There is nothing better, than sharing a platter..

Over Bellini’s.

Daniel Boulud’s.. I like this place.

Read the full post, here.

Just last week, we were invited to tea at the Ritz Carlton.  One thing about the tea they serve at the Ritz – it’s lovely! The three tier afternoon tea set over-flowing with freshly baked scones, quiches, mouth-watering finger sandwiches and delicate pastries is a sight to behold. My tummy rumbled, but first, the serious business. This time round, a Ronnefeldt TeaMaster® , Mr. Andreas Aufmkolk, would be conducting a presentation and interactive tea tasting to introduce and explain the 40 different types of tea that they sell. With over ten years of experience in the tea industry this guy was really a recognised authority on the beverage, and we couldn’t wait to meet him.

Tea, next to water, is the most widely consumed liquid in the world. There are countless numbers of different teas, tea varieties and ways of enjoying tea. Whether you prefer black teas, green tea, oolongs, fruit or herbal infusions, Andreas was here to tell us all about the differences in quality when is comes to tea, and why it’s important to know about the variety and the brand of tea you’re buying, because there are differences and you can taste them. No-one is born a tea connoisseur especially not me (I much prefer coffee) but I was told that trying out new tastes could awaken the tea drinker in me. I agreed to partake, hoping to be wow-ed by this awesome tea.

Mr. Aufmkolk started off by giving a short presentation on the history of tea and where Ronnefeldt started from. He then went on to introduce the different Ronnefeldt teas, explaining the subtle differences between them and their origins. This was concluded with a tasting session, where we would put our newly learnt skills to the test. The rumble of the tea cart containing over 40 different kinds of Ronnefeldt tea was an awesome sight – definitely nothing simple about this simple cup of tea!

Two leaves and one bud – time plucking by hand

Whether the tea is plucked properly also has an effect on the quality of the tea. Teas from Ronnefeldt are, therefore, plucked with care by hand.  It is mainly women who, standing between the long rows of tea bushes, strip the leaves with one skilful movement of the hand. Only a fine plucking is suitable for producing the best quality, i.e. only the last bud on a branch covered in a white down and the two newest leaves next to it are plucked. High grade fine plucking demands skill, sensitivity and patience before the tea can be deemed to be first class. Wow, what amazing care.. and no wonder they choose women to do the plucking eh?

The different types of tea

INDIA – DARJEELING
Darjeeling: Tea growing area in the Indian Himalayas. The most precious teas are grown in this area up to a height of 2,500m. The continuous change from dry to moist air, from chilly conditions to intensive sun, with mist and monsoon rain the great aroma and the flowery elegance of Darjeeling tea is developed. Connoisseurs value the mild and flowery taste of First Flush (Springtime Darjeeling) from the first harvests. Second flush Darjeeling is highly aromatic. Both are perfect served with or without fine white sugar.

INDIA – ASSAM
Assam is a state in the North-East of India. The estates are located on the slopes of river Brahmaputra at heights of 300 m to 800 m and form the largest connected tea growing area in the world. With a humid tropical climate, strong, spicy teas are harvested. Tea drinkers who prefer strong, malty, full-bodied teas – preferably with crystal sugar and cream will enjoy Assam.

CEYLON (SRI LANKA)
Sri Lanka is an island in the Indian Ocean. The best teas are grown in the highlands at heights between 1,000m and 2,000m. The monsoon rain dictates the timing of the harvest between June and September. When it rains in the west of the island, high quality teas are harvested in the eastern UVA district. In the west, the best Dimbula teas are plucked when it rains in the east between January and March. Teas from Ceylon are not heavy, have a lemony slightly steely aroma and a wonderful reddish colour. Ceylon teas are suitable for a hint of milk.

GREEN TEA
Preventing fermentation of the leaves creates green teas. Enzymes in the freshly plucked leaves normally start the fermentation process. To create green teas the leaves are treated under very strong heat after the withering process thus preventing fermentation. In Japan the withered leaves are steamed, in China the tea is pan roasted.

