Text: Li Meiling

Tired of chicken? You might be surprised to know that pork is a healthier alternative to red meats like beef and lamb.

PORK is often viewed as red meat – fatty and high in calories and cholesterol – but what’s the truth about this meat? In 1987 the U.S. National Pork Board, began an advertising campaign to position pork as “the other white meat”. Nutritional studies cited in support of this campaign revealed that pork is actually a great source of thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, vitamin B-6, phosphorus and protein, zinc and potassium; in addition, a lean cut of pork contains as few calories and as little fat as chicken breast.

The meat of the Iberian pig is exceptionally nutritious and healthy. It contains high proportions of monounsaturated fatty acids, particularly oleic acid, which is linked with a reduction in the risk of coronary heart disease. Oleic acid is also found in olive oil. Subsequently, Iberian pork has earned the nickname “olive with feet”!

Text: Chang Chin Lin, Brian

“Welcome to Yaki Yaki”
I walked into the restaurant located at the Federal Bowl, in Bukit Bintang Central. Yaki Yaki is not easy to spot. It is nestled in a secluded corner of the four-way intersection opposite the Coffee Bean at Plaza Low Yat. The smiling receptionist dressed in all black greeted me and politely asked if I had made any reservations.

I walked into the spacious and dimly lit restaurant and noticed the bamboo shoot and frosted glass feature. The sound of water cascading down into the pond in the middle of the dining area created a relaxing atmosphere. A row of Tatami or VIP rooms surrounded the dining area. A number of rooms were occupied by groups wanting to dine privately. I took my seat on the comfortable leather seating and thought of the restaurant’s interior as classy, yet tranquil. The aromatic smell of barbequed meat drifts from the barbeque corner whetting the appetite of restaurant patrons.

I checked out the buffet spread and was spoilt for choice. Yaki Yaki offers a range of Japanese food, barbeque, and a fusion of western and local food. The Sushi bar offers a range of Sashimi and Nigiri sushi served on an authentic wooden mat. The Sashimi choices include salmon, scallop, amaebi (sweet prawns), mackerel fish, tako (octopus), squid, sea bass and the famous unagi (eel).

Text: Raina Ng | Photography: SK Loy

At Engka Portobello it is a common sight to see patrons seated comfortably ravishing a platter of pork ribs while sipping a glass of Chilean white wine. Classy, yet casual, Engka Portobello welcomes its patrons into an open and airy dining space which is comfortably furnished with rattan chairs and wooden tables. Its menu promises a series of hearty classic meals, with a creative twist and patrons can look forward to a harmonious combination of food, wine and music while being attended to by the well-groomed staff.

Named after a mushroom which also translates into Portuguese to mean beautiful port, Engka Portobello serves European cuisine with mushrooms as an important component of several of their signature dishes. The wine cellar is adequately stocked with mostly light to medium bodied wine to complement a menu that predominantly features white meat.

The restaurant opens for brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. Brunch is also served until 3 p.m. daily. The reasonably priced restaurant sits on Changkat Bukit Bintang amongst the other colonial styled shophouses. Patrons will savour meals that promise to blanket the taste buds with a complete harmony of flavours and perfectly matched combinations. Party on the taste buds indeed.

Text: Jean Chong | Photography: BK Loh

My first impression, as my colleagues and I walked into the Purple Cane tea restaurant, was that we had been transported back in time to 19th century China and I could almost imagine that we were sitting down in a popular local inn; enjoying a cup of exquisite Chinese tea with Wong Fei-Hung over a game of Chinese chess.

It was not surprising that the outlet, situated on the lower ground floor of The Gardens in Mid Valley City, had previously won an award for its interior design. Mainly Chinese décor with a contemporary twist, we were informed by K.C. Tan, service manager of the restaurant, that many of its furnishings were hand-picked and imported directly from China, including a beautiful set of Chinese screen doors.

According to Tan, Purple Cane started as a humble tea house in 1987; a place where friends could gather and engage in idle chat while appreciating fine tea. The trend of traditional Chinese tea drinking soon caught on and Purple Cane became a household name among tea enthusiasts in Malaysia.

Spurred on by encouragement and positive feedback from friends and consumers, the owners decided to expand their business into tea cuisine; setting up the first tea restaurant in the country in 1997. Today, the humble tea house has grown into a chain of 17 tea centres, three restaurants and even a centre for learning the art of tea.