Pop Up Dining KL

Pop Up Dining KL is a collaboration of young chefs, putting their food out there to serve to a group of guests in pop up venues [source]. It is almost as if they are ninjas appearing whenever they so please to serve a fine dinner for private guests, and once they leave, they disappear with the night till the next session.

Monday happens to be their favourite day of the week to set up their pop up diner. Which Monday to be exact? You've got to check their Instagram for that. As for the location, they have been based at Jaslyn Cakes for a few dinners now but intend to do their next pop up at another location, perhaps still within the Bangsar suburb.

* I apologise if the lighting in the photos may seem "off" to you. The location had low-key lighting and I for one am not an expert on that, unfortunately.

So my friend, Lydia, and I got to experience this:

Price: RM75

I noticed that they don't name their foods but rather simply include the ingredients which work as both the title and description. Quite clever.

A plate of rice crackers with a certain tomato-based topping greeted us upon arrival.  Not the best ice-breaker but it was a start - a minimally seasoned snack to kickstart those tastebuds.

I absolutely love sourdough bread and am particularly glad it was served with more than enough butter, though I wish I had an entire slice of bread rather half. Crusty with a soft, warm and dense middle, this was the perfect tummy warmer. Also, is anyone else a fan of those slightly burnt edges of breads that gives off the most profound flavour? Because I am.

Prawn, sorrel, chicken and onion sauce.

Had to Google up what a sorrel was and it's apparently used in cooking for its acidic flavour. Combined with the sweetness of the onion sauce and the prawns, it added freshness to each bite taken with it.

Tomatoes, lala, pegaga, pickled shallot, cured egg yolk, sea butter.

These various types of tomatoes were blanched, giving that burst of elegantly refreshing juice upon arrival in your mouth. The cured egg yolk was used as garnish on the top but the highlight, I believe, was the sea butter base made with obviously butter and also flavourful juices from the lala. It sounds like a handful putting salt into butter but that did not threaten the freshness of the entire dish. This has to be one of my favourites of the menu.

Rice congee, ikan bilis (anchovies), egg, local greens, fish sauce caramel, spring onion

"Congee? Really? What possible greatness can it hold besides being just ... congee?" My exact thoughts pre-dinner. And guess what? I took back what I said.

There's nothing much to be said about the rice congee itself other than it being well done - not too watery nor chunky. The fish caramel sauce was slightly peculiar. Typically, I enjoy congee with soy sauce and just soy sauce so having some sweetness was an interesting experience for something savoury and fishy. Also, do you see that egg? It is a sous vide egg - also pretty much like a poached egg but rather having vinegar in the water, the egg is slow-cooked at a certain temperature. Dear restaurants who do not know how a proper runny egg is like, please find the image above your reference. 

This could be one of the better congees so far but I'm sorry, nothing beats my mom's homemade one. 

Duck breast, beetroot, cucumber, cashew nut leaf.

The congee was filling but there was still space for one more. This beautiful duck breast, which was tender enough to render a phrase of weak-in-the-knees, claimed the final course before dessert. For someone who is not a fan of beetroot, the sauce was a surprising delight. You can tell it's quite thick from the way it can potentially run all over the plate but just refuses to.

Rose apple, milk, meringue.

Dessert was a milky ice cream with apple slices with a subtle rose flavour and meringue. The ice cream melted fairly quickly and became cream-like at the end. I'm not sure how to describe the apples. The texture is comparable to the blanched tomatoes but it was more like having extremely juicy and cool apples. I would've very much preferred the ice cream to be the highlight.

Dinner ended with hot rose tea and financiers a.k.a. tiny French cakes which are such a delight with tea. We got to take more home as well!

Thank you, Pop Up Dining KL for having us :)

If you're interested, follow their Instagram or 'like' their Facebook page to get the latest announcements and menu for the next session. 

Singapore: The Beast @ Jalan Klapa

A bit late to the party but Happy New Year! (at least on this blog considering it's the first post of 2015)

2 months ago, which backdates to 2014, I was in Singapore for a short trip and had the opportunity to attend Burpple's Tastemakers' Meet-up at The Beast. Honestly, it was no ordinary dinner - it was a feast.

Upon arrival, we were served lemonade [$6] and iced tea [$7]. 

We were told to mix the two because that's how it's best consumed. Personally, I liked them separately.

Magic Hat, an American craft beer (not part of the meet-up) [$14].

Bar Bites

Homemade corn bread [$6]

Pulled pork sliders [$16]

Bacon mac & cheese [$9] - yes, this is listed under the right category.

We also had Jack & the Beast Stalk [$12] which I have no photo of because we walloped it all. I have no clue what 'secret seasoning' is in that dish but it was so lovely with a thirst-quenching drink. 

Plates // Mains

Chicken & waffles [$20]. It looks deceivingly dry but I can assure you the tenderness of the chicken with bourbon maple butter sauce does a lot of justice. 

Blackened pork collar [$24] with beans mashed potatoes, thyme and garlic cream sauce. Where is the wrong in that?

And the highlight of the mains goes to ...

The Beast Burger [$125] which, I quote, "adequately feeds 2 stoners or 4 adults." 

Here's for the sake of comparing its size to my iPhone 4S. 

Honestly, after feeding 6 people with everything before this arrived, I wasn't sure how we were going to finish it - and we unfortunately could not. The size of it was just overwhelmingly alarming. 

Desserts 

Bourbon pecan pie [$12] - one of the best pecan pie's I've had.

Peach crumble [$12]. To describe this dish, I shall not "compare [it] to a summer's day" because thou art so achingly beautiful in that stone cold plate. It felt as if the textures and flavours were dancing in felicity on my tastebuds.

