The London Foodie Goes to Malaysia - Pangkor Laut Island

One Island, One Resort

Our final destination in Malaysia was also undoubtedly our finest. Pangkor Laut Island is the home of Malaysia's top luxury resort hotel and this is where Dr G and I spent four unforgettable days.

Located on a small private island three miles off the West Coast of Malaysia along the Straits of Malacca, Pangkor Laut Resort is reached from the much larger Pangkor Island, where guests check in at the jetty before being whisked away by speedboat for a 15-minute ride.

Stepping off the launch onto the impressive pier brought back childhood memories of Fantasy Island, but unlike the 1980s TV show, sadly there was no Tattoo in sight, but rather an army of staff to welcome guests with ice-cold drinks and towels, take care of luggage and help guests with their every need. For those to whom Fantasy Island means nothing (or for those who want a trip down memory lane), watch the video below.
  


Where to Stay

Pangkor Laut Resort

The hotel was opened in 1985 and then extensively redeveloped and re-opened in 1993 as the first top-class luxury resort in Malaysia. It is currently owned by the YTL Group, which has hotels all over southeast Asia. Over the years, it has been awarded many accolades including the "Number One in the World 2003" by Condé Nast, as well as being voted the world's best spa resort by the readers of Travel & Leisure World in 2011. There is only one resort on the island, and no other hotels, restaurants or businesses. Of the island's 300 acres, only a small part has been developed to house the resort, leaving plenty of beaches and natural rainforest (which still makes up 80% of the island) to explore.

There are various grades of accommodation at the resort, including the Spa Villas where we stayed, next to the spa, built on stilts in the sea.  Spacious, elegant and stylish, they offer great privacy, and are fully equipped with a king-size bed, a massive stone bath, air conditioning and a stunning veranda over the sea. These rooms are mainly used by couples, and no children are allowed in the Spa Villas and Spa Village. 

I loved my room -it was elegant, beautifully decorated, and very spacious with a private balcony overlooking the ocean.

Welcome into my office....

Alternative accommodation is available further inland at the nearby Sea Villas (also on stilts but closer to the resort's main reception and restaurants), and also Beach, Garden and Hill Villas respectively, which are built on solid ground, are aimed more at families than couples, and include television and Wifi.  Also, these rooms are closer to the forest, and to the main reception, restaurants, bars and tennis courts.

Pangkor Laut Estates 

For those in need of greater privacy or a dread of paparazzi (and with deep enough pockets), there is the option of the Pangkor Laut Estates.  There are nine estates, tucked away very discretely near a private beach, or in the hills, one of which is owned by Mr YTL himself and not available for hire.

Each estate has between 2 and 4 bedrooms, as well as its own infinity pool, dining room, living and sitting pavilions, and beautiful private walled gardens.  Staying in one of these estates is not cheap, but most will hold 6 to 8 people, and each one comes with its own private car and chauffeur on permanent call, as well as a chef and two butlers to organise your every wish.  Guests at the estates are free to join any of the restaurants in the resort, but equally can dine in the privacy of their own estate at times of their choosing, with a menu of their choosing.

Where to Eat

As mentioned earlier, there are no other restaurants on the island apart from the six belonging to the resort. They vary in cuisine and formality, including Chinese, Malay, Indian, French fine dining and Japanese. We were lucky enough to be able to sample all these restaurants, and our favourite was the Chinese one - Uncle Lim's Kitchen.

Uncle Lim's Kitchen

This was in my opinion the best restaurant on the island.  Built on top of a rock surrounded by fig trees, it is named after the chef who has been with the resort since it first opened.  It specialises in Nyonya and Hockchew Chinese-style home cooking. Booking is strongly recommended.

We started with Peranakan fish soup - fish fillets in a fragrant broth of lemongrass and pineapple (£7), followed by another Nyonya dish of assam prawns with stir-fried tamarind and sweet soy sauce (£25), and an oyster omelette (£12).  

My favourite dishes however were the Drunken Chicken in Shaoxing wine (£17), which I enjoyed with the Kang Kong Belacan, a vegetable similar to the Thai Morning Glory, cooked with Belacan - an aromatic shrimp paste with chilli (£8). For dessert, we had banana fritters and avocado cream with citrus pearls (both at £5).  These were both very good.

Being an open air restaurant (as are all others on the island), there were quite a lot of mosquitoes, so bring a good repellent.

Fisherman's Cove

This is the resort's fine dining restaurant option situated in the Spa Village. It offers western-style grilled meats, seafood and Italian and French cuisines.  With an open kitchen and spectacular sea view, it is a good venue for an elegant dinner with prices to match. A more formal dress code is in place for both men and women and advanced bookings are required.



Of the dishes we had, highlights were the Maguro Sashimi (£10) - sashimi tuna with a herbal jelly and ponzu dressing, and the grain-fed beef served with foie gras butter, abalone mushroom and truffle soy reduction (£38). The Ocean Trout Confit (£32) was succulent and very tender due to the prolonged confit in oil, and was served with shiitake mushrooms, asparagus and sea urchin sauce.

