conseillante and a 1999 Ornellaia. The Ornellaia was a real treat and had mellowed nicely for balance but still not so much that its character had been totally subsumed by bottle age - still a lot of life and fire in this one. Bold, and with a bit of sass, kind of like a Venetian gondolier hustling for an extra tip. Initially bold, it evened out down the bottle and ended up more like a priest from the local Tuscan church - friendly, full of life, but lots of depth to explore. Was a belter with the ribs. The Bordeaux Right Bank Conseillante was equally delightful though more complex - layers of fruit and spice and texture and all of which seemed to change as each sip progressed through the palate. Lovely, lovely wine and great balance across the component varietels. We drank it long into the evening, well after all the food had vanished. A stunning wine to end the evening, invoking lots of stories, jokes and laughter. Even got me singing the "Pang Yau", one of the three Chinese songs I seem to sing passably well enough. Prefer to stick with my Rock and Blues, though my Delilah remains a crowd favourite.

In all a great evening, on the strength of which I would happily return to the Supertanker. Now I think of it, the fish we had on my second visit was not bad, and seeing photos of the dishes on another blogsite have jogged the memory. Have to return to try them again. Parking is easy, but a bit dark and secluded at night, so maybe show some extra caution getting to and from the car? I think I heard that corkage was charged, but I didn't see the bill - our friend took it. Glasses were a bit ordinary if it was, though I seem to recall decanting is available. Be our turn next time. But our friend will still be more than welcome to bring his wines. We help him drink them. 

We also had a discussion about buying new wine for investment and I gave him my position that we were now only buying wine we would be able to drink - we don't have twenty years to wait before a wine becomes drinkable and we don't really want to buy just for other people to enjoy them. He said the investment cycle was marked by two events - BC and AC - Before China and After China. Prices skyrocketed when the Chinese came in to buy around 2003 and died in 2011 with the clampdown on Guanxi gifts. Now was difficult to predict - better to stick to the stock market.  Not wrong there. Cheers!

Extra Super Tanker Fine Chinese Restaurant

Damansara Main Branch
48 SS 20/10, Damansara Kim , 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
TEL: 03-77267768 / 03-77267769, Fax: 03-7726 7782
website: http://estrestaurant.net/damansara.html

Hoi Kee in Taman Desa - well tasty Hokkien food!

Gwailoah, where's the food ah?

Scouting around for a venue for a gathering of our occasional Pork Luck Club of foodies, the Doc revealed that he had been recently reconnected with the Hoi Kee. 

One of the treasures of The Pines row of restaurants and a regular haunt of the Lenglui and I, it got lost when the DBKL came along and demolished the whole row about five years ago. We heard that the husband and wife team were still cooking but had no idea where they were. The Doc revealed that he had found out the new location off Jalan Klang Lama and that the food was still excellent. They focus on what is called the "Heng Hua" cuisine, which is essentially Hokkien style home cooked comfort food, the stuff that satisfies the belly and the soul. Also now got airconditioning. It was decided. We should all go eat there. 

The scrumptious Fried Chicken

And so it was that our Pork Luck Club gathered with our wines and glasses to taste the delights of Chef Thomas Yee at the restaurant. And delights indeed they were. Though the first delight was not from the kitchen. We actually started with the Doc's home made soup, a Pork and vinegar concoction in which he had reluctantly gone easy with the chili out of respect for the Gwailo. Very tasty, all sour and full bodied. Excellent counterpoint to the four bottles of fizz that had got popped and getting rapidly swallowed. We can be quite thirsty, the PLC.

Next out was the Deep Fried Chicken which went exceptionally well with some, er, chili and the hugely spritzy Dona Paula Sauvignon Blanc 2013 that YC had brought. Not as grassy or flinty as the New Zealand SBs tend to be, the Dona had a firm crunch of guava and a good hint of green pepper on the front end. The chicken was wonderfully juicy and succulent and the skin had a good oily crunch. The deep fried and equally crispy skinned Tau Foo followed fast (which again benefitted from a dab of the chili sauce) as did the magnificent O-Tien Oyster Omelette and then we were on to the Grouper. Perfectly steamed and soused with cilantro and spring onion, it was champion. By this time we were on to the reds, Tony's Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir 2012 and the last of my Villa Maria Cellar Reserve 2008. Both were sleek and full bodied and fairly voluptuous with dark pepper cherry to the fore on both. The Villa Maria had slightly more fire and attack though both were totally enjoyable and light enough not to kill the fish. 

Remains of the Grouper

The star of the night was the braised Pork Trotters - dark rich sauce and roasted trotter braised for a couple of hours. O beautiful. Salivating now just thinking about it. Sucky gravy, next time must bring some crusty Baguettes to soak it up. And there will be a next time. My memories of Hoi Kee food include the Lemon Chicken and the fried noodles which were our staple orders. Have to see if it is as good as my memory says. Lot of good times at the old shack in Brickfields. 

We finished the night with a very pleasant Chateau St Michelle Merlot from Toru-san which paired nicely with the Trotters and toasted our first anniversary of the Pork Luck Club. Good fun group, the porkies. Know how to enjoy their food and wine. And so happy to have reconnected with the Hoi Kee. 

Braised Pork Trotters - total Yum. Needed bread to suck up the gravy

Restoren Hoi Kee Heng Hwa

16 Jalan 1/109E, Desa Business Park, Taman Desa

off Jalan Klang Lama, 58100 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03 79818878

May checking out the Trotters

Just by way of post script, Lenglui and I had opted to go straight from the office for fear of Klang Lama traffic and headed for the RT Cake House in Taman Danau Desa to buy up some loaves of their excellent Walnut Bread. Toasted with a lash of butter, is a perfect partner for eggs or stew. Finding ourselves with an hour to kill we stumbled upon two wine resources. The first was the Wine Shop attached to the Sri Kota supermarket there. When we lived in Brickfields, the Sri Kota supermarket there was our source for wine in our early drinking days. We would buy up the Carlo Rossi for RM16.90 on special and guzzle and thought it was the total business. This wine store had some excellent selections and a wide range from First and Second growth Bordeaux to good value Chilean and Australian chuggers. The prices felt quite reasonable, not too far from what we get direct from the distributors. Have to come back and spend more time. 

