The Malaysian Insider :: Food

Everything from tapas to roast suckling pig

Posted: 20 May 2011 05:56 PM PDT

The quarter portion of roast suckling pig we had... no wonder every other table ordered this. — All pictures by Eu Hooi Khaw

KUALA LUMPUR, May 21 — I would have mopped up the olive oil of the Al Ajillo or prawns in garlic and chilli as it had captured all their delicious aromas but I had to stop myself. The prawns were sweet and firm and the dried chilli and slices of garlic were well infused into the oil.

This tapas, and the platter of parma, Serrano and iberico ham, speck, chorizo and salami with melon, pickled olives and chilli made a scrumptious start to our dinner at El Meson in Bangsar.

A refreshing and satisfying cold meat platter.

It's a treat having these thin slices of cured meats with sweet melon and the fat olives and savouring each different texture and flavour.

I have been to the restaurant before, when it first started, and liked the food. But it's even better now as there's an experienced Spanish chef at the helm.

I have a thing about stuffed piquillo peppers, and at El Meson, they beat out all the competition from other similar restaurants. These small red Spanish peppers are stuffed with minced pork and drizzled with a creamy, lightly cheesy sauce. They were luscious, sweet and juicy, striking a fine balance with the fine meat filling.

Iberico Cheeks Stewed in Red Wine and served with potato and caramelized onion terrine, bacon confit in olive oil and Spanish paprika scored with all of us for its melting texture, and complex flavours.

It was light enough to be enjoyed with the potato and onion terrine, while the bacon confit offered another dimension in texture.

When you are Chinese and rice is your staple, you tend to look at paella with some suspicion. But the one at El Meson did not disappoint. The chef is after all from Valencia, Spain, which is famous for this rice dish.

One of the specialties here is the Paella Valenciana.

The Paella Valenciana he delivered in a cast iron pan had been cooked in a rich chicken stock with chicken, pork, chorizo and green beans. The slightly al dente saffron rice had soaked in all the essence of these ingredients.

Even then when you bite into a piece of chicken or pork, they still retain their intrinsic flavours.

The roast suckling pig is obviously popular in this restaurant. We saw it being served at several tables. It's convenient that you can order just a portion to suit the number of people at the table.

Ours was a quarter portion, but it was ample, served with roast potato, salad and apple sauce. The skin was crispy, the meat tender with a thin layer of fat, and the fruity sauce balanced out its richness.

We had three desserts — the Crème Catalana, Ultimate Chocolate Molten Lava, and the Brazo de Gitano. The first is a Spanish crème brulee, and the last, a rolled sponge cake filled with custard cream served with a coulis of mixed berries.

The sponge cake turned out to be the best dessert of the evening. The cake was lovely with the vanilla custard and could stand alone without the coulis.

The Iberico Cheeks stewed in red wine are a must-try.

The Crème Catalana was a little under-done; I would have preferred it slightly firmer, while the Ultimate Chocolate Molten Lava lived up to its promise.

I would come back for more tapas, such as the eggplant layered with lamb and olives, grilled squid, Portobello mushrooms stuffed with beef and cheese and Spanish anchovies wrapped with bacon.

The restaurant is open throughout the day, and tapas are light and suitable in-between meals.

The Iberico Rack of Ribs slow-cooked and basted with a slightly smoked membrillo sauce (RM62), confit of cod in olive oil with garlic and chilli on a bed of ratatouille with sautéed seawater prawn and boiled potato (RM46), and seabass fillet wrapped in paper and baked with tomatoes and olives (RM42) seem like choice main courses for a next visit.

El Meson is located at 61-63 Jalan Telawi 3, Bangsar Baru, Kuala Lumpur. Tel 03-2282 8290.

Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

Kredit: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com

Jumaat, 20 Mei 2011

The Malaysian Insider :: Food

The Malaysian Insider :: Food

0 ulasan:

Catat Ulasan