Having met Chef Alexander Georg Waschl before, I had prepared myself to be surprised by this boyish, young and adventurous chef.
While waiting, we started off with a white wine and had some breads to nibble on. The butter we all agreed was one of the best butters we have had. And on a personal note, I also loved the walnut bread that was served. It was definitely a good old fashion baked from scratch walnut bread rather than using lots of sugar to let the bread rise fast as that practiced by many commercial bakeries.
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First Course
Home Dried Watermelon Carpaccio Parmesan,
Aged Balsamic, Extra Virgin Olive Oil
OR
Marinated Salmon and Salmon Tartar Avocado
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We kicked start with Home Dried Watermelon Carpaccio Parmesan, Aged Balsamic & Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Yes this is watermelon not meat! Thinly sliced with such a vibrant red, I was surprised that this was not beef. Not believing what I saw, I took a bite and it was sweet watermelon dried gently for many hours to result in such rich colour and flavour. The balsamic and the Parmesan takes the humble watermelon to a new dimension.
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Second Course
Lobster Bisque with Lobster Grissini
OR
Clear Oxtail Consommé with its own Ravioli
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Next to come was the Lobster Bisque with Lobster Grissini. Served in a little cup, this was such a pretty dish that I didn't quite have the heart to eat (drink in this case) because it looked so beautiful. Rich, creamy and comforting soup that was brilliant as it was a rainy Monday night then. The Grissini was crisp and not oily and is actually quite addictive.
Clear Oxtail Consommé with its own Ravioli was a clear soup in a huge bowl. The clear look was deceiving as every mouth of the soup reveals a rich meaty goodness of oxtail. And in the soup was some finely chopped celery, zucchini and carrots that were still slightly crunchy. These chopped vegetables added depth into the soup. The Raviolli was delightful and was served inside the soup and on the side. I am glad they did it as I don't think I can ever have enough raviolis especially if they are as good as these ones that Chef Alex made.
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Third Course
Crab Cannelloni
Lemon Grass Curry and Ginger
OR
Cinnamon and All Spice Poached Saddle of Venison Celeriac Puree and Braised Celeriac
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The Crab Cannelloni Lemongrass Curry and Ginger is a light and fresh dish. The lemongrass and ginger refreshed the palates to prepare us for the following dishes that had more flavours and textures.
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Mains
Veal Assiette
Braised Veal, Fillet of Veal, Veal Wonton
OR
Olive Oil Poached Halibut Coriander Drizzle and Spiced Cream
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Olive Oil Poached Halibut Coriander Drizzle and Spiced Cream is a good choice. The halibut is a low fat fish and poaching it one of the better ways to cook this fish to bring out its fresh taste and firm texture. Adventurous Chef Alex spent only 4 months in Malaysia but he has done well playing with our local ingredients of coriander, cili padi (birds eye chilli), coriander root (this Mat Salleh actually appreciate corainder root), garam masala, fish sauce, cumin, cardamom and more. The orangey bed is not pumpkin. Instead it is actually a lovely bed of mash potatoes with tandoori cream. And mix it with the coriander drizzle, this is such a winning dish for this year's MIGF Its Raining Chefs.
If you like veal then you should opt for the Assiette Braised Veal, Fillet of Veal & Veal Wonton. 3 different preparations of veal was quite a good idea. The Braised veal was flavourful but my personal preference was the fillet of veal. It was juicy and tender and was plainly marinated with only salt and pepper to bring out the best flavours of veal. The Veal Wanton had a slightly Asian touch to it and uses veal shoulder.
just the perfect pink like the way I like it
~.~Desserts
Chocolates and Raspberries
OR
Vacherin Ice Cream with Port Wine Plums
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Vacherin Ice Cream with Port Wine Plums is yet another show of Chef Alex's sense of adventure and fun. This vacherin ice cream is slightly salty and definitely creamy. This vacherin cheese has been specially imported from France for this dish. Salt has been added into this ice cream. However the whole effect of eating it with the port wine plums is simply orgasmic. Some of us have decided to rename this to "Can Stop Eating Ice Cream".
One can never go wrong with Chocolates and Raspberries. This was an arty play of colours, flavours and textures. The white chocolate was rich and it complimented the slightly tangy raspberries, sweet ice cream and smooth raspberry mousse cake. Yummy!
I requested for a Macchiato to go with my Chocolates and Raspberries and it was a good idea. As I take my coffees without sugar, the Macchiato complimented the whole dessert perfectly. And I must admit that the Macchiato thrilled me big time - just the right amount of milk was added to my Macchiato allowing the espresso to stand out.
I went home a happy girl. The cold wet Monday wasn't gloomy. I was all warmed up by good food, lovely wines and good company of pals and the fun folks at Saujana Resort.
Here's details of the MIGF Menu:
Full Festival Menu
RM440 per person with wine (five courses)
RM380 per person with wine (four courses)
RM280 per person with wine (three courses)
*one glass of wine per course
RM220 per person without wine (five courses)
RM190 per person without wine (four courses)
RM140 per person without wine (three courses)
Wines
Ayala “Zero Dosage” NV
Shaw and Smith Sauvignon Blanc 2010
La Chablisienne Chablis “Mont de Millieu” 2006
Marchesi de Frescobaldi “Lucente” 2007
Akarua Pinot Noir 2009
De Bortoli “Black Noble” NV
Saujana Resort Kuala Lumpur
Jalan Lapangan Terbang SAAS,
40150 Shah Alam, Selangor
+603 7806 7000
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