Guest Chef Dinner Series 2018 Ritz Carlton Kuala Lumpur Chef Fransico Araya

Ritz Carlton Kuala Lumpur presents Guest Chef Fransico Araya

Once again, the Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur is delighted to kick-off the highly anticipated Guest Chef Dinner Series 2018 at The Library with award-winning Guest Chef Francisco Araya, of Chilean descent and a maestro in the culinary scene is set to curate a stunning seven-course modern European cuisine showcasing a fine selection of seafood dishes.

Based in Shanghai, Chef Francisco has built a remarkable reputation in the industry with fine dining restaurant NAPA Wine Bar & Kitchen where he is presently the Executive Chef, Alegre restaurant in Chile and 81 Restaurant in Tokyo where he was awarded one Michelin star for the casual fine dining restaurant serving borderless cuisine with a mix of Latin American, European and Asian influences.

Adding on to his impressive wealth of experience, Chef Francisco has also spent a season at the legendary three Michelin-starred restaurants El Bulli in Spain under the tutelage of world-renowned Chef Ferran Adrià.

The five-day promotion at Ritz Carlton Kuala Lumpur will see Chef Francisco meticulously crafting seafood specialities starting with a fanciful Amuse-Bouche of Crispy Scallop and Herbs, Smoked Celeriac Hen Egg, Shrimp with tomato and watermelon and the Beetroot Tartelette San Feletto Prosecco Brut. With a multitude of texture from smooth to a firm, it is a real start to a lovely dinner surprise.

The first mains to be served is the Oyster Served With Caviar and Cauliflower which you can taste the natural salty flavours of the oysters and caviar.

The Scallop Ceviche with ginger and cilantro is another one of our favourite dishes. It is served with a sauce of ginger, cilantro and coriander.

Arroz Verde is our fourth dish which consists of a translucent slice of Carabinero Shrimp (Carabineros are a large deep-sea prawn species) which has a slightly raw texture and bedded with Arborio rice which is cooked with spinach and clam chowder. It is topped with a crispy prawn leg.

Our fifth course is the star of the night which is the Shrimp. The deshelled shrimp is lightly poached and have a very firm and bouncy texture that sits on top of a thinly Yuba (soya beancurd skin), and served with caramelised onion and dill sauce has a delicate taste.

The sixth course is the Japanese Orange Sea Bream with Calamari and Zucchini Blossom. This fish is lightly pan-fried with the meat portion still lingering with the soft firm juicy texture which is a real delight eating this last mains dish. There is 2 accompanying sauce which is the black squid ink sauce and the bisque sauce; both has its own distinct taste that went well with the white fish meat. What amazes us it the Zucchini Blossom which we are eating for the first time; as the Chef has wrapped in a special prawn paste which makes it a real treat.

Our final dish which is a dessert is aptly named the Pandan,  two pieces of financier accompanied by the Pandan Ice Cream and Late Harvest Jelly which has a strong alcoholic aftertaste was the finale to end our lovely 7 courses dining experience.

Available from 6 to 10 March from 7pm until 11pm, the seven-course dinner is priced at MYR350 nett per person with an option of wine pairing at MYR500 nett per person. For reservations and enquiries, please call +60 3 2142 8000 or email dining@ritzcarlton.com.my.

Ritz Carlton Kuala Lumpur Location Address Map

The Brew House @ Sunway Giza Kota Damansara Petaling Jaya

Cheap Beer Lovers check this out. The Brew House @ Sunway Giza Kota Damansara located at Unit C-03 & C-03A, Block C, Sunway Giza, No. 2 Jalan PJU 5/14, PJU 5, Kota Damansara is running an opening promotion at a very special low price for its beer offering from RM7 Frozen Mug until 31st March 2018.

What we like about The Brew House is that it offers a wide variety of appetizers/snack food that is the ideal accompaniment to a pint of the fresh icy cold beer or a glass of wine.

The Brew House offers a fusion of Pan-Asian and modern western gastronomy, the food which ranges from a wide selection of meats especially pork, pasta, pizzas and Asian delicacies is as inspired and varied as its' brews offering. For more information and promotion, you can visit The Brew House Facebook Page

For our review; we tasted the Pork Gyoza (6pcs - RM12.80). Filled with a mixture of ground pork, chives, ginger, cabbage, and minced garlic. With a crispy skin at the bottom and a top soft texture, it is the best compliment with the beer.

Another perfect dish for the drinkers will be the Salted Egg Fish Skin with Pork Floss (RM10.80). Fried to a deep crisp with a coating of salted eggs sauce and blended in with the pork floss; it is a delight to eat this snack with a cold drink/beer. Children especially will like this salty dish as once you start eating it; you will be tempted to take the second piece and so forth.

