eat

 

Chef Dan Moon, head chef at The Gainsborough Bath Spa restaurant, is bringing his brand of British cuisine to Malaysian shores this week at The Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur.

Perish the thought of stodgy meals, bangers and boiled veg and be prepared for a degustation menu of delightful morsels ranging from a velvety rich chicken liver parfait and tiny Scotch eggs in a creamy, truffle infused velouté sauce to hearty chunks of free range Creedy Carver duck breasts – widely regarded as one of the finest ducks in the U.K. and a favourite of many Michelin-starred chefs – in a rich plum reduction.

As part of the six-course menu, Chef Dan has paired Scottish salmon from Loch Fyne,  smoked using hickory and whisky barrel wood, with Yuzu caviar that deliver bursts of citrusy freshness. For the ending, he starts the journey with Goat’s Curd, Lavroche, Toasted Walnuts and Pickled Apple, sprinkled with delicate apple dust.

To end the meal, a dessert featuring a smooth dark chocolate ganache is set against a textured backdrop of banana ice cream, salted caramel popcorn, crushed peanuts and clouds of peanut butter mousse. Chef Dan has achieved numerous awards and accolades, including three AA Rosettes and The Caterer’s Acorn Award. At The Gainsborough, where he’s been pushing culinary boundaries, he enjoys surprising hotel guests and local diners with his unlikely culinary combinations.

A British Dining Experience with Guest Chef Dan Moon at The Library, The Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur is only available from 24-27 April and priced from RM350.

For more information and reservations, email dining@ritzcarlton.com.my.

A trend that started out as simple smashed-avo-on-toast has now grown to see cafés and restaurants producing everything from avocado ice cream to avo-lattes. In fact, over the last decade, consumption in Australia has tripled from 1.2 kilogrammes to 3.5 kilogrammes, while production has more than doubled to 66,000 tonnes to keep up with demand, according to industry body Avocados Australia Limited.

With the secret out, Australian-style brunches are popping up on menus everywhere from London to New York, but when it comes to quality coffee and a mid-morning feast, there is nowhere better in the world to have it than in Australia.

With the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games happening this month, avocadoes are sure to take centre plate for the world-class athletes competing in Queensland’s Gold Coast. Packed full of good natural fats and potassium, travellers, too, can fuel their trip to the games with hundreds of avocado dishes available across the country.

To help you include a little avo-cardio as part of your trip, we’ve compiled the best, the weird and the wonderful avocado treats to try.

GOLD COAST

Avocado Croissant

Feeling a little French? Spice up this French staple with some flavour-filled avocado, Persian feta, watercress, mint, lime, seeds and spiced nuts at Local & Co on Main Beach.

BRISBANE

Giant Sushi Burrito With Avocado

At Suki Restaurant, it’s a match made in heaven – get all the sushi fillings you love, including fresh avocado and raw fish, and add a little Mexican flavour by rolling it all up into a giant burrito.

BYRON BAY

Avocado Smash

This smashed avocado and mint on toast, by Leaf and Grain in Byron Bay, is famous on the east coast. Grab this delight to go and head to the iconic Byron Bay foreshore to enjoy breakfast with a view.

CANBERRA

Avocado Cocktail

Ever considered putting avocado in your cocktail? Try this scrumptious concoction at Yummy Yalla, where avocado is mixed in with a fruity blend of strawberries, fruit salsa and cream to make the ultimate cocktail.

MELBOURNE

Spiced Togarashi Avocado

This ‘do it yourself’ dish is served at Kitty Burns as a deconstructed breakfast, consisting of half an avocado dipped in Japanese chilli spice to get your tastebuds tingling. It comes with edamame, citrus avo smash and an egg on toast.

HOBART

Avocado With Miso

For a modern twist, try out these un-smashed avocados with centres filled with delicious scoops of house-made genmai miso and black bean miso at Tricycle Café and Bar. This tasty treat is too good to refuse.

DARWIN

Green Avocado Smoothie

Feeling the heat in Darwin? Head to Greenies Real Food and pick up a green smoothie full of healthy goodness, like avocado, cucumber, kale, spinach, pineapple, banana and cashews, to cool you right down

SYDNEY

Avo Hot Cakes

Located on one of Australia’s most iconic beaches, Manly, Arthur’s Oysters and Seafood has created a unique breakfast-styled dessert – avocado buttermilk pancakes with whipped feta, dukkah, poached apricots and cranberries. 

