Chatty Lass

For our first Christmas party at home, I made Garlic-Honey-Butter Roasted Chicken, a mouthful to enunciate but absolutely wonderful to partake (the eponymous marinade spiked with a thimble of white wine lovingly tenderised the meat just so); Caramelised Onions + Mushroom Galette, all of my favourite ingredients atop a pie (crumbly crust enveloped jammy onions and an umami mix of creamy Mascarpone and Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings); Double-Garlic Mashed Potatoes, cloud-like carbs that were as dreamy as can be (infusing the fluffy spuds with bulbs of slow-roasted garlic added a depth of flavour unlike any other, drizzled with ribbons of liquid gold from the roasted chicken just before serving).From ours to yours, we wish you a home overflowing with laughter and shining (ever brightly) with love. Have a very Merry (Early) Christmas!

What we choose to put on our plates impacts the world around us. Since last November, I made a conscious decision to adopt a mostly vegetarian lifestyle (ovo-vegetarian at least five days a week; meat only during travels, special occasions, and work events) by consuming primarily plant-based food after reading a book review with these galvanising lines - “We cannot keep the kind of meals we have known and also keep the planet we have known. We must either let some eating habits go or let the planet go. It is as straightforward and as fraught as that.”

Reports from The New York Times Climate desk showed that meat and dairy production alone account for 14.5% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions - as much each year as from cars, trucks, airplanes, and ships combined; a staggering and deeply concerning statistic. Eventually, my next trip to the bookstore resulted in a search-and-purchase and Jonathan Safran Foer’s compelling We Are The Weather: Saving The Planet Begins At Breakfast changed my view on food forever and reinforced my choice, all the more in the wake of our global environmental crisis.

However, my choice did not come without its set of worries, topping the list are “Will food taste as good with the absence of its meaty counterparts?” and “How will I meet the required daily protein intake?” While I also pondered on my willpower to stick to the cause, something wonderful happened.

Cutting down on meat, seafood, and dairy became a catalyst for newfound creativity in the kitchen. Every Friday night in PJs with a glass of wine in hand, I looked forward to the entire process of scouring the Internet for vegetables-only recipes, tweaking the recipes to suit my tastebuds, curating the coming week’s grocery list, prepping ingredients, cooking, and even cleaning (okay, that might be slightly honeyed - I am still learning to accept, let alone like, washing the dishes). Watching the gradual simmer of dry beans and legumes into hearty stews was surprisingly cathartic; slow-roasting pumpkin cubes doused with olive oil and flecked with sea salt reminded me to slow down and breathe; sautéing onions till they melt into a luscious jammy texture was profoundly simple yet insanely delicious, much like how life can sometimes be.


Whenever I ate out, every bite became meditative - beginning with a studious examination of how each component is arranged, followed by a slow savour of flavours and textures, and finally, a heartfelt appreciation for the hands that prepared the food. As the weeks went by, knowing exactly what I put into my body became a form of self-love, a crucial realisation as I age (in what I can only hope will be gracefully).

Far from being a proselyte of healthy eating - I still love my sugary treats (fruits are never quite enough to stave off cravings for ice cream or chocolates) - what I know and believe is this: if we can all do a little something to make the planet a little better, then we must. As the book’s sub-headline suggests, saving the planet begins at breakfast.

SEAFOOD PAD THAI (Front) This noodle dish was decent. Perhaps we were nitpicking, but we thought it lacked the well-loved Thai flavour nuances - a blend of savoury, sweet, and sour in every forkful. COCONUT BUTTER CHICKEN (Back) The chicken cubes were tender and crispy, coated with a creamy sauce spiked with a tinge of heat from the abundance of capsicums and onions.

VIETNAMESE GRILLED SUGARCANE PRAWNS (Front)  |  BALINESE FISH SATAY (Back) The 'meats' were well-seasoned and flavourful with delightful accompanying dips. Shame that they weren't grilled on the spot and served piping hot.

TAB THIM KROB We ended the night on a sweet note, and this hits the spot for the both of us.

Entrance to the trattoria-style restaurant.

