For the unaware, Kim was a semi-finalist in San Pellegrino Young Chef 2017 (and Malaysia’s sole representative), has worked his way up to become head chef at Sitka, and leads a young, ambitious and enviably talented team. And he’s an all-around swell guy. Sitka Studio is the tasting-menu version of Sitka’s more casual affairs and they open roughly 2-3 times a month (see their website for upcoming dates). They’re also available for private parties daily, outside of the scheduled dates.

Kim’s Sitka Takeover saw the Sitka team present a special one-day only tasting menu for the ridiculously low price of RM120++ per pax. And really, that price tag is an absolute steal given the sheer quantity of the food we got in return – let alone the quality! Don’t believe ah? Read on lor.

First out the gate and into the hatch: beef tongue katsu taco. It sounds jarring on paper, sure. But we’ve grown to trust in Sitka and they rarely disappoint. No difference here then. The tongue itself is delicious. Tender but not meltingly so, there’s still a very substantial bite to it. It’s not ashamed about being tongue-y. Perfectly salted too! The coating is light without much of a crunch – airy or otherwise – and I honestly didn’t see the point of it. Just a tad superfluous.

Katsu-ness aside, the tongue paired fantastically when layered with the rilette. Such a wonderful contrast of textures. And the taco shell was…a proper taco shell. Not wilty or soggy or overly crisp. It had a pleasing, robust elasticity to it that interplayed perfectly with the textures and tastes of the filling.

Look at that beauty. It’s kung pao lamb inside a tight, taut little yam puff package, with a dollop of cashew cream and dashes of smoked paprika. Surprisingly, the lamb itself was…just alright. And that’s from someone who generally adores lamb the gamier it gets. The smoked paprika round the outside really lifts it up though, emphasizing the more muted aspects of the meat. And that yam puff was satisfyingly crispy! The cashew cream really brings it all together though. Subtly nutty, unabashedly rich, we swept it off the plate in record time and longed for more, long after.

Yet another delicious dish? Par for the course. Burnt cabbage – and oh god, that crispy burntness is so primally delicious – with some clams and moss beurre blanc. What a sauce! Briny, savoury, faintly sweet. It brings to mind the miso umami of the Wild Beer Billionaire. This one deserves a spot on the regular menu. Let the people eat cabbage!

10 plates of food with so many standouts…like this one right here! The wagyu brisket char siew has a ridiculously good charred crust that’s been burnt in the most beautiful way. Biting into this beauty feels like crunching down into the essence of smokiness without any acrid bitterness or over-burnt charcoal. It feels like how I imagine our primordial originators felt when cooking their captured prey.

And that charred skin isn’t overly sweet and sticky either! Bite in further and you begin to sink slowly into the warm, tender, fat-rich flesh that gives way with minimal pushback. It just…feels right to fit inside.

Oh and there’s also pickled fungus and cucumber.

This plate really drove home the importance of ingredients: the steamed market prawns were not as springy and succulent as we would have liked. There was a redeeming feature though. That chili crab pomodoro was very tasty.

Fish and chicken are hard to get right when eating out, so we approached the roast mackerel in banana leaf with some trepidation. Unfounded worries, thankfully. The flesh was springy and firm. The coconut kerabu was lustworthy – tangy and spicy, with the coconut flesh so bouncy and substantial that we almost mistook it for cuttlefish. Okay, yeah, we did mistake it for cuttlefish.

AND the sambal puree was amazing too, god damn. Tangy and spicy, like a condensed, concentrated version of sambal. Only gripe? More pureed sambal please. And put this on the regular menu!

It’s just rice, right?

Well, (1) it’s conpoy and scallop rice, and (2) it’s almost groan-inducingly good.

First off, the rice isn’t soft and clumpy. It’s not overly hard and dry either. It’s in that sweet spot in between that we love for non-specialized rice (stickier fare is fine for sushi and Menya Hanabi, for instance). And it’s not even seasoned with salt! It’s the conpoy that gives it the briny saltiness, we’re told. So lovely. Perhaps even better than the delicious foie gras fried rice from Torii next door.

