An Enchanting Christmas @ Uncle Chilli's, Hilton Petaling Jaya

Christmas is less than 10 days away now -- have you decided yet whether you'll be cooking or not?

If you're too lazy to cook, then Uncle Chilli's Christmas Eve 4-course set dinner priced at RM120++ would be a great dining choice. I was recently invited to sample this set dinner and I have to say, the food served to us that evening really surpassed our expectations.

Uncle Chilli's is a bar / restaurant serving a fine selection of drinks as well as Western cuisine. There is a live band playing after 9pm, so it can get a little loud. 

Christmas tree in front of Uncle Chilli's 

The table was beautifully set, with Christmas decorations and candles which set the mood for our dinner. 

Lounge area in Uncle Chilli's

There is where the live band will start playing at 9pm

The menu for the evening

Red and green

Champagne everybody -- as Bubbles DeVere would say!

The set dinner comes with a complimentary glass of Gosset Grande Reserve champagne. 

Alternatively, if you don't drink champagne, you could ask for a Christmas mocktail. This is a special strawberry concoction. 

Warm bread rolls

Chef Denis Vecchiato who hails from Italy came out to present each dish to us. The amuse bouche was a delicate goose liver terrine with port wine reduction. The whole preparation of this dish takes 48 hours from deveining, marinating cooking and chilling. A great start to the meal.

Amuse bouche

The next course was the ravioli filled with Alaska crab served with a lobster bisque and slow cooked leeks and fried basil leaf. Chef Denis explained that it was common to serve ravioli in Italy during Christmas. The fact that the chef is Italian gave us confidence that this was a winner.... and so it was! I especially loved the sweet, rich and creamy lobster bisque which complimented the ravioli very well.

Appetizer... "To Begin"

The porcini mushroom and truffle soup with melted camembert was excellent -- a favorite amongst many of us. Again, this was rich and creamy and the melted Camembert definitely lifted the flavours of the soup. I definitely want more than a few spoonfuls :)

Soup... " A few spoonfuls"

When we first stepped into Uncle Chilli's, we thought that food here would very rustic in presentation simply because the venue is quite casual. I have to say, the food presentation really impressed, in particular the last two courses. Mains was turkey roulade with brussels sprout, baby carrots, and rosemary potatoes. The turkey roulade was nicely stacked, somewhat similar to the Jenga fries Hubby is very keen on doing. Turkey could often be dry (the one here wasn't too dry), but the gravy (which was good) definitely helps mask the dryness of the meat. The portion is huge too!

Main Course.. "Harmony"

The prettiest Christmas dessert, definitely left a lasting impression.Lots of ooohs and ahhs as the plates went around.. adorable reindeers pulling a sleigh chocolate dusting was a very nice touch. The chocolate bomb itself was very smooth, and in the middle you will find a "surprise". A fitting end to a fantastic meal.

Dessert.. "Lasting Impression"

Chocolate bomb with wild berries

Chocolate mousse

At the lobby, you can also find a spectacular winter village display with two Christmas trains. This is a festive charity project to spread joy to the community during the festivities. The proceeds this year will go to Rumah Hope and the National Kidney Foundation of Malaysia. The display will be there until 8th January 2012.

Do your bit for charity

Verdict: Very well prepared set dinner, and good value for money.


Full set of photos available to view here. 

Location: Uncle Chilli's, Hilton Petaling Jaya, 2 Jalan Barat, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Tel: 03-7955 9122 ext. 4063

Website: http://www.zestpj.com/general/festive-season-celebration/

GPS Coordinates: 3.102164, 101.640573