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”!

Iberian pork is a product of Spain, but is available at a couple of select eating establishments in the Klang Valley. One of these restaurants is Bruno’s Restaurant and Bar, a Spanish eatery in Jaya 33, Section 14, Petaling Jaya.

The restaurant serves fresh and cured Iberian cuts prepared in a variety of mouth-watering ways. For example, their cold cuts platter features Iberico ham, as does their refreshing citrus salad.
Pasta fans should try the tender Iberico back loin prepared with fresh tomatoes and olives and served with spaghetti. Alternatively order the spaghetti garnished with sautéed belly pork and tossed in extra virgin olive oil.

But true pork lovers should not miss the Iberico pork ribs. These are prepared two ways – either barbecued to juicy and melt-in-your-mouth perfection, or marinated in white balsamic dressing and roasted.
Bruno’s flies in fresh and cured Iberian products weekly. The fresh cuts are chilled, never frozen, and are tender in texture and full of rich flavour.

The black Iberian pig lives primarily in the south and southwest parts of Spain and the southeast parts of Portugal. After they are weaned, Iberian piglets are fattened on barley and maize for several weeks before they are set free to roam in pasture and oak groves. The pigs feed on grass, herbs, acorns and roots. When slaughtering time approaches, the pigs are fed only acorns.

Bruno’s also serves roast suckling pig, in whole or leg portions. Suckling pig cuts are also served stuffed with pasta and served with fresh avocado crème. Bruno’s uses the Spanish white suckling pig for this preparation. It is slaughtered when it is between 20 and 30 days old. At this point the piglet is not weaned yet and as a result its meat is extremely tender, with a rich, milky flavour.

It goes without saying that although pork (especially Iberian pork) is a healthier alternative to red meat, fans of the “other white meat” should be careful not to over-indulge, but eat sensible portions and choose the leanest cuts available.

Pork and How It Compares to Other Meats
This comparison is based on a 3oz/85gm serving of cooked lean meat. Pork tenderloin has 120 calories, 3gm of fat, 62mg of cholesterol. Skinless chicken breast has 139 calories, 3.1gm of fat and 73gm of cholesterol
Beef tenderloin has 175 calories, 8.1gm of fat and 71mg of cholesterol This comparison is compiled from information on The Other White Meat website (www.theotherwhitemeat.com)

“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).

I picked a selection of Sashimi and took my seat. I dipped a piece into the wasabi and soy sauce. The freshness of the piece of Sashimi was appetising and I helped myself to another serving of Sashimi. The highlight of the Sushi Bar is the Three-Coloured Egg, which consists of a slice each of century egg, herbal jelly egg and herbal egg. The name of the dish is derived from the yolks. Restaurant patrons also find the Salmon Flower and Orange Tofu an appetising delight.

The restaurant features their soft-shelled cheese crab. The crab meat is mixed with cheese and a dash of cream sauce. I thoroughly enjoyed the crispness and flavor of the dish. At the Barbeque corner, restaurant patrons have the advantage of choosing their favourite food item. The items are barbequed at their own table on a small barbeque pit fuelled with Japanese white charcoal.

At the far left hand corner of the restaurant I found some California and Maki rolls and some fried items. I picked the Golden Dragon Ball which was a deep fried ball made of crabmeat. I also picked a selection of Japanese Mochi to satisfy my sweet tooth.

The desserts and drinks bar offer a variety of fruit drinks, coffee and ice cream. The coconut drink and gelato ice-cream were the highlights for me. The restaurant also offers a selection of wine and liquor for its dinner and supper patrons.

The dedication and experience of the chefs at Yaki Yaki is displayed in the quality of the food on its buffet spread. Its attentive and friendly staff, food selection and pleasant atmosphere distinguish it from its competitors.

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.

[lg_folder folder="Tea Cuisine At Purple Cane"]

As we were served lunch, we were delighted to be joined by Jack Lee, the master chef who played a huge role in creating most of the dishes on their menu. Jack shared with us that every dish served at the outlet is cooked with tea; be it in the form of tea leaves, powder or broth. Even their rice, is steamed with green tea.

The master chef revealed that preparing tea cuisine is similar to Chinese cooking except that tea broth substitutes the conventional use of chicken, beef or fish stock as a base in their cooking. And each tea complemented a different form of cooking. For example, Jasmine tea is suitable to be used to cook seafood as it can negate the fishiness of its ingredients; while green tea is ideal for steaming food such as rice or prawns. For dishes that are stewed over long periods, high quality tea is used as a base so that its aroma can slowly be released to enhance the flavours of the dish.