The second wine resource was directly across the road from the Sri Kota Wine Store. It was called the Board Room. From the outside it looked like a pretty innocuous wine store. But at the back it opened out into a delightful lounge where couples could sit in relaxed splendour with a bottle of something from the well stocked wine fridge. They also serve snacks of porky bits. Manager Bibi shared some very tasty beef bacon and gave a free bowl of potato chips to munch with our very pleasant Prosecco. Wine prices were not unreasonable for takeaway, though they up the rate for those who want to drink there. Fair enough. We figured our Pork Luck Club should have a gathering there, either a full evening or as a meet up before going on somewhere. Only downside is trying to find parking close to the place. Everyone is constantly fighting to get in or get out of the area and double parked is the rule. Better to park out on the main road and walk in, which we did. Even so, a good find and one to which we will return. 

Chef Thomas and wife Ai Yan

Board Room

9-0-5 Jalan 3/109F Danau Business Centre

Taman Danau Desa, 58100 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03 79846380

A New Zealand Affair at Enfin - woooo!!!

Banner Event!

UPDATE May 2016 - Enfin is now at Menara Hap Seng on Jalan P Ramlee in Kuala Lumpur. Far better location for what James is offering. Have yet to visit, hopefully soon. 

This was a wine dinner organized by good friend Candy Mah of Cave and Cellar.  It was held at a restaurant new to us - the Enfin Brasserie at the Oasis in Ara Damansara. We were to have a selection from the Giesen range of wines, some of which Enfin was featuring as their house wine and wine for the season. Cave and Cellar always organise a good wine dinner and the wines had got our resident Kiwi very excited - the reviews he emailed on the Giesen range were glowing. We had also got YC and neighbours Nenad and Ania to sign up. In the end, we had a table of ten all sat together. Good night in prospect. 

Couldn't find much info on the place on the web. Chef James in the Enfin Facebook page says the restaurant is the latest addition to the Min Food Group restaurant family. The food is completely and quintessentially French though the chefs all hail from Asia.

Interior of Enfin

It took almost two hours to get there. We had left pretty much on the dot at 5pm from the office, anticipating bad traffic on a Friday night. But it was a nightmare. They are building extensions to the LRT, looking to squeeze about eight lanes across three slip roads into two. Desperate. We parked up and found the restaurant, though we had to walk through a burger kind of place and up some stairs to get there. Though a bit early, we were greeted with a warm welcome from Candy and a cold glass of the Giesen Pinot Gris. Ahhhhhhhhhh…. The Pinot Gris was nicely sweet, though better when colder. 

The notes spoke of an "Aromatic and elegant wine with spicy floral notes and aromas of poached pear, almond, dry spice with vanilla pod. The palate is intense with tropical stone fruit flavours and a hint of warm brioche. Texturally the wine is supple with luscious fruit sweetness yet also powerful with some alcohol warmth along with a ripe structure which ensures a finish with persistent flavour." We found it florally fragrant with spice notes, crisply sweet and chilled. It made for a pleasant aperitif, though needed to remain cold to prevent the sugar getting a bit cloying. It would also end up as the nightcap and matching wine for the dessert. 

Chef James Won with Candy Mah of Cave & Cellar

Talking with the very affable Chef James Won, it transpires he is a Krug Chef and if I heard right he sets the menus for the Krug Restaurants around South East Asia. There are six Krug Rooms across the globe and the Enfin is apparently the first Krug Restaurant in South East Asia. There is also a Krug Garden above the Enfin which can cater for fourteen guests to allow for a more herbaceous alfresco experience with the King of Champagnes. Chef is a fan of nature's flavours. 

Enfin Staff. And Lenglui

Chef James proved a wonderful Master of Ceremonies for the night. Hugely passionate about pairing and matching, he led us through a range of experiences where food and glasses altered the experience of the wines. His time with giants such as Ducasse and Bocuse have clearly inspired him in his mission of educating palates. There was a small comment that perhaps he was guiding us a bit too much in what we should be experiencing, but that felt a shade mean. 

Our Amuse Bouche was a Macaroon Sandwich with Salmon Roe, Chives and Ikura which proved a blitzer combo of sugar, salt, pepper and fish savoury on the tongue as a result of the Ikura. The Macaroon included some dehydrated Orange Peel. Absolutely wonderful Macaroon - light, crunch, whisper, evaporate. It was a crackerjack with the Pinot Gris, the sweetness undercutting the savoury and sugar Macaroon a treat. Good start. showed off the flint and spritz of the Brothers and gave a smoother character to express. 

The 2011 Giesen "The Brothers" Sauvignon Blanc that quickly followed had a lovely crisp balance about it with a hint of oak somewhere, and clearly requiring some shellfish to set it off. Nicely biting and bracing, it seemed to get less acidic as it got warmer, so perhaps an indication to drink it quickly. The notes talked about "purity, focus, elegance and concentration… cut grass and dried herb blending with grapefruit, guava and flinty river stone." Equally, the palate "has a juicy texture and lovely pure acidity. This wraps around concentrated flavours of elderflower, lemon zest and crushed herbs. The finish is minerally, refined and persistent." The 2013 got RP 86 and the 2010 got RP 90. 

The scallop that followed was a big zap of pepper texture which was tamed by the SB but it also amplified its acidity and again brought out its minerality. The accompanying tomato was brilliant, one of the freshest I have tasted for a long time. It was sweet, crisp, had crunch and zap and blended wonderfully with the carbo couscous. Great dish which showed off the flint and spritz of the Brothers and gave it a somewhat smoother character in expression. 

