Flavors at 40 Buffet, TRACE Restaurant & Bar, Element Kuala Lumpur

Element Kuala Lumpur celebrates its fifth year anniversary by launching a collection of health conscious, wellness focused menu options for guests dining at its hotel restaurant located on Level 40 – TRACE Restaurant and Bar. Flavors at 40 is the new buffet that highlights locally sourced, fresh ingredients as well as a selection of healthier dishes and crowd favourites.

The hotel has also embarked on a farm- to –table mission with BoomGrow, to serve fresh and green eats that are great with any choice of food. The greens are harvested from the heart of Kuala Lumpur and served fresh. Diners can assemble their own Poke Bowl with a selection of condiments such as cherry tomatoes, cucumber, capsicums, purple cabbage, etc. that are also sourced locally. To encourage healthier eating habits, Element Kuala Lumpur and BoomGrow has also started a campaign, “The Green Chow Down” with goals to embrace creativity in healthy eating.

“After two years in lockdown, Malaysians are embracing cleaner eating habits, with less meat, more greens and more plant-based options. At Element we aim to source our produce locally with the intention of reducing food miles and our carbon footprint. We still offer meat dishes, but we have incorporated more locally-grown vegetables, locally sourced meat, and seafood and cooking ingredients into our buffet line,” said Executive Head Chef Mohd Taib Ridhwan.

Diners can also look out for wholesome dishes such as – Chinese Style Double Boiled Soup with Herb and Fungus, Chicken Salad, Slow Roasted Herbed Mutton, Braised Mock Chicken with Mushroom, Mussels Cooked in Spicy Coconut Gravy with Johor Pineapples, Stir Fried Thai Basil Beef, Wok Fried Mixed Vegetables, homemade soups and broths.

Look out for the live –pasta station, with homemade tomato pasta sauce; locally sourced from Cameron Highlands. The ala-minute cooking style also reduces wastage as diners can select their own condiments, sauces and additional ingredients.

The buffet also offers crowd favorites such as Char Kway Teow, TRACE Signature Pizza, Curry Laksa, Fruit Rojak; assorted Grilled Western and Asian delights.

Check out our IG reels of Flavous at 40 Buffet highlights:

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A post shared by Baby Sumo (@babysumo)

The Flavors at 40 Lunch Buffet is available every Saturday and Sunday from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. Priced at RM 148 nett per adult and RM 74 nett per child.

The Flavors at 40 Dinner Buffet is available every Friday and Saturday – 6 PM to 10 PM. Priced at RM 158 nett per adult and RM79 nett per child. 

Advance reservation is required. For reservations, please call 03-2771 3388 or email TraceRB.Elementkl@element-hotels.com

Pork-free.

Opening times: Monday to Sunday 7am to 10pm daily.

Location: Trace Restaurant & Bar, Element Kuala Lumpur, Ilham Tower, 8 Jalan Binjai, Kuala Lumpur, 50450, Malaysia. (Parking RM5 per hour, RM10 per entry for F&B guests)

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The Halal Integrity of Australian Beef and Lamb | Recipe for Sabah-Style Beef Soto

Australia is an impeccable source of halal meat and meat products, being a long trusted supplier of Halal Beef and Lamb to over 100 countries, including the Middle East, Indonesia and Malaysia.

“Halal” is an Arabic word meaning lawful and permitted. It refers to not only adherence to a set of conditions on how the animal is slaughtered and meat processed but also to how the animal is treated while alive. According to Islamic law it must not be mistreated nor has any pain inflicted on it during its lifetime. It must also be provided with enough space to roam, clean water, food and fresh air. 

All these conditions are met for Halal beef and lamb production in Australia. The animals graze on lush green pastures and are well cared for. It is a natural way of life for livestock in Australia and animal welfare is regulated by laws enforced by government. These have a positive impact on the consistently high quality of Australian Halal beef and lamb. 

A recent study by Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) has revealed that animals raised and processed in a stress-free environment produce better quality meat that are consistent, hygienic, safe and nutritious. These are the beneficial attributes that are permissible for consumption. 

Australian Halal beef and lamb are versatile and suitable for Asian and western cuisine, turning out delicious and nutritious dishes each time. With such quality, fresh and tender meat, it takes less time to cook, whether it’s a beef rendang or a spicy lamb stew. 

