The Makan Fairy Godmother, our dear Hooi Khaw, invited me a few weekends back to dine at the Chef's Table, in the Chalet. I've always had fond memories of the Chalet, our family used to go there for special occasions, and always enjoyed the song and dance that is thrown in as part of the entertainment. But years have gone by, with the advent of all the various hotel discount cards, and the newer spankier hotels, the Chalet was shelved into the recesses of our minds. So I was delighted at the opportunity to revisit this old haunt. Rumour has it that the hotel will undergo a massive refurbishment soon, so the Chalet as we know it, may have it s days numbered. All the more reason to quickly visit.
Even the cutlery screams "CLASSIC", those heavy types that contain so much metal, if you melt one, you can make a proton.
Personalized butter with chef's table inscribed.
They also let us sample the normal herbed butter that the chalet serves. Which was yummy.
Smoked Beef With Rock Melon.... Chef Hafizzul has certainly done justice to the beef and managed to make it almost resemble Proscuitto With rock melon. Except the beef did not have the streaks of fat their pig cousins have. Oh, obviously, Chalet is pork free.
Creamy Saffron soup, Spanish Black Mussels with Chorizo, leek and potatoes, and crunchy garlic croutonsA lovely smooth soup, rich, bursting with flavour. The spanish mussels were small but juicy and sweet, not like some gigantic ones that taste like a goodyear tyre. Paired with the buns and that glorious butter, I would have actually been satisfied to end the meal here.
Slow-braised Angus Beef Cheek and Pacific Oysters cepes, herbs and Cabernet Sauvignon sauce. The plump oysters enhanced with the lovely jus from the beef cheek, a lovely marriage of surf and turf, which wa! s the ch ef's objective.
A lovely passionfruit sorbet to clean the palate.
Few places still serve dinner with these silver lids, with the waiters lifting them in unison and going bon appetit.
Grilled Barramundi & Calamari with Cannellini Bean Puree, Clams & Parsley Veloute. Actually all of us guests ordered the OTHER mains, which was Pan Roasted Duck and Foie Gras, so Carol (our hostess and Director of Marketing Communications) had to order the fish for us to have a look.
The foie gras (look at the generous portion! They assured us that that IS the normal sized portion at the Chalet) is to die for. Melt in the mouth, seared to perfection, it really is the epitome of decadence. The duck was also very good, complemented by various caramelized fruit, like cherries and apple. This was not your ordina! ry quack ing duck from the nearby Chinese roast duck farm, but flown all the way from France and is of the Muscovy family. I love the gamey but yet tender flavour of the duck. Ah, just thinking about it sends shivers down my spine.
Our glamourous hostess, Carol Chin, was very hospitable, as was the handsome Chef Hafizzul Hashim.
Now one of the highlights of dining in Chalet is the making of the Sabayon for dessert. Ever since time immemorial, the waitering crew will perform a little dance, usually accompanied by the 4 piece band that serenades the diners.
That gorgeous copper bowl must have many stories to tell....after all, the place has been around for 37 years. Ooh, I must have been in standard 3.
Molten Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Ice cream & Strawberry Compote. To be honest, after all the previous dishes, this was rather pedestrian. It was good, but anticlimactic, if you know what I mean. Actually, the Sabayon with Ice cream and fruits which was made specially for us, was the dessert highlight.
The Chalet does serve a fine selection of beef steaks.
Gotta love the quaint receptacles in which the sabayon is served. Despite the sabayon having passed through so many hands, it was a case of too many cooks did not spoil the broth, but somehow, must have channelled at that positive energy. I loved the taste of it, though arguably, the ingredients are simple enough. Yolks, various spirits, (boozey ones).
Awww, and like establishments of yore, chivalry is not dead, and each lady diner gets a single rose. The accompanying box are not diamonds, but certainly close enough, and definitely more tasty. Chocolates.
Iced Pralines. Ah, I remember the Grill at Parkroyal used to serve this...a reminder of my courting days.
The Chalet is also participating in this year's MIGF. Do checkout the website here for menu details.
Check out fellow diner Pure Glutton's post here.
For reservations, call 03-21617777
Thanks so much, Carol for hosting us, Chef Hafizzul for the lovely dinner, and to our dear Hooi Khaw for the invitation.
Note: Apologies, my flash was on the blink, and the dark lighting didn't help,