FLAVOURED TEA
The most famous flavoured tea is definitely Earl Grey, which was introduced to Europe in the 19th century. But the real masters of flavouring tea were the Chinese who started 2,000 years ago by combining them with Jasmine, rose petals and chrysanthemums. Apparently Ronnefeldt’s tea taster develops selected teas by blending different pieces of fruit, peels, petals, leaves or spices and adding fine, precious oils to create new and fascinating compositions. Japanese Sencha with its large unrolled leaves is one of the best because the flavouring oils adhere perfectly to its large leaf surface over a long period. A superb example of a deliciously flavoured green tea is the ever so popular Morgentau (Morning Dew).

Tea-Time!!

I am totally loony over the clotted cream and jam and scones at the Ritz !

the tower of scones that had us babbling..

care to quiche?

more finger food

desserts that paired with our tea, to a Tee!

Our take home message was that just like wine , one could pair tea with food. The lighter tasting teas with lighter food, the flavoured teas with desserts and green tea with the somewhat savory and “fishier” smelling items such as smoked salmon sandwiches. However, there is no hard and fast rule and Andreas encouraged us to experiment and see what we liked, for ourselves. All in all a great and enlightening experience. I have actually gotten quite the hang of drinking tea, I think. I might give it a second chance;)

About the Ronnefeldt TeaMaster®:

A tea drinker for as long as he can remember, Mr. Aufmkolk grew up in the northern regions of Germany where tea drinking is very much a way of life. In 1994 he kick-started his association with Ronnefeldt while working a property that served the tea. In 2007 he trained and achieved his TeaMaster® Silver qualification in Frankfurt where he successfully completed the course covering history, the processing of tea as well as a two-hour examination and blind tasting. His visit to KL was an opportunity for us to learn about the various traditional and modern teas, get a qualified opinion on where the industry is heading and what new blends and trends there are to watch out for.

Is it shopping? photography? bogus haircuts ?

.. Nope.

What brings them together is actually KL’s legendary, less than RM30 per pax  lunch at Max’s.

Max@iHaus is a cool joint off Jalan Bukit Bintang that offers great fine-dining in the evenings and equally fantastic food for its super affordable set lunches during the week. I am talking about a drink plus a choice of Starters and Mains for  ONLY JUST  RM 25++.

So unbelievably good a deal that the food bloggers, the writer, the baker and the travel blogger went a bit loony..

But seriously folks,

Choose between Marinated Feta Cheese Salad with Olives and raspberry Vinaigrette or Pumpkin Soup with Caneloni Beans for Starters,

And for Mains, Choose between Charbroiled Chicken Chop with Chardonnay Rosemary Sauce or, Oven Baked Butterfish with Thyme Jus and Sauteed Potatoes or, Smoked ducked Breast with Olio Spaghetti..

Throw in Coffee /Tea and a dessert for another RM14, and call it a lovely afternoon out to lunch with the posse.

About the place Max@iHaus:

iHaus is a German Interior Showcase that houses international brand names in furniture. It is located off Jalan Bukit Bintang Kuala Lumpur Malaysia and they offer everything under one roof, be it raw materials to finished products as well as interior architectural design.  Whilst visiting ihaus, the idea is that one would be enticed to dine at Max at iHaus  – fantastic fine dining, great modern cuisine while you make your decision on just which piece of imported furniture to buy. Of course Max@iHaus has now made such a name for itself that people just come for the wonderful food, even if they are not buying furniture.

The ravenous suspects featured were:

@fatboybakes @alilfatmonkey @paranoidandroix @kennymah @delectablesu @velvetescape

Add:

Max@iHaus
Lot No 32 Jalan Jati
Off Jalan Bukit Bintang
55100 Kuala Lumpur

Google Maps

Lafite.

I was not sure what my expectations were of this super high class restaurant whose name has stood the test of time, apart from expecting the meal to be phenomenally expensive.  Also, being the pessimist that I am, I was expecting to be disappointed by the current reviews I have read so far. Wrong on both counts.

The incredibly expensive meal wasn’t expensive. More importantly, I don’t think I was expecting to be blown away by the food quite as much as I was, that’s for sure.

The incredibly expensive meal wasn’t expensive..

This restaurant really is something else, a unique experience and a cut above the other fine dining restaurants in Kuala Lumpur, that I have eaten in. The ambiance was perfect, friendly and relaxed. Each course was outstanding and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend going if you love fine food and want something different. My only slight criticism was that the service was a tad sluggish and tough it was not terribly late, some of the desserts from the dessert bar (such as the cheese) had finished by the time we finished our meal.