Hash Brown Waffle With Avocado Smash

Can’t decide between avocado and waffles? Now you can have both at Morley Eats, in Rosebery Sydney. A dish made with hash brown waffle base, and topped with avocado smash, chilli jam and fried egg, this delicious breakfast invention is a must.

PERTH

Green Goodness Avocado Bowl

Looking for something a bit different? Start your day well with this Green Goodness smoothie bowl packed full of superfoods such as spinach, avocado, kiwifruit and bananas at Nood’s Wholefoods in Perth’s vibrant inner-city suburb of Leederville.

Avocado Burgers, Flames

Love burgers? Love avocado? Well, make sure you head to Flames WA’s stand at the Fremantle markets in Perth to get your hands on the epic avocado burger. And we’re not talking about a bit of avocado on a burger; we’re talking about avocado burger buns!

Vietnamese On Battersea

Spicing up Battersea’s restaurant scene is Mrs Le’s Banh Mi and Grill, the fifth restaurant under the Le family banner that includes Mien Tay, which the late and savage food critic AA Gill wrote “may well be the best Vietnamese (restaurant) in London”. As its name suggests, this restaurant on Lavender Hill features a selection of familiar Vietnamese street favourites like banh mi made with homemade pâté and Vietnamese whipped butter, filled with grilled pork, beef and chicken. Hot off the grill is a wide selection of meat – pork ribs, spring chicken, and duck with mung bean paste are just some of what’s available – and seafood sourced from the Billingsgate Market; among the favourites are oysters with house-made cheese sauce and stuffed freshwater snails.

Balinese Brilliance

Some of Asia’s brightest culinary stars will converge at the Ubud Food Festival, a three-day festival on 13-15 April, when over 100 speakers will share their culinary insights, ideas and dishes based on this year’s theme of ‘Generasi Inovasi’ (Innovation Generation). The festival will feature a range of ticketed and free events, from cooking demonstrations, workshops and food tours, to markets, film screenings, live music and in-depth forum discussions with dozens of notable chefs from Indonesia, as well as Chef Rishi Naleendra from Cheek by Jowl in Singapore and Chef Jun Lee from Soigné in Seoul.

Taste Australia In Adelaide

There’s much ado about Adelaide during Tasting Australia, a food festival that showcases the best of South Australia’s food scene. Taking place on 13-22 April, the festival includes tantalising events such as Tasting Australia Airlines, a day-long programme that sees you travelling to vineyards and restaurants across South Australia on a 50-seat chartered plane; Glasshouse Kitchen, where star-studded chefs will present their award-winning dishes; and East End Cellars Masterclass, which will help you gain a deeper understanding of Australian wine, beer and spirits. Chefs joining the line-up include Christian Puglisi of Relæ in Copenhagen; Norbert Niederkofler of three-Michelin-starred St Hubertus in Italy; JP McMahon of Michelin-starred Aniar in Ireland; and Dan Hunter of Brae, Victoria.

Puttin’ On The Fritz 

For a little taste of Paris on Jalan Bukit Bintang in Kuala Lumpur, head down to the newly opened Brasserie Fritz. Located on the ground floor of WOLO Hotel, the all-day brasserie includes a bakery where croissants, baguettes and pastries are made fresh every morning, while the main restaurant features a range of French-inspired meals like steak frites, duck confit and beef bourguignon, as well as a seafood bar where you can order an eight-course omakase meal personally prepared by  chef de cuisine Steve Ariffin. If you fancy a drink or two, sidle up to the gorgeous bar, where you can order a light spritzer during the day, and a classic cocktail when the sun sets. Also recommended: the hot chocolate, which is made from single-origin cocoa from Malaysia, Tanzania, Ecuador and Brazil

A World of Gastronomy 

This year's World Gourmet Summit takes place on 2-29 April in Singapore, and is aimed at introducing diners to some of the world's lesser-known but nonetheless, exciting cuisines. Themed 'The Discovery WGS', it will be presented by some of the most talented chefs from Asia, Eastern and Central Europe, and America such as Michelin Chef Patrizia Di Benedetto. There will be a series of ticketed tasting events, talks and masterclasses such as the WGS Discovery Brunch at Tamarind Hill, The Hungarian Tasting Table at La Brasserie in The Fullerton Bay Hotel and a Mexican Fiesta at El Mero Mero. 

