There are not many restaurant that serve Scandinavian food in Kuala Lumpur, I had the honoured to review the newly opened COEN Cafe @Pavilion which is located a Lot 2.65.00, 2.67.00 & 2.74.00, Level 2, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, No. 168, Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur.
COEN CAFE@Pavilion offers a modern contemporary interior featuring clean aesthetics design combined with natural and raw materials such as wood and steel.
One will notice while dining at COEN CAFE@Pavilion, are their custom-made chairs which are functional in design yet comfortable.
After our sumptuous dinner at the Taste Enclave Classic@Pavilion, we had the Swedish Seafood Cake, which is a very unique dish in that it is made out of six layers of alternating bread and a seafood mix of salmon, shrimp, eggs and mayonnaise.
It is then top with a generous amount of Deshell Prawns and Smoked Salmon. The sides are lined with slices of cucumber and lemon to add to a refreshing taste. Gently squeeze out the lemon juice as you cut out the section, and the blended zesty lemon juice will enhance the overall flavours of the mixed mayonnaise sauce.
This Swedish Seafood Cake is served chilled.
Next, we had the Affogato, the blend of double shot Espresso (Brazilian, Ethiopian and Sumatran beans) was an in-house developed blend.
It was of a bitter taste on your first sip, while the flavours lingers around your mouth and stay smooth in your throat with the fresh coffee aroma, was indeed delicious. Coupled with the silky smooth vanilla ice cream, every spoonful was a mixture of the all the natural sweetness and flavours of the coffee.
For those who loves to listen to some light numbers after a nice meal, COEN CAFE@Pavilion has a resident artist that performs 'Live' and belts out some of the favourite tune to wind you down after a long day.
Kampachi Japanese Restaurant is a
renowned Japanese Fine Dining Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur for over 4 decades. It
is the oldest Japanese Restaurant in Malaysia having started in Equatorial
Hotel in the early seventies.
I recalled those days, that there are not many
Japanese Restaurant serving really fresh sashimi. It was a certain day
of the week, the restaurant have their freshly delivered seafood from Japan and that was
the day we would go to sample these freshly imported fresh delicacy.
These days, we were told, that there
are at least 3 deliveries per week of fresh produce that Kampachi receives
directly from the famous Tsukiji Market and from Osaka. No wonder, we can see a
large crowd during our special pre-launch Kansai food review session at it’s newly
refurnished Kampachi @Pavilion (voted the Best Japanese Restaurant By Time Out
Kuala Lumpur for 3 consecutive year from 2011) located at Lot 6.09.00 Level 6,
Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.
Kampachi Restaurants in collaboration
with All Kansai Food Promotion Committee and The Kansai Food Export Promotion
Cooperative to bring a special culinary promotion featuring the finest autumn
ingredients from Kansai region. Kansai is also known as the “Food Mecca Of
Japan” with an abundance of food resources from the mountains, seas, rivers and
lakes.
Through out the next 2 weeks i.e.
from 19th Sept – 1st October 2014 , a special selection of
a la carte dishes are curate by Kampachi’s Executive Chef Koji Tamaru and its
team to showcase the purity of Kansai cuisine using the freshest seasonal and
the natural taste of the ingredients.
Guest can expect to enjoy some exquisite
gourmet seafood such as the Kamasu (Japanese Barracuda), Akamutsu (Japanese
Ruby Snapper), Tennen Hamachi (Wild Yeallowtail) and Sayori (Japanese
Halfbeak).
Fresh seasonal Kansai ingredients
will also include the Muraski Zukin (Black Soybean), two different variety of
Japanese Mustard Greens (Mibuna and Mizuna) and Fushimi Amanaga Togarashi
(Sweet Green Peppers).
Prepared in a multitude of ways,
these simple ingredients will be elevated to an artisan level by Chef Koji
Tamaru and his team. The “All Kansai Festival” a la carte menu will only be
available at Kampachi’s three stand-alone restaurants i.e. Troika, Plaza 33,
Petaling Jaya and Johor Premium Outlets.
On 27th and 28th
September from 3.00 to 5.00 pm, there is a special hands-on dessert master
class at RM 100.00 ++ per person, where you learn 3 sweet delights using
Japanese maccha alongside Kampachi’s expert Japanese chefs. The 3 desserts are
Maccha Mousse, Maccha Cake and Maccha Dorayaki using the Kyoto’s finest green
tea.
Participants are able to taste and
take home the day’s creations at the end of each session in addition to
receiving a complimentary recipe collection and a masterclass certificate.