I’m not going to talk too much about the food because I do not want to spoil the surprise.. for Chef Georg Schröppel is as much a magician as a cook. He definitely pulled out a bunny for me, from that hat and made a jaded magic-show fan sit up and go Wow..! If there were a Chef ‘s Magic Circle then Chef Georg Schröppel should certainly know that group’s secret hand-shake and password.

One thing I will tell you though is you must try the new set lunch menu.

Good news too for all you young hungry executives out there who are as eager to climb the corporate ladder as to show off to that new girl you are trying to impress, that you know about the finer things in life. You can show off for a lot less at this restaurant.

Chef Georg’s luncheon menu is to die for..

Lafite is now offering Chef Georg’s luncheon menu from which you can choose a selection of hot and cold appetizers before indulging in a delicious main course.  For one appetizer and main course, the price is RM 82 (plus service charge and tax), or you can enjoy two appetizers and a main course for the price of RM 108 (plus service charge and tax).  Both sets include unlimited desserts from the showcase and coffee and tea. You might think “great prices” already but wait till you see the food. You will be wondering why Lafite’s management has lost their mind giving way almost free food. OK, I exaggerate. But you catch my drift.

Then as we were dining, I saw the Chef.

He is young, good-looking..  really too young to have so many accolades under his belt. What’s more I pledge complete and utter allegiance to a Chef, ANY chef who offers such delicate, wholesome cuisine at such amazingly affordable prices.

Chef Georg’s cooking style can be described as how I like to wear my hair -  light and breezy. It’s simplicity is so gob-smackingly obvious yet effective, you wonder why you never ate here sooner. Another point on young Chef Georg here is that his highly aesthetically pleasing creations are not just pretty things that sit on a plate. The dishes are wholesome, never overcooked and packed with antioxidants that will not leave you feeling lethargic and this my friend is essential, for that ‘Body Combat’ class you will be attending in a couple of hours time. First time I ever felt pumped up energy levels after a fine-dining lunch. Normally you need to scrape me off the ground with a spatula, like a newly trodden, flattened slug on the jungle floor.

Ok, ok, now I have definitely said too much. Some gorgeous food porn on some crazily affordable food! Feast your eyes now, if you please.

HOT AND COLD APPETIZERS

It’s not all solely in the presentation, though that counts..

Four Colour Tomato Salad .. four colour tomato, tomato marmalade, white tomato mousse, tomato sherbet, honey yuzu vinaigrette

..it is in the flavours and textures as well.. and believe me, it is all here on this plate! A lovely, refreshing  plate of cold starter of tomato that had us Oo-ing and Ah-ing in appreciation.

Yellow fin tuna tartar- black sesame crisp, crushed avocado, cucumber salad, ginger yuzu vinaigrette

Chilled cucumber soup - with Hokkaido scallop, sesame cream, dill, black sesame jelly and salmon

Asparagus quails egg - White asparagus, poached quail eggs, Bearnaise sauce

Spiced risotto – risotto, duck bolognese, braised radicchio lettuce

Homemade Tagliatelle Pasta – butter poached salmon fillet, kumquat compote, salmon caviar sauce

Zen-like features to soothe the weary soul..

MAINS

Golden Brown Seared Atlantic Cod Fish – roasted Cod , baby potatoes, young carrot, black truffle sauce

Duck Confit – Almond potatoes, red cabbage, Brussels sprout, green cardamom sauce

s

Stuffed Organic chicken breast – young leek, king oyster mushroom ragout, chive sauce

Braised short rib – crispy celeriac sticks, young broccoli, corn, thyme sauce

dessert showcase – a variety of sweet endings!

VERDICT:

My three other dining companions will attest to the fact that the food presented was close to faultless. Speaking for my own selection of hot and cold appetizers as well as the mains, I was deeply impressed. I actually went with a “fish theme” and felt that it was a good choice. The Yellow fin tuna tartar which was essentially black sesame crisp, crushed avocado, cucumber salad, ginger yuzu vinaigrette was as beautiful a starter as it was delicious. The creamy avocado and delicately diced tuna was nicely balanced by the zesty ginger yuzu vinaigrette. I felt refreshingly perky after this cold starter (To answer that raised eyebrow, yes, more so than normal). Also, if you think that sort of starter might be a little too healthy for you, check out my second starter of Asparagus quails egg .. Oh, it was a half boiled quail’s egg and you would have seen me shiver with delight as the center burst forth and engulfed the white asparagus and Bearnaise sauce in a golden cloak of runny egg yolk. Fantastic!

