Viva Asia Jun-jul by Origomedia

28.

10.

20. 32. 14. Contents

42.

10. Old | Peking | New

24. To Screw or not to Screw

14. Opposite Attracts

28. Ciao Bangkok

16. I Like Chinese

32. And They Still Waltz

Beijing. Travel to China’s vibrant capital. Read its fascinating history and how it has changed to a vibrant world city

Opposite House, Beijing’s hip new hotel

Food. The best of the Chinese classicsare producing. He also stumbled on some great country hotels and some excellent food.

20. Suzhou Garden

The Gardens of Suzhou – one of the most beautiful (and ancient) attractions in all of China

22. Waldorf Comes to Asia

The famous Waldorf brand comes to Asia

Wine. We take a definitive look at the question of whether wine should be sealed by cork or screw

Florentino in Bangkok. One of Australia’s best Italian chefs has opened another signature restaurant in Thailand

Travel. A tour of wonderful Vienna – the imperial capital of the Hapsburgs and a groovy modern food and design city

38. Holiday Out

The brand new rebranded Holiday Inn arrives in Bali

42. Redifining Thai

Chef’s Talk. David Thompson is arguably the greatest exponent of Thai cooking technique outside Thailand. We talk to him in Jakarta

48. 56. 64. 52. Contents

74.

48. Darwin

64. The InterContinental Kitchen

52. International Man

70. Thinking Rational

56. Brunei

74.

58. Hospitality Expo

76. Signature Cocktails

Destination Darwin. The closest piece of ‘Europe’ to Indonesia, it has interestingly developed a Eurasian identity all its own

Out to Lunch. This month with a man whose bloodline boasts four nationalities, David Burke

By the Book. This month, we cook through the pages of the colourful world tour of cuisine by the InterContinental Hotel Group.

Chef’s Corner. A new section from the world’s finest maker of commercial kitchen equipment – this from Mozaic in Bali

Best of The Best Travel: Brunei and you could be there in time for the Gallery: Best of the Best. World Restaurants . Sultan’s birthday celebrations – and play a snappy round of golf

a roaring success for Jakarta

Mixology. This month from the hip Traders Hotel in Kuala Lumpur

62. Orient Express Expands in Bali 80. Where in the World? Hotels. Orient Express unveil their new villas in Bali

Win if you can guess where this picture comes from

EDITORIAL

ecession? What recession? An old saw but one we are hearing more and more as 2009 progresses. And everybody is very happy to be touting such a cliché. Indonesia, especially, is faring well during these uncertain financial times and we hope that is the beginning of a momentum that will simply continue to grow. In fact, most of Asia seems to be weathering it well – and if times are tough, the serious people are not complaining, they are leaping into action to grow business by lateral thinking. In any case, the worst appears to be over; more people are travelling again and that makes all of us in the hospitality business very happy. The world must go on and in this colourful edition of Viva Asia, we do go on – on to the beautiful Austrian capital of Vienna, surprisingly passionate about modern food and wine. We give you 10 good reasons to visit Darwin, so close from Jakarta or Denpasar. We also travel to Beijing, a city coming to terms with itself and with its place in the modern world. We talk about Thai food with world expert David Thompson, the first chef ever to gain a Michelin star for Thai food. The jovial Guy Grossi who has taken his icon Florentino Italian concept from Melbourne to Bangkok. In Bali, we are surprised by the new-look Holiday Inn – no longer a second-tier hotel group but one that has taken an exponential leap into the groovy design and vacation experience. All this and news from around the world – a world we are confident is regaining its confidence every day.

Enjoy Graham Pearce

For a millennium it was Peking. Now it is Beijing. On our cover this month, the beautifully restored Forbidden City – representing the imperial past, sitting comfortably with the vibrant capital that is the symbol of what they are calling ‘New China.’

Publisher PT Artha Cipta Pratama Editor in Chief Graham Pearce Production House Origomedia Art Director Marco Chow Graphic Designers Lea, Cerri Senior Promotion Evy Yulianti Marketing Executive Angel, 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

No part of this publication may be copied or reproduced without prior permission from the publisher. Opinions expressed within VIVA ASIA are those of the authors not the publisher. VIVA ASIA will not be held responsible for copyright infringements on images supplied directly by advertisers and contributors.

DESTINATION : BEIJING

Old

Peking New

any people wonder why Beijing is China’s capital – not particularly strategic, not in any way near the centre of the country; the weather offers extremes of heat and cold and it is beset by dust storms from the Gobi Desert. This puzzle prompted us to look into the history of this ancient city. The simple answer seems to be that (very much like Washington) it was the location of the first political power struggles and, over the centuries, became their centre. Peking has a recorded history of some 3000 years. They prefer to have it as Beijing now, although David Tang (of Shanghai Tang fame) is a stickler for authenticity and spends a lot of time urging foreigners to revert to Peking as ‘they will never be able to pronounce Beijing properly.’ But it was not always Peking.

DESTINATION : BEIJING

Forbidden City

Monument to The People

During the Warring States Period (475221BC), the Marquis of Yan annexed the territory of the Marquis of Ji, making the city of Ji his new capital. The first Emperor of Qin (Qin Shi Huang) set about unifying China around 300BC and the city of Ji was named an administrative centre in China’s first feudal empire. For the next millennia, to the end of the Tang Dynasty (618-907BC), Ji remained a strategic trading and military centre. When the Tang collapsed, the Qidans moved south to call it Nanjing (Second Capital). Theirs was the Liao Dynasty (916-1125) until they were conquered by the Nuzhen who became the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234). A century later, Mongol armies occupied what was by then called Zhongdu in 1215 but it was not until 1271 that Genghis’s grandson, the great Kublai Khan formally adopted the new dynasty’s name, Yuan and eliminated the Southern Song to unify China. Dadu (as he called his “great capital”) became the political centre of the country for the first time. Envoys from the rest of the known world (including Marco Polo) were astonished by its magnificence. He wrote of the Khan’s palace: “The building is altogether so vast, so rich and so beautiful, that no man on earth could design anything superior to it. The outside of the roof is all colored with vermilion and yellow and green and blue and other hues, which are fixed with a varnish so fine and exquisite that they shins like crystal, and lend a resplendent luster to the palace as seen for a great way around.” In1368, Ming troops seized Dadu and renamed it Beiping (Northern Peace). In 1406, the famous Yongle began building the Forbidden City (Zijincheng) and its gardens. Emperor Yongle formally made it his capital in 1421 and renamed it Beijing (Northern Capital).

When the Manchu founded the Qing Dynasty in 1644, they became famous for their new gardens, the most beautiful of which was Yuanmingyuan which took a century to complete. After the collapse of the Qing Dynasty in 1911, China fell prey to the Northern Warlords and Kuomintang and Beijing suffered the same fate as the rest of China, constant unrest. This became even worse with the Japanese invasion in 1931 until the end of WWII when more civil war ensued. The People’s Liberation Army formally entered Beijing on January 31, 1949 and it was, ironically, in Tiananmen Square at the Imperial Palace’s Gate of Heavenly Peace, on October 1st, 1949, that Chairman Mao Zedong proclaimed the People’s Republic of China, with Beijing as its capital. The city has changed totally since then and now covers an area of about 750 square kilometers with an official population stands at 11 million and an area of 16,818 Km2

TODAY

headbent on competing with the rest of the world for modernity, are the things that have now become tourist attractions, the hutongs, the parks, temples, the cultural treasures and, of course, The Forbidden City. And the Great Wall is an easy day trip from Beijing. For the Forbidden City, take comfortable walking shoes because the palace occupies some 11 square kilometres. Best also to get a guide who should move you through the grand pavilions to what used to be the Emperor’s private lake and gardens where, today, there are good restaurants. Other things worth seeing you may not have heard about, the exquisite, blue-tiled Temple of Heaven in the park just south of Tiananmen Square, the Tibetan Lama Temple and the Summer Palace (used by the royal court to escape from the heat of the city) on Kunming Lake, which contains small islands, ornamental bridges and the Last Empress’s famous marble boat. (Best reached by taxi). The old Beijing

Tiananmen Square is still the center of Beijing and Chang’An Boulevard (some 38 kilometers long) is its main street. The old imperial buildings are now museums and the city has transformed itself to an ultra-modern capital, complete with the all the inherent problems like traffic and smog. Modern office and apartment towers; shopping malls and hotels are now joined by the icons built for the 2008 Olympics: especially the Water Cube Swimming Stadium and the “Egg” as the locals call the new National Theatre. This, not to mention, a splendid new international airport.

The new Beijing

Emerging from this with decreasing embarrassment on the part of the government and business community,

DESTINATION : BEIJING ENTERTAINMENT Despite politics, new Beijing is a hotspot for dining and clubbing. Pick up a copy of the local “Time Out” as a guide but, here are just a few. All the big hotels, of course, have several restaurants and try to outdo each other. But a few that people continue to mention are: Danieli’s (Italian) at the St. Regis, Huang Ting (Cantonese and Pekinese specialties, including duck) at The Peninsula and the beautifully-designed Made In China (northern Chinese) at the Grand Hyatt.

Donghuamen Night Market A dazzlingly colourful street food bazaar serving a hundred Chinese regional specialties. (Corner of Donghuamen Lu and Wangfujing Lu). The Olive All day dining with casual Western food; it also has a summer terrace. Good for a salad or a sandwich. (17 Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang. Tel: (10) 6417 9669). Garden of Delights Stylish with tasty Latin American food. Also has a ceviche bar. 53 Donganmen Dajie. Tel: (10) 5138 5688).

My Humble House Singaporean Sam Leong continues his fusion magic with fabulous food, airy atmosphere with lots of green and lots of water. Close to label shopping. (West Building, Oriental Plaza, Chang’An Boulevard. Tel: (10) 8518-8811).

