Jpteres,
Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur,
12 Jalan Pinang, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2182 1234
Business hours: Daily, 11.30am to 11.00pm.
IF YOU are stuck in finding a place to entertain guests for a meal, be it for business or pleasure, there is a new restaurant in town nestled within the equally new Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur.
JPTeres, which stands for ‘Jalan Pinang’ serves, according to them, the best of Malaysian cuisine. It has a refined atmosphere with a classy ambience to boot, so you are bound to impress your guests with this venue.
Professional: Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur executive chef Franssila with JPTeres’ Vegetarian Thali set.
On the menu you will find the usual suspects — the trifecta of rice dishes — Nasi Lemak, Nasi Goreng and Nasi Ayam (RM22); Penang signatures like Char Koay Teow, Assam Laksa and Hokkien Mee (RM20) and a mix of Chinese, Indian and Malay favourites such as Mee Goreng Mamak (RM20), Murgh Makhani (RM22), Beef Rendang (RM28), Fish Head Curry (RM60), Prawn Mee (RM20) and Wonton Noodle Soup (RM20), to name a few.
Now you might think with so many good Malaysian dishes out there, how does the chef choose what goes onto the menu? He can’t just plonk every dish under the sun into it. But it’s pretty obvious that executive chef Tommy Franssila and JPTeres head chef, Azman Ahmad did a good job in getting it all in there, without it being overwhelming.
My first sampling from the menu was their Otak-Otak (RM18). Sometimes we can’t help but feel sceptical about “restaurant versions” of rustic, order-by-the-side-of-the-road delicacies. But this time credit has to be given to these guys for coming up with a tasty, spicy ‘fish mousse’.
According to Franssila, who hails from Sweden, their culinary team went out on various food crawls in KL, Penang and Johor to sample the local dishes in each state.
Authentic: (foreground) Fish Head Curry (background) Daging Dendeng.
“I wanted to taste the different types of food Malaysia had to offer. With Azman’s 17 years of experience, we worked well together to choose, among many, the best Malaysian dishes to include in our menu,” said Franssila, who has been with the Hyatt group for 12 years. Before Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, he was in Brazil, Thailand and Australia.
After working in Thailand for two years, let’s say Franssila has definitely developed a love for spicy food.
“I think Thailand has the spiciest food in Asia, especially if you visit the villages in the countryside,” he said.
But being in Malaysia, he said they tried very hard to make the dishes at JPTeres as authentic as possible. Of course when it comes to the spice levels, it’s hard to please everyone. On each of the tables in the restaurant, there are three essential condiments for those who crave heat — cili padi, sambal belacan and pickled green chilli. Their Popiah (RM15) has all the right ingredients to make it what it is, but it’s not spicy. But don’t fret because you can always reach for the chillies on the table or ask for some hot sauce.
JPTeres’ Fish Head Curry uses mackerel and it passes the curry test with flying colours for being flavourful and wholesome. The fruit rojak (RM15) also hits the spot with the perfect ratio of fruit, sauce and sesame seeds.
For dessert, the Pandan Chiffon Cake with Ice Cream (RM12) is positively delectable. So is the soft Serve coups with Milo and Kit Kat (RM10) as well as the Pineapple Tarts (RM8) which are baked in-house. They also have Chendol (RM10), which is served in a tall glass so you can see the different layers, Sago Gula Melaka (RM10) and Ice Kacang (RM12).
JPTeres is located on the ground floor of the new ultra-modern, 412-room Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur. Greenery and water features surround the large outdoor terrace. The restaurant also has two private dining areas and is an ideal venue for after work get-togethers or family occasions.
This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.
