Cilantro, Micasa All Suite Hotel, Jalan Tun Razak, KL. Mummy! I swallowed Cod Sperm!

(no pork served)

After 3 weeks of suffering from separation anxiety, with tears, whimpering and tantrums, I am back. Everybody teases me about my abnormal fixation to Sage. I know. It's that bad. My week is never complete without me being tantalized and seduced by some of the finest food available in KL. And now, Sage's mother cum precursor is back in business.

"Cilantro, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Ci-lan-tro: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Ci. Lan. Tro."

(plagiarized from the opening passage of Nabokov's Lolita)

Had a horrid day, and a have a feeling that I will be having an impending meltdown soon. I need to be reminded why I have to work. At the precise moment, the radio blasted out Black Eyed Peas who are probably psychic and they were singing:

A feeling, woo hoo, that tonight's gonna be a good night
That tonight's gonna be a good night
That tonight's gonna be a good, good night

Tonight's the night, let's live it up
I got my money, let's spend it up
Go out and smash it like oh my God
Jump off that sofa, let's get, get off

I know that we'll have a ball
If we get down and go out and just lose it all
I feel stressed out, I wanna let it go
Let's go way out spaced out and losing all control

That is just about as close I can get to a religious experience, I guess and a sign for me to go for my overdue visit to Cilantro.

Clockwise from top left: 1. Interior, Cilantro. 2. Another shot of the interior with the stairs leading down to the Cigar room. 3. Venison Carpaccio 4. Sea Urchin Angel Hair Pasta.

The feeling that I got when I entered was claustrophobia. Used to the space and view at Sage, Cilantro felt like a dungeon. No window views, and the cellar and cancer club in located one floor below. The few mirrors they had on the pillars did not do much to give the illusion of space it required. But the old, familiar figures from Sage were there, including Jason the knowledgeable Maitre'd/Manager who does an excellent job of puting diners at ease and recommending dishes and wines.

Seaweed Butter (foreground) and Truffle Butter (background)

The loaves at Cilantro are perfect, as expected. Instead of the Pesto like olive oil mix in Sage, they were served with the most unctuously fragrant truffle butter and a very very lovely seaweed butter. I wished I could take them home with me. I could have wet dreams thinking about them.

Tsubugai with Oba leaf

I arrived very late, at about 10pm and all the other diners were either leaving or waiting for their checks. I am really grateful to the chef for being able to oblige me with the degustation menu, which consists of 5 items. 3 starters, one main and desserts plus coffee. The amuse bouche was Tsubugai with Oba Leaf. Tsubugai is a kind of whelk that is slight chewy and that evening it was served Sashimi style with a minty Oba Leaf. Beautiful play of taste and texture.

Tuna with Arenkha

The plate of hors d'oeuvres was a source of amazement and wonder. The tuna with arenkha was fresh and beautiful. Venison carpaccio served with daikon and truffles was a divine mouthful of indulgent creativity. Sea urchin with Angel Hair begged for an encore and the oyster reiterated my belief that it is a gift from Neptune. The platter came with a shot of Japanese Plum wine.

Oyster

The plate of hors d'oeuvre left me panting for more. Everything was so perfectly executed and in place. It was frighteningly perfect.

Consommé with Tarashirako

The meal proceeded with Beef Consommé with Tarashirako, or more precisely, Cod Sperm Sac. The Consomme broth was beautifully clear with scallions and truffles. It was the first time I swallowed some fish cum but I have to admit that it was a marvelous experience. Creamy smooth and rich, only a genius could have masterfully matched this with a perfect consommé.

Unagi with Foie Gras

The Pièce de résistance of Cilantro. Unagi with Foie Gras. Breaded and fried, and then baked and doused with a tiny bit of Port Sauce. The consistency of the foie is perfect and creamy. A marvelous showpiece of ingenuity and perfect cooking technique.

Main Lobster Acqua Pazza with Asari

The chef decided to do something off menu for the mains, the Maine lobster was poached in Acqua Pazza (Crazy Water) together with Asari (Japanese Clams). The results was a heavenly blend of briney perfection, with hints of Basil and seafood. I'm in love, and transported to the sea. The texture of the lobster was slightly too rubbery, but other than that, no grouses.

Chocolate Terrine with Pistachio Ice Cream

The desserts at Sage has never disappointed me. At Cilantro, it is also beautifully perfect. Chocolate terrine with Pistachio Ice Cream. A sinful, indulgent treat with an irreproachable texture and taste. I went home and threw that last piece of dry Sacher Torte that I have been saving up.

This is certainly not the proper place to discuss the morality of Humbert's obsession and lecherous intentions for a 12 year old Lolita, nor the place to debate the difference between love and lust. But the book is both lyrical and has a dark sense of humour.

And just like Humbert, I too have an obsession for Cilantro. Having to accept that the world is imperfect and having to brace myself to the necessity of having to trudge through the mundane chores everyday, it is a blessing to be able to dine in solace in a place where the food is almost faultless. Cilantro has risen again and Easter came early to KL, last December 16th to be exact. Hurrah!