The beautifully rustic interior, with the delightful scent of freshly baked bread wafting in the air.

RISOTTO FRUTTI DI MARE Seafood risotto with a sharp swirl of lemon oil. LINGUINE AGLI E OLI CON GAMBERI Linguine aglio olio with prawns, arugula, and cherry tomatoes. VILLA MARIA’S MERLOT-CABERNET A full-bodied red with supple tannins and a mouthwatering smooth finish.

Gorgeous pavilion inside Sheraton Imperial.

I know, this post is slightly late.

But, in my defence (a beloved line for lawyers and procrastinators alike), the first month of 2017 slipped through my fingers swifter than sand; the weekly travels were entirely to blame. Also, I began (but never finished) writing this entry in a strangely vacant airport last week while waiting to board the plane; surely, such a gallant attempt must be commended.

To make up for lost time, here are a few snapshots captured during the first month of 2017:

JAN 1ST, 2017 My bubba. This is the face of sheer bliss and utter contentment after a bath from Mumma.

JAN 7TH, 2017 Flew back to Penang and packed on the pretty for one of my dearest friends’ wedding. Pictured here with Cinderella.

JAN 12TH, 2017 Homemade lunch of lotus root soup with chickpeas. Comfort food to ameliorate the massive headache I woke up with, due to the sweeping haze over KL.

JAN 14TH, 2017 (AM) Childhood friends at our childhood friend’s wedding. T’was a beautiful morning in church that day.

JAN 14TH, 2017 (PM) Zoomed off for tea with my godbrother, forewent the event I was slated for, and tea segued into dinner.

JAN 19TH, 2017 View from my window seat, right after take-off. That day, I learned that Usain Bolt has got nothing on me. Read the full story *here*.

JAN 20TH, 2017 Been awhile since I last hit the stage. Fun night performing at my childhood friend's reception in Penang.

JAN 27TH, 2017 (AM) These are a few of my favourite things... Simple, homemade reunion lunch with my family.

JAN 27TH, 2017 (PM) Deviated from the ushe and had Japanese for our reunion dinner with my grandaunt and her family.

JAN 28TH, 2017 First day of the Lunar New Year. Pineapple tarts, I'll have you know, I am not immune to your charms.

JAN 29TH, 2017 My happy place - A glass of juice (laying off alcohol for a little bit), gentle afternoon breeze with rays of sunshine slipping through the leaves, placid waters and intelligent conversation.

1. Spend the night in the heart of the city.

2.  Have dinner at one of the prime dining spots in KL.

YELLOWTAIL SASHIMI JALAPENO An unusual yet genius combination of yellowtail on yuzu soy sauce, topped with razor thin slices of a fiery jalapeño.

SALMON NEW STYLE SASHIMI Paper thin salmon slices drizzled with yuzu soy sauce, sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds and gently seared with New Style oil (a combination of olive oil and sesame oil, smoked and poured immediately before serving).

ROCK SHRIMP TEMPURA A testament to Nobu’s Japanese-Peruvian marriage of cultures, the sweet rock shrimp is fried in Japanese-style tempura and then, each piece is coated with a sauce made from Chile mayonnaise, yuzu juice and shiitake.

SAUTEED SCALLOPS WITH WASABI PEPPER SAUCE Outrageously fresh scallops, seared, and served in a shallow pool of phenomenal wasabi pepper sauce (minus the sinus-inducing wasabi kick).

IKURA AND UNI SUSHI Salmon egg and sea urchin sushi, respectively.

BLACK COD WITH MISO A plump piece of black cod fillet steeped in sweet miso for up till three days, before being baked in the oven.

CABERNET SAUVIGNON An absolute gem and a darn good bottle of red.

CHOCOLATE SPHERE A white chocolate dome protectively housed sake kasu ice cream within it. When the waiter poured the hot chocolate sauce, the red sphere disintegrated into a beautiful mess right before my very eyes and formed an alluring trail, melding into the crispy almond and matcha crumble.

MANGO TO TANGO No visit to Nobu's would be complete without a drop-in to Marini's on 57, located just a floor above the famed restaurant.

