Viva Asia June/July

TRAVEL

Houston, Kuala Lumpur, Bali

FOOD

Delightful Pastries, Dishes Best Served Cold

Drinks

Sex In The City Inspired Cocktails

VOLUME 2 - NO. 5 - 2010

10 Contents KL Discovery We meet Damon Campbell who is wowing guests at Lafite restaurant at the Shangri-La Hotel Kuala Lumpur

16. LIFE IS SWEET

A small slice of Paris in the heart of Sydney; we spend some time with award winning pastry chef Leanne Beck.

22 ALILA SOORI

26. MADE TO TANGO

From a shack on the beach to the biggest restaurant in Bali; Made Masih is not your typical Kuta girl.

32. EATING WITHOUT WINE

A few ideas on what to do when you can’t find any wine to have with your meal.

The Alila Soori sits in splendid isolation but yet is within an easy drive of all the regular tourist activities.

34 After The Storm Graham Pearce sits down with Chef Kate Townsend, from the tranquil Maya Ubud Resort & Spa, Bali.

46 Contents Opulent Art The Islamic Arts Museum in Kuala Lumpur is a wonderful find and well worth the visit.

44.

Bucking The System One of the great things to do when visiting Britain is to visit the Queens London residence, Buckingham Palace.

52 Cold Comfort

50. CHINA OLD AND

Viva Asia brings you a menu of delicious dishes best served cold.

NEW

Yun Fu could be the setting for a a scene from Raise the Red Lantern, but is in fact a chic and sexy lounge and bar.

64 Tex In The City

76. MIXOLOGY

Some new cocktails inspired by the world’s favourite cocktail-sipping gal pals.

America’s fourth largest city is becoming a surprising tourist destination; we take a look why.

EDITORIAL

It is fascinating to see creeping up on us, a trend in tourism that is getting way away from the accepted norms.

Call it eco, cultural, anthropological, whatever you like - it is obviously for the good, especially for the local people.

This month we visit the luxurious new Alila Villas Soori, off the beaten track in Western Bali. It is quite a hike from the bar scene and tacky souvenir shops of Kuta. So the management has created an extremely wellresearched ‘things-to-do’ program that introduces you to the local artisans, dancers, village people - even a couple of royals. There is also a program that explains history and visits the superb old temples. In essence, you are seeing the real Bali.

This theme continues to nature (with more than a little creature comfort) at the Ibah Resort in Ubud where they have built some new suites that interact directly with the rainforest. Terrific. It reminds one of ‘real’ tourism a century or so ago when intrepid people like Richard Burton ventured into the unknown, specifically to get to know about other places and peoples. A heartening trend to get know people and their culture that is surely the way of the future.

Moving on, we also have some fun in Houston, the hot new destination in the States and now, incidentally, recognised as a hip new food city.

We talk to the lovely Ibu Made Masih - restaurateur and hotelier who is about to open the biggest restaurant in Bali. On the wine (and non-wine) scene, we look at one of the most ancient of drinks: Armagnac, now seeking a brand new image. A wine appreciation course proves interesting and provocative at the St. Regis and - with tongue planted firmly in cheek - some suggestions on how to enjoy lunch without wine.

We taste some of the best new food around - with Damon Campbell at the Shangri-La in Kuala Lumpur and at the Maya in Ubud with Kath Townsend. All this and a whole lot more for your reading pleasure.

And thank you for all your feedback - very interesting to know how differently everybody feels about the fabulous world of travel and food.

Enjoy!

Graham Pearce

On our cover this month; is it Abu Dhabi or is it Morocco. At the end of the end of the day it does not matter as the worlds favourite gal-pals are at it again, and we have some great Sex in the City inspired cocktails inside.

Photograph courtesy of Warner Bros.

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Publisher PT Artha Cipta Pratama Editor in Chief Graham Pearce Production House Origomedia Art Director Ari Arsyadi Graphic Designers Origomedia Senior Promotion & Advertising Meel marketing@vivaasiamagazine.com Marketing Executive Uchie Susilowati Website www.vivaasiamagazine.com Email info@vivaasiamagazine.com ORIGOMEDIA Jl. Setiabudi III / 2A Setiabudi, Jakarta Selatan 12910 Indonesia p +62 21 5292 1638 / 7031 6882 f +62 21 5292 1637 e info@vivaasiamagazine.com www.vivaasiamagazine.com

Contact: Editorial: Graham Pearce gp@vivaasiamagazine.com

Advertising: James Weston jim@vivaasiamagazine.com

Our gratitude for some pictures in this edition to www.flickr.com

CHEF

KL DISCOVERY Word of mouth makes for a very powerful way to spread information.

So, when many people came back from Malaysia with news they had tried possibly the best food around, we decided to investigate.

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CHEF

Metropolitan Hotel), the Alain Ducasse Essex House, with Wylie Dufresne at his iconic wd-50 in New York and at the French Laundry in California’s Napa Valley, once named as the best restaurant in the world. He has also competed with the Canadian team (and won gold medals) at the Culinary Olympics.

Now he is happily ensconced in Kuala Lumpur and wowing them with his own food – deceptively simple, although, with a touch of cheeky fun, a nod to the molecular inventions of Ferran Adrià.

Showcase: entrees and desserts.

(Watermelon sandwiches)

The place in question is Lafite restaurant at the Shangri-La Hotel in Kuala Lumpur and the man making it happen is the chef Damon Campbell.

Lafite is a comfortable room and rather deceptively simple. When you take a closer look, you appreciate the stylish (and obviously very expensive) furniture – not surprising, as it was designed by Adam Tihany, the mastermind behind the interiors of Spago in California.

They have a central ‘showcase’ where you wander around and select your own choice titbits. The tables are spread around an airy room that looks out through tall windows onto lush green gardens.

The place is every bit as popular with the locals in KL as it is with tourists in-the-know. Many VVIP functions are held there and the King has even come to dinner. “It is probably the only fine dining restaurant in town,” says a top Shangri-La management representative, which is bound to raise a few eyebrows, not to mention a few hackles around town. But she is obviously very proud of the product.

THE CHEF Damon Campbell hails from Vancouver and began his career in Canada before moving on to gain experience in some of the most reputable restaurants in the world: The Met (at Vancouver’s

“I would call my food style ‘modern contemporary.’ It is Europeaninfluenced but with some ultra modern twists,” says Campbell. “For example, the oyster bubble: it is a molecular treatment that is interesting but it still retains the flavour of the oyster, even down to the ocean brine.”

“It is ‘modern’ in the way we prepare things and display it. We do things like ‘instant noodles,’ which are nothing like the things you get in a Styrofoam container and add hot water to. This is an haute cuisine dish, a very much inyour-face version,” he says.

“Very often, you will not even realise all the steps that we go through to present our food. It might look very normal but that is because of a lot of

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CHEF

Far left: ‘Pearl’ – molecular oyster with caviar Left: DYI shaved scallops on hot Himalayan salt block Top right: Lemon Tree.

Signature dessert with lemon ice, raspberry bubbles, roasted almond ‘branches and coconut ‘earth’ Bottom right: Orzo with poached lobster, black truffle, parmesan and garlic truffle oil

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CHEF

hard work. Take our beef: it is cooked for 10 hours, using the sous-vide method.”

“Of course, flavour will always come first. We are very conscious of sweet, sour, salty and savoury and we try for a harmonious balance and this cannot be achieved if you do not eat the food,” he says.

“Many chefs do not often ‘eat’ their food; what they do is taste it, never sitting down and eating the whole thing like diners do. My team here and I do eat the whole dish. We like to know about the portion, about how it travels from first bite to last and if the balance of things on the plate is right.

It may be too rich, too salty, too sweet.

When we eat the meal we can detect and change those things,” explains Campbell.

MENU “At Lafite (named incidentally after the famous Chateau Lafite Rothschild and, yes, they do have a couple of bottles of this fabulous Bordeaux in the cellar), we try to have a balanced menu to include meat, fish, shellfish, poultry and vegetables.”

“And we try to take the balance further - I don’t want everything on the menu sautéed or everything roasted or everything pan-fried. I want what is best for the particular ingredient,” he says.

“And, occasionally, I want you to have some fun. Look at the Himalayan salt block. (This is a heated block of salt that is served on your plate with raw scallops and some vegetables). I want you to enjoy doing the cooking of the scallops, just to your taste. We do it occasionally with a piece of fish and you would be surprised how quickly it picks up that salt flavour. It is great when the food is ‘interactive.’”

“And the great thing about being here in Asia is that you can use a classic technique but you have the option of a thousand different flavours. We use cumin, which I love; we use cardamom with lamb and several citruses from Japan.”

“I am not serving Indian food, but I definitely like to use their spices; they are fantastic. And even things like ginger: certain times you won’t even taste it in a dish but ginger is great for freshening up the flavours of other things,” he says.

“I think you are seeing more an introduction of ingredients from other parts of the world rather than a straight globalisation. That has a nasty connotation like the fast-foodhamburgering of the world.”

“The French and others will probably never compromise on the basic integrity of their cuisine but you are seeing some ginger creeping in, some little-known citrus fruits, that sort of thing. And I think it is good that chefs are opening their minds to new flavours and having the ‘courage’ to use them,” says Campbell.

“I love to experiment; I will definitely try new ingredients in my cuisine.

Sometimes it works, sometimes not – but it is a lively exercise. There are certain things you have in your head but it turns out to be a disaster on the plate. But I think mostly I know in my head what will work.”

EATING OUT “I still get a kick out of eating in fine restaurants,” says Campbell. “I admire Alice Waters (Chez Panisse) and then these days, you should definitely looking at Spain, not only Adrià but a bunch of talented new people. But I think the best meal I’ve ever had was at the French Laundry in California: refinement, refinement, perfect!” he

enthuses. Another great dinner was at Alinea in Chicago and yet another at wd-50 in New York; very different – it is eye opening the way they think about food, about ingredients and about how to use them.”

“I have been chained to the stove since I arrived so I am dying to travel around Malaysia and the rest of the region as soon as I can,” laughs Campbell. “But already on my day off, I do go out and try the street food; I love the sights, the sounds and the smells. And, if I do eat at home, it is a wonderful piece of fish with a salad dressed with oil and vinegar. Or some cheese with some great bread. Simple but delicious.” www.shangri-la.com

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GALLERY

Latest from Cambodia: the uncovering of some forgotten temples that predate Angkor Wat by some 500 years.

This is good news for subsistence villagers who are already preparing themselves for an increase in tourists who are curious to explore the temples, numbering in the dozens.

With some international aid, the villagers have set up a small scale infrastructure of handicraft shops, information centre, restaurant, homestay accommodation and bicycle tours. (Already these trips have been likened to an Indiana Jones movie).

The German government has helped villagers with physical preparation.

And tour companies are already promoting nearby Sambor Prei Kuk, formerly known as Isanapura, the capital of a pre-Angkorian Khmer kingdom.

The temples are in an impoverished area of Kampong Thom province, halfway between Phnom Penh and Angkor Wat. Most visitors currently pass through without stopping but that is bound to change.

Sambor Prei Kuk can be combined with visits to other community based attractions in the province, including Santuk Mountain, the holiest in the region, Tonle Sap protected area and bird sanctuary, the Santuk Silk Farm and an inspection of villages specialising in stone carving. w w w. k h i r i r e a c h.co m

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HISTORIC ANGKOR FIND

GALLERY

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FEATURE

LIFE IS SWEET

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A small slice of Paris, smack bang in the heart of Sydney where a stylish selection of handmade cakes and pastries glisten behind their glass faรงade, has passing shoppers stopped in their tracks.

