Beijing Fine Cuisine Promotion @ Toh Yuen, Hilton Petaling Jaya

Authentic Cantonese Cuisine from Beijing’s Finest Chef Vincent Zhang

Our culinary scene has always been a melting pot of sumptuousness! From 21 April to 30 April 2017, Hilton Petaling Jaya is bringing diners an authentic Beijing’s Finest Cuisine by Chef Zhang promotion at its exquisite Toh Yuen Chinese Restaurant.

Diners are in for some of the finest Cantonese dishes from Chef Zhang’s repertoire of Cantonese dishes served in Hilton Beijing. Using the freshest produce is an important element in Chinese cuisine and prepared with minimalist is what Cantonese cuisine in Beijing is all about. Chef Zhang’s menu features a mix of traditional and contemporary dishes that bring diners on a delicious journey of the old and the new era of Chinese cuisine.

With more than a decade of experience in the culinary industry in China, Chef Zhang has worked for The Westin and Grand Hyatt in Beijing before joining Hilton Beijing. The fairy young chef started his culinary journey when he was 17 years old and has never look back since then. He strives to balance up old recipes and as well as modern ones to allow diners to enjoy the full flavours of Cantonese cuisine.

There’s plenty of dishes to choose from the Beijing’s Finest Cuisine menu with a decent list of appetizers, soups, main courses and dessert. To start the evening, savor a unique chilled appetizer of Fresh Juice Infused Bitter Melon Salad. Thinly sliced, the crisp bitter melon had been steeping in guava juice to sweeten up before being served on crushed ice. Delectably fruity with hints of sweetness that even those who don’t like bitter melon may change their mind after savoring this dish.

Chef Zhang explained that it’s quite the norm in Beijing for diners to enjoy a few light appetizers, usually served room temperature or chilled, before diving into hot main dishes and soup. The Jellyfish Flower in Aged Vinegar with Leek & Ginger Dressing is easy to enjoy with its distinctive crunchy texture.

At first glance, the Poached Chicken with Spicy Sauce looked fiercely hot. However, the poached chicken smothered in fiery chili oil barely provided much heat on the palate. It was very well-controlled in piquant flavour and was deliciously aromatic as well as addictive.

We were told that the Marinated Chinese Cabbage with Mustard is a 300 year old recipe, we were intrigued. The pickled cabbage has a lovely crunchy texture with subtle sweetness and mustard notes. The light tang and zesty flavour whets our appetite for more.

Moving to the essential course in every Cantonese meal, the Doubled Boiled Black Chicken Soup with American Ginseng, Goji Berry & Red Dates soup is equally just as satisfying as the Surfing Fine Slices of Whole Live Abalone with Konbu Seaweed in Superior Broth. Well except for the fact that one is more pocket-friendly than the premium abalone. The black chicken soup exudes delicate and comforting flavours of broth laced with subtle hints of ginseng. The abalone soup has an elegant and fine clear sweetness with gorgeous thin slices of tender abalone.

Main courses are up and our first one of Beijing Famous Pan Fried Cod Fish with Mustard Mayo was superb! Literally a crowd favorite that evening on our table, the cod was cooked to perfection. Creamy, sweet and flaky, the flavourful cod went so well with the generous wasabi mayo and asparagus. We were told that the cod was marinated overnight to give it such delicious flavours. A must order!

The Wok-Fried Beef Fillet with Golden Garlic Crisp is Hilton Beijing’s signature dish. Crispy fried beef that has a tender inside is wondrously aromatic from the generous amount of golden garlic crumbs, garlic slices, sweet crisp onions and bell peppers. There is such refine flavours and textures that is truly a testament to Chef Zhang’s culinary talent.

Next up, Crispy Roast Chicken with Salt & Pepper, whole bird nicely cut up and served with crispy prawn crackers and a light chili sauce on the side. The bird was succulent and tender with beautifully crispy lacquered skin. Chef Zhang uses his own special salt mixture to marinate the chicken for a day before roasting it.

The Home Made Bean Curd topped with Pan Fried Foie Gras, Scallops & Mushroom Sauce is Chef Zhang’s creative pairing of East meets West. House made soy milk and egg tofu with spinach is crowned with pan seared foie gras. He also serves sundried cherry tomatoes and crispy golden lotus root for extra flavours and textures. Quite a tantalizing creation that with the foie gras lending the tofu a luscious and umami note.

