MIGF 2014 Review – Nook at Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral

[Food & Beverage – MIGF 2014 Feature]

I have actually been to Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral quite a number of times since it opened last year as many of my clients like to hold their events there. Usually we would get to have lunch or dinner at the events and more often than not it is at the hotel’s all day dining restaurant – Nook.

Now I’ve actually done two (2) reviews of Nook in the past and you can read about my previous experiences here:

https://timchew.net/2013/10/31/casual-dining-nook-mai-bar-aloft-kl-sentral/

https://timchew.net/2014/06/12/food-review-ramadan-buffet-at-nook-aloft-kl-sentral/

Nook participated in MIGF last year and this year they are back with a special menu prepared by Executive Sous Chef Rozaiman and his team. Chef Rozaiman’s has 22 years of experience in the culinary industry and takes diners on a gastronomic journey with a fusion of East and West, while showcasing the fresh flavours of each ingredients but with a modern twist.

From the Sea

Marinated Sea Conch, Octopus and Sea Urchin Roe in Coconut Kerabu Style with Fiddlehead Fern

This was one pretty dish! Honestly, I’m not too big a fan of octopus but this has to be one of the few dishes that make me change my mind. I thought it was going to be slimy by the looks of it but the flesh was surprisingly firm and didn’t have the rubbery feeling when I chewed it. The kerabu went along nicely with it giving some crispy texture. The blob of fish roe was extravagantly tantalizing and I ate it with everything else on the plate. Quite a delightful mix of flavours and textures. Obviously a lot of thought went into creating this dish.

This was paired with the WXYZ Mojito (my partner in crime for the night was holding it in the first pic of this post) which is a nice and refreshing cocktail. Not too sweet (I really dislike sweet cocktails) and its clean and refreshing flavours did not overpower the appetiser.

Back in Black

Chicken noodle soup

My first thought when they served this to me was – where’s the noodles? Then I noticed a syringe on the side and some greyish stuff in it. The chef explained that the grey contents of the syringe was the noodle and that we had to squeeze it out into the soup. I finished the noodles in one mouthful then took my time to enjoy the flavoursome broth. Certainly a healthy inclusion on the menu.

King of Fish

Cod Assam Pedas Sauce served with Garlic Rice, Salted Egg and Tempura Egg Plant

Now baked cod fish is one of my favourite dishes but this is the first time that I was having cod with assam pedas sauce! Surprisingly it went really really well and I actually wished that there was more of the lovely assam pedas sauce to go with it but I guess the chef didn’t want to drown the dish in it and overpower the fish. The garlic rice went well with the salted egg and whatever assam pedas sauce I could mop up from the plate while the tempura eggplant added a nice variance in texture to the dish. Loved this one!

This dish was paired with the Miguel Torres Santa Digna Chardonnay Reserve which complemented the fish very well. I usually try to stick to the guide of white wine with white meat and red wine with red meat. I know some people say be adventurous however the tannins in red wines will usually end up making the fish taste metallic and that’s something that I really dislike.

In Between

Lemon Grass, Lime, Pandan Sherbet

Something sour and fragrant to cut through the flavours from the last dish and prepare the palate for what’s to come.

12 hours Sous-Vide Sambal Beef Tongue and Tendon served with Percik Sauce and Achar Crudité

The 12 hours sous-vide sambal beef tongue and tendon was so tender that it literally melts in your mouth. No chewing required! Yes again it was another very successful mish mash of Eastern versus Western flavours. Super tender and very flavourful beef – undoubtedly the product of the slow vacuum packed cooking process over 12 hours! The percik sauce added some richness and spice to the dish while the achar balanced out the rich flavours of the beef and sauce with some acidity.

This dish was paired with the Miguel Torres Santa Digna Carmenere Reserve – a wine with aromas of blackberries, and balsamic notes with hint of mandarin. It has sweet and fruity tannins and gives the taste of liquorice, black pepper, clove on the palate with a toasty and vanilla base.

 

Sweet, Salty, Sexy

Nook Cendol

Pandan Rice Flour Jelly, Ba’ kelalan Salt, Palm Sugar Ice, Red Bean and Glutinous Rice

The cendol was a twist on Nook’s Ais Kacang which is served with all the syrups and the santan in syringes so it wasn’t so much a surprise to me. Nevertheless it was a new experience for my partner in crime and she gleefully added the gula Melaka and santan to her cendol (she only used half a syringe though as she’s one of those girls who watches their diet). I just went all in and added the contents of both syringes to my cendol before emptying the bowl.

~Sour Boy~

I thought this cocktail was really sour but the girls seemed to like it. Guess I’m more a whisky/ brandy/ beer person.

Coffee, Tea or ABK (Ais Batu Kopi)

The ABK is basically cold milk poured over coffee ice cubes creating a swirling mess of coffee goodness. I’ve had a hot latte this style before at one of the cafes in Publika but this was my first time having iced coffee served this way. Took a bit of stirring and you had to wait a while for the coffee to melt but it was certainly worth it and after a 6-course meal, I really needed this to stay awake during my drive home. 

 

It’s quite refreshing how Nook constantly surprises and challenges the norm with twists on traditional dishes coupled with some interactivity along the way so don’t expect a conventional (and boring) ol dinner! 

Nook’s Full MIGF 2014 Menu is available with wine/ cocktail pairing and without at the following prices:

6 Course tasting menu @ rm188.00nett per person

6 Course tasting menu pairing with wine and cocktail @ rm250.00nett per person

 

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Also available is Nook’s Short MIGF 2014 Menu which consists of three (3) courses namely the appetiser, main, and dessert. You also have the option to pair this menu with the wine and cocktails.

  

From the Sea

Marinated Sea Conch, Octopus and Sea Urchin Roe in Coconut Kerabu Style with Fiddlehead Fern

~WXYZ Mojito~

Main

12 hours Sous-Vide Sambal Beef Tongue and Tendon served with Percik Sauce and Achar Crudité

~Miguel Torres Santa Digna Carmenere Reserve~

Sweet, Salty, Sexy

Nook Cendol

Pandan Rice Flour Jelly, Ba’ kelalan Salt, Palm Sugar Ice, Red Bean and Glutinous Rice

~Sour Boy~

Coffee, Tea or ABK

  

3 Course tasting menu @ rm98.00nett per person

3 Course tasting menu pairing with wine and cocktail @ rm130.00nett per person

 

 

The MIGF set menus are available throughout the month of October and diners can enjoy a 20% discount on alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (which includes selected glasses of wines or champagne) as well as 20% discount on the restaurant’s A La Carte Menu.

 

Nook is located at:

Level 1, Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral,

5 Jalan Stesen Sentral,

Kuala Lumpur Sentral,

50470 Kuala Lumpur,

Malaysia.

 

Operating Hours: Open daily from 6.00am to 12.00am

Telephone: +603 2723 1154

email:  nook.03758@alofthotels.com

Website: www.alofhotels.com/kualalumpursentral

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AloftKualaLumpurSentral

 

All photos were shot with the Sony a5100. More info on the cam at http://www.sony.com.my/product/ilce-5100l?cid=[a5100]_MY_-_Alpha_a5100:sem:goog:MY:txt_brand:_sony_alpha_5100&pkw=_sony_alpha_5100