We had the opportunity to have this
hand’s off experience to make our own Maccha Mousse. It was truly
a great experience to be tutored and guided to make this sweet tasting dessert.
This was the menu, that we had for
this Pre-launch menu of the “All Kansai Festival”.
Our first dish for the food review
started off with KYO MIZUNA SALAD – which consists of Kyoto Mustard Green Salad
with Crispy Anchovies, Raw Onion Rings with Wasabi Dressings.
We were really
surprised at the crisp green mustard that was air flown in. Coupled with the
Wasabi dressing, it was a very good pairing to the fresh salad and the crunchy
anchovies.
Our second dish was the FUSHIMI
AMANAGA TOGARASHI – It is grilled marinated sweet Green Peppers with Special
Sauce. This is actually the most spicy green peppers for the Japanese but to
most Malaysian that have been accustomed to our Chilli Padi, this is just plain
peanuts, there is just a little tinge of that chilli oomph.
It was quite a feat
to be eating a chilli like that.
Next, we had the awesome TENNEN
HAMACHI SASHIMI – which is slices of Raw Wild Yellowtail. I just love sashimi
but this has to be one of the best that I had eaten so far, as you can really
taste the smooth texture of the fish and it’s freshest with every bite.
Coupled
with the in-house soya sauce and wasabi mix, no words can describe this special
taste.
Finally, we had the KAMASU SHIOYAKI, which is Grilled Japanese Barracuda with Salt. With every chop-stick full of
the wonderful white fish meat, you could really taste the natural fish
flavours.
For me, the dip of the white fish meat into the in-house soya sauce
with wasabi, was just the perfect link to satisfy my taste buds.
To pair off the evening fabulous food, we were offered the Kuwabara Shuzo Sake which came from Nakashima
and we were told that no matter how much you drink, you won't get a hangover
next the day, as they use the highest and finest quality of malted rice and
water to brew this smooth sake.
We were offered the 2
serving style of the sake, which is the cold sake thru a special sake dispenser
and
the normal hot sake, in a sake
jug and a special sake cup.
As, you would have guessed it, for
desserts, we had the MACCHA MOUSSE, which yours truly had made it before we
started our dinner, as the desserts needed to be chilled before being served.
As, you would have guessed it, for
desserts, we had the MACCHA MOUSSE, which yours truly had made it before we
started our dinner, as the desserts needed to be chilled before being served.
We had the final touch, to put in the
décor to our MACCHA MOUSSE, which has smashed red beans, a piece of Japanese
Glutinous rice and some gold leaf to top it all up.
Overall, it has been a amazing and
memorable experience for us to be able to enjoy this special dining session.
Watch our video review on YouTube
This food tasting session was
organised byHungryGoWhere Malaysia –
Discover, Eat, Share today! Our Other Japanese Cuisine Review
Of late
there have been numerous Ramen restaurant sprouting out in the Klang Valley in
droves. So, we have this opportunity to savour one of the pioneering Ramen
joint which is Santouka located at 6th Floor, Pavilion Shopping Mall
(Tokyo Street) which serves the authentic Hokkaido style Ramen.
The
restaurant is decorated with wood based setting which inspired the village
setting. Even the tables and chairs and accessories are also mostly wood based
in line with the main theme.
Using the family
recipe the SANTOUKA RAMEN was conceived with the modest salt flavoured Shio
Ramen. The version of the Hokkaido Ramen serves here are the thin-noodle and are imported from Japan.
The next
most important to a perfect bowl of Ramen is the soup, which Santouka brewed up
for all its Ramen, is the Tonkotsu (Pork Bones). The other ingredients added to
brewed up this soup based include vegetables, dried fish, kelp and some secret
ingredient. The soup had to be
maintained at the right temperature (not boiling) and continuous at this right
temperature to ensure the taste is consistent.
We started
with the signature Creamy Shio Ramen serves with Pork Belly. The flavour is not
too overwhelming and was just the right taste to start with.
In
Malaysia, there is also a need for some spicy Ramen, and Santouka have
introduce the Spicy Shio Ramen which have the same Shio based soup but with an added
spices. This was serves with Premium Pork Cheek. This Specialty Ramen is only
available in limited quantity per day. The meat of the Pork Cheek is not tough
and it is very chewy. So, If you are game for Pork Cheek, you have to come
early for this specialty.
Next, we had
the Shoyu Ramen (Soya Sauce) serves with Pork Belly (Char Siu). With the soya sauce based,
it is a little saltier than the Shio but was very flavourful though.
