Intercontinental Kuala Lumpur is proud to present Chef Wang Gang’s Beijing Imperial Cuisine Promotion in the Heart of the City!
We are fortunate these days that the evolving technology has actually provided borderless boundaries in the gastronomic industry among others. What used to be almost impossible is now made possible and almost at ease where one can now literally travel around the world or learn from other cultures and cuisines! The world has learned to accept cuisines from various countries and embraced them with pleasure. Intercontinental Kuala Lumpur has recently brought in Chef Wang Gang from Beijing to host the Beijing Imperial Cuisine at Toh Lee Chinese Restaurant for the month of July. For those who have not had an opportunity to visit Beijing but would love to check out the cuisine, do make a visit to Toh Lee this week for a taste of fine Beijing cuisine by Chef Wang!
Intercontinental Kuala Lumpur’s recent makeover at the Grand Foyer was mesmerizing! Enchanting chandelier that is mesmerizing while grand pillars and high ceiling added the grandeur of the hotel. I am in love with the waiting lounge area where high back sofas in royal blue and brown stand out against a back drop of lighted shelves. If you are intending to make an impression, whether for pleasure or business, Intercontinental Kuala Lumpur is the place for a memorable stay or dining experience!
A first visit for me, Toh Lee exuded a classic Chinese ambience from its décor to the furniture it holds. Named after a peach tree in China, it has an old world charm at a glance and a sense of tranquility echoed throughout the restaurant. Despite its elegance, I was told that Toh Lee will be going through a makeover soon. With the new Executive Chef Darrel J. O’Neill on board, one can look forward to a brand new concept in Toh Lee’s cuisine together with Chinese Chef Wong Lian You.
The humble Chef Wong Lian You had just won an award together with his team in an international competition. It’s an obvious notation when we had a chat with the chef that truly reflects his passion about his creations. I am extremely excited in looking forward to his new creation after Toh Lee’s makeover!
Pickled Lotus Root whets the appetite for what’s to come in our dinner!
Starting off every Chinese meal, despite regions and origins, soup is the crucial dish in every Chinese household. Here at Toh Lee, Chef Wang’s creation of Tomato and Wild Mushroom Soup with Razor Clams is a beautiful elixir broth of simple tomato and wild mushrooms filled with razor clams and fluffy egg strands. Gentle and piquant, the broth was really provocative in flavors and unique in its combination of ingredients.
The next dish, Stir Fried Crispy Chicken with Asparagus and Spicy Fish Sauce, is a favorite of mine. Despite the fiery looking sauce, flavors were surprisingly mellow and luscious. Crispy batter chicken thigh was jazzed up lusciously by the slightly spicy bean sauce perked up with fish sauce and sweet black vinegar. Superbly well controlled in the balance of flavors, I lost control and had this with steaming hot rice!
Another signature Beijing cuisine showcased by Chef Wang was Beijing Style Sweet and Sour Cod Fish! Not to be mistaken for our home-style sweet and sour sauce, this one took a turn in appearance and flavors. Big chunks of cod fish were fried and glazed with black sweet vinegar sauce topped with crispy fried garlic chips. What made this dish distinctive was the black vinegar brought in by Chef Wang from China specifically for this promotion. The sweet and sour vinegar sauce was reduced to a syrupy sauce with a caramelized note. Truly appetizing and beautifully intoxicating on the palate!
Oxtail lovers, the next dish was meant to be yours… Steamed Oxtail with Chinese Spicy Bean Paste. Sitting on top of Chinese ramen noodles was thick creamy steamed oxtail pieces studded with baby tomatoes. The sauce comprised of yellow bean paste, also brought in from China, as its main flavor. Tasting notes are very creamy, a little nutty and peppery, lending a rich spicy finish to the dish. The oxtail was a little gelatinous and required a little bite. Slurping the slippery and spicy noodles was a delight and the dish is better savored hot as it can be a bit cloyingly rich when cold.
We ended the meal like royalties. Made for only royalties in the earlier days, Traditional Royal Stuffed Sweet Rice Dumplings was treated with utmost care in the makings. Made from glutinous rice and glutinous flour, the soft mochi like texture was encasing a precious filing of osmanthus, honey, walnut peanut and sesame seeds. Nutty and not too sweet, I enjoyed several dumplings for a happy ending!
Take a journey this July to Beijing with Toh Lee’s Beijing Imperial Cuisine Promotion available from 2nd to 31st July 2012 at Intercontinental Kuala Lumpur.
TOH LEE
InterContinental Kuala Lumpur
165 Jalan Ampang.
50450, Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 603 2782 6188
The soup definitely worth a mention!
ReplyDeleteSteamed Oxtail with Chinese Spicy Bean Paste and Beijing Style Sweet and Sour Cod Fish.
ReplyDeleteI am salivating looking at them! Thanks for sharing!
http://durian2land.blogspot.com/2012/07/like-sir-meme.html
Pickled lotus root - yummy!
ReplyDelete