Bacon maple glazed donut [$5/piece].  

I'll let this picture describe the whole experience to you.

You can tell we took a while to take the photos. Time and ice cream wait for no one. 

* * * *

That's a wrap!

Thank you for this amazing dinner, Burpple! I never felt more full.

Burpple is available in Malaysia. Download the app and like their Facebook page HERE. 

Information:

Address: 17, Jalan Klapa, Singapore 199329

Contact no.: 6295 0017

Email: info@thebeast.sg

Opening hours: Monday – Thursday: 5.00 p.m. - 12.00 midnight, Friday – Saturday: 5.00 p.m. – 1.00 a.m., Sunday: 10.00 a.m. - 5.00 p.m.

Website: www.thebeast.sg

* Prices in this entry are listed in Singaporean Dollars (SGD)

* This event was by invite only and courtesy of Burpple (including the additional lighting for photography because they are awesome like that)

F.I.Q. Gastronomy, Subang Jaya

Gastronomy - the study of food and culture, with a particular focus on gourmet cuisine.

Setting

The concept is simple: let's pair black-tie-event food along with a casual, rustic environment.

If you may notice, all the chairs and tables are wooden (quite coarse wood so there may discomfort when you dine in) with back and butt cushions, thankfully. 

Wall art - something to admire if you're seated outside.

What went into our tummies

RM8.00 cappuccino. A little hard to get quite decent ones under RM10.00 nowadays. This one isn't the best I've had but it's not too bad. 

Beans used: Digayo

Roasted Carrot Soup with bits of bacon which was already so filling for RM12.00. Can't entirely judge on the taste because it was my first time having carrot soup (didn't event know of its existence, to be honest). Guess mushroom soup is too mainstream?

FIQ's Club Sandwich of chicken breast, beef bacon and sunny side up. Massive portion for RM15.00! They make their bread from scratch, by the way.

Turkey Ham Sandwich for RM20.00.

I must say their fries are amazing despite them being quite oily (eat first, think later). It's not the most appetizing at first sight but you can tell it isn't mass-produced fries. I'm personally really into salty food so this was perfect. 

My order: Hand Made Ravioli [RM25.00]. I actually expected more filling than what was served. Not recommended for big-eaters unless you intend to have dessert. I personally wouldn't order this again though. 

* * * *

This is overall a great place to chill if you're looking for one that isn't crowded with people parking themselves at a table all day with a drink and a laptop. I'd certainly return to give it a go at their desserts!

Address: 34, Jalan SS19/1D, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor.

Closed on: Monday

Operating hours: 12.00 noon - 11.30 p.m.

Facebook page: Click here!

The Good Batch @ Damansara Uptown

Out of obligation as a lover of brunches, I checked out this place today. Yes, Damansara Uptown on a weekend and yes, during the lunch hour. The things we foodies would do for food can be viewed as simply insane in the eyes of society - but we still do it anyway in the name of food.

Setting

My two good friends and I reached the restaurant only to be greeted by a small crowd of people by the door eagerly waiting to be seated. We then joined in the waiting list of 5 names before ours.

The waiting area. This was taken after our meal which explains the absence of people.

The first thing you might want do if there is a crowd outside upon your arrival is to scribble your name down on the waiting list. During your period of wait, you can browse through their menu and decide on what you wish to order. However, if you're really hungry and are easily intrigued by food in the form of words like I am, I suggest you pass that option. 

Tables are seated according to the number of people you have with you so if your party is big, you'll most likely have to wait longer. My party of three waited half an hour just so you know. 

Decent setting which could fit quite a number of people.

I quite like this deco by the door. It adds a touch of home to the place.

And they have a proper bar with bar stools!

Wall deco of gears adding some modernity to the setting I feel.

What went into our tummies

Cappuccino [RM8.50]

Not the best I've had (in Malaysia, that is - before you start judging). It has something to do with the coffee and milk in terms of balance in flavour, nothing with regards to its presentation or the way it turned out as a cappuccino.

They say you need not have a hangover to consume this beauty:

Hangover Mess [RM20.90]

"Messy. Absolutely messy." Those were the first few words that came to mind the moment two plates of these were set on the table. 

Of corned beef mixed with pan-fried potatoes and diced capsicums topped with two sunny side-ups messily drizzled with herb-infused hollandaise sauce served with lightly toasted bread, there was much talk about this particular dish especially on Foursquare. I really love the beef and capsicums but thought the potatoes could've been a bit more fried. The hollandaise sauce made the dish look messy which definitely fits its name. I was not full up to the brim as the portion was just nice for me (I'm quite a big eater if you must know).

I do recommend giving this a shot if you're a fan of corned beef and pan-fried potatoes. 


If you're really simple or if you're feeling ordinary...

The "Ang Moh" [RM25.90]

... try this. Brilliant name for a big brekkie! There's your usual scrambled eggs, streaky beef bacon, grilled chicken sausage, ripened cherry tomatoes, a baked portobello mushroom, pan-fried potatoes and baked beans served with lightly toasted bread. Nothing out of the ordinary hence making this dish turning out to be just okay - according to my friend who had it.

* * * *

You probably can tell from the opening paragraph that parking is horrid on weekends but feel free to try your luck like I did. I was already prepared to make a couple of rounds of bore but managed to find a lot within the first rounding (:

Information

Address: 53, Jalan SS21/1A, Damansara Upton, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Operating hours: 11.00 a.m. - 12.00 a.m. (Tuesdays - Thursdays), 11.00a.m. - 1.00a.m. (Fridays - Saturdays), 10.00 a.m. - 11.00 p.m. (Sundays & Public Holidays)

Contact no.: +60377332303

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