Remember my post on the MIGF 2011 menus –>HERE ?
I had always wanted to visit The Saujana, having been a KL-ite since about 6 years ago. (Wow, it’s been that long since I left Penang!). That area is one of the many parts of KL/Selangor that I haven’t explored yet. Which basically means food outlets undiscovered.
One such place is the one that you’re reading about right now. Just recently The Restaurant at The Club Saujana underwent a change of Head Chef, and at helm now is the affable and talented Chef Alexander Waschl.
I did mention in my post that Chef Alexander Waschl ‘s MIGF was one of the few that’s worth a shot this year, just based on reading the items featured on the menu. Turned out that my intuition was right.
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When presented with the dinner menu versus the MIGF one on the night of my visit, I chose to go ala-carte instead; for the sake of having the freedom of picking my dishes for dinner.
Naturally I gravitated towards the meats; and I have a habit of ordering veal whenever I see it on any menu. It’s one of the dishes that I have been eyeing on the MIGF menu anyways; and hence I was mighty pleased that it was available ala-carte as well.
Amuse bouche.
Complimentary starter. An item that was out of the usual here was the cheese souffle. It was forthy and light, befitting of its name but certainly not suitable for those who likes their cheese strong. Well, then again it’s named souffle for a reason.
I enjoyed everything on this tuna platter. Oh, I could be biased since I have always love anything tartare; be it beef, salmon or tuna!
Tartare allows one to enjoy the freshness and natural flavours of the chosen meat, yet it is not as plain as just eating it raw.
The Chef seems to favour cucumber here as there were cubed cucumbers underneath the tartare, chilled cucumber shoot; (which was akin to cucumber yogurt) and rolled marinated cucumbers dotted the rest of the platter.
I started with the slim slices of tuna in the middle since that’s raw. Then I moved on to the half raw – the timbale of tartare and ended it with the cooked tuna cube.
It turned out to be a good strategy as the flavours slowly developed from one item to another. The raw tuna was lovely, drizzled with a light sauce while the tartare went pretty well with the cucumber base. Lastly, the tuna cube was firm, pink in the middle and pretty tasty thanks to the outer pepper spice coat.
However, fussy dining partner opined that the tuna cube could have been fresher while I happily chomped away on mine. Darn, I should have relieved him of the tuna cube since I liked it so much.
The lobster bisque was one of Chef Alex’s signature and rightfully so. While I tend to shy away from seafood based soups, I would actually willingly order this.
The soup won approval from us for having the perfect consistency, not as thick as the usual cream based soups, but instead very easy to drink, which was the whole idea, as it was served in a teacup, without any spoon. The crustacean flavours was very balanced, enough to please yet not too strong. It was lovely really. 🙂
Lobster Bisque with Lobster Grissini.
As we moved on to our main course, I relaxed, blissfully happy with the serenity and comfortable ambiance of the restaurant and its surroundings. This place is perfect for those seeking some tranquility and a scenery change from the city.
The Club at The Saujana boasts of a man-made lake, a golf course, 105 private rooms + suites in addition to lush greenery and flowing water features around its grounds. The Spa here just wraps up the whole relaxing holiday package nicely. Yes, I think I’ll love it here.
*pic courtesy of The Saujana website.
Veal Assiette – Braised Veal, Fillet of Veal, Veal Wonton.
No complains from me for this except for the braised veal. The sauce just doesn’t agree with my palate and the lovely flavour of the pink veal fillet and the tasty veal wonton totally stole my attention anyways. Dining partner had his qualms but to me, I guess you’ll have to be realistic on what to expect for the price you’re paying; and this ain’t a Michelin star restaurant.
I remembered my dinner by Master Chef Benoit Vidal (France), a 3-Star Michelin Chef from L‟Auberge de Marcon, France who was in KL for the 2011 Midsummer Nights Feast in Starhill few months back. (His profile & menu –> HERE ) .
Even for a 3 Star Michelin Chef, I was barely impressed with the food.
Wagyu Steak.
My only regret for this was ordering it Medium. I should have asked for medium rare as I like my meat rawer than this. This was Wagyu Grade 8. It just needed slightly less amount of seasoning and it might have been a steak to remember.
Dessert to wrap it all up. How can I say no to desserts??
Rhubarb and Apple Crumble.
This was a bit of a let-down though. Maybe desserts are not Chef Alexander’s forte.
Going to The Club at The Saujana can be confusing for first timers in the Saujana area. There’s essentially 2 resorts here, one called The Club at The Saujana Resort, and another The Saujana Hotel, Kuala Lumpur itself.
The Restaurant (this place) is at the The Club at The Saujana Resort, NOT at The Saujana Hotel, Kuala Lumpur (yeah, I can visualize the frown on your face). The management should just pick simpler names next time!
I have to thank Chef Alexander for his kind hospitality for hosting my dinner that night and also for his time in taking me around to show me the grounds of The Club Saujana Resort. This is truly a beautiful resort and I hope to be back soon for some R & R time away from work & the city.
That, and also for some Italian dining at Senja!
The Restaurant @ The Club Saujana Resort KL.
Address |
The Saujana Hotel Kuala Lumpur
Suajana Resort, Jalan Lapangan Terbang SAAS, 40150 Shah Alam, Kuala Lumpur
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Phone |
+603-7840 5502 ext 6122/ 4717
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mmmm, a trio of tuna! looks luscious. it’s nice to be able to experience three ways of preparing a fish in one dish! 😀 ya, i usually order my beef medium-rare too, though i must say, your slice of beef looks PERFECTLY medium. at some other places, when i don’t trust the kitchen to prepare it bloody enough, i ask for it to be rare. and it still comes out medium-rare, heheh
i agree Sean! My steak was perfectly medium, I really should have asked for Medium rare! Would have enjoyed it more! And yes, the chef knows how to cook steaks right, unlike most Malaysian chefs – they always overcook it to one degree more!
you like your wagyu RAW! 🙂 I would love a wagyu no matter what’s the degree of rawness.. hehe
Haha I’m bored of Wagyu already. Now Im craving Kobe!
So high classy food… :good:
I know! It’s a month of indulgence 🙂
So lucky to have a personal Chef’s invite .. heheh..
Hi rebeccasaw,
Kindly be informed that this post has been reprinted on JoinMe.com.my, thanks. ^^
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Hi Rebecca, If you don’t mind me asking, what is the dress code for The Restaurant? Thank You 🙂
Hi dear!
No of cos I don’t mind 🙂
It’s minimumly smart casual – preferably dressy and no slippers. But frankly I doubt they will turn you away as long as you look presentable!
Enjoy your meal here!