103, Jalan SS21/37,
Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya.
Tel: 03-7728 8399
Business hours: noon to 3.00pm,
6.00pm to 11.00pm (Tuesdays to Sunday)
Closed on Mondays.
Non-halal.
PRIVATE Kitchen in Damansara Utama, as the name suggests, is a place where the owners introduce their favourite dishes prepared in their own kitchen to diners.
Private Kitchen manager and co-owner Jackie Yap said the restaurant’s executive chef, Lam Fai, was passionate about presenting his best culinary creations.
Originally from Hong Kong, Lam is well-trained in both Western and Oriental cuisines and thus, has a penchant for combining the best practices of both styles in his cooking.
Lam and Yap, who are former colleagues in a restaurant chain, joined forces with other partners to open Private Kitchen last June.
Flip through the menu and one will notice quite a number of dishes that are not easily available elsewhere.
First to catch our attention was the Stir-fried Prime Beef Fillet in Strawberry and Black Pepper Sauce.
The innovative combination piqued our curiosity.
Only the best: LamFai is passionate about sharing his best culinary creations with diners.
Lam explained that he had tried several fruits, and strawberry turned out to be the most suitable choice.
“The taste of apple, pineapple and kiwi simply did not go well with black pepper.
“Strawberry, on the other hand, lends a mild, sweet flavour to the dish,” he said.
The juice of four or five strawberries is used for each plate of Stir-fried Prime Beef Fillet in Strawberry and Black Pepper Sauce.
We also savoured the Crispy Fried Tofu with Salt and Pepper. The tasty crunchy-on-the-outside delights were addictive – it was hard to put our chopsticks down after the sampling the first cube.
Lam said the tofu cubes were ligtly tossed in a mixture of seasoning powder before being put in the hot oil.
The Hong Kong-style Steamed Sand Ginger Chicken was another unique dish recommended.
A pot of special concoction containing various ingredients, including sand ginger powder, old ginger and turmeric, is boiled for an hour.
“We then switch off the fire and dunk the chicken in the pot for 45 minutes,” Lam said.
Flavourful: Chinese Cabbage with Dried Shrimps and Vermicelli in Superior Soupis flavoured with ginger, wolfberries and evaporated milk.
He added that the poultry from this dish can also be made into Shredded Chicken with Private Kitchen Special Mala Sauce.
The chicken is shredded and then served with pickled cucumber and an appetising sauce made of XO sauce, sesame oil, sesame sauce, pepper and vinegar.
The other enjoyable dishes include Chinese Cabbage with Dried Shrimps and Vermicelli in Superior Soup, Braised Tomato and Eggplant, and Private Kitchen Special Fried Rice with Seafood.
Chinese Cabbage with Dried Shrimps and Vermicelli in Superior Soup is flavoured with ginger, wolfberries and evaporated milk.
Lam said the secret ingredient for the Private Kitchen Special Fried Rice with Seafood was XO sauce.
“With XO sauce, the taste of the dish is enhanced,” he said.
A simple yet delicious dish, the Braised Tomato and Eggplant will have anyone asking for an extra serving of white rice.
Private Kitchen also serves lou for tong, soup that is boiled for four to six hours. The varieties include Turnips with Pork Ribs, Pumpkin with Pork Ribs and White Melon with Corn.
To end the meal, Yap recommended Osmanthus Jelly with Wolfberries. It has a faint sweet scent and the texture is both chewy and springy.
This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.