Passion e Sentimento: sweet, faintly mineral, jammy mouthfeel with a blackcurrant-like finish, other words to describe it that we are unable to furnish as Foodgazer is an uncivilized child who does not partake in liberal consumption of wine.

Stupid custard bun, how are you so tasty?

And it really is nothing short of delicious. Look at that ample, liberally, generously grated foie gras on top. Right on top of the best damn custard buns I’ve ever have.

The crust? Perfect. The filling? Oozing, hot custard. And all the seemingly straightforward components come together for an eruption of pleasure that spits and snarls inside the mouth. What a treat. What a delicious, delicate treat.

Plus it was a perfect opportunity for Kim to show off his remarkable care for cuisine and emphasis on hospitality. One of our dinner party had a misfiring custard bun that dribbled instead of oozed. Kim swept in like a guardian bun-angel and brought us fresh replacements. Thank you, sir. Bless your kind soul. Can I get more please, sir.

Second in our round of 3 desserts was the lemongrass jelly, aloe vera and calamansi – a pleasing palate cleanser that was deliciously cool and chilled, with a sparkling burst of citrus. Perfect transition from the custard bun. And the perfect way to end the night, really.

Except there was one more:

In with the last plate: roti cannelloni, burnt cream, mango. Interesting idea but execution-wise, it felt almost like a less rich version of the custard bun. And we had some gripes about the sequence of the plates. This would be a good starter dessert. Following this with the stellar custard bun, and finishing with the palate cleanser would have been a very nice dessert note to end on.

But it’s hard to complain too much. We got away with bargain of the year for that entry price (RM120++) and sampled lots and lots of tasty creations from Sitka’s kitchen (always a good thing).

And the post on Sitka’s menu proper is on its way soon, so stay tuned! Meanwhile, see you on Instagram where we IG-story religiously and are always up for a chat.

Sitka is located at 8-5, Jalan Batai, Plaza Batai, Bukit Damansara, 50490 Kuala Lumpur. It’s open everyday from 11am to 11pm though we recommend going at night in a group to share plates. Call ahead (03-2011 1117) for reservations, particularly on Fridays and weekends.

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Most classic pairings we see nowadays are rooted in the proximity of local ingredients to each other. Looking to Europe as an example, lamb has long been the staple meat of many of the major wine regions (see: Bordeaux, Greece, Rioja etc). This concept of terroir, the belief that the land itself imparts its characteristics onto the produce, means these classic pairings were more of what landed on the table from the day’s harvest or trip to the market. The rationale here being what grows together would probably taste good together.

So the Foodgazers found themselves in Persiaran Ampang on a Thursday night once again, this time for a wine tasting. Sapore is a relative newcomer among the established eateries on the street, specialising in Mediterranean fare with a focus on the Italian. This comes as no surprise as both Federico (who helms the kitchen) and Fabio (front of house) hail from Europe’s big boot. We were lucky enough to attend their inaugural wine night (2nd Thursday of every month), on which the focus was on the long term relationship between Italy’s cheese and wine.

First up, a thick slice of Parmigiano Reggiano (also known as Parmesan) arrives on the table. Hailing from the region of Reggio Emilia, the cheese has oft been called the King of Cheeses. A hard, dry cheese which is aged for a minimum of two years, we were served a slice from the 32 month old specimen on top of a pear slice. As one of the cheeses containing the highest concentration of glutamates (natural MSG), the crumbly texture gives way to a huge umami bomb. Instructed to crumble the cheese with our hands, we were taken aback by the sheer nutty savouriness as it melted slowly in the mouth. The pear slice delicately balanced the palate, cutting through the fat with its gentle acidity and fruitiness.

