MERCHANTS ALL DAY DINING AT CROWNE PLAZA KLCC

 

Specialities from four corners of the world beckon from Merchants All-Day Dining restaurant at the new Crowne Plaza Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC).

Located on Level 13, this modern and inviting outpost serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and even brunch to both hotel guests and the public daily. Neutral tones reign within: pristine white tiled walls with contemporary light fixtures, rustic communal tables, open kitchens and eye-catching décor evocative of a bustling marketplace form an inviting backdrop for dining, entertaining and relaxing purposes.

Open 6.30am to 10.30 pm (operational time applicable for various meal sessions), Merchants also has a tastefully furnished private dining room, available for reservations.

Pix courtesy of Crowne Plaza KLCC

Currently, the Selera Kampungku Buffet Dinner (RM188+ per adult) is served for ‘buka puasa’ (6.30pm-10.30pm) until 7 April.

On our maiden visit recently, lunch can be had from Merchants’ a la carte menu offerings of local classics and international fusion options. We opted for Gambas Al Ajillo (RM50), Grilled Australian Angus Beef Burger (RM55) and River Shrimp Curry Noodles (RM60) as there was only two of us.

Lunch started on a positive note with toasted baguette slices as the perfect accompaniment for the delicious tiger prawns. Cooked in olive oil, garlic and chilli flakes, the crustaceans were yummy and tasted even better when paired with the crusty bread soaking up the robustly flavoured oil.

That appetiser paved the way for the scrumptious burger. Sandwiched between a sesame seed bun, the juicy mince Angus beef patty was enhanced by caramelised onion, melted Cheddar cheese, smoked beef slices, sliced tomato, lettuce and gherkins.

For different taste variations, we tried sampling the burger with mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard and sweet chilli sauces in miniature bottles on the side. Chopped onion and jalapeno also provided sharp albeit welcome flavour accents. These condiments worked well with the burger. Our only complaint was the rather dry thick-cut fries.

If you choose to have the curry noodles, you can pick either wantan noodles, yellow noodles or rice vermicelli. We preferred rice vermicelli and it was a good choice to absorb the aromatic spiced broth.

The river shrimp imbued the soup with its rich, natural sweetness; its meaty texture adding textural appeal to the equation. Varied textural interest was drawn from the inclusion of chicken, beancurd puffs, long beans and beansprouts.

We completed our meal with Sago Gula Melaka (RM25), a pretty creation of moulded large sago pearls complemented by mildly creamy coconut milk with palm sugar syrup. As desserts go, it passed muster as we personally prefer the smaller sago pearls for nicer mouthfeel.

To work off our lunch a little, we went on a quick tour of the hotel, starting from the rainforest-inspired RhymBa Lobby Lounge & Bar where huddle spots and solo pods accord guests a nice respite or double up as functional work spaces.

The different room categories were pleasantly modern and versatile, designed to blend work/life travel needs for productivity and relaxation. Furnished in neutral tones to suit today’s business and leisure traveller expectations, each room come with spacious and well-appointed bathroom, comfy sofa couches, and tactile rainforest element décor.

Up of level 32 we were shown to Le Midi, a modern brasserie cum bar with expansive views of the city skyline and a speciality menu of French fusion fare.

Relaxation reaches new heights with the hotel’s rooftop infinity pool and cutting-edge gym. Also available is a spacious ballroom and five well-equipped function rooms with all the essential mod-cons.

For more information and reservations, call Crowne Plaza Kuala Lumpur City Centre, tel: 03-27828888. Address: No 22, Menara 8 Jalan Yap Kwan Seng, Kuala Lumpur.

 

ON CULINARY CLOUD NINE AT NIMBUS

 

Prawn Bisque Noodles and Herbed Crusted Lamb Rack are two heavenly show-stoppers that left an indelible impression during our maiden visit to Nimbus.

Helmed by restaurateur-chef Fred Choong and his business partner Long Seh Yung, Nimbus draws a relatively young, hip crowd for its fine-dining level menus minus bank-breaking prices. At RM388+ for a four-course menu catering for two persons, it’s considered a snip compared to other atas (posh) restaurants in the Klang Valley.

Dinner started on a promising note with the house-made Almond Milk Bread wowing us with its cottony-softness. Slathered with sublime Mushroom Truffle Butter, it was a harbinger of Choong’s culinary artistry. BTW, the bread and butter are available for takeaway at RM10 each and RM45 per 100g.

For the 1^st course, the options listed in the menu included Seared Scallops with Tom Kha Emulsion, Capers and Ikura (supplementary charge of RM15), Turmeric Chicken Terrine, Salmon and Cured Yolk with Smoked Capsicum Sorbet, Prawn Paste and Fungus or the chef’s Octopus and Yam creation.

The natural sweetness of scallops was perked up by the bright, citrusy-grassy and creamy accents of Thai-inspired tom kha emulsion. Subtle bursts of capers’ tartness and salmon roe’s savouriness amped up the dish’s appeal.

Familiar Asian flavours shone through the escargot topped Turmeric Chicken Terrine. Sandwiched between thin, crisp puff pastry, we relished the playful textural combination with salted egg yolk cream.

Salmon and Cured Yolk with Smoked Capsicum Sorbet, Prawn Paste and Fungus proved Choong’s adroit ability at mixing and matching flavours and textures. A most creative French-style dish brimming with intriguing Malaysian accents especially that rojak-like sauce. Unbelievable but it worked like a charm.

Similar to the evergreen yam cake, Choong’s tantalising speciality of Octopus and Yam showed how a local favourite can be levelled up. The chef’s ingenious idea of placing grilled baby octopus atop an oblong chunk of yam pudding incorporating dried shrimps and chilli, and puffed rice crisps was excellent.

For the second course of Oyster Royale, dried oyster-infused oil and jus bestow depths of flavour to dulcet-smooth egg custard topped with herring roe. We also found a pair of plump oysters embedded within silky custard.

Riffs of Penang-style prawn mee made the Prawn Bisque Noodles (supplementary charge of RM28) a stellar crowd-pleaser in our book. Toothsome squid ink wantan noodles cooked in prawn broth made a sublime pairing with a whole grilled river prawn accentuated with zingy gochujang for this signature speciality. Slivers of pickled torch ginger flower and ikura added the finishing touches.

Choong’s personal favourite of Herbed Crusted Lamb Rack (supplementary charge of RM98) had us smitten at first bite. The medium rare lamb rack enticed us in with its juicy tenderness. Tricked up with longan jus and roasted garlic alongside potato dauphinoise, the delectable dish was something to write home about.

No less compelling was Mushroom and Artichoke Risotto with capers, sundried tomato and noisette beurre blanc (hazelnut butter sauce). The sundried tomato’s muted tangy accent tempered the creamy rich risotto whilst lightly grilled eringi mushroom gave the ensemble a slight meaty texture.

We found the Guinea Fowl Tortellini with seaweed beurre blanc, cordyceps flower and goji berries a tad underwhelming. It was still delicious but this speciality was eclipsed by earlier, more stellar offerings.

Choong is a dab hand at both savoury and sweet dishes as we soon discovered when it was time for dessert. His exquisite Sesame and Matcha creation with toasted sesame, summer berries and vanilla ice cream was refreshingly beguiling.

Exuding heavenly lusciousness, we readily succumbed to his sweet iterations of Hazelnut and Chocolate, Strawberry and Cream, and Orange Pudding. These stellar treats succeeded in lifting us up to a culinary cloud nine known as Nimbus.

For reservations, contact NIMBUS, 72G, Jalan SS 21/62, Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.