FEATURE

It is Sydney’s award-winning Sweet Infinity patisserie and it has found a new home nestled amid Sydney’s elite fashion boutiques in the historic Strand Arcade.

To complement Beck’s world-class creations, Sweet Infinity’s boutique space (once occupied by The Olive) will undergo a radical renovation in July by award-winning interior

design firm Group GSA. In fact, three grand interior designs are on show in-store so that customers can vote for their favourite.

“It’s such a perfect fit for us,” says owner and French-trained pastry chef Leanne Beck. “Just as fashion and shoe designers hand-draw their creations, we craft our exquisite cakes and pastries by hand in traditional French style. Nobody can pass them by without stopping; they’re simply irresistible.”

“So far, the front-runner is a combination of oldworld glamour and modern elegance,” says Beck.

“People seem to have fallen in love with the central glass dome housing our artisan cakes, the stunning suspended lighting and the quirky touches, such as the cake pan feature wall. It’s intimate, elegant and unique.” The winning design with the most votes will be announced shortly.

Voted one of Sydney’s top ‘sweet’ destinations by The Sydney Morning Herald, Beck’s original patisserie in Woolloomooloo, remains open for business. Sweet Infinity took out the

Foodies Achievement Award 2009 and is in high demand to cater for large-scale private and corporate functions. “We have catered for some of the biggest events and corporations in Sydney, including Dibbs Barker, ANZ Bank, Westfield and Raddison Hotels,” says Beck.

She realized her personal dream in 2007, after a decade building her enviable reputation at some of the world’s top restaurants in Paris, London and Sydney, when she opened her own establishment.

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FEATURE

Beck’s passion for food stems from her childhood. “I’m one of six children and meal times were full of great food and laughter. It’s something I’ve always wanted to offer to others - nothing brings more joy and happiness like sharing a beautiful meal or a decadent slice of cake. That’s what life is all about,” she says.

The choice is mouth-watering: a selection of sweet cakes and pastries, such as Leanne’s signature lemon tart (wafer-thin darkly cooked pastry with a soft, tangy citrus

filling), chocolate mousse, tiramisu and to-die-for brownies. Beck is also famous for her winter main-course pies, such as free-range chicken with confit tomato sauce, ratatouille and basil. Then there is the piping hot gourmet soup with sourdough roll (choose from pumpkin and parmesan, mushroom and thyme, tomato and buckwheat with winter vegetables or pea and Bangalow ham). Worth a visit to Sydney – just for dessert!

w w w. s w e e t i n f i n i t y. c o m . a u

Lemon Meringue Tart

This recipe will make 24 mini tarts.

For best results, make the dough the night before the rest of the tart.

Swiss Meringue

Lemon Curd

350 grams egg whites 750 grams sugar

12 whole eggs 290 grams castor sugar 310 ml lemon Juice (fresh is best but remember to strain through all of the pulp).

500 grams unsalted butter

Place the egg whites and gradually add sugar in a container and cook over a bainmarie (fill a large and deep pot with boiling water and place the smaller one within it).

Gently whisk until it is light in colour and all the sugar is melted through – you should not be able to see any of the sugar granules and it should strain through your whisk. During this process, make sure that the mixture does not get too hot -- you should be able to touch it without flinching.

Place the blend in a mixer and whisk (you could also use an egg-beater) to a hard peak – the mixture should cling in large parts around the whisk.

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Whisk the egg yolks and whole eggs together and place aside.

In a separate bowl, mix together the butter and the icing sugar – be careful not to over mix your ingredients (don’t use an electronic mixture, just hand mix).Add the egg yolk to the butter mixture and stir-through.

Slowly add the plain flour and knead through to create a doughy bundle.

Bundle and store in fridge, preferably overnight.

Mix the juice, sugar and eggs in a heavy based pot and whisk as you bring it to the boil.

Preheat your oven to about 180 degrees and coat your baking pan with a non-stick cooking spray.

Remove from heat and add cold lumps of butter and blend through. Put the mixture in the fridge until it sets – it will be ready when it is cold and has a similar consistency to butter.

Roll out your dough so that it is about 2 CM thick and use it to line your tray.Place in oven and ‘blind cook’ it. Take it out when it is golden brown and let it cool.

Sweet Tart Base 1.2 kilos of butter 600 grams of icing sugar 12 egg yolks 3 whole eggs 1.8 plain flour

Putting it all together

Fill the pastry base with the lemon mixture 2/3’s of the way up. Pipe the meringue mixture on top and then, if you have one, blow torch it until it is golden brown on top. This truly achieves the best results as placing in the oven or under the grill can cause the meringue to collapse.

Enjoy!

GALLERY

Is the Miss World pageant coming to Bali?

The Westin Resort Nusa Dua recently hosted Miss World 2009, Kaiane Alderano, Miss Indonesia 2009, Karenina Sunny Halim, and the recently crowned Miss Indonesia 2010, Asyifa Latief. The delegation also included Founding Member of Miss Indonesia, Liliana Tanoesoedibjo, and Chairwomen of Miss World Limited, Julia Morley, together with Miss World Events Director, Stephen Douglas Morley. They were greeted by the Resort’s General Manager, Mr. Bipan Kapur, and several senior associates.

The purpose of the visit was to showcase Bali as a potential destination to host the Miss World pageant in the coming year.

The group genuinely enjoyed the trip and was impressed by the gracious hospitality and creativity of the people, the rich culture and the beauty of the island. The tour itinerary included visits to the Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park (GWK), John Hardy, Jenggala Ceramics and UC Silver.

The Westin Resort Nusa Dua, Bali was home to the group for three days where they were treated to an intimate poolside dinner and Kecak performance on their first evening. An inspiring Rijsttafel styled dinner was hosted in the Resort’s Temple Garden to farewell the delegation. The Westin Rijsttafel is a special themed dinner that originates from an old Indonesian dining experience known as Makan Besar. Dinner is served in a breathtaking procession of 12 lovely maidens dressed in traditional costumes, each carrying a kitchen Ming Plate with a tasty archipelago delicacy.

“The entire group left the island with a positive impression of the destination. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome all contestants of the Miss World pageant in the future and to showcase Bali to the world. I believe that the island is well and truly ready to host such a prestigious international event,” commented Bipan Kapur, General Manager of The Westin Resort Nusa Dua, Bali.

GALLERY

ASTON INTERNATIONAL INTRODUCES ASTON AT KUNINGAN SUITES

Aston International continues its unparalleled growth in Indonesia with the recent signing of a management agreement with the new owners of the Kuningan Suites, Jakarta. The property will now be known as Aston at Kuningan Suites the property located on Jalan Setiabudi Utara, in the Kuningan area and consists of 100 luxurious suites, the well known Pastis Kitchen and Bar, a wine shop, an outdoor swimming pool, fitness center, business center and meeting rooms.

Mr. Charles Brookfield, President & CEO of Aston International, said “Aston International is delighted to have been chosen and entrusted by the developer to manage this delightful all suites hotels. An elegant addition to our other hotels in Jakarta which include the Aston Rasuna, Marina and Cengkareng. We are confident, we can position the Aston at Kuningan Suites as one of the best all suite hotels in the city.”

The owners will shortly embark on a renovation scheme that will initially see all rooms fitted with large LCD TVs, and new soft furnishes.

www.aston-international.com

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HOTEL

JOURNEY TO ALILA SOORI

This is a resort for the seasoned traveller, one who does not need noise, traffic, crass tourist nonsense or cliché restaurants and bars.

Its very remoteness is part of its charm – set, as it is, on a beach in Western Bali so you have the drama of the ocean on one side and the centuries-old serenity of endless rice paddies on the other.

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Having said all that, Alila Soori is not on the moon: all the regular tourist things are within an easy drive. And the famous Tanah Lot temple is just 10 minutes away.

Its architecture is eco-contemporary Asian, and it is low-impact on the landscape. You can choose from a pool villa, a terrace villa or a sawah view villa – or even the new super villa that has it all, along with 10 bedrooms!

The resort is set in beautifully landscaped grounds and the suites and villas are large, luxuriously appointed and very comfortable. They also have all the high-tech amenities of the 21st century for entertainment and staying in touch with the world.

There are two restaurants – well, three really: fresh barbecued seafood at the Grill is a must while you are there.

TO DO Since Alila Soori sits in splendid isolation, you can either take the opportunity just to do nothing by the pool, read in the library, enjoy the spa or just chill.

And rest assured (since you are a captive audience) that the food here is well worth staying in for: the restaurants in the capable hands of Chef Martin MacLeod.

The ‘leisure concierge’ (several, actually) are on hand to organise tailormade excursions: a menu of bespoke experiences—known as “Journeys by Alila.

HOTEL

A Segway ride is a must. These are the eco-friendly electric two-wheelers, a hoot and a first for Bali. On their “Exploring Kelating” journey, you will zoom in silence to the neighbouring villages, giving you the chance to learn about the daily life of the locals and the unique layout of a traditional Balinese home.

For hands-on food lovers, they have the half-day ‘Journey of Culinary Delight’, where you start at the traditional market in Kerambitan and then you will learn to cook your finds, Balinese style, with help from the chef.

The “Journey of the Gods” takes you to the most interesting and most beautiful temples on the island, some dating from the 17th century – finishing with champagne to watch the sunset over Tanah Lot. For those with artistic interests, there is “Journey of the Dancers”, Your “Journey of the Balinese Knights” tells you how horses came to Bali centuries ago and became pivotal to the life of the Balinese royal family.

You will even learn to ride one of them along the beach – finishing with a champagne picnic.

For adventurous and sporty types, the “Journey of Discovery” is a full day ATV excursion through the countryside, including a white-water rafting adventure.

And, after any one of these, you return to the privacy and luxury of your chosen villa to relax before dinners. w w w. a l ilahotels.com

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HOTEL

All About Rice Rice is the most basic commodity of life in Bali Day Tour but we often take it for granted. Its history and cultivation is actually a fascinating journey of knowledge.

Alila Villas Soori is situated in Tabanan is often referred to as ‘rice bowl of Bali.’ This one-day tour will take a look at how rice is cultivated, its religious significance, and how rice culture: planting, growing, and harvesting is linked to temples and their ceremonies.

It was known, even as early as the 11th century, that Bali produced excellent rice.

Ancient Chinese manuscripts related how their ships travelling westwards to trade with India, would stop at Bali to take on board precious stocks of rice and fresh water during their long sea journey.

They will explain why Bali’s rugged mountainous nature and deep ravines makes vital irrigation is extremely difficult. By an ingenious system water is led from the mountains to various levels of cultivated land by canals, dams, bamboo pipes, and long tunnels, in some cases cut through solid rock – the Subak system that gets water to every farm.

To the Balinese, rice is a direct gift from God, and consequently is treated with the utmost care and respect. Offerings are given to Devi Sri, the Goddess of Rice, to ask her protection at every stage of cultivation and you will visit a ‘pancoran’ on your tour, the temple and bathing house where people will go before taking to the paddies.

The tour finishes in Tabanan, at the wonderful and relatively unknown Museum

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Subak, a comprehensive display of maps, models, photos, and tools that explain the Balinese rice growing system.

Here you should not miss out on a unique model of a traditional Balinese family compound. Built of dried mud, it shows how life used to be before the advent of tourism over a hundred years ago.