Cilantro
Micasa All Suite Hotel
Jalan Tun Razak
Kuala Lumpur

To Read Lolita:

1. Cheap and Easy: Downloadable in PDF at http://www.vahidnab.com/lolita.pdf

2. For Scholars : The Best version would be The Annotated Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov and Alfred Appel Jr. ISBN: 978-0679727293. I last saw it at Kinokuniya, but you can purchase it from Amazon or get the lovely, helpful elves at Kinokuniya to order it for you.

3. For lazy readers. The book is chillingly read by Jeremy Irons. Lolita Audiobook (Unabridged) Read by Jeremy Irons ISBN: 978-0739322062. Last spotted at Borders before Borders was put into a shrinking machine. I stopped going there after that out of disgust and disappointment.

Albion, Jalan Berangan, Kuala Lumpur. Hail Britannia!

(non halal)

After disappearing for three weeks, I returned to Changkat Bukit Bintang and was amazed by the changes. The dizzying turnover of restaurants along this small stretch of road matches an acne outbreak on the face of a pubescent teen. Engka Portobello has disappeared, which was disappointing as it served reasonably priced and delightful food. Reggae Bar popped up. Some new Spanish restaurant seems to be under construction next to Werner's.

A new restaurant that has popped up is Albion (which means the Islands of Great Britain, Gaelic, if I am not mistaken) which is located next to Bar Italia along the quieter stretch parallel to Changkat. Chic and smart, with a slightly spartan yet contemporary setting, it offers modern British cuisine and has been open for about 2 weeks now. The menu is not too terribly extensive, but please bear in mind that this is a new place and they are just breaking into the scene.

Starters are fairly interesting here. Besides the usual offerings of Parma Ham and Melon, there is Fishcakes with Strawberry Salad and Blue Cheese Salad. I had the Chorizo a la Plancha (which means grilled Chorizo in Spanish) and it came as a Bruschetta look alike with the Chorizo sausages bathed in sourish tomato paste and basil. The dish is no eye candy, but tasted delightfully fresh on a humid Sunday night.

For mains, I had seared duck fillet with Blackcurrant sauce. The duck was a little bit too tough but blackcurrant sauce that came with it was a welcome departure from the normal as the fruitiness of the sauce tempered the gaminess of the duck. The potatoes would have been better if they were Dauphinoise.

For dessert, I had the Toasted Mature Fruitcake (which was mature enough to vote in the coming GE) that came served with Vanilla Ice Cream on top of some candied pineapple rings. Although the fruitcake was nothing to shout about, but the way it was served with the pineapple was brilliant as it cuts down the satiety. Albion probably warrants some return visits again.

I am terribly excited about Cilantro's re-opening and must find time to dine there soon (although both the Queen and Goddess of KL foodblogs did not attain food nirvana there).

Just to end this fruity post, Rainier Cherries are available from Imbi market now! These are pale and pink and sweet, not the usual tart read ones that are used for cooking, but sold at an exorbitant price in KL.

Here's to wishing all of you a HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010!

And I hope that your LIFE IS JUST A BOWL OF CHERRIES THIS YEAR.

Neo. Jalan Sultan Ismail, KL. 3 Monkeys and an Android Hitting a New Joint.

Neo. No, this restaurant was not opened by Keanu Reeves who played Neo in the "brain in a vat" thought experiment, transfromed by the Wachowski brothers into Matrix, the Movie. Nor does it refer to Neo Rauch, the German Social Surrealist Painter. Nor does it refer to Near Earth Objects (though you may feel like a NEO after a couple of hits of cocktails) or New European Order. In this case, the owners were probably using it to mean New, or Revival of something old. The premises used to house among other things, an Italian Restaurant and a club. I hope the new owners will revive it, because this joint is beautiful.

Clockwise from top left: 1. Scallop Asparagus thingy 2. Ciki hiding her disappointment upon discovering the MIGF was not available 3. A li'l fat monkey trying very hard to smile after discovering that there were no Banana inspired Tapas 4. Fussili Portobello served Dai Chow noodles style 5. The Übercool interior and exterior of the restaurant.

It was one of those miserable days. I nuked my Blackberry while trying to install the Neo v5.0 software, and in and spent 45 minutes trying to resuscitate it to discover that I jammed up the track ball as well. Had to meet with some fussy, Neolithic Neanderthal clients who had difficulty understanding any words with more than 2 syllables, when my phone buzzed with a message asking if I was free for dinner tonight at Neo. "Anything to escape this dreary cycle!", I thought to myself and proceeded to Neo after a mad dash to Low Yat to get a Neo BB.

"Huff, huff! I'm late for a very important date!", the Android Mad Hatter Hare declared and scampered up the stairs together with the Monkey Couple, Cumi and Ciki to find A Li'l Fat Monkey drowning his sorrow with a big bottle of Mineral Water. Apparently he is allergic to C2H5OH. I immediately struck him off my will.

