CHATZ BRASSERIE,
Parkroyal Kuala Lumpur,
Jalan Sultan Ismail,
Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2147 0088
Business hours: 6.30am to midnight.
City dwellers craving for Nyonya food need not go far in search of it as chef Debbie Teoh is cooking up authentic dishes, for the third time, at Parkroyal Kuala Lumpur.
“I was driven by passion to ensure that true Nyonya cuisine was preserved for generations to come,” she said.
At a preview of her Best of Malaysia: Nyonya Cuisine by Chef Debbie Teoh, members of the media were treated to some of her specialities.
Chef Debbie Teoh with some of the highlights of Nyonya cuisine.
The Hu Pio Soup with fish maw and juicy prawn balls was a good starter. The clear soup was light and perfect to spark the tastebuds.
Nasi ulam prepared with a variety of herbs like lemongrass, polygonum, wild pepper and turmeric leaves with a dash of spicy raw garlic made a healthy rice dish.
The famous Nyonya dish ju hu char with julienne vegetables and sliced meat, packed in crunchy lettuce and topped with a little sambal belacan, was juicy and likeable.
Moving on to the mains, there was the braised chicken dish Melaka Ayam Pongteh, Kerabu Jantung Pisang with Prawns, Lemak Nenas Ikan Sepat and Ayam Buah Keluak.
On the a la carte menu, keluak, also known as the Indonesian black nut is an ingredient often used in Nyonya cuisine. The pais buah keluak, for example, is a dish similar to otak-otak but is made from keluak paste.
Teoh refers to it as Peranakan truffles and it is definitely an acquired taste. It is available at RM30 for two pieces.
Another addition to the a la carte menu is Gulai Perut Ikan, made from grouper fish, priced at RM35 per bowl, inclusive of steamed rice.
Hu Pio Soup.
As for the desserts, Teoh has toned down on the amount of sugar used.
“Some are very careful with their sugar intake and shun desserts or tend not to eat it too much, therefore I have reduced the sweetness of the desserts,” she says.
Some of the desserts to look out for are talam cendol, rempah udang and kuih koswe (top pic).
For thirst quenchers, lemongrass and hog plum juice are refreshing options.
(Drinks from left) The refreshing Lemongrass juice and sourish hot plum juice compliments the Nyonya cuisine well. Seen here is also the Nasi Ulam.
Teoh, who had similar collaborations with the hotel in 2011 and 2012, said the promotion period would also be a good time to meet her old customers.
Would love to book my table next year when I am in KL. I love Nyonya food. What you have here makes me hungry. Ken