If you wish, your guide can include a visit to a local wayang artist’s studio and even the local royal palace.

You will come back to the beach to see the Pura Merajaphati which is literally a small cave temple hollowed out by the sea in the rocky coastline, before returning to the hotel for a picnic lunch is served at a stunning spot overlooking the ocean.

HOTEL

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PERSONALITY

MADE TO 76 26

Tango

PERSONALITY

Made Masih started with a shack on

the beach. Now she is about to have the biggest restaurant in Bali. She is a tiny woman, a vivacious dynamo. She is late, all afluster, and blames it, ironically, on the changes that have established her success. She talks to Graham Pearce.

H

er love for Bali is obvious, but there a touch of sadness about how the island has changed. And despite the tension she is obviously feeling about a new enterprise, she hopes that everyone will relax a little more, declaring that time has become too important in our modern lives.

Whatever the downside, Ibu Made (as everyone calls her) now enjoys a great life as a restaurateur and hotelier, planning a huge new venture in Seminyak – she is a bubbly and busy woman – but she still has time out to tango!

LIFE “I am a Kuta girl,” declares Made Masih. “We were very poor; I only went to elementary school and Kuta was a little fishing village in South Bali.

Then came the 60s and 70s and the surfers discovered the place but it was still all very laid back and informal.”

“In 1969, I opened a losmen with some tables and chairs for eating. Right at Bimo Corner, which was then the centre of everything.” (The place is still there and still popular).

“I started the restaurant with my Mom and my sister and we did not even speak Indonesian, only Balinese,” laughs Ibu Made, who is speaking to me in very good English.

including President Yudhoyono and his family, Richard Gere and Mick Jagger. And there is also a not-too-out of date photo of Roman Polanski so he is obviously able to travel, at least to Indonesia).

Now many other people like it, especially the more sophisticated branch in Seminyak. It is basically a tall roof, back protected area and open courtyard. Upstairs is her art collection (for sale) and around the edges of the ‘plaza’ are upscale boutiques, notably Bin House who now design all of Ibu Made’s clothes – ‘not off the rack;

“The food was Indonesian and very local; the fish was straight from the ocean and there was lots of rice. The surfers seemed to like it. My nasi goreng istemewa is still on the menu.”

But poor girl Made Masih’s empire has expanded somewhat. She now has a second and much larger restaurant in Seminyak and a little hostelry (Puri Damai) she calls a ‘boutique losmen’ off Jalan 66 in Legian. Made’s Warung Seminyak has become a tourist icon and just about everyone makes it there at some time or another. (Everyone they make them specially for me.’ And if you know Bin House, you will know silks and light-as-a-feather cottons, all painstakingly designed and made over months.

The Seminyak restaurant seats 96 but it was still not big enough, prompting Made and husband Peter Steenbergen to take over what used to be Fabio’s next door. It is an exact replica of the current place, but exactly twice as big, bringing total seating to 600. They are scheduled to open in September “and we are planning a Flower Power party to remember those good old days.”

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PERSONALITY

Made back in her Kuta days

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PERSONALITY

“I remember not too long ago, this area was all rice fields. You would not recognise it now,” laments Ibu Made.

“A lot of old Bali has disappeared, unfortunately. Many people just want speed. Some people here even pay to have their meals served quickly,” she muses. “Not like Bali should be – relaxed, calm, a little slow – a place where you can safely forget the panic of the outside world.”

“Peter has designed it to have an old colonial look with some antiques, locally made furniture and the same patterned old-style tiles on the floor.”

TANGO Ibu Made is now 56 and a proud grandmother. Her sons Wayan and Made are also involved in the business and will oversee a staff that will more than double in size to 180 when the new place opens.

FOOD “I love food!” she declares. “I get such a kick out of it and I love to experiment.”

“Our food is still very localised although we have moved beyond the borders of Bali and Indonesia somewhat. We have many Japanese and Taiwanese coming and many others from Europe here, so we have expanded the menu to cater for any touch of homesickness.” I ask about my favourite chicken and papaya salad? “Oh, that is great; it comes from Hawaii.”

“So, in the new place I will have the regular menu, some new dishes from around Asia and a fine dining area where the food will still be Asian inspired. And I have been travelling a lot recently, most interestingly to Vietnam where I love the food,” she explains.

“In the new place, I want lots of salads; a lot of green and healthy things but with obviously robust flavours. There is one Vietnamese dish I am currently mad about: simply chicken, ginger, garlic, black pepper with a honey sauce. And it is time to start looking again at delicious Bali lobster,” she says.

“It will also still be a simple layout (you know we still live in a place like this in Kuta, basically a roof to keep out the rain),” she says modestly.

“At the moment, it is all very stressful,” she admits. Ever since we began, all those years ago, we have worked day and night and it sort of became how life was. I used to get all worked up – that is until I discovered the tango.”

With this, she rushes to a wall covered in photographs and there she is – on the dance floor and with a bottle balanced on her forehead. “An old trick; it completely takes your mind off everything and, of course, I love the dance and I love the music. I have even been several times now to Buenos Aires to enjoy dancing where it all began,” she enthuses.

“Now I have a tango studio upstairs from the restaurant and whenever things get too stressed, I just go up there, turn on the music and start dancing.”

BALI Does she miss those old surfing days and the little losmen?

“Oh, yes. It was a great time in the world. Now they come back as fathers and grandfathers,” she laughs.

I still wander down to the beach occasionally but you know, after all these years I still cannot swim.”

“But I still say people should slow down. Not to a standstill where you become a vegetable or lose interest in life. But there is really NO need to speed through life like Westerners do.

That’s why the gods invented Bali.”

“I think I can help them a little in the restaurants. Perhaps we will have to speed things up a little in the new kitchen but guests, especially tourists, should also consciously slow down.

What is that old cliché? It takes two to tango!” www.madeswarung. c o m

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GALLERY

London’s Top Chefs Return To London Eye Opening in just over four months, the 2010 London Restaurant Festival (4-18 October) in partnership with American Express, has revealed the impressive line-up of top London chefs who will be cooking in London’s most soughtafter pop-up restaurant. After its sell-out debut last year, the 2010 festival will see the return of gourmet dining on the London Eye for eleven nights (an increase from the six soldout nights last year).

One capsule will be transformed each night into the capital’s most exclusive restaurant, completing one rotation for each course. Each evening, ten guests will enjoy dinner 135m above the River Thames with what’s been described as the UK’s most exclusive chef’s table.

This year the eleven chefs invited to take part include London’s leading chefs and restaurants including: Gordon Ramsay, Angela Hartnett, Richard Corrigan, Giorgio Locatelli, Atul Kochhar and Mark Hix. Other top London restaurants serving up exclusive meals will be The Ivy which will see Gary Lee, Head Chef of The Ivy, create a special 20th anniversary menu which will celebrate The Ivy’s much loved and diverse dishes from the past 20 years. Other top restaurants including the popular Hakassan and L’Anima will also be taking part.

Two new international chefs to be added to the London Eye line-up (and who have recently made London their new culinary home) include New Yorker, Daniel Boulud who has just opened his first London restaurant ‘Bar Boulud’ and Michelin starred chef Joel Antunes who has returned with his new restaurant ‘Brasserie Joel’.

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, who supports the Festival, commented: ”London’s unbeatable restaurant scene has become home to some of the world’s most creative chefs.

The sheer scale of the capital’s gastronomic delights is testament to the vibrancy of our city and the London Restaurant Festival is a fantastic way for people to experience some amazing dining experiences”.

Last year, the Gordon Ramsay night was auctioned off at a charity event where a mystery bidder paid an impressive £23,000. Once again the three-Michelin starred chef has agreed to auction off his 2010 Festival night to raise money for the charity StreetSmart, which will be the official charity for the 2010 London Restaurant Festival.

The charity works with London’s homeless to provide food, clothes and shelter and is well known for working with London’s restaurant industry to raise money. As well as the auctioned Gordon Ramsay capsule, a percentage of the ten other capsules sold will also be allocated to the StreetSmart charity.

Each person to buy a capsule will have a top London chef create a delicious four-course meal for them and nine guests.

There will also be a Champagne reception which will be hosted at the brand new Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel and will be provided by the official London Restaurant Festival champagne sponsor G H Mumm. A varied wine selection which has been designed to complement each menu will also be served. As well as having one of the most stunning views in London, the ten diners will be able to meet the chefs who will be personally cooking for them all night. www.visitlondon.co m

76 30

On your bike!

A first for Indonesian tourism, a ride on a groovy Segway.

These are the eco-friendly, electric-powered two-wheeler stand-up ‘bicycles’ – usually used in traffic-congested cities for quick commuting.

However, now you can ride a Segway at the Alila Soori resort in Bali.

It is one of their ‘journey’ ideas that offer guests some fascinating things-to-do when they stay at the resort in Western Bali (some 20 minutes further out that Tanah Lot).

After a quick learner-driver session, your ‘leisure concierge’ Pak Panca (pictured) will lead you out of the resort for a tour of neighbouring villages.

Since it is easy to stop and go, it gives you a chance to learn about the daily life of the locals and the unique layout of a traditional Balinese home, such as the Merajan (shrine), jineng (granary), natah (open space in the centre of the house) and teba (backyard service area).

Most of the nearby roads are sealed but you will be surprised (and a little excited) by the Segway’s off-road capabilities. It will go just about anywhere.

GALLERY

DRINK

The wine crisis is a bore. Everybody agrees. And everybody hopes it will resolve itself soon. But, rather than giving in and complaining, we thought we would seek out some drinks that have that little extra kick and go well with food: i.e., nothing with sugar in it. Nothing will ever take the place of a cheeky little Chablis with lunch, but this makes for interesting experiment…

EATING WITHOUT WINE Vice Tea (We all love iced tea in Asia, so here is one with extra kick. This goes very well with food and is also wonderfully thirst quenching) 1 shot Vodka Iced Tea Wedge of Lime (or you could add a stick of lemon grass: smash the bulb end with a knife to release the flavour) Fill a tall glass with ice. Add the vodka and fill to top with the tea.

Squeeze in lime or place in lemon grass. (Also try with different teas, perhaps Earl Grey or lemon tea or Orange Pekoe).

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Dark and Stormy (This is probably the national drink of Bermuda where they always use Gosling’s Black Seal Rum and the local Barritt’s ginger beer. But if you don’t have those, you can substitute) 1 shot black rum Ginger beer Lime wedge Pour the rum into a highball glass well filled with ice. Fill with ginger beer to the top and garnish with lime wedge.

Bali High

DRINK

(From Andrew de Jong at Sourcing Asia) 30 ml pineapple juice 60ml tamarind juice (gula asam) Soda or Sprite Vodka (optional) Half fill a large glass with ice. Pour in pineapple juice. Add the tamarind juice (more if you want a stronger taste) Top up with the soda – or Sprite if you want a sweeter taste.

Garnish with mint.

A wonderfully refresing mocktail that you can make into a long cocktail by adding a shot of vodka.

Asia Mary (An exotic variation on the Bloody Mary that will really lift your Sunday brunch)

1 shot vodka 1 lemon grass stick 6 kaffir lime leaves, shredded Dash each of lemon juice, Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce Coarse salt and black pepper to taste Tomato juice or, even better V8

Rosé Spritzer (The rosé you get here is usually sweet and not good with food.

Make a spritzer with it and add lime to counter the sugar).