Hokkaido Scallop with Amazing Tomato

The 2010 Giesen "The August 1888" Sauvignon Blanc has a rich, opulent nose with a brilliantly complex mouth of apricot, smoke, cinnamon and persimmon. The notes suggest "ripe stone-fruit is to the fore with peach and nectarine leading the way. Aromas of herbs, lemongrass and nettles give the nose a lift and combine with dry spice, vanilla bean and a creamy complexity. Time on lees and fruit concentration are big influences on the palate with a luscious, creamy fruit and flavours of mandarin  and ripe gooseberry. The palate is well structured with a touch of phenolics and drying acidity ensuring a powerful assertive wine."  2013 got RP 90 and 2011 got RP92+

On its own, the salmon was lovely. It had been perfectly cooked to 70% with nice oily fat coming through and wonderfully set off by the crispy caramelized and honey crust of the Skin Brulee. Chef talked about the Omega Oil in Salmon giving a hint of shellfish in the mouth. It gave the wine a lean feel which let the food hit the roof of the mouth like a sandy salty sea-storm. The Bouillabaisse broth was equally brilliant but our requests for bread to sop it up were refused by chef, saying it would be too much food and would spoil his upcoming delights. Okay. The customer is always right except when the chef says he or she is wrong. Works for me.

Wild Norwegian Salmon

The Giesen Estate Pinot Noir seemed to have an odd balance of acid over fruit, but would prove very versatile with the duck and other food. The Estate Pinot notes say "Dense, plum red in colour. The nose has vibrant red fruit aromas with a spicy earthy complexity. Intense fruit, supple texture and fine grained tannin produce an elegant palate with a touch of sweet oak." It was quite a simple and well made Pinot, not too overpowering in any of the departments, a good pairing wine. But not much more at this point.

With the dish on the table, Chef said we should try the sauce first then sip, then the sauce and potato and sip, and then the duck and sip, and then all three together and sip. Very enlightening - potato and sauce brought out a sarsaparilla note on the wine whilst the pairing with the velvet duck made the throat sing a song of spice and wonder. Firm and full meat, the duck and Pinot were stellar. And a lot of it too - it was a big-ass chunk of duck on the plate. Someone said it should have been named Porterhouse Duck. Agreed.

Pan Seared Duck Breast

The 2011 Giesen "The Brothers" Pinot Noir was supposed to be the big brother and the business for the night. The notes say "Alluring aromas of blackberry, plum, five spice and clove with notes of brambly forest floor and warm freshly turned earth. The palate is firm with well structured tight tannin yet (is) supple with fleshy fruit and a touch of oak spice. A wine that will reward cellaring." Got 88pt from RP. 

My palate was clearly giving out, since my notes say the PN was lovely on its own with superb balance, good complexity and with a lot going on in the wine. Coming on like a sweet cherry at first, it then hits you with a whack of strawberry ice lollipop. Not the most revealing or instructive of notes. Too much SB and PG at the start of the night. I bought a bottle so when it gets cracked will update the note here. 

Lamb Lollipops

The lamb was not over-seasoned, and neither were the veggies. It was roasted like my mother used to roast it and slightly cooled so that the fat got solid. There seemed to be a lot of fat in the meat, though the ensemble with the Fennel and Bourguignon sauce was very tasty. Some also said it felt a bit rare, though mine was well cooked. A fair match with the wine, though the wine's complexity threatened to overpower the food on occasion. Not sure if I heard right but my notes say the lamb was cooked in Duck Fat, which would be new. It cut the Pinot and let the pepper and fruit come through.

Handmade Macaroon and Chocolate Truffle

Dessert was another Macaroon which was beautifully sweet and crunchy excellent with wonderful sweet citrus lemon. For me it didn't really go with the Pinot Gris, which had its own high sweetness and essentially became a sugar bomb when paired together. 

Chef James explaining one of the food and wine pairings

Service of the wines was generally brisk and generous. The food mostly came out at the same time so no one was left waiting for others to get served. Both the wines and the restaurant were very good, and no one could really complain at the value for money or the quality thereof. We were all pretty merry as evidenced by a sing song at the end of the night and a raucous drive home with neighbours Nenad and Ania and their visiting friend Rene.  As a result, it all came across as a well organized and hugely successful event. Both the wines and the restaurant were very good. Candy had marked the Giesen on special for the night and I shared a mixed case of the evening's offerings with friend YC. 

Dr Su Kim, Dr Stephen and Chef James

I think everyone enjoyed the food and the wines and the entertaining palate education offered by Chef James. I think I understand the point someone made of "maybe a bit too much education" but having been a lecturer I also understand mixed abilities and levels of experience in a classroom - some know far more than others and it is always safe to begin with the lowest common denominator. And with a table of IWFS foodies to deal with, Chef James did very well. I learnt a lot and much more compared to many other wine dinners attended. Will definitely consider attending any future events with Chef James (indeed, will be attending an upcoming Lanson Champagne dinner, again organized by Cave and Cellar and already sold out). The only real downside is the nightmare traffic needed to be battled to get to the Enfin. Ah, the things we endure for love…

Cheers!!

A New Zealand Affair with Giesen Wines at Brasserie Enfin

Organized by Cave and Cellar

24th March 2014

DEGUSTATION

Amuse Bouche

Chefs Complimentary

Entree One

Hokkaido Scallop, Cauliflower Couscous with Elderflower Gelee on Tomato Fondant and Bacon Grit

2011 Giesen "The Brothers" Sauvignon Blanc

Entree

Wild Norwegian Salmon with Spiced Crispy Skin Brulee with Shellfish Bouillabaise

2010 Giesen "The August" Sauvignon Blanc

Main One

Pan Seared Duck Breast with Chocolate and Chili Glaze and Fondant Potato in Fumet of Black Truffle

2010 Giesen Estate Pinot Noir

Main Two

Lamp Lollipops, Roasted Fennel and Mushroom with Bourguignon Sauce

2011 Giesen "The Brothers" Pinot Noir

Dessert 

Handmade Macaroon and Chocolate Truffle

2010 Giesen Estate Pinot Gris

The Kitchen Crew take a bow

Top end Chinese Cuisine at Marco Polo Restaurant

Marco Polo Restaurant August 24th 2013

Lenglui organised this dinner for our Tai Chi group because the Marco was giving excellent discount on their Suckling Pig. Also the Marco has good karaoke systems and the group surely loves to sing. Not always well or in tune, but they do love to sing.

