It's loud! It's happening! It's the MIGF gala launch festival!!!

Managed to snagged an invited thanks to KL Hilton but got lost in Putrajaya (hint: next time follow the map!).

we arrived just in time to mill around for 5 minutes before the guests of honour arrived and listen to Dato Steve Dat drone on in his opening speech. They proceeded swiftly into the hall to be greeted by the chef clanging on their pots and pans. We (ignoring Dato's order to wait for the confetti cannons) just dive straight for the restaurants booths.

One round of food with Calsberg, second round for information and chef gazing with Carlsberg again, third round to work off the alcohol (who am I kidding, I think I down about 3 red wines, 4 cocktails and 4 white wines along the way)

Chef Ricky and Chef Lam were all there, got to meet Chef Michael make some funky Truffle noodles in Game consumme. I will probably visit Iketeru (Nov 4), Chynna (Nov 12) and Sense (3rd week of November) in that order. Do drop me a email if you want to join in.

Some obligatory photos:






PS: Dato Steve Day, next year, either ask your guest to bring earplug or tone down the band. I couldn't even listen to the harpist and violinists.

Secrets in my Kaiseki menu

Or more likely, I will not publish pictures of dishes that will appear at the MIGF menu so that you will have to attend the MIGF menu to taste the dish first hand.

Starters: Persimmon & Mushroom with Tofu sauce and Boiled Chrysantheneum leaves with Bonito Sauce
Love the white creamy tofu sauce, the mix of persimmon and mushroom and the underlying sweetness that washes over your tongue. The leaves were much crunchier this time compared to previous tastings.
























Sashimi: Hokkaido Oyster, Yellowtail, Toro, Squid raw and flambe, Silk Snapper
Sorry!!! I ate the Oyster before snapping it, well, it was as big as the shell and juicy as well.

The other pieces of note was probably the silk snapper fished from the cold seas around japan. We also have such fishes in Malaysia (red with faint yellow stripes) but this one was particularly fatty and the sushi chef had to score the meat as well to make it chewable.




















Soup: Clear Soup
Chef Ricky only noticed that I haven't gotten my soup while I was having my sashimi and got it out in a huff.
Being a dodo that I am, didn't even notice the teacup/cover that is used to pour the broth in until after I had sampled the mushrooms, prawn, white fish meat. Still, it is reminiscent of the 2007 Chynna MIGF menu soup, love the concept.






















Steamed dishes: Steamed Matsuba crab, Sea Urchin, Turnip & Tonburi seed
An MIGF menu item, but a prototype served without the salt.
The presentation of the dumpling is elegant while the taste is layered and can be combined at your whim and fancy. I will say that I ended up slurping from the bowl.



Grilled dishes: Silk Snapper with Salt, Yam crackers, Sea Bream mini sushi, Soy Tofu, Chestnut, Gingko nuts, Oysters.
The grilled fish taste richer than the sashimi, love the smooth tofu and crispy yam crackers (Maybe Chef Ricky should start a company selling these). The mini sushi were coated with korean miso sauce that was spicy and fooled me (I thought it was szechuan dou ban jiang). The oysters though shrunked in size triple in taste. I had an excellent time sampling this dish.






















Fry: Cod Fish Milt Cawanmushi with ponzu sauce.
I want more cod fish milt!!!!!
Otherwise, everything was hot to the tongue and I was scalding it with every spoonful; hot but delicious.




Main: Chirashi Sushi
Read: I am a glutton for more food. Just another case of brinkmanship (my sushi is bigger than your sushi)




































Dessert: Red Bean Jelly 
with Chestnut & Assorted Fruits
Another item on the MIGF menu. I love this and am so looking forward to having it again next week!!!!


Definitely one of my better nights at Iketeru. Feel free to comment

Teppanyaki at Iketeru

A teppanyaki promotion at Iketeru, what gems will we find on the menu



Salad
Some salad to fill up while waiting for the starters










Starters: Panfried Hokkaido bay scallop with coriander sauce
Beautifully garnished with nori seaweed, the coriander sauce and scallop complement each other perfectly, melting into each other until the very end. Each piece was veiled in sauce that fades harmoniously into the background when the scallop takes full highlight on your tongue. I do wish that the sauce could have been given more prominence.