When English food doyenne Nigella Lawson proclaimed in 2017 that pandan was poised to become Britain’s next culinary craze, supplanting avocados and green tea powder, many Malaysians who heard the news nodded knowingly.

Pandan leaves, or screwpine, have been ubiquitous in Malaysian kitchens for generations. Nicknamed the vanilla of Southeast Asia, its comfortingly distinctive aroma has infused everything from Malaysian cakes to jellies and jams. It’s essential for constructing the country’s iconic offering of nasi lemak (rice cooked with coconut milk). It’s no flash-in-the-pan novelty.

However, pandan is far from alone in deserving the international spotlight. There are many other culinary components long cherished by Malaysians that could be embraced by food lovers across borders. Here are merely a few of them.

Budu

Budu is a new experience even for most Malaysians. This fish sauce is made mainly by mixing anchovies with salt, left to ferment for as long as six months. It has customarily been consumed by coastal villagers of northeastern Kelantan and Terengganu states, who enjoy it as a pungent, protein-packed condiment to complement rice and vegetables.

But budu has the potential to make the leap into modern cookbooks, as reflected by respected local restaurants. When gastronomic temple Dewakan launched near Kuala Lumpur in 2015, its very first amuse-bouche was crispy edible ‘twigs’ paired with budu-spiked mayonnaise. Popular burger specialist myBurgerLab offers a fried chicken burger that’s garnished with a sauce that showcases budu-inspired dynamics for extra depth of flavour. Even trendy poke bowls can benefit from budu – one seafood venue, Eatomo, promises a ‘Pokelantan’ Bowl that’s crowned with candied fish floss laced with budu.

Buah Keluak

These black nuts, harvested from kepayang trees native to mangrove swamps in Malaysia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, have a rich history. Once reputedly used for royal palace recipes in Malaysia’s eastern Pahang state, they remain a staple for the Peranakan Nyonya Straits-born Chinese and Kristang Eurasian communities of western peninsular Malaysia.

Buah keluak is notoriously painstaking to prepare. The raw seeds are poisonous and require being at least scrubbed and soaked in water for several days before cooking. But the effort is worthwhile; by scraping within the clam-shaped nut’s hard shell, you’ll find a creamy flesh that blends an olive-like earthiness with an aromatically bitter nuttiness. With a tar-like look, it is most famously savoured in Peranakan chicken braises and curries but is also applied in everything from fried rice to chilli paste. At Malaysia’s Bistro à Table, a modern French eatery, it was once turned into a tapenade spread on seared scallop cannelloni for a degustation dinner.

Bunga Telang

Also known as butterfly pea flower, its extract imparts a light blue tint to Malaysian rice dishes such as Kelantan state’s nasi kerabu, as well as classic Nyonya delicacies like chang (glutinous rice dumplings) and pulut tekan (pressed rice cakes). Still, bunga telang is versatile enough to transcend its traditional roots. Saan, a Thai restaurant in Auckland, New Zealand, has used the extract to bring an intriguing splash of colour to a cocktail called The Weeping Butterfly. As a bonus, bunga telang is believed to have wide-ranging health benefits, such as boosting the memory and battling stress.

Kerisik

Coconuts rank among the cornerstones of Malaysian cuisine, boasting a myriad of uses. They can be grated and pan-toasted, transformed into slivers known as kerisik, bringing body and sweetness to curries such as Malaysian and Indonesian rendang, or sprinkled on salads for extra texture. These days, kerisik can be purchased in packets at supermarkets, though conventional wisdom insists they’re ideally ground by hand with a pestle and mortar, relying on fresh coconuts instead of canned desiccated ones.

Tempoyak

The durian, Malaysia’s undisputed king of fruits, is adored by countless locals, but it suffers a love-it-or-loathe-it reputation overseas for its powerful smell. What happens though when you take some mashed durian flesh, mix it thoroughly with salt, seal it in air-tight container, and leave it to ferment at room temperature for five days? The result is tempoyak, a condiment that’s an acquired taste even for Malaysians.