3. Dance the night away at your first ever Indian wedding ceremony.

4. Wake up to the stunning view of the city and be utterly spoiled at breakfast.

5. Bid adieu to Cinderella and kick yourself for not doing this sooner.

Cinderella* and I.

6. (Entirely optional) Go back to sleeping in your own bed and hating Mondays.

Tucked away at the corner of a secluded row of shoplots in SS17, Bistro à Table might look unimposing to passers-by; yet it is anything but ordinary. This cosy nook is owned by Chef Isadora Chai, a Marketing major with an insatiable passion for food, life and her five Rottweilers.




The innovative chef switches up the menu once every few months, so that patrons are always in for a gastronomic experience whenever they visit, making it a perfect dining spot for those who love one-of-a-kind concoctions.

APPETIZER

The only permanent fixture on the ever-changing menu is Chef Isadora Chai’s Signature – Maple Syrup Coddled Egg with Fleur de Sel and Crouton Dust – which we decided to try. Within the shell was the splendid blend of sweet and savoury flavours, comprising of a well-executed soft boiled egg, maple syrup and hand-harvested sea salt, brought together by the crunchy texture from the crouton dust.

MAINS

Our next dish arrived and with it, so did the crowd. We ordered the Japanese Tarako Spaghettini with Hokkaido Scallops and Shredded Squid. As non-creamy pasta fans, we would be the first to admit; we are now converts. Each strand of spaghettini was generously coated with salted cod roe, a glorious mix of creamy and briny with every forkful. The enormous scallops were the star of this dish – Incredibly fresh and perfectly pan seared, juicy on the inside.



We also sampled the Pan-Seared Market's Best Catch with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes & Lobster Bisque. The fish was spectacularly seared to crispy skin perfection, before it is dipped into the frothy decadence of the lobster bisque. The hybrid of textures is what makes this dish outstanding – Tender, flaky fish coupled with velvety mash and decadent broth of crustaceans.

DESSERT

However, the dessert was the main attraction that stole the show.

Imagine a world where all things bitter and sour could be sweet… Magical? Maybe. Impossible? Not in the least.

Introducing the Mind Screw, a sugarless pineapple roulade with Sarawakian pink pepper tulle, green apple ice cream and mango puree.



The beautifully plated sweet course arrived and along with it, a set of instructions. In our conversation with Chef Isadora later that night, she regaled the inspiration for this brilliant edible masterpiece. On a trip to Sweden some years back, she discovered the Miracle Berry in a local pharmacy and learned that it was used as a natural sweetener for people with diabetes. Her background in science, when paired with her creative culinary genius resulted in a (as it is called) mind-screwing dessert.




We were asked to first taste the mango purée and the green apple ice cream. There was a hint of natural fruity sweetness to both, with a tinge of tartness for the ice cream. Next, we were requested to lick the lemon wedge and as we should, our faces crinkled at the burst of acidity. We were then invited to suck on the miracle berry lozenge until it is completely dissolved. A wee bit of patience is necessary, but it was worth the (slight) wait.

Once the lozenge dissipates, we were asked to lick the lemon wedge again, and the sharp taste was replaced with utter sweetness. In fact, it tasted like orange and we ended up chewing through the entire slice. It also heightened the dessert's natural flavours, minus the calories. The simple science behind this interesting dessert might not be a miracle, but I daresay, it is nothing short of god-like.

CONTACT DETAILS

Address: 6 Jalan 17/54, Petaling Jaya, 46400, Selangor.

Tel: 03 - 7931 2831

Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 6.30pm - 11pm.


*Author's note: This piece was originally intended for my little space. I only realised much later (read: after we've polished off our food and wine) that we've already covered a review for this place (with a different menu then). Never one to waste a good recommendation, I took the liberty of sharing it here on my personal blog.

Homemade brunch of 3/4 boiled eggs, kaya-butter toast, green apple, blood oranges and TWG's Silver Moon.

Did 2 out of 4 so far. Totally nailing this thingamajig.... until my ex-colleagues told me that they're in town and unanimously decided we should have tea together. And then, Freelance Work reckoned since my plans to bum out are foiled, might as well milk it to his advantage.