The Sifu had heard about dinners where each dish is accompanied by a different wine and had never experienced this. So it was that I took it upon myself to have a stab at pairing and satisfy the curiosity. Nothing elaborate, just to introduce the idea that different varietals have different tastes and that these varietals can pair better or worse with food. I knew that the group would not spring for higher priced wine so I went for the cheapest I could find. The Hardy's range suited the bill nicely, having the full range of varietels. I also figured that utilising a single Winemaker would help in avoiding confusion - keep to the varietals rather than explain labels and regions.  

We got there at Seven to give the booze a final chill and found three expectants there already. The Geezer had just come from a tasting and had brought some decent stuff which he was clearly ready to open and skull back. We managed to restrain and opened our Hardy's Sauvignon Blanc 2012 to pacify. Pleasantly and sweetly crisp with a good mouth feel and a throat sparkle that sated nicely. He decanted his Mondot 2008 in advance and promised to drink it later so as to not impair the wine pairing. Later turned out to be twenty minutes. I scored a glass later in the night - full bodied Bordeaux, bit tannic with medium fruit and good alcohol, though something in it didn't quite jive - felt like a green pepper somewhere that left a tang where there should have been silk. Maybe a bit of age will help. The Geezer clearly liked it. But then, he does have a tendency to like everything.

Others arrived and got greeted with the same SB. Very nice aperitif wine. Two bottles around twently people was not quite enough so the stragglers got Hardy's Chard 2012. Less light in body with good apples and peach and honey. Not too complex but enough zing to interest and enjoy. It was geared to go with the Deluxe Four Season Combination which was lovely - croquettes and scallop and sausage and an amazing pig cheek that set off the Chard brilliantly.

The Double Boiled Chicken Soup with Fish Lips was well received by all, with a broth to savour and fish lips that melted. Didn't really pair with the wine but then soup never does, does it?

The Hardy's 2011 Shiraz was a disappointment - fruit a bit lacking with the alcohol a bit forward in the mouth and the finish - though no one really complained about it. The tannins set off the pig skin collagen and crisp skin well enough and the pepper gave a nice kick. A bit too much leather and pencil in the mouth and a bit thin in body. A better Shiraz will be ordered next time.

The Shiraz also got paired with the Sea Cucumber and vegetable to try and combat the thick gooey sauce it normally comes in. Here, the alcohol did help in cutting the gunk, but the wine was clearly not of enough standard to compete. Those who had some Chardonnay left benefitted from their discipline - it went better.

Sauteed Water Cress and Garlic was to be paired with Chinese tea, but by this time everyone was fighting for the Karaoke. I gave some tips on how to taste wine but people seemed more interested in drinking the stuff than understanding the nuances of Sight, Swirl, Smell, Sip and Swallow. So it goes. My experience in the entertainment industry says to never get in the way of someone having a good time. 

Due to a late increase in budget, a duck was able to be ordered and very tasty it was too. The Duck at the Marco is legend and tonight didn't disappoint. Lenglui had brought a good few friends to enjoy the promotion over the past few weeks so maybe this was their way of showing appreciation. Indeed, many friends on the night had said it had been the first time they had been there in many, many years. I think the Marco is back on the map of a growing number of people. The standard of both food and service is excellent. 

Last out was the Noodles and Sliced Garoupa. I had brought some 2008 Toro Piedro 168 Cabernet that I figured needed drinking. A tannic beast a few years back, I figured five years in bottle should have tamed it. Got it from old friend Robert Tan from QL Wines as a thank you for entertaining at one of his wine dinners and it was the last of the case. I also remembered that the Geezer liked his meaty wines and figured he'd enjoy it. He did, as did I. Good full fruit and lovely balance with firm tannins and full body, it made for a silky mouth and finish and a great way to chug the end of the night. It also helped soothe the largely off key vocals of the assembled karaoke afficionadoes. You really can't be sober at karaoke sessions and it is difficult to explain the pain that off key singing invokes when your own pitch is generally perfect. The Cab helped numb the senses enough to see through the singing and reflect that getting friends together around food, wine and song is more important than any strange noises made by the pitch impaired. Finally…  booze does have a use.

Zipangu and Greywacke - Exquisite match of Japanese cuisine and New Zealand wines

Regular readers (?) will know that I have issues with the Shangri-La F&B given recent visits to their outlets.  So it was with a hint of reluctance and trepidation that we accepted a wine dinner at the hotel.

In fairness it was an extremely small hint because it was a very difficult wine dinner to say no to. The wines of independent maker Greywacke were being paired with Japanese cuisine at the Shang's Zipangu restaurant. In moons past, we had spent a lot of time eating at Zipangu in the days when the Shangri-La card was well worth the wallet space. It was very, very good, especially with a bottle of the low end Sake to wash down the daintily sliced sashimi and other delicacies the chefs so beautifully prepared. When the fees went up and the benefits went down, the card left the wallet and Zipangu fell off the map. It had also got a bit ordinary (circa 2006) in comparison to other rising Japanese restaurant stars (both KL and PJ Hilton remain regular destinations, as does Kame Sushi in Sri Hartamas). So it was a good opportunity to revisit and rake over old memories.

Winewise, we had been introduced to the Greywacke (pronounced "Grey-wackee") SB by The Kiwi at a previous pairing with Nyonya style food, where we also had a Oahu 2011 Pinot Gris. The bracing zip and fruit of the SB contrasted with the crunchy sweet of the PG and cut the spice on the tongue from a fiery roar to a pleasing tingle across a range of spicy dishes. The Kiwi had been hugely enthusiastic about the Greywacke.  He had told us then that Greywacke Winemaker Kevin Judd was the brains and craft behind Cloudy Bay in its pre- and post-iconic days who had left CB in 2009 to set up his own presumably more independent operation. In pretty short time, we had become converts. 