As is typical of South-East Asian restaurants, the wine list was limited and pricey. Houses wines started at £24 and prices quickly escalated to well above £40 for most other wines.

Jamu Bar 

This small restaurant overlooks the infinity pool within the Spa Village, and is open for lunch, serving mainly Japanese food.  We had a well-made Japanese lunch there on our first day, including Chilled Somen - a very thin Japanese noodle in a light dashi broth, with fresh salmon roe, diced seared tuna and dried seaweed (£13) - which was very light and refreshing.

We also enjoyed Robatayaki ika or grilled squid (£5), a refreshing salad of warm scallops, shiitake mushrooms and soy dressing (£11), and a platter of tempura of soft shell crab (£7), as well as a selection of sushi.

Chapman's Bar

This is named after a famous British Colonel who, after more than three years evading Japanese soldiers in the jungles of mainland Malaya, sought refuge at Emerald Bay before escaping to a British submarine just outside the bay in 1945.  It serves light lunches and drinks to people on the beach during the day, and at night serves candle-lit dinners on the beach.

Following a guided excursion to the nearby Pangkor Island, Dr G and I returned to the resort and had a fantastic "Banana Leaf" lunch at Chapman's Bar. The food was Indian, and quite varied including a selection of curried vegetables (ladies fingers, fine green beans, cabbage and rice), beautifully seasoned meats and fresh fish and seafood served on banana leaves. The food was delicious and some of the best we had on the island.

The Private Dining experience is also offered on Emerald Bay. This is a special dining experience for those honeymooning or looking for a romantic dinner.

Dr G and I (whom I assure you fall under neither of these categories) were lucky to have one of our dinners there - with only two tables located on the entire Emerald Bay, positioned well apart from one another, dinner was served by a private butler under the stars, accompanied by candlelight and the sound of breaking waves. Some of the highlights of the 5-course Western menu included grilled lobster and rib-eye steak served with vegetables.

Feast Village

This is where breakfast is taken, and also has a patisserie, cafe and wine cellar.  It is also open for dinner.  I thoroughly enjoyed breakfast at Feast Village, this was for me the main meal of the day - the sheer variety of dishes and styles makes for a very long breakfast (if like me you want to try a bit of everything).

Nasi Lemak

The teppanyaki noodles with a fried egg on top were so good, as were the selection of dim sum, the chicken congee, or the Malay options like Nasi Lemak and the sweet tropical fruit on offer. The breakfast buffet at Feast Village is every foodie's paradise, do allow for at least an hour or two for your breakfast at the resort!

Chicken Congee

The Straits Restaurant

Next to Feast Village, this restaurant is set against the rocks by the beach, and is lined with dining booths which overlook the sea, a really stunning setting.  The signature dish here is their "Nasi Hidang", a selection of 5 different dishes with accompanying rice similar to an Indian thali. Priced at a reasonable £18 for the set, the nasi hidang option can be served either spicy, non-spicy and vegetarian.

We went for the spicy option which included beef, chicken, fish, seafood and vegetable. It was delicious and well flavoured and I enjoyed the opportunity to have different textures and flavours without having to order a huge number of dishes.

What to Do

There are dozens of different activities offered at the resort. We took part in a few of these which kept us rather busy during our stay. I reckon that what we managed to cram in over those four nights, could easily be spread over a week or two to allow for some relaxation time by the pool or beach.

Jungle Trails 

The resort has a resident naturist, who conducts a 50 minute gentle jungle trek daily through the northern perimeter of the island.  Having worked as a forester and botanist with the Malaysian government for many years, he was extremely knowledgeable and observant, pointing out plants and wildlife which would otherwise never have noticed.

Although only a small forest, it has hardly been touched by human hand and is full of amazingly ancient tropical hardwood trees, as well as exotic birds and monkeys.  The walk ends at Emerald Bay with an iced drink, from where it is possible either to take a shuttle back to the main hotel, or remain on the beach for the day - we took the latter option followed by a picnic on the beach which can be pre-booked and arranged by the hotel.

Pangkor Island Excursion

The resort can arrange a guided day trip to the nearby island of Pangkor by speedboat.  We arrived at Pangkor Jetty, and were then conducted on a short tour through the island, including the Dutch fort (a remnant of the island's Dutch colonial history) and the Fu Lin Kung temple.  This short tour takes 3 hours.

Our guide was knowledgeable, friendly and had good English. Having quizzed him on just about everything that was possibly edible in Pangkor Island, he kindly took us to some Malaysian food retailers, local fishermen selling their daily catch, and a home-factory of Pangkor's best known noodles (who incidentally supply Pangkor Laut Resort).