Tempoyak is typically cooked with coconut milk curries known as gulai (popularly with fish) or blended in chilli pastes called sambal. Its sour and salty flavours can vary, but at its most potent, it has been likened to ‘the blue cheese of Malaysia’. It could be spectacular for an intrepid chef seeking to thrill diners with a little-known but indelibly memorable ingredient. Alternatively, other fermented favourites in Malaysia include belacan (fermented shrimp sauce) and tapai (fermented alcoholic paste made from rice or cassava).

Tuhau

Malaysia’s states of Sabah and Sarawak in Borneo are blessed with a bounty of produce from their fertile lands. These include crops cultivated for centuries by indigenous tribes such as the Kadazan-Dusun people, who have a condiment called tuhau that’s based on wild ginger, often pickled with salt and vinegar. Evoking nuances of ginger and lemongrass, it has a stringent fragrance and is not commonly eaten raw. Some families fry it with fish, but contemporary restaurants in Sabah have uncovered imaginative uses for tuhau, embedding it in meat flosses in Japanese-style rice bowls or even infusing it into apple crumbles for a lively tang.

Gula Melaka

We’ve saved the sweetest for last: Gula Melaka, believed to have originated in southern Melaka state, is a sticky palm sugar, predominantly relished in liquid form, made from the sap of coconut tree flower buds. It’s lusciously nectarous, with caramel’s depth and decadence.

Gula Melaka has been a mainstay at local kopitiams (coffee shops) for decades, a must in refreshing desserts like sago pudding and cendol (an icy indulgence with green rice flour jelly strips). In recent years, it has surfaced at hip cafés and bars across Kuala Lumpur, transformed into flavours of ice cream, cupcakes or macarons, poured as a syrup over pancakes or waffles, and thrust into funky cocktails.

Shanghai, JW Marriott Kuala Lumpur

Usher in the Year of the Dog this Lunar New Year with classic Shanghainese cuisine by Executive Chinese Chef Wong Wing Yuek, who is dedicated to serving the best and most authentic dishes from his native city. Kick off the feast with an interesting variety of Yee Sang, accompanied with delicacies such as abalone, jellyfish, salmon, lobster, geoduck and even fresh fruits for a refreshing twist on a traditional dish. Then, choose from three luxurious set menus, featuring specialities such as Braised Superior Fish Maw Soup with Sea Cucumber, Bird’s Nest, Mushrooms and Shredded Chicken, Steamed Cod stuffed with Chinese Ham served with Honey and Supreme Stock Paste and Traditional Rice with Chinese Waxed Meat and Vegetable in Casserole. Sets and ala carte menus are available for lunch and dinner from now until 2 March 2018.

Li-Yen, Ritz Carlton Kuala Lumpur

Award-winning Cantonese restaurant Li Yen at The Ritz Carlton, Kuala Lumpur has put together a special Lunar New Year feast, featuring exclusive set menus alongside a seasonal selection of delicate Dimsum, ideal for gatherings with family and loved ones. First, Prosperity Yee Sang, which comes with an option for salmon, tuna or abalone, followed by a selection of three menus for lunch, with dishes such as Steamed Oyster with Sea Moss, Double-Boiled Chicken Soup with Abalone and Mushroom, Chicken Simmered in Bouillon, Roasted Duck and Stir-Fried Prawns with Haw Sauce. Dinner menu features delights such as Braised Soup with Shredded Superior Fish Maw, Bird’s Nest and Minced Chicken, Sea Cucumber and Dried Scallop and to conclude the meal on a sweet note, Fried ‘Nian Gao’ with Deep-Fried Sesame Balls. Both lunch and dinner menus are available from 15 until 18 February 2018.

Latest Recipe, Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur

Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur showcases its epicurean reputation this Lunar New Year with a signature Lo-Hei celebration at its in-house restaurant, Latest Recipe. Awaiting guests are special Yee Sang delights, with options such as sliced clam abalone, sliced tuna, salmon and jelly fish, as well as a wide variety of local and international fare throughout the festive period. As you dine, be treated to the eye-catching, time-honoured tradition of a lion dance on 16 February at 11am. The Lunar Buffet Dinner, meanwhile, is available from 5 to 13 February and 16 February to 2 March.

