An epic journey in cuisine
With its rich blend of aromas, flavours and sensations, the Hennessy X.O has much to reveal on the nose and palate. To fully savour its complex and bold yet nuanced character, the cognac house embarked on an epicurean odyssey with James Won, chef extraordinaire at Enfin by James Won known for his creativity, and Nurdin Topham, chef-founder of the Michelin-starred Nur in Hong Kong who espouses a field-to-table philosophy. Each a culinary maestro in his own right, the chefs went on a discovery journey of the local produce in Sabah and came away with an array of ingredients to play with. Their culinary experiments culminated in a degustation menu comprising seven exquisite courses, one each to correspond with the X.O’s seven taste dimensions.
The sensation that greets you on the first sip of Hennessy X.O is an intense heat with warm aromas of dried fruit. The chefs translated this into a piquant concoction of succulent Sabah tiger prawn confit in a delicate broth with curry-infused oil, and heirloom tomatoes and wild Sabah mangoes for a bit of tartness and bite. The dish’s intricate medley of flavours complemented the cognac beautifully. To highlight the spirit’s peppery note was French blue lobster married with a deliciously rich burnt coconut crème sprinkled with a dash of Sabah yellow chilli pepper, and served with a side of cubed sweet potato and pickled Sabah seaweed fronds.
The pan-fried hybrid grouper in hazelnut butter dressing contrasted with tart lemon puree and fermented yam bean encased in raw papaya and umbra fruit, enhancing the cognac’s candied notes of orange and apricot. The sea cucumber, slow braised with ulam raja and pomelo leaf oil and nestled on a spongy base of braised pomelo skin garnished with slivers of earthy rubber tree mushrooms, mirrored the velvety smooth, rich texture of the spirit.
To harmonise with the oak and vanilla accents of the X.O, the chefs offered a creative take on chicken rice in the form of tapai-infused slow-cooked chicken with Sabah Bario rice crème and crispy rice for a nice crunch. The penultimate course, a dark chocolate dessert with young coconut mousse delicately infused with ginger, peppercorn and rose water, teased out the cognac’s warm cocoa finish. An intriguing dance of flavours, it was a truly inspired pairing. The final dessert, a nod to cognac’s lingering sweet oak finish, was composed of stewed and slow roasted Sarawak pineapple with Hennessy X.O on cake soaked with pineapple and cognac essence, finished with ginger and orange garnish. Have it with a splash of cognac for that extra zing.
Creating a menu that unpacked the different facets of Hennessy X.O was no mean feat. Chefs Won and Topham’s gourmet exploration presented cuisine that celebrated the freshness and purity of the carefully sourced ingredients, as well as highlighted the versatility of Asian flavours to pair with cognac.