Chef's Kitchen Experience

The Chef's Kitchen Experience was in my opinion the most interesting activity I took part in while at the resort. This started at 8.30am with breakfast with the chef and a tour of the kitchen at Feast Village. We were then taken to the resort's fish farm by speedboat, where we "caught" a seabass for our lunch at the hotel.

Back on dry land, Ramlah (our Malay chef) taught us to cook some fantastic local dishes including Ikan Bakar (grilled seabass wrapped in banana leaf). The fish was filleted, then marinated with blitzed onion, shallot, garlic, red and green chillies, shrimp paste, turmeric powder, salt and sugar.  After wrapping in banana leaf, it was baked for 20 minutes.

We also learned how to make Chicken Rendang and Soto Ayam (Chicken Soup) as well as a fish curry which was totally divine. I can certainly say that chef Ramlah's cooking on that day was the best Malaysian food I experienced on that trip, I remember those dishes very well - they were beautifully seasoned, sweet but salty, sour, creamy but also refreshing. If you get to try the Chef's Kitchen Experience at Pangkor Laut Resort, do ask for Chef Ramlah as your instructor, you will not be disappointed.

Having prepared these dishes, the experience then includes an hour's massage, before returning to eat the cooked food.  A wonderful way to spend a day of cooking at Pangkor Laut.
  

Fruits of our hard labour...

Sunset Cruise on Teakwood Oriental

The resort has a teakwood oriental junk, which sets off at 6.30pm for a sunset cruise.  It includes wine, beer and snacks, and a gentle cruise round the entire island.  This was a magical experience with the most breathtaking views of the island at sunset.

 Spa Village

I've been to a few hotel spas in my time, but the one at Pangkor Laut was quite something.  Covering about an acre of land, it has a very peaceful quality, being mostly in the open air, surrounded by running water and with the sound of the sea audible throughout.

The Spa Village includes a Japanese onsen-type experience, herbal steam inhalation and of course fine Malay and Balinese massages among others.  I had the Bukit Gantang Warrior Treatment (£172) for 3 hours, and also another full-body massage on another occasion (part of the Chef's Kitchen Experience), they were both fantastic experiences by well trained, highly experienced masseuses.

The Spa at Pangkor Laut Resort was opened by Luciano Pavarotti, who by all accounts was a very regular visitor, having his own permanent suite at the resort. 

Other Excursions and Classes

There are several other excursions offered by the resort which we did not try, including the sea sports centre, which offers snorkelling, kayaking, water-skiing and banana-boating. There are also complimentary classes in Yoga and Tai Chi Quan each morning.

Travel Essentials

Direct flights from London to Kuala Lumpur are available with British Airways and Malaysian Airlines.  Middle Eastern airlines provide indirect flights at lower cost, with a 60-120 minute stopover.  For example Etihad (changing at Abu Dhabi), or Qatar Airlines (changing at Doha).

Pangkor Laut can be reached from Kuala Lumpur by taking an express bus from KL's Puduraya Terminal to the nearby town of Lumut (takes 5 hours). From there, you can take a taxi to the Pangkor Laut Resort jetty. We came by car from Cameron Highlands, which took 4 hours.

Pangkor Laut Resort
Jetty Complex
Marina Island Pangkor
KM1, Teluk Muruh
32200 Lumut, Perak
www.pangkorlautresort.com

Pangkor Laut Resort's rates start from around £156 per night for the Garden Villas, to £365 per night for the Spa Villas, including breakfast. All the restaurants are owned by the resort, and they are not cheap.  It is worth considering a package which includes meals, and these vary according to the season, but in early 2013, a 5 day stay including breakfast, dinner and one picnic lunch ("Extended Escapade") costs from £233 per day per couple for the Garden Villas, to £435 per day for the Spa Villas via the hotels website.  It is also possible, and may be less expensive, to book the resort via travel agents including Kuoni, which is currently offering full board for 7 nights in the Spa Villas from £2038 per person in summer 2013, including return flights from London.    

Pangkor Laut Estates can be reserved for 3, 5 or 7 nights, and range in price from US$14,000 to US$24,500 for 7 nights.

Ode to the Duck

Words and Photography by Su-Lin Ong

The pink neon by Tracey Emin with its short and meaningful message breaks the hush of the handsome dining room.  Its few words could be a more fitting review of my duck dinner, if I were any lesser a devotee of duck.  

Anyway, dining in its glow, we are at a table hosted by Mark Hix at Hix Mayfair, Brown's Hotel.  It’s a venue where I’ve eaten two dozen meals over as many years, but tonight’s will be an extraordinary one, I know it.

The duck dinner is lined up: duck broth, wild duck salad, then a flaming spectacle of glorious Goosnargh duck.

When the food police tell you to avoid consecutive courses of the same central ingredient, one usually abides.  But when the intrigue of the night is in the hands of Hix and Executive Chef Lee Streeton, the experience takes on something akin to nose-to-tail eating.  Except that it’s not pig, it’s duck.