All cattle, sheep and goats processed in Australia for the Malaysia market are slaughtered under the Australian Government Supervised Halal Program by accredited Muslims. This program is administered by the Federal Department of Agriculture in Australia. 

Additionally, all processing facilities in Australia employ only registered and trained Muslim slaughtermen from the Halal Certifying Bodies. They also comply with personal hygiene, operational sanitation and animal welfare requirements. These Halal Certifying Bodies are recognised and approved by JAKIM (Department of Islamic Development of Malaysia). The Halal systems and production facilities are regularly audited by internal quality and food safety assurance systems, (Australian and importing country representatives from DVS (Department of Veterinary Services of Malaysia) and JAKIM. 

With a population of 16 million Muslims, Malaysia has a growing demand for halal meat and meat products. The meat is certified halal prior to its import into Malaysia. These authorised representatives will confirm the manufacturing process adheres to Halal standards. There are currently 7 Muslim certifying bodies in Australia for Halal certification export to Malaysia. Meat exporters will also need to meet other requirements under Australian regulations prior to export. Every shipment carries a Halal and Health Certificate. 

Malaysia stands to benefit from both local demand and strong export opportunities by leveraging increasing purchasing power among consumers in other Muslim markets. These include the Middle East and neighbouring Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim country with a population of more than 200 million. 

There are increasing opportunities in Malaysia’s Halal economy. As a member of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), Malaysia’s Halal certification is globally recognised by all Muslim nations, making it a perfect launch market for exporters. Meat and Livestock Australia recently took part in MIHAS (Malaysia International Halal Showcase), the world’s largest Halal exhibition. It’s a hybrid event from 9 to 12 September, combining virtual and physical exhibition, with halal industry players from around the world. The virtual exhibition will continue till 31 December 2021. 

Nearly 30,000 visitors, 28 trade envoys and 2,000 delegates representing the entire Halal supply chain attended MIHAS and the Global Halal Summit in 2019. 

According to Ms Valeska, Regional Manager for Southeast Asia of MLA, “Australian Halal beef and lamb work well with Asian and western cuisine, turning out delicious and nutritious dishes each time. With such quality, fresh and tender meat, it takes less time to cook, whether it’s a beef rendang or a spicy lamb stew”. 

MLA conducted a Webinar “Your Trusted Halal Australian Beef and Lamb, from Farm to Plate” this month. 

Below is a recipe shared by one of the speakers of the webinar, Chef Jason Manson. 

Chef Jason’s Australian Beef Soto 

Sabah Style Beef Soto served with sliced beef and vermicelli noodles 

Ingredients 

400 gm Chilled Halal Australian beef slices 

750 gm Vermicelli noodles (Mee hoon), blanched 

150 gm Cucumber, thinly sliced 

150 gm Beansprout, remove ends 

5 nos Egg, boiled 

50 gm Cilantro, slice for garnish 

50 gm Spring onion, slice for garnish 

3 nos Lime, cut half 

2 tbsp Cooking oil 

To make beef broth stock 

1.5 litre Water 

6 cubes Beef stock 

1 Pcs Sup bunjut (herb bouquet consist of cinnamon stick, star anise, and cardamon 

Blend together 

3 pcs Lemongrass 

3 cloves Red shallot 

2 inches Ginger 

2 cloves Garlic 

2 nos Turmeric fresh 

Method 

1. Preheat a medium size stock pot, add cooking oil and start saute the blended ingredients. 

2. Once the paste is cooked, add the beef broth stock and cook the stock until the stock is boiling and well cooked. The broth (soup) will cook for about 10-15 minutes. Reduce the fire to simmering. 

3. To prepare the beef noodle soup, start to assemble the dish. Place the vermicelli in a serving bowl, add sliced cucumber, bean sprouts on top of the noodle. 

4. Blanch the raw sliced beef in the simmering hot beef broth for at least 1 minute, remove cooked or partly cooked beef slices and place it on top of the noodles. 

