MIGF FINE DINING AT MINORI JAPANESE RESTAURANT AT ROYALE BINTANG DAMANSARA @THE CURVE

KEE@FSWMAG.COM

FOUNDERS AND ORGANISERS OF THE MALAYSIA INTERNATIONAL GOURMET FESTIVAL DATO STEVE DAY AND DATIN SU DAY NEE SU WAI FUN AND DATO LIAW CHOON LIANG HOSTED A SUMPTUOUS DINNER AT MINORI JAPANESE RESTAURANT AT THE ROYALE BINTANG DAMANSARA HOTEL @THE CURVE LAST NIGHT.

As usual, around two dozen guests were feted with canapes, champagne, wine and drinks in the private enclosure of Minori before dinner started. The traditional green beans were absolutely delightful with no overt traces of salt while the salmon skin platter was a rare treat since they are pricey delicacies and not in the same league as Menglembu groundnuts.

Minori is owned by youthful and dishy tycoon Dato Liaw Choon Liang who is the president and CEO of Focus Point Holdings Berhad, Malaysia's most prominent and successful chain of eyecare with a mission to make Focus Point the leading vision care providers in all Asia!

The first Focus Point outlet opened in Muar, Johore in 1989 as a small counter somewhere inside a shopping centre. By 2000 Focus Point had migrated north to Kuala Lumpur and 80 franchise outlets were established within 9 years, many to Focus Point staff who ventured out on their own. 

Dato CL Liaw notes in 20 years sales have reached RM 100 million and today there are around 175 Focus Point shops nationwide.

Minori is Dato Liaw's latest baby as he ventures into the restaurant business as he is a passionate and well informed gourmet. In addition to his flagship Minori, he also owns Komugi, Inaho Sushi, Komugi Cafe and Baum.

Minori is only a year old and has already established an enviable reputation as a fine dining haven for authentic Japanese cuisine. This happens when passion and professionalism come before profits! 

"Minori seats only 90 so it is not that big but we have a master chef from Japan who insists on quality and authenticity," explained Dato C.L Liaw earnestly. "Chef Hideaki Nakajima's motto is 'if it is not perfectly prepared, it is not leaving my kitchen' which is a very demanding and expensive motto! But one I am happy to follow as our high standards must meet the equally high standards of our diners!"

'Minori' means 'harvest' and we truly enjoyed a bountiful, delightful and golden harvest of the culinary kind!

His Excellency Eduardo Malaya the Philippines ambassador said, "Malaysia owes a debt of gratitude to Dato Steve Day and Datin Su for putting Malaysia on the international culinary map with MIGF,"

For MIGF 2013, Chef Nakajima proposes the Full Course menu of starter drink, appetiser, starter, grilled entree, clear soup, grilled wagyu beef, deep fried seafood, sushi and dessert.

RM 338++ with 2 wines or RM 288++ without. The Light Menu is RM 188++.

MINORI 03-7959 9099

The Royale Bintang Damansara Hotel, Mutiara Damansara, Selangor

www.minori.com.my

HOSTS WITH MOST; DATO STEVE DAY AND DATIN SU DAY OF MIGF AND DATIN JOYCE AND DATO C.L LIAW OF MINORI JAPANESE RESTAURANT AT ROYALE BINTANG DAMANSARA ON 1ST FLOOR

 TERENCE CHONG, TAN SUET GUAN OF SUNWAY MEDICAL CENTRE, DATIN SU DAY OF MIGF AND DATIN JOYCE LIAW OF MINORI

 ARNE BECKER OF ZURICH INSURANCE AND DR KRISTINE BECKER

ZURICH INSURANCE IS ONE OF MIGF'S SPONSORS

 OUR TABLE

 DATO C.L LIAW AND DATIN JOYCE LIAW

 DOUGLAS TAN OF ESPRESSO TAN, DATIN NANCY TAN AND KEE HUA CHEE

 DOUGLAS TAN AND DATIN NANCY TAN

 H.E MR EDUARDO MALAYA THE PHILIPPINES AMBASSADOR, MADAME DR RENEE CHRISTINE, DATIN SU DAY, DATIN JOYCE LIAW AND DATO C.L LIAW

 DATO STEVE DAY PRESENTED WITH A CULINARY BOOK BY THE AMBASSADOR OF THE PHILIPPINES HIS EXCELLENCY MR EDUARDO MALAYA

 THROUGHOUT THE MONTH LONG MIGF DINNERS, NOT ONE GUEST EVER BOTHERED TO GIVE A PRESENT TO DATO STEVE DAY (NOT THAT ANY WAS EXPECTED!) AND THE PHILIPPINES AMBASSADOR WAS THE FIRST TO DO SO!

 EILEEN LIM AND LIM SIANG WEE

 JAMES BELTRAN OF MELEWAR, ROCIO ('MORNING DEW') BELTRAN, DATIN JOYCE LIAW AND DATO C.L LIAW

 MINORI

 GADDAFI POURING MY CHAMPAGNE

 MINORI'S SUPERB SERVICE IS EXEMPLIFIED BY STAFF LIKE GADDAFI

 MORNING DEW, DATO C.L LIAW AND DATIN JOYCE LIAW

 MORNING DEW, DATO LIAW AND DATIN  JOYCE LIAW

 ARNE BECKER AND DATO STEVE DAY

 LIM SIANG WEE AND JAMES BELTRAN

 DATO LIAW, DATIN NANCY TAN AND THE PHILIPPINES AMBASSAFOR

 DATO STEVE DAY WELCOMING GUESTS

 CHEF HIDEAKI NAKAJIMA

 DATO C.L LIAW WELCOMING GUESTS

 GROUP PHOTO!

 APPETISER

 SASHIMI STARTER

 SALMON SKIN

 DATO STEVE DAY INTRODUCING HIS GUESTS

 GRILLED ENTREE

 THIS WAS MEANT TO BE EATEN AND WAS SPECIALLY COOKED AND TASTES LIKE POP CORN! AMAZING TOUCH THAT WOWED THE DINERS

 CLEAR SOUP

 GRILLED WAGYU BEEF

 THAT'S KEE HUA CHEE'S RING

 OPENING ACT

 DELICIOUS!

 DEEP FRIED SEAFOOD

 SUSHI

 DESSERT

 DATO STEVE DAY THANKING CHEF HIDEAKI NAKAJIMA

 ARNE BECKER OF ZURICH INSURANCE IS ASKED TO SPEAK ON OUR BEHALF

 'GREAT MEAL'!

 APPLAUSE TO THE CHEF AND TEAM!

 THE PHILIPPINES AMBASSADOR H.E EDUARDO  MALAYA SAID MALAYSIA OWES A DEBT TO DATO STEVE DAY FOR PROMOTING OUR HOMEGROWN TALENTS AND THOSE WHO CHOSE TO WORK HERE TO TAKE OUR CUISINE TO THE NEXT LEVEL

THANK YOU, DATO STEVE DAY ON BEHALF OF ALL FOOD LOVING MALAYSIANS!