The new 2018 Spring / Summer Degustation Menu is injected with a South American touch, influenced by Executive Chef Raymond's recent trip there. It also features seasonal ingredients such as morel mushrooms and artichokes. It was an afternoon filled with sensory delights as plate after plate of the most beautiful food graced our table.
I can't think of a better way to while the afternoon away than sipping on a glass of Veuve Clicquot champagne. Shortly after, the amuse bouche arrived - a duo of small bites to whet our appetites, including a mini taco shell topped with tomato salsa and home-cured salmon as well as cauliflower, bell pepper and mascarpone on a choux pastry. The fruity, fresh flavours of the Veuve Clicquot pairs extremely well with seafood.
The first appetizer from the degustation menu is the Octopus ceviche. After trying various ceviches in Peru, Chef Raymond came up with this version - octopus is marinated in tiger's milk aka leche de tigre, a Peruvian term for the citrus-based marinade to cure the seafood.
It is spicy, tangy and packs a punch, thanks to the lime juice and chiles. This is served together with compressed watermelon, pickled daikon and a cucumber snow (it adds theatrics to the whole dish too!), all which help mellow down some of the spiciness from the chile. This dish also features cancha (aka toasted chulpe corn) which is often served alongside ceviche in Peru and has a lovely, nutty flavour.
For the degustation menu, diners have the option of pairing their meal with the specially selected champagne and wines. The second wine for the pairing is the Sybille Kuntz Riesling Spatlese, Mosel 2011, a late harvest which is less sweet than normal Rieslings and pairs well with shellfish and spicy food.
Morel mushrooms are one of spring's greatest treasures and Chef Raymond uses both morel and shiitake mushrooms to make an intense umami broth. This clear, flavourful consomme, is poured tableside over some egg noodles and mushrooms. Absolutely delicious!
Currently in season are French artichokes; they're chargrilled for a lovely, smokey aroma and paired with a sweet pineapple and lime puree and charcoal soil.
One of the classic dishes at Skillet, the Tomyam Prawn features tiger prawn wrapped in spring roll pastry and deep fried (so crispy, you can eat the shell and head too!), eryngii mushroom and clear tomyam foam.
The Il Carpino, Oak Pinot Grigio 2011 is an orange wine from Friuli-Venezia Giulia, made using Pinot Grigio grapes fermented with the skin to give the wine an orange hue. It is then aged in old Slovenian barrels for 12 months.
Huancaina, a Peruvian sauce made from yellow peppers is another recipe picked up by Chef Raymond from his visit to Peru. Here, he pairs the velvety sauce with a tortellini, filled with braised guinea fowl and parsley oil.
Guinea fowl, huancaina
Duck rilette and foie gras make up this beautifully crisp, juicy croquette, topped with cherry gel and further enhanced with a cherry jus.
Elegant with a smooth finish, the Terrazas is made from 100% Malbec from a single vineyard in Argentina and pairs well with rich meats and chocolates.
For mains, diners have the option of lamb bak kut teh or beef short ribs. Bak kut teh is usually made using pork, however since the restaurant is pork-free, Chef Raymond uses lamb loin instead. The lamb is pan seared and served with a roasted garlic puree, shimeji tempura and Bak Kut Teh foam. The distinctive flavours of bak kut teh spices in this dish is apparent - I loved it!
Deconstructed bak kut teh
It even has fuchuk (deep fried bean curd), just like the real deal
Hubby had the beef short ribs which has been slow cooked with coffee for 48 hours until fork tender and served with a smooth pomme puree and seasonal vegetables. This fantastic dish definitely got everyone singing praises.
Diners can opt for a cheese platter (RM30 supplementary) before desserts. First, we had the lighter peach and jasmine granite with white chocolate mousse, berry compote and sour meringue, which sort of works as a palate cleanser after the rich mains.
Finally, we were treated to the signature Texture of Chocolate, a magical dessert that never fails to impress. Liquid nitrogen is poured into the chocolate sphere, activating the white chocolate popcorn. Each diner is given a hammer, to break open the sphere, revealing more chocolate (6-7 different types of chocolate used in total) and hot chocolate sauce is poured over this creation. What a fun way to end our meal!
You can watch all the magic unfold here in this video.
A beautiful mess
Petit four
The Degustation Menu offers a great progression of flavours and textures and showcases some fantastic seasonal produces. Priced at RM300 per person (food only) and RM250 for the champagne /wine pairing. Available for dinner only.
Skillet at 163 also offers a Lunch menu (RM55 for 2-courses or RM70 for 3-courses) as well as a 3-course Dinner Menu for RM128.
Opening times: Mon - Sun (12.00pm - 3.00pm & 6.00pm - 11.00pm).
Location: Skillet @ 163, Fraser Place, 10 Jalan Perak, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Tel: 03-2181 2426
Website: https://www.skilletat163.com/
GPS Coordinates: 3.154174, 101.708805
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