The Brasserie, St Regis Kuala Lumpur

Indulge in exclusive set menus at The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur, for an unparalleled Lunar New Year experience for the whole family from now until 16 March 2018. Sumptuous flavours are presented with flair, including the signature Prosperity Yee Sang,  Braised Bird’s Nest Soup with Crab Meat and Bamboo Pith, Handmade ‘Jiao Zhi’ Dumpling, Steamed Stuffed Crab Claw, Fatt Choy and Egg White, Roasted Crispy 5-Spice Chicken with Lotus Chips, and to round it off, Chilled Pao Sum Tea, Snow Fungus with Gingko and Crispy Sweet Potato ‘Nin Gou’. Linger and soak up more of the festive magic with an overnight stay and dine package from 15 – 19 February, which comprises the plush comforts of a sleek St Regis Suite, breakfast and CNY set dinner at The Brasserie for two guests.

The Eatery, Four Points by Sheraton Puchong

Prepare your bellies for a hearty meal at The Eatery, Four Points by Sheraton Puchong as the hotel’s signature restaurant presents a variety of dishes with oriental panache. The Six-Treasure Traditions promotion features the star of the spread, the Six-Treasure Yee Sang, with generous helpings of marinated soy clams and a combination of tuna and salmon sashimi chunks. Dinner buffet from now until 22 February 2018 will see dishes such as pan-seared salmon, noodles with abalone reduction, fresh seafood on ice as well as a sweet ending of ice cream served at the Teppanyaki ice cream bar. The highlight is the CNY eve dinner, welcoming guests with Peking Duck carvings, wok-fried tiger prawns and herbal soup of crab, mushrooms and sea cucumbers.

 

The Japanese are famed for their noble hospitality, treating guests with utmost respect and serving food of the highest quality, which was exactly what was brought to life at The Table, Isetan Lot 10 alongside premium beer brand Kirin Ichiban.

The two recently collaborated to bring to guests the best of food and beer, with a specially curated menu of Japanese cuisine, made from authentic seasonal ingredients and designed especially to complement Kirin Ichiban. 

A premium beer authentically crafted in Japan using 100% malt, Kirin Ichiban's unique taste offers a smooth and rich flavour as a result of its innovative “First Press” brewing method, where only the first press of the malt liquid is used, to exude a pure, crisp taste with no bitter aftertaste. The beer is crafted to appeal to the palate, and it pairs elegantly with Japanese dishes. 

Meanwhile, The Table, Isetan Lot 10 offers sophisticated cuisine representative of washoku (food of Japan) and features six restaurants: Toriden, Touan, Yakiniku Toraji, Tonkatsu Anzu, Sushi Azabu and The Tokyo Restaurant – all well known for offering Japanese cuisines made from premium and authentic ingredients, created by experienced Japanese chefs. 

Guests at the exclusive preview got to enjoy exquisite dishes from five of the six restaurants, including grilled yellow tail and snow crab tamagoyaki at Touan, cold cappellini with sea urchin from Hokkaido at The Tokyo Restaurant, as well as scallop katsu at Anzu, among others. They were also treated to cultural performances, a calligraphy session and a fun photoshoot where guests got to wear a yukata (summer kimono). 

Experience the flavours of Kirin Ichiban and the best of Japanese cuisine at The Table, Isetan Lot from 11AM to 3PM and 6PM to 11PM, daily. Kirin Ichiban has also introduced a special promotion, whereby patrons who dine at Toraji over lunch hour from 11AM to 2.30PM can enjoy a Buy 1 Free 1 of beer at RM33++, and a 1 litre mug for just RM100++ all day long. The promotion is valid til the end of January. 

COMFORT IN A BOWL

Comforting rice bowls and brunch meals await at the newly opened Food by Fat Cat in Sunway Geo. This café is conveniently located within Jaya Grocer, offering diners Asian-inspired dishes such as the signature Fattie BomBom, a rice bowl topped with chicken karaage, ebiko sauce, sautéed mushrooms and an onsen egg, or the Fat Cat Fries, a bowl of fries topped with minced meat, gochujang (red chilli paste) and cheese. Brunch fans will also be pleased with the all-day breakfast offerings of buttermilk waffles served with turkey ham, cheese and egg, or The Fattie Breakie, a fry-up comprising eggs, crispy turkey ham, edamame beans, sautéed mushrooms, baked beans and freshly toasted bread.