Next, we had the Bacon Wrapped Pork Meatball Braised In Stout Sauce (RM14.80); This minced pork meat is wrapped with a piece of Bacon and deep fried; it is then cooked with an onion based gravy with Connor's stout. Served with a toasted bread for you to scoop up the gravy, its taste was indeed special.  

Another crowd favourite snacks for your beers is the Porky Platter (RM25.80). This porky platter is served with Luncheon Meat, Sticky Ribs and a generous portion of Roast Pork; which is cut into bite sizes and great as a sharing portion.

The last appetizer that we tasted is The Ultimate Buffalo Fries (RM13.80). If you have eaten Sloppy Joe Fries; you would see the similarity here, but at The Brew House; instead of Minced Beef, they used the minced pork and top with cheese sauce and pork floss. The Chef uses the Buffalo fries as these fries will stay crisp for a longer period of time.

For rice lovers, The Brew House has a few different varieties for you to choose from; we decided on the more special one which is the Seafood Truffle Fried Rice (RM18.80). When the fried rice reaches our table; the aroma of the truffle oil was enticing. Seafood like prawns, mussel and squid could be found in the fried rice which is then topped with Ebiko.  

If you are a big eater and loves some spice in your food; you might be tempted to try out The Brew House Special Nasi Lemak Roasted Pork. Served with the usual nasi lemak condiments which are cucumber, boiled eggs, peanuts and anchovies; you will also have a generous serving of the Roasted Pork (Siew Yok). The steaming hot coconut rice was very fragrant.

The next dish we tasted is the Lala Noodle Soup (RM15.80). The Bee Hoon noodle is cooked with a special stock broth together with ginger, wolfberries and spring onion which is then topped with a superb amount of Chinese Wine. 

The second noodle dish that we sampled is the Nyonya Laksa With Roasted Pork (RM18.80). We like the rich & creamy broth of the laksa. Served with tau foo pok, bean sprout and most important the roasted pork.

If you are not fans of Asian food; The Brew House does offer some Western delights which are the Bacon Steak (RM19.80) as shown above. Thick Slice of in-house made Bacon are pan fried on the outside while the inside still retains a tender juicy texture. This steak is served with Potato Salad,  Cherry Tomatoes, Corns and Peas.

Followed by the Pork Bacon & Peach Pizza (RM18.80). The topping for this pizza is caramelized onion with smoked bacon, sliced peaches and mushrooms in a thin crispy crust. 

Our final dish is the voracious Brew House Pork Burger (RM15.80). The pork meat patties which is in-house made was very huge. Served on the side are coleslaw and fries.

For us, there are only 2 things to remember at The Brew House. The first is the Beer and the second is porky dishes that are served here. So, if you are game for either one of these; you will find feel at home at The Brew House.

The Brew House @ Sunway Giza Kota Damansara Location Address Map

The Art Coffee Nexus Bangsar South

The Art Coffee Nexus Bangsar South 

The Art Coffee which used to be in Sunway Giza have moved to 

Lot 1.8, First Floor, Nexus Bangsar South, Jalan Kerinchi,

Kuala Lumpur to cater to the coffee lovers.

One of the major revamp is that The Art Coffee at Nexus Bangsar South serves a full dining menu and we have gotten to taste some of this newly crafted dishes by Chef Alex.

We started off our tasting session with an order of Smoked Salmon Salad (RM16.00). This rich multi-coloured salad is a feast for our eyes when it was served to us. In the salad, you get a combination of Lolo Rosso, Lolo Bienda, Smoked Salmon, Purple Cabbage, Capsicum, Tomato Salsa, Walnut, Dried Cherry and tossed with a sesame infused dressing.

We decided to order a sharing starter which is Munchies (RM14.00). This sharing platter consists of Deep Fried Chicken Popcorn which has a nice bite crunch. Also on the platter is the fried nachos which is served with Trio Cheese Sauce and Guacamole Dip.

For our soup, we had the Soup Of the Soul (RM13.00). The soup is a clear based chicken soup while the breast meat is chopped to a nice bite size and cooked with broccoli. This soup is served with toasted baguette.

For fans of pasta, The Art Coffee offers 3 cooking style which is the tomato based, cream based and the Aglio Olio style. Being a fan of seafood; for the tomato-based, we had the Seafood Marinara (RM23.00). The seafood that was used for this pasta is the Prawns, Squid, Green Mussels, Lala and for the vegetables, the chef uses black olives, tomatoes coulis and baby spinach to add some texture and taste to the spaghetti.