Arriving at the venue after a swift one-for-one at Arthur's Bar, a glass of the nicely chilled 2012 SB was placed in hand by Mr Gough of Geovinum, Greywacke's rep in Malaysia. Good balance, sweet passion fruit with a crisp and crunchy citrus, a little less racy than the 2011 we'd had at a previous dinner but no matter. Steely minerality and feeling like waterfalls on rocks as it swooshed across the teeth and down the gullet. The Kiwi, the Nyonya and Winedaddy were our table guests for the evening and we spent a pleasant fifteen minutes chugging on the SB and chatting. Got introduced to winemaker Kevin and wife Katrina. Clearly serious about his craft though also clearly preferring to stay out of the limelight, he has an understated sense of humour. Being Kiwi, conversation naturally turned to the incredible turnaround by the USA over New Zealand in the Americas Cup. Eight-one down they came back to win Nine-Eight. Unbelievable. I suspect a Malaysian bookie. They can be extremely persuasive. Allegedly.

Thin-sliced salmon and avocado with wasabi dressing - yum

The SB was a surprising double plus match with the salmon and avocado. The acid minerality was undercut by the wasabi and avocado which let the acidity cut through the unbelievably fresh salmon sashimi like a samurai through one of Kurosawa's bad guys. The SB also transformed the tempura from amazing to through the roof. Imagine the freshest of juicy prawn dunked in the lightest of batter and quickly deep fried in some high grade oil. On its own it was like a whisper on the tongue until the bite released the most succulent of crunches. With the wine, the batter softened the acidity and let some wonderful floral notes sit on top of the citrus. Match of the evening. 

The outstanding Prawn tempura with tentsuyu sauce

Yellowtail sashimi, salted kelp and habanero sauce - brilliant

The PG 2010 was poured and showed a honeyed vanilla nose and spicy pear and rambutan on the palate, but came across as ligh tin acidity and ultimately unctuous in the mouth and finish. Kind of like a Black Forest German Riesling only lighter in texture. The low acidity made it a brilliant match for the full textured yellowtail. The rambutan mouth lent a pleasant fruit foundation to the magnificent fish, but ultimately felt a shade unsatisfying. Same with the braised chcken and radish - good enough match but a shade more acidity was needed for the thing to transcend. It was good to have some of the SB on the table, though - did excellent service in cleansing the throat in the absence of Green Tea. The radish was perfect texture of soft outer and vegetal crisp inner and the delicately seasoned and tender chicken made for another set of full marks to the chef. As said, the lack of acidity made for good, albeit somewhat gunky and sweet, matches with the dishes and the chicken and radish really brought out the pear in the PG. Got a hint of oatmeal biscuit as well with the radish. Interestingly, the SB took the acidic edge off the Radish and made for a softer textured bite. This is such a versatile wine.

Kevin Judd later shared that 2010 vintage had low acidity. One of those years. Maybe need to drink up with Thai style salad dishes and lemongrass dressing to give the PG some assistance in the mouth. 

Grilled eringi mushroom wrapped in wagyu beef with Japanese seven-flavour chili

On to the 2011 Pinot Noir which had good crisp acidity and light cherry fruit which gained a silky texture when slightly warmed. Light in texture and long in finish, it seemed to lack a bit of body especially when confronted with the tender rich Wagyu. On its own, the PN felt in the middle - neither light enough to take the breath away nor full enough to satisy. However, a second round with the beef and mushroom gave a textured crispy bite of meat and fibre which the acid and cherry permeated for a rich textured slightly sweet and slightly sour mouthful. Ah, we live for moments like this. Texture and taste heaven. 

Sushi selection (foie gras terikayi, grilled ell, avocado)

Having the Late Harvest Riesling for the Sushi selection was absolutely spot on. Both the Unagi and the Foie Gras were outstanding with this crispily sweet dessert wine and its mouth exploding nectarine knockout. The full-on gunky texture of the wine seared the eel and foie gras with a sufficiently sugary coat to soften the purines without sacrificing too much of its sweet kick to the tongue. Superb. 

The closing Japanese white peach perfectly poached in its juices on its own was a delight. And whilst you would have thought the dessert would have been a no-brainer match, for some reason they didn't really connect. Perhaps the remnants of the Foie Gras were still stuck on the palate and got in the way. Or maybe the soft easy peach didn't have enough fibre for the wine to get a hold of. 

The Company with Kevin and Katrina Judd

Ultimately, a brilliant evening of great food and tasty wines which made the company and the craique so very very good. The Shang has gone some way to redeeming itself with this outing, though we did get a special deal through the Kiwi to get access to this dinner. The food was outstanding, some of the best sashimi tasted in KL for a while - chef is a star. The wines equally shone in the company of such excellent cuisine. A wine dinner for the ages and a standard to match. Well done Zipangu. Let's hope the Shang Ballroom and other F&B outlets will similarly delight when the occasion demands our presence. 

Kevin Judd, Doctor Su and Doctor Stephen

Greywacke notes

The Greywacke SB 2012 notes say it is "A vibrant combination of fresh basil and spicy tomato leaves, tossed with tangy nashi pear and mandarin, sprinkled with a little lemon zest. A highly perfumed wine with blossom-like floral aromas and a subtle flintiness that alludes to an underlying core of minerality. A mouth-watering, refreshing style with a deliciously crisp, yet luscious finish."  RM135 from Geovinum Wines in Malaysia.

The website notes on the 2011 PG talk about "a bowl of freshly picked stone fruit – fleshy white peaches, plump golden apricots and sun-ripened nectarines – a wine with rich, ripe aromas balanced by a floral purity. The palate is luscious and textural, reminiscent of homemade apple pie with rich buttery pastry and a faint hint of cinnamon. This is a wine with considerable depth and richness."

