In perfect balance — the Mo Mo Duck Roll. KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 — Sweet, salty and tart all came together perfectly in the Mo Mo Duck Roll in a recent dinner at Gu Yue Tien. A slice of smoked duck, a sliver of mango, crispy beancurd skin and pickled cucumber sat on a dense pancake smeared with a sweet sauce. I revelled in the textures and varying flavours, which included a touch of wasabi. It set the tone of excellence for what was to follow. I have always thought that Gu Yue Tien, helmed by owner/chef Frankie Woo, deserves a Michelin star for the extreme creativity he brings to the art of Chinese cuisine, and the way his mind and palate work in synchronicity. For instance, how would you know that bits of jackfruit and strawberry would complement the Panfried Foie Gras on Scallop and Prawn Paste in Orange Honey Sauce?
Pushing the boundaries — Panfried Foie Gras on Scallop and Prawn Paste with Orange and Honey Sauce.But here was this luscious foie gras sitting on a scallop and prawn paste, drizzled with an orange and honey sauce and topped with a little fruit were such a gorgeous match. Rich bursts from the foie gras, then the mellow, sweet scallop and prawn, and lastly the fruit, with the nangka coming through subtly. The wows over this dish continued with the Pig’s Stomach Soup that came next. This was a good old-fashioned soup, with the aroma and punch of pepper, with all the flavours of a good stock but without overpowering the senses. It was such a yummy soup that you want to lick your lips at the end of it. The Salt Baked Iberico Pork Ribs were brought to the table to be cut and served. The ribs were as good as they looked: one bite and you get a swoosh of fat in your mouth; tear at the meat and you get the salt on your tongue. The crispy edges, the tender pork all send you melting with delight. A crisp salad cuts the guilt. There was a delicious whiff as the Fried Egg Noodles with XO sauce were served. These spicy noodles fried with black mushrooms, fat beansprouts, spring onion and egg were generously topped with crispy shreds of dried scallop. The “wok hei” was obvious, releasing all the lovely aromas. The Chilled Avocado and Mango Cream Yin Yang style was a refreshingly smooth ending to an awesome meal. Frankie had picked the items for the four of us from a few set menus. The Mo Mo Duck Roll is RM12, Panfried Foie Gras on Scallop and Prawn Paste RM36, Pig’s Stomach Soup RM12, the Iberico Pork Ribs RM105 for 700g, the Avocado and Mango Cream RM12.
Fried Radish Cake with Cockles — dimsum with a differenceA week later I was back at Gu Yue Tien: who can get tired of its food, when its chef keeps pushing the boundaries and always has delicious surprises for you? This time it was lunch. We started with dimsum, including the outstanding fried char siu pow and the fried radish cake with cockles (so good!). A spicy Apple Salad with Giant Clam and a Smoked Bacon Salad that had yummy slices of bacon the chef had smoked himself followed. The Cuttlefish with Cheese patties had cheddar inside that oozed out when you cut it in two. You wouldn’t have guessed, but this was a winning combination: smooth salt-tinged cheese with smooth, sweet sotong. The Wok-fried Beef with Mushroom Reduction garnished with Tempura Spinach had a wasabi lift. The meat was so light and tender.
Oven-baked Squid Stuffed with Prawn Roe and Sea Urchin — delicious to the last biteThe Oven-baked Squid stuffed with Prawn Roe and Sea Urchin was so unusual but scrumptious. It had been marinated, then placed under the salamander. Intense flavours emanated from the “juicy” filling when the squid was sliced. The shrimp aroma (from the roe) was almost like belacan, with a slight bitter edge from sea urchin. “It’s kam kam fu fu (golden mellow and bitter),” said Frankie. The squid was tender, with a “puck” bite. It was accompanied with a limey chilli dip. We asked for mantou to mop up every bit of the delicious liquid stuffing. The same mantou came in handy for the Braised Pork Knuckle with Mui Choy on Pumpkin Puree. It’s the joint of the knuckle that is very springy to the bite. I loved the flavours of the mui choy or dark preserved vegetables that had soaked into the knuckle, and the creamy pumpkin puree added a sweet, refined touch to it. We used the mantou to mop up this sauce. Gu Yue Tien is located at Lot 5A, Chulan Square, Jalan Raja Chulan, 50200 Kuala Lumpur, Tel: 03-2148-0808.
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