Our broth is served with sharp-cubed mini dice of duck and glistening pearls of barley in perfect suspension.  What follows is a salad with duck delicacies set like jewels amongst the leaves.  It’s an adventure to discover slivers of buttery soft heart and melting liver.  In contrast there are also cubes of duck scratchings aka. in this establishment as ‘quackling’.  I can’t figure out how it’s made without the fat melting away, until Mark Hix explains that the skin and fat are blanched before being quickly deep fried.  

A velvety Long Island Chardonnay gives the seamless transition between these first courses.

Waiters quietly slide the necessary accoutrements up to the table.  There’s a line-up of whole roasted ducks.  I count at least one between two guests; almost a whole one per person, if one could care to.  Now the theatricals start.  In sequence, each duck bursts into fire.  Dancing red flames are engulfing my duck, then licks of piercing blue flames!

Presented vertically on bespoke platters, the ducks parade their crispy, caramelized skin in the round.  It’s like watching opera at the Albert Hall rather than at Covent Garden.  The scored skin takes on a luminous shine as the cider brandy gravy is poured round.  Wait, some work is needed before we eat.  I’m allowed to carve my own duck, and I manage clumsy, thick slices.  The breast and body are a deep blush pink all through.  Stubbornly I still also choose the dark meat, as I figure out that the legs are clad in more fat and skin.  I’m convinced of it; fat equals flavour, and I want a decadent dose.  Glassy potato drums with a cheese richness and darkest green sprouts with frivolous fronds are served. This duck roast is billed as a kind of romantic dinner for two; one duck, two people.  Our table is ten.  More ducks, more people; I wouldn’t have any fewer!

Our wine is Tonnix Grand ‘Crew’ Douro.  It has ripe, deep berry smoothness, giving more with every sip.  This was created by Hix and restaurateur friend Mitch Tonks and the detail is in Tracey Emin’s doodled sailing boat on the label.  

We are eating slow-reared Reg Johnson ducks which come from the Goosnargh valley in Lancashire. They enjoy a totally natural wheat and corn diet, and have a nice life with 50 percent more space to socialize with each other, than Government regs.  Slaughtered at eight to ten weeks old, rather than the usual six, they are hung for 24 hours to give intense flavour.  I am always amazed that such prime duck usually costs less than a joint of beef at the butcher.

For dessert, old fashioned Sussex pond puddings are tipped out of their basin.  As we plunge in, a whole bergamot oozes like molten lava.  The combination of this Earl Grey citrus fragrance and the syrupy beef suet crust makes it my no.1 pud of the year (whole of 2012-13, that is).  We sip Kingston Black Apple which at 18 percent abv. gives a light rich flourish, not dissimilar to a Pineau de Charentes.  The pairing echoes the citrus and cider notes of the preceding duck course.

Our table of ten has truly bonded.  Memories of tonight will be our first greeting when each of us meets again.  I thank the nation’s great northern ducks, the duck fat, the duck skin and the convivial carbs.

The menu & wines
Swainson House Farm duck & winter vegetable broth with pearl barley
Ripley Estate wild duck salad with ‘quackling’ and elderberries
Reg Johnson’s whole roasted corn-fed duck with flamed blood oranges
Earl of Sussex pond pudding

Lenz Long Island Chardonnay 2007
Tonnix Grand ‘Crew’ Douro 2009
Kingston Black Apple aperitif 

Hix Mayfair, Brown's Hotel, Albemarle Street, London W1S 4BP 
Tel: 020 7518 4004
http://www.restaurantsetcltd.co.uk/

Su-Lin Ong attended on behalf of The London Foodie and dined as a guest of Mark Hix, Hix Mayfair, 84PR.

Louis Jadot en Primeur Burgundy Tasting

Words and Photography by Simeen Kadi

For those in the wine business; retailers, sommeliers, wine writers and the odd lush, January is a busy month. This is when winemakers present their latest wines ready for tasting and cellaring but not ready to drink for another couple of years at least – such is the unrequited torment of en primeur wine tasting. I was invited along to BAFTA on Piccaddilly to taste some very special wines from winemaker and negotiant Louis Jadot's 2011 vintage. Louis Jadot operates almost entirely in Burgundy and this was a showing of its 2011 wines from this region.



Burgundy has had a few challenging but eventually good years recently and 2011 was yet another one – although very different to the 2010 vintage. A mild spring and a wet July followed by an Indian summer meant an early harvest and a low yield, about 20% below the norm. But what the grapes lacked in quantity they made up in quality, with top appellations such as Meursault and Puligny Montrachet for the whites and the reds of Gevrey-Chambertin, the Cote d'Or and Vosne-Romanee doing especially well.



Louis Jadot is one of the biggest winemakers in Burgundy and produces a large variety of cuvees and vintages from what is still considered the most prized wine region in the world. 2011 wines are certainly low in quantity, but 2012 is even worse, meaning anyone considering buying 2011 Burgundies en primeur may want to stock up on enough to last a couple of years. Especially since 2011 Burgundies are maturing well and some will be ready to enjoy even before their 2009 and 2010 versions. However, buying en primeur (also known as Wine Futures) means you won't be able to get your hands on a bottle until at least 2014, even if you cough up the readies now.