My mains of Golden Brown Seared Atlantic Cod Fish was fresh and full of that fatty flavor of Cod. This fish was so finely roasted it only just imparted a light browning to the outer coat of the fish. A calculated, finishing touch of  black truffle sauce was all this dish needed coupled with sides of baby potatoes and young carrot to seal the deal. I polished off my mains without any problems whatsoever and I was ready for my Combat Class , starting in about 3 hours at the gym. The other thing I really appreciated about my Cod was that the Chef served the truffle sauce in the form of a fluffy bed of foam. Beautifully light, yet supremely decadent. After this the desserts were a blur because we had so many to choose from. One thing I was unhappy about was that the cheeses had run out. Apart from that, not much to complain about really.

A great end to a superb lunch. The company was terrific too for sure.

Lafite’s set lunch comes highly recommended. What are you waiting for, all you corporate ladder climbers. Get eating.

On Chef Georg Schröppel

Born in 1978, he is of German nationality. For two years prior to moving to Restaurant Lafite, Chef Georg was the Chef de Cuisine at the Ritz Carlton, Guangzhou, one of China’s most prestigious fine dining establishments where his culinary talent was recognized with the presentation of “Best Restaurant in Town Award” by Talk Magazine. In 2007, he earned the Chef’s Master Craftsmen’s degree in Rothenburg, Germany, prior to which he spent time honing his fine dining cooking skills in two- and three-star Michelin establishments such as the Residenz Heinz Winkler, Restaurant Waldhotel Sonnora in Germany and the French Laundry in the United States.

Feeling anaemic? Want to eat the Best Steak in Kuala Lumpur?

During the month of April, Prime introduced for the first time, the Wagyu thick skirt steak. What this means is now, more people can enjoy the great quality of a Wagyu steak without paying exorbitant prices. This humongous steak is priced at approximately RM 100 only for 220 grams, a great price for an excellent hunk of red meat. Did I mention it’s Wagyu?!

Apparently people rarely get to eat this cut of beef, because  in general it is coveted by butchers and chefs themselves. (i.e. the butchers grab the good stuff before it has a chance to arrive on the table). How would I describe this cut of meat? Well, stronger tasting, but truly, a MAN’S steak. No pussyfooting around this one. Texture wise – slightly tougher than the regular Wagyu but still an incredibly soft and succulent cut of meat. The price really takes the cake.

At Prime, the steak is served with diced shallots fondue and butter poached crispy Idaho potatoes, topped with a homemade BBQ sauce.

At the moment this promotion is no longer on, but due to such an amazing response, the Chef is considering adding it to the ala carte menu.

Just for comparisons sake, we actually had the regular gourmet Wagyu to see if we could tell the difference in quality.

The Certified Wagyu steak available are Australian Certified Wagyu Beef/Kobe styled (Marbling score of 6 and above). The cuts are the Sirloin 340 gram steak for RM 340 ++; the Ribeye RM 360 ++  and the Centre cut filet mignon RM 430 ++.

The Ribeye was delicious! Totally amazing and of course it was more refined in texture than the Skirt Steak. However, flavor wise, it was hard to fault the Skirt. It tasted just the same, and for that price I will definitely keep coming back for the Skirt Steak. Hmmm , this just means I have to wait for the Chef to introduce it to the Ala Carte menu again.. soon hopefully!

We also had the pleasure of trying THE WAGYU PRIME RIB served with Idaho steak fries potato, wild forest mushroom fricassée and light black summer truffle. Priced at approximately RM480 per kg it was also a gorgeous hunk of “prime” meat.

Expensive, exquisite.

Make no mistake, you are paying top dollar for only the finest.

Apart from that, what I also like about dining at Prime, is that they have approximately 350 different varieties of wines from all over the world offered at the Sommelier’s table. That’s just crazy!

What can I say. Prime. A great place to splurge on a meat eater’s meal. Highly recommended.

Thank you Cheryl Lum for inviting me, Cravings Joe and A lil Fat Monkey to dine! She says it’s just for catching up , But I could not pass up the chance to blog this place because it’s just too fine to ignore;)

Prime also bakes their own bread.

This is served at the restaurant and is also available for take-away.