There are some things I got here to find out about Chef Chin after eating at Shu Kl: he capabilities at at least 100%, by no means settles, and he loves the ladies in his life. That is additionally reflective of the meals he serves on the restaurant, which has been calling the rooftop of Menara IMC residence for shut to 2 years now.
I used to be there to strive their menu—Diaspora Journey—exploring the motion of the Chinese language diaspora, from Chin’s ancestral lineage in China all the best way right here in Malaysia. Oh, and he additionally ensures that you simply by no means depart so unfulfilled that you simply’d desire a second spherical on the mamak downstairs—his arch enemy.
As I research the menu in entrance of me, a number of objects leap out in familiarity: regulation regulationsteamed pomfret within the Teochew fashion, guava with bitter plum powder—I’ll quickly discover out that what can be served in entrance of me is extraordinarily completely different from the meals that I do know and am acquainted with. That is additionally one other factor I learnt about Chin: he enjoys difficult views.
Shu KL is small however snug, fancy with the white tablecloths but cosy with the open kitchen whose cooks hold a watchful eye, wandering over with the subsequent course and able to clarify each element about the way it was ready. The camaraderie right here is real, with restaurant supervisor Shaun sharing particulars about how a sure dish was made (after which remade, with a number of previous variations always being tweaked to perfection). I’m informed that what I’m having is probably not the identical as the subsequent or earlier time, as Chin is all the time searching for methods to make it higher.
Take, for instance, the trio of snacks introduced to me at the beginning of our dinner: lei cha, egg fudge with chilli crunch, and braised, roasted peanuts. Simple, but undeniably so. The lei cha—a traditional vegetarian dish of Hakka descent—was served in a pai tee. The “egg fudge” was, the truth is, a polo bun with housemade “Lao Gan Ma” folded in egg yolk.
Bursting with flavour, the “bun” was crunchy, making for fairly the enjoyable texture. In the meantime, the braised peanuts paid homage to the form of appetiser you’d get earlier than a Chinese language banquet meal. I used to be informed that there had been a number of iterations of this snack, owing to the suggestions from former patrons. This model is shiny and glittery, wrapped in a strong gel-like part that has a silky peanut paste enveloped inside.
Experimentation within the Shu KL kitchen is essential, with Chin’s different crew member, Chef Tee, main the fore. This was evident not simply within the dishes but additionally within the non-alcoholic drinks pairing we needed to go together with the tasting menu. Enjoyable reality: Chin doesn’t drink alcohol, and this non-alcoholic drinks pairing is an try and emulate wine flavours minus the thrill—one thing that I imagine extra individuals will be capable to recognize.
The “glowing wine” at the beginning of the meal was hawthorn syrup infused with soda, tingling and prepping the palate for what’s to come back. Later through the meal, I’d additionally expertise extra savoury-forward drinks, just like the pineapple and tomato mixture with a distinguished texture and aroma of tomato. As I stated, experimentation is essential. So are appearances.
It was thrilling to see simply how Shu KL plans to reinterpret Chinese language dishes that we’re so acquainted with. The steamed pomfret for our first course was not even steamed.
There was pomfret—it was dry-aged and served uncooked, alongside consomme made with the pomfret bones and containing tomato, salted plum, and salted vegetable to emulate the sauces within the conventional Teochew dish. The second course—Rice—didn’t comprise rice.
Not within the apparent sense, that’s. The “rice” was current within the rice flour bread, served with olive leaves cooked down in pork fats into a really mild emulsion. The bread was a delight to eat; the feel was bouncy, and it was flavourful sufficient by itself.
However paired with the olive leaves, it was—for lack of a greater phrase—like crack. The olive leaves weren’t too overpowering as a result of the feel itself was mild, which was key in preserving the dish collectively.
Flavour City was not the one vacation spot right here at Shu KL. Texture performs an necessary position, too. That’s why, for his or her third course, they wished one thing with a crisp-crunchy texture.
This was achieved with pickled beetroot surrounding black garlic tofu puree. Beneath this gorgeous association is jellyfish—the cornerstone of crunchy textures.
Completed off with a cucumber dressing and chilli oil, this dish was a medley of pickle flavours balanced out by the cucumber dressing. The underrated star of the present, in my view, was the jellyfish, pulling the flavours and textures collectively.
Again on flavour city for the fourth course, we discover yellow wine, which has been given the driving force’s seat on this dish. Aka ebi (Argentine crimson shrimp), razor clams, and scallops are aged in yellow wine.
Assembled on a plate and spritzed with yellow wine, it’s then adopted by a coronary heart butter sauce—nearly bisque-like—that additionally accommodates yellow wine. It’s decadent however not cloying; the aged seafood and its freshness complement the butter sauce. We’re informed that this can be a favorite dish amongst patrons of the previous, and we are able to see why.
As I discussed earlier than, Chin doesn’t let his friends depart hungry. We had been shocked with a number of off-menu dishes, like this sturgeon roulade. Right here’s one other enjoyable reality—Shu KL’s restaurant supervisor Shaun, wears many hats, and certainly one of them consists of being a companion at T’LUR Caviar.
Sturgeon eggs could also be the principle product, however the fish itself is commonly discarded; most cooks don’t actually know what to do with the meat that’s deemed tough to deal with. Not at Shu KL, although.
The roulade was served with a sturgeon broth—smoky and barely creamy—and had a really bouncy consistency that was a delight to chew into. It was surprisingly mild in flavour regardless of what sturgeon meat is often identified for: robust and musty.
Then, it was time for the principle course: Bitter Plum, a tribute to Chin’s mom who loves the guava and assam boi combo. Nevertheless, this can be a primary dish with pork; not a dessert. The pre-dessert comes later, which is a tribute to a different beloved lady in Chin’s life: his fiancee, who loves these cute little rice yogurt drinks. Dragonfruit sorbet is served with rice yogurt, a pleasant conclusion to a hefty primary of pork—and a shock duck dish—and a prelude to the precise dessert, which takes us again to the play on texture.
QQ is such a novel texture that the Western world doesn’t have; for Shu KL’s dessert, they whipped up a medley comprising dumplings, smoked coconut, and coconut cashew ice cream. It nearly tastes just like the dessert you’d get on the finish of a Chinese language banquet meal. Wealthy with out being cloying, with numerous bouncy, QQ texture from the mochi.
Handle: Stage 8, Annexed Block, IMC Tower, 8 Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur.
Make a reserving right here.
This text was first seen on GRAZIA MY.
For extra on the most recent in luxurious life-style and gastronomy reads, click on right here.
