Mooncakes @ Concorde Hotel KL

Wish upon a blue moon

August 23, 2019

Wish upon a blue moon? Why not? Even better, bring the moon home… in blue, gold or pink. These golden “cratered” globes sparkle in 3 gorgeous hues and not only do they look good in your home but will also make great gifts for family and friends.

Hand-made individually in a process that includes glass blowing and crackling techniques, these arty crackle glass globes light up to add an enchanting aura to any room.

Crackle Glass Light Globes come in 2 sizes and 3 colours

The sparkly globes use 3 AA batteries and come with a metal stand though the stand is not necessary as the can stand firmly on their own.

There are two sizes: 22cm (9ins) and 12cm (5ins). The 22cm globe set (RM138 nett) with 4 mooncakes come in 4 set combinations of baked or snowskin mooncakes. Choices include white lotus paste, white lotus with double yolk, pandan lotus, fruit & nuts, white lotus black sesame and 2 new varieties – lotus paste with lohan kor (monkfruit) & lotus paste with chestnut & custard.

The smaller light globe sets (RM90 nett for 2 globes and 2 mooncakes) have choices of Japanese red bean, yam lotus with single yolk, golden pandan pure lotus and white lotus black sesame.

Four varieties (from top) Yam Lotus Paste, Lotus Paste with Chestnut & Custard Paste,
Lohan Kor with Longan Paste and Golden Pandan Pure Lotus Paste 

I love the lotus paste with lohan kor. The aroma of monkfruit, punctuated with bits of dried longan, is intense, as is the sweetness of monkfruit and longan. 

But for those who prefer more subtle flavours, lotus paste with chestnut and custard will be a better choice.

Musang King snowskin durian

I still remember Concorde Hotel’s Musang King snowskin durian from last year. To my delight, this best-seller is available again this year, and even better, there’s no increase in price. It’s still RM168 nett for 4 pieces. When sliced, you can see layers of pure durian flesh, compressed tight. There are no additives; the flavour and aroma of the king of fruit shines clearly.

Light Globe or Lacquer Jewellery Box? So hard to decide

Lacquered Jewellery Boxes come in 4 pastel shades

Japanese Red Bean and Chocolate Peppermint mooncake

Mooncakes also come in Lacquer Jewellery Boxes (RM148 nett) containing six mini mooncake varieties such as Japanese red bean, pure lotus, golden pandan pure lotus, yam lotus paste with salted egg yolk, chocolate peppermint and pure white lotus. The two-tier boxes come in 4 pastel shades of pink, blue, red and lavender.

phoenixbee@gmail.com

Hotel Lobby (halal) 

Concorde Hotel KL

2 Jalan Sultan Ismail

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Telephone

+603-2144 2200

Promotion

·       Hotel Lobby, Concorde Hotel KL

·       South Court Mid Valley Megamall KL

·       North Court, The Mall, Mid Valley Southkey, Johor Baru

Melting Pot Café

Spice me up!

April 25, 2019

Black pepper, candlenut, cardamon, cloves, cinnamon and star anise: These six spices take centrestage at the aptly named Citarasa 6 Sekawan, happening for the month of Ramadan at Melting Pot Café in Kuala Lumpur’s Golden Triangle. I am not terribly fond of buffets but I must admit Melting Pot’s chefs do take great pains to create one of the best spreads in town.

Variety of ulam-ulam with different types of sambal, including a lusciously creamy tempoyak

You can't get fresher dates than these 

This year, the variety of kerabu, ulam-ulam and the accompanying sambal and dips, are astounding. The Chicken Liver Kerabu, in particular, is lively on the tastebuds and I love the thick, creamy tempoyak. Almost like eating durian flesh.

If you prefer to start slow, have a chilled drink or a cup of hot tea/coffee, with fresh dates still hanging in bunches. Then there’s the soup station for Bubur Lambuk and Seafood Tom Yam as well as the salad bar, with sushi, fresh salad greens and various dressings and toppings. Next to this are fresh oysters and poached prawns and mussels on ice.

All kinds of kerabu and salted fish

Grilled whole Red Snapper with Percik Sauce

There's also Thai-style steamed barramundi

On the other side of this island table is a whole Roasted Lamb, carved as you wait, and Grilled Red Snapper with percik sauce. Move along and you’ll find claypots filled with tempting hot curries and at the other end, there’s dim sum and Thai-style steamed fish kept hot in huge bamboo trays.

Gearbox Soup

Unlike most places which serve mainly Malay cuisine, Melting Pot Café has a balanced menu of Malay, Indian, Chinese and Western cuisine as well as Thai and Padang fare as well as an impressive line-up of cooking stations along one wall. 
There’s goreng-goreng (fried fare) and a range of beef soup such as Gearbox, Tulang Rawan (cartilage), Oxtail and Perut (tripe). Gearbox is always popular and all evening, I see customers walking gingerly to their tables with giant bowls of Gearbox Soup.

Well-marinated and deepfried quail and prawn

I am drawn to the goreng-goreng station. The aromas wafting over from there is irresistible. I fill my plate with deepfried crab, udang galah, chicken and the most succulent, well marinated burung puyuh (quail) that I have ever eaten. So good I go back for a second helping. Usually, these birds tend to be dry from overfrying.

Roti John is immensely popular

There’s teppanyaki too, next to the trays of Roti John and Lala Kam Heong. Customers choose their favourite seafood or meat and the chefs will cook this a la minute.