1 bottle rosé Lime wedges Soda Water Place a handful of ice cubes in a large jug. Pour in a bottle of rosé and add a few wedges of lime. Top with soda or you can use sparkling

33

CHEF

AFTER THE STORM The very serenity of Ubud can be the catalyst that will trigger memories of just how precarious life in Asia can be. While you sit in the calm of a resort like the Maya, you think its peace and tranquillity is a long way from political and natural traumas – for example, being caught in the Tsunami of 2004.

But that is just what happened to chef Kath Townsend.

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CHEF

House. She also worked with the internationally known cookbook author and restaurateur Bill Granger in Sydney and the top-notch Bathers Pavilion.

Now, she is obviously delighted to be in Bali. Fresh and very full of ideas.

BALI “The whole vibe of Ubud is very different to the rest of Bali. Different also in that the food is very westernised on the coast. Here, local influences are still very strong. You see it with the babi guling and the bebek betutu and many other dishes. They have really kept the spicing and the menus are really authentic. You only have to go to Ibu Oka’s for this,” says Townsend.

“And that is even reflected on the menus here at Maya. Still, by far the biggest selling dish (even with our international guests) is nasi goreng.

And I must say my team here makes a fantastic version. The Maya nasi goreng is famous!”

“I had just taken the job as chef at the Aman resort in Sri Lanka and I was actually preparing lunch for the man behind it all, Adrian Zecka,” she recalls.

“I was shopping one morning for produce in the local market when my obviously-savvy translator grabbed my arm and just said: Run! Now!” “I didn’t know what was happening but then I saw the water coming. And we did run; even had to negotiate a barbed wire fence. We made it to higher ground and only then did we look back. The market was under water and people were scrambling for shelter. It meant the end of my all-toobrief Sri Lankan career because all the beach-side hotels had to close.”

“So, I moved to the One & Only resort in the Maldives and later to the Huvafen Fushi resort where her guests were often very well known: Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Liz Hurley and Michael Schumacher, to name a few.”

“Then, before I moved to Bali, I was exec chef at the Nam Hai, the first 5-star resort on the famous China Beach in Vietnam. So, it has been an interesting journey to Ubud.”

Townsend is now executive chef and F&B manager at the Maya Resort with its famous spa.

Her youthful looks belie a 22-year career that began in her native Australia, at the Sydney Opera

“As for the western food, it is contemporary Mediterranean and one of my chefs is Japanese trained.

Our concept is also influenced by India, Thailand, China, Vietnam and, of course, Indonesia. Which is great for me because I get to use all my old experiences. All the things I have learned on my culinary journey around Asia.

You know, even though I was there for a very short time, I fell in love with the food of Sri Lanka, so different from the Indian we are used to.”

“And I am especially happy about the fact that people are taking to Vietnamese food. Just in the year and a half I spent there, I really appreciated it. At first, I naively thought it was onedimensional compared to Thai food but you soon learn it is so interesting, very

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CHEF

healthy and far more consumable than maybe Thai food because it does not have the killer chillies,” says Townsend.

HOLIDAY “When people are on holiday, especially in a resort like this, I think it is really important to provide a menu of food they want to eat. I don’t think people come to Ubud for the intense fine dining experience. We do have some fine-dining dishes (and some foie gras and caviar) but I don’t make a whole menu of it.”

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“My main pleasure is good quality produce. My meat is imported from Australia and New Zealand but the local fish is of exceptional quality, which is great. And we have wonderful suppliers of vegetables. And, I must add, it is a personal delight to visit the market myself for the herbs and spices,” she enthuses.

“Very interesting: I’ve had to change all my recipes from my Australian days (cakes to curries) because the spices in Bali are really fresh and intense. So, I’ve tested everything and adjusted the

amounts. For example, you only need half the amount of cinnamon here as it is so strongly flavoured.”

“As an Australian, I think I am lucky because Australian cuisine has adopted styles from all over the world – shamelessly. But the result is terrific and Australians now eat very, very well,” says Townsend. “Our food comes from the Mediterranean, Italy, Spain and, now North African – and of course, France influences almost anything that happens in our kitchen,” she adds.

CHEF

COLD COMFORT? “Funny you should ask that because I am very focused on this kind of thing.

I try to put my feet into our guests’ shoes and wonder what they would like to eat. Which is why we have a kick-ass burger on the menu. A good Caesar Salad and our nasi goreng (as I said) is a big hit. We do a wonderful Salade Niçoise with fresh tuna and a Greek salad. It is so important these simple dishes be outstanding because people will judge you most of them –not on the complicated ones.”

“I also take a great interest in our spa restaurant,” Townsend adds. “I think I have developed a great menu there that is fresh, healthy and organic.

Which is pretty easy because the Balinese don’t have to use fertiliser, the soil is so fecund. The lettuce is really crunchy.

And remember Ubud is a place of wellness; people come here to detox from everyday life. So all my menus have what I call ‘healthy options.’”

“I have to say that I become addicted to the local cuisine wherever I am working – and this is especially true of Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Vietnam and now Bali. Although there is a little too much ‘goreng’ here for me, I have become so health conscious in Ubud,” she says.

“Off duty? I love Italian. But I can’t say I’m blown away by the Italian food in Bali. But I can still taste dishes from holidays in Northern Italy. In white truffle season – even with just homemade pasta and olive oil.”

“When you are chef you have to get used to working longer hours than most other people, so, I still like to

make myself dinner when I get home, which is usually late. Something simple.”

“And I am delighted to tell you I am a founding member of the Bali Slow Food Convivium. (There are only two here; the other is in Java). I went to Turin last year to the Slow Food Convention; there were half a million people there – so they must know something!”

“There is a surprising number of people in Ubud who are keen to maintain the integrity and taste of fresh produce – and slow cooking is the way to go for that. So, I am bound to have something in the refrigerator I can just heat up. Probably something Italian – maybe the perfect example of Balinese slow cooking, bebek betutu!” www.mayaubud.com

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WINE

It is France’s oldest spirit but it has been largely forgotten recently as tipplers experiment with all manner of exotic drinks. But this year, there is a drive happening to win over new generations of connoisseurs to the delicious and delicate brandy called Armagnac.

T

he marketing push coincides with the liqueur’s 700th anniversary, which will be celebrated at no less an august place than the Vatican.

The Armagnac people are planning to launch a pilgrimage to Rome where they say they will recover the forgotten virtues of the drink from a Vatican archive, a medieval work they consider the Armagnac bible.

In slower times: 1310 to be exact, they had time to handwrite long book titles and this one is called (loose translation) the Very Useful Book for Conserving One’s Health and Staying on Top Form, and it is a sort of scientific encyclopaedia which claims the eau-de-vie has 40 virtues that work wonders on the body and soul.

For example, it says that if Armagnac is taken “medically and soberly, it makes disappear redness and burning of the eyes, and stops tears from running; it cures hepatitis.

It cures pain in the ears and deafness; it makes disappear stones in the kidneys and bladder and when anointed, it relieves headaches particularly those coming from a cold.”

It goes on to say that a glass or two gets rid of gout and - even more impressive - its frequent application on a “paralysed limb brings its back to its normal state.”

D’ARTAGNAN’S OWN DROP 40

WINE

The text has the holy stamp of Vital Dufour who was then the Prior of Eauze (the capital of Armagnac) who must have borne some credibility because he was made a cardinal

by Pope Clement V in 1313. (Perhaps the process was helped along by Dufour’s supplying said Clement with a few gratis bottles…)

Dufour insists it is good for the soul too, as “it enlivens the spirit, partaken in moderation, recalls the past to memory, renders men joyous, preserves youth and retards senility”.

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WINE

And when retained in the mouth, “it loosens the tongue and emboldens the wit,” says the tome.

Seems we should all have a spare bottle in the medicine cabinet!

TODAY The World Financial Crisis was particularly difficult for Armagnac producers, which was a major reason they want to branch out to the new generations, younger than their present client base of 50-60 year olds. But don’t suddenly go all disco dizzy.

“We have no intention of selling it in frenzied nightclubs,” says Pierre Tabarin, head of the Armagnac Board.

“It is for people who care about human values and heritage. But we would like to bring it to the 35-50-yearolds, people who want to talk, taste it calmly once they’ve matured a bit in life and want to get the most from it.”

Heading this promotion for younger custom is a new appellation called Blanche d’Armagnac, a young, clear white spirit they hope will become the new premium cocktail in the smart bars of the world.

If you need a good role model, look to Charles de BatzCastelmore. He was a local Gascon hero (who incidentally loved Armagnac) and he was the man on whom Alexandre Dumas based his fourth musketeer, d’Artagnan.

Armagnac vs Cognac Both are brandies but Armagnac and Cognac differ in that Cognac is brandy produced only in the town of Cognac, while Armagnac is a lighter form of brandy made further south, in the Pays de Gascogne.

Armagnac (like cognac) is distilled from white wine grapes, namely the Folle Blanche, Ugni Blanc and Colombard varieties. After distillation, it is aged in casks made primarily from local Monlezun black oak. The key technical difference is that Cognac is distilled twice. This means more time in the oak for Armagnac producing a brandy with more finesse and roundness.

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Cognac producers have often shifted to mass production, and today the typical bottle of cognac is one-dimensional, industrial and boring. True connoisseurs insist that you should go to Gascony where true artisans making brandies of far superior quality on a much smaller scale.

And it costs less!

WINE

55

HOTEL

“I delight in Buckingham Palace”, said Queen Victoria, when she moved in three weeks after ascending to the throne. She was either an optimist or hadn’t discovered that the drains didn’t drain, the royal apartments were ventilated through the common sewers, the servants’ bells didn’t ring, and there were no sinks for the chambermaids.

Additionally, some doors wouldn’t close, and some of the windows wouldn’t open.

BUCKING THE SYSTEM 76 44

One of the great things to do when you visit Britain is to visit Queen Elizabeth’s London residence, Buckingham Palace.

HOTEL Buckingham Palace was not always the residence of the monarch. In fact, it was not always a palace.

investitures. Prince Albert also modernised the heating and the plumbing.

The present gravelled forecourt and the wrought iron and bronze gates were added in 1911 and this is where you can see the changing of the guard.

Three centuries ago, the western side of London was basically parkland. And it was here that John Sheffield, the Duke of Buckingham, built a ‘town house.’ (Town house here not meaning a semi-detached apartment but a London home where the aristocracy traditionally left the family seat in the country to spend ‘the season’ in the capital).

Buckinghham’s friend Queen Anne granted him the land at the corner of St. James’s Park and Greenn Park and he built the manor he would call Buckingham House and his family spent many years there.

However, King George III took a liking to Buckingham House as a London residence for himself so be bought in 1762, for £28,000 and renamed it Queen’s House as a gift to his wife Charlotte.

It was George IV (he the former jolly Prince Regent and builder of the over-the-top Brighton Pavilion) to turn the house into a sumptuous palace when he became king in 1820.

Over course, costs over-ran to the annoyance of Parliament, prompting one member to claim in the House that “the Crown of England does not require such splendour. Foreign countries might indulge in frippery, but England ought to pride herself on her plainness and simplicity.”

Nevertheless, elegance reigned, and the rooms, which today are known as the State and semi-State Rooms remain virtually unchanged since George’s time.

Unfortunately, George IV died in 1830 before he could move in and enjoy it. His successor William IV declared he actually didn’t much like the place and never moved in. When his niece Queen Victoria was crowned in 1837, she decided to move in and was the first to make it the monarch’s official London residence and has been ever since.

