ORIENTAL GROUP RESTAURANTS | China Nanyang Specialty Dishes @ Oriental Group Restaurant

Oriental Group Of Restaurants Present China & Nanyang By Chef Justin Hor and Chef James Ho 

From 3rd August - 31st August 2018, The Oriental Group of Restaurants will be featuring a specially crafted China & Nanyang dishes by Chef Justin Hor (Group Executive Chef of The Oriental Group of Restaurant) and Chef James Ho (Corporate Executive Chef Ruyi Malaysia) at its Annual Chef Event.

Together, they have crafted a fine selection of dishes starting with tapas dishes to a superior soup, main courses and right up to dessert using top quality ingredients and condiments with the most demanding Chinese cooking style to satiate the exquisite taste of the diners.

As highlighted by Chef Justin Hor, chef of this modern era are very different from yesteryears; where each day they have to constantly challenge to innovate new dishes and sourcing for new ingredients to present diners with a unique tasting experience. The payoff is when he sees his customers enjoying his lip-smacking creation.

To enjoy these delicacies you can either order it as a special set menu (RM2,388 Nett Per Table of 10 pax) which has 6 individual tapas dishes or ala-carte menu which has the prices listed below and available at all outlet of Oriental Group Restaurant.

We had the pleasure to taste some of these masterpieces presented for this China Nanyang speciality dishes starting with the tapas dishes which is Pink Roses - Pickled Radish (RM28.00) per portion. The radish is coloured by the broth of the purple cabbage and artfully crafted to resemble the roses. With a sourish taste, it is indeed a palate cleanser to start off the dinner.



Next, we had the Spicy Garlic Sauce Pork Belly (RM28.00) per portion. This dish has a slightly spicy undertone and would have been perfect eaten with a bowl of rice.



Followed by the Hunan Wax Meat With Dried Long Beans (RM38.00) per portion. Hunan dishes are famed for its spiciness and here the Chef uses a special concoction of chillies to cook this dish. To get the crunchy texture of the long beans, it goes through a time-consuming process of boiling and air drying it before frying with the other condiments. The above 3 dishes are the crafted by Chef James Ho.



While Chef Justin Hor presented to us the Cod Fish Roll (RM28.00) per portion. The Cod Fish fillet is julienne and coated with a special batter for deep frying to a crispy deep brown and set on the dish like a stack of timber logs.



The second tapas dish of Chef Justin is the Jellyfish & Okra Wasabi Sesame Sauce (RM28.00) per portion. We like this dish as it has a combination of the different texture of the individual ingredient. The springy texture of the jellyfish, the nutty peanuts and the soft crunch of the okra; all marry well with the strong wasabi sesame sauce.



while the last tapas is the Zhenjiang Sweet & Sour Iberico Baby Pork Ribs (RM28.00) per portion.



The soup dish for this set is the Superior Shark's Fin Soup With Morel Mushroom (RM118.00) per pax. The broth was slow-boiled for 8 hours before double boiling it for another 3 hours to extract out all the natural flavours of the ingredient which includes Shark Fin's, Ham, Dried Scallop, Chicken and Conch Shell and Morel Mushroom from France. The result; the soup was naturally flavourful of its' taste of the essence of the ingredients that were used.



For the main dish, we were presented with the Roast Suckling Pig With Foie Gras Mousse (RM 328.00 per set). Normally in most Chinese Restaurant the best way for Suckling Pig is just by serving is as a  Roasted Suckling Pig, but here thru the combination of both Chef, they have crafted out an East Meet West masterpiece dish.



It uses the crackling skin of the roast suckling pig and sandwiched with the special Foie Gras Mousse with an in-house made cracker at the bottom. Again, this dish presents a nice bite texture with a smooth taste of the duck liver mousse which was cooked with Szechuan pepper and ginger to eliminate the liver gamey taste.



The Star of the night has to be the Salt Baked 3 Head Abalone, Truffle & Kombu (RM138.00) each.  The dish is presented in a burning salt mound which has been embedded with cinnamon sticks and star anise. Upon breaking of the mound, the treasure trove is revealed.