NIGHTLIFE

The Courtyard Considered one of China’s best restaurants. Romantically set on the moat of the Forbidden City with sensational views. Fusion food and great wine list. (95 Donghuamen Dajie. Tel: (10) 6526 8883.

They open early, really crank up about 10 o’clock and many close at midnight. Beware: many are open late but they charge an entrance fee.

Green T House Cool design, upmarket food (all containing tea in some form), even desserts. (6 Gongti Xi Lu, Chaoyang. Tel: (10) 6552 8310. Hatsune Uber-chic Japanese. Also pricey but fresh with great service. Sushi a specialty. (Heqiao Building C, 8A Guanghua Lu. Tel: (10) 6581 3939).

Water Cube Swimming Stadium

The ‘scene’ is changing almost weekly as bars and clubs spring up with cocktails, entertainment, dancing and plain good fun that would have been unheard of in Beijing, even a decade ago. China Club

The most popular bar area (and plenty of expats) is Sanlitun springing up in Chaoyang, Houhai and in Lotus Lane. Names to look out for are The Tree, Poachers’ Inn, Browns and Passerby in Sanlitun. Others are Bed and the deco marvel World of Suzie Wong. For dancing: Vic’s, Tango, Club Fusion and JJ’s.

My Humble House

Red Capital Club In a charming old hutong home littered with communist paraphernalia. Imperial food as it was interpreted in the new ‘emperor’s’ official compound of Zhongnanhai. (66 Dongsi Li Jia Cai Probably the best of the aforementioned restaurants by the old Imperial lake. Pricey but truly historic. It is said the owner’s grandfather nicked his recipe book from the Last Empress’s kitchens where he worked. (11 Yangfang Hutong, Denei Dajie. Tel: (10) 6618 0107). Bookworm Café Bright café/bookshop/cyber spot, it serves coffee, simple lunches and not a bad wine list. Building 4, Nan Sanlitun Jie. Tel: (10) 6586 9507).

The Courtyard Peking Duck

DESTINATION : BEIJING

SHOPPING Beijing now boasts grand malls and boutique shopping streets. All the world’s labels are there, some at bargain prices. You can also enjoy knock-offs at places suck as Silk Road (on Chang’An) and several antiques markets, such as Panjiayuan. But, for many centuries, Beijing has been famous for its own unique artistic products. The 120-year-old Ruifuxiang Silk and Cotton Fabrics Shop (5 Dashilar, Qianmenwai) has 10,000 kinds of silk, woollen and cotton textiles. Tongrentang Pharmacy is more than 300 years old and was drugstore to the Imperial Court, has more than 3,000 kinds of traditional Chinese medicines. The Beijing Arts and Crafts World Mansion is China’s largest of its kind for gold and silver jewellery, jade, stone and wood carvings, cloisonné, lacquer ware, pottery or porcelain lamps, silk fabrics, wax printings, glassware, bamboo and straw woven articles, writing brush, ink sticks, paper and ink slabs, paintings, calligraphic works and seals. (200 Wangfujing St). The Friendship Store is mainly for foreigners and also has silk fabrics, gold and silver jewellery, jade, embroidery, carpets and cloisonné. They also pack and ship. (17 Jianguomenwai Ave).

China World Hotel

Beijing Antique City is the largest antique exchange centre in Asia (21 E. Third Ring S. Rd) while The Cultural Relics Shop deals in porcelain, potter, gold, silver, furniture, statues and paintings. (64 Liulichang E. St.).

Tiananmen Square

Taxi is the easiest way to get around but few drivers speak English so take your hotel’s card and every concierge will write down a destination for you. Best time to visit is in May, September and October. Useful websites and books: General: www.china.org.cn

Great Hall of The People

Beijing This Month (www.btmbeijing.com) That’s Beijing (www.thatsbjeijing.com) City Weekend (www.cityweekend.com.cn) Time Out Beijing (www.cimgchina.com)

GALLERY

Opposite Attracts

f you are indeed heading for Beijing, you may want to look at hotels not part of the international circuit. One such is oddly called The Opposite House, open only nine months and already a world award winner. The hotel is the first property for Swire Hotels (branch of the company that owns Cathay Pacific) and was designed by cutting edge architect Kengo Kuma. Both Condé Nast Traveler US and UK include The Opposite House on their 2009 Hot List of the world’s top new hotels, applauding its 99 rooms for their “Japanese minimalism with ingenious built-ins and natural brushedoak floors. Floor-to-ceiling windows flood the rooms with light while blocking out street noise, even here in the Sanlitun nightlife district.” Its restaurant Bei, which reinterprets Asian cuisine, was also named on the magazine’s 2009 Hot Tables. Bei, headed by Max Levy, who hales from New Orleans but has trained under some of Japan’s most famous sushi masters, also won an award for Most Innovative Cuisine, and was named runner-up for Best Design, in Time Out Beijing’s (English edition) annual hospitality awards. The hotel’s Mediterranean restaurant Sureño took the top honours from Time Out, which voted Best New Restaurant and Best Service. Australian Gourmet Traveller has included The Opposite House on its annual 2009 Best of the Best list of the world’s Top 30 New Hotels and National Geographic Traveler, China also includes the hotel on its 2009 Gold List as Best Designed Hotel. For your interest, the name Opposite House reflects the hotel’s southern location within the courtyard design of The Village at Sanlitun, a diverse district of old and new; east and west; bohemian and chic. Swire Hotels, incidentally, is acquiring properties in Hong Kong and Britain, as well as mainland China. New ones are due to open at Pacific Place and Taikoo Shing in Hong Kong, followed by another in Guangzhou. In Britain, Swire is developing a collection of stylish boutique hotels in interesting English towns and cities, launching next year. www.theoppositehouse.com

FOOD

I LIKE CHINESE… he great thing about Chinese food (apart from its fabulous taste) is that it is reasonably easy; it is healthy and it can be served for lunch or dinner, the dishes in combination or by themselves.

STEAMED LEMON CHICKEN

Apart from that, the ingredients are easy to obtain (we get ours from the local street market) and basically, most of the work is in the chopping.

For the marinade: •1 tbsp shaoxing wine •1½ tbsp light soy sauce •1½ tbsp oyster sauce •2 tsp sesame oil •1 tbsp peanut oil •2 tsp sea salt •1 tbsp sugar

The other good thing about cooking at home is that you can adjust the flavours (read chilli) to your liking and you can avoid things like MSG and too much salt or sugar.

•350g chicken thigh fillets, cut into 3 pieces •2 lemons, quartered •Pinch white pepper •2 spring onions, finely sliced

Method Place the chicken in a shallow oven dish and squeeze the juice from the lemons over the top, Throw the lemon skins into the bowl. Add the marinade ingredients and mix thoroughly. Allow to sit for at least 30 mins. Cover the bowl tightly with foil and place in a large bamboo steamer over a wok of rapidly boiling water. Put the lid on and steam the chicken for 25 minutes, removing the lid and foil to turn the chicken once during this time. Remove from heat. Garnish this chicken with pepper and spring onions to serve with your favourite rice.

FOOD

HUNAN ROAST CHICKEN WITH CHINESE BROCCOLI •1½ kg chicken •4 tbsp chopped rosemary •4 tbsp chopped chives •1 tbsp cumin seeds •4 cloves garlic, chopped •2 red chillies, seeded and chopped •1¼ tsp salt •3 tbsp oil •½ cup long-grain rice •¾ cup glutinous rice, rinsed •1 litre chicken stock Method

SWEET CORN AND CHICKEN SOUP •100ml peanut or olive oil •2 medium brown onions, finely sliced •3 garlic cloves, finely sliced •2 knobs ginger, finely sliced into strips •Sea salt & White pepper •2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry •Kernels from 6 cobs of corn •½ litres chicken stock •3 tbsp soy sauce •2 eggs, lightly beaten •1 chicken breast, poached in water or chicken stock, finely sliced •½ cup coriander leaves Method Sauté onions, garlic and ginger in a large saucepan. Season, cover and cook over medium heat until soft and starting to colour slightly, about 15 mins. Add wine and reduce by two-thirds. Add corn and chicken stock and simmer 10 mins. Add soy sauce. Pour egg in a steady stream as you stir the soup gently in a circular motion to create egg ribbons. Put chicken in the base of bowls before pouring hot soup over. Garnish with a few coriander leaves.

MUSHROOM FRIED RICE 1 ½ cups long-grain rice 3 tablespoons cooking oil 750g assorted mushrooms, sliced thinly ¼ tsp chilli flakes 1 tbsp grated ginger 6 green onions (including tops) sliced thinly Pinch salt ¼ cup soy sauce ½ cup peas (can use frozen) 1 tsp sesame oil

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Place the rosemary, chives, cumin seeds, garlic, chillies and a pinch of salt in a food processor or large mortar and slowly add 2 tablespoons of the oil as you blend to a coarse paste. Rub the paste under and over the skin of the chicken and place on a roasting tray. Roast 1 hour. Remove from the oven, cover with foil and allow to rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the sticky and long-grain rice in salted boiling water over low heat for 12 mins. Turn off heat but do not uncover and leave 5 minutes. Place the stock in a wok or deep saucepan with the remaining tablespoon of oil and 500ml water and bring to the boil. Holding the broccoli by the leaves, drop the stems into the water and let them cook for 2 minutes before submerging the leaves in the water and cooking a further 2 minutes until tender. Remove the broccoli, chop in half, arrange on a warm serving dish and reserve the hot stock. Transfer the chicken to a warmed serving dish. Place the roasting pan over a high heat and add 1 cup of the reserved stock and stir to combine with the pan juices and scrapings. Pour into a serving jug and serve with the chicken, rice and broccoli.