The 2011 PN is said to be "a virtual compote loaded with black plums, boysenberries and redcurrants, lightly infused with cinnamon and cloves. An intensely perfumed Marlborough pinot with fruit sweetness, floral highlights and a distinct smoky fragrance. The full-flavoured palate has dark fruit richness with great length and freshness – finishing with a hint of Middle Eastern spice."

The 2011 LHR notes say it is "a wine of intense aromatics – exotic honeysuckle blossom, candied lemon and vanilla custard, infused with a hint of cloves. The luscious palate has a marmalade-like combination of lemons and limes mingled with the richness of honeyed apricots and a dollop of crème caramel. Silky, succulent and harmonious – finishing with a lively citrusy crispness."

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Thin-sliced salmon and avocado with wasabi dressing

Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc 2012

Prawn tempura with tentsuyu sauce

Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc 2012

Yellowtail sashimi, salted kelp and habanero sauce

Greywacke Pinot Gris 2010

Simmered daikon radish in soup with braised marinated chicken

Greywacke Pinot Gris 2010

Grilled eringi mushroom wrapped in wagyu beef with Japanese seven-flavour chili

Greywacke Pinot Noir 2011

Sushi selection (foie gras terikayi, grilled ell, avocado)

Greywacke Late Harvest Riesling 2011

Japanese whie peach

Greywacke Late Harvest Riesling 2011

Debbie Teoh's Super Duper Nyonya Cuisine!!

‘Super Nyonya Cuisine’ - IWFS March 2013

We sometimes don't recognise how blessed we are foodwise here in Malaysia. Pretty much all the cuisines of the world can be found here and the standard is pretty much okay. Maybe not as fine as that found in Hong Kong and increasingly in Singapore, but we do all right. 

We also sometimes forget and often take for granted the various styles of cooking that are native to this country we call our adopted home. The Chinese styles, the Indian styles and the Malay styles all have their unique tastes and textures that delight and amuse.  And with a llittle imagination and a sense of adventure, wines can be paired with pretty much all of it. 

Dr Stephen Hall with Mr and Mrs George Lee

But whilst the Malaysian government looks to promote unity in this still relatively young nation, such melding of the ethnic origins has yet to manifest itself in the cuisine. It remains difficult to say with conviction that there is one singular Malaysian style of cooking, as one might say of Japan or Italian for example. In this era of OneMalaysia, the lines between the cooking styles remain pretty well drawn. 

Though when the lines do blur and cross over and the cuisines are allowed to blend they can throw up some very tasty and delightful results.

One wonderful example of this is the Nyonya style of cooking. The story goes that when the men from China came to Malacca to trade over seven hundred years ago, they didn't bring any ladies with them from the homeland. So they did what trading men do and settled down to set up house with the local ladies. Thus was born the Baba Nyonya (also known as Peranakan) community which, over the years, has developed its  own distinctive language, attire, architecture, jewellery, crockery, celebrations and cuisine.

This cuisine of the Peranakan community is a true fusion cuisine, marrying Chinese, South-East Asian and European elements. Nyonya food is delicious and unique, with an incredible repertoire of seafood and meat dishes, salads, sambals, curries, appetisers, soups, sweets, broths, cakes, custards and desserts. The ingredients need to be fresh and many of them, such as ginger flower, lemon grass, kaffir lime, pandan, galangal, bird’s eye chilli and wild pepper leaves are grown in the garden.

Dato' Jeremy Diamond with Dato' and Datin Weiler

In the past, the recipes would be passed from mother to daughter in the kitchen, where the nyonyas were trained by their mothers to excel in culinary skills and become good homemakers. Indeed, the word Nyonya was a term of affectionate respect for the society ladies of the day. Today, the use of fresh ingredients, labour-intensive preparation, communalism in preparation and emphasis on gentleelness and perfection that are the hallmarks of Peranakan cuisine are disappearing, though occasional pockets of excellence can still be found. The Peranakan culture and traditions are being swallowed up in this world where instant and speedy gratificaiton is the expected norm. Delicate trade offs of texture and zesty piquancy get swept aside in favour of a fast bowl of noodles from the local hawker. Still tasty, just not… memorable.

So it was that following on from our very well received Korean adventure at the Onsemiro in February, the IWFS Kuala Lumpur decided to come back home to feast on some authentic, tasty Nyonya dishes for the March event. Veteran member Dr Stephen Hall had been extolling the virtues of his native New Zealand wines and their ability to pair wonderfully with the cooking of his wife of Peranakan descent Dr Lee Su Kim and had wanted to stage a dinner for members for some time. To aid in this, they had managed to secure the services of renowned chef, author and Nyonya food consultant Debbie Teoh to prepare her authentic dishes in true Nyonya fashion. 

Dr Su Kim, Sharon and Datin Kalsom

It was billed as an evening of "Super Nyonya Cuisine" and those who had been to the tasting found the food and wines very super indeed. Chef Debbie had been allowed to hijack the kitchen at the Park Royal Hotel Chatz Brasserie and had served up some adorable dishes. For some reason, only thirty nine members and friends signed up for the event and most came sportingly dressed in traditional Baba Nyonya styles as had been requested by IWFS Committee in the notice. Our friend the Doc had decided to decline on this occasion. His argument was that true Nyonya food needed at least a hint of the porcine, as is the style served and prepared in Penang. Well, and maybe though there didn't seem to have been anything lacking at the tasting. But then one should never trust a white man to recommend food to a chinaman foodie. Some say never trust a white man period, but let's not go there, eh?

For the actual event, the hotel shifted us to the Si Chuan Dou Hua Chinese restaurant. Not entirely sure why, but it made for more convivial table seating on traditional Oriental style round tables. Very stylish ambiance of opulent golds, browns and reds, with easy lighting and lovely touches of ornamentation. The gold cutlery was a nice touch - like getting transported back to a banquet at a palace in the Chinese Middle Kingdom though with modern touches and a decent kitchen. And airconditioning.

