Tatler Dining Malaysia

Garden of Earthly Delights

Mandarin Grill’s new classics transcend continenta­l styles, and are proof that Italian ingredient­s can find new expression in Asian accommodat­ions. Samantha Lim sheds light on some of the restaurant’s dishes that are making a splash

- ART DIRECTION & FOOD STYLING BY TRISHA TOH PHOTOGRAPH­Y BY KHAIRUL IMRAN

With a glossy new look and a good (looking) chef de cuisine on the pass, Mandarin Grill brings a whole new meaning to 'la dolce vita'

One head taller than the average Malaysian and armed with a tougher handshake than most, Luigi Stinga has always deemed it a must to be in close contact with nature. The chef, who is setting foot in Southeast Asia for the first time, was previously stationed at 2-Michelin star restaurant Seta at the Mandarin Oriental, Milan, where it takes little more than a train ride to arrive at Liguria and Lake Como’s lovely shores.

Zooming out a level, it seems fortuitous that Stinga has found a second home at the Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur. Overlookin­g the verdant vegetation of KLCC Park, Mandarin Grill sees minute distinctio­n between the outdoors and the indoors. Additional­ly, the hotel’s close proximity to some of the country’s best natural attraction­s has allowed the chef to form fond memories, from being surrounded by swarms of lightning bugs in Kuala Selangor to swimming with sharks at the Perhentian Islands

This love of nature makes itself known in Stinga’s culinary creations too. Farm fresh vegetables, sustainabl­e seafood, and other top-quality ingredient­s see minimal interventi­on in Mandarin Grill’s kitchen, where the science of cooking and spurts of creativity result in a new Italian cuisine. It’s unlike any nonna’s cooking!

We guarantee that dining at the new Mandarin Grill will be doubly as delicious as drinking in this spread.

SPIGOLA, PEPERONI, ZAFFERANO E ACCIUGHE

Seasoned with saffron, bell pepper sauce, anchovies and shiso leaf, Mandarin Grill’s seabass was given the thumbs up from WWF Malaysia for good reason: in this day and age where mercury, lead and other contaminan­ts pose a real threat, it’s reassuring to know when seafood is 100 per cent safe for consumptio­n and totally traceable—there’s nothing fishy about this dish.

A popular source of protein in Italy, sheep benefit from living in open pastures, where they can peacefully graze on wild greens. Taking a page from this idyll, chef Stinga pairs sous-vided and lightly pan-seared lamb with bitter herbs and red sorrel. Gone is any gaminess associated with the red meat.

It takes 33 egg yolks to concoct 20 portions of chef Stinga’s vegetarian ravioli—we’ll leave the remaining math to you. The slightly abstract dish incorporat­es roasted aubergine, black garlic, cream of carrot and cabbage, and a kiss of miso; in fact, living in Asia gives the Italian chef more liberty to experiment with new umami ingredient­s.

As someone susceptibl­e to ‘a girl can dream’ musings, I’m never far from fantasisin­g about desserts that don’t go straight to one’s hips. Cue chef Stinga’s tiramisù: soft peaks of mascarpone meet swirls of coffee cream, airy sponge cake and chocolate crumble, making for an almost evanescent treat. “Shall I prepare a second plate?” winks the chef, as our spoons scrape the empty canvas.

Realistic fruit desserts seem to be all the rage today, hence executive pastry chef Anthony Hoyle’s creation. A strong advocate of bean to bar chocolate, the chef buys Batang Kali and Semai cacao from local maker Chocolate Concierge. What about chocolate do you love most? we ask chef Hoyle, to which he answers with a sweet smile: “Everything.”

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