Method Cook rice, about 10 mins. Drain and set aside to cool Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of the oil over moderately high heat and stirfry half the mushrooms, about 5 mins. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the rest of the mushrooms. Heat the other tbsp oil over moderate heat and add the chilli, ginger and green onions; stir fry until fragrant – about 30 seconds. Increase the heat slightly and add the rice, salt and soy sauce. Stir 2 mins and add the mushrooms and the peas. Stir fry another 2 mins. Remove from wok and stir in the sesame oil.

FOOD

STEAMED FISH IN BLACK BEAN SAUCE

ROAST DUCK AND LYCHEE SALAD

(This is made easy because you can buy the duck, already roasted).

For the black bean sauce •1 tbsp black beans •1 clove garlic, finely chopped •1 tbsp fresh ginger, slivered •½ tsp each of salt & white pepper •1 tbsp rice wine •1 tbsp peanut oil

•1 roast duck, coarsely shredded. •2 cucumbers •2 ripe tomatoes •30 lychees •1 cup each of coriander and watercress sprigs •4 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil •1 tbsp of black Chinese vinegar •3 tbsp of light soy •1 tbsp of sesame oil •1 tbsp of grated ginger •2 minced garlic cloves. •salt and pepper •toasted sesame seeds or roasted peanuts

For the fish •2 thick fresh fillets of salmon (or other white fish) •salt and pepper •2 tbsp peanut oil Method Place the black beans in a mixing bowl, rinse in water, then drain. Using the back of a spoon, lightly squash the beans (avoid mashing them into a paste). Combine all other ingredients with the beans, mixing thoroughly and set aside. Place the fillets on a plate, sprinkle with salt and pepper and spoon the sauce over each fillet, spreading evenly. Steam (in a steamer or using a wok) for 8-10 mins. Place them on a serving plate and then heat 2 tbsp of oil in a small pan until it smokes. Carefully pour over the fillets. Garnish with shredded spring onion and capsicum and serve.

Method Julienne the cucumber and cut the tomato into thin wedges. Put these, and the lychees into a bowl and add a cup each of the coriander and watercress. Toss. Make a dressing by combining 4 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp of black Chinese vinegar, 3 tbsp of light soy, 1 tbsp of sesame oil, 1 tbsp of grated fresh ginger and 2 minced garlic cloves.

STIR FRIED BEEF WITH VEGETABLES •2 tbsp vegetable oil •700g steak, cut into strips •1 small onion, sliced •3cm piece ginger, grated •2 cloves garlic, chopped •3 small red chillies, chopped •1 large carrot, thinly sliced •½ bunch chopped choy sum •1 red capsicum, sliced •150g brown mushrooms, sliced •2 tbsp hoisin sauce •1 tbsp soy sauce Method Stir fry the steak in batches until browned. Remove from wok. Then sauté onions and add the ginger, garlic and chillies for 2-3 mins. Add the carrot, capsicum, mushrooms and choy sum and stir fry until tender but not soft. Return beef to wok and add hoisin, soy sauce one or two tablespoons water. Stir. Garnish with coriander and serve with steamed rice

TRAVEL

The Gardens Of

Su Zhou

his old city perches on the edge of Lake Taihu in the Yangtze River region, only 100km east of Shanghai. There was a town here 2,500 years ago. Suzhou is crisscrossed by rivers and enjoys a mild and humid climate. It is easily accessible by water, land and air from Shanghai. The natural scenery of hills and streams in Suzhou is as charming as a delicate flower. Its streets and alleys run parallel to centuries-old canals. Small bridges and flowing waters, white walls and dark gray roof tiles create a scene of tranquil elegance. It is home to many historical sites but it is the amazing gardens that people want to see. Many private gardens were built during and after the Song Dynasty, making the city famous. They are serene, lush and classic – all designed to be in complete harmony with nature.

Suzhou is becoming a tourist spot for many people interested in old China. Not least for its beautiful gardens, some dating back to the Song Dynasty.

The creators of these gardens invented ingenious techniques to put a cramped space to its best use. There are flowers and trees, pools, hills, and pavilions within the boundaries, thus forming a natural yet richly landscaped environment. The most famous of the gardens are the Humble Administrator’s Garden, the Garden to Linger In, the Wangshi Garden, and the Lions Grove. The Humble Administrator’s Garden was completed in 1521, during the Ming Dynasty. It is regarded as one of the four major gardens in China, along with the Summer Palace in Beijing. It is the largest classical garden in Suzhou and is famous for its water landscapes. The scenery is focused on a central pond with various pavilions, terraces, chambers and towers scattered along the water or on hillocks – all in what the experts call ‘a natural and unsophisticated composition.’

TRAVEL

The Garden to Linger In is one of another one of the four major gardens in China. It was built during the reign of Emperor Jia Qing of the Ming Dynasty (l522-l566) and is a prime example of how man can artfully and architecturally manipulate a space. It is a typical garden of the Ming period with its characteristic elegance and ethereal nature. The Cloud Crowned Peak within it is a treasured piece of Taihu rock noted in the region. Tiger Hill is in the north-western outskirts of Suzhou. It is 30 metres high and has been a favourite place for poets, writers and painters for many centuries. The hill has a large number of historical relics, notably the Slanting Pagoda, built in the year 959 and now recognized as the symbol of ancient Suzhou City.

OTHER ATTRACTIONS The Embroidery Research Institute in Suzhou is an organization dedicated to the study of needling techniques and it is here that embroidery is done to present as state gifts by the central government. Hanshan Temple is where the eponymous Han Shan and Shi De, eminent monks of the Tang Dynasty, once lived. It is famous for its exquisitely designed halls, as mentioned in a poem by the Tang Dynasty poet Zhang Ji, who wrote: “Beyond the Suzhou walls, the Hanshan Temple, Rings bells, which reach my boat.” The bell is still rung every New Year’s Eve, 108 times to welcome the New Year. www.cnto.org

GALLERY

WALDORF

Comes To Asia H

ilton Hotels Corporation has unveiled its first Waldorf Astoria Collection property in Asia Pacific – The Beach House in The Maldives. The property has been in operation as a luxuriously private resort for the past year, during which time it has won several accolades, including a gong on the Condé Nast Traveler Hot List, and one of the World’s Best New Hotels by the Daily Telegraph in Britain. Every swank Waldorf Astoria is said to celebrate its own individual character, timeless architecture and special history. So, The Beach House will join other worldrenowned hotels and resorts in the collection, such as the Trianon Palace at Versailles, the Cavalieri in Rome, the Qasr Al Sharq in Jeddah and the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa in the United States. The Beach House sits on the pristine, lagoon-ringed Haa Alifu Atoll with its powder-white beaches, giving onto dense rainforest. The 35acre resort comprises 83 Maldivian-style villas, three restaurants, four bars and a luxurious spa. Each villa comes complete with a private pool and butler. Hilton is set to expand the Waldorf Astoria Collection over the coming years; already under way are The Dakota Mountain Lodge in Utah, Boca Raton Resort & Club in Florida, The Roosevelt in New Orleans and The Palace in Jerusalem. www.waldorfastoriacollection.com

IF THE CHINESE CAN DO IT FOR GOOSE…?

n interesting foodie move in Australia: they are trying to find a vegetarian alternative to foie gras! The mission was prompted by an animal liberation group which is offering a $15,000 prize to a chef who can create the best vegetarian alternative to what was tasteless described as “the diseased liver of a tormented bird.” People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals purport that the production of foie gras (fat liver) is, well, inhumane as it is made by force-feeding geese and ducks with a pipe until their liver swells to many times its normal size and, almost all, in France. The experiments go on in the kitchens of Sydney – well, except one or two. Chef Serge Dansereau, whose Bathers’ Pavilion restaurant is among the best in town, says he has no intention of taking it off the menu. Besides, he says: “it is impossible to create a vegetarian foie gras. Foie gras is foie gras and that’s the end of it.”

WINE

SCREW

not TO ? TO What a Question !

The screw cap on wine bottles seems to have a divisive effect on wine drinkers. It puts some in mind of lower quality wines; to others, it is the saviour of wine by protecting its quality. Our wine guru Roy Moorfield does some screwing for us.

WINE

Roy Moorfield

s both of these suppositions are right to some extent, we should understand why this is so. The screw cap wine closure for wine has been with us since the mid-1970’s. Yet it has only been in the last 10 years that it has become an acceptable alternative to corks. Don’t be misled that they are cheaper than corks. The price that wine makers pay for them is similar to that of high grade corks. Lower grade corks have more grains in them and, depending on the way they are handled, have a great risk of mould infection.

The real enemy The mould 2, 4, 6-trichloroanisole (TCA) may be one or more particular chemical compounds formed by a reaction between moulds and chemicals. It occurs in moisture and is found in soil, pipes and other organic materials. It results in a taint in wines that almost invariable comes from corks. It can vary from a smell that could be likened to blue cheese, dried mushrooms and stagnant water combined to an effect that removes the aroma of the wine completely. This is called “knocked by the cork.” No matter what the grade of cork, there is still potential for taint. The great Châteaux of France source corks that are one piece, yet there are still occasional disappointments. Many a tear of chagrin has been shed when a prized vintage Bordeaux is opened, only to found to be undrinkable. I know this only too well. I had a significant milestone celebration held in the Pavilion du Margaux restaurant in France. I ordered a bottle of 1962 Chateau Chasse-Spleen, an excellent Haut Medoc.

