Based in the Czech Republic, Chef Pavel is currently the Executive Chef of The Terrace at The Golden Well Hotel, the most prestigious restaurant in Prague. He comes from a family of culinary experts who have been in the food industry since the 17th century. With an illustrious career spanning 29 years, his culinary expertise has taken him around the world to countries such as Austria, France, Italy, India, Singapore, Hong Kong and Germany. He has received many accolades that include Cook of the Year in the Czech Republic and was a gold award recipient at the Singapore Culinary Olympics.
Dining here at The Library this afternoon brought back many fond memories of our trip to Prague many years ago. It was a truly amazing lunch, as we were taken on a 5-course gastronomic journey of the finest Czech cuisine.
The Smoked Trout Mousse did a fantastic job of teasing our palates, with its smooth, rich texture and sweet-savoury flavours. Made from smoked trout and eel and topped with a citrus jelly, the mousse was served with (more) smoked trout, beetroot slices and beetroot mousse. This was paired with the Cecchi La Mora Vermentino from Italy, the perfect accompaniment to seafood. A delicious start to our meal :)
One of my favorite dishes of the afternoon, the Veal Tartare was mixed with sun dried tomatoes, goat's cheese, parsley and dill and it was sublime. A beautiful mix of salty and sour flavours, this was served with a glassy egg yolk. Intrigued, I asked Chef Pavel about the egg, and was told that it was confit for 2-3 hours at 75°C, chilled and finished with olive oil. This was paired with the Bonpas Luberon, a light white from France.
Next to arrive was the Bohemian Kulajda, a classic thick Czech soup made with mushrooms, potatoes and dill. Topped with a beautifully runny poached egg, we were told to mix the egg into the soup before savouring. Thick, creamy and tangy, the soup also featured chunks of cubed potatoes and fresh forest mushrooms. Getting its zing from the vinegar added to it, I found the flavours to be totally unique, and enjoyed it tremendously.
The highlight of our meal was the Duck, which Chef Pavel showcases in two ways - duck leg confit and also sliced duck breast, cooked sous vide. The delicious duck was paired with traditional Czech Carlsbad dumplings, made using toast, parsley and egg white. Bringing the whole dish together was the red cabbage, which helps cut through the richness of the duck. This was paired with the elegant Zisola Nero D'Avola DOC from Italy.
For the finale, Chef Pavel served up some Old Prague's Pear Dumplings for dessert. The dumplings are filled with pear confit and marzipan, and served with crispy breadcrumbs (which taste like crumble by the way) and a nutty butter (which contains no nuts, instead it's brown butter). Paired with a sweet, floral KWV Classic Collection Moscato from South Africa.
For those interested to sample some of Chef Pavel's culinary wizardry, you may do so on 10th or 11th April 2018 at The Library from 7pm to 11pm for dinner. A rare chance to experience delicious Czech cuisine in Kuala Lumpur... don't miss it!
Menu by Chef Pavel Sapik
Thank you to The Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur for the wonderful lunch!
The five-course dinner is priced at MYR350 nett per person with an option of wine pairing at MYR500 nett per person. For reservations and enquiries, please call +60 3 2142 8000 or email dining@ritzcarlton.com.my.
Location: The Library, Level 1, The Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur, 168 Jalan Imbi, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Tel: 03-2142 8000
GPS Coordinates: 3.146901, 101.715438
Website: http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/malaysia/kuala-lumpur
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That egg yolk - I wonder what happened to the white.
ReplyDeletePossibly used in making the Carlsbad dumplings (as it requires egg white).
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