Another of the main properties of tea is its ability to absorb excessive oil. Indeed, the food served at Purple Cane is based on a healthy eating concept whereby all their dishes are cooked with less salt, oil, sugar and no artificial flavours.

By this time, I was eager to start sampling their dishes. My eyes lit up as they served the Chicken Bak Kut Teh soup boiled with Dong Ding Oolong Tea as appetizer. The soup came in a two-tiered clay pot; with a lit candle in the bottom keeping the pot of soup on top heated. There were needle mushrooms, cabbage, button mushrooms and chunks of chicken meat in the soup which was flavourful yet light; and had a hint of kum (herbal) taste derived from herbs and spices.

I remarked that I did not detect any overwhelming taste of tea and Tan acknowledged this, saying that in all their recipes, the fragrance of tea is well-blended with the other ingredients and hence, its strong taste would be masked; making their dishes more palatable to the general public. The soup was served with crispy you tiao (crullers) and tofu puffs on the side.

Next came one of their signature dishes, the Aromatic Crispy Duck cooked with Lychee Black Tea. The dish was served in style; with slices of duck, fresh lettuce, shredded spring onion, cucumber and pan-fried egg sheets arranged in plates and baskets atop an elegant oriental tray. Gingerly wrapping the egg sheets around a little bit of each ingredient and then adding a drizzle of sweet sauce over it, I devoured
the roll and found it a delectable starter to the other dishes. The dish is priced at RM18, RM30 and RM 55 depending on whether one wants to order a quarter, half or whole duck.

The Stir-fried Lotus Root and Chestnut was a crunchy and tasty affair which I thoroughly enjoyed. In this dish, chopped carrots, baby maize, green peppers, mushrooms and thinlysliced lotus root were stir-fried and finished with a sprinkling of crispy sliced you tiao and spring onions.

We also tucked into the Mixed Mushrooms Stir-fried with Sui Xian Tea – a combination of three types of mushrooms stirfried with spring onions and green veggies. The mushrooms were cooked just nice so that they absorbed all the rich flavours from its gravy. Particularly, I found the Chinese mushrooms indulgently soft and savoured its natural creamy taste.

The final dish was the Home-made Braised Beancurd in Tea Sauce. Served in a pretty boat-like dish, the beancurd was topped with minced chicken fried with chopped dried shrimps and green onions. Coupled with the gravy, the beancurd was a delicious dish that went well with rice.

I found the meal satisfying and not that much different from conventional Chinese cuisine except perhaps its flavours were less heavy and the dishes, less oily. The pricing of the dishes are also comparable to other mid-ranged restaurants of similar locations. Their vegetable and meat dishes, which can be ordered in small or large portions, are priced between the ranges of RM12 to RM15 and RM22 to RM28 respectively.

Purple Cane is certainly ideal for a gathering of family and friends; a place to enjoy great, healthy food amidst a warm, family-oriented atmosphere.

Restaurant: Ishq, Kuala Lumpur

Text by Jason and Wei Min, Photos by Wei Min
Both Jason and Wei Min are engineers with an obsession for good food.

For a visitor visiting the Mutiara Crown Plaza for the first time, we did not immediately notice the presence of ISHq, which is tucked nicely at a corner of the hotel. The outlook of the restaurant seems quite ordinary at first glance but upon walking past the entrance we were surprised to find ourselves actually standing on what seems to be a balcony platform overlooking a grand banquet hall below. A wooden stairway on the right hand side of the entrance led us down to the exquisite dining hall that reveals a water feature which runs across the center strip of the dining area. The theme of the dining hall is evidently Asian, with refined modern wood furnishing, and Balinese accents decorating the balcony railing structures.

Once seated, a small garden area outside the long window panes immediately caught our attention. This outer area looks to be an extension of the dining area and it caters for customers who would like to have a unique open-air dining experience within the hotel itself. We started off our lunch with some mango and orange juice as we waited in anticipation for the food that is being prepared in the kitchen that is mostly visible from the dining area. For the entrée, the waiter served Vietnamese fried spring rolls that were packed tightly together with a strip of pandan leaf. The ISHq Spring Rolls was served with a dab of their signature mint and mango chutney sauce. Just like the way it was presented, we found the stuffing in each of the spring rolls crispy on the outside and neatly packed on the inside, tasted surprisingly juicy and not oily as one would expect.

Next, we were presented with a large succulent prawn king in tom yam flavoured soup and our waiter proudly informed us that this was a special preparation by Chef Orothai which was not available in the menu. The fragrance of the lemongrass rising up from the tom yam soup is just great to make one’s appetite goes crazy. The chef opted to use tomatoes as an added flavour in the tom yam soup, rendering it less spicy and possibly to suit the wider range of customers from the hotel who frequent the restaurant. Besides the special Thai offerings, the restaurant also boasts a range of authentic Indian cuisines prepared by their own chef flown in directly from the Indian continent. Among the list of Tandoor selections that they served were the Butter Chicken, Lamb Roganjosti, and Naan bread.