I have regularly tasted this wine for over 30 years and it has never been a disappointment, showing potential for further ageing. My friends were excited; the cork was pulled, the glass was placed in front of me - then the aroma hit me: the village drain. It was expected to be a great bottle but, alas, the cork was bad. Now we encounter the protocol of corked wine. You would imagine that the sommelier would replace the wine (and in this instance he did) so my reputation was restored and we enjoyed another excellent 1962. However, it is worth checking the policy of restaurants when you order an older vintage wine. Some will say “buyers beware” as, unlike young wines; they cannot ask the producer to replace them. Others will back their cellar and offer a new wine. In that case, leave them a good tip! Then there is the “stand off”. You think the wine is not what you remember; it may have been “knocked”. The answer is to back your judgment and order another bottle of the same wine. Compare the two bottles. If you’re right, the wines would present so differently that there should be no question that one of the bottles is tainted. If you’re wrong, you are in for a big bill. (A word of caution; Sommeliers get a bit cranky if you drink most of the wine and then object to the cork. So speak up right from the start). Plastic fake corks are an option for less expensive wines that are meant to be drunk young. But prolonged contact can also lead to tainted flavours. This is the case also with reconstituted corks, although one particular product, the “diam” cork, is showing promising results.

Glass stoppers are an alternative but look a bit clumsy. Does this now sound like a risky path that could lead to confrontation instead of a night of enjoyment? If so, then consider the screw-top. Many top wine makers around the world are moving to this closure to protect their wines. It is early days but white wines seem to benefit, while red wines have not had enough extended bottle age to tell. My observation is the under cork if it is sound, the red wines soften earlier but screw capped wines slowly catch up. Wines that are meant to be consumed within five years should be put under screw caps. The technology has improved and wine producers have become more aware of the downsides. The major one being that the seal is so good that the wine is not exposed to enough air. This can cause odd smells from trapped sulphur. If you encounter this, just let the wine breathe or better still, decant it. So just relax if offered a wine from a screw-capped bottle. You don’t need a corkscrew and in most cases you get a little bit more in bottle as they are filled to the top as there is no cork taking up space! And despite the groaning from the cork producing countries, it will encourage them to improve their product and eliminate the mould problem. Winemakers now take every effort to ensure their product is free of faults and they deserve a reliable closure Oh, just when you thought it was safe to pick-up a glass remember that wine glass can carry many odours and can be bilgelike or have cardboard smells. Best check yours first by smelling the same wine in another glass before you blame the cork!

GALLERY

Aman Luxury in

DELHI

man Resorts has launched in the

of tranquillity and timelessness. Olive-

Indian capital - a city-based hotel

hued Khareda stone lies underfoot,

but with the astonishing advantage of

warmed by handmade rugs in muted

occupying some six acres of gardens.

earth tones. Dark wood panels are accentuated by discreet lighting while

It is an oasis of tranquility, just minutes

traditional jaali screens provide terraces

from Delhi’s bustling centre and the

and exteriors with an aura of serenity

historic Old City.

and mystery.

Design is by Australian architect Kerry

Aman New Delhi offers several dining

Hill and Aman New Delhi houses 31

options,

rooms and eight two-bedroom suites in a

Indian cuisine, Catalan Spanish and

dramatic nine-storey structure, each with

fusion French kaiseki. Fresh seasonal

its own private plunge pool – a unique

vegetables are sourced from the resort

feature in a multi-storey city resort.

gardens of Aman-i-Khás and Amanbagh

including

authentic

north

– Amanresorts’ sister properties in In addition, an elegant five-storey building

Rajasthan.

overlooking a manicured courtyard and the hotel pool houses 14 Lodhi suites

As a nice old touch, the New Delhi hotel

and seven Lodhi pool suites that can

has commissioned a fleet of India’s

be reserved as a one or two-bedroom

Ambassador

accommodation; seven others have

sightseeing. (The first of these appeared

three bedroom.

in 1948, although Aman’s have upgraded

automobiles

retro interiors). Contemporary

lines

and

modern

amenities are fused with elements of traditional Indian design to create spaces

www.amanresorts.com

for

local

FEATURE

CIAO, BANGKOK

One of Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best known chefs is expanding internationally. From his icon Florentino restaurant in Melbourne, Guy Grossi is going to Thailand. Text : Glenda Banks

FEATURE

he Thai venture will be the signature restaurant at the swank InterContinental Hotel. It will simply be called Grossi Trattoria, a wonderful space, framed by lavish marble and terrazzo, magnificent oversized display cabinets and double height windows with sweeping views of the city. In Melbourne, he is restaurant royalty. An Italian Australian who has revitalised the iconic Florentino restaurant – a mecca for people addicted to fine dining in the top end of town – and, more recently, Mirka, at the Tolarno Hotel in the quirky bayside suburb of St Kilda. People have written about him: ‘The Grossi approach is to intertwine timehonored fundamentals with untamed imagination, visionary creativity and innovation – drawing from the best of both worlds enables the development of a progressive, cutting-edge cucina.” Chef Guy Grossi acknowledges the accolade with a smile and a selfdeprecating shrug, keener to focus on the opening of the new place in Thailand. The Intercontinental Hotel is on busy Ploenchit Road, right in the heart of the shopping and tourist area of the city, with a Skytrain connection virtually on the doorstep. Despite the quantum leap in cultures and the fragile political climate in Thailand, Grossi is very confident the style and substance of his internationally renowned Florentino Melbourne will transfer successfully to a new location. But it does beg the question: why Bangkok?

“I have been thinking about expanding beyond Australian shores for some time now, and having visited Bangkok, I know it as an amazing, buzzy, sexy city,” Grossi enthuses. “I think it’s a great platform for my dining style and an easy commute for me from Melbourne, which is important to me as I need to be hands on,” he says. “I’m all about the celebration of Italian food and culture in an eclectic environment and Bangkok presents a unique opportunity to introduce our unique blend of what I call Italo-Australian cuisine to an eclectic mix of global visitors.” Any qualms he might have had about making his mark on the world stage in a large hotel where he could, presumably, find himself beholden to brand management, were laid to rest when the InterContinental group made it clear they were keen to be associated with the Grossi name and Grossi culture. “They have been totally open to our ideas and have given me great creative freedom,” he says. “There’s no feeling of hotel culture about the Grossi Trattoria. While part of the hotel in Bangkok, it will, in fact, have its own street-front entrance, as well as an open-air dining space – much like my Australian restaurants, so it is very ‘stand-alone’ within the hotel structure.” “The trattoria style is also unique in that it offers a totally different alternative from the usual international hotel eatery experience,” Grossi adds.

FEATURE

FOOD The food, too, will be something new to the Bangkok scene. However, Grossi insists he will stay true to his cultural heritage, introducing an authentic Italian menu with a nod to Australia – and now, perhaps, to Thailand. “It will replicate the menu of an Australian restaurant with an Italian accent. The heritage is Italian while the flavour is Australian,” he says. “I always insist on using the best possible ingredients and Bangkok is an excellent location for sourcing international and local seasonal produce,” he says. “The Bangkok Grossi Trattoria will replicate the Italo-Australian menu for which we have become well-known for. That said, if certain local product becomes available, such as fish or vegetables in season, I may put that on as a special.” Grossi openly admits to a passion steeped in a food heritage stretching back to his childhood at the family table, where loved ones would gather to wine, dine, laugh, share life and break bread together. This is evident in the books, food forums, and culinary demonstrations which have contributed to his strong media profile in Australia. “Because I’m all about the celebration of Italian food and culture, I always try to share and promote the true pleasures of the Italian table in really aesthetically inspiring ways,” he says. He sees the Bangkok venture as his first step onto the world stage and is obviously revelling in the chance to show off some of his favourite dishes, with the trattoria style menu sitting between a more informal grill and a restaurant. The menu is broken up into featured sections from the ‘padelle,’ that include the winter dishes that he has become famous for, including his signature suckling lamb. His ‘crudo’ items include raw scallops with white asparagus and beef broth carpaccio. The ‘grill’ and ‘pasta’ sections are obvious inclusions and the pizza menu adds some fun. It really is a menu to suit lots of tastes without losing the personality that is Guy Grossi. So, what next, a Gordon Ramsay-style empire? “Well I won’t be using the F. word!” he laughs. “And really, I would only consider setting up in countries that, like Thailand, are sympathetic to the dining culture I bring to my restaurants which, I might add, are very important me. So, I won’t be going on a spree to multiply because Melbourne will always be my home. So, for now, I’ m thrilled to be in Bangkok. After that, who knows?” www.ihg.com

TRAVEL : VIENNA

Schloos Schönbrunn

Schloos Schönbrunn Interior

Shopping District

ienna is an affordable haven of architectural, experiential and gourmet pleasures. If you are exploring Europe for the first time, this is definitely your best choice. Linking east to west, Vienna represents a smorgasbord of European experiences within a safe, hospitable and historic township, easily navigated on foot.

State Opera

And They Still

WALTZ...

Restaurateur, entrepreneur and Austrian institution Mario Plachutta describes Vienna as a ‘genuine, imperial Disneyland’ - and he couldn’t be more right. Vienna is a glorious playground of the senses which will impress the most seasoned traveller or the new explorer. Sarah Reiter pays her first visit.

The idea of visiting a European city conjures up images of mediaeval history and tradition but Vienna is also a contemporary city full of vibrant modernity and world-class innovation. From architecture, tradition and shopping, to balls, events and food, this city has it all. It is truly one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and a visitor’s experience is made all the more pleasurable by the consistently warm welcome of the Viennese as they openly and enthusiastically share their city’s highlights and secrets. And, yes, you can still occasionally hear the strains of a Strauss waltz in the background.