Wok-Fried Prawn Fritters with Asparagus, Pumpkin & Lily Bulbs is perfect for those who enjoy juicy plump prawns lightly seasoned to allow the natural sweetness of the prawns to shine. There is also prawn cake cut into batons and pan fried that is delicious with the crunchy asparagus, pumpkin and lily bulb.

Our last main dish was the Cantonese Stir-Fry Chicken with Specialty Trio Sauce. An interesting and moreish dish that literally beckons for steamed rice. The dish is quite similar to the classic Taiwan dish of Three Cup Chicken. Here, Chef Zhang jazzed his up with lots of fried garlic bulbs, ginger, shallot and basil. Simply delish!

For desserts, Chef Zhang serves up two desserts that they usually serve in the summer. Hot Green Bean & Mandarin Skin Broth and Snow Pear with Red Date & Sweet White Fungus are both cooling desserts to cool down the body. One is creamy and nutty while the latter is sweet and light.

Don’t miss this promotion! Only available till 30 April, experience the beautiful flavours of exquisite Cantonese cuisine from Chef Zhang at Toh Yuen Chinese Restaurant for lunch or dinner.

For reservations, please call +60 3 7955 9122 extension 4073 or visit www.zestpj.com

For the latest F&B promotions and entertainment news at Hilton Petaling Jaya visit www.facebook.com/hiltonpetalingjaya or www.zestpj.com

TOH YUEN CHINESE RESTAURANT

Hilton Petaling Jaya

No.2 Jalan Barat

46200 Petaling Jaya

Website: www.petaling-jaya.hilton.com

Facebook: www.fb.com/hiltonpetalingjaya

Business Hours:

Monday to Sunday

12:00pm – 10:30pm

Marco Creative Cuisine @ One Utama

The Journey of Flavours

Malaysia’s culinary scene has been a hype of deliciousness. Latest kid on the Petaling Jaya block is Marco Creative Cuisine. It’s certainly been a while since our culinary scene has be graced by fine food at affordable value.

Having made his mark from Miam Miam and Franco as well as other F&B scenes in Singapore, Chef Daren Leong is set to jazz up our very own Malaysian shore with his latest restaurant, Marco Creative Cuisine. Named after his son, Marco is all about serving affordable fine food. Located in One Utama Shopping Mall, Marco serves modern cuisine set in an elegant and beautiful ambiance.

One would definitely not miss Marco while you’re at the mall because you would certainly gravitate towards the magical illuminous display of jellyfish tank at the front of the restaurant. The enchanting jelly fish had almost everyone catch a few glances with its mystical like shape floating under the illuminous lights.

As soon as one steps into Marco, diners will be greet by the pastel serenity of the theme of whites, copper gold and Tiffany blues flanked by soft glow of the lights throughout the restaurant. The space is cleverly sectioned into various space to offer more privacy. There is a glimpse of the kitchen through the small long window at one side of the restaurant should one wish to catch some kitchen action.

Marco Creative Cuisine aims to take diners on The Journey of Flavour with their 7-Course meal, showcasing the very best of Malaysia’s own local produce as possible. The best part of this is the affordability of the 7-course, priced only at RM78 (GST inclusive but not service charge) per person. Never had fine food been so affordable to everyone in our culinary scene.

No prior reservation needed for the 7-course, one can simply walk-in for the journey of flavour or order from their a la carte menu if 7-course is too much for your liking. Of course to secure your dining experience, you should make a reservation. Marco’s menu is set to change every 6 months and is pork free.

The 7-course menu starts off with an unsual Velvety Matcha-Lime Shooter. Served cappuccino style, the frothy green speck shooter has zesty and tart citrusy note with hints of green tea. It’s a vibrant flavour to awaken the palate for the next few courses to come.

Second course revolves around a pretty Savory Éclair. Instead of bread and butter, Chef Daren tries to offer diners a Gruyere flavoured pâte à choux served with aubergine caviar, green chili pesto and tomato confit. Crusty with buttery notes, the choux pastry makes a tasty option with the creamy and delicious caviar.

For the third course, there are three options for diners to choose from in this soup course.

