On 29th September 2011, the 11th Malaysia International Gourmet Festival (MIGF) Gala Launch was held at the Grand Ballroom of Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa. I was fortunate to be invited to this glamorous event. MIGF, the longest running and best-known gastronomy event brings you the country's best venues to visit for fine dining.
For the entire month of October, 28 participating restaurants, ranging from East and West to fusion cuisine, authentic to modern and spicy to sublime, will be offering specially created Festival menus at very special festival prices. In addition, each restaurant will be offering Festival Offers such as door gifts and wine/champagne offers. MIGF aims to promote resident chefs and Malaysia as a fine dining destination. With good quality restaurants, perhaps Malaysia will soon have its first Michelin-starred restaurant.
The Grand Ballroom was a picture of grandeur, with a touch of lighthearted humor - cutouts of chefs with their umbrellas were seen hanging off the ceiling! It clearly showcases this year's Festival theme, "It's Raining Chefs!". "Fine dining here is not only about serving the best cuisines and having top notch service standards - it's about having fun too!" says Dato' Steve Day, the Festival's Organising Chairman.
During the gala launch, the media and honoured guests were invited to sample bite-sized delights created by the 28 restaurants, accompanied by free flow beer, wine and other beverages. I was certainly impressed with most of the samplers I tried.
This is a photo-heavy post, do enjoy browsing them. For the Festival Menu of each restaurant, browse the
MIGF website or click on the restaurant's name in this blogpost and it will bring you directly to the restaurant's menu.
The Grand Ballroom of Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa was transformed for th! is speci al event
Electric candles light up the ballroom
Al-Amar Lebanese Cuisine, Pavilion KL (Pork-Free)
Multicolored alcoholic shots served in test tubes (how cool!) at the Al-Amar Restaurant booth. For a full review of Al-Amar's MIGF menu, you can
read it here.
Asparagus Carpaccio with Fine de Clair Oysters and Escabache Salsa
Guananja Chocolate Brulee
Bunga Emas Restaurant, The Royale Chulan KL - Malay Fine Dining (Pork-Free)
Salmon Gulung Percik
Imperial Rama, Highlands Hotel, Genting Highlands Resort - Thai & Chinese (Non-halal)
Royal India, The Intermark KL - North Indian Fine Dining (Pork and beef-free)
Samplings on the Fourteen, Berjaya Times Square Hotel KL - Western Classic (Pork-free)
Combination of Seared Foie Gras, Tomato and Onion Tart & US Scallops with Yellow Mushrooms - both pretty and delicious. The foie was luscious.
Cajun Spiced Black Cod, Seared Prawns, Vanilla Oil and Escarole Risotto
Ricotta Cheesecake
Roasted Australian Pistachio Crusted Baby Veal Rack
The charming Chef Valmurugan Subramanian
Seared Alaskan cod fish - firm and fresh!
Pan Seared Scallops - juicy and bouncy, love it.
Simply delectable tiramisu, Chef Giovanni's specialty
The Restaurant, The Club Saujana Resort KL - Modern European (Pork Free)
Home Dried Watermelon Carpaccio Parmesan - very unique, love the salty-sweet flavours.
Crab Cannelloni with Lemon Grass Curry and Ginger
Chocolates and Raspberries
Chef Alexander Waschl
Chalet, Hotel Equatorial KL - Swiss Continental (Pork-Free)
Green Asparagus with Air Dried Beef - the beef was very nice.
The accordion gentleman
Lafite, Shangri-La KL - European (Pork-Free)
Pan seared scallops - can you tell that I love scallops? :D
Citrus King Prawn
Rolled Smoked Salmon and Lamb Loin
Flame, Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club - Mediterranean Grill (Pork-Free)
Braised short rib - absolutely tender!
Lamb rack
Lai Chi! ng Yuen (formerly Zing), Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur - Chinese (Non-halal)
Cute rabbit dumplings filled with durian custard - smooth and not overpowering
West Lake Garden, Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa - Chinese Cantonese (Pork-Free)
Nice carved ice feature
The Pomelo, Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat, Ipoh - Spa Cuisine (Pork-Free)
Braised wagyu beef cheek - tender and delicious
Marinated blue fin tuna with mandarin orange
Nerovivo, Jalan Ceylon KL - Contemporary Italian (Pork-Free)
Gazpacho, beef carpaccio, bruschetta
Tiramisu - yum yum!
The Emperor, Grand Dorsett Subang Hotel - Traditional Cantonese (Halal)
Assorted seafood with caviar
Scallop in baked pastry - hoorah for another scallop dish!
Cuisine Gourmet by N! athalie, Menara Taipan KL - Modern French (Pork-Free)
Lots and lots of delicious canapes
Scrambled eggs with summer truffles - love that its served in the egg shell
Light bites
Pretty macaron tower
Tamarind Springs, Taman TAR, Ampang - Indochinese (Pork free)
Girls dancing (and showering) in the background
Mandarin Grill, Mandarin Oriental KL - Contemporary Modern Grill (Pork-free)
Chef RetoWeber
Expensive knives
Macarons - so pretty and so yummy. I had 2! :)
Kofuku Japanese Restaurant, Seri Pacific Hotel Kuala Lumpur - Japanese (Pork-Free)
Saffron Tea Pot Soup with Prawn
A live Latin ! band san g the theme song for MIGF "It's Raining Chefs!" to accompany the Master Chefs from the 28 participating restaurants in their onstage dance.
It was literally "raining confetti" in there.
Dance performances
Press Conference with YB Dato' Sri Dr Ng Yen Yen & Dato' Steve Day
Hubby looked dashing in his kilt, so I simply had to post this. He also got a special mention in MIGF's official website. Other restaurants participating in MIGF:
Chynna, Hilton KL - Modern Cantonese (Pork-Free)
! Dynasty, Renaissance Hotel KL - Cantonese (Non-halal)
Iketeru, Hilton KL - Authentic Japanese (Pork-Free)
Lai Po Heen, Mandarin Oriental KL- Cantonese (Pork-Free)
NEO Tamarind, Jalan Sultan Ismail, KL - Modern Thai (Pork-Free)
Sagano, Renaissance Hotel KL - Japanese (Pork-Free)
Tatsu, Intercontinental Hotel KL-Japanese (Pork-Free)
The Olive, Maxims Genting - Continental (Pork-Free)
For the full set of photos from the MIGF 2011 Gala Launch,
click here to view.
I have read couple of postings of boatHouse and this is my first visit to this restaurant and I quite like this place at Taman Tun Dr Ismail.
Caesar Salad - great salad indeed.
Lobster Bisque - thick & tasty. 
Griddled Greek Lamb without bone was fresh, tender and juicy.
Duck Confit - a whole piece duck leg.
Battered Onion Rings - big and crispy.
Pauliner Spare ribs marinated with beer and deep fried to perfection but insufficient meat.
boatHouse's special dish Pig's balls - minced meat & ham wrapped with bacon which was crispy on the outside but tender in the inside.
Brownies - those wi! th sweet teeth like so much.
Chef Special Dessert another fantastic dessert from boatHouse- "macaroon" ....with peanut jam & others