TRAVEL : VIENNA A contemporary base at The Ring Hotel

Le Ciel Restaurant

Billed as Vienna’s casual luxury hotel, the newest design hotel in Vienna has quickly become home to the youthful, urban traveller as well as artists, stars and an array of famous faces. In many ways The Ring is a modern version of grand - luxury expressed in contemporary design-of-the-times with all the mod-cons. Each of the simple, yet stunning suites has been finished to perfection, including captivating original works by Heinz Mattis, a photographic artist who specializes in scenes, styles and images of Vienna. Sublime café au lait hues carry throughout the hotel, all the way to The Ring Day Spa - a magical haven. With possibly the best view of Vienna (from the sauna), the cedar wood aroma calms the mind, while the state of the art facilities and professional staff soothe a weary traveller’s body.

Senior Suite Schlafzimmer

A traditional stay at the Grand Hotel Wien Wien is German for Vienna and the Grand Hotel Wien is certainly Viennese for luxury. This truly five-star hotel is steeped in heritage, while still possessing every possible modern convenience and grand appointment. The elegant and impressive building that is the Grand has a colorful history. Notably, it was occupied by Russian troops as their headquarters during World War Two. Later it became home to the International Atomic Energy Agency, before being restored, renovated and refurbished to the majestic hotel it is today.

Dining at The Ring is another sensory experience not to be missed. At Eight promotes cooking with aromatic, essential, ethereal oils both healthy and delicious. And at ‘Drings’, the glamorous and popular-with-the-locals bar, you may choose from Vienna’s largest vodka collection including ‘Roberto Cavalli Luxury’, ‘Snow Queen’ (distilled at the snow-covered ‘Ala Tau’ mountains of Kazakhstan), or the ‘D. Trump Super Premium.’ Whichever your style, traditional or contemporary, both hotels will impress and are ideally located on ‘The Ring’, a central hub of shopping and easy walking to all notable attractions. Kärntner Ring 8, Innere Stadt, Vienna, www.theringhotel.com

The lobby is one of the most impressive in Vienna, and it is the only hotel to boast four restaurants - two stand-outs being Unkai, offering authentic Japanese cuisine and cooking classes, and fine dining French at Auberge Le Ciel. Le Ciel enjoys a reputation as one of the finest restaurants in Vienna and was awarded two ‘toques’ by the famous gourmet guide ‘Gault Millau’. The woman behind the accolades is Chef de Cuisine, Jacqueline Pfeiffer who creates seasonal and inspirational menus to be enjoyed in the warm and elegant, seventh floor venue or, in summer months, on the roof top terrace. Pfeiffer refreshingly offers: “Less is more, on your plate as well as in real life. You need not go out every day or every week, but when you go out for dinner, choose the restaurant you really want to go and choose the dish you want to have, no matter what others say. Do not interpret too much into the menu; let yourself be taken by surprise.”

At Eight Restaurant

You can’t leave Vienna without a traditional Viennese coffee at the coffee and tea lounge Rosengarten, located at the ground floor of the Grand Hotel Wien. An institution for decades, this lounge and outdoor terrace is the place everyone meets for pleasure, business or just to people-watch in style. The Grand Hotel Wien, Kaerntner Ring 9, Vienna, www.grandhotelwien.com

Cosmopolitan Suite

TRAVEL : VIENNA DINING Kulinarium 7 When in these modern day it is difficult to impress, Kulinarium 7 is the jewel in Austria’s gourmet crown, an extraordinary delight of pure food lovers’ fantasy. Philippe Prodinger demands the best from his produce and his staff and, whether you are dining in the underground cellars that acted as hidden refuge to those in need during WWII, or above ground in one of only 35 place settings, Kulinarium 7 is an uncompromising commitment to culinary adventure. In addition to the extraordinary menu, wine matching and daily specials, Kulinarium 7 has a select range of specialty salts, balsamic vinegars and gourmet produce for sale. Simply superb and if you try nothing else, dine at Kulinarium 7 for the sheer delight of Austrian elegance and international cuisine. The care, knowledge and professionalism of the wait staff are outstanding as they guide your sensory adventure. World-class. Kulinarium 7, Prodinger GmbH - Sigmundsgasse, Vienna, www.kulinarium7.at

Project Space and The Kunsthalle Café The Kunsthalle Wien is the exhibition institution of the City of Vienna. It has established itself as one of the most vital facilities for international contemporary art, profiling photography, video, film, installations and new media. The Kunsthalle Café on Karlsplatz is the hero food spot for the Space and is one of the hip haunts of the night scene. The staff is particularly warm and welcoming - almost a personal ‘welcome to Vienna committee’, but it is perhaps the downtown sundeck, DJs every night, dark corners and confronting space that thrills. The Kunsthalle Café Karlsplatz, Treitlstr. 2, Vienna, www.kunsthallewien.at

Plachutta Many have described the exclusive Plachutta restaurants as Viennese institutions, preserving and reviving traditional cuisine. But it is more than that – they positively exult in the deliverance of culinary pleasure and decadence. Similar to a dining ceremony, Plachutta shares and enhances an age of tradition of sharing a simple meal, superbly executed. Overseeing almost the entire supply chain from organic meats to unfiltered beers, Plachutta’s is a favorite with both locals and the intrepid explorer. What a pleasure to experience the passion which emanates luminously from Mario Plachutta himself to every staff member and waiter. Be sure to try the Taefelspiz - a food and dining experience beyond measure. Plachutta Wollzeile 38, Vienna, www.plachutta.at

Zum Schwarzen Kameel (The Black Camel) One of the oldest restaurants in Vienna (c1618 and Beethoven is said to have been a customer), this traditional establishment is a step back in time while pushing culinary boundaries with its imaginative dishes. Stop in for a drink in the wood paneled bar or take time for the stunning dégustation menu boasting hard to get, but perfectly presented morsels. Zum Schwarzen Kameel (The Black Camel), 5 Bognergasse, Vienna, www.kameel.at

TRAVEL : VIENNA Procacci This slick, contemporary restaurant and bar is a modern interpretation of the classic Italian enoteca. Crisp white shirts, immaculate presentation, stylish and universally attractive the wait staff pays homage to Italian heritage when service was a profession, not a part time job. This is an ideal spot for a mid-week drink to warm up or chill out, but a bite to eat in the established restaurant will also impress, with its comprehensive menu and a small but cheeky wine list. Take Cristoph’s advice and taste the sunshine in a red from Montepulciano - all wines by the glass well priced for an affordable quaff. Procacci, Göttweihergasse 2, Vienna, www.procacci.at

Loos American Bar The idea of visiting an ‘American’ bar while exploring Europe would be abhorrent under normal circumstances but this tiny bar represents cultural history while exuding tremendous character. The controversial artist and architect, Adolf Loos - a pioneer of modern architecture in Vienna - designed the bar in 1903 after a stay in the US. Nothing nicer than sipping a glass of chilled Chablis in the sunshine at this little surprise. Loos Bar, Kärntner Straße 10, Innere Stadt, Vienna, www.loosbar.at

Cafe Weinwurm Opposite the Stephansdom in the Stephansplatz, Weinwurm is the perfect stop to revive during a day-time adventure. A passionate, young, female chef creates extraordinary pastries of times old and new. With a perfect view of the ‘Dom’, the sunny outdoor seating and groovy interior attracts tourists and locals alike. A simple but quality wine list, good Italian coffee but, even better, the Viennese coffee is a taste sensation. Try the specialty range, including the Biedermeir - a dangerous combination of apricot brandy and whipped cream. Cafe Weinwurm, Stephansplatz 11, Vienna, www.cafe-weinwurm.com

ESPRESSO STOPS Central - Tradition revived. Herrengasse 14, Vienna, www.palaisevents.at/cafecentral.html Diglas - Perfect example of a good, old coffee house. Wollzeile 10, Vienna, www.diglas.at Museum - Traditional café fitted out by Adolf Loos in 1899. Operngasse 7, Vienna, www.cafe-museum.at Sacher - Elegance par excellence (be sure to have a slice of the famous and original sacher torte). Philharmonikerstrasse 4, Vienna, www.sacher.com Sperl - Popular and award-winning coffeehouse. Romanticism at its finest. Gumpendorfer Strasse 11, Vienna, www.cafesperl.at GO LIST Kunsthistorisches Museum – Houses one of the largest and best collections of fine art in the world. www.khm.at Schloss Schönbrunn - The glorious and immense Palace of the Imperial Hapsburgs. www.schoenbrunn.at Hofburg Kaiserappartements - Including the Imperial Apartments, Sisi Museum and Imperial Silver Collection. (Sisi was the colourful Empress Elisabeth). www.hofburg-wien.at Siemens_artLAB - an initiative of Siemens Austria and the gallery Ernst Hilger. www.artlab.at Wiener Staatsoper - Enjoy a black tie evening at the Vienna State Opera or just take a tour of the wonderful building. www.wiener-staatsoper.at Wien Spanische Hofreitschule - The famous Spanish Riding School with its elegant Lipizzaner stallions. www.srs.at St. Stephen’s Cathedral – A most eminent Gothic edifice that also houses a wealth of art treasures. www.stephanskirche.at Fiaker horse drawn carriage ride – An old-world means of transport or tour. www.fiaker.co.at Johann Strauss Museum - Tribute to The Waltz King www.johannstraussmuseum.com See more at Vienna Tourism – www.wien.info

RESTAURANTS

Making

ZENSE terrace area

ZENSE T

he chic new restaurant ZENSE Gourmet Deck & Lounge Panorama wows all the senses with its giant outdoor terrace overlooking downtown Bangkok. It sits on the 17th floor, atop the new entertainment and lifestyle mecca called ZEN World. It also has an army of chefs serving four international cuisines from major name restaurants in the city, an all-in-one five-star dining destination. Chefs are preparing Thai White Cafe), Italian (Gianni Ristorante), Japanese (The Kikusui) and Indian food (Red) and there is a scrumptious selection of desserts and pastries, along with a sensational wine list. This enormous restaurant occupies some 4,000sqm, half of it for al fresco dining. It seats 400 with standing area capacity for another 300. Design is by Amata Lhupaiboon (winner of the prestigious Siam Architectural Society Award for his masterpiece resort, Sila Evason Hideaway on Koh Samui). www.ZENSEbangkok.com