5. Pour 1-2 scoops of noodle broth on the cooked sliced beef and noodles. 

6. Garnish with chopped cilantro, spring onion and dried shallots. Place a 1/2 lime on the side. 

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Recipe: Stir fried lamb with capsicum

We love lamb but it's not something we cook regularly at home. And when we do, it's usually roast lamb, grilled lamb chops, lamb stew or rogan josh. While at the grocers last weekend, there wasn't much option at the meat department, so I grabbed two packs of boneless lamb loin. This is what I rustled up in the kitchen - a quick and easy stir fry dish - stir fried lamb with capsicum.

The lamb is thinly sliced and then marinated with light soy sauce and sesame oil. Then, it's high heat cooking - first the capsicums (you can use green, red, yellow peppers as you please) and then the lamb, finished with the smooth, velvelty sauce. Lovely with a big bowl of boiled white rice! ;)

Stir fried lamb with capsicum
Recipe by Baby Sumo
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves 4


Ingredients
300g lamb loin, thinly sliced
2 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 thin slices of ginger, julienned
1 green capsicum, cut into squares
1 spring onion, cut into 2" lengths
2 tbsp cooking oil

For the sauce
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp light soy sauce
2 tsp rice or ginger wine
1/2 tsp caster sugar
1 tsp cornflour
1/8 tsp ground black pepper


1. Place lamb in a bowl and marinate with light soy sauce and sesame oil for 15-20 minutes.

2. In another bowl, combine ingredients for sauce and mix well. Set aside.

3. In a wok, heat 1 tbsp of oil over high heat. Add garlic, ginger and capsicum and stir fry for 2 minutes, then add the spring onion and stir fry for a further minute. Transfer to a plate.

4. Reheat wok with 1 tbsp of oil and stir fry the lamb, about 3-4 minutes. Add the sauce (from Step 2) and allow to simmer for a further 1-2 minutes, until sauce is velvety and has thickened slightly. Add the cooked capsicum mixture and stir fry to combine.

5. Serve with rice.

Stir fried lamb with capsicum

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Restoran Kong Ming, Oakland, Seremban

Kong Ming Restaurant has been around for years; the main outlet is located in Seremban town while the second outlet is in Oakland Commerce Square. We visited the latter lately with a friend dinner and ordered some of their signature dishes.

The restaurant was really busy when we arrived, a little chaotic in fact so it's best to make reservations if you're planning to dine here over the weekend.

Lamb stew (yong lam po) - served in a claypot, the lamb ribs were braised until falling-off-the-bone tender along with beancurd (fu chuk) in a lovely herbal-ish type of sauce.

Curry fish head - laden with vegetables such as cabbage, ladies finger, brinjal and long beans along with deep fried fish head chunks in a Chinese-style curry sauce. We particularly enjoyed flooding our rice with the curry sauce.

Dancing chicken - when our friend told us the name of this dish, we were curious as to what it was. Turns out it's stir fried chicken pieces with brinjal, topped with bonito flakes which looks like they're "dancing" when the wind blows over them.

Stir fried choy tam

Opening times: 11am - 3pm; 5.30pm- 10pm. Closed on Wednesdays.

Price: Total bill RM98 for 5 pax.

Location: Kong Ming Oakland Restaurant, No. 112-1-B &113-1, Lorong Haruan 5/4, Oakland Commerce Square, 70300 Seremban, Negeri Sembilan (behind NSK - street parking available).

Tel: 016-668 9761 (Mrs Tung)


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Wildflowers KL, Petaling Street

Wildflowers KL is a new restaurant and bar located in the bustling Petaling Street. Brought to you by the folks of Merchant's Lane, the restaurant is housed in a refurbished heritage shop house, retrofitted with a shiny, modern bar on the ground floor. Meanwhile, the upstairs dining area gives off a sexy industrial vibe, interlaced with live plants and lots of natural lighting during the day.

On the menu, you will find creative Asian fusion dishes such as snacks, small plates, greens, carbs, proteins and desserts as well as craft cocktails and rice wines (tuak, soju, sake). They also offer a small selection of lunch items such as rice and noodles.

We started with the Mapo tofu with nachos (RM26), a fun, unique dish fusing the popular Chinese dish from Sichuan and tortilla chips from northern Mexican. Scoop up some of the flavorful, spicy mapo tofu, featuring silky smooth tofu and minced chicken, using the crisp nachos.. great finger food for sharing.