The Butter Chicken is a dish prepared with mainly lots and lots of butter blended with Indian spices. The savoury taste goes well with their thin slices of Naan bread, but after a while, one might find the Butter Chicken a little bit too rich to digest in large helpings.

Alternatively, we thoroughly enjoyed the delightful combination of the Lamb Roganjosti and Briyanni rice; the lamb meat was perfectly stewed and we can suck the marrow off the bone easily, and we thought we could have easily voted that as the highlight of the day – but we were wrong. Just moments later, a waiter showcased the Chicken Malai Tikka on a mini barbeque grill with real charcoal smoke rising profusely from the little square container. The Chicken Malai Tikka is evidently one of their specialties and it was tastefully grilled, without any evidence of the marinated chicken getting burnedde finitely a MUST TRY. This was followed by another dish, the stir-fried chicken with cashew nuts, Gai Pad Meh that brought us back down to earth after the experience with the Chicken Malai Tikka.

For desserts, we were offered Thai mangoes with sticky rice that was noticeably fresh and came in generous portions. Finally, we were delighted to be served a unique Indian dessert made from milk product, making the entire experience truly a treat.

Restaurant: The C. Club, Kuala Lumpur

THE VIBE
The C. Club is not just an annexe offering expensive “bling-bling” to arouse the desire of the rich and famous, but it is also a showcase of life’s finer things which encompass wining and dining. The interior of the C. Club is absolutely stunning. With the significance of the spiral staircase, cascading crystal chandeliers, sleek black floor and an open space Moon Terrace overlooking the hustle and bustle of the cityscape, it’s all about glamour and style.

THE FOOD
My gastronomic indulgence began as I sat down on the cosy sofa. As one browses through the menu, there is the wine list, giving the first hint of what is to come. Every wine has symbolic and detailed descriptions to guide diner to the dry, sweet, fruity, peppery, or oaky wines. Besides, the menu veers from delicately priced, delicious snacks, salads, and desserts to competitively-priced and well-prepared exciting main courses visuals. As I was sipping though Sunset whilst waiting for my food, an instant sense of aesthetic surrounded me as my eyes lingered through the expensive “wares” and the very relaxed setting overwhelmed.

For appetisers, Chef Jimmy Liew a.k.a. sous chef did minor improvisation; soups were served as a combination of two mini starters. The Cream of Forest Mushroom with truffle chantilly or better known as the mushroom soup is definitely my all-time favourite. Not forgetting the crouton, added texture to the soup. Well, it does require good taste buds to differentiate

the delicate flavours of the soup consisting three different varieties, namely shitake, button and shimaji. The other appetiser also came out wonderfully; The Shellfish bisque aromatised with a dash of cognac had a strong shellfish bitter-like taste, bobbing with scallops, crabmeat and prawns.

Next to arrive was The Foie Gras; a well prepared version of the standard noted for its less gamey, musky nutty and subtle smooth flavour, paired with scallops, onion marmalade and pickled pumpkin was a near perfect starter. Like any good marriage, this combination provided both diversity and harmony.

Totally seduced by meat, it was time to try some old school French preparation for the main course! The well-browned Duck Confit turned out to be juicy and tender accompanied the savoury flavours of the mashed potatoes and French beans; all laid to rest on a nest-liked potato basket (reminded me of the Beijing bird nest stadium!). I was in total awe when I saw the Seared Cod with Aglio Olio Fettucini. It was served together with the poached asparagus, mushrooms, coriander miso hollandaise and a dash rosemary wine. For dessert, Chef Jimmy Liew recommended me to go for the Sinful trio chocolate delights, which was smooth and creamy. Thanks to the combination of the dark layers of dark chocolate sandwiched with chocolate mousse and chocolate ice-cream. Besides, I was also adventurous to take on the The C. Club Supermisu which was served too with crunchy almond praline, raspberry coulis and dusted cocoa powder. Totally divine!

THE SERVICE
Smiles can be seen all around at the C. Club. The friendly and attentive service staffs are quick to tend to one’s needs. One can easily strike up a conversation with them or if you prefer privacy, they will go into stealth mode but all the while attending to your needs. It is a delight to find a restaurant like the C. Club that prides itself in showing an access point to the finer things in life. Prices are relatively reasonable considering that it is a ‘fine dining’ restaurant.

