Delicious Cafe,
Lot GF-1 Ground Floor,
Bangsar Village 2,
Jalan Telawi, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2287 1554
Business hours: 11.00am-midnight (Mon to Fri),
9.00am to midnight (Sat, Sun and public holidays).
Photos by NORAFIFI EHSAN
THE proverb that too many cooks spoil the broth would never apply to the dynamic duo — E&O group executive chef Kasdi Dahari and group creative chef Steve Allen.
Strapping on aprons, the culinary experts managed to overcome their different backgrounds and taste buds to create 25 amazing dishes that is introduced in Delicious Cafe’s latest menu.
Wonderful creations: ChefDahari (left) and chef Allen withsome of the new dishes.
The new additions, tried and tested and included after nods of approval, preen proudly from the soup, salad, quiche, main course and dessert categories of the menu.
The collaboration between the Malaysian Kasdi and the UK-born Allen has resulted in a more cosmopolitan offerings for diners.
Invited to sample the dishes recently, it was truly a treat for all the senses as the new creations were brought to us without much gaps in between.
Some of the new dishes that deserve star billing and attention are the Cream of Pumpkin Soup with Parmesan and Truffle Oil, the Lemon and Black Pepper Parpadelle as well as the Pumpkin, Mushroom and Spinach Crumble Tart.
The pumpkin soup was creamy yet not cloying with the right balance of flavours, the perfect starter to ease yourself into before moving on to the rest.
Sinful: The wonderful world of desserts (clockwise) Cold Chocolate Fondant, WarmMelted Chocolicious Pudding, Chilled Pineapple Cheesecake, Ginger Butter Cake,Raspberry and Mango Tart and Apple, Hazelnut & Cranberry Crumble Slice.
You can also choose to graze on some yummy appetisers that would surely quell your hunger while you wait for the main course to arrive.
Take a pick from Eggplant and Sesame Chips with Fennel Yogurt Dip, Crispy Tiger Prawns in Coriander Butter, Tamarind BBQ Chicken Wings or Thai Fried Calamari with Green Peppercorn Ginger Jam.
Out of the quartet, the calamari appears to be the clear winner thanks to the unique jam that you can eat it with.
The portions are big, so go easy if you want to save space for the rest of the meal.
During the sampling session, I managed to corner Kasdi to ask him about the creative work that went into the new dishes.
“The inspiration behind the dishes was to look at using the freshest ingredients, more vegetables and creating a healthier menu as many people’s eating habits are progressing towards consumption of nutritious food,” he said, adding that there were now more choices for vegetarians.
Most importantly, the new vegetarian dishes such as Harrisa Parmigiano Baked Eggplant with Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil and Red Pesto Gnocchi With Tomato and Arugula Salad are not feeble creations.
These dishes stand out, each bite causing various flavours to implode, urging you to go on.
Spicy kick: ThaiFried Calamari withGreen PeppercornGinger Jam.
According to Kasdi, being a vegetarian does not mean that one has to be content with mundane and predictable creations.
The Red Pesto Gnocchi dish boasts the excellent fusion of two distinctive styles, Malaysian and Italian.
Kasdi said the gnocchi were steamed and then grilled to retain its rich flavour. The pièce de résistance was of course the sauce that it was served with — pounded chilli, tomato and lime juice — an avant garde sambal.
Listening to the scraping of the plates later, it was evident that the gnocchi dish got everyone’s approval.
The main courses offer plenty of choices in the form of Roast Loin of Lamb and Braised Rump of Lamb, Beef Spaghettini with Meatballs and Parmesan, Pan-Fried Red Snapper and Braised Boneless Beef Short Ribs to please meat and seafood lovers.
Armed with more than 20 years of experience each, Kasdi and Allen sieved through more than 70 dishes before shortlisting 45.
The shortlisted dishes underwent further two rounds of tasting until the list was honed down to 25 dishes.
“The dishes are intended to be more casual, exuding home-cooked feel, which appeals to the Malaysian palate. With the infusion of Mediterranean, Middle East and European flavours, we can say it is a winning combination,” said Kasdi, adding that working with Allen was a breeze and a real eye-opener.
Having bloated our tummies with the main course dishes, we assumed we could give the desserts a miss.
However, the vision of Warm Melted “Chocolicious” Pudding, Apple, Hazelnut & Cranberry Crumble Slice, Raspberry and Mango Tart and Cold Chocolate Fondant wore down our resistance.
We dug in, albeit grudgingly, thinking the weighing scale is not going to like this.
But having witnessed warm delicious chocolate ooze out of the pudding, we decided that sight beats diet plans anytime.
The Raspberry and Mango Tart was predictably sweet and sour and no doubt, only fresh raspberries and mangoes were used in the process.
Even though I could not try all the new desserts on the menu, the appearance alone was enough to convince me of the delicious sensation that awaits once you dig in.
This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.
