DC Restaurant by Darren Chin

DC restaurant brings something new to the Malaysian fine dining scene.  It not only boasts a three-floor 'mini complex' - comprising Le Comptoir/The Counter on the ground floor (where quality food is served in a casual environment), La Salle/The Room on the first floor (the main dining area), and L'atelier/the workshop/test kitchen on the top floor - but also promises a menu that changes on a daily basis.  As you can imagine, I didn't need much persuading to try it out!

We were sent the menu the day before we went to dinner and were instructed to choose our main courses and desserts.  As there were only 2 choices each, there wasn't any faffing about and we were able to make our selections pretty quickly.  I'll go through these in more detail below, but let's start from the beginning of the meal (it generally makes sense to start from the beginning and finish at the end, doesn't it, Hannah?!)

Amuse Bouche 1

The Godiva Chocolate Cafe at Harrods

Hannah made a fleeting trip back to London. We only had a couple of days to spend together, but top of Hannah's list of things to do was to visit the Godiva Cafe on the second floor of Harrods. Obviously I didn't want to ruin her trip, so I begrudgingly agreed to go with her - I know, I'm such a good friend. 

There was a bit of a queue when we went as the cafe is right next to the Christmas shop, which was absolutely heaving, but it didn't take long for us to be seated. We were then confronted with a huge menu of chocolate deliciousness. Frankly, I didn't know where to begin. 

After much to-ing and fro-ing, I chose the Godiva Chocolate Brownie, an 'indulgent brownie, baked with milk, dark and white chocolate, served warm with vanilla ice cream'. I know this was a safe choice, but it really was one of the best brownies I've had - and I've had my fair share. It was gooey but also crunchy, and incredibly rich. Basically, it was right up my street, and just look at the presentation!

Bob Bob Ricard

I start with this photo because the 'press for champagne' gadget at every table/booth is what has made BBR so famous.  I will also admit that it is the reason I had been dying to try the restaurant out for ages (!) and so when we sat down to dinner I made sure to be the first person to press it.  Like magic, a friendly waitress arrived to take our order, and C very kindly ordered a large bottle of bubbly.  Good start to the evening.

Vegetable Risotto

Firstly, my apologies for not having posted a recipe for a while. I have just moved house, and until recently my kitchen has born more resemblance to a wardrobe than a place for cooking. But I've finally managed to sort myself out, so I thought I'd share a favourite recipe of mine: vegetable risotto. The beauty of this dish is that you can completely adapt it to your liking (or to whatever vegetables you have lying around in the fridge). It does take a little bit of time to cook, but I think it's totally worth it.

Hannah's Christmas Cake

I love Christmas.  It's as simple as that.  Mince pies, carols, sparkly trees - what more could anyone want?!  

Well, one integral aspect of the celebrations in my household is Christmas cake.  And I know lots of people say they don't like it (too dense, too fruity, too whatever else) but it really does capture the essence of Christmas, so I thought I'd share my version with you.  It''s originally a Nigella recipe, but I've made quite a lot of changes, creating what I think is the perfect Christmas cake.  Hope you like it too!

Inamo

At the weekend I lunched at Inamo on Wardour Street which offers ‘Oriental fusion cuisine’. Inamo is very futuristic, each table has a projector overhead and diners can use a touch screen to order food, play games and even change the tablecloth! I thought that these gimmicks would detract from the food, however the food was delicious and I’d love to return.

A Halloween Special: The Lighthouse

The day after Halloween I took a friend to one of my favourite pubs. The Lighthouse has always had an artistic feel to it but this time the people in charge of the decor had surpassed themselves. Every little detail from the ghostly portraits with moving images on the walls to the pumpkin on the haunted piano screamed for attention and made our afternoon tea feel like a mini Halloween party.

Marble 8

Last night we decided to treat ourselves to a bit of a fancy dinner, so off we went to Marble 8.  Everyone I had spoken to - my parents, my friends, my colleagues - waxed lyrical about the food and the ambiance so I had very high expectations.

The first thing to note about Marble 8 is that it is the sister restaurant to Marini's on 57, so expect swanky, polished and ultimately very modern interiors.  However, Marble 8 differs from Marini's in that there is lots of black furniture, glass, and low lighting, meaning that the atmosphere is a lot moodier.  Another difference is that Marble 8 is situated in a house, whereas Marini's is high up in the Twin Towers.  Don't be fooled by the word 'house' though - a bar, wine room, restaurant and prive are all located inside a very large bungalow.  The overall effect is therefore of a mini complex where you can go for a drink and/or food and/or just to hang out.  Pretty cool!