The welcoming Daniel Le Brun No 8 was a most welcome glass of fizz and showed off the winemaker’s Champagne origins. A traditional method sparkling wine which had spent time on lees, the notes spoke of a "full mouth feel and a good example of chardonnay and Kiwi Pinot bubbles with bready notes and a full finish." A little lighter than fizz served at previous dinners and with a tendency to sweetness and lemon in the mouth, but very friendly nonetheless and a good ice breaker that got people talking. Clearly a lot of work and thought had gone into the selection of the dishes and the wines by Dr Stephen and Dr Su which was much appreciated by all and acknowledged by President Rajan. Following a minute silence to mark the recent passing of long term member Dr Albert Lim that preceded some background on Peranakan cuisine and Kiwi wines by Dr Stephen and Dr Su Kim to introduce the evening, we were off. 

Pie Tee and Ju Hu Char

First out were the Pie Tee with Crabmeat and the Classic "Ju Hu Char". Presented on a longish white plate, this was a combo of two nyonya delicacies. The Pie Tee is a crispy wafer shell that looks like an upside down top hat and filled with stir fried yam bean, crabmeat and shrimps. Dab a little chili on top and you're done. There's a lovely fusion as you bite through the wafer into the chunky cream of the yam and through the crabmeat that delights the tongue and when the not so fiery chili sets the tastebuds tingling you know that you're in for a good evening. 

The Ju Hu Char is a typical nyonya dish that is made out of shredded cabbage, carrot and turnip topped with with a dash of sambal and sweet chili and eaten wrapped in lettuce leaf. It is a light, crispy and refreshing appetiser, and with the vegetables textures and fresh crispy feel in the mouth, one feels automatically healthy and good about the food choices we have so far made for the night. The secret ingredient is the shredded cuttlefish (the jiu hu see) which gives its distinctive flavour of textured salty creamy yum.

The partly barrel fermented and crisply enjoyable Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc 2011 came across as somewhat understated and restrained: clean and lean though complex enough to interest with fresh light citrus on the palate and finishing long and firm. Grown in the Wairau Valley Marlborough by former Cloudy Bay winemaker, Kevin Judd, the notes spoke of "a rounded and layered wine with rich grapefruit flavours with oak hints and leading to a finely textured dry finish."  The relatively low acidity compared to most SB meant that the Greywacke made it a wonderful partner with the crabmeat. The hint of low fire sambal belacan and the textures of the Pie Tee shell on the Yam Bean meshed excellenty with the wine, giving a sense of light and peace in the tastebud soul. Excellent match. 

Hiew Piew Fish Maw Soup

The Ohau Gravels Pinot Gris 2011 was quite a stunner. Billed as an increasingly fashionable varietal from the new Kapiti Coast region north of Wellington, the notes spoke of "backbone and some minerality to the full mouth feel of stone fruit and ripe pears. For me, it came across as spicily aromatic with hints of smoky pear and peach, layered and textured and with all the hallmarks of a siren of a wine. Far too easy to drink for anyone's good, it went down like honeyed syrup without the gooey sticky cloying in the mouth sweetness. Like the bottle in Alice's Wonderland, this wine kept saying "Drink Me" and we did. Very copiously. 

Pairing with the Hiew Piew of fish maw and dumplings made sense. The slightly salty and light chicken broth tempered the spice enough to let the fruit tantalise even more whilst the prawn balls lent an interesting fish meaty chew to give the wine something to mix with. Fish maw is more a texture thing, with little in the way of taste but the texture is something between soft sponge and elastic band rubber. The full body of the Pinot Gris compensated for a somewhat thin feel of the soup though the vegetables remained perfect crunch. I seem to remember the soup at the tasting having slightly more body. The coriander gave a nice zip and stalky bite. 

The Otak Otak

Next up was the entree Otak Otak. Traditionally a blend of fish, coconut milk, chili paste, galangal and herbs wrapped in a banana leaf, Debbie's offering came in a bowl filled with chunky seafood and to be eaten with a hunk of toasted bread. Served with a mango kerabu and mint leaf, this was indeed a hearty filling bowl of chunky seafood in a rich almost solid sauce. On its own, the stew was tending toward liquid mush, with the whipped blend of egg, spice and coconut congealing nicely around the prawn and other ex-marine life whilst leaving a watery soup in its wake. Pairing with white bread toast was genius, giving much needed carbo and foundation to this gunky delicious mix. 

Pairing the otak otak with the Pinot Gris was equal genius. The sugar in the wine all but vanished leaving perfume and spice and pear whilst the gunk took out the syrup to leave a honey sleek finishing coat around the tongue and throat. A top drop that drank a treat. 

The slightly sour calamansi sorbet was a refreshing twist on the usual lemon or apple offerings and paved the way for the Keluak Chicken or Ayam Buah Keluak.  This is a dish that combines pieces of chicken (ayam) with the nut from the Kepayang tree (Buah Keluak). Looking like a small black football, this little baby is initially poisonous and needs some long and painstaking preparation to become edible. This involves soaking the nuts, forty days fermentation, grinding into paste and re-stuffing the mix back into the shell. This is before cooking. Traditionally it is slow braised with the meat and often sometimes left for days after to let the flavours in the nut develop. 

Ayam Buah Keluak

Since the start of the dinner everyone had been intrigued by the fact that a single chopstick had been placed alongside the rest of the cutlery. The mystery was resolved when Dr Stephen explained that it was to be used to scoop out the spicy mix from the Buah nut and be added to the chicken and rice. Ah so. So, scooped out the black and evil looking mix duly was and what an intruiging taste it turned out to be. Nutty, of course, but with a sweetish smoky saltiness and texture of thick earthy ground paste. It was total umami with bounce and bite and went gangbusters with the rice, which had the effect of leaving the poor but tender and tasty chicken and gravy to play second fiddle to the dish. 

