Great hits and some misses at Kempinski's Pan-Asian cuisine restaurant
Glass noodle salad with mango and chili lemon dressing. PHOTO| DIANA NGILA
What you need to know:
- Soup always tends to generate some inward thrill as was evident from the faces of the 15 diners who were somewhat elated by its mention.
- The options were a crab and green asparagus soup or a sweet-corn and lemon coriander soup. The result was however disappointing as most of us could not get more than two spoonfuls down.
The number 8 is said to be the luckiest number in Chinese culture and is often seen as a sign of fortune and good luck. So when we checked into 88 - Kempinski’s contemporary Pan-Asian restaurant - we could immediately tell our ‘fortune and good luck’ was about to double.
Their recently launched menu took three months to re-engineer and embraces the Asian character that is the soul of the 88 restaurant.
We walked into the vibrant, vermillion shaded restaurant where a friendly waiter welcomed us in and graciously showed us to our table.
Chef Hum Gurung holding a plate of steamed grouper. PHOTO| DIANA NGILA
The Nepalese chef Hum Gurung, we learn, has over 30 years experience, and is thus able to ably navigate through the 20 dishes on the menu.
Interestingly, the menu also has oil-free food, no doubt to suit the needs of the health-conscious customer. Vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes are also on offer.
Our meal started off light with succulent pieces of chili-basil quail followed by a salt and pepper vegetables and an array of steamed prawn and vegetable dumplings roasted in a light sesame sauce.
LADY LUCK FINALLY ON OUR SIDE
Soup always tends to generate some inward thrill as was evident from the faces of the 15 diners who were somewhat elated by its mention.
Crab and green asparagus soup thickened with corn starch and egg drop. PHOTO| DIAN NGILA
The options were a crab and green asparagus soup or a sweet-corn and lemon coriander soup. The result was however disappointing as most of us could not get more than two spoonfuls down.
Both were quite flat with a recurring corn starch taste and lacked the oomph of the previous dishes.
The main dishes ranged from stir-fry Szechuan chicken, sweet and sour pork, a throat-catching chili stir-fried spinach with sesame sauce, crispy tempura fried tofu with Thai chili sauce and the favourite of the night : the tender lamb massaman curry.
Lady luck was definitely on our side that night and our overall experience at 88 was wonderful. However, we wished they took a little more time to tailor their desserts to suit the theme of the new menu. While they certainly were delicious, the crème brulee and chocolate mousse options seemed a bit out of touch with the Pan-Asian theme they were going for.
Some taro flavoured ice-cream or matcha (green tea) cheesecake would have been the ultimate way to end this night.