Yeast Bistronomy

I went to Yeast for dinner on Thursday with two friends I hadn't seen in years.  Having eaten at Yeast on one previous occasion, I had high expectations - I remember the food being pretty darn good.

We decided to skip the starters and head straight for the main courses.  I chose the pan seared chicken breast with onion and lemon marmalade, garlic & herb croquette, mixed fresh vegetables and chicken jus (or, if you want to be fancy, poelee de supreme de volatile et compote d'oignons au citron).

Mad Hatter's Afternoon Tea

A while ago Hannah and I wanted to take a friend out for afternoon tea for a birthday treat (we're totally selfless - honest!). We had a little look on the internet for something a bit different and came across this one at The Sanderson. Set just North of Oxford Street, The Sanderson is an ultra-modern, glitzy hotel, with an amazing long bar which I'll definitely be heading back to - word on the street is the cocktails are to die for.

But I digress - back to afternoon tea. The theme is that of the mad hatter's tea party: diners are invited to 'tumble down the rabbit hole' and be immersed in the utter magic that is Alice in Wonderland. The menus are hidden inside vintage books, the tea sets are specially designed for the theme with kings, queens, animals and clocks painted onto them, and the napkins are held together by little quotations.

Autumnal Fig Salad

This recipe celebrates the warm colours of the autumn which are best embodied in the ripe and juicy autumnal fig. This is one of my favourite fruits to use in salads as the contrast between the crispy green vegetables and its subtle sweetness is much enjoyed even by people who wouldn’t normally mix sweet and savoury. I came up with the recipe last week and it was inspired by the first aromatic figs that appeared in my local market and also by the excitement of cooking a much awaited meal for four in the evening. Hannah came up with the name of the recipe in our first fEasToWest post on Instagram.

Deep-Fried Dough

The title says it all really.  I mean, what is better than deep-fried bread?  Malaysia does fried snacks pretty well, so I'm going to introduce you to some of the most popular ones in this post.

You Tiao

These can be literally translated as 'oil sticks', so you can imagine how (un)healthy they are for you.  Nonetheless, their yummy rating is so high and they seem so light that I can more often or not momentarily forget about my arteries clogging up and stuff my face with about 10 at a time.  You tiao come in pairs, and they should be crisp on the outside and fairly airy on the inside.

Flesh and Buns

Before embarking on a small adventure in Theatreland  to witness young Shakespeare's writer's block in "Shakespeare in Love", I went to Flesh and Buns for an early but exciting dinner. And it certainly inspired some good thoughts for this blog. 

Iketeru @ Hilton Sentral

As yesterday was a public holiday in Malaysia, we decided on a bit of a special lunch.  Iketeru has always been a firm favourite of mine - really good quality Japanese food, generous portions, and friendly staff, although it is somewhat on the pricey side.

We started off with a selection of sashimi - salmon, yellowtail and the real star of the show… lobster!  It was all delicious: the slices were just the right size and the texture creamy.  Yum!

From L-R: salmon, yellowtail & lobster

The Ultimate Chocolate Cookies

These are a firm favourite of my brother's, and I've made them more times than I can count. I started off on my cookie journey years ago (I know, I need to get a life!) and just followed lots of different recipes. But now, at the grand old age of 22, I can proudly present my very own, tried and tested (times a million) chocolate cookie recipe. It makes REALLY chocolate-y, gooey-but-crunchy-on-the-outside, melt-in-your-mouth cookies, and I think it's pretty foolproof.

Mediterranean Vegetable Pasta Bake

I think this is originally a Delia Smith recipe, but my mum has been cooking it for so long that she has made her own little tweaks. This is one of my favourites, and one that I always ask my mum to cook for me when I make a trip home. It does take a while to make, but the recipe itself isn't difficult to follow, and it is absolutely perfect for a big dinner party (served with a leafy green salad and garlic bread) as you can make it well in advance, put it in the fridge, then shove it in the oven while you entertain your guests! Major hostess points right there.

Sheesh

Over the weekend my family went back to Sheesh in Chigwell, Essex. Sheesh is a Turkish restaurant set in a grand Tudor building and is lavishly fitted with lots of black leather and gold modern furnishings. If you are local, it is well worth the visit. While the menu is tempting, take note of the gargantuan portions they serve.