ZENSE dining area with Bangkok city view

ZENSE dining area

SET PRICE

SYDNEY T

he French have been doing prix fixe for years but now the special menu at a much less than normal cost is sweeping a Sydney, doing its own reeling in the global economic crisis. This has been brought home by a dramatic drop in corporate entertaining, prompting many restaurants to offer, what they call “credit crunch lunches.” These generally are just one main course and a glass of wine. For example, Peter Kuruvita is head chef at the Flying Fish restaurant in Pyrmont, is offering his famous Sri Lankan king prawn curry with a glass of wine for A$35. In Indonesia when you ponder this ($35 would feed four people), keep it in perspective because the dish normally costs $48. Maybe the credit crunch is long overdue... TO THE GILLS Meantime, acerbic British travel and food writer A.A. Gill writes ominously about the coming 2009 for restaurants in recession, with food and labour costs rising and salaries shrinking. “The onus will be on the restaurateur to give the customers what they want, or suffer the consequences,” writes Gill. “And what the customer wants is value for money,” he adds. “You don’t need to be a divine called Doris to work out that 2009 is going to be all about price. Not necessarily cheapness, but value. A lot of restaurants are going to go out of business, because they can’t adapt, don’t have the skill and don’t really get what it is they’re selling.’’ Ouch.

HOTELS

The Lobby

HOLIDAY

OUT

t is called the Holiday Inn Resort Baruna Bali and you can tell there is something different the moment you walk into this totally revamped property. It begins with the polo shirts of the staff with the words ‘fresh, new me!’ And there is a new logo as well. A hotel, of course, means rooms. And you will be surprised by the simple, modern, airy, well-appointed rooms here. There is a lot of light wood, functional furniture and fittings and there is a touch of Bali as well

They did a world survey on the image of Holiday Inn. Nobody at the parent company InterContinental Hotels was too pleased. It led to the creation of a bright new concept and a fresh product. The first one in Asia is on the beach in Bali. with the local songket pieces on the wall and on the bed.

Each has a balcony, half have ocean views and all have the latest techno-amenities, including free Wi-Fi and flatscreen TV. The Resort Hub is also something new. It’s where the travel desk and concierge are – where guests get assistance with everything from where to go and how to get there, to booking dinner dates and taxi cabs. There’s a mini

HOTELS PALMS - All Day Dining

Ocean Room

mart where you can stock your own inroom refrigerators – at commercial not the old mini-bar rates. There is an internet café if you don’t bring your laptop as well as the Flavaz Coffee and teppan ice cream kiosk and a teen centre for young people keen to know about what’s going on out there. To finish it all, there is a simply hang-out lounge that serves excellent coffee. Add to that a kids’ club. To avoid the late-night flight dilemma, Holiday Inn Baruna has also introduced its ‘departure lounge’ concept that provides a relaxing area complete with shower facilities, lockers and sofas for the exclusive use of guests as they await their flights after having checked out. There are two restaurants – one that serves as all-day dining and the other a beach chill-out café, bar and lounge – overlooking the huge pools and, best of all in Bali, a white sand beach. Baruna is the Balinese god of the Ocean which laps the beach at this resort which has the luxury of some three hectares of tropical gardens. And all this, within walking distance of Kuta along the new beach boardwalk.

HOTELS

THE GM

With some sincerity, the Holiday Inn’s opening GM Stéphane Varoquier says “it has been a dream to come to Bali – and I am very excited about this place and its chance to re-invent an old brand.”

Varoquier speaks his native French, English, Spanish, Russian and Chinese. He says he is ‘learning Bahasa’ but it is obvious he already misses little when the staff revert to Indonesian.

“I would like to say this begins with the staff. We did not do any regular recruitment; we took over Planet Hollywood and talked to the people who responded to our ‘mystery ad.’ So we now have a wonderful mixture of people whose main attribute is to communicate (and this includes speaking English). They are all keen and ambitious and, I think, they have just a little sass!”

He already checks every plate of food that comes out of the kitchens. “I am keen to provide a wide variety and a balance for our guests. But one of my aims is to do one or two things perfectly. Perhaps a Salade Niçoise, perhaps a Sop Buntut, even our burger. But I would like people on the island to know the best one can be found right here.”

Varoquier is no stranger to Indonesia and returns after a stint in finance at IHG corporate office in Singapore, overseeing some 45 properties and a turnover of $600million and before that, at the InterContinental itself in Singapore.

“It may sound odd but I am glad we are finally open so we can relax,” says Varoquier. “Getting a hotel ready is very stressful and you never have a spare minute. So, I am now looking forward to enjoying Bali itself a little more. I used to come over every weekend I could while I lived in Singapore so I am very much at home.” It is obvious the staff look up to his leadership and experience but he does also have a contagious sense of fun. He is also cheekily ambitious.

Varoquier came to IHG from the position as Director Management Control in Alliance Hospitality in Paris. He has also worked as Director of Finance and Business Support for InterContinental Borobudur in Jakarta, the Yinhe Dynasty InterContinental Hotel in Chengdu and was also acting GM at the Forum in Kuala Lumpur. And he has done the hard yards as well, having worked for InterContinental in Gabon, Ivory Coast and Zaire. “My singular passion is food and beverage,” enthuses Varoquier. “I started my hotel training in the kitchen (Ecole Hoteliere Jean Drouant, Ecole Hoteliere Du Touquet) and then I worked in restaurants in France, Spain and England.”

“Tuban became a little tired over the years. “We are raising the bar and creating a truly great resort – we are the new pioneers,” he says. “But we want to get it right and ensure people have a great holiday in beautiful surroundings. While people might enjoy visiting museums they don’t want their hotel to look and feel like one.” www.ihg.com

CHEF’S TALK David Thompson

ustralian by birth, David Thompson spends most of his time these days on the road. I don’t know where home is any more,” he sighs. “I honestly don’t.” Well, at the moment, home is in Bangkok (again) while he finishes work on his new book, simply called ‘Thai Street Food.’ After his guest-cooking stint in Jakarta he will spend time in London where he overseas his restaurant called Nahm, which means ‘water’ – “the only element missing in the place,” says Thompson, who had no small hand in its oriental minimalist design. This is at the Halkin Hotel and was the first restaurant in the world to win a Michelin star for Thai food. After that it will be back to Australia to launch the book and probably take a good look at his two restaurants there, now being run by business partner Peter Bowyer. These are the famous Sailors Thai and a more informal annexe they call the ‘canteen.’ There are hints of more ‘celebrity’ appearances, such as a recent one at the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, obviously a book-promoting tour and more guestcooking stints for which he is becoming very widely known, after working in such diverse places as Dublin and Moscow.

Redefining Thai There is usually a reason why celebrity chefs become well known. In the case of David Thompson, it is for Thai food. He has catalogued its origins, rationalized its recipes and adapted it for superb presentation in restaurants. All this, and he is not even Thai.

This is his first visit to Jakarta and, he says, it is a real eye opener. “A vibrant city, indeed. More people should come here to see it. My only disappointment was the seafood,” he says. “It is not as fresh as it should be and the variety is not there.” But he was very keen to get out and about. “A little batik shopping and a troll down Jalan Surabaya to check out the antiques. And then I want to try the street food. Great but in a city where you don’t know where you are you have to have a guide for this,” he says – the guide being someone who should be able to point him to the best around, the noted Jakarta foodie William Wongso. Now 49, Thompson looks youthful and smooth-skinned and reasonably content with life behind that beard. Something that does not always come across in photographs where he can occasionally appear a little, well, grumpy. But grumpy he is not, friendly and funny, in fact, and it is obvious he is very curious about the places he goes to and the people he meets there. And he hints it may be because he simply does not like to be photographed.

CHEF’S TALK

Nahm Prik Tua ling Song

THAILAND David Thompson’s long romance with Thailand and its food is no secret. He first went to Bangkok in 1986 and instantly fell in love with the place – not least because of the food. So taken, in fact, he set about to learn the fundamentals of its ingredients and the techniques of preparing them. No easy task and it has meant endless experimenting and researching long into the wee hours. He studied under a grand old lady who used to cook for the royal family, gradually developing his own codex of ingredients, recipes and techniques and he took these ideas back to Australia to open his own Thai eatery. Nothing glamorous then; it was in a pub in the low-rent Sydney suburb of Newtown. But so good was the food, people flocked to Darley Street and it became a yardstick for Thai food just about everywhere in the western world. In 1993, Thompson and his partner Peter Bowyer upped woks and opened a new place in the more accessible King’s Cross area of Sydney and, two years later, Sailors Thai at The Rocks, next to Sydney Harbour. He is still a little stunned by the fact that he receives great support from the Thai government in his work, particularly in Bangkok and with his books. It was helped after a rather barbed outburst at a food conference in Bangkok in 1999. He told the audience he was ‘shocked and appalled’ at the damage being done to Thai cuisine by so-called fusion presentation. “To the Thais, their food is not a restaurant cuisine,” he explains. “It is, however, one of the world’s great cuisines, although somewhat unrecognised and often bastardised,” he adds. “The balance of flavours is unique and, for my palate, it makes other cuisines ordinary. Thai food has three levels: the flavour of the ingredients

Plaa Tort Sahm Rot

being used, their textual components and the contrasts of seasoning: sweet, sour, salty and hot,” he emphasises. His stint in Bangkok (where he still has a house and where he speaks in fluent Thai) was every bit a project to protect Thai cuisine as well as showing it off, something he tried to maintain in Australia from the very beginning. “Much of this was lost when Thai food became so popular in the West (up there with Chinese and Indian), especially in Australia, the U.S. and Britain and the dread fusion concept crept in everywhere.” He cited one particularly gross example of a ‘mango risotto with olive oil, garlic, coconut cream, curry paste and lemongrass stock.’ He urged that people just stop it and explore the real thing, making an especially pointed reference to European hotel chefs. He has been quoted as saying: “I hate fusion food, hate it with a passion,” adds Thompson. “In its trauma and enthusiasm it’s like a gangly youth with pimples. I think it is dubious in the best of hands, but all too often it is done as an excuse to justify a poverty of imagination.” But he seems to be mellowing – just a little. Because in Jakarta, when we asked him about it, he said: “I am becoming a little more accepting about it. Possibly because more chefs are moving back to the purity of the original (especially with Thai food). Others are probably getting a little better at it, taking into account, ingredients and flavours. Having said that,” he declares, “I still never touch it!” And, after tasting his food in Jakarta, you understand all this: the flavours are clean, individual, robust and subtle – as is the mix of texture and even the colour.