Victoria also became a dab hand at renovation, and with her expanding family needing more room, she built a fourth wing and the ballroom that is 122 feet long. Today, this is still used for state banquets, diplomatic receptions, concerts and

During World War II a chapel in the palace was bombed it became a project of Prince Philip to rebuild it as the Queen’s Gallery, home to a rotating collection of art from the Royal Collection and also open to the public.

The palace has more than 600 rooms, including 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms. The rooms that are open to the public are called the ‘state’ rooms. The building sits at the front of a 20-hectare garden, part of it a mulberry grove planted by James I. Today the secluded garden contains specimen shrubs, trees and a large lake. Some 8000 people visit it during the annual garden parties.

At the Mews side of the palace, there is now a tea shop and a gift shop.

TRAVEL INFORMATION A timed entry system is in effect, with admission every 15 minutes throughout the day. Tickets may be booked online at the royal website, or in person at the ticket office in Green Park.

GETTING THERE Taxi or by train to St. James Park, Green Park, or Victoria Station

CONTACT Current opening details for Buckingham Palace, Queen’s Gallery, and the Royal Mews (originally the stables but now housing the royal limousines and horse carriages), can be found at the official royal website www.royalcollection.org.uk

NB: There is currently a marvellous exhibition in the Queen’s Gallery, some 400 paintings, drawings, photographs, jewellery, sculpture – all left by those most avid of collectors, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

Until 31 October.

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DESTINATION

Opulent Art

Museums often don’t have a great image, if only for a dry or daunting name. In Kuala Lumpur, there is The Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia and it is a wonderful find.

D

on’t be put off too much by the name because it is a bit of a misnomer. This museum has not so much to do with religion but rather it is a showcase for the talent of many gifted artists from the whole Muslim diaspora.

And far from being dry – its collections are colourful, elegant and interesting. And you will be surprised by the quality: they are not just examples but a very fine collection of the best – especially the jewellery, the textiles, the weapons and the porcelain.

The museum is easy to find; it is set in lush greenery and the complex is large and airy and it is a pleasant stroll to move through the different galleries.

The exhibits are displayed by geographic origin but the first room you enter centres on architecture and the mosque. You will get a fascinating insight into the history

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DESTINATION

of the mosque (with beautiful miniature models and graphics) and how they differ throughout the Islamic world. Explanations here (and all through the museum) are in both English and Bahasa Malayu).

You can move from artefacts from Iran, Turkey, Mogul India (make sure you see the diamonds and the emeralds) to Central Asia, China and then gradually down through South East Asia. Along the way, there are reminders of the Moorish influences in Italy and Spain.

You will see superb calligraphy, objects of wood and metal, coins and seals, glassware and ceramics, notably Iznik work from Turkey and porcelain and cloisonné from China. Don’t miss the book section: the ‘Persian’ miniatures are beautiful.

The textiles are especially interesting and are a colourful reminder of how dull the ‘West’ has become with everybody wearing the same dark suit. As well as costumes, notably from Central Asia, you will see exquisite shawls from Kashmir, Iranian brocades and beautifully embroidered pieces from many lands.

You will be surprised how quickly time passes as you wander through the galleries and there is a lift or an easy ramp if you cannot make the stairs.

At the end of it all is a café that has become extremely popular with Malaysians-in-the-know and one of the best museum gift shops around.

This is worth a visit, if only for the grand collection of books – not just on art but on jewellery, interior design, history, gardens and a thousand other topics.

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DESTINATION

The Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia is a must when next you stop over in Kuala Lumpur. (You should know it is closed Mondays). w w w. i a m m . o r g . m y

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GALLERY

MILLION DOLLAR NIGHTS No more queuing to shop at flagship designer stores in Hong Kong. Now you can shop by appointment – but it comes at a price. One million dollars, to be precise!

This news comes from the Langham Hotel, which has teamed up with world-renowned watchmaker Roger Dubuis. Guests booked in on the Million Dollar Nights package will be fetched by a private car from Roger Dubuis to take them to the store for a personal consultation with one of their watch experts. And here is the best bit. Should you decide you simply couldn’t leave without one of their beautiful timepieces, Roger Dubuis will pay for your entire package, including two nights’ accommodation in the Premier Suite at The Langham.

With watches averaging HK$1 million and going up to HK$5 million, this will indeed be A Million Dollar Nights that will also last you a lifetime.

Dubuis watches are the favourites of the likes of Victoria and David Beckham, Michael Schumacher and Sylvester Stallone.

This package includes two nights in The Langham’s most prestigious Premier Suite, limousine airport transfers, welcome champagne, in-room breakfast served by your private waiter each morning, and dinner on your last evening at the two-Michelin-starred T’ang Court restaurant.

The Million Dollar Nights package costs, not nearly a million unless you decide on a watch or two, but HK$19,500+10% tax. (About Rp.24 million). w w w. h o n g ko n g.langhamhotels.com

BAR

CHINA OLD AND NEW

In Hong Kong, there is a tendency to embrace the new: sleek, shiny and very un-Chinese. Now there is one place that is bucking all those trends. Yun Fu could be the setting for a scene from Raise the Red Lantern.

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BAR

Yun Fu is still chic and sexy, a lounge and bar space for casual drinking and a dining room for eating.

It is traditionally Chinese with the lounge dimly lit – in fact, by actual red lanterns. The furniture is also Chinese, along with a fine collection of Buddhist artifacts.

Guests are invited to sprawl across comfortable bed sofas lined with endless silk scatter cushions wwhile billowing drapes and Hadda silks make for cosy candle-lit corners.

It is not easy to find but it is right smack dab on Wyndham Street, the trendy restaurant area in Central. Once you find the heavy oak door, you descends ‘back in time’ down a Buddhalined staircase that opens onto a circular bar and several lounges.

Their one nod to this century is the huge screen where you can watch epic Chinese movies.

Their cocktail list is also very Chinese, using rice wine, green bamboo wine, infused plum spirits among other delights.

Their food has specialties from Northern and Western China so it is different from your run-ofthe-mill Hong Kong Cantonese.

In the restaurant, there are also three semi private dining areas separated by sheer voiles and screens with hanging lanterns lowly slung over each table for private dinner parties. w w w. y u nfu.com.h k

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FOOD

COLD COMFORT In our climate, we should think more about cold food. Not necessarily uncooked but the end result is served either at room temperature or chilled.

Most of these dishes come from ingredients you will do doubt have in your pantry, particularly canned tuna, pasta, herbs & spices, plain yoghurt and lots of vegetables.

Here is a menu of delicious dishes (first and main courses and then desserts) that you can mix and match for a delicious hot-weather lunch or dinner.

CHILLED BEETROOT SOUP 2 beetroot, peeled & cubed 1 litre orange juice 3 tbspns sugar 1 cinnamon stick 2 star anise Zest of 1 lemon (very fine) Juice of 1 lemon Mint for garnish Place beetroot, orange juice,

cinnamon and star anise. Purée the mixture in a blender until smooth. Refrigerate until well chilled. Serve topped with a dollop of plain yoghurt, some cubes of beetroot and the lemon zest.

COLD CUCUMBER SOUP 2 cucumbers 1/2 cup French dressing 2 pints yoghurt 2 tbspns mint Salt & pepper to taste

COLD AVOCADO SOUP WITH PRAWNS 2 large avocados (more depending on size) 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 1/3 cup lime juice Pinch cayenne

CHILLED PEA SOUP

sugar, mint, cinnamon, start anise, zest and lemon juice in a pot; bring to boil for one hour, adding water if necessary. Remove

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Peel the cucumbers, scoop out seeds with a spoon and very finely chop. Combine the French dressing with the yoghurt. Add to cucumber and chill. Season to taste and serve garnished with mint.

500g frozen peas 1 onion 1 tbspn butter 2 cups chicken stock 1 tspn caraway seeds 2 cups sour cream or yoghurt Salt & pepper to taste

1.25 litres chicken stock 12 cooked king prawns Purée avocadoes with lime juice, cayenne and garlic until smooth.

Add stock and season. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Divide soup among 6 bowls and top with chopped prawns.

Chop onion finely and sauté until golden. Throw in peas and stir quickly. Pour in stock and simmer 5 minutes until peas are tender.

Add caraway and season to taste.

Purée mixture in a blender until smooth. Chill and when ready to serve, stir in cream or yoghurt.

You can garnish with mint, chives or anything you like.

VIETNAMESE CHICKEN SALAD 250g poached chicken, shredded 1 small onion, finely sliced Half head white cabbage, shredded 1 carrot, julienned 1 chilli, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, minced (more if you like it) 1 tbspn sugar 1 tbspn rice vinegar 1 tbspn lime juice 1 tbspn fish sauce (nuoc nam or nam pla) 1 tbspn vegetable oil One bunch mint (hot Vietnamese mint is especially good)

CAULIFLOWER & MUSHROOM PASTA SALAD 400g short pasta Half a cauliflower, cut into florets (you could use broccoli if you prefer) 4 green onions, sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups button mushrooms 2 tbspns tomato ketchup 4 tbspns mayonnaise Basil leaves and Parmesan Cook pasta. Add the cauliflower for last 5 minutes of cooking.

Drain and cool. Place salad ingredients in a large bowl and

fold in the cooled pasta and cauliflower until well mixed. In a small bowl combine tomato sauce, mayonnaise, some basil and some Parmesan. Fold this mixture through the pasta and serve immediately.

CHICKEN SALAD MADRAS

1 large cooked chicken, torn into bite-size pieces 1 cup plain yoghurt 2 tspns good curry powder 2 tspns mango chutney Juice of half a lemon 2 tbspns chopped coriander 250g cherry tomatoes 1 cucumber, diced Lettuce and any other greens you like

In a bowl, mix the chilli, garlic, sugar, vinegar, lime juice, fish sauce, oil and onions. Season with black pepper. Let stand for one hour. On a deep serving dish, mix the cabbage, carrot, mint and the chicken. Pour over the dressing and toss. Test for seasoning and add salt and pepper if you like.

Serve topped with lots of mint and (if you like) some chilli flakes.

TUNA SPINACH SALAD 1 bunch spinach, washed 10 mushrooms, sliced 1 onion, thinly sliced 4 tomatoes, finely sliced 1 avocado, cubed 2 x 185g cans tuna, drained and chopped

PRAWN & MANGO SALAD 3 large mangoes, sliced 2 kg cooked medium king prawns, peeled and cleaned Salt and black pepper Juice of 2 limes Fresh coriander

Arrange mango around a large plate and place prawns in a mound at the centre. Season prawns with salt and pepper.

Drizzle lime juice over everything and put coriander on the top. (You can add more or less anything you like to this: some tomatoes, greens, avocado – whatever you fancy).

½ cup vinaigrette 1 boiled egg, sliced 2 slices grilled bacon, chopped finely (optional) Combine spinach, mushrooms, onions, avocado, tuna and dressing. Toss gently. Garnish with the bacon and the egg.

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FOOD

TUNA & BEAN SALAD 2 cans tuna in water 2 large cans cannellini beans ½ cup parsley ½ cup celery, chopped 1 small red capsicum, diced 1/3 cup finely chopped onion (spring onions are also good) ½ cup mint Black pepper Vinaigrette dressing Wash and rinse the beans under cold water; drain. In a salad bowl, mix all the other ingredients – season with the black pepper and toss with the vinaigrette dressing.