 The salt mound was used to ensure the flavours and aroma are encapsulated into the ingredient. The thick, meaty, firm and succulent abalone was cooked in a superior broth; is enriched with the essence of truffle oil and is served with a piece of Kombu and Broccoli Florets at the side.



For the fish dishes, Chef Justin presented the Deep Fried Yellow Corvina Fish Shanghainese Style  (RM38.00) each. The Corvina fish which is air-flown from Fujian, China has been deboned of its top fin to enable the deep frying (to a crispy, golden brown texture) process to penetrate the meat making it crisp on the outside and firm on the inside. According to Chef, this process is to retain the moisture, succulence and meat texture of the fish meat.



To fill those tummies which still has some room, the Chef introduces its Baked Rice With Cheese & Crispy Rice In Baby Pumpkin (RM28.00) per pax. The rice with seafood are first fried and then topped with cheddar and mozzarella cheese and send to the oven for baking. It is then topped with fried crispy rice before serving to its guest.



For dessert, we were served the Peanut Lava Carrot  (RM15.00 for 3 pcs) and Refreshing Rainbow Bird's Nest (RM28.00) per pax. The puff was made using natural carrot extract with a smooth crushed peanut filling. As for the Birds Nest dessert which is chilled, the Chef has added a twist of natural lemongrass taste with some freshly cut berries to give a refreshing end to our exceptional meal.



Oriental Group Of Restaurants has also come out with a PORK FREE China & Nanyang promotion.
For enquiries / reservations: +6012 392 2082 Ms. Emily or +6012 599 6028 Ms. Melysa enquiry@orientalrestaurants.com.my

ANTE KITCHEN BAR PUBLIKA | 1UTAMA - Merdeka 2018 Pork Rendang Nasi Kerabu @Ante Kitchen Bar

This coming Merdeka Celebration 2018; Ante Kitchen Bar is presenting the Nasi Kerabu featuring the Special Pork Rendang for lunch (11am to 3pm) daily from now until the end of August 2018 at both of its outlet in Publika & 1 Utama outlet.

As known to many; Nasi Kerabu is a Malaysian dish which is very popular especially from the East Coast States of Malaysia but at Ante Kitchen Bar, you will be presently surprised with its special rendition of this Malaysian dish for the Merdeka Celebration 2018.

ANTE version of the Nasi Kerabu (RM23.90+) main highlights is the Blue Pea Flower rice which uses the handpicked butterfly pea flowers. The flowers are then dried before being used as a natural colouring for the rice which is cooked with some fresh coconut cream to exudes extra rich flavour.

Next, the ANTE's Pork Rendang is cooked through using the traditional methods and then paired with other freshly made ingredients such as house-pickled acar, slow-cooked sambal, salted egg, Toasted Kerisik, four-angled bean, Keropok Ikan, long bean, bean sprout and topped with julienne Bunga Kantan to add colours and multitude of taste and presentation to this traditional dish.

As you celebrate the Merdeka, don't forget to indulge at some of the ANTE signature dishes such as the Crispy Miso Skin Pork Belly where slices of Ante's signature crispy skin pork belly are marinated with miso sauce and sake. 

Followed by the Iberico Baby Ribs ( 500 gms ). This is a new addition to the ANTE starters menu; the ribs are slowed cooked for 4 hours, then cut per portion and coated with a spiced flour dredging. It is then tossed with a honey white soy glaze, crispy garlic, togarashi powder to give it an extra kick and fresh spring onions to balance the dish out. 

While for the mains dish, don't miss out Ante crowd favourite Chermoula Spiced Shoulder Steak which is Ante's signature premier 450gm chargrilled pork shoulder with chermoula rub and served with a side serving of seasonal roasted vegetables & salsa verde sauce. Perfectly matched with a glass of wine.

If you would like to try something different then an order of the Creamy Polenta which is topped with candied house smoked bacon slices cooked in gula Melaka, with corn salsa, and served with fresh cherry tomatoes and spring onion slices can fill your stomach.