POINT OF INTEREST

Wine enthusiasts have a new reason to visit The Point in Damansara Heights, which renovated its second floor in mid-2017 from a casual lounge into a fully stocked wine bar. It now carries over 350 labels of wine (and counting), including a selection of French vintage wines – some dating back to 1934 – deemed good enough to be given Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence. Highlights include 1980s vintages from Chateau Guillot, Chateau Giscours, and Chateau Latour. The bar also hosts monthly wine tasting events, so check their Facebook page for updates. 

COCOA RUSH 

Malaysian artisanal chocolate brand Cocoraw has opened a pop-up retail store, Cocodash, in Bangsar’s Cziplee bookstore. Chocolate lovers can indulge in Nama-style chocolate truffles that range from the familiar milk and dark chocolates to those infused with local flavours like Salted Gula Melaka, Ipoh White Coffee, and Teh Tarik. Those looking for something with a little kick will be more than happy with the Gin and Limau Nipis (made with gin and lime) and The AA (made with rum). Better yet, come here on the weekends to enjoy the excellent panna cotta and house-made hot chocolate.  

PECKING PARADISE

Penang’s reputation as a food haven continues to grow with the opening of Swallow @ The Saw Emporium, a pop-up dining project housed in a former saw mill in Gat Lebuh Macallum, Georgetown. The concept was devised by the Steamship Merchants in partnership with Tharin Tan, the fourth-generation owner of the saw mill, and brings together several well-known food and beverage outlets under one roof. Running until the first quarter of next year, outlets include Singapore’s Teppei Syokudo, modern Thai restaurant Soi 55, barbecue restaurant Embers, and craft beer merchants Taps Beer Bar.

EATING TOGETHER

The latest addition to the slew of eateries at Solaris Dutamas is Deuce, a casual modern European restaurant and bar. Offering sizeable platters meant for sharing, the space is warm and inviting, with an open kitchen, a wine cellar and an alfresco dining area overlooking the lively nightlife strip. Its open bar is equally appetising, holding a selection of hand-crafted cocktails such as the Bungarosa, Russian Mermaid, Smoky Mendoza and more than 40 labels of wine that make for perfect pairings for every plate. Try the Octopus with Pickled Beetroot and Saffron Aioli, Duck Breast with Salted Duck Egg Crumble, or the Pan-Seared Snapper a la Tippling Club, which pays homage to the restaurant of the same name in Singapore.

 

There’s a mysterious black box sitting in the middle of Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur’s Pavilion M Lounge. A box that will take those who venture into it to a galaxy far, far away.

Conceptualised by award-winning interior designer Emma Maxwell, Find Your Lucky Star is a one-of-a-kind pop-up restaurant with a celestial theme. As you step into its dim interior, the walls melt away to reveal a space seemingly suspended in the centre of a starry universe. Sidle up to the table for twelve, its glass top reflecting projections from above.

“As guests walk through the threshold of the external austere and rigid structure, they are swept from the chaotic and bustling streets of KL, into a seductive and evocative ‘other’ world. It’s a scene that is the exact opposite of what they perceive,” said Maxwell, whose work is highly sought after even by prestigious Michelin-starred restaurants.

Throughout the course, guests will experience the transformation from a dark void into a shimmering starfield, topped off with a hail of shooting stars – all while a groovy, chill playlist fills the air.

Drawing inspiration from European flavours, the celebratory menus are curated by two talented chefs: Chef Francois Mermilliod of famed French dining restaurant in Singapore, Bar-A-Thym, as well as Chef Gaetano Di Stefano of Villa Danielli, Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur’s signature Italian restaurant.

The first week sees a finely crafted menu by chef Francois, with contemporary French dishes such as milk-fed veal tenderloin, foie gras foam, heirloom baby carrot and buckwheat. Known for his dishes from the South of France, chef Francois marries his French signatures with strong influences from Mediterranean Italian cuisine with an Asian twist.

From 17 to 29 December, be gratified by exquisite Italian cuisine by chef Gaetano. Promising a true Italian taste, highlights include the baked turbot with braised Mediterranean vegetables, sea urchin foam and tomato vanilla sauce.

Find Your Lucky Star is available for a limited time only, until 29 December, for lunch and dinner. The intimate affair accommodates just 12 guests for each session. For inquiries or reservations, call +603-27179027 or e-mail LuckyStar@sheraton.com. 