WALDORF (PLUS) SALAD 3 cups cubed cold chicken 1 stalk celery, in chunks 1 green (or other firm) apple, unpeeled, cubed 1 cup walnuts roughly broken 1 cup mayonnaise Salt & pepper Lettuce Mix ingredients together in bowl, Season to taste and serve spooned into lettuce ‘cups.’ The mayonnaise may be lightened with 3 tbspns of yoghurt.

TROPICAL STRAWBERRY SURPRISE 40g palm sugar 250g strawberries cut in half 2 tbspns water and 2 tbspns orange juice 2 cups plain yoghurt, sweetened with 1 tbspn fine sugar, 1 tspn vanilla extract and 1/4 cup desiccated coconut Heat the palm sugar in a saucepan over low heat until just melted.

Add the strawberries and cook until just warm. Add the water and orange juice and bring to the boil.

Remove from heat cool. Spoon mixture into bowls and top with the yoghurt mixture.

BELGIAN BANANA CREAM 2 ripe bananas 150 ml plain yoghurt 2 tbspns thickened cream 2 tbspns sugar 2 egg whites

MANGO DELICIOUS 2 ripe mangoes Juice of 1 lime to taste Fine sugar to taste 60 ml thickened cream 250 g yoghurt Rosewater to taste, opt Chopped pistachios 1 punnet strawberries

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Cut flesh from mangoes and add lime juice according to ripeness.

If tart, add sugar. Whip the cream, then add yoghurt (and rosewater if available). Fold the cream mixture through the mango and eat immediately or refrigerate covered until ready to serve. Garnish with strawberries.

Mash bananas and mix in yoghurt and cream. Sweeten to taste. Just before serving, beat egg whites to stiff and fold into banana mixture.

LIQUID ASSETS

Arom’Up Faithfully pursuing its aim to blow away the mystery surrounding wine tasting and create a moment conducive to fun and congeniality, where enthusiasts are given free rein to explore, Chef & Sommelier has designed two distinctively shaped glasses, Oakyand Fruity, as part of its new Arom’Up collection, so that red and white wines can be enjoyed the way you like!

The Arom’Up line was created following an exclusive collaboration with perfumery agency Cinquième Sens.To confirm that Chef & Sommelier had lost none of its intuitive flair for the right design, Cinquième Sens put the prototypes through their paces by «tasting» (blind testing of course!) the same wine in the two different shaped glasses. For the first time in their professional lives, the perfumers’ noses found themselves dealing with glasses!

Based on the fragrance pyramid system used specifically by perfumers, the agency’s recognised professionals accurately described the slight differences in perception between each glass: one of the glasses elicited fruity, volatile aromas specific to the grape variety and region, while the other drew out woody and other stronger aromas, such as liquorice, pine, brioche and vanilla, which tend to be imparted after aging in the barrel.

So which Arom’Up glass do you choose? If you have a soft spot for the slightly acidic taste of Loire Valley wines or a penchant for rosé wines, then ‘Fruity’ is the glass for you.

On the other hand, if your palate prefers Bordeaux and fullbodied wines, then look no further than the ‘Oaky’ glass...

DRINKING A ROSE NOW MAKES PERFECT SENSE A-Class Imports Pty. Ltd. is introducing the aromatic and flavourful extract of roses to the region with SENCE Rare European Rose Nectar.

Enjoyed for thousands of years throughout far off lands, this unique and savoury juice is now the newest and one of the most exciting beverage trends in the United States of America, Puerto Rico, Caribbean Islands, Brazil, Mexico, Canada and parts of Europe.

High in Vitamin C, SENCE can be served alone as a refreshing alternative to soft drinks and juice or can be mixed with them. SENCE can also be used as a cocktail ingredient when combined with vodka, tequila, cognac, rum, gin, sake, champagne and some cordials.

A delicate beverage, SENCE is distinctive in flavour and aroma and has a beautiful light pink colour. The unique rose from which SENCE is made is grown in Kazanlak, Bulgaria and must be harvested during a three week period from late May to mid June.

At this time the blossoms are picked between 3am and 10am when dew levels are at their highest – obtaining maximum flavour and fragrance.

A-Class Imports recently announced the arrival of SENCE Rose Liqueur and SENCE Rose – White Wine Infused with Rose Nectar.

The rose nectar concentrate from Bulgaria is imported into Australia where it is carefully blended with Australian ingredients to create SENCE Rose Liqueur and SENCE Rose. The alcohol range is now available for export world-wide.

w w w . S e n c e N e c t a r. c o m . a u

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LIQUID ASSETS

Enomatic Wine Serving System Enomatic has developed a system that preserves, serves and manages all aspects of wine service at the highest quality.

Enomatic’s automatic Argon gas preservation technology protects the wine from oxidation, allowing bottles to be opened and served over a period of 3 weeks – the wine tastes as if the bottle has just been opened.

The wine bottles are presented on individual pedestals that adapt to different bottle heights. The system self-cleans after every serve and provides you with the confidence to open and serve premium wines without the fear of wastage.

Temperature control provides the ability to serve wine at the optimum drinking temperature and meets the challenge of service of wine by the glass in very warm or cool climates.

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Glass War

First they ‘outlawed’ the coupe to enjoy a glass of champagne. Now it seems the ‘flute’ we have all been taking for gospel is no better for the bubbly.

A conference of experts in Paris has come to the conclusion that the best results for enjoying champagne come when you use the so-called ‘tulip’ glass.

This also coincides with a move by producers of this famous tipple; they say people should remember it is not just a drink for celebrating; it can also be a very fine wine.

At the Grand Tasting in Paris, a yearly fine-wine fair hosted by critics Michel Bettane and Thierry Desseauve, who pronounced: “We hate the bloody champagne coupe, because we know there is no nose, no aromas, and that’s half the pleasure.”

And, of the flute: “If it’s too narrow, the bubbles can be overwhelming. The diameter will play a key role in the perception of the tannins, acidity and bitterness. And the shape will definitely affect the aromas.”

Believing that both the flute and the coupe fall flat in the face of such intricacy, the big-name champagne producers Moet et Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, Piper Heidsieck and Bollinger have created custom glasses.

It is a cross between the long flute and the classic wine glass, wider in the middle and narrower at the top.

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GALLERY

New at Crown Melbourne

Crown Melbourne recently announced a Melbourne counterpart of Neil Perry’s successful Sydney restaurant, Spice Temple, will open at Crown in October 2010 and Guillaume Brahimi’s award winning Bistro Guillaume will re-open in mid-2011 as a classic, Parisian-inspired French bistro complete with an outdoor sun terrace.

Spice Temple and Bistro Guillaume join a host of exceptional dining establishments, including the recently opened maze and maze Grill by Gordon Ramsay and the much-anticipated, The Atlantic restaurant, which will open in January 2011. In addition, Neil Perry will be opening a new lobby bar at Crown Towers that will be open from early morning until late at night and cater for hotel guests and visitors alike.

The modern Chinese restaurant, Spice Temple, will inhabit the space currently occupied by Bistro Guillaume and Le Bar, the subterranean nightspot beneath Bistro Guillaume. Bistro Guillaume will re-open at the site that has been home to the brasserie by Philippe Mouchel for the past 7 years. The brasserie by Philippe Mouchel is closing at the end of June 2010.

The restaurant will then be called The Brasserie and will be open until early 2011. The site will then be closed for renovations and will re-open in mid2011 as Bistro Guillaume.

Located next to Neil Perry’s Rockpool Bar & Grill, the new Spice Temple, will be based on the philosophy of the original Spice Temple which opened in Sydney in January 2009. The menu will feature dishes inspired by the provinces of Sichuan, Yunnan, Hunnan, Jiangxi, Guangxi and Xinjiang. w w w. c r o w n m e l b o u r n e . c o m . a u

FOOD

Perfect Bolognese Italy’s most famous dish is named after the city of Bologna, where it is said to have originated. And it should not be confused with the red tomato sauce that is usually called ‘napoli.’ But who is getting it right these days?

Everyone who was a student has his own recipe for spaghetti bolognese – at university it was cheap; later it was a delicious specialty when our cooking became a little more sophisticated.

But it seems people are still getting it wrong after all these years.

This news came from Italian Week in Brisbane (Australia) where three Italian chefs revealed their different ‘bolognese secrets’ – the only thing they had in common being that they learned everything from Mamma or even Nonna (Grandma).

David Cotelli (CJ’s Pasta) insists his “spag bol” is exactly the same as his gran’s traditional recipe. Vittorio Greco (Cortina) says he makes his bolognese is also from his own gran’s hand-written recipe book. And John Battino (Campo dei Fiori) learnt in his mother’s kitchen every Sunday morning.

Chef Cotelli insists it is all about fresh meat. “We always use 50% beef, 25% pork and 25% veal, all freshly minced together.”

Chef Vittori also suggests a combination of meats but says you should also choose your oil carefully. “By far, the best is extra virgin olive oil which changes the taste of the whole dish.”

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Chef Battino says the key to making a good bolognese is to take it slowly. “I start in the morning early, and leave it to cook very, very slowly. It will be perfect by lunchtime.”

Cotelli says he does not use canned tomato; fresh is best. (This may be a problem in Asia) while Vittori says the herbs and vegetables set his dish apart: “Our extra little secret is sage; it really brings the dish to life. We also use tomato, celery, onion, carrot and lots garlic.”

Battino’s tip is to sauté the onion and lightly brown the minced meat and then the carrots and celery. “I also use cloves and then red wine which is very important.”

All three agree that slow simmering makes for the best result.

So, there you have three opinions – all slightly different. Here is a recipe that should take in all their ideas.

SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE Extra Virgin Olive Oil 500g minced meat (you can use all beef or a mixture) 2 onions 3 tomatoes (you can cheat with a can) 6 cloves of garlic, crushed 1 carrot, finely diced 1 rib celery, finely diced 1 cup beef stock or 1 beef stock cube dissolved in water (if you don’t have fresh) 1 small can of tomato paste 1 bottle of red wine Pinch basil Pinch oregano Big pinch of sage

2 bay leaves 4 cloves (optional) Salt & Pepper to taste Spaghetti Sauté the onions and garlic over low heat in the olive oil. Remove. Then lightly brown the meat in the olive oil (adding a little more if necessary).

Place in a larger pot with the onions (keeping all the juices). Then, still over low heat, stir in the tomato paste, the tomatoes, the stock cube, stirring constantly. Then add the red wine (you might not need the whole bottle!) and a little water.

Add the celery and carrot and the spices. Simmer over low heat about 2 hours. Season to taste.

Cook spaghetti in salted, boiling water until al dente. Drain and serve with the sauce. Garnish with Parmesan and Italian parsley.

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FEATURE

‘Songs of Ubud’

The ‘Songs of Ubud’ is a not-tomiss exhibition at the Agung Rai Museum of Art (ARMA) in Ubud this month.

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FEATURE

It promises a carefully curated collection of 70 outstanding works by 30 living masters, chosen particularly because they help to highlight the development, depth and originality of traditional paintings in Bali from the Kamasan to the Ubud styles.

Luxury hotel operator GHM [General Hotel Management] is to sponsor a rare exhibition featuring

the works of some of Bali’s leading traditional Balinese-style artists, among them Made Budi, Ketut Kasta, Nyoman Lesug, Wayan Matra and A.A. Anom Sukawati.

The exhibition is being organised by Asian art consultancy One East Asia and Larasati Auctioneers.

Its curator is Garrett Kam, an American who has lived in Bali for almost 25 years and has written and lectured extensively about the island’s culture.

(Among his books: Perceptions of Paradise: Images of Bali in the Arts, The Development of Painting in Bali and Ramayana in the Arts of Asia.)