Housed in a bungalow perched upon a hillside, Neo brands itself as serving Global Tapas. The whole place is like a Sistine Chapel of Hedonism. Beautiful water inspired themes culminating in a waterfall adorning the wall of the main dining area which is lighted up in a severe and stark black chandelier , the interior is breath taking. We were disappointed to discover that the MIGF menu was not available that evening, and we settled to order from the a la carte menu.

Bearing in mind that this place was new as in gestating in a womb, the service was a bit haphazard and the serving staff seemed to be overwhelmed, and probably with a bit of time, they might mature to be like their sister restaurant Tamarind Hills, where the service is polished. In fact, that night, a few of the staff from Tamarind Hills were helping out at Neo.

Clockwise, from top. 1. The hilarious, rib tickling amuse bouche (tuna) 2. Lamb Shank with Couscous 3. Duck with Risotto and Tangerine Sauce

It is a new place, they may not gotten their act together yet in the kitchen. It was the first time in my life that an amuse bouche did what it was supposed to do. We were literally laughing out loud when it arrived. It was some tune, and the size was slightly bigger than a 2 carat diamond. Much much too small for the cutlery. Try to spear it with a fork, you'll probably squish it. Ciki even put her bling on the plate to compare.

The Portobello Fussili was lovely, but came out so haphazard that it resembled a plate of noodles from the Dai Chow stall. Cumi brilliantly suggested that they be put on small serving plates. The pasta was al dente and the portobello mushrooms tasted beautiful in the creamy pasta sauce. The Scallop and Asparagus was too bland. The Duck and risotto was lightly dressed with a slightly tangy tangerine sauce. The texture of the risotto was right. And the best Tapas would have to be Lamb Shank with couscous, with beautifully marinated, tender lamb lying on top of some fluffy semolina wheat couscous.

The Dessert menu was not convincing enough for us to partake in anymore sinful pursuits, but the groove at the bar beckoned us over for some after dinner drinks. A beautiful evening where the food was overshadowed by the company. Ciki who embodies intelligence and beauty, Jon (Fat Monkey) with his infectious ebullient sense of humour and Cumi whose stoic calmness camouflages an admirable zest for life. Thanks for transforming a dreary day, guys!

Neo
19, Jalan Sultan Ismail
Just before Wisma KFC
Kuala Lumpur

Tel: +6.03.21.48.37.00

Pacifica. Mandarin Oriental, KL. Midnight Underwater Dining.

(no pork served)

I have never found a compelling reason to dine frequently at any hotels in KL until now, except for Sage at Gardens. The opening hours of Pacifica has always attracted me but I have to brave the really horrible underground car park in order to dine there and after musterring some fortitude, I proceeded there after waking up at 10.30 PM, attacked by hunger pangs.


The theme of the restaurant is the sea, and 80% of the menu comprises of seafood. The decor is a bit tacky and designed to give diners an under the sea kind of ambiance and the blue circles you see on the orange walls are actually aquariums (total of 350) but the tanks are filled with freshwater fishes. ??


The amuse bouche did bring a smile on my face. I was totally famished by the time I got there and the Oatmeal oyster, oyster with citrus dressing and mango salad filled me up as a prelude.


Mussels mariniere for starters. The celery and onion based broth with white wine was slightly wimpy and lacked the herbal punch it requires for vibrancy. A few mussels did not taste too fresh. Adequate, but hardly a revealing dish.


The pan seared Gindara (black cod/butterfish) Prince Murat was served with cherry tomatoes, small crystal wax onions, artichokes and baby potatoes. The fish was fresh and creamy, but bland and would have benefited from a more generous portion of Parsley Jus. Not a particularly outstanding dish.


The star of the show must be the beautiful Praline Soufflé. The choice of desserts are limited. But the soufflé was really lovely. Beautiful airy consistency that did not fall flat, filled with the rich taste of nutty praline. I broke the top a bit to pour n the sauce. One of the best soufflés I have ever tasted!


For the wines, both whites, to match the food and both almost the same straw colour. To the right is the Pascal Jolivet Sancerre 2007 which I paired with the Mussels. It was clean, slightly citrusy and acidic. Fresh and light bodied and youthful. And on the left is the 2008 Macon Villages Borgogne Blanc (Chardonnay). The menu stated 2006. This was a slightly more elegant white, but I don't think there was enough time for the malolactic degradation to produce the desired creaminess yet. It had a nose of peaches/nectarines and was light bodied as well, with a very balanced acidity that matched well with the butter fish. Perhaps next year would be a better time to taste it.

Service was excellent and friendly, but food fuss free, but unenthusiastic. They will be changing their menu next month. It would be interesting to note that they serve a variety of caviars here. Many cuts of Kobe steaks are also available in their grill. Dining there was a tad expensive and the cost of my indiscretion with the wines, a macchiato and a small bottle of Perrier was RM 386 which made it one of the most expensive but unfortunately except for the excellent dessert, unmemorable suppers I've ever had.

Read Curiosity Feeds the Cat's post here, and Cumi and Ciki's post here.

Pacifica
Ground Floor
Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur
KLCC
50088 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: +6.03.23.80.88.88