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| Posted: 01 Dec 2011 10:15 PM PST  Christmas came early! This year, I had the chance to savour turkey a month before Christmas, thanks to Sanook’s invitation to sample their Christmas eve dinner menu. I have been to Sanook several times now and I have always admired the calm and peaceful surrounding of the restaurant that faces a lake. It definitely gives me a break from the hustle and bustle of the chaotic city traffic – almost like a place out of town, when in fact, it’s located in the heart of PJ. Thankfully, on that night, it had just stopped raining, so the air was still cool and crisp with a light breeze. Just perfect.
Whole roasted turkey The Christmas Eve Dinner consists of 5 courses – Appetizer, Soup, Mains, Dessert and an unlimited serving of Turkey carving on the side. #1: Appetizer - Italiano pan-fried scallop with breaded honey tiger prawn The sizable scallop was seared lightly resulting in slightly brown edges while still maintaining the juices within. Topped with alfalfa, I thought the combination was quite unique – the mixture of sweet and plump seafood with crunchy greens. You either love it or hate it. Fret not, if you don’t enjoy the greens, gently push them aside and savour the juicy scallop on its own. For me, I much preferred the breaded honey tiger prawn. It was deep fried to a crispy finish with succulent flesh and a very tasty sauce. A combination of honey and tomato, the sauce was simply to-die-for.
Italiano pan-fried scallop with breaded honey tiger prawn #2: Soup - Fresh black mussel soup Mediterranean style When the second course of soup arrived, it certainly raised a few eyebrows, for the sight of soup was almost non-existent. But after the first sip, I understood why – the soup was rather rich and thick. Each spoonful was bursting with a plethora of flavours from the generous amount of seafood used – shrimps, mussels, squids, fish and more. It was naturally sweet and savoury with a tangy hint from the tomatoes. Even though the portion was small, it was satisfying.
Fresh black mussel soup Mediterranean style #3: Main Course - Pan-fried salmon with tempura baby crab OR For the main course, we had the choice of either salmon or steak. Since I was in the mood for seafood, I chose the salmon. My first impression? The salmon fillet was huge! It may not seem much from the photo, but I actually had trouble finishing it towards the end because the flesh was thick, dense and compact. Taste wise, I would have preferred the salmon to be pan-fried just a tad longer to get the crispy skin and more of the golden-brown layer on the surface. On the other hand, I enjoyed the tempura baby soft-shelled crab that was served on the side. It was deep-fried with a light and savoury batter that was not cloying. The addition of greens on top also helped to balance out the flavour. Best of all, it was still crunchy even after 15 minutes being served. Well done!
Pan-fried salmon with tempura baby crab
The soft-shelled baby crab – nicely done! #3: Main Course – Grilled rib-steak ala Americano Another choice for the main course was the grilled rib-steak, which I had the chance to sample thanks to Caroline. The portion of the steak was sizable and had a nice charred surface on top. I was close to regretting my choice of salmon when I had a bite of her steak. She asked for medium and it was executed just right – pink and juicy insides without the sight of blood. Couple that with the mushroom sauce, it was pure steak joy. If you love steak, I’d suggest you to choose this for your main course.
Grilled rib-steak ala Americano #4: Dessert – Sweet creamy honey pineapple studel in wantan skin For dessert, we had something quite unconventional – pineapple strudel in wantan skin. It was different from the normal studel such that instead of pastry layers, crispy wantan skin was used. And to top it off was ice-cream that covered the pineapple fillings within. Served with some blueberries and kiwi, I thought the addition of sweet ice-cream was good to balance the tarty flavours from the fruits and the pineapple.
Sweet creamy honey pineapple studel in wantan skin #5 Turkey – Unlimited servings on the side Last but not least, unlimited turkey carvings on the side for patrons to enjoy. The roast turkey was stuffed with polenta, fresh pineapple and dates, served with mixed Italian herbs sauce. On the sides were the colourful combination of baby carrots, beetroot, grapes, brussel sprouts, roast potatoes, goose berries, snow peas and pineapple chutney. My, even this side dish could be a complete meal on its own! Towards the end of the dinner, I was already too full to sample much of the turkey. To be honest, I’m not much of a turkey person, since I found the meat to be usually quite dry and bland, just like chicken breast. So I usually eat it with lots of cranberry sauce or in this case, pineapple chutney.
Carving the turkey Christmas Eve Dinner at Sanook
Dining environment at Sanook next to a calm lake So if you would like to spend your Christmas eve away from the busy city and the horrendous traffic, why not give Sanook a try? Did I mention that it’s located just next to a calm lake, giving it the extra edge of being more romantic?
Sanook Bistro & Sports Bar Sanook Bistro and Sports Bar (Free Wifi) |
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