KEE@FSWMAG.COM
MIGF MALAYSIA INTERNATIONAL GOURMET FESTIVAL
DINNER AT NOOK, ALOFT HOTEL KL SENTRAL
NOOK AND CANNY!
IT WAS A CASE OF CHEF
STEVEN SEOW SCOURING EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY TO CONCOCT SUCH AN INSPIRED CUISINE
IN HONOUR OF THE CURRENT, ON-GOING MALAYSIA INTERNATIONAL GOURMET
FESTIVAL.
The
result?
Nook and
canny!
This special 5- course
MIGF menu with 2 wines and 1 beer plus coffee/tea costs RM 280+ per person from
now till 31 October so pencil in Nook for your next dining out
night!
Nook at Aloft KL
Sentral--03 2723 1188
20 fortunate guests
were invited by Dato' Steve Day and wife Datin Su Day, organisers of MIGF to
partake a delectable dinner at Nook, the signature restaurant of Aloft hotel
which is an offshoot of the glitzy W Hotel. Come to think of it, only 18 were
invited since I should not count Dato' Steve and Datin
Su.
Each year I live in
permanent fear of not being invited to one of MIGF's 30 exclusive and
exhilarating special dinners dished out in honour of the food fest. So when I
finally received an invite to Nook, I hightailed back home from Paris on 17
September instead of 18 September and had to pay Malaysia Airlines an extra 36
euros (RM 155) some more!
Being so kiasu I was
the first to arrive at 7.15 pm only to be escorted to W XYZ bar where the
cocktails and mocktails were served. I particularly adore the pretty little
plastic boxes served with every drink. Open it and it contains an assortment of
nuts! How witty and ingenious! No more boring, ho-hum white trays! I wonder how
many of these colourful little boxes vanish every
evening...
Host with most Dato'
Steve gave the noblesse oblige speech to thank and welcome his guests before
introducing Chef Steven Seow, marketing executive Amanda and Complex Revenue
Manager (what does that mean I wonder) Jung Chul Soon. Chef Steven Seow gave a
rundown on what was in store for us and already I was salivating at the thought
of 'lowly' laksa, nasi lemak and shaved ice transforming into haute
cuisine!
We were shepherded to
the first floor where 2 tables were handsomely laid in the middle of Nook so
other diners could admire my exquisite clothes and flashy jewels since I am
unable to thrive in the shade.
The starter was quite
conventional and it was the first and last time! We had Smoked Scallop, Umai
sushi and duck confit with pomegranate and yogurt sphere with Villa Maria
Chardonnay from New Zealand. Nice and tasty all
round.
Then came the first
transmogrification of local hawker's delight Sarawak Laksa into haute cuisine
as Executive Chef Steven Seow deleted the usual vermicelli or yellow noodles
and replaced them with organic soba noodles. The delicious gravy---not too
thick nor watery---was poured into the laksa bowl separately from a small
teapot.
This new take on a
traditional Sarawak favourite added zest and unexpected zing as it was
accompanied by Sarawak lobster with abalone slices tucked neatly into its tail.
Yummy!
Instead of wine, Chef
Steven Seow declared beer was a better mate and so poured us Leffe Blonde! True
enough, the effect was unexpectedly soothing as I was initially alarmed at the
thought of frothy beer and soury laksa fermenting inside my innards. I expected
mini explosions but my stomach stayed calm.
The main dish was
Wagyu beef cheeks cooked as rendang with veggies, acar jelatah and tumeric
rice.
This was
sensational.
The beef melted in my
mouth while the delicately scented tumeric rice was the perfect foil for the
crunchy veggies and quail eggs. Somehow I felt like I was dining on couture food
and not something we normally eat for breakfast or
lunch!
Hooray, laksa and nasi
lemak, 2 local staples, have been elevated to fine dining! Congrats Chef Steven
Seow!
This beefy course came
with red Shiraz from Madfish, Australia.
The dessert was the
coup de grace...