Paired with a glass of Villa Sandi Prosecco, a sparkling wine from Venice, the fresh fruity dryness of the wine was a great pairing for the cheese. Very floral on the nose with bites of crisp pear and notes of lemon on the finish which cut through the fatty richness of the Parmigiano. Even more interesting was the interplay between the cheese crystals and the wine on the tongue as they popped and fizzled with a bubbly effervescence, leaving the palate clean. Lovely stuff.

And so we move onto softer things with this washed-rind cheese from Val Tallegio. The aroma from this one was intoxicating, with a pungent barnyard earthiness arresting the senses. The unctuous (what a word), gooey texture of the cheese belied a creamy sweetness with just a hint of truffle towards the end. Accompanied by an apple marmalade whose sweetness further lifted the earthy notes. One of the favourites of the night.

The accompaniment this time a summery Tuscan white wine, straw-coloured with a heady floral bouquet. On the palate, bites of lemony apple finishing with a very curious almond twist. A very interesting flavour profile, especially that whiff of almonds at the end which matched the lingering aftertaste of the taleggio like a firm handshake between old friends. Spot on.

Pecorino refers to cheeses made from sheep’s milk, a famed example being  Pecorino Romano, the key ingredient in Roman pastas like carbonara or cacio e pepe. For our 3rd course of the night we were served its Tuscan cousin, a firm-textured ewe’s milk cheese. Milder than its more illustrious Roman counterpart, it still has that herbaceous, grassy aroma associated with sheep cheeses with a soft nutty flavour. The grapes here provided a good shot of acid to the proceedings and that rich walnut pesto could easily be eaten with a hearty bowl of pasta. Possibly the most interesting pairing of food ingredients that night.

Ah, Chianti. Made infamous by one Hannibal Lecter regarding its good pairing with liver and fava beans in Silence of the Lambs (excellent film and acting masterclass). A medium-bodied, high acid red wine that opens up with a nose full of red fruit. What follows is a dry flavour profile dominated by plum and dark fruit that lingers on the tongue. A great burst of grape that balances out the rich grassy flavours of the cheese. Easy drinking.

Blue cheeses are like the durian of the cheese world. To most Asians, the almost rotten pungency of the cheese is an acquired taste, dividing opinions like the King of Fruits. Fortunately, unlike durian, I love my blue cheese. This Italian gorgonzola doesn’t quite assault the senses with the same aggression as Roquefort or Stilton, but is still full of that deep, dark funk that consumes the senses. The richness is offset by the tart dried plums and the honey a soothing balm for a now well-exercised tongue. Chief Foodgazer found the honey here overly sweet but I mopped up the whole piece gladly.

A heavyweight cheese calls for a heavyweight wine and thus the final pairing was this strong Sicilian red. Full-bodied, a bit spicy on the nose with very dark fruit and vanilla tones. The palate opens up to more dark fruit, plums, hints of tobacco and vanilla spice. Smooth finish with a slight bitter aftertaste that helps cut through the sweet honey glaze. A good book-end to the pairings.

Complimentary house-made foccacia was served throughout. Light and airy with sundried tomatoes.

A bowl of aglio olio capped off the night, once again on the house. The spaghetti was perfectly al-dente and the aroma of garlic and olive oil was a great send-off. Perhaps a touch light on the salt to balance out all the cheesiness we endured.

All in all, a thoroughly entertaining affair with some quality Italian produce on display. Service was warm, attentive and given an intimate touch with the personal anecdotes from both Chef Federico and Fabio who explained each pairing in detail. Priced at RM108, great value to be had. For those interested in any forthcoming wine events at Sapore, they will be having a Spanish themed event which you can follow here as well as a night of Puglian cuisine. Till next time, the Foodgazers bid you arrivederci.

Sapore
18 Persiaran Ampang,
Off Jalan Ampang,
Kuala Lumpur
Daily, 2pm-1130pm
Tel: 03-4266-6362

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