And of course, The C. Club is perfect for a romantic night out especially on Valentine’s Day!

Restaurant: Dubrovnik, Solaris Mont’ Kiara

Dubrovnik…The Pearl of Mediterranean…Ekii Leslie decided to take a crunch to unveail the surreptitious of this Croatian Restaurant

Dubrovnik… Lots of us might unaware about this D word. Label me as unsophisticated if you wished, I am seriously clueless about this D word until i walked passed this double storey building which stood elegantly in Solaris Mont Kiara with one Croatian friend of mine! Dubrovnik also known as “The Pearl of the Adriatic”, is a city on the Adriatic Sea coast in the extreme south of Croatia, it is one of the most prominent tourist destinations. It was also one of the centres of the development of primarily the Croatian language and literature, home to many notable poets, playwrights, painters, mathematicians, physicists and other scholars.

Restaurant Dubrovnik in Solaris Mont Kiara had crafted the place very elegantly with lots of Croatian essence. But surprisingly, Dubrovnik doesn’t limit itself to serve only Croatian delicacies. It actually serves a wide variety of healthy mouth-watering Mediterranean dishes as well.

Being one of the only Croatian restaurants in Malaysia, it is definitely very different from typical Western restaurant. Culinary multiculturalism has been practiced in Dubrovnik for centuries, from the popular cuisine prepared over an open fire or on a grill to the most luxurious dishes. This restaurant pays a lot of attention to food preparation and choosing most fresh products and ingredients. Dubrovnik combines rustic, home-made dishes with the modern cuisine accomplishments.

All the recipes used are from the Head Chef who is Croatian (Zoran Djumic), and the Executive chef is French (Stephane Alexandre) and his expertise in pastry shows in the mouth watering desserts which complete the menu. Dina Djumic, daughter of the owner (also known as the General Manager of Restaurant Dubrovnik) had chosen a few specialty dishes for my food discovery today. Dina further explained that most of the Mediterranean dishes are mostly based on seafood, vegetables, fresh home-made pasta and bread.
Before my first course, the bread and Ajvar (Croatian vegetable salsa) were served. The freshly baked bread with crispy outer layer and moist dough inner had dissolved my taste bud. Needless to utter a single word if it was to be taken with the smoky, peppery salsa!
The Palacinke was served as one of the appetiser during this food discovery. Palacinke is basically crepes filled with cream cheese. The crepes were fluffy and light come with a hint of the savoury from the cream cheese. The well proportionate ingredients and baked time had elevated this simple dish to the heights it deserves.

The next appetiser was Eiengemachtez a highly aromatic and flavourful chicken and vegetable soup, served with Croatian dumplings. The broth was not completely skimmed, leaving just a hint of chicken fat on the surface. It carries a not so common name but it reminds me of the familiar ABC soup (minus the dumplings) we had for dinner!

I had Pasta Spalato after the appetisers. I love the texture of the Garganelli! Garganelli are basically homemade combed penne made from Parmesan cheese, eggs, nutmeg and flour dough. Drenched in smooth creamy sauce with mild chevre cheese accompanied by touch of capsicum and spinach, is something you shouldn’t miss. I would recommend couple to share on this dish if you are planning to try out different main course for each as it can be quite filling. According to Dina, the pastas are made fresh everyday in the restaurant to ensure the excellence and attribute of their pasta dishes.

For the mains, Dina Djumic, daughter of the owner (also known as the General Manager of Restaurant Dubrovnik) had chosen Cevapi and Djuvedj – rice and vegetables, served with grilled minced beef and lamb and Croatian spicy vegetable salsa. This was the house specialty and I could see why: moist & delicious! The lamb is grilled to perfection, sealing the natural juices and maintaining the tenderness of the mince. A natural sizzle of the salsa had enhanced the tang of the lamb when you devour it with the fragrance rice that comes with it.

Here comes the moment I’ve longed for during this food discovery session. The desserts! Dina had recommended the Stef’s Chocolate Cake and old time favourite – The Orange Tart. The Stef’s chocolate cake – a chocolate mousse cake perfectly combined with the amarena cherry. It is not overly sweet and loves the rich chocolate aroma which embedded into this dessert. While the Orange Tart is basically a piquant flavoured orange and almond tart. The size of the tart is a little bigger compare to the rest of the pies which you could find in the market. According to Dina, the Orange Tart is the favourite among the children who visited their restaurant. Dubrovnik is about the passion of the proprietor for good food and drink. From their hand-made pasta to the bread baked daily in wood fire oven, this passion demands perfection and authenticity in the culinary offerings. Dubrovnik…unabashedly traditional yet refreshingly different without artifices of fusion.