MIGF FINE DINING AT THE RESTAURANT AT THE CLUB SAUJANA RESORT IN SHAH ALAM

KEE@FSWMAG.COM

CO-FOUNDERS AND ORGANISERS OF MALAYSIA INTERNATIONAL GOURMET FESTIVAL DATO STEVE DAY AND DATIN SU DAY HOSTED AN EXCEPTIONAL TRUE-BLUE GOURMET DINNER AT THE RESTAURANT AT SAUJANA CLUB RESORT NEXT TO HYATT SAUJANA HOTEL IN SHAH ALAM.

And yes, the name of the restaurant IS The Restaurant!

Yes, it does seem rather pretentious or kitschy since the proprietor knows this scenario;

"Where shall we have dinner tonight?" asks A.

"How about at The Restaurant?" replies B.

"Of course we will have dinner at a restaurant, stupid. Where else would we eat? In a toilet?" snaps A.

"I mean The Restaurant you moron," snarls B.

"I know we will dine in a restaurant but which one?" growls A.

"The Restaurant," says B.

"Which restaurant? You are so irritating! Just give me the name of the restaurant!" says A as he clenches his fist.

"The Restaurant! God almighty, you are so ignorant!" screeches B as he dodges a punch from A.

"If you are not going to tell me the name of the restaurant, you can forget about our deal!" hollers A.

"I keep telling you the name of the restaurant is The Restaurant! Why is your skull so thick?" howls B.

"Where got a restaurant named a restaurant?" screams A.

"Not A Restaurant you nincompoop but The Restaurant! As in capital T and capital R! They are that good that's why they dare call themselves simply The Restaurant. Here, let me write out the name on a piece of paper!" sighs B.

And B is right. The Restaurant IS remarkably good under the jurisdiction of Chef Alexander Waschl who hails from near Innsbruck, Austria.

Said Dato Seri Azim Zabidi, ex-UMNO Treasurer and businessman, "I just returned from Edinburgh, Scotland where they have 5 Michelin-starred restaurants and I went to 3. I can say tonight's dinner at The Restaurant is better than all three!"

Well, fancy that! And Dato Sri Azim Zabidi is a gourmet of the first degree!

He added, "Next year Dato Steve Day must look into inviting the Michelin people to grade our restaurants as Kuala Lumpur does not have a Michelin starred restaurant though obviously there are a a few which deserves one or two stars! In Singapore, Iggy is a restaurant with a Michelin star and guess what, the chef is Malaysian!"

I am not surprised. I am the greatest journalist this side of the observable universe and I am also Malaysian!

Anyway, VIP guest the Switzerland ambassador His Excellency Dr Rolf Lenz added, "I am not that knowledgeable about restaurants but I know and appreciate good food! The Restaurant certainly deserves praise as the food is excellent."

His Excellency also praised Dato Steve Day and Datin Su Day for their effort and presented Dato Steve Day with a Swiss Army knife! A multi-functional tool that has everything but a bed!

Chef Alexander Waschl comes with impeccable credentials which explain why his cooking is so divine. He cooked in his family owned hotel before joining the renowned Grand Hotel Kronenhof where as Sous Chef, his restaurant picked up a Michelin star.

Chef Alex is now at the top of his game so it is the perfect time to try him!

After a sumptuous repast worthy of writing home to Mother, we were ushered to the poolside for dessert. The pool and plants were dramatically lit and the lovely setting provided the best finale to conclude the evening.

The Restaurant's 6 course dinner costs RM 220++, 5-course at RM 200++, 4-course at RM 180++ and if you are very poor and wretched, the 3-course dinner is a mere RM 160++. All without wines.

MENU; Salmon Capaccio, Foie Gras Creme, Grilled Hokkaido Scallop, Pan-fried Sea Bass, Smoked Rack of Lamb and Chocolate Brownie.

THE CLUB SAUJANA RESORT, JALAN LAPANGAN TERBANG SAAS, SHAH ALAM

03-7806 7000

By the way, The Restaurant's name reminds me of an incident when the comic block buster movie 'Top Secret' was screened in KL. A group of friends were going to the cinema. I asked which movie they were going to watch and one said 'Top Secret'. I was peeved and asked, "Tell me lah" and he said in all innocence "It's 'Top Secret'". I pleaded "Come on, you can tell me, don't be like this lah" to which he said irritably "I already told you it is 'Top Secret'!".

