Back to Kebaya two nights ago for dinner - a visiting Singaporean friend wanted to try the food there, first-time for her:
We started with the George Town Cooler - nutmeg, Bombay Sapphire gin, grenadine, lemon, lime and longan.
The dinner menu options have changed little in the past 5 years.
Starters:
1a) Crispy Joo Hoo Char Rolls - these were crisp-fried rolls of finely julienned carrot, shitake mushrooms and dried squid, wrapped in latticed rice paper.
1b) Otak-otak - shredded seabass cooked with turmeric & garlic, baked in crispy puff pastry, served with a lightly-spiced, coconut milk-enriched dip.
1c) Pai Tee - crispy pastry cups with peanut brittle, Nyonya achar (pickled vegetables), fried prawns and toasted sesame seeds.
Mains:
2a) Confit Beef with Buah Keluak Jam - pan-seared confit oyster blade, topped with buah keluak-chili jam, celery ribbons, daun selom and crisp-fried shallots.
2b) Hong Bak Lamb - prime NZ lamb-shank, sous-vide for 48 hours, and slow-braised in spices and its own jus.
2c) Gulai Tumis Pomfret - pomfret fillets in a sour-sweet-spicy gravy with Japanese Momotaro tomato concasse, garnished with shredded torch-ginger flowers and Vietnamese mint.
Sides:
3a) Sambal Goreng - sauteed French beans, baby corn and cashew nuts, in a lemongrass-scented, belacan-infused, coconut milk-enriched gravy.
3b) Kerabu Green Mango with Soft Shell Crab Add-on - green mango and local herb salad in a sambal belacan dressing, with batter-fried soft-shell crabs.
3c) Masak Lemak - sweet potato shoots in a coconut milk-infused spiced gravy, topped with crispy sweet potato chips.
Desserts:
4a) Gula Melaka Parfait - Gula Melaka-infused parfait, with almond dacquoise, crisp tuile and palm sugar glaze.
4b) Pandan Crรจme Brรปlรฉe - pandan-scented egg custard with crisp caramel topping.
4c) Tang Yuen - glutinous rice balls with pal sugar fudge, in a warm coconut milk broth.
Always good to be back at the Kebaya, with its impeccable service. Just wished theyโd introduce more seasonal specials, to break the monotony of its regular menu.