Ravi's Banana Leaf

Ravi's Banana Leaf in Solaris Mont Kiara is one of my favourite places for breakfast: the service is quick and friendly, the surroundings are pretty clean, and the food isn't too expensive given the quality.

My usual order is roti canai, which, for those of you who aren't Malaysian, is a type of bread made out of clarified butter, flour and water (sounds healthy, I know!) and looks a bit like naan.  At Ravi's, the roti canai is crispy on the outside but softer on the inside, and is served hot and fluffy - perfect!

Creme Caramel - A Healthy(ish) Version

Last Sunday I was, as always, tasked with making the pudding. I usually do some variant on chocolate, but as my brother wasn't home, I decided to branch out a little bit with creme caramel! This is a really quick, easy recipe that can be made in advance - great for Sunday roasts when the oven/hob are full anyway.

To make 4 individual creme caramels, you will need:

• 2 large eggs (to be even healthier, you could use 3 egg whites and one yolk, but I didn't want to have yolks left over)
• 400ml skimmed milk
• 100g caster sugar
• A vanilla pod, halved
• 4 ovenproof ramekins

Nyonya Kuih

As indicated in my bio, I am Malaysian by birth and nationality, so I thought it would be fun to share some of the food I grew up with.  I'd like to start with something rather exotic - Nyonya kuih.  Since most people outside Malaysia will not be familiar with this term, here is some background:

My mum is of Peranakan/Baba Nyonya/Straits Chinese descent, which means that her ancestors came from China and settled in the southern Malaysian state of Malacca approximately 600 years ago.  Over time, their culture and practices were merged with those of the local Malays, creating a unique and distinctive culinary tradition.

Corte del Grillo

When one thinks of Roman food, one immediately thinks of pizza and pasta (ok, well maybe not you, but the pleb in me does).  Yet Rome is also very famous for its seafood.  It’s known for being fresh and simply prepared – my favourite – so we were determined to get to a seafood restaurant one evening.

What excited me about Corte del Grillo was that the chefs were happy to prepare dishes based on the catch(es) of the day – I.e. meals that weren’t on the menu.  As anyone who knows me will tell you, I have a particular weakness for lobster and prawns (in fact, my mum says that I will end up looking like a prawn: attractive, I know) so we went for these.

Homeslice Pizza

After months of listening to Katie rabbit on about wanting to try Homeslice (her brother, her sister, her kitten, her dog, her budgie etc had recommended it – ok so she doesn’t have a sister or a budgie, and I don’t think her kitten or her dog know anything about pizza, but you get the point), I decided that it was time to give it a go. 

The first couple of things to note about Homeslice are:

La Pentolaccia

Ok, another Rome post coming your way.  And I'm sorry if you're getting bored of this theme, but let's be honest - the food in Rome is just SO good that not blogging about it would be a travesty.  So, here goes.

We arrived in Rome on a sticky Monday afternoon, and after managing to make it through the chaos that is Fiumicino Airport (how is it that there aren't any signs regarding flight details on the baggage carousels?!) we decided that we needed a good (read: massive) meal at dinnertime.  The concierge at our hotel, seeing our tired and hungry faces, knew just the place for us: La Pentolaccia.  It was a cosy and welcoming restaurant with attentive staff and, even better, just a few minutes' walk from the hotel.  So far, so good.

La Pentolaccia

City Social

I am a big fan of Jason Atherton and have been to several of his restaurants. When City Social opened up it was only a matter of time before I went. I recently went with Hannah for dinner. 

The restaurant has both a relaxed and sophisticated vibe and decor. Located on the 24th floor , City Social offers panoramic views of the skyline. From where we sat I had a lovely view of the sun setting over the City of London. I have sometimes found that some restaurants boasting a splendid view tend to serve disappointing food. City Social, however, did not disappoint.

Ristorante Santa Lucia

It was a sunny Tuesday afternoon in mid August, and after a hectic morning of sightseeing (Vatican; Pantheon) we decided that we deserved a bit of a treat - la dolce vita and all that.  Andrea, our wonderful guide, introduced us to a beautiful restaurant just off Piazza Navona called Santa Lucia, and it was on its outdoor shaded terrace that we settled ourselves for the next couple of hours.

Albion

If you've ever moved house in London, you'll know how exhausting it is. Well, last Sunday, after what seemed like hours of heaving boxes and boxes of books into my brother's new flat (I know, I'm such a good sister), we felt like we deserved a little reward/mid-afternoon snack. Jake had been going on about this place called Albion for ages, so we finally gave in - and it was the best decision ever.