CHEF’S TALK CAREER Thai was not his original area of culinary expertise. Thompson began in classic French cuisine, firstly at a restaurant called La Goulue in northern Sydney. He moved then to Butler’s in King’s Cross (under the legendary Mogens Bay Esbensen) and then to a place called Rogues, a trendy eatery with the successful young business crowd (this was the over-the-top eighties), which had a very popular club downstairs. But it is for Thai food that he is now recognized as a world authority, not least for his definitive book on Thai cooking. It is simply called Aharn Thai (Thai Food) and is a comprehensive account its history and role in Thai society, both the Court and the countryside. He also includes many recipes. (Publsiher: Pavilion Books).

David Thompson & Tanongsak Yordwai

The teaching part of Thompson’s career (a lot of it, on the job) has proved beneficial for diners in many parts of the world as his staff moves on to open their own places. One of these is Sean Flakelar, who introduced Thai food to Amanusa in Bali before moving on to become GM of Amanjiwo at Borobudur. Wherever he was Thompson never let his cooks get off easily. He practised what he preached and demanded they embrace the discipline of tasting – especially fro the Thai essential mix of sweet, sour, salt and spice. “With Thai food, especially, you can never take anything for granted,” enthuses Thompson. “And in my teaching career, one of the first lessons is always to get cooks to make a habit of tasting as they go. It is easy to intellectualise food and cooking but there is no room for doubt when you actually taste it. Go past the mind and directly to the tongue,” he adds.

Ginger Prawns on betel leaf

Plaa Hoi Shenn Yord Mapraow Pat

“Once you know what you are tasting (and you should be able to put it into words), you can adjust the flavours to reach a, hopefully, perfect balance.”

Prik Nam Pla

CHEF’S TALK

RED CURRY

David Thompson’s Geng Mussaman Bet (Mussaman curry of duck) – so you can see how the real thing is done – and it is worth it for the sublime taste and texture.

INGREGIENTS 6 duck marylands 4 bay leaves 5 cardamom pods 1 piece cassia bark 5 dried red chillies salt 4 tbsp chopped red shallots 5 tbsp chopped garlic 2 tbsp chopped galangal 3 tbsp chopped lemongrass 1 tbsp chopped coriander root 3 tbsp chopped boiled peanuts 1/3 tbsp cumin 1 tbsp coriander seeds 5 cloves 1/2 nutmeg

2 sheaths mace 2cm cassia bark 4 cardamom pods oil for deep frying 4 potatoes, peel, quarter, & steep in water to leech out excess starch 8 small pickling onions or red shallots, peeled 3 cups coconut milk 1/2 cup boiled peanuts 2 cups coconut cream 1 cup palm sugar 4 tablespoons fish sauce 1/2 cup tamarind water 1 cup pineapple juice juice of 1 orange

www.flickr.com

METHOD Wash and dry the duck, and chop each maryland into three pieces. Rub the duck with fish sauce and leave to marinate with bay leaves, cardamom and cassia bark. Deseed chillies and soak in warm water for 10 minutes then squeeze dry. Combine chillies, salt, red shallots, garlic, galangal, lemongrass, coriander root, and peanuts in a wok. Add a little water to prevent aromatics from scorching, and roast until brown and fragrant. Pound roasted aromatics with a mortar and pestle. Slowly dry roast the spices, cumin first, as it roasts faster than the other spices in a pan or oven. Dry roast coriander seed, cloves, nutmeg, mace, cassia and cardamom, slowly in a pan or oven. Grind all roasted spices, in a spice grinder, and sieve them. Work the sieved spices into the purée until a smooth paste is achieved. Deep fry the duck until golden. Drain on absorbent paper. Deep fry potatoes. Drain. Deep fry onions. Drain. In a medium pot, bring coconut milk to the boil. Season with salt. Add the peanuts, then add the duck,

cardamom and bay leaves. Add the potatoes and onions. In a medium pot, crack the coconut cream, then add the paste. Turn down the heat and simmer the paste for no less than 10 minutes. Stir regularly to prevent the paste from catching. If the paste begins to catch, change the pan. If the paste is not oily enough, moisten it with some of the duck braising liquid. Take care, as the paste is extremely hot and will splatter. Fry until you can smell the spices. When the paste is oily, hot, and sizzling, season it with palm sugar. Continue to simmer. As the sugar begins to caramelise it deepens the colour and flavour of the curry. Add the fish sauce. Add the tamarind water. Add the cooked, seasoned curry paste to the duck, potatoes and onions. Stir in the paste, incorporating well. Simmer for several minutes, then finish with the pineapple and orange juice. Check the seasoning: it should taste sweet, sour and salty.

GALLERY

Sanur

Village Festival W

hile Kuta and Seminyak go wild, the beach village of Sanur is quietly re-inventing itself as one of Bali’s more interesting must-see areas. This is, after all, where Bali tourism began, way back in the 1930s and then developed from an artistic colony to a resort area and, since they have fixed up the beach, a great place to swim and relax. To celebrate all this, you can visit the fourth Sanur Village Festival between 25-29 August this year. In 2009, they have adopted a MARINE theme, concentrating on the beaches and the ocean for which it was originally famous.

Tea-Rific

It will be five days of parades, traditional performances, food, music, and water sports.

Afternoon T

he Lobby Lounge of the Kuala Lumpur Shangri-La Hotel has launched its signature Malaysian Afternoon Tea and Classic Afternoon Tea. Under the warm glow of crystal chandeliers, guests can now relax in lush tropical gardens listen to the water in the fountain while enjoying daily homemade scones, sandwiches, cakes and pastries baked by Executive Pastry Chef Scott Belfield and his team. There is a balance of sweet delights and savoury snacks: (finger sandwiches, French pastries, cucumber with cream cheese on sun-dried tomato toast, chicken with Pommery mustard and smoked salmon on granary bread, as well as desserts such as chocolate strawberry mille-feuille, tiramisu, bread and butter pudding and many more. If you want it spicy, the Malaysian version features fresh turmeric infused chicken perchik, cucur udang with deepfried tiger prawns, tandoori chicken wrap and crispy Punjabi samosa. All this – and the finest teas and coffees. www.shangri-la.com

DESTINATIONS

Darwin

top 10 things to do and see

Although it is a far cry from the palaces, old towns and traditions, Darwin is the closest piece of “Europe” to us. Well, it was – until its entire identity changed – and for the better. We sent Jude Brennan to suss out the top 10 things to do and see in Darwin.

arwin is the capital of what is called the Northern Territory, which will retain its implication as a piece of the wild beyond, at least until the locals pluck up the energy to name it Australia’s seventh state. It is a cosmopolitan city with a diverse population, now of more than 60 nationalities and 70 different ethnic backgrounds. While Darwin retains it’s laid back, frontier charm, accommodation, restaurants, museums and other attractions are equal to those you will find in Australia’s southern cities. It is described as Australia’s gateway to South East Asia being closer to Jakarta than it is to Canberra and about the same flyin time from Singapore and Manila as it is to Sydney or Melbourne. And when you get there, it is only half a day’s drive from the magnificent world heritage Kakadu National Park.

Fine Dining

Pee Wee’s at the Point, just four kilometers from the city, is the perfect romantic setting with its sweeping views of Fannie Bay and the city skyline. Renowned for its Troppo architecture and its ‘Modern Territorian’ cuisine, it’s open for dinner seven days a week. In the heart of the city, overlooking the harbour is Char Restaurant @ Admiralty. This multi award winning restaurant specialises in steak, seafood and, for the more adventurous, try the Territory crab & croc layered orzo lasagna. Set in the heritage listed Admiralty House and gardens; it’s just a short stroll from the best hotels. Both restaurants have an extensive wine list.

Darwin’s Market

No trip to Darwin is complete without a visit to the markets. The most well known is the Mindil Beach Sunset Market, operating Thursday and Sunday evenings during the dry season from April to October. With more than 50 food stalls, you can take your dinner down to the beach and watch the sunset, wander through the craft stalls or be entertained by the best of local musicians. Local markets operate at Parap on Saturday morning and Nightcliff and Rapid Creek on Sunday mornings. Smaller and frequented by the locals, you’ll find a wide range of Asian food or crêpes and coffee while you shop for fresh fruit and vegetables, fish, seafood, fresh flowers and gifts.