 

An Italian Affair

Merry Christmas, or as the Italians say it, ‘Buon Natale' ! Pince and Pints Kuala Lumpur, the lobster specialty restaurant in Bangsar, is offering a traditional tomato-based pasta dish, The Spaghetti Lobster, as its Christmas special. Inspired and perfected by one of the restaurant’s owners while on a trip to Capri, the dish is hearty yet light and tangy, and sees a delicious mound of spaghetti studded with generous chunks of lobster meat and fresh plum cherry tomatoes. Available from 1 December onwards.

Traditional Dishes

Turkey is a staple for Christmas, and Renaissance Kuala Lumpur Hotel pulls out all the stops on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with a whole stuffed and roasted bird, served with all the trimmings, cranberry compote and giblet sauce. Dinner buffet at the hotel’s TEMPTationS restaurant features local and seasonal delights, from all time favourites like roast prime beef ribs and leg of lamb to pumpkin mash,slow baked beef flanks and more. Watch as the food is prepared fresh before your eyes at the open show kitchen and various cooking stations.

Lavish Feast

Inspired by the medieval English Tudor era, Sunway Resorts Hotel and Spa offers a bountiful spread of meat and sugary treats at The Resort Cafe to herald in the spirit of the season, from 15 to 25 December. Traditional flavours are given an Asian twist, from dishes such as the bold and flavourful Smoked Turkey served with Red Chilli Sauce and the chef’s special Roasted Turkey marinated with Black Garlic and Organic Bamboo Salt. Other delectable items to look forward to are a variety of home-made pies and an extensive dessert bar featuring, among others, Strawberry Shortcake Roulade and Christmas Pudding, sure to satisfy diners with a sweet tooth.

Christmas Indulgence

Have an unforgettable Christmas at The Ritz Carlton, Kuala Lumpur, as the hotel puts together a selection of festive curations. On 10 December, there’s the Teddy Bear Afternoon Tea, where the little ones can build their own teddy bear while enjoying creative and vibrant pastries, desserts and colourful festive eggnog. Christmas Eve offers a four-course dinner from the Menu Du Jour at The Library, featuring special creations such as a succulent Roast Turkey carvery complemented by Roasted Quail, Creamy Lobster Soup, Chestnut Parfait, White Chocolate with Christmas Pudding and more. Meanwhile Christmas Day’s Champagne Brunch boasts an eclectic spread of fresh seafood, tapas, pastas, soups, succulent roasts and festive favourites.

 

From a Borneo restaurant that blends indigenous ingredients with international influences, to fresh hotspots for French, Indian and Italian cooking in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia has embraced new eateries this year that represent a melting pot of the world in one country. Here are eight of our favourite latest dining destinations nationwide, boiled down into one list.

Birch

Fast becoming a magnet for brunch obsessives, Birch’s seductive setting is soaked in sunlight, saturated with greenhouse-inspired aesthetics and suffused with chirpy vibes in Kuala Lumpur’s Damansara City Mall. The restaurant begins its mornings bright and fresh, beckoning early birds for trendy favourites like the Birch Benedict, layered with luscious poached eggs, spiced pulled chicken and barbecue sauce on thick seven-grain sourdough toast. Once the sun sets, late owls will flock for Birch’s night menu, which includes smoked quail eggs, lamb leg skewers and seabream cooked in a Josper charcoal oven.

Chiu’s

Eugene Chiu’s eponymous first restaurant heralds his return to his hometown of Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah state in Borneo. Chiu spent several years studying finance in London, where he absorbed gastronomic inspirations from Michelin-starred establishments as well as street food purveyors. He recently left his corporate career to launch a restaurant where he strives to work with farmers and food producers to spotlight domestic produce without being yoked to a specific cuisine. Specialities at Chiu’s, whose tagline is ‘The Modern Local’, include a beef rice bowl with components such as local hill brown rice, pickled papayas, and something that’s unique to Sabah: tuhau serunding, a wild ginger-based delicacy that’s cherished by Sabah’s Kadazan ethnic community. Chiu’s take on risotto also relies on mushrooms that are Borneo-grown, while the beef rendang ravioli features a local ulam raja salad sprinkling.