Here are some of the best of Louis Jadot's 2011 wines to consider:

Whites:

Meursault-Blagny – coming from the chalky soils of the Cotes de Blancs, this chardonnay is aged for 15 months in oak barrels giving it a robust structure. It is already showing plenty of concentrated fruit and depth so should be ready to start drinking in 2014. This area suffered badly last year so there will be no 2012 vintage.

Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatieres – the Premier Cru vineyards of Puligny-Montrachet are noted for consistently high quality of wines. Les Folatieres is already showing finesse, with the oak already well integrated. Best enjoyed in the second half of this decade.



Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru – from one of the highest slopes in the Cote d'Or this is one of Louis Jadot's prized wines. 2011 is expected to be a good year, delivering a deep and complex wine with honey, cinnamon and oak as top notes. Expected to be at its best in 5-10 years.



Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru – not much of this wine around, but it will be ready to enjoy in two years. The Batard is ranked third in stature among the Grands Crus, even though the parcels in this appelation are very small and scattered. Aged in new oak, this wine will develop a sumptuous rich and complex palate of fruit and toast.

Chevalier-Montrachet 'Les Demoiselles' Grand Cru – this is proving to be a superb example of Luois Jadot's star white. Showcasing the perfect marriage of the chardonnay grape and the chalky terroirs of Burgundy with balanced minerals and fruit, this wine is not cheap, even if you are investing in futures.



Reds:

Santenay 'Clos de Malte' – from the southernmost edge of the Cote d'Or the well irrigated, chalky clay is perfect for growing pinot noir. This is one of Louis Jadot's most reliable wines, with good structure which will develop over the next two years.

Savigny-les-Beaune La Dominode – this Premier Cru wine is biodynamically farmed. Louis Jadot's now retired winemaker, Jacques Lardière, is a proponent of Rudolf Steiner's theory of agriculture based on the rhythms of nature rather than chemical intervention. And the company's newly appointed chief winemaker Frederic Barnier is set to explore organic and biodynamic farming even further. Well balanced frut and a silky finish, La Dominode is an early ripener and should be ready to enjoy in 2014.

Frederic Barnier - newly appointed winemaker at Louis Jadot

Vosne-Romanee Les Beaux Monts – this was one of the best wines at the tasting. One of the greatest Burgundy appellations, these vineyards are situated north of Nuits-Saint-Georges. Classed a Premier Cru, this wine is regarded as more of a Grand Cru with elegant berry flavours, gently spice and a long finish. The 2011 is seen as a very good vintage, but you will have to wait until at least 2015 to pop the cork.

Echezeaux Grand Cru – another success in 2011, there is precious little of this wine. Complex and vibrant, it is already showing all the signs of a great vintage so you will have to be quick if you want to bag some.



Clos Saint Denis Grand Cru – this is Louis Jadot's flagship red and one to keep in your cellar. Hailing from the smallest appellation in the treasured Cote de Nuits, this wine comes from very old vines. Powerful with a complexity that is frankly beyond my untutored palate, this is the wine the connoisseurs will be going for.

Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru – this deep coloured and intense wine is showing to be a great success this year. Fermented in vats before being aged in oak for up to 20 months, the fruit and oak are already well integrated.



Details: To purchase Louis Jadot 2011 vintages en primeur, go to a respectable wine retailer or visit www.hatchmansfield.com. Hatch Mansfield is the UK distributor of Louis Jadot wines (as well as Taittinger and other well known wines from around the world) and will be able to give details of stockists.

Top Female Chefs Taking Centre Stage

We have all grown up on the cooking of our mothers and grandmothers, aunties, wives and all those other important women in our lives, but when it comes to fine-dining, Michelin starred cuisine, I have always wondered why so few female chefs have taken centre stage...

If you would like to continue reading this piece which I wrote for the Como Hotels, please visit their website here.

London Restaurant Review - Hedone

Hedonism – Not with a bang but a whisper

Words and Photography by Simeen Kadi

Mikael Jonsson is obsessed with sourcing. He has travelled all over the UK looking for the best ingredients, from shellfish to salt. And what he can't find on these shores, and he has sourced a surprising amount of superb ingredients from right under our noses, he finds in neighbouring lands.


For Jonsson, what he puts on the plate before his grateful diners must be the most perfect ingredients, collected and curated with minimal intervention to deliver the most pleasurable eating experience. Hence the name Hedone, Greek for enjoyment and delight and the root of hedonism. But don't expect to come here for a raucous evening of sensual abandon – this is definitely eating with your top button done up – purity and restraint exude from the kitchen and into the spartan dining room where, other than the rather odd ceiling murals, Scandi chic is the order of the day.