We thoroughly enjoyed the Deep fried salmon bites salad (RM34), which came with generous amounts of deep fried salmon chunks, mixed greens, cucumber, tomatoes, edamame and a delicious creamy roasted sesame sauce, which brought everything nicely together.

Some of the dishes from the menu, such as the proteins are only available from 6pm onwards. The Irish stew (RM42) had a wonderful homemade quality to it. The lamb shoulder has been braised until tender, with potatoes and carrots. Usually when I make it at home, I serve it with garlic bread, however Wildflower gives this an Asian twist, serving the stew with toasted Hainanese bread drizzled with truffle oil. Perfect for soaking up all that delicious sauce.

For dessert, we had the Deconstructed tiramisu (RM25), where the ladyfingers are soaked in Korean soju and served with coffee brittle, coffee jelly, and cream cheese. Absolutely luscious.

Their handcrafted cocktails are delightful; we highly recommend the Mugunghwa (RM34), their signature cocktail named after Korea's national flower, a concoction of soju, elderflower, lemon and lemonade soda. My kind of drink for sure!

Named in honour of Captain Jack Sparrow and the Jungle Bird is Jungle Jack Sparrow (RM40), made with white rum, Campari, gula melaka, lime and pineapple.

Wildflowers KL Wildflowers KL Wildflowers KL Wildflowers KL Wildflowers KL Wildflowers KL Wildflowers KL Wildflowers KL Wildflowers KL Wildflowers KL Wildflowers KL Wildflowers KL
Click here for the full menu.

Book your tables here:

Opening times: Sun, Mon, Thurs 12pm - 10pm; Fr & Sat 12pm - late. Closed on Tue and Wed.

Location: Wildflowers KL, 153 Petaling Street, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tel: 03-2856 3369

Nearest MRT: Pasar Seni (200m).


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Weekend Hi-Tea Buffet @ Hilton Petaling Jaya

Every Saturday and Sunday, Paya Serai in Hilton Petaling Jaya presents their ever popular Weekend Hi-Tea Buffet featuring over 40 delectable teatime delights. The buffet, which runs from 12.30pm to 4.30pm, will rotate between three different menus and will showcase International as well as authentic Malay, Chinese and Indian cuisine. Families will also appreciate the various kids activity on offer, from clown appearances to balloon sculptures, sand art, painting, clay, arts and crafts and more.

Some of the highlights on the buffet spread include Roasted whole lamb, Crab masala, Seafood on ice, Sushi, Kerabu, Grilled pesto chicken, Butter prawns, BBQ Szechuan lamb and more.There are also live cooking stations such as Beef and chicken satay cooked over charcoal embers, Grilled lamb and stingray, noodles, laksam and apam balik. For dessert, diners can enjoy local kuih-muih, various goreng-goreng such as fried cempedak, cakes and fresh fruits.

The roasted lamb was so good... lovely and tender!

Satay was also a big hit!

Laksam from Kelantan

Freshly made apam balik.. crispy!

The Weekend High Tea at Paya Serai is priced at RM122 nett per adult and RM66 nett per child. The Kids Activities runs from 1.30pm to 3.30pm. For reservations, call +60 3 7955 9122 or visit  www.zestpj.com



Location: Paya Serai, Lobby Level, Hilton Petaling Jaya, 2 Jalan Barat, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Tel: 03-7955 9122

Website: http://www.zestpj.com/

GPS Coordinates: 3.102164, 101.640573


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Skillet x Beta KL: Where Modern European meets Malaysian cuisine

From now until November 2019, Skillet at 163 will be collaborating with Beta KL to present Skillet x Beta, with a special menu featuring new creations and old favourites showcasing the best of both restaurants.

The food, which will be served in Beta KL, is a spectacular combination of modern European and Malaysian cuisine. On the menu, you will find many wonderful local ingredients such as Malaysian caviar, Pahang single origin chocolate and Lawas Highland rice.

Snacks

To start, we had a variety of snacks; the truffle and rojak tart. The Truffle, is made with shitake mushrooms, topped with a sliver of pickled pumpkin and finally scented with truffle oil for the truffle aroma. The Rojak Tart on the other hand features a crisp spring roll tart filled with sengkuang and pineapple tossed in peanut sauce.

