Review: At Chef’s Table 2.0, local ingredients take centre stage

It’s always a sure sign of dangerously good food up ahead when strangers bond before the first course is over. All this and more was proven during a recent preview of the Chef’s Table 2.0: Bountiful Malaysia menu at the Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur. Held within the stylish confines of the VIP room at the hotel’s all-day restaurant Curate, the second edition of this tantalising culinary adventure is proudly helmed by Chef de Cuisine Muhd Mujtahid A. Lukman.

Featuring 7 courses in total, the meal begins by celebrating the fineries of homegrown sturgeon caviar. Harvested from a local fishery that resides in the quiet town of Tanjung Malim in Perak, these exquisite black pearls of salty goodness were nearly indistinguishable from Russia’s original black gold. 

The catchily-named Cameron Islands was next in line. An absolute must for ceviche fans, this dish of thinly sliced coral grouper marinated in calamansi juice delivered a zesty wallop to the tongue with every forkful. Drizzled in devilishly spicy oil infused with bird’s eye chilli, toppings of gooseberry, foliage herbs and local vegetables sourced from Cameron Highlands added just the right amount of bite to the refreshing salad.

What followed next was the hearty bowl of Udang Galah. Featuring a deeply flavourful broth that revealed a new flavour with every sip, the dish came served with springy ash noodles, crisp baby kailan and juicy prawns harvested from the rivers of Sarawak. Then there was the incredibly tender Lactose Chicken. An elevated version of comfort food, the dish came served with a dollop of delightfully creamy, concentrated porridge, a side of salted bean puree and little morsels of fried begedil (liver patties).

Finally, it was time to dig into the plat de résistance. But first, a cooling pear sorbet with gelée of chrysanthemum tea and cultivated bird nest paired with red dates steeped in ginger  is served to prepare our palate for the sous vide Sabahan lobster. A feast of delightful flavours and textures, this generous dish comes served with piquant pickled lady fingers, crunchy puffed rice and a delightfully airy curry espuma. For those with room for dessert, a soya bean mousse serves as the perfect sweet ending to what has been a deliciously indulgent celebration of the amazing produce that Malaysia has to offer.

The second edition of the Chef’s Table series will take place on 13 and 27 September, from 7pm to 10:30 pm. The seven-course menu is priced at MYR288 (without alcohol) and MYR588 (with wine pairing). For more details, visit the website in the link below.