Chiswick is hardly the centre of the London gastro-scene and it has taken me over a year to build up the stamina for a schlep out West. And, of course, it was worth the effort, Hedone has not received shrieking praise from proper restaurant critics for nothing. On a dismal, wet December afternoon the 7 course tasting menu is certainly something to look forward to.

Service is friendly, knowledgeable and crisp, worthy of the Michelin star that Hedone has recently received, after only a year in operation. Everything seems to have been carefully considered, from the slits in the tabletops to accommodate the crisp linen napery to the butter and salt stone with a beautifully designed nick in it to hold the knife in place. This is the sort of attention to detail I have seen in Japanese artisans and Jonsson is definitely a kindred spirit.

Our first starter was an Oyster, poached in its shell but still tasting raw and mineral-rich as if just pulled from the sea. The poaching altered the texture so it was softer and less chewy. The surprise element was the granny smith jelly which surrounded it – not sweet, just perfectly apple-y and a cunning foil to the oyster.

Much has already been said about the Cevennes Onion with Williams Pear. Are the onions of Cevennes so good they warrant AOP status (appellation d'origine protégé)? Perhaps it was all lost on my crude palate. The onion tasted like, well, onion. With shavings of pear over it. The onion and butter sauce, on the other hand, was divine, somehow taking the two ingredients and conjuring up some magic. If this is what Mikael Jonsson's cooking is about, that onion sauce made me see the light.

As did the Slow Cooked Duck egg 'Florentine'. This was a banging dish – a duck egg-yolk cooked slowly in a water bath to retain its runny unctiousness and then layered with spinach veloute, leaves, truffle shavings and parmesan crisp. A spoonful, taking in all the layers, was an overdose in rich umami flavours, a real swoon-worthy dish.

On the face of it the Wild Dorset Turbot, Potato Skin Emulsion and Beef Juice was pale and uninteresting, but again, beneath the cool, Scandinavian-style exterior was a robust kick of gutsy beef stock giving a hefty punch to the shiny, freshness of the turbot. And the potato skin emulsion was another of those 'wow' moments, never had the lowly potato skin tasted this good.

Jonsson delights in textures and unusual flavour combinations, enhancing the natural flavours of his impeccable ingredients by presenting them in new ways, rather than by masking them with cheffy cooking. So, beef stock and potato skin bring out the flavour of the already divine turbot. And, in our next course, cuttlefish takes on the role of both pasta and sauce. Ribbons of cuttlefish were cooked to perfectly emulate  al dente linguine. However, the cuttlefish broth was a little wan, earthy but not intense enough to really sing on the palate. I have eaten a similar dish at Martin Berasategui in San Sebastian which is denser and rounder in flavour.

But the next dish is easily one of the best beef dishes I have eaten in a long while. Slow Cooked Black Angus Beef Short Rib with Oven Roasted Carrot and Truffled Butter was a bar of aged and marbled beef with a dense, meaty flavour and a yielding texture with just enough chewiness to satisfy. The carrots were crisply cooked and the truffled butter - what can I say that is not already conjured up when the two words 'truffle' and 'butter' cosy up next to each other? All I can say is, hang the expense. And the stupidly long trudge to Chiswick and go now to enjoy this superb dish (just check it's on the menu first).

And then came our last savoury dish, the Roasted Breast and Leg of Squab, Salsify, Watercress and Jerusalem Artichoke Foam. Another triumph from the kitchen, the squab had been butchered in an interesting way where the half-bird was boned, leaving only the leg bone intact – clever stuff. Rich and incredibly soft, the meat was rare and came with an earthy, livery sauce. The Jerusalem artichoke foam was woody and balanced very well with the bright, watercress veloute. Finger bowls were provided to encourage picking off the delicious meat from the bone.

I should mention the wine, as we did not skimp on the red stuff (it being a life-suckingly dreary December day and all). There was one in particular, a natural wine made with 100% Syrah, Dard & Ribo St Joseph from Northern Rhône, which stood out for its savoury, olive-like hit which was a real surprise after the sweet, raspberry jam nose.  Natural wines are notoriously difficult to get right consistently, but this is definitely one to look out for.

And so to pudding, and there were two, before the petits fours jamboree, of course. Citrus Variation was a low-key title for a zingy upside down lemon meringue pie with a tangy sorbet - much nicer than the picture suggests, honest.

But the Chocolate Bar stole the pudding show.The chocolate bar had a crisp, crushed almond base with a very indulgent chocolate mousse above it, studded with kirsch-soaked cherry. A tongue tingling passionfruit sorbet sat alongside. Not sure that the two went all that well together, but individually, they were a delight.

Mikael Jonsson's dedication to quality and flavour may not deliver the most photogenic of dishes, with their lack of garnish and fuss, but the clean flavours shine through and, when they work well together, some of his unique flavour combinations are a hedonistic revelation, quietly delivered.