We also had the Kuih Loyang, a traditional snack commonly found during the Malaysian festivities. The crunchy biscuit is tinted with charcoal powder and topped with salted egg yolk cream, deep fried curry leaf and shallots, for a delicious sweet and savoury bite.

Appetizers

The Duck Rillettes was one of our favourite appetizers here. The duck leg is marinated in a pongteh marination for 2 days and then cooked sous vide, before the meat is shredded for the dish. Served with gula melaka syrup, starfruit gel, charcoal tuille and is best enjoyed with the crusty onion or sourdough bread.

Not to be missed is the Salmon Marble inspired by the Sarawak umai. Here, homecured Norwegian salmon is marbled with squid ink and served with pickled radish, mascarpone and a tangy fermented pumpkin juice.

We relished the sweet, juicy Tiger Prawn, skewered onto sugarcane and then deep fried with some quinoa. It was served with a spicy turmeric cream inspired by the gulai masak lemak from Negeri Sembilan. The accompanying spicy winged bean salad with budu was delish.

A marriage of French and Malaysian cuisine, the Escargot & Chicken Mille Feuille combines the flavours of otak-otak from Muar and escargot mille feuille. The water chestnuts and potato skin give texture to this dish while the spicy percik sauce gives it a nice flavour boost.

Mains

We love the unique Scallop Risotto, which is made using two types of rice grown in the Highlands of Lawas, Sarawak - Adan (white rice) and Beras Keladi (black rice). The Adan is a fine, small grain and is used for its fluffy and sticky texture. The Beras Keladi, on the other hand, is very rich and emits a sweet pandan flavour when cooked.The rice are cooked with cheese to give it a rich, creamy flavour and then topped with seared scallops and deep fried cordyceps flowers. BabySumoKids favourite mains here.

The Chicken Roulade, which has been cooked sous vide and then seared to finish, was wonderfully moist. Enjoy it with a touch of ginger, coriander and spring onion pesto, chargrilled chives, potato dauphinoise, pickled shallots and chicken jus.

My personal favourite was the tender Lamb Rump, which has been infused with all the bak kut teh goodness. The roasted garlic puree, along with the bak kut teh sauce further enhances the bak kut teh flavours. So good!

A beautiful, luxurious rendetion of the Penang prawn mee, the Lobster Noodle features pasta tossed with honey, butter poached lobster tail and a rich prawn-based sauce. 

Desserts

And then it's time for desserts. And when Executive Chef Raymond Tham makes his appearance, you know there is bound to be some dessert magic.

BabySumoKids were enthralled and captivated by the Signature Texture of Chocolate (Summer 2019 edition). Liquid nitrogen brings this chocolate dessert to life, and one of the kids were asked to pop it open using the mini hammer. As the name suggests, the dessert showcases different types and texture of chocolate, cocoa soil, and lavender popcorn along with a Thai milk tea sauce.

Specially created for the Mid-Autumn Festival is the Edible Lantern. Perfect for coffee lovers, indulge in the intense coffee mousse, coffee soil, chocolate flowers and tuile wafer.

Pretty in pink, the Strawberry Parfait comes with a rhubarb and ginger compote, white chocolate and pistachio crumb. Light and delicate.

Durian lovers, this one's for you. Featuring the king of fruits, the Musang king durian parfait with pandan cream, peanut croquant, Semai 72% chocolate from Pahang and edible gold paper was rich and creamy - every mouthful a delight. What an indulgent way to end the meal!

Petit fours - Smoked lemon praline and Coconut cookie with coconut cream and jackfruit

Mocktails

Oriental - apple vinegar, jujube, cinnamon, orange

Virgin Bird - pineapple, all-spiced, bitter orange cordial, CO2

Planter Mix (watermelon, rosemary, elderflower, ambra) and Asian Martini (earl grey, Asian cordial, lavender)

You can choose to have a 3-course meal at RM128 or a 7-course degustation menu at RM350. There is also a Lunch Menu, with prices starting from RM18 for a main course.

Pork-free.

Opening times: Lunch 12pm-3pm; Dinner 6pm-11pm. Bar open from 5pm-1am.

Location: BETA Restobar, East Wing, 163 Fraser Place, 10 Jalan Perak, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Parking: 1st hour RM4, every subsequent hour RM3).

Tel: 03-2181 2990

Website: https://www.facebook.com/betakualalumpur/

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