Finesse in Dining
The House of Hennessy arrived in town for a fabulous dinner at one of the hottest addresses in Kuala Lumpur – the newly-opened Saint Pierre at W Kuala Lumpur. A counterpart to the one-Michelin star Saint Pierre of Singapore, this modern French restaurant helmed by Chef Emmanuel Stroobant collaborated with the brandy maker for an intimate dinner to showcase the cognac’s finesse with the best of fine dining.
The night began with a tasting session of the Hennessy Very Special (VS) – served neat in a beautiful tulip glass. With a distinct fruity taste with notes of crème brûlée and Bourbon vanilla, the roundness of the cognac with a spicy aftertaste made for a great aperitif. The delectable four-course meal prepared by Head Chef Kim Kevin de Dood then began with a starter of avocado mousse, basil, fresh grapefruit and golden croutons paired with a refreshing glass of Hennessy VS Ginger and Lime cocktail.
“The art of mixing Hennessy VS with lime and ginger creates a cocktail that allows for our cognac to be constantly re-discovered in its full expression,” says Marc Boissonnet, Ambassadeur de la Maison of Hennessy Cognac. Diners enjoyed the cocktail while tucked into a second course of seared Hokkaido scallops cooked in almond butter, ginger, coconut and yuzu.
Mains of either Wagyu Beef with nori, horseradish and yellow chanterelle mushrooms or the Atlantic Cod with miso and oxtail consomme were beautifully paired with the rich, powerful and complex-tasting Hennessy X.O, the original eaux-de-vie created in 1870 by Maurice Hennessy himself. Adding a touch of surprise to the night was the delicious dessert of Tanariva-Manjari chocolate served with vanilla parfait and passion fruit sorbet – created in the shape of an X.O.
“Hennessy is the bonification to French dining, enhancing the palate and bringing forth the taste of perfection,” says Boissonnet, who draws a parallel between Saint Pierre in the 17th century painting by Pierre Puget holding the key to paradise with another Hennessy collection – the Paradis Imperial.
“To me, having a Hennessy is like the opening and closing brackets to a meal,” he adds. “It is the aperitif and the digestif, the start and the end. It is the first thing and the last thing that you taste. Hennessy pairs beautifully with the best of what French cuisine has to offer, and it remains to be re-discovered over and over again by chefs all over the world.”