Cost: The 7 course tasting menu is £55 and there are cheaper lunch options to be had from a 2-course express lunch at only £19. The full throttle evening tasting menu is £70. We enjoyed wines by the glass, advised by the very helpful sommelier from a winelist featuring 200 bottles. Wines average at about £9 a glass. Or you can go for the wine pairing at £59 for the 7 course menu.

Likes: The obsessive focus on ingredients and the minimum of intervention means the food is the star

Dislikes: Can I moan about the travel to Chiswick one more time?

Verdict: Hedone has received its first Michelin star after just a year in business and my guess is Jonsson won't be stopping there. For this kind of attention to detail and considered innovation Hedone is a must-visit.

The Cookery Master Class Series with Russell Bateman at The Grove

Colette's is the fine dining restaurant of the fabulous Grove Hotel and Spa in Hertfordshire, and this is where I headed recently for a game master class with head chef Russell Bateman.

A mere 30 minutes journey from Central London by train, The Grove is surrounded by acres of woodland and beautifully tended gardens, the picture-perfect English countryside. The Grove has a fascinating history though, it was owned for generations by the Earls of Clarendon throughout the 1700s and 1800s when the artist George Stubbs and Queen Victoria were both regular visitors. In the 1920s & 30s The Grove was used as a Gardening School, Health Centre, Riding School and a Girl's Boarding School as well as a secret wartime HQ for the London, Midland & Scottish Railway in the 1940s. In a ruinous state by 1996, The Grove was rescued by Ralph Trustees Limited, who restored it as the luxury country house estate hotel and spa I visited a few weeks ago.

Having arrived about 45 minutes early for the game cookery class (the journey time is indeed 30 minutes, believe me!), I had some time to snoop around the hotel's communal rooms and take in some of that history as well as some pictures. I liked the intimate feel of the hotel with semi-private rooms interconnected through various corridors. All rooms were tastefully decorated with antiques, the most striking mirrors and furniture. Unfortunately I did not get to see any of the bedrooms or explore the hotel's grounds or the spa which I hear are phenomenal, so I will save those for another visit.

At Colette's, Russell Bateman and his sous-chef were busy laying out on trays what we would be cooking that morning, a fantastic array of game including pheasant, pigeon, partridge and venison. We also had David Hammerson from Everleigh Farm Shop joining us for the occasion who kindly talked us through some interesting facts about the game animals we were to cook.

Having just spent a year at Cordon Bleu's kitchens, I must admit I expected the morning's cookery class to be slightly gimmicky. Russell Bateman proved me wrong though as he introduced us to some interesting chefy tips and techniques like the use of cartouche (a paper lid that is used to slow down the reduction of moisture in cooking) or cooking birds' breasts in the oven starting with the skin side down so that the juices run down keeping them moist. Two invaluable tips as after all game can taste so dry if not properly cooked.

Indeed, no compromises were made for an audience of non-chefs as Russell Bateman butchered a whole haunch of dry-aged venison for the Venison Bourguignon we were about to cook. He also showed us how to confit game birds' legs, traditionally immersed in their own fat at a low temperature for a long period of time - a method used in the old days for preserving meat, particularly duck.

It was also fun to learn how to make pigeon pastilla (after confit-ing the legs) and rolling in Feuille de Bric, a product I had not come across before but that is more malleable and easier to use than filo pastry.

The cooking demo was detailed and very comprehensive with printed out recipes for all dishes. It started at 9:30am ending at about 1pm followed by a magnificent game lunch cooked by Russell Bateman himself at Colette's.

After a delicious amuse bouche of pigeon breast in cherry sauce, we kicked off with a tartare of venison served with slices of pickled pears and shavings of 100% cocoa. It was the first time I tried raw venison, it did not taste gamey but had a richer, more intense flavour than beef and went well with the bitterness of the chocolate - a very good start to the meal.

For the main course, we had a ballotine of stuffed pheasant with smoked bacon, chervil tuber and cavalo nero in a gin and rosemary jus. This was one of the most tender and succulent pieces of game I have had, and judging by the presentation, I believe it may well have been sous-vided which would also explain how it retained so much of its moisture. The gin and rosemary jus was also a highlight with hints of juniper berries, rosemary and orange peel which complemented well the light gameness of the pheasant.

For dessert we had a medley of different English apples including Cox, Braeburn, Granny Smith and Russet which were cooked and served in different ways and accompanied by a thin layer of caramel. It was a light and refreshing dessert which I thoroughly enjoyed.

To finish off, we had a selection of petit-fours and chocolate truffles served with coffee and tea.

It was a leisurely and enjoyable lunch and also a good opportunity to chat with the other attendees, a mix of people of all ages and backgrounds but who like me shared a love of good food and took their time at the table to do so. It was nearly 4pm when I made my way back to London, thrilled by my experience and hoping to return one day. I cannot recommend Russell Bateman's classes at Colette's highly enough - at £100 for the morning's class, including a 3-course lunch and wine matching for each course, I think this was a fantastic and great value experience.