I sniffed "I thought you are my friends so why can't you tell me the name of the movie?"

They hollered "It's 'Top Secret'!"

I shook my fist at them. "I don't know why  it should be top secret! Fine, I can go see a movie on my own!"

KEE HUA CHEE, DATO LIM BOO KIAN AND DATO JEFFREY LIM

ELABORATE CANAPES

UWE AHRENS AND BLONDIE AKA ANDREA

NAZI AND OSMAN MORAD OF STANDARD CHARTERED

DATO LIM BOO KIAN AND DATO JEFFREY LIM

VERY FANCY CANAPES

THE SWISS AMBASSADOR AND UWE AHRENS

HIS EXCELLENCY DR ROLF LENZ THE SWISS AMBASSADOR AND UWE AHRENS

SHIRLEY LENZ AND ANDREA AHRENS

KEE HUA CHEE, SWISS AMBASSADOR, OSMAN MORAD AND UWE AHRENS

DATIN SERI RAIHAN AND SHIDA HASHIM

SHIDA, DATO STEVE DAY AND RIZAL ISHAK

DATO KHONG KOK KHEE, DATO JEFFREY LIM AND DATO LIM BOO KIAN

DATO SERI AZIM ZABIDI, UWE AHRENS, H.E DR ROLF LENZ AND OSMAN MORAD

RIZAL ISHAK AND SHIDA HASHI

SHIDA HASHIM, DATIN RAIHAN AND NAZI MORAD

THE RESTAURANT!

EVEN THE LOO IS SO CLASSY

DATO STEVE DAY WELCOMING HIS GUESTS

DATO STEVE DAY, BELINDA LEONG AND CHEF ALEXANDER WASCHL

LE GROUP PIX

GETTING SEATED

ANDREA AHRENS, SHIRLEY LENZ AND KEE HUA CHEE

DATO STEVE DAY INTRODUCING HIS GUESTS

SALMON CARPACCIO

CHEF ALEXANDER WASCHL EXPLAINING HIS DISHES

FOIE GRAS CREME CONSISTS OF 4 TYPES OF CAVIAR AND IS TOTALLY DECADENT

PAN FRIED SEA BASS

SMOKED RACK OF LAMB

MY STEAK

DATO LIM BOO KIAN

THE POOLSIDE WHERE WE HAD OUR BROWNIE DESSERT AND COFFEE

WHAT A CHARMING SETTING

DATO JEFFREY LIM AND DATO LIM BOO KIAN

ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE BROWNIE

IT WAS ALSO DATIN KWEE SEE'S BIRTHDAY!

DATO KHONG KOK KHEE WAS TOUCHED BY THIS GESTURE FROM DATO STEVE DAY

A BIRTHDAY KISS

DATO KHONG THANKS DATO STEVE DAY FOR THIS GESTURE

THE SWISS AMBASSADOR HIS EXCELLENCY DR ROLF LENZ MAKING HIS THANK YOU SPEECH

AND HERE IS A SWISS PRESENT TO DATO STEVE DAY

IT IS DATO STEVE DAY'S SECOND PRESENT! THE FIRST WAS FROM PHILIPPINES AMBASSADOR H.E EDUARDO MALAYA!

IT IS A SWISS ARMY KNIFE! EXACTLY WHAT DATO STEVE DAY NEEDS!

THANKS!

 DATO SERI AZIM ZABIDI PRAISES THE RESTAURANT

 HE SAYS CHEF ALEX IS AS GOOD AS ANY MICHELIN CHEF

 HE WENT TO 3 MICHELIN RESTAURANTS IN EDINBURGH AND CHEF ALEX COOKED BETTER!

 KUDOS TO THE RESTAURANT!

 THANKS TO DATO STEVE DAY FOR ORGANISING THE 13TH MIGF!

 THE SWISS AMBASSADOR AGREES THE RESTAURANT IS AS GOOD AS ANY

 DATO STEVE DAY THANKING THE KITCHEN TEAM

 CHEF ALEXANDER WASCHL PROMISES TO OUTDO HIMSELF NEXT YEAR!

 CHEF ALEX THANKS AND SALUTES DATO STEVE DAY

GREAT JOB, GUYS!