Siput Sedut Masak Lemak Daun Kunyit

Black Pomfret in Spiced Black Soya Sauce

Back to the hot mains. I always look forward to siput sedut (Belitung or sea snails) and am rewarded with a yummy Siput Sedut Masak Lemak Daun Kunyit. The turmeric leaves add their special flavour to the snails. Ikan Bawal Masak Kicap Berempah is another dish to have more of. The chunks of black pomfret go so well with the mildly spiced dark soya sauce gravy.

Tender chunks of meat in Lamb  Varuval

Butter chicken

Indian Fish Head curry

Another dark as night dish comes from the Indian section. Lamb Varuval looks forbidding but don’t let that fool you. The pieces of lamb are so tender and juicy, with a gorgeous aroma. Or have Butter Chicken or Fish Head Curry with rice or tosai and dalca.

Doesn't look like it but Sayur Kapau packs a whole lot of kapow!

Sambal Udang with Onions

Beef Dendeng Kering Balado Merah

Gulai Ikan Masak Lemak

Thai-style roasted chicken

Braised  shitake mushroom with silken tofu

For Indonesian Padang cuisine, I love the Sayur Kapau (softly cooked cabbage and long beans in a creamy curry gravy), Sambal Kentang Ikan Bilis Tempe (potato, ikan bilis and tempe in dry sambal) and Gulai Ikan Masak Lemak. There’s also Beef Dendeng Kering Balado Merah.

Having had my fill of mains, I head back to the salad station for Fruit Rojak. I pick chunky pieces of guava, pineapple, jicama, cucumber and sour mango to go with the thick rojak sauce, topped with crushed peanut.

Kuih muih to satisfy your sweet tooth

Then it’s off to the dessert counters, laden with cakes, pudding, jelly, fresh fruit, ais kacang and local kuih muih. There’s lekor, cekodok, banana and sweet potato fritters, prawn fritters, kuih talak, kuih sago, kuih kole kacang, kuih ketayap, serimuka, pulut panggang, bahulu and more.

A freezer is filled with ice cream potong in various flavours such as yam, red bean, cempedak and even teh tarik. The Pengat Durian with steamed glutinous rice proves to be the crowd’s choice though while Ondeh-Ondeh and Apam are freshly prepared.

phoenixbee@gmail.com

  

MELTING POT CAFÉ

Concorde Hotel KL

2 Jalan Sultan Ismail

Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia

Telephone

+603-2717 2233

Email

fbkl@concorde.net

Promotion

Citarasa 6 Sekawan with over 160 dishes

Nightly: May 11 to June 1, RM138 nett

May 6 to May 10: RM118 nett

June 2 to June 4: RM118 nett

Children 5-12: 50% discount

MELTING POT CAFÉ @ Concorde KL

Thai Passion

August 18, 2018

It’s been a really blazing hot August but Chef Nopporn Nutto is turning up the heat further at the Melting Pot Café. The talented chef is no stranger to the KL dining crowd as he has been in a couple of Thai restaurants before he joined Concorde Kuala Lumpur.
His additions to the regular buffet spread (local and international dishes as well as seafood on ice) at the Melting Pot Café are what’s creating a big buzz. From salads and soup to main courses and even dessert, there’s so much to taste and savour. 
My Best Friend start with Yum Nuea-Yarng, a Thai beef salad while I pick raw long bean, tomato, carrot and cucumber to eat with Nam Prik Ka-Pi Thai (sambal). Perfect for prepping the tastebuds. 

Sambal dip gives oomph to raw salad vegetables 

I was going to give Yum Kai-Doa (egg salad) a miss but when MBF insists, I take a piece. I’m glad I do because it’s really good. Fried bulls-eye eggs are coated with a zesty sauce with chopped cucumber, chilli, onions and coriander. 

Thai egg salad

I do not care for Guay Tiew Reua, Thai street flat noodles in soup, which I think a bit on the sweet side but MBF slurps away with glee. No problem. The seafood tom yam is a cauldron of seafood delights. There’s plenty of crab, mussel, prawn and oyster mushroom in the spicy soup. The seafood is so fresh and sweet in flavour I go back for seconds. 

Seafood tom yum with crab, mussel, prawn and oyster mushroom

The main courses beckon. I love Pla Nueag Ma-Now; the red snapper is steamed with lots of lime and chilli to bring out the best side of the fresh fish. Those who prefer fish fried will enjoy Gaeng Som Pla Krob. Deboned and sliced into bite sized fillet, the fish is tossed with a hot and sour gravy. 

Steamed red snapper with lime, chilli, ginger and garlic

Fried fish in hot and sour gravy

This and the green chicken curry go perfectly with Kao Pad Thai Fried Rice and a side of Pad Ka-Na Pla-Kem (stirfried kai lan with salted fish).  

Thai Fried Rice

Stirfried kailan with salted fish

Green chicken curry

I am not a fan of fried food but the Fried Bread, Thai Popiah and mini Thai fish cake make yummy snacks, especially with the sweet Thai chilli sauce.

Deepfried snacks: (from top left) Thai fish cakes, Thai bread and Thai popiah

For dessert, there’s Thai Sweet Banana with creamy santan, mango sticky rice topped with santan and crunchy split mung bean and Tab Tim Krob (red rubies in iced coconut milk). 

Thai sweet banana in syrup

Fresh mango to go with glutinous rice topped with coconut cream and crispy mung bean

phoenixbee@gmail.com

MELTING POT CAFÉ (halal)

Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur
2 Jalan Sultan Ismail, KL
Reservations: +603-2717 2233 or fbkl@concorde.net

Promotion
Thai Passion
RM110 nett. 
Dinner only 6.30pm to 10.30pm. Until August 31.