For the Cream style; we ordered the Creamy Oriental Popcorn (RM21.00).  The pasta that is used for this dish is the Linguine. For this dish, the Chef has infused an oriental touch to this dish by having the cream cooked with the fragrant curry leaves to give it a dash of spicy flavour. It is then topped with the deep fried popcorn chicken. According to the Chef, these popcorn are not the same as the commercially available but are in-house made by the chef using chicken tenders and are marinated by the Chef recipe.

For the mains; we decided on the Steak Diane (RM38.00). The Beef Fillet is cooked medium-well in classic Diane sauce and is accompanied by the sweet potato chip and sauteed vegetables.

To end our meal, we ordered the Chef's Signature Dessert (RM18.00) which is a fried soft dough and in it is the chilled avocado-lime paste, served with mix berry sauce and topped with cotton candy.



followed by a Strawberry Watermelon Blended fresh juice (RM15.00).

The Art Coffee Nexus Bangsar South Location Address Map

Aman Suria Food | Pim's And The Rama Thai Restaurant

 Pim's And The Rama Authentic Thai Restaurant

Pim's And The Rama Thai Restaurant

Do you want to feel like a royalty, you can get a taste of the authentic Thai Palace cuisine right here at Pim's And The Rama Thai Restaurant located at 22 & 22A Jalan PJU 1/43, Aman Suria Damansara Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. 

This is because the dishes served here are curated by an ex-chef from the Thailand Palace in Changmei. It is also the reason the restaurant named as Rama which symbolizes the Thai Royalty. You can see some of the Thai King photos which are decked on the walls of the restaurant too.

Pim's Cocktail Selection

One of the prime factors for the restaurant is to be able to offer a truly Thai dining experience. Staying true to offer the freshest seafood which is sourced from Pulau Ketam and Klang, it offers diners with a value deal. For more information and promotion, you can check out Pim's And The Rama Facebook Page

Our review Pim's And The Rama Thai Restaurant started with an order of the Fried Donut Prawns (Tod Man Gong) (RM25.00). Consist of more than 80% prawn paste and 20% fish and deep fried to a crisp; it is a really nice starter to enjoy with a glass of cocktail or cold icy beer. The Chef has also included chop whole prawns to give this doughnut a nice bite texture.

We ordered another starter which is Pim's Pandan Chicken (RM23.90). At Pim's and Rama; the chef uses the thigh meat which is more succulent. The preparation of this Pandan Chicken differs from others in that, the marinated chicken is steamed first before deep frying. The end result, your chicken meat is tender and juicy while it is crisp on the outside. This is how the authentic Thai does it.

Another appetizer you should try is the Thai BBQ Grilled Pork Neck (RM19.00). There is a high demand for this Pork Neck and it is not easy to get hold of a quality Pork Neck meat with a 70% meat and 30% fat which the Chef wanted. This pork neck is marinated overnight to ensure all the marinade seep deeply into the meat. It is prepared fresh daily and is available in a limited quantity. The secret to the great taste is in the Thai secret sauce that is served with the meat dish.

at Pim's And The Rama Thai Restaurant, there is another not to be missed Thai appetizer which is the Thai BBQ Pork Stick Moo Ping (3 pcs RM12.00). Unlike other restaurants, the Moo Ping here has a firm texture with the right balance of marinade and grill to a nice aromatic char.

For the mains, we had the Thai Super Seafood Tom Yum Pot; loaded with fresh seafood which includes Crabs, Tiger Prawns, Crayfish, Squids, NZ Mussels, Clams, Scallops, Lala, Onsen Duck Eggs, Abalone Slice and Fried Soft Shell Crabs. 

Bedded with the popular Thai noodles and a strong flavour, enticing taste and aroma of the Tom Yum broth; this dish alone gets our appetite to overdrive.

Our final dish is the Fresh Siakap Steamed With Chilli & Lime Soup (RM65.00). I really enjoyed this dish as the Siakap was very fresh and coupled with the tangy lime soup and with an induced spiciness from the chillies, it was very appetizing. Best eaten with a bowl of steamed white rice to scoop up all the broth. For an extra kick, you can opt to have a bottle of Chang Beer added to it. This will enhance a sweet flavour into the broth.

For me, I especially enjoyed the starters dish served at Pim's and The Rama which are very original (remind us of the time we were in Bangkok tasting these Thai street delights) and worthy of its taste.

Pims Red Velvet Garden

If you are one of those that enjoyed speciality cocktails, there are a few special offering at Pim's and The Rama, so do check out some of their offerings.

Pim's And The Rama Authentic Thai Restaurant Location Address Map