(From left) Mohd Nurzulkarnain, Saipon and Muhamad Syazwan present their best dishes, from soups to skewers of meaty goodness.
How many times have you stepped into a restaurant only to be faced with the dilemma of what to order?
The culinary team at Impiana Hotels have found a way to spare the diner from the complexity of choice.
The latest promotion highlights best-selling dishes from its properties in Johor, Kuala Lumpur and Perak.
The best-sellers from Impiana’s culinary team will feature at their restaurants in Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and Senai. — Photos: ONG SOON HIN/The Star
Malaysian flavours being the main theme, there are 11 dishes to choose from.
Accompanying half of the meat dishes is long-grained basmati rice, enhanced with a combination of either ghee, cumin, cashew nuts, fried onions or lemongrass.
We were told that this type of rice grain was selected based on its low starch content, allowing it to retain a richer concentration of flavours.
(From left) Brangus Oxtail Soup; Ayam Percik Seri Maharani; and Freshwater Prawn Cantonese Egg Noodles.
As the saying goes, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and diners remark that the rice is good enough to be eaten on its own.
Adding an authentic touch are accompaniments like sambal belacan, fresh ulam raja (Cosmos caudatus), salted egg, pickles and pappadam.
From Impiana KLCC Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, senior sous chef Saipon Long Ahmad, 48, presents his Brangus Oxtail Soup, Mamak Fried Noodles and Freshwater Prawn with Cantonese Egg Noodles.
The Ayam Percik Seri Maharani from Impiana Hotel Senai.
Brangus is a hybrid of Brahman and American Angus, and Saipon said: “From experience, the tails from this breed are the tastiest and meatiest.”
To obtain a collagen-rich broth, the tail is put on slow simmer for no less than three hours.
His freshwater prawn noodles are flooded in a silky egg gravy with flavour so deep it could pass off as a soup on its own.
The prawns are cooked just right, pink but still juicy.
The Mamak Fried Noodles, meanwhile, owe their popularity to a sauce enriched with blended dried squid.
This adds a touch of boldness and pungency, giving the sauce a lift in terms of flavour.
From Impiana Hotel Ipoh in Perak, sous chef Muhamad Syazwan Asauudin, 34, brings Beef Trimmings in a Spicy Tamarind Gravy, Deep Fried Satay and Spicy Lamb Soup.
The meats in his dishes are melt-in-your-mouth.
The lamb is sourced from New Zealand while the beef, with its layers of sinew and marbling, is of local origin.
“The meat has to be simmered over slow fire for no less than three hours to achieve this kind of texture.
“If it is put under high heat, it will shock the muscles into becoming more rigid, making it harder to soften,” he said.
The soup is light but hearty with the peppery and musky notes of turmeric and green cardamom.
Puff pastry instead of bread give it a fusion twist.
Breaded in panko, the satay, served with nasi impit, is juicy to the bite.
The peanut sauce is packed with chopped nuts, while crushed Marie biscuits are added to give it a smoother mouthfeel.
The accompanying sambal featres blended dried shrimp for added flavour.
From Impiana Hotel Senai in Johor, Mohd Nurzulkarnain Mohd Ali, 44, presents Chicken Percik Seri Maharani, Lamb Masala with Jeera Rice, Kam Heong Seafood with Man Tao Buns and Banana and Tapioca Kolak.
Mohd Nurzulkarnain said the first time he went big with his chicken percik recipe was at the wedding of a local actress.
“I don’t remember the exact year but she has three children now, so you can imagine how old this recipe is,” he said.
Marinated in herbs, coconut milk and cooking cream, the chicken thighs are braised for 10 minutes, then chargrilled for five more minutes and braised again for another 10.
He said the timing is crucial to maintain the meat’s juicy consistency.
The lamb is fragrant with a blend of Indian spices and the prawns and mussels are so fresh, one could almost taste the fresh saltiness of the sea.
Kolak, a sweet soup of coconut milk and gula melaka, delivers a kopitiam feel with a side serving of steamed bread spread with butter and kaya.
As part of the promotion, all these dishes will be served at Impiana Hotels’ Tonka Bean Café and Deli in Kuala Lumpur, The Coffee House in Ipoh and The Tiffin Restaurant in Senai.
Tonka Bean Cafe and Deli, Impiana KLCC Hotel, 13, Jalan Pinang, Kuala Lumpur. (Tel: 012-526 6138). Business hours: 6:30am to 11pm, daily.
This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.