And to end your meal, you have an option for dessert starting with the Poached Pears; the snow pears are poached in Cabernet Sauvignon and served with white peach pastry cream, sable biscuits, macerated berries, Italian meringue, citrus gel served with 1 scoop of Lavender Honey gelato from Whimsical Publika.

or White Chocolate Ganache served with raspberry jelly coating topped with macerated berries, crispy yoghurt and 1 scoop of Lavender Honey gelato from Whimsical Publika.

Ante Kitchen Bar Publika Map Location Address 

Ante Kitchen Bar 1 Utama Map Location Address 

KNOWHERE BANGSAR BAR | A New Hang Out At Knowhere Bangsar Bar

Bangsar is one of the most happening places in Kuala Lumpur especially on Friday and the weekend. Recently there is a new hang out places cutely names as "Knowhere Bangsar Bar" that serves speciality cocktails that not only pleases your thirst but comes with an impressive presentation.

Knowhere Bangsar Bar is located at 50, Jalan Maarof, Bangsar, 59100 Kuala Lumpur. Bangsar seems to be a great meeting point as it is located between Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya. It is no wonders why many will choose to meet up in this locality. More so during Bangsar Happy Hour, you get to enjoy this delicious Pork Free treat and satisfy your thirst at discounted prices.

With a casual dining environment, Knowhere Bangsar Bar is a nice place to de-stress after a long day of work or just plainly a meetup session with your buddies. According to the Chef, the dishes are a culmination of combined French Western flavours with an added twist of Malaysian to exudes a familiar taste for its diners.

Along with these crafted cocktails, the menu offering is designed to offers the diners with a nice pairing to the drinks that are served at Knowhere Bangsar Bar. You can start off with some sharing fingers food or tapas like the GRILL CALAMARI  (RM 24.80) (my personal best) as the sambal Belacan Salsa was superb. It was so good that you could literally eat it with the others dishes and for me especially went well with the Pizza too. 

Next, we had the KNOWHERE NACHOS (RM 26.80). Crispy fried corn tortillas that is served with Knowhere special sauce, guacamole, jalapenos, Monty Jack Cheese and pulled roasted chicken that can be paired with the cocktails of your choice.

For Pate lovers, you can order the CHICKEN LIVER PATE (RM 15.80). The pate is in-house-made and is served with crackers, slices of toasted baguette, dried tangerines and walnut that gives you a different texture and taste that can go with the pate.

Not forgetting the fans of the beef or meat lovers; you can try out the BURNT BUTTER STEAK (RM 26.80). The Flank Steak is seared to a medium rare done that still retains the tender juiciness of the steak and is then drizzled with chilli burnt butter sauce

Another one of the tapas that we like is the SMOKED PLUME AND PLUM  (RM24.80). The duck is smoked by the Chef and not one that you purchased which tends to be a little more salty in taste. It is served with a plum & peach salsa together with a mango sauce and onion marmalade.

Our last tapas is the MUSSEL SAMBAL WITH BASIL LIME (RM15.80). Using the Chilean Black Mussel, it is then cooked with the lip-smacking in-house made sambal with the flavour enhanced by the basil lime that gives it a slight sourish spicy taste. 

There are many other dishes that are served at Knowhere Bangsar Bar but to fill up your tummy, you might like to taste out the Pizza offering that comes with a rather different looking base which has a rectangular rounded shape. Apparently, it is a specially made pizza dough that mimics the pita bread with a texture that is in between a normal crust and a thin crust. Our first order was the AL-FUNGHI (RM 28.80) Creamy Wild Mushroom Pizza. 

Followed by the DUCK CONFIT PIZZA (RM36.80); a flambé style pizza with onion marmalade, confit onion and duck confit.

and finally the CHICKEN MEXICANA PIZZA (RM28.80). The toppings for this pizza is grilled chicken, chicken sausages with sun-dried tomatoes, jalapenos and olives.

As mention earlier, you can try out some of their signature cocktails like the Smoked Popcorn Old Fashioned or the Sirap Setan that can go perfectly with the food dishes served here.

For more information and reservations please contact 03 2201 2358 / 010 220 2358 or you can check out the Knowhere Bangsar Bar Facebook Page

Knowhere Bangsar Bar Map Location Address

DURIAN KING TTDI | Feasting Musang King, Durian Cendol at Durian King TTDI

DURIAN KING TTDI - Malaysian are a crazy lot when it comes to their durians especially Musang King Durian. They want to source for the best quality at the lowest durian prices to satisfy their cravings.