Chef Daren recommends the pretty Strawberry Gazpacho. Malaysians are not custom to cold soups but diners should at least try this because the gazpacho is refreshing and utterly delicious. Pretty in pink, the cold soup has such wonderful freshness of strawberries among other vegetables like capsicum, cucumber, onion and more. The slight savory, sweet and tangy notes blend really well and tasted beautifully refreshing on the palate, which is so great for our hot weather.

The French Onion Soup offer diners rich and robust chicken broth with deep earthy notes of caramelized sweet onions. Served with French toast, the soup is also topped with gratinated cheese, added more depth of flavors and richness as well.

The third option was a classic Truffled Mushroom Soup. Though I didn’t try this but I was told by my friend who had this that it was superb. Velvety smooth with beautiful truffle and mushroom notes, the soup was one of the best mushroom soups he has had for a while.

For the salad cum appetizer course, there are two salad options as well as an appetizer to choose from.

I opted for the Chicken Liver Parfait. It’s luscious, nutty, creamy with a sweet note of the brulee top. Served with toasted bread and hydrated crisp apple chip, the chicken liver parfait is yummy and velvety smooth.

Chef Daren played his creative twist again on a salad and served his with a savory ice cream. The Savory Ice Cream Salad had assorted baby greens, heirloom tomatoes, and seasonal microgreens with violet flowers for a touch of prettiness. The lightly savory ice cream was invitingly cold and lovely when savored with the salad.

The Garden Platter had fresh mixed greens, heirloom tomatoes as wel las edible flowers on edible soil and Gribiche sauce. The Gribiche sauce is actually a French tartar sauce. It’s tasty and light, a simple course in anticipation of the main courses to come.

There are six main course to choose from and choosing is definitely a difficult choice because they all sounds so wonderful in the menu.

The Squid Ink Japonica Rice was my chosen dish and I was pretty satisfied with the dish. Japanese short grain rice cooked with squid ink with prawns, baby squid and omelette served with garlic mayo summarized the dish. Cooked al dente, the rice is moreish and moist. The seafood is cooked just right, beautifully succulent, tender and sweet while the fluffy and creamy egg omelette made the dish even better.

I also tried the Salmon with Jet Black Hollandaise. Gorgeous looking crispy skin salmon with tender flesh, the fish is     excellent with the unctuous black hollandaise sauce tainted with squid ink. The pickled beetroot added a nice tang and texture to the dish together with the green chili pesto. A must if you are a fish lover…

The Duck Breast with Orange Puree and Roasted Beetroot looked gorgeous at sight! It was like a piece of modern art and a delicious one indeed. Using local Pekin duck breast, Chef Daren sous vide it first before finishing it on a pan to achieve that crispy duck skin. The duck was cooked beautifully and remained succulent and tender. Served with smooth orange puree and roasted beetroot, the duck was further elevated with a masterful swirl of valrhona dark chocolate sauce. One word sums this dish… Divine!

The next best dish on the list has to be the Chicken Roulade with Brussels Sprout. The dish took us by surprise and we loved it so much that the few of us vowed to return to Marco for this dish. Chef Daren was inspired by his grandfather’s Hainanese Chicken when created this dish. Roulade of chicken made so perfect with hours of sous vide and finished in the oven. The chook was tender and goes so yummy with the chicken jus. Even the brussels sprouts was well-chargrilled with a wonderful smokey and buttery note with sweet corn kernel.

There were two other main dishes of pasta for those who enjoy heavier mains. The Pomodoro Cream Seafood Pasta is served with baby squid, clam and mussel while the Vegetarian Arrabbiata is penne in pomodoro sauce with aubergine, zucchini, shimeji and hot sauce with parmesan cheese.

Dessert time and there are also three choices to choose from. The Deconstructed Lemon Meringue Pie won raved reviews from my friend who really enjoyed this dessert a lot. It has elements of lemon curd, passion fruit gel, italian meringue and white chocolate sherbet.

My Raspberry Decadence was a luscious raspberry cheese cake with raspberry gel, passion fruit gel, white chocolate sherbet and finished with lemon meringue shards. The raspberry cheese cake is tangy and creamy. The white chocolate sherbet is refreshing and creamy too, pairing well with the cheese cake and all the other components.

The third choice of dessert is the Crème Brulee with White Chocolate Sherbet. The baked egg custard finished with a crunchy brulee top is served with white chocolate sherbet and meringue kisses.

The 7-course menu finished with French Press Coffee or Tea or Sparkling Iced Berry.