The GHM group has three resorts in Bali, including The Chedi Club in Ubud, just a few minutes’ drive from ARMA. The ‘Songs of Ubud’ exhibition runs from 19 June to 11 July, 2010.

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DESTINATION

Tex in the City

America’s fourth largest city is emerging as a new super-destination for tourism. Houston is life on many planes – culture, food, fashion, shopping, sports. A sophisticated place that still is not ashamed of its colourful ancestors: cowboys and oil roustabouts.

If you can be bothered with the hassle of getting a visa for America, look towards Texas for something really different for your holiday.

Texas is more than a state; it is a state of mind. (Once, when asked if he was American, a Houstonian famously replied: “No I am from Texas.”)

Texas is a large place and you will be familiar with its famous landmarks and perceptions: the Alamo, the NASA space centre (“Houston, we have a problem…!”), oil on land believed useless, cattle ranches, scene of countless Hollywood movies and, as President Lyndon Johnson said of his home state: “the best sunsets in the world.”

The style-savvy residents of the state’s ‘other city’ know that there’s no place like Houston. And they do have style; they love to party and there is still a redolent air of rambunctious boisterousness and a rather healthy disregard for authority and accepted customs. And all this, to the tune of mandatory country and western music.

With more than 2.2 million residents, the city attracts visitors with a wonderful mix of world-class arts, booming business, pro sports and award-winning cuisine.

Much of daily life happens outdoors in Houston, despite a hot and humid climate but that should be no problem for Asians. But if you get a little flustered, just go indoors: everything is air conditioned.

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DESTINATION

The city is broken up into many neighbourhoods but maps are plentiful, as are how-to brochures.

Think particularly of the CBD, the artsy Melrose area and River Oaks, the Beverly Hills of Houston.

If food is your bag, you will find that countless cutting-edge chefs have made a home in Houston, where diners eat out more than residents of any other city. (They even have a custom culinary tour on offer).

Venture downtown and discover a thriving professional arts scene, with ballet, opera, symphony and theatre companies. Then there is the nearby Museum District with a combined collection (some 18 museums) the envy of many larger cities.

Business also recognizes the allure of Houston: some 29 companies on the Fortune 500 list call it home.

Aeronautic research is unsurpassed at NASA headquarters—the facility responsible for putting the first man on the moon—and Texas Medical Center remains the largest in the world.

Come. Live like a local for a few days and discover why Houston’s mix of international appeal and Southern charm make it so inviting.

FASHION HOUSTON There are many malls and small shopping precincts but a good place to start is the massive Galleria: 375 stores and the 4th largest mall in America. All the major brands are there but seek out some Texan designers, especially for accessories and jewellery. And, of course, this is home to the famously toffy Neiman Marcus department store.

DINING HOUSTON Houston has 8,000 restaurants and 600 bars and nightclubs. You will find your favourite, be it taco stand or French fine dining. Some names to look out for: 17 Restaurant in the Alden-Houston Hotel; Américas; Au Petit Paris; Avalon Diner (best burger); Backstreet Café (chef Hugo Ortega a national winner); Beaver’s (for its buzz); Branch Water Tavern; Brasil (their chicken salad sandwich named one of America’s best); The Breakfast Klub (for early risers); Catalan Food and Wine (one of the top 100 in the world by the Robb Report); Churrascos (for steak); Da Marco; Danton’s Gulf Coast Seafood Kitchen; Feast (in Travel + Leisure’s list of the 50 Best New U.S. Restaurants); Fung’s Kitchen; Goode Co. Barbecue; Hugo’s (named one of the best

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DESTINATION

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DESTINATION

Mexican places in the country); Mark’s American Cuisine (in the top 10 restaurants in the U.S by the Zagat Survey); Pappas Steakhouse (one of the top 10 steakhouses in the U.S.); Quattro and Reef (named the No. 1 seafood restaurant in America by Bon Appetit ).

SNAPSHOTS OF HOUSON Artista Latin American restaurant in the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, with a magnificent downtown view.

Tacos a Go-Go: good food and good prices define this casual, yet funky Midtown restaurant, right next to the Continental Club.

The Contemporary Arts Museum is housed in an award-winning, allmetal structure that complements its contemporary art.

The Rothko Chapel is an intimate sanctuary available to people of every belief and filled with the paintings of American abstract expressionist Mark Rothko.

The Museum of Fine Arts even has a Rembrandt among its impressive collections.

Amongst all this fancy city pizzazz, you will still see thankful remnants of the cowboys (and the Indians)

from Old Texas. Make sure you go to a Western bar (there are dozens) and you must not go home without a straw Stetson and, if you are feeling very local, a pair of custom-made filigreed riding boots. Oh, and they really do call you “y’all.”

And with Houston CityPASS, you can get huge discounts everywhere. It can be purchased online at citypass. com or at any of the CityPASS attractions.

www.visithoustontex a s . c o m

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FOOD

Italian

Hearty, healthy, delicious of course, and surprisingly simple to prepare.

No wonder food from the countryside of Italy is making such a comeback.

COUNTRY COOKING Each region has its own produce and own special dishes: Tuscany and Umbria boast beautiful country that produces great wines, the best olive oils – and hearty dishes laced with garlic.

This month, Viva Asia takes you on a cook’s tour of country Italy.

Apulia, literally ‘down at heel’ on the Italian peninsula is pure Mediterranean cuisine: fresh vegetables, fish, tomatoes, pasta, and olive oil. And their roast lamb with potatoes is to die for.

1 can Cannellini beans 2 cloves garlic 1/2 cup olive oil

Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta and Bean Soup)

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Meanwhile, sauté the garlic in the remaining oil. Stir in the tomato paste, chilli and extra rosemary. Season. Add this sauce to the beans and stir well.

Puree mixture in a blender and heat again until it thickens slightly. Add cooked ziti and cook a further 15 minutes.

Cook ziti in a pot of boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain and add to soup. Cook for 15 minutes more before serving.

Italians are passionate about vegetables, and in Verdure you’ll find vegetable dishes that when coupled together produce hearty meals, yet can stand alone quite beautifully as accompaniments to meat and fish.

They are particularly fond of stuffed vegetables, baked onions and all manner of salads.

Northern Italian cuisine (other than on the coast) favours butter, cream, polenta, Mascarpone, Grana Padano, and Parmigiano cheeses, risotto and fresh egg pasta. Southern Italian cuisine tends toward Mozzarella, Caciocavallo and Pecorino cheeses, olive oil and dried pasta. Southern Italian cuisine also makes greater use of the ubiquitous tomato.

oil, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer.

White Bean Salad

6 cups water 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 tblspns tomato paste Pinch each chilli flakes, rosemary and sage Salt & pepper Ziti or other short pasta Place beans in a large pot with the herbs, whole garlic, 3 tablespoons of the

(You can substitute chickpeas for the beans and you may try tuna instead of salami. You could also add other vegetables like zucchini or capsicum. You could also spice it up with olives, fennel, cheese or mint.)

1/4 red onion, sliced 1/4 red onion, finely chopped 1 can white beans 1/2 cup green capsicum, diced 25og chopped salami

FOOD

Stufato

2 tblspns parsley Pinch oregano Parmesan to serve

Dressing: 1/2 cup olive oil 3 tbspns red wine vinegar 1 tbspn lemon juice 1 tbspn Dijon mustard 1 minced clove garlic Salt & pepper to taste For the dressing, mix the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Then whisk in the olive oil (as you would for mayonnaise) in a slow stream until the mixture is emulsified.

(‘The Garden in a Pot’ – this is a rough guide: add whatever extra vegetables that are fresh or that you like. You can also add browned beef cubes for extra hearty. You can reheat it or eat it at room temperature with a little grated cheese on top and some Italian bread).

Extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced 3 large sage leaves Large pinch each of marjoram and basil 225g green beans, trimmed and halved 3 small stalks celery with leaves, coarsely chopped 750g zucchini, cut into chunks 1 large yellow capsicum, diced 6 black olives, minced 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 1 can whole tomatoes, completely drained then crushed Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mix the chopped onion, beans, capsicum, salami, parsley and oregano in a serving bowl.

Pour over dressing and toss. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving, garnished with Parmesan and onion slices.

arranged. Scatter with the chives and you may also enjoy a few strips of salami.

Insalata di Melone (Cantaloupe salad)

1/2 cup olive oil 4 Italian sausages, cut into bite-sized pieces 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 can chopped tomatoes 2 bay leaves Salt, pepper 500g tagliatelle Parmesan for garnish

Ripe cantaloupe, seeds removed Salt and black pepper 2 tspns extra-virgin olive oil 2 tspns white wine vinegar 2 teaspoons snipped fresh chives or spring onion tops Lettuce Scoop out melon flesh with a melon baller. Place in a bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Gently toss in the oil and then the vinegar. Spoon onto a place where lettuce leaves are

Pasta alla Campidanese (Pasta with Sausage)

Lightly brown the sausage in the olive oil. Remove and drain on paper towel.

Lightly sauté the onion, herbs, beans, celery zucchini, capsicum and olives in the olive oil until the zucchini is golden brown. Stir in the garlic and tomatoes and season.

Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook 1 hour until the vegetables are very tender. (Cook uncovered a little if too watery or add water if too dry). Serve warm or at room temperature.

Meanwhile, cook tagliatelle until al dente and add to the sauce. Mix gently and serve with Parmesan.

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca (Spaghetti with Olives and Capers) 1/4 cup olive oil 4 flat anchovy fillets (drained) 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 tspn chilli flakes 2 cans plum tomatoes, pureed with juice 1 tbspn tomato paste 15 olives, pitted, roughly chopped 2 tbspns capers 450g spaghetti 1 cup chopped parsley Cook spaghetti, drain and keep warm.

Add garlic and stir 1 minute, then add tomatoes, bay leaves and season. Cook for 10 minutes then add the sausage pieces and cook another 10 mins.

Lightly sauté the anchovies, garlic and chilli flakes for 3 minutes.

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FOOD

Add the tomatoes, olives and capers and stir gently to blend. Cook until thickened – about 20 minutes.

Add spaghetti to sauce, mix and then toss in the parsley.

Meantime, beat the eggs and about ¼ cup black pepper in a bowl. Add the Parmesan, stirring well and then fold in the mushroom mixture. Toss the spaghetti with the sauce until well coated (the heat of the spaghetti will cook the eggs). Serve immediately.

Traditionally served with a rocket salad.

Pasta with Walnuts 454g short pasta ½ cup olive oil 2 cloves garlic, crushed ½ cup walnuts, roughly chopped ½ cup ricotta ½ cup white wine Salt & pepper Cook the pasta until al dente; drain and set aside. Put the olive oil in a pan and add the garlic, ricotta and wine. Stir over low heat until creamy. Season and add some parsley. Add the pasta to the mixture and stir until well coated with the sauce.

Tomato Sauce

1kg ripe tomatoes, diced 1 clove garlic, smashed Half bunch fresh basil Pinch oregano and thyme Salt & black pepper Rub a pasta serving bowl with the garlic. Add the tomatoes,

Grind (or puree) rosemary, garlic, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon oil, lemon juice, and salt until mixture is a good paste.

(This is probably the most bastardised Italian dish ever. The original has no cream but still manages to be moist. It is made with ingredients men could carry into the hills outside Rome when they were making charcoal, hence the name.)

