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| MIGF Experience at Mandarin Grill Posted: 10 Oct 2011 09:00 PM PDT  It’s the month of October, which means more splurging on the annual Festival menus by participating restaurants in the Malaysian International Gourmet Festival (MIGF). This time around, I was privileged to sample the MIGF menu at the posh and upscale Mandarin Grill restaurant at Mandarin Oriental Hotel. It was my first time stepping foot into this exclusive restaurant and I was in awe with their romantic ambience largely due to the huge fibre optics floral lights hanging from the ceiling, emitting pleasant soft lighting that set the right mood for the evening.
Glass of white wine - Carlos Serres Viura, Spain 2009
Elegant interior of Mandarin Grill I started the dinner with a glass of white wine – Carlos Serres Viura, Spain 2009, which was very smooth and easy to the palate. I was also pleased with my choice since the first course that night was of seafood, perfect for pairing with my white! #1 Appetizer *** Diver Scallops, Ricotta Dumplings and Tomatoes with Olives A sizable piece of juicy and plump scallop laid before my eyes, nicely seared and topped with aesthetically pleasing lobster bisque foam, it was just begging to be eaten. But I had to remind myself to devour it slowly and steadily, to decompose all the different tastes that this exquisite dish was presenting, and it was a well-rewarded effort. Each bite was a reminder of the creativity of the chef, the time put in for presentation and of course the perfect blend of tastes among the fresh scallop, beef pancetta and ricotta dumplings. The opening of the menu could not have been any better.
Diver scallops, ricotta dumplings and tomatoes with olives #2 Starter *** Foie Gras and Confit Smoked Duck Leg, Marinated Shimeji Mushrooms, Caramelised Orange Vinaigrette The starter was a delicate piece of foie gras surrounding confit smoked duck leg and then coated with black summer truffles. Truffles and foie gras in a single dish? I was in heaven. The duck confit was tender and aromatic, while the foie gras was velvety smooth and soft, just like butter. The combination itself was rather rich, but thankfully the caramelized orange vinaigrette on the side was there to balance the taste. Not to forget the cute little shimeji mushrooms on the side, which were succulent and crunchy, it was a dish well executed.
Foie gras and confit smoked duck leg, marinated Shimeji mushrooms, caramelized orange vinaigrette #3 The Refresher *** Iced Raspberry-Bell Pepper Cappuccino After all the richness, we were given a glass of iced raspberry-bell pepper cappuccino to clean our palate. By reading the menu description, I thought this combination was rather weird. Raspberry and bell pepper? I was skeptical. But I had to eat my words when the drink turned out to be absolutely refreshing and quite palatable. The taste of bell pepper was distinct but so was the raspberry. Together they balanced each other out and we ended up with a clean palate ready for the mains.
Iced Raspberry-Bell Pepper Cappuccino #4 The Main Event *** Slow Cooked "Sous-Vide Style" Wagyu Beef Cheeks, Summer Truffles, Celeriac Roots and Horseradish Foam The main dish was wagyu beef cheeks cooked "Sous-Vide Style", which meant the beef was packed in an airtight plastic bag and cooked in a water bath for about 72 hours, to ensure the meat was cooked evenly with the correct doneness. I’d say this painstaking process was well paid off, for the wagyu cheek was exceptionally tender and soft without being mushy. Best of all, this method retained all the flavours of the cheek, and then some. It was a piece of marvelous melt-in-your-mouth creation.
Slow cooked “sous vide style” wagyu beef cheeks, summer truffles, celeriac roots and horseradish foam #5 Dessert *** Albaco Chocolate Cremeux, Meringue, Passion Fruit Sphere, Frozen Yoghurt Last but not least, dessert was mandelbread/almond bread topped chocolate cremeux, accompanied with frozen yoghurt on the side. The chocolate cremeux had a texture almost like chocolate mousse but was richer and denser. It was like a cross between chocolate bar and mousse, and best of all, it used high quality Valrhona chocolate which was amazingly chocolatey. The bread was there to pair with the rich chocolate cremeux, but if you still find it too rich, there’s the frozen yoghurt which helped tremendously to neutralize the richness. Not to forget the cute little spheres on the side, notably the passion fruit sphere, which literally burst in your mouth! Such a pleasure really.
Albaco Chocolate Cremeux, Meringue, Passion Fruit Sphere, Frozen Yoghurt Couple the dessert goodness with a glass of sweet dessert wine, a girl could not ask for more.
Dessert wine – Muscato Brown Brothers, Muscat, Australia 2010
Chef Reto Weber The dinner experience of MIGF menu at Mandarin Oriental was nothing short of stellar, with every dish prepared with creativity and sense. Each course was well thought of, in terms of presentation, balance of taste as well as the suitable wine to pair with. I felt honoured just to be able to taste the brilliant work of Chef Weber.
Dining ambience at Mandarin Grill We tried the 5-course Dinner menu which cost RM258++/pax without wine. The 7-course dinner menu cost RM328++/pax while the Lunch menu cost RM218++/pax without wine. For wine-pairing dinner, add RM70 to the price. For the full menu listing, click here.
Mandarin Grill restaurant Mandarin Grill |
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