For many, it is undeniable that good music and great food are a great pairing for that perfect Saturday night out.
Shook! Kuala Lumpur at Starhill Gallery is presenting the Saturday Night Vibes to hype up your weekend, bringing a heavenly combination of live music by Malaysian talents and an exquisite culinary journey to its guests.
Expect a different line-up weekly this month from the likes of Broadway-inspired musical entertainers Fazz, soulful female quartet Crinkle Cut, trombonist Q Sound and songstress Evelyn Feroza to set your night in tune with the delectable Cirque du Culinaire buffet dinner spread.
“We are showcasing different food elements from the variety of restaurants in Feast Village, and all will be converging at Shook!
“The restaurants including Fisherman’s Cove, Khushi Spice, Sentidos Gastrobar as well as Luk Yu Tea House will be preparing myriad cuisines from both East and West.
The Tiger Prawn Skewers from Fisherman's Cove is seasoned with Togarashi, a seven-spice mixture from Japan.
“Performers were also hand-picked to give a unique twist to the dining experience at our restaurants,” said Feast Village general manager Joerg Hontheim.
Diners will be welcomed with the signature cocktail of either the Aperol Spritz or the Aperol Spritz slushie while teetotallers can opt for the Virgin Cosmopolitan.
The Aperol Spritz aperitif concocted from three shots of prosecco, two shots of Aperol and one shot soda water was sweet with a slightly bitter finish.
For starter, the appetising Snow White Dancing Prawns did justice to its fairytale name and it was nothing short of amazing. Smothered generously in hot mayonnaise and chopped honey-glazed walnuts, the deep-fried golden brown prawns was sweet and its taste heightened when eaten with the coriander that came with the dish.
A memorable first course was the Authentic Northern Indian Deep-fried Fish Anarkali as its aromatic fragrance wafted in the air when it was served.
YT L Hotels head chef Wai Look Chow with a bowl of oysters.
Marinated in ginger, garlic paste, chilli powder and cumin seeds, the sharp sourness of the lemon juice elevated the spiciness of the fish. Dipping it in mint sauce also complements the tender flaky flesh well.
I personally like the tiger prawn skewers on bamboo seasoned with Togarashi, a common Japanese spice mixture made from seven spices. The prawns were grilled to perfection and juicy.
Diners need not get their hands dirty as the prawns are shelled.
We also tried both Shook’s signature beef dish – the teppan-style beef – and Wagyu beef cheeks with truffle mash.
The former used grain-fed beef and was served with a generous portion of assorted vegetables and fried garlic.
Aromatic briyani served khushi spice prawn masala.
It also came with three sauces – Shoyu, butter sauce and a special barbecue sauce – each lending a distinctive taste to the beef.
As for the tender braised Wagyu beef cheeks, its marbling had just the right amount of fat that makes the meat melt in your mouth.
“We usually use a grade-three to grade-five Wagyu beef for the dish as we do not want too much or too little fat.
“The right amount sets the right texture for the meat,” Hontheim said.
It was served with fresh herbs, truffle mashed potatoes and finished with rich beef gravy.
Another dish worth mentioning was the wholesome king prawn noodles.
The huge and succulent halved freshwater prawns sat atop deep-fried egg noodles in thick ginger, garlic, egg and prawn gravy.
Shook! executive sous chef Rafizan Abdul Rahim serving up the briyani. — Photos: SHAARI CHE MAT /The Star
End the meal with the Shook! Symphony that comprises a selection of sinful desserts such as berry mousse, double chocolate chip cookies and green tea ice cream, tiramisu, brownie and vanilla ice cream
Priced at RM168 per person, the dinner will be available from 6pm to 10pm while live performances and happy hour start from 9pm to 11pm.
SHOOK!, Feast Village Starhill Gallery, JW Marriott Kuala Lumpur, 183, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. (Tel: 03-2782 3875). Business hours: 6am-11pm daily.
This is the writer’s personal observation and not an endorsement by StarMetro.