Truly an unforgettable journey of flavours, Marco Creative Cuisine has really brought dining on to a whole new level. Never has finely presented modern cuisine been so reasonably priced and every course keeps getting better. If you’re a small eater, a la carte menu of all the dishes are also available. It’s one of those dining experience that you just can’t wait to go back to try again!

7-Course Menu

RM78 nett per person

Ala Carte order

Soup, Entrée – RM18 per serving

Main – RM35 per serving (+RM10 for Duck Breast)

Dessert – RM20 per serving

MARCO CREATIVE CUISINE

Lot G146, Ground Floor (Old Wing),

1 Utama Shopping Centre

1, Lebuh Bandar Utama,

Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Tel: +603-7731 8293

Website: www.marcocreativecuisine.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/marcocreativecuisine/

Business Hours:

Lunch: 12pm to 3pm

Afternoon Tea: 3pm to 6pm

Dinner: 6pm to 10pm

Dinner In The Sky @ Malaysia Tourism Center (MATIC)

An Unforgettable Aerial Dining Experience!

Never had I have ever thought that I would be brave enough to take on Dinner in the Sky! Since young, my fear of heights has always been my nemesis in going to places with heights. So it was actually a peculiar thing when I actually accepted the invitation to Dinner In The Sky without much thoughts recently.

Dinner In The Sky, an aerial dining experience that one should try, at least once-in-your-lifetime. Strung 50 feet above ground, diners gathered on the long table to enjoy an unbelievable dining experience amidst the city skyline and skyscrapers. The Belgian-based dining concept has been operating in our city since 2015 and has continue to attract everyone from local to tourist for a fine course dining experience.

One is encourage to make your reservation in advance to secure a seat as well as pre-book your choice of dishes. Dinner In The Sky operates daily with two sessions in the evening. The aerial dining concept offers 3-course meal with your choice of starter, main course and dessert.

Accepting the invite without so much of an afterthought, it was only when it was time for the dining experience that I finally realize what I was in for. We arrived early, thinking to beat the city traffic. Dinner In The Sky is now located at the Malaysia Tourism Center (MATIC) and there’s plenty of free parking available.

There was a dinner in session already when I arrived. Looking up at hydraulic crane that strung the table in the sky, suddenly I felt weak in my knees. The fact that I am about to face my nemesis if heights hit me like a ton of bricks. And so I kept chanting to myself that I would be ok and that it would be worth it like a song through my head.

To be fair, it was a beautiful night after a light down pour earlier. The sky was clear and lovely. The evening traffic was bustling in a distance but it was certainly peaceful and serene at the location. I can hear lots of laughter and cheers from the Dinner In The Sky table above. There was also music piped from the main building, adding elements of liveliness and fun. It was a perfect evening.

My session was at 8pm and so I strolled to take some pictures and also headed to the main building to fill up the forms and waited comfortably in the lounge area. One can order some drinks to chill while waiting for your turn.

Before going up, we were told that we are not able to take much up with us and so we had to store away our bags in the prepared lockers available.

Then the first session was ending and so I took the opportunity to catch the table slowly descend.

I could see the diners leaving with happy faces and satisfaction. Somehow that was pretty reassuring to me to see diners enjoying the experience.

I must say, the technology and design concept of the table is pretty amazing. The long covered table seats 22 pax in a circle. The middle of the table is the work stations for the chefs to prepare our meals. The glass roof was also decorated with fairy lights to emit a magical experience.

The chairs are design to echo bucket seats with safety straps so one actually gets seated very tightly and near the table. There are no flooring except for a tiny square to place your feet.

I am glad I took the second session as the evening has turn dark and the city scene is now filled with glittery lights everywhere. If you prefer a brighter ambiance, the first session will be better.

It was time. I was guided to my seat. Honestly, any of the seats are good because the table also rotates when it’s up there so everyone gets the same view. There are assistants to make sure I am strap in tightly with my seat adjusted to fit me snuggly to the edge of the table. This is it… the whole table was buzzing with excitement.

Apparently I am not the only one with fear of heights as I started talking around to people seated near me. The chef and kitchen crew, wearing safety harnesses, were already on board and busy with preparations of the food. Then the evening kicked off with the chefs and emcee presenting their piece on the Dinner In The Sky.

While I was so engaged with the emcee and the people at the table, I didn’t realize that we had actually lifted off the ground!