Cocott’

Fans of feel-good communal feasting will favour Cocott', where everything from crusty house-baked bread to beef bourguignon is served in cast-iron cocottes. Rui-Yang Monico (an alumnus of the Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne school of hospitality) has teamed up with Lyon-raised Geoffroi Herin (who formerly cooked at Annecy-le-Vieux's two-Michelin-star Le Clos des Sens) to cultivate a casual sanctuary for soulful French roasts, stews and casseroles in Kuala Lumpur’s Taman Tun Dr Ismail suburban enclave. Cocott's oeuvre is an ode to rich, robust flavours and time-honoured, cooked-from-scratch techniques, typified by the sumptuousness of baked escargots, free-range chicken with Montpellier butter, or sliced rib-eye with red onions and mustard marmalade. The restaurant’s monthly raclette cheese dinners are colossally popular too.

ENFD

ENFD, an abbreviation of ‘enfold’, mainly offers customers the simple but satisfying experience of mixing and matching a main course with side dishes for its lunchtime meals, rooted in Asian flavours. The selection evolves regularly at this down-to-earth location in George Town, the capital of northern Penang island. Mains might comprise chicken braised with spicy fermented beans or fried with sticky ginger lime sauce, alongside accompaniments like aubergine with Chinese Teochew dressing, corn with curry leaves, or coleslaw with cumin yogurt. If you’d like to savour a different side of ENFD, reserve a private-kitchen dinner, which might yield temptations such as chilli-poached octopus, herb-cured duck carpaccio and smoked salted chocolate.

Kikubari

Kikubari is a restaurant that strives to live up to its name, a reference to the Japanese philosophy of being mindful of the needs and comfort of people around you. Chef Jun Wong, back in Malaysia after five years abroad at Tokyo's Narisawa, Macau's Robuchon au Dome and Sydney's Sixpenny and Le Petit Flot, commands a kitchen that promises a perceptive blend of Japanese and French sensibilities. The setting in Kuala Lumpur’s Damansara City Mall is intimate, with a handful of tables spread out over a raked-sand zen garden sheltered by a raised glass floor, plus several coveted bar seats overlooking the open kitchen. The menu is neatly split into tapas-style offerings and five-to-eight-course tasting menus. Raised by environmental activist parents, Wong eloquently advocates cooking without waste; seasonal specials might include prawn heads turned into an addictive indulgence, furnished with the umami of prawn-infused cream, sprinkled with seaweed and seaweed powder. Kikubari’s wines are exclusively European, in line with an emphasis on terroir, but it's also interesting to see how sake can buoy a tasting menu here from start to finish. 

Nadodi

A meal at Nadodi is meant to be an odyssey, traversing the rice paddies of Tamil Nadu, the coastal fisheries of Kerala and the crop fields of the Jaffna Peninsula. This is a restaurant of ambition and adventure, named for the Malayalam word for 'wanderer,' rooted in an Indian and Sri Lankan heritage while restlessly forging a fresh path that has sparked a wave of culinary chatter in Kuala Lumpur. Guests can venture on a 15- or 17-Mile Journey, reflecting the number of courses showcased in a tasting menu by executive chef Johnson Ebenezer (formerly based in Chennai) & his team. The many memorable possibilities include the signature Monsoon Ritual (tomato broth with spiced lentils, served with a striking flourish) and Silence Of Our Lamb (sous-vide lamb with curry leaf soot).

People & Places Café

Drawing inspiration from the vibrant café landscape of Melbourne, Australia, People & Places Café has become one of this year’s buzziest new hangouts in Malaysia’s southernmost city of Johor Bahru. With a soaring ceiling and foliage-rich furnishing, this space is impeccably Instagram-worthy, but it also boasts a crowd-pleasing repertoire of comfort food, including imaginative recipes like crispy tortillas stuffed with tom yum-flavoured scrambled eggs and sriracha aioli.

Proof

Proof might be the pizzeria and wine bar of our dreams, offering intriguing wood-fired pizzas in an irresistible setting that's Tuscany by way of Tribeca. The pizzas convey deep reservoirs of flavour, with toppings like crab claw flesh, hickory-smoked bacon or ‘nduja salumi spread over a base that’s crisp but tender to the touch, airy to the bite – the result of fresh dough that's proofed for two days before being scorched in Italian-built ovens whose temperatures spiral to a high of 350°C. With vintage Aretha Franklin and Diana Ross playing on the soundtrack, the mood is exuberant – you might find yourself engaging in unexpected conversations with nearby tables and swapping slices of pizzas to sample at this venue in Kuala Lumpur’s Bangsar neighbourhood.