There were two award winning Pinot Noirs paired with the dish - the Wooing Tree Beetle Juice Cromwell 2010 and the Mudhouse Golden Terraces 2010. Both hailing from Otago and showing off some fantastic flavours, one came across so smooth and fragrant and balanced that it stole the night from the Pinot Gris. Unfortunately both Pinots got confused on the table so which one this actually was remains a mystery. Judging from the notes, it was probably the Beetle Juice. Handpicked and matured for 11 months in French barriques, it was full coloured with strong ripe plum and cherry and spice flavours  and oh so approachable! And the winery supports the natural world,  with a percentage of profits being channelled to support an endangered beetle ecosystem. How can you not love a wine that looks after beetles? In contrast, the Decanter Gold Medal Mudhouse is grown in a single vineyard in an old gold mining area.The notes say it is oak matured, with full fruit and sweet spice in excellent balance with crisp acidity and good weight. More a traditional style Kiwi Pinot than the Beetle Juice, with muscular boldness in the mouth and firm flavours on the finish. A man's Pinot. In fairness, neither really paired well with the Chicken, though one would guess their main function was to stand up to the Buah Keluak. Which they both did. Those who still had some of the Pinot Gris in the glass would have found a better match for the chicken. 

Nyonya Sago Gula Melaka

The desserts were totally off the map. First out was the classic Nyonya Sago Gula Melaka which came out looking like a mini Guinness on top of a cream cloud in a wine glass and was brilliant. Also known as Palm Sugar, Gula Melaka comes from the sap collected from the flower buds of coconut trees. The sap is boiled until it thickens and then poured into containers to set. It makes the spicy caramel syrup that is poured over sago pudding and topped off with coconut milk to create this most beloved of Nyonya sweeteners. Tonight's offering had a nice spicy zing fire to it and paired with the creamy coconut milky and chewy sweet sago magnificently.  Debbie's signature Panforte was also on the table - date and fig and almond nut combos dusted with icing sugar and all texture and dreamy sinful fruit taste. Total sticky date chewy heaven. Everyone should get so lucky and try this once in their lives. Unforgettable.

Needless to say that the desserts killed the Pinot Noir though the Pinot Gris gave a sweet undercurrent and foundation to the dates in the Panforte. This really is such a versatile wine, pairing well with soup, spicy chicken and can do dessert at a pinch. Woke up the following morning feeling muzzy and bleaaagh with a mouth like a ferret yet still tasting the Pinot Gris. Thankfully the morning espresso helped in getting ready for the day. Not much, but enough to kickstart.  

Cheers!

Overall comments ranged from the superlative to the "okay-lah" though the latter were very well in the minority. Waiter Service was generally fine and friendly, with wine being poured quite generously. Food came out all together nicely presented and little to no waiting time for all to start together. One comment of soup coming out cold, getting sent back, and coming out cold again and not pursuing it with staff. Another felt that Otak Otak should only be served in Banana Leaf. Well, and maybe from a purist traditional perspective this might have some weight, but the logistics of getting Banana Leaf into a four star hotel kitchen and chef preparing and presenting the dish in a traditional nyonya kitchen manner seems a shade extreme. It is the Park Royal Hotel, not Malacca hawker stall. Chefs do with what chefs have and cope accordingly.

For me, the wines and the matching were fantastic, although the "Super" in the "Super Nyonya" was slightly lacking when compared to the original tasting we'd had previously. Whilst I felt Chef Debbie did fantastically well, both the Otak Otak and the soup felt more refined and lacking something that had seemed magical in the original presentation. But different is far from bad, and the fault often lies in our expectations. When they have been elevated by as memorable a night as they had in the original tasting, the second time around can often feel a shade diminished. Like going to see Les Miserables or Miss Saigon again - it's still good but somewhat less so than the magical first time. Increased numbers can also impact the food - time spent in pan waiting for plate and transport to table can mean the food continues to cook longer than is good. But all this is technical and should not detract from what was a wonderful evening of great wine, great food and shared with good friends from the IWFS. Kudos to the ladies who sportingly wore their best baju and looked totally resplendent and gorgeous. Some of the men also weren't too bad in their batik shirts either. A fun and entertaining night, made all the more so by Dr Stephen sharing some Kiwi noises and chants and much vinous information throughout the evening. Cheers!!

Photos kind courtesy of Jan Shaw

Post Script: Seems that Chef Debbie lost her long time sous chef between the tasting and the dinner, which would explain the difference between the two. 

Table flower arrangement

‘Super Nyonya Cuisine’ IWFS Kuala Lumpur March 28th 2013 Park Royal Hotel

Pre-Dinner

Daniel Le Brun No 8 Sparkling, Marlborough

Appetisers - Pie Tee with Crabmeat and Classic ‘Ju Hu Char’

Crispy Shell Filled with stir fried yam bean and Crabmeat and Shrimps 

Paired with Stir Fried Bean and Dried Squid topped with Sambal Belachan ‘Ji Hu Char’

Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough 2011

Soup - Hiew Piew

Fish Maw & Prawn Dumplings in a Chicken Broth with Sweet Turnip, Cabbage and Carrots Enhanced with Coriander and Garlic Crisps

Ohau Gravels Pinot Gris 2011

Entrée - Otak-Otak

Debbie Teoh's Panforte - wonderful!!

Spicy Chunky assorted Seafood with herbs in a Coconut Egg Custard served with Toasted Baguette     and accompanied with Mango Kerabu

Ohau Gravels  Pinot Gris 2011

Calamansi Sorbet

Main Course - Keluak Chicken

Accompanied with Fragrance Rice, Cucumber Pickle and Nyonya Sambal Belachan

Wooing Tree Beetle Juice Pinot Noir, Central Otago 2010

Mudhouse Golden Slopes Otago Pinot Noir 2010

Dessert - Classic Nyonya Sago Gula Melaka

Sago Pearls with Coconut Milk and Palm Sugar Syrup