I got married on 11.11.11 and it was the most wonderful day of my life. Now, as someone who is food-wise, I had to make sure that food served that day had to be memorable. I wanted to be involved from the very beginning of the menu creation and wanted to know how and what will be served. Thankfully, Chef David was marvelously patient. Every critique and revision of the menu was taken seriously, and then applied.
The menu was crafted based on foods we had liked to eat. We both like simple flavours such as garlic, basil, five spice, star anise, tomatoes, bananas, black pepper, olives, citrus. I made sure to let the chef know that we don’t have a particular affinity to fine ingredients like truffle, foie gras or even sharks’ fin. We would rather enjoy a ripe tomato seasoned with sea salt and fresh basil or a succulent, braised piece of meat sauced with its own juice – simple but delicious things cooked right. Fine dining is a luxury we both enjoy splurging on sometimes so presentation and quality ingredients was important to us. I should probably also mention that because I am Chinese, the menu must include poultry, seafood and fish as these ingredients all had significant auspiciousness to it. We had to keep everyone happy.
Since Pascal is vegetarian and I am not so there had to be two menus. And so, a 6-course menu was crafted:
Vegetarian menu
Amuse bouche
TRUFFLE CROUQUETTE
smoked potato & saffron aioli, braised lettuce, peas
starter
BRIK PASTRY CANNELONI
tomatoes, goats curd, vinegars, olive, dutch basil
entrée
AVOCADO PATE
walnut, snow pea leaf, sour cream, orange, corn meal
main
AUBERGINE “LASAGNA”
parmesan custard, cumin concasse, ricotta, cumin
refresher
coconut juice sago, pandan granita
dessert
CHOCOLATE PANNACOTTA
banana marshmallow, kaffir lime popcorn, earl grey
WEDDING CAKE
Petit fours
MACAROONS & HAZEL HAZELNUT FRIANDS
Standard menu
Amuse bouche
CRUMBED PRAWN CROQUETTE
ginger mousse, red oil, braised lettuce & Peas
starter
5 SPICE QUAIL
cuttlefish, coriander, shiitake, enoki, soy mirin, caramel onion
entrée
TORCHED TUNA
feta puffs, egg, olive, beans, frozen cucumber, tomato powder, avocado
main
LAMB LOIN & BRISKET
egg plant caviar, pine nut, beet, radicchio, shallot, parsley oil, yellow bean paste
refresher
coconut juice sago, pandan granita
dessert
CHOCOLATE PANNACOTTA
banana marshmallow, kaffir lime popcorn, earl grey
WEDDING CAKE
Petit fours
MACAROONS & HAZEL HAZELNUT FRIANDS
The menu was enjoyed across different age groups – even my family who were used to the usual Chinese course dinners were impressed. The chef was marvelous and I cannot say that enough. Maybe it also had to do with the fact that he was from Sydney, Australia’s Quay Restaurant before he started working at Feringgi Grill in Rasa Sayang Resort. Chef David is truly a gem and I was so glad to have him as our chef. This sort of cuisine is not something that is commonplace in Penang but to be able to have the same kind of fine dining experience and quality as the ones we are used to was nothing short of a wedding dinner dream come true!
Amuse bouche – they looked the same for both vegetarian and non-vegetarian version.
Starter – vegetarian
Starter
Entrée
Entrée – Vegetarian
Main Course
Main Course – Vegetarian
Refresher/ Palate Cleanser
Dessert
Petit Fours
Pictures courtesy of Ms. Sie Wee