The recipe below which I (cheekily) reproduced from Russell Bateman's recipe folder, is not the same dish we had for our main, but it contains the instructions on how to prepare his gin and rosemary jus, so do try it at home if you can.

Pheasant, Gin and Rosemary Sauce
(Recipe by Russell Bateman)

Ingredients (serves 10):

12 pheasant legs
4 shallots, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
150ml gin
375ml white wine
1/2 tbsp juniper berries
1/4 rosemary bunch
1/4 peel of an orange
1 litre beef stock
1 litre chicken stock
1 cap of gin to finish once reduced

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 160C.
2. In a heavy-bottom ovenproof pan, heat up some oil and colour the pheasant legs evenly all over.
3. Remove the pheasant from the pan, add your chopped shallots and carrots and colour lightly.
4. Return the pheasant to the pan with the rosemary, juniper berries and orange peel.
5. Deglaze the pan with 150ml gin (be careful as it may flame).
6. Add the white wine and reduce to a syrup.
7. Add the stocks and cook in the oven covered with a cartouche for 1 hour.
8. Remove once the legs are completely cooked.
9. Strain off the sauce through as fine sieve and reduce to desired consistency.
10. Finish with a dash of fresh gin and some chopped rosemary.

The next master classes will take place on the 18th January 2013 (British Root Vegetables) and on the 8th March 2013 (Beef, Lamb & Pork). For more information about these classes, visit the website here .

London Restaurant Review - Salvation Jane

Words and Photography by Felicity Spector

The coffee is superlative, the brunch is excellent and the cakes are legendary. But Salvation Jane, a cool, urban space just moments from Old Street, is now offering a more extensive dinner menu in the evenings.

It is the second venture from Shelagh Ryan, one of the first Australian coffee shop pioneers to set up business in London, with her successful Lantana café in Fitzrovia. Salvation Jane, named after a flowering plant which flourishes in the harshest of desert conditions, is a much bigger concern, with 65 covers inside an airy, serene dining room, a world away from the concrete monstrosity that is the Old Street roundabout. Service is warm and friendly, and the place is casual enough for you to come on your own, welcoming enough to bring a group of friends.

Photo: Salvation Jane

There’s an open kitchen and a bar area, which you go past to get into the dining room: this is Hoxton, and alongside the banquettes there are some Ercol chairs, and wooden tables made by local craftsmen. The back wall features a black and white mural by a Melbourne artist: another bit of Australia in central London.

But onto dinner - and the cocktail menu offered a wide range of innovative drinks, including their own version of a Negroni with Aperol: my friend went for a Mango Mimosa, which was light and fragrant, and just the thing to cheer up a wet December evening.

Salvation Jane, which has served food in the evenings since it opened earlier this year, started out by offering a simpler mix of sharing plates, but found that customers were asking for main course dishes as well, so the new menu was born. There are still a few of those smaller dishes, which you can order as a starter or for sharing: we could have chosen from the likes of grilled haloumi with a citrus relish, or spicy, sticky pork ribs. However, in the interests of saving room for pudding, we went straight for the main courses.

My risotto with marinated cherry tomatoes and baked ricotta crumbled on top was excellent: the rice achieved just the right creamy texture without being at all soupy, and the chef had managed to pack an astonishing amount of flavour into the tomatoes and the ricotta, with its slightly toasted herb mixture sprinkled on top. It’s not easy to find a decent risotto, and I’d definitely order that one again.

My friend, who had dithered over the possibility of spiced, baked lamb in filo pastry with a cauliflower Kisir - a kind of couscous - eventually chose the confit duck leg on puy lentils with some caramelised ginger pumpkin. It was delicious: expertly cooked, the flavours perfectly balanced.

I had high hopes for the desserts, and we certainly weren’t disappointed. My friend decided on the banana cake, which arrived warm and slightly toasted: two generous slices, topped with a large scoop of marscapone, heady with cinnamon and nutmeg. A drizzle of passion fruit cut through the richness nicely. I had to stop myself from stealing most of it.

My brownie, however, was the triumph of the night: truly a thing of beauty. There was a pot of berry compote and some coconut foam on the side, but I only had eyes for the brownie: incredibly rich, dark, melting. I had asked for a middle piece, not an edge, to maximise the gooey potential: “Oh, no-one gets edges round here”, they told me cheerfully. This is clearly a place that knows its brownies.

I’ve heard great things about the lemon cheesecake too, but I’ll have to save that for another visit.

Prices are reasonable, the space is cool without being achingly Hoxton hip, and the cooking is right on the money. And unlike many restaurants in the area, you won’t be disappointed by the coffee at the end of your meal.

Salvation Jane
http://www.salvationjanecafe.co.uk/
0207 253 5273
Unit 2, 1 Oliver’s Yard 
55 City Rd
EC1Y 1HQ