Waiters present bottles of Red to the guests
This year’s Festival theme, if it escaped your attention, is 'Cool Chefs: Cooking With Attitude', and there few places in town cooler than the Cuban inspired haven of QBA Latin Bar & Grill. Set in one of the trendiest hotels in the city, the Westin KL, a well known haunt for international celebrities and top sports stars, QBA is a restaurant that saturates all your senses as soon as one steps through its threshold.
Projecting the look and feel of Old Havana, Qba's interior is drenched in character
On entering the restaurant, instead of the customary tables and chairs, patrons enter the corridor flanked by cigar and wine lounges that pleasantly assault the senses with the smell of fine Cuban cigars. Moving through a curtained corridor you enter the restaurant proper, a very intimate affair that screams Old Havana; wall murals and 1930’s cigar posters along with regional architecture act as a time warp, whisking you away from the modern glitz of the Westin into the heart of Latin America.
Qba boasts a classic al-fresco area - the ideal spot to enjoy a mojito and cigar
The Restaurant and bar are spread across two floors with spacious tables overlooking the bar and dance floor below. Every night is party night in QBA, with a live salsa band performing nightly from 10.30pm, so if you enjoy some fresh Latin vibes to accompany your meal, aim to get there by then. QBA also offers a highly sought after curtained-off chamber that sits four, and a private dining room that seats up to twenty if a more discreet dining experience is what you're after.
Master Chef Pearl Woo finishes off a dish
The kitchen is open plan and in full view of patrons, so you can easily see your order being cooked to perfection by Festival Master Chef Pearl Woo and her amiable team. The popular pocket rocket of MIGF, Chef Pearl served up her simple yet stunning cuisine to some of the most discerning clientele in the city on this evening, something she must be getting used to, after a recent visit from Hollywood star Chris Hemsworth during a film shoot.
Tasty Latin tapas kicked the evening off in fine fashion
Among the stars of this evening's dining party were Chairman of Melewar Group Berhad, Tunku Dato' Seri Iskandar Tunku Abdullah and Datin Seri Maneesah; Deputy High Commissioner of the Maldivian High Commission, H E Aishath Shaan Shkir; Chairman of Kumpulan Fima Berhad, Tan Sri Ir Md Radzi Haji Mansor and Puan Sri Aizah Mahmud; and Datin To' Puan Chit Wha Lau.
As guests arrived, they indulged in tasty tapas and mocktails while taking in the stunning artwork displayed in the exhibition, 'Depth & Deception', courtesy of thought-provoking artists Charlotte Donvang & Ahsan Qureshi. The exhibition revolves around deep themes and served as a great way to work up an appetite. You can catch the exhibition throughout the Festival month, so make sure to have a gander before chowing down at QBA!
Depth & Deception by Charlotte Donvang & Ahsan Qureshi
General Manager of The Westin Kuala Lumpur, Mr. Hratch Khatchanian, welcomed guests and invited them to make the small journey down to QBA, as Chef Pearl was ready to serve up her colourful Festival Menu.
General Manager of The Westin Kuala Lumpur, Mr. Hratch Khatchanian, Chef Pearl and Director of F&B, Huza Radzi
Right from the get go, Chef Pearl hit the jackpot, with a truly tender grilled Wagyu beef intercostal, chimichurri sauce and honey balsamic reduction, beautifully presented on the plate. Emmanuel Nivet, CEO of AXA Affin General Insurance Berhad, loved it, “I have to admit the Wagyu beef was outstanding. Being French I am a little demanding with my food, but the mixture of tastes in the dish was really great”.
Grilled Australian Wagyu Beef Intercostal, Chimichurri Sauce, Mirco Greens,
Red Radish, Honey Balsamic Reduction
Two soups followed; a Brazilian seafood stew of shrimps and a refreshing gazpacho of cucumber and kiwi. Despite looking very different on paper, the two dishes complimented each other perfectly and were a great way to fire up the appetite for the heavier courses ahead.
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Brazilian Seafood Stew of Shrimps, Cod, Plantain,
Coconut Milk
| Green Gazpacho of Cucumber and Kiwi, Extra Virgin Olive Oil |
The main event of Chef Pearl’s menu comes from either land or sea, a heart-breaking option if you're keen on both, but that is why you dine with friends! ‘On the land’ consists of grilled lamb, Wagyu eye fillet and a slow braised Oaxacan mole black Angus beef short rib, all grilled to perfection. ‘From the sea’ gives you a selection of beautifully grilled fish; seared ocean trout, black cod, Anticucho tiger prawns and scallop. Both equally impressed diners, in particular Tan Sri Radzi Haji Mansor who said that “all the dishes were very good, but I really enjoyed the beef and lamb, so tender and both melt in the mouth. It goes really well with the Spanish wine they pair with it”.
Grilled Lamb Breast, Australian Wagyu Eye Fillet, Slow Braised "Oaxacan Mole Black Angus"
Beef Short Rib
To round off the evening, a Layered pumpkin and milk chocolate mousse that contains the barest hint of the seasonal fruit (yes, it is a fruit, not a vegetable!). Mr Ashwin Rajgopal, Managing Director of L’Oreal Malaysia was a huge fan of the dish, “The dessert was the pick of the evening, and I highly recommend it. The fact it had layers of pumpkin was unique and the taste was very subtle complementing the chocolate mousse perfectly”.
Layered Pumpkin and Milk Chocolate Mousse
After Mr Hratch and Chef Pearl thanked the diners, it was left to Tan Sri Radzi Haji Mansor to lead a heartfelt and enthusiastic praise of both the restaurant team and Chef Pearl’s culinary creations. Being at QBA, it would have been rude not to partake in a little salsa, so the guests adjourned to the downstairs bar and danced the night away.
MIGF Organising Chairman, Dato' Steve Day leads a cheef for Chef Pearl
Puan Sri Aizah Mahmud, Tan Sri Ir Md Radzi Haji Mansor, Hratch Khatchanian, Olof Rapp
The full Festival menu is priced at RM330++ per person with wine and RM190++ without. Stay posted to the MIGF and Westin websites, as the hotel is running over 22 first rate promotions during the Festival month primising even more value for your money.
The gourmands for the evening pose with Chef Pearl
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