For me, the best time to eat Durian is when it is at the peak season. The reason being is, it will be the best quality as the fruits are at their best and secondly it will be at the best price. 

For me, I will usually go to the Durian King TTDI for my durian feasting due to the above 2 reason. 

Also at Durian King TTDI, you will also be able to feast on the prized Black Thorn durian (probably the only Durian stall in Kuala Lumpur (KL) and Petaling Jaya (PJ) that sells this variety but too bad, I did not get to taste this Durian this time around.

Durian King TTDI also sells a variety of other Durian Species namely the XO, D101, Udang Merah and so forth.

You can check out their Durian King TTDI facebook page for the latest prices of their Musang King and other varieties.

Also not to be missed is the Durian Cendol from Durian King TTDI. 

Southern Thai Food @PAK TAI FEAST VILLAGE Kuala Lumpur Starhill Gallery

Explore the Southern Thai Food Flavours at Pak Tai @Feast Village Starhill Gallery

Feast Village Starhill Gallery unveils the latest addition to its stunning array of dining offerings - Pak Tai; a southern Thai food restaurant right in the heart of Bukit Bintang. Located in the centre of the vibrant meandering alleyways of Feast Village, Pak Tai is set to introduce beguiling chilli-spiked cuisine of southern Thailand to the gastronomes of Kuala Lumpur.

The sister establishment to the original Pak Tai at The Ritz-Carlton, Koh Samui, Pak Tai at Feast Village in Kuala Lumpur serves an exquisite cuisine from Thailand’s southern provinces, renowned for its spicy food and rich and savoury curries. At Pak Tai, tradition and innovation are perfectly balanced and only the freshest ingredients are used to bring traditional recipes to life.

The restaurant is helmed by Thai native Chef Guk, whose notable culinary skills and passion are reflected in the artful curation of its extensive menu. Born and raised in Thailand, Chef Guk’s love for cooking started at the tender age of eight. Chef Guk has made it his personal mission to introduce authentic local Southern Thai food recipes to the food-loving residents of Kuala Lumpur.

Fresh local produce and Thai ingredients are specially flown in from Thailand are used to ensure that each dish is an infallible tribute to his homeland.

Thai cooking is known to be intricate with strong aromatic elements of fresh herbs and spices and requires meticulous care throughout the cooking process to ensure that the flavours, textures and appearance of each dish truly encapsulate the essence of Thai cuisine.

Pak Tai’s finely-curated menu includes comforting classics starting with a starter of YUM PAK KOOD which is a wild fern salad with prawns, roasted coconut, red onion, mild spicy lime sauce.



or try out the YUM SA RAI; a seaweed salad with scallops, red onions and lime sauce.

One must not miss out the Tom Yum Kung when dining in a Thai Restaurant and we were aptly served with the Pak Tai TOM YUM GOONG Spicy prawn soup with straw mushrooms filled with a strong fragrant taste of lemongrass.

follows by the MASSAMAN NUA which has a strong cardamom-scented flavour and slow-cooked with the premium wagyu beef cheek with coconut and peanuts.

For the fish dish, we were served the PLA KAPONG DANG TOD KAMIN - a deep fried crispy red snapper served with a strong hint of turmeric and herbs.

and Chef speciality GAENG KIEW WAN GAI which is a green curry chicken cooked with eggplant and basil.

For dessert we had the Tub Tim Krob aka Red Ruby is a synonymous popular Thai Dessert that is served almost in most Thai Restaurant

and my favourite Thai dessert which is KHAO NIAW MAMUANG served with fresh cut mango, with sticky rice and coconut cream.

Pak Tai (Southern Thai Food) is open daily for lunch from 12.00pm to 3.00pm and dinner from 5.30pm to 10.30pm. For reservations and enquiries, please contact +60 3 2782 3814, email paktaikl@ytlhotels.com.my or visit feastvillage.com.

Southern Thai Food @Pak Tai Feast Village Kuala Lumpur Starhill Gallery Location Address Map