Soup: Lobster Bisque
Compared to LL's bisque at the Trader's Hotel at last year MIGF, this one has heaps of lobster meat. With the essence of lobster shell, brains and roe all boiled down into the soup, you feel like you are sipping on the essence of a whole lobster without even seeing it. Savory goodness, ooohhh la la.























Distraction: Maguro, Japanese tomato (bonus)
Maguro sashimi overlaid with Japanese tomato and garnished with ice-soaked onion slices and liver sauce. Light refreshing (and not even stingy) onions and sauce brighten up mellowy maguro and tomato (I know I got a bigger plate than everyone else's at the sushi bar, which is just obscene!!!)




Main course: Tajime beef sirloin on Edemame Risotto with Truffle sauce
While taking photos of this dish, I just had to inhale deeply to smell the fragrant scent of truffle hidden among the smoky meat. Definitely a good start to this dish.

I love the tenderness of the meat, the crispness of the garlic and baby carrots, and mushroom and potato soaking up the juice and truffle sauce (which was coyly sweet and a bit overpowering). Thank goodness the edemame risotto pancake (crispy on the outside, gooey creamy on the insides, with thin slices of edemame for texture) was glue that holds the whole dish together allowing you to taste everything without losing any of the elements.


















Main course: Foie Gras and oysters served with Cinnamon apple Compote
To describe eating this dish, it is like a game show where there are doors leading to different prizes. The sauce that coats and binds all the ingredients floods your tongue with sweetness before vanishing to leave you savouring the fullness of whatever you put in your mouth,

With the oysters, the sweetness disappears to reveal a raw saltiness several times the flavour of raw oysters. For the Foie Gras, you get a smoky meltiness as the rich fat dissolves into layers and layers upon your tongue. The apple compote is just so refreshing between every bite of oyster and foie gras.



















Main course: Teppanyaki Lobster with Bechamel Sauce
An add on to the menu and my favourite dish of the night. The lobster was absolutely swimming in Bechamel Sauce with it buttery richness.

After my first bite, my only recollection was after descending from taste heaven; I was slurping up the sauce trying to recreate heaven. How embarassing.


























The evidence, how embarassing




Distraction: Scallop, Avocado & Nori sauce
Texture, contrast, saltiness, lightness, mellowness, it's got it all











Dessert: Pumpkin creme Brulee and passion fruit Sherbert
The creme brulee was a bit flat but still tasty nonetheless. I particularly enjoyed the sherbert
















Feel free to comment

Meme from FBB

Courtesy of FBB, I now have to answer this meme based on my meager contents of my wallet.

Prior to this, I will say that watching Oprah's self-help show on clutter and debt diet does wonders for my timeworn wallet, which is obviously nearing the end of its usability. (Previously, it was also thicker than FBB's one that you can see on his blog for reference).










Open inside and you don't see much. Good discipline!!!














The obligatory KP, and numerous editions of the drivers licenses, some of which I have taken the opportunity to "declutter".













My name cards; some contact name cards that I have yet to program into my handphone address book before organizing them, shall do so tonight; my blood card showing me to have one of the most stingiest blood types in the world.











Unlike FBB, I have Oprah to thank for decluttering my financial obligations and maximizing my returns on few items: two ATM cards (one from Singapore to park my stash, one Malaysian bank to handle most of my needs here. At the moment, I am waiting to switch to another one if it can meet my needs better); One (read that 1, ONE) credit card with a generous spending limit that rarely gets maxed out unless I travel abroad; Two membership cards for groceries and books; my Singapore EZlink card from student days, saves me a lot on my weekend trips to Singapore (why drive there when the public transport system actually works?)





Cash, this is probably almost my daily kitty fund.














Being a nice guy, I will not tag anyone with this meme.
Yeah right, ling239, helen gipson, meena (handbags, ladies), alpha, martin. You guys are tagged!!!