ABC or Ais Batu
Champur or Ice Kachang is as common as pimples but I almost fell off my seat
when the bowl of shaved ice with the usual accompaniments was placed before my
startled peepers.
The shaved ice and ice
cream had no milk, no rose or gula melaka. Instead all these and more were
inside 5 syringes placed next to the bowl!
All we needed do was
squirt, splish, splash and splosh as much or as little as desired the coloured
liquids!
It brought back
memories of 'masak masak' (Malay for 'cook cook') or playing with food in my
mother's kitchen.
This ABC was called '8
Treasures' and indeed it brought back treasured memories to us all! Plus the
child in all of us as we squealed in delight while injecting the coloured
syrups into the bowl.
Chef Steven Seow
appeared from the kitchen to explain each course and it struck me
there seemed to be a strong Sarawak connection. Then I discovered he is a
Sarawakian!
Dato' Steve introduced
each guest on three occasions during what he artfully referred as 'commercial
breaks'. Each guest was asked to email various answers in advance and Dato'
Steve read their biodata and of course added in irreverent tidbits in his
inimitable style!
As the meal ended on a
rapturously note, Dato' Steve invited Chef Steven Seow and his
service team to receive their just desserts---applause from all of us while Viscountess
Maylin de Chezelles thanked them on our behalf.
It was a trip to Mai
Bar at the rooftop for drinks and champagne before we called it 'oh what a
night'!
The beautifully laid out tables at Nook,
the signature restaurant of the new Aloft hotel at Sentral KL
The flowers were much admired
The zigzag lights were eye catching yet
functional
At W XYZ Bar, nuts are served inside these
cute, colourful and charming plastic boxes! Wonder how many are 'accidentally'
taken away by guests each night! I didn't take any though the nefarious thought
did occur to me!
Patrick McVeigh, James Beltran and Hon
Tian Haur
Host with most Dato Steve Day
joins
Canapes on the run
The cool staff of W XYZ
Kee Hua Chee and Carmen (not Miranda)
Gomez
Dato Simon Wong and Datin Michelle
Wong
Datin Su Falak and Datin Teo Nai Yee
enjoying the delightful passarounds
Lim Meng Hong and sister Clarissa. OK so
she is Clarissaa mum
Guests listening intently
Push hard and a moist napkin pops out!
The rubber car is a stress reliever!
Villa Maria Chardonnay from New Zealand for our
first course
Our appetiser
Smoked scallop, umai sushi and duck
confit
Chef Steven Seow emerged from kitchen to explain
each delicacy
Service team at Nook
Carmen Rocio Beltran nee Gomez with Sarawak lobster
and abalone laksa with organic soba noodles
Sarawak laksa with lobster and
abalone
Served with Leffe Blonde beer! Leffe
Blonde beer was a surprisingly good match for laksa!
The gravy is poured separately
Rebecca Chin gets her dollop of
gravy
Yummy!
Madfish shiraz for Carmen
Gomez
This red wine is from Australia
Wagyu beef cheeks in rendang, farm vegetables,
achar jelatah and tumeric coconut rice. Our main dish was
superb
Dato Steve Day introducing his guests to other
guests
Our ABC ice kacahng! We had to
add as much or little the syrups inside the syringes! Fun or what!
Looks lethal but tastes lovely!
Julian Chin does it with both hands since God gave
him two limbs
Julian Chin squirting his milk....
Julian Chin's milk splurted out in commodious
quantities.
His wife Rebecca from Adelaide did same.
Time to thank the Nook service team for a good job
well done!
Dato Steve Day thanked the Nook
team.
Nook gave each guest a shaker!
Clarissa, Lim Meng Hong and Carmen
Beltran
Viscount Henri de Chezelles and Viscountess Maylin
de Chezelles
Dato Shamsul Falak, Datin Su Day and Kee Hua
Chee
Datin Nai Yee, Datin Sue Falak, Lim Meng Hong,
Carmen Gomez Beltran and Clarissa
At MaiBar!
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