Suddenly, it dawn on me that I was already 50 meters above the ground when I saw the glorious city lights shimmering in the distance. And to say that I didn’t even feel the lift off, that’s an amazing feat from the Dinner In The Sky team. The emcee also managed to distract us I suppose, seeing how nervous most of us were.

So now I back to feeling nervous again after knowing I am already above ground. Then I shift my focus to the chefs who are now busy prepping our food. With quick actions, the plates were laid out and the food was artfully being placed on them.

The table is now rotating slowly and I can see what a beautiful evening it was. I am truly blessed. Clear sky allowing us gorgeous views of the city, not a wind in sight. It was quiet too. The night was near perfection. I began to relax a bit though I still didn’t have the courage to look down.

Some of the braver diners been to swirl their seats around to get better views and some even pull the lever to allow their seat to fall slight back to enjoy the sky view. Not me, I was just perfectly happy in my seat and my view, sipping my Tequila Sunrise cocktail, which I pre-ordered earlier. Cocktail is not included in the meal.

First course is Smoked Salmon Salad with Glass Noodle and Oriental Sesame Dressing. Beautifully presented, the salad, though not spectacular, was surprisingly delicious. A little noodles, crisp greens with tomatoes and bell peppers, luscious slices of salty and creamy smoked salmon with dressing was a good starter since my tummy was full of butterflies from the nervous earlier.

The second course was mains and there were four options to choose from. While I opted for the Baked Seafood Lasagna with Garlic Roasted Prawns, my friend had the Roasted Chicken Cutlets with Tennessee Glaze.

My Baked Seafood Lasagna with Garlic Roasted Prawns was served on a bed of wilted spinach and tomato sauce. The lasagna was soft, ooey gooey with cheese and creamy while the plump prawns were cooked well. It was very tasty and definitely comforting. Glad I ordered this dish as it was comfort food that I could enjoy, especially when I already high on adrenalin from this experience. Despite thinking earlier that I don’t think I could swallow a bite, I was doing pretty well since I enjoyed my lasagna.

My friend who had the Roasted Chicken Cutlets with Tennessee Glaze was generous in sharing her dish with me so I could get a taste. I must say, this dish outdo my expectation. It was a scrumptious dish with beautiful succulent and tender chicken served on a bed of chicken ham mashed potatoes, French beans and a savory and lightly sweet sauce.

The other two mains were Beef Stew with Sour Cream, served garlic rosemary infused rice and roasted cherry tomatoes and Twice Cooked Lamb Leg Slices with Ginger Soya Glaze served with pickled cabbage and cold spaghetti. Vegetarian option is available upon request. Dinner menu prepared by Teaffani Catering.

Our final course was dessert in the form of Strawberry and Kiwi Shortcake. At first sight, the cake looked dense and dry but when I tried it, it was really a moist and fluffy cake. Nothing to shout about but really nothing to complain either as it was decent, light and tasty. Thanks to Chef Sufiz and team!

Food certainly outdo my expectation and while one may think it’s not worthy of the price, do remember that it’s the entire experience and not just the food when you’re having Dinner In The Sky.

Somewhere between course, I even managed to take a selfie of myself, which is quite rare and considering I was nervous from my fear of heights!

That said, we landed safely back on the ground. The whole experience takes up an hour thought it felt shorter than that. See how time flies when you’re having a good time?

It was truly an unforgettable dining experience in my journey. The moments when I was up in the sky was literally priceless and the fact that I even conquered my fear of heights that day was another thrill factor for me. At least I can now say… been there, done that!

It’s worth an experience if you have not tried it, at least once in your lifetime… Dinner In The Sky will end this June 2017. Do make your way there to try this before it ends. It is perfect for a little adventure of a lifetime or you may want to bring someone special up there for a priceless moment.

More information about Dinner In The Sky:

Time: 6:30PM and 8:00PM daily

Price: RM 229 (weekdays) & RM249 (weekends)

Food: 3 course meal with Starter, Main course and Dessert

Duration of experience/ Dinner: 1 hour

*Reservation required

DINNER IN THE SKY

Malaysia Tourism Center (MATIC)

No. 109, Jalan Ampang,

50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Tel: +60 3-2282 6413

Website: www.dinnerinthesky.my

Facebook: www.facebook.com/skydinnermalaysia/