The glamour of high jewellery and fantastical creations set the mood on a recent evening at Blanc restaurant in Macalister Mansion, Penang. Tiffany & Co’s Jean Schlumberger pieces brought forth the recognisable Bird on a Rock brooch, Panier rings, the Bow Knot brooch and paillonne enamel bangles. Extraordinary olden-day craft is utilised with the complex paillonne process involving layering precious gold foil and meticulously ‘painted’ vitreous enamel – a method which reveals and preserves an incredible depth and luminosity. 

Accompanying these remarkable pieces which embody the natural world, was a delicious five-course menu from Blanc restaurant. It began with a bafun uni – a much rarer species of sea urchin, together with fennel emulsion. Then, an appetiser of mud crab with fruit tomato, Hass avocado and baby gem lettuce. For the mains, a Scandinavian halibut was served with a cauliflower mousseline, champagne sauce and Amur caviar while the Organe chicken came with a side of Chorizo, sweet pea and dash of green peppercorns. To polish off the meal, was the “Papillons” dessert, a recreation of a butterfly flapping its wings, with crispy caramel “wings” mingled with Tahitian vanilla and apple sorbet.