Tom's Kitchen

As I'm sure my working friends will tell you, the phrases 'Monday morning' and 'dreading it' are generally known to go hand in hand.  The scene is a familiar one: crowded tube, train and bus stations; delays due to signal failures; people rushing along pavements as they try desperately to reach their offices on time.  I, however, currently have the luxury of avoiding such chaos, and so today went for a leisurely breakfast with a friend from college.

Tom's Kitchen in Cale Street is well-known for its breakfasts (and weekend brunches).  Its menu comprises a raft of familiar and comforting dishes ranging from waffles to a full English.  I decided to have the smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel, and was not disappointed: the portion was generous but not overly large, and the condiments the perfect accompaniment.  As you can see below, the entire dish was very aesthetically pleasing!

Quick and Juicy Chicken in Mustard Sauce

This dish is an example of East meeting West in the kitchen. The crunchy courgettes and the whole grain mustard bring memories of holidays in Europe while the aromatic turmeric and coriander are inspired by the Orient. It can take as little as 15-20 minutes to prepare and goes well with green salad and white wine. 

Quick and Colourful Quinoa Salad

Perfect for summer barbeques, picnics, and work lunches, this quinoa salad is very quick and easy to make, and can be made well in advance and kept in the fridge. It is also one of those recipes where you can kind of just throw in whatever you fancy or have hanging around in your fridge - be as adventurous or as boring as you like!

Casual Dinner for 4

I recently hosted a dinner party for a couple of friends.  It was on a weekday, casual, and rather last minute.  In such cases, my go-to recipes are those by Ina Garten - her spinach gratin, basil tomatoes, sweet potato 'fries', and chicken marinaded in an 'Asian' sauce made up of Dijon mustard, soy sauce, garlic (and I add a little Worcestershire sauce).  I'm not going to repeat her recipes here, but if you are keen on simple yet wonderfully flavoursome dishes, I would strongly recommend that you get your hands on her books.  

Duck & Waffle

I'd been hearing a lot about Duck & Waffle for a long time, so I eventually decided to try it out with a couple of friends on a weeknight.  The first thing to note is that the restaurant is at the top of the Heron Tower - I.e. on the 40th floor.  This was all very exciting (ok I know that tall buildings aren't a big deal in Asia and many other places across the globe, but skyscrapers are a relatively new thing in London so the idea of travelling up 40 floors for a meal was pretty cool!)  Upon arrival, however, we discovered that the main lift was out of order.  We were ushered to a back lift, and then had to climb a couple of flights of stairs to actually get to the restaurant.  This wasn't exactly ideal, especially as we were carrying heavy law books (having just had classes at college), but at this point we thought - no big deal, it's not their fault that the lift isn't working.  

Ristorante Sibilla

I visited Rome late this summer.  It was my first trip to Italy and, needless to say, I LOVED it.  The history, the culture, the people: amazing.  And of course, the food.  Let's just say I could barely fit into my jeans when it was time to get back on the plane to London five days later.  It was so worth it though.

I visited so many restaurants and cafes during my little Italian adventure and I have good things to say about all of them.  However, one of them really stands out.  Ristorante Sibilla is located in Tivoli, a small town in Lazio, which is about a 30 minute drive from Rome and is probably most well-known as the home of Villa d'Este.  The restaurant itself boasts al fresco seating with phenomenal views and it was here that we had our final lunch in Italy.

Berners Tavern at The London Edition Hotel

Having heard amazing things about Berners Tavern, I desperately wanted to check it out, so Hannah and I decided to head there for breakfast one Sunday morning. 

First of all just look at the room! It's gorgeous. With retro booths, amazing (almost) floor to ceiling windows, huge chandeliers and hundreds of framed pictures lining the walls, this was just our sort of place.

The Riding House Cafe

We've been meaning to get to the Riding House Cafe for the past 4 years, and we finally made it on this slightly chilly Saturday morning.  We'd heard such good things about it, and it didn't disappoint!  

I was typically greedy and HAD to try both the lobster benedict and the buttermilk pancakes.  The former was pretty close to perfect - a generous helping of lobster, a runny poached egg, and a lovely dollop of caviar on top.  The pancakes were also yum: slightly crispy on the outside and fluffy inside, although if I was being picky the berries were a tad sour for my liking.  All in all, however, I was very satisfied with my meal(s)!