Cook the spaghetti until al dente, rinse and set aside. In a large pan, sauté the bacon and remove. Then sauté the onions, garlic and mushrooms until golden brown. Return bacon to this mixture and keep warm.

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Put al dente cooked pasta (short one like fusilli is best) into the bowl and toss. Season to taste and serve at room temperatue3 (never chilled) with grated cheese.

(A great summer sauce for pasta and here in Asia, that means year round).

Spaghetti Carbonara

450 spaghetti 450g bacon chunks or unsmoked ham 350g mushrooms, sliced 6 cloves garlic, crushed 5 eggs 2 onions, chopped Olive oil Parmesan LOTS of black pepper

basil, oil, salt and pepper to taste. Let stand at room temperature while you cook the pasta (or you can make several hours ahead).

Score the lamb all over and rub with the rosemary mixture.

Apulian Roast Lamb 2 large lemons, zest of 1 removed in strips with a vegetable peeler 1/4 cup rosemary 3 large cloves garlic 2 tblspns olive oil 2 tspns lemon juice 1/2 tspn salt 2kg leg of lamb 1kg potatoes, largish chunks Salt and pepper and chives Preheat oven to 180°.

Peel and pith the lemons and cut into 6 slices each. Keep the zest and cut into thin strips.

Lay lemon slices in a roasting pan and place lamb on top.

Roast for 45 minutes.

Cook potatoes in boiling water 5 minutes, drain into a bowl and coat with remaining olive oil. Then arrange them around the lamb and season all with salt and pepper.

Roast another 1 hour, basting occasionally.

Transfer lamb to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes while you increase heat in pan to roast the lemon and potatoes another 15 minutes.

Serve lamb, sliced thin across grain, with juice, potatoes and a garnish of rosemary and lemon wedges.

FOOD

Chicken Alla Cacciatore (The famous (and easy) ‘hunter’s chicken’ where everything available is cooked in the same pot – some people love to add white beans for that extra something and best left to sit for a day before heating and serving…)

Lemon Ricotta (Perfect dessert after just about anything)

Chicken with Rosemary 900g chicken pieces 1 me onion, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 green capsicum, julienned 400g tomatoes 2 tbspns tomato pure 1 cup red wine 2 cups chicken stock Pinch each of basil, thyme, oregano and cayenne Salt & pepper to taste In a small bowl, combine the spices and rub half this mixture over the chicken pieces. Heat 2 tbspns olive oil in a large pot and brown the chicken on all sides.

Remove to paper towel.

Then in the same pan, sauté the onion about 4 minutes then add the garlic and capsicum and cook another 5 minutes.

Add the remaining spice mixture, then add the tomatoes, tomato puree, red wine and stock. Stir well, bring to boil then reduce heat and return chicken pieces. Simmer until sauce thickens, about 25 minutes.

Serve with boiled potatoes and some greens.

(This is a very simple but very delicious dish that people call ‘market chicken.’

Somehow, the flavours of rosemary, white wine and olive oil work magic with the dish).

1 cup ricotta cheese 4 eggs, separated 2/3 cup sugar 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice Zest of 1 lemon 4 tblspns water 2 tblspns gelatine Sprinkle gelatine in the water and let dissolve.

500g chicken pieces 1 cup white wine 1 cup good olive oil 2 cups mushrooms, roughly sliced 6 garlic cloves, minced Bunch fresh rosemary Salt & pepper to taste Put chicken pieces in a shallow baking dish, season with salt and pepper.

Mix wine, oil, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, and mushrooms together; season to taste. Pour mixture over the chicken being sure it is all covered.

Cover and bake at 180 degrees for 40 minutes. Uncover and cook a further 10 minutes.

Serve with rice or with mashed potatoes and some greens.

In a bowl, beat the eggs yolks with sugar until light and frothy. Add the lemon juice and zest. Place the bowl over a double boiler and whisk until thick. Remove from heat and whisk in the gelatine mixture.

Beat the egg whites until stiff. In a separate bowl, beat the ricotta cheese until fluffy. Fold the ricotta cheese into the egg mixture and then fold in the egg whites. Pour mixture into serving dishes and refrigerate for 6 hours before serving.

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CHEF’S CORNER

Make Mine Sunny Side Up

The one thing I dreaded as a live-in trainee hotel manager, back in the day, was that knock on the door at 6am, and the often heard words of the front of house staff “chef isn’t in again, you need to come and cook breakfast”.

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CHEF’S CORNER

Fried Eggs When more than 5 or 6 perfectly fried eggs are required a RATIONAL Multibaker becomes the only viable option. Simply place a few drops of oil into each form and crack a fresh egg on top. Sprinkle with a little salt if desired. In the RATIONAL SelfCooking Center® frying eggs requires much less oil and large amounts can be produced in just a few minutes. There is also no need to monitor the cooking process.

Two things to this day still remain a mystery to me. Firstly, how the chef got away with his inability to get up in the morning, and second, how to cook copious amounts of eggs to perfection at the same time. I firmly believe that the local chicken farmers would celebrate every time I was called up for breakfast duty.

If we had only had a RATIONAL SelfCooking Center®, who knows maybe I would still be a hotelier.

Now I am sure that I was not the inspiration for the RATIONAL SelfCooking Center®, but I would certainly have been an ideal customer.

The RATIONAL SelfCooking Center® and the RATIONAL Multibaker make the production of perfect egg dishes so simple, that is comes down to the touch of a button. Whether you want your eggs boiled, fried, poached or scrambled, or you fancy an omelette you can cook it fully automatically with the SelfCooking Control®, no matter how large the order. Just select egg dishes, define result, and that’s it! The default setting always automatically cooks your egg dishes to perfection. Just do what SelfCooking Control® suggests or select your personal result.

go to sleep thinking about what I will have for breakfast tomorrow, I think about all those chefs who will make it in on time, and while I empathise with their early morning plight, I sleep a little better knowing that RATIONAL will be making their lives so much easier.

Scrambled eggs Prepare the eggs just as you would for cooking traditionally in a pan.

In the RATIONAL SelfCooking Center® scrambled eggs do not need to be stirred during cooking.

Simply select the desired result and SelfCooking Control® will notify you in the exact moment when the scrambled eggs are ready. This is the perfect solution for producing large amounts for breakfast buffets and helps free up breakfast staff.

Boiled & Poached Eggs In the RATIONAL SelfCooking Center® there is no need to add water when boiling or poaching eggs.

This improves working safety and allows for a quicker service. So as I

Millie Chan Sales Director, Asia Pacific Rational international AG Mobile: +65 9770 9820 Email: m.chan@rational-international.com

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DIRECTORY B A N D U N G A C C O M M O D AT I O N

B A L I A C C O M O D AT I O N

B A L I A C C O M M O D AT I O N

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theamala.indd 1

9/29/2009 2:50:23 AM

DIRECTORY S A M B O LO A C C O M O D AT I O N

J A KA R TA A C C O M O D AT I O N

J A KA R TA A C C O M O D AT I O N

JAKARTA OFFICE EEC Building Jl. S Parman 68, Slipi Jakarta 11410 Tel: (021) 532 3176 Fax: (021) 532 3178 info@sambolo.co.id www.sambolo.co.id

I N D O N E S I A A C C O M M O D AT I O N

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MIXOLOGY

Sex andthe City To celebrate the big screen return of the world’s favorite cocktail-sipping gal pals, Ocean Spray, the cranberry specialist, has developed three recipes that take the classic cosmopolitan to a whole new decadent, luxurious level – in true Abu Dhabi style!

It was Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda who bought fame to the original cranberry cocktail while partying their way through New York - as these sophisticated ladies have transformed through styles and trends, so too have the cocktails they drink and the destinations they visit!

Ocean Spray invites you and your friends to transport yourselves to Abu Dhabi and enjoy one of these three delicious Ocean Spray® Cranberry Classic™ cocktail recipes inspired by the release of SATC2.

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MIXOLOGY

SPICED COSMOPOLITAN 25ml White Rum 25ml Vanilla Vodka 30ml Ocean Spray® Cranberry Classic™ 10ml lime juice 10ml sugar syrup 1 Clove, 2 Cardamom pods, ½ teaspoon Cinnamon (either muddle in or use as a syrup instead of the sugar).

Shake well and strain into martini glass Garnish with paprika salt dipped green or red apple slices

POMEGRANATE GOLD 30ml Cognac 10ml Pomegranate Molasses 30ml Ocean Spray® Cranberry Classic™ 10ml White Chocolate Syrup

Shake well and strain into martini glass Garnish with gold leaf floating on top

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MIXOLOGY

SPARKLING DIAMOND 10ml Vanilla Liqueur 20ml Ocean Spray® Cranberry Classic™ 10ml Lime Juice 10ml Sugar Syrup 80ml Champagne Stir and serve in a Champagne flute Garnish with silver sugar rim

Cocktails created for Ocean Spray by Sebastian Reaburn of 1806.

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GALLERY

Food & Hotel Asia 2010 breaks even more records

FHA2010, in which Viva Asia Travel & Food participated as a media partner, attracted 52,000 attendees, of which an exceptional 42 per cent were from overseas, compared with 37 per cent at FHA2008. The improvement can be attributed to strong growth in the food and hospitality industries in the Asia Pacific and intensified promotional efforts by the organisers of the show, Singapore Exhibition Services (SES).

FHA2010 held in April at Singapore Expo, was a record-breaker, being the largest show ever, with a significant increase in size. The show occupied more than 82,000 square metres compared with 72,000 square metres in 2008.

The number of group pavilions increased from 33 in FHA2008 to 46 this year.

Despite the feared effects of the Icelandic volcanic ash situation and the problem of getting flights out of Europe, all the 2,545 exhibitor booths were operating. In the small number of cases where exhibitors were unable to fly out here for the show, staff from high commissions and distributors from Singapore or the region stepped in to man the booths.

Overall, exhibitors and country pavilions were delighted with the quality of buyers they met and the

results achieved. Many came away from the show having met potential distributors from various countries in Asia for their products.

South Korea’s Ms Song Mi Jeong, Deputy Manager, Korea Agro-Trade Centre which was the organiser of one of South Korea’s pavilions, said: “Many of the exhibitors were very surprised that there were so many buyers! Maybe because Korea has become very popular as a destination, more people are beginning to enjoy Korean food and products. Some of our exhibitors have already got buyers and distributors.”

Yabby Lake Wines from Australia, said they received 35 - 40 groups per day which included buyers from distribution companies in the region and also hotel chains and airlines. Although a large proportion of the customers were price-conscious, there were still those keen in premium end wines, and they found this a step forward.

It was a very positive experience and they had every reason to come back again.

The next FHA will be held from 17 – 20 April 2012 at the Singapore Expo. For more information on exhibiting or visiting go to www. sesallworld.com.

Wine & Sprits Asia 2010, colocated with FHA2010, also gained plenty of good comments from the exhibitors, with many finding willing buyers and potential distributors. Phil Readman, sales and commerce wine manager for 79

WHERE IN THE WORLD ?

of

Royal Kamuela Villas Nusa Dua

In each edition of Viva Asia we feature a photograph from a hospitality establishment somewhere in the world. Take a close look at the photograph above and then answer the question below.

This edition we make the question very easy for all our readers.

The picture above is the view looking back at one of the newest restaurants in Bali located at the wonderful Banyan Tree Ungasan, Bali. What is the name of the restaurant? Email your answer to info@vivaasiamagazine.com We will draw two winners who will each receive a 700 ml bottle of Martell Cordon Bleu Cognac courtesy of Martell.

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