An autumnal harvest
Before winter, there is autumn. And autumn is a time of bounty, where rich and earthy ingredients take the spotlight. Utilising the flavours of the fall to full extent, Chef Raymond Tham at the inventive Skillet@163 (just a short distance from KLCC at Frasers Place) has crafted a festive menu that eschews tradition for something a bit more au courant.
The five course pairing menu is preceded with an amuse bouche, which changes daily. In our case, it was a truffle-infused chawan mushi topped with a sliver of black truffle; the creamy texture of the egg custard melding particularly well with the richness of the truffle. After this serotinal prelude, the menu begins proper. The first course is a chilled Alaskan King Crab, surrounded by ice plant leaves, nashi pear and (for a local twist) kedongdong granite. Paired with Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut, the icy freshness of the dish is lifted by the briny pearls of ikura dotted about and the textural crunch of tapoica wafers.
Next, the Truffles & Gold is quite a triumph. Risotto with a (very) generous helping of black truffle, a ‘kampung’ soft boiled egg, Grana Padano and 24K edible gold flakes, the ingredients meld together into a rich, warm and nourishing union that contrasts well with the sharpness of the Daisy Hill Sauvignon Blanc. The soothing theme continues into a dish of pan-seared foie gras, given an Eastern lift with Madras curry seasalt, curry leaf tempura and cardamom-scented prune compote alongside a fluffy brioche cube. It’s a complex melange of flavours – creamy with a hit of spice and sweetness – enhanced by the Late Harvest Viognier Roustabout 2013 from Australia.
For the main, choose from a spiced duck breast with duck rillettes and foie gras croquettes on parsnip puree or pan-seared lamb loin in cocoa butter on an aubergine puree, fermented cranberries and Gobo chips. The former will be a familiar sensation to those familiar with Chinese roast duck, mirroring those tastes with the robustness of autumn vegetables, while the latter is a joy, with the cranberries and aubergine lending a piquant sweetness to the brawny lamb and the slight bitterness of the cocoa. Both mains go with the Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Reserve Rey Sol from the Curico Valley in Chile, a delightful wine that adds depth to the dishes.
Dessert is a spin on Skillet@163’s signature Textures of Chocolate. Fresh pine leaves and cones surround a plate where a chocolate sphere rests, infusing the air with piney freshness that is enhanced by a squirt of pine-scented spray. Frozen with liquid nitrogen, the sphere is cracked opened to reveal shards of popcorn – actually white chocolate – on a bed of cocoa soil. A swirl of Hennessy VSOP cognac adds some sharpness to the dessert, preventing it from getting too cloying.
The Skillet@163 Festive Menu is priced at RM300+ per person or RM550+ for two. Wine pairing is an additional RM150+ per person. The menu runs until 1 January 2017, and will them morph slightly into a Chinese New Year menu, followed by a Valentine’s Day menu.