DESTINATIONS Cuddle up to a Croc

If you don’t have time to go into the ‘outback’ to see crocodiles in the wild, you can still experience the sheer size and power of these ancient reptiles up close. Crocosaurus Cove in the city has some of the largest crocodiles in captivity. If you’re really game, bring your swimwear and try the ‘Cage of Death’, a purpose-built acyclic cage that is lowered into four different crocodile enclosures. Crocodylus Park, about 20 minutes from the city, is spread over several acres with hundreds of saltwater and freshwater crocodiles ranging from small hatchlings to giant five meter specimens. There are regular daily tours and watching the feeding sessions demonstrates their frightening speed and agility.

4 edge

Photo : Outer

Entertainment

Outdoor cinema has been part of Darwin for nearly 80 years. The best known open-air picture house was The Star which opened in the 1920’s and screened movies until it was destroyed by Cyclone Tracy in 1974. It was replaced by the Deckchair Cinema in the early 90’s where you can enjoy family, art house and foreign films every night during the dry season. Relax with a glass of wine in one of the 250 deckchairs under a cloud-free, starry sky. Located in the Wharf Precinct just below Parliament House, the Deckchair Cinema is a short stroll from city hotels, most of which will have its program.

History

In addition to one of the best traditional and contemporary Aboriginal art collections in the country, The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory has a maritime museum with a difference, where you can wander around small Indonesian fishing craft and Vietnamese refugee boats. The Museum also has a unique display of the destruction wrought by Cyclone Tracy with a fascinating audio visual presentation taken from the original broadcast news coverage. Not so well known is that Darwin was bombed in 1942 by the Japanese, with more hits falling on the city than at Pearl Harbour. So, if military history is your thing, visit the East Point Military Museum’s WWII display set in the grounds of an old camp and gun emplacement high on the cliffs.

Casual Dining

Looking for something a bit different? Then try the Roma Bar in Cavanaugh Street in the city. This has been a favourite haunt of journalists, musicians, politicians, the legal profession and those just looking for a great coffee, since 1973. Roma Bar is just the place to enjoy an early (or late) breakfast and catch up on the papers or for lunch. The style of food moves through tropical, traditional and Asian influenced and it’s licensed to ‘bring your own’ with a great bottle shop just a few doors down the street.

6 49

DESTINATIONS Take home something special

Even if all you can do is stare longingly in the window, its worth wandering down The Mall to the gallery of Paspaley Pearls. Paspaley produce some of the most beautiful and valuable pearls in the world, supplying the likes of Tiffany and Cartier. You’ll find something unique there for yourself or someone you love. At the other end of The Mall is Territory Colours, showcasing Australian artists through handmade jewellery, unique ceramics and glassware, sculpture and painting. They have the largest collection of Harold Thomas’ works in Australia (Harold designed the aboriginal flag in 1971).

Aboriginal Art

There are many aboriginal art galleries in Darwin but two of them stand out for the quality of their exhibitions and the caliber of artists they represent. Mbantua is located in the Entertainment Centre precinct and predominantly features artists from the Utopia region of Central Australia. You’ll find large, bold canvases through to small, perfectly framed pieces. Opposite Parliament House Square, the Karen Brown Gallery is well known to the serious collector for works by famous and emerging Aboriginal artists. They present different exhibitions each month and coming to the gallery this year are works by Susan Wanji Wanji, Geoff Reemeijer and Mwerre Anthurre.

Day trips

Just inside Kakadu National Park is the Ubirr rock art site. There are three main sites, the main gallery, Namarrgam Sisters and the Rainbow Serpent. Groups of Aboriginal people camped around Ubirr and depicted their stories and spirits in X-ray paintings on the overhanging rock shelters. The sites can be reached by following a 1km circular walking track. On the way, drop into Window on the Wetlands set on one of the highest points on the Adelaide River floodplain. The top floor of the visitors’ centre provides sweeping views across the floodplains, where you’ll see large native animals and, in the wet season during a storm, spectacular lightning displays.

Get out on the water or into the air!

How big? Barramundi, jewfish, giant trevally, threadfin salmon, marlin, mud crabs or more, Darwin Harbour has it all. For just a day out, contact Arafura Bluewater Charters. For the full safari experience, explore the coast in Cannon Charters’ luxurious 23 metre mother-ship. All equipment and catering is supplied. However, if you’d rather eat it than catch it, book a sunset dinner cruise on the schooner, Alfred Nobel run by Darwin Harbour Cruises. The four course menu includes oysters and chilled local tiger prawns served with limes and wild caught barramundi fillets . For an overview of Darwin city, Airbourne Solutions will take you on a half hour helicopter ride or for a romantic champagne sunset flight they will fly you over Darwin’s beaches. If you want to venture further, fly over ancient Kakadu escarpments and have lunch in a setting only accessible by helicopter - they can do that too. Prefer to travel by fixed wing? Barrier Air Charter also offer city sightseeing and Kakadu flights. Fly over the South Alligator River to spot crocodiles and get the best view of Jim Jim and Twin Falls and Yellow Water Cooinda Wetlands. Both companies are based within the Darwin Airport area.

GALLERY

OUT TO LUNCH

International Man “I am fanatical about Lebanese food”,

says David Burke, whose family could easily form a select committee for the United Nations. Burke is Executive Vice President of Telkom Indonesia (the country’s largest listed company with some 90 million subscribers). He came to Jakarta in the early 90’s to merge in the first mutual fund operations. He then moved into cable TV and now with the telephone provider where he specializes in strategic investment, corporate planning and merger acquisitions. In other words, he plans where the half-government/half-private conglomerate goes in the coming years and researches to technology to make it happen. (Telkom Indonesia, incidentally, is listed on the exchanges in New York, London and Tokyo). Looking at him, it is not easy to immediately determine where he comes from. “That is easy,” he laughs. “Because my father is English/Irish and my mother is Lebanese/

African. I was born in Ghana and I hold an Irish passport. My wife is Indonesian with Arabic ancestry, which means my children will be immediately descended from six nationalities.” Burke has a neutral accent in English: “I went to Shebbear College in Devon, and private school food was one of the reasons I began to take an interesting in cooking myself,” he smiles. After that he gained degrees in Science and Business Economics from the London School of Economics. “It was there I kept dreaming of Mum’s great Lebanese food,” he recalls. “So, while everybody else was searching out cheap Thai and Indian (we were all on students’ budgets) I found the best Lebanese food – up the Edgware Road from Marble Arch. I too all my friends there and then I kept on going (and taking more people) when I got a job in the City.” “Here in Indonesia, I find my African roots easily recalled with the spicy food,” he

says. “I love nasi Padang and kari ayam. I also travel a lot in my job so I am getting to know places all over the country. So far, my favourites are the seafood restaurants in Makassar (in the town, not the touristy places on the beach) and I think there is great eating to be had in Bandung. I have to confess I also love foie gras and the best is at Kafe Warisan in Bali.” “In Jakarta, I eat a lot at home. Our family stand-by is a whole fish with garlic, olive oil, parsley and lemon – just baked in foil. We have a vast collection of cook books; love read them. Here, it all comes back to Lebanese food – and if I don’t have time or I’m just a bit lazy, I come to my favourite place in town Al Nafoura at Le Meridien. The chef Hussein Nasser Sleiman is a great Lebanese cook and he’s become a good friend. So, today we are making a simple lunch – a mixed grill barbecue, some great hummus (the genuine article) and a simple dessert called Om Ali (which means Ali’s mother) which you will find in every household in Beirut.”

OUT TO LUNCH

THE MIXED GRILL 1.Take some minced lamb and mix it with parsley, cardamom, finely chopped onion and salt. Put it on a skewer (think saté lillit, says David Burke). 2.Some good cubed beef which is sprinkled with salt, white pepper and sumac 3.Chicken pieces marinated in orange juice, garlic, yoghurt, cumin, olive oil and thyme 4.Plain lamb cutlets (with salt, pepper and sumac) You can make this a mixed meal or just choose one. Place all on hot grill or barbecue and cook until it suits your taste. Serve it with pita bread smeared with a sauce of: tomato, green chilli, black pepper, parsley, mint, salt, lemon juice and olive oil. There is also a traditional garlic ‘sauce’ that every Lebanese loves: Mix some mashed potato with white pepper, an egg white, salt, lemon juice, salad oil. “I also love an onion, capsicum and tomato salad with all this,” says Burke.

HUMMUS 1kg chickpeas (soaked overnight) 250g tahini Half up lemon juice 1 tsp crushed garlic 2 tsp salt 2 tsp lemon salt (make this by pouring lemon juice over coarse salt and drying) Put chickpeas in a blender and puree with some ice (“it turns it white!” says chef Hussein. Add tahini and maybe 4 more ice cubes. Add garlic and salts and the lemon juice. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if necessary. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Garnish with paprika, olive oil and mint.

OM ALI Place some sliced almonds, some leftover puff pastry (some people use old bread) and some raisins in a ramekin. Cover with hot milk and let stand 15 seconds. Pour over some Chantilly (whipped cream) and place under a grill for 5 minutes. Garnish with crushed pistachio nuts. (You can play around with this, maybe dates, dried apricot,etc)

Om Ali & Hummus

MASTERCLASS

CLARIDGE’S

GALLERY

ith its long standing reputation as the best of the best, Claridge’s Hotel in London has launched its eighth annual Masterclass program, sharing the secrets and skills of its own cooking team as well as renowned international chefs and guest experts. The season continues on June 13, with ‘Traditional British Cuisine’, demonstrated by Executive Chef Martyn Nail. This class discusses and prepares both traditional and modern ways to cook dishes such as game pie, Lancashire hot-pot, steak and kidney pie and salmon-en-croute. Pastry Chef Nick Patterson advises on cooking with chocolate and delivers practical examples on how to make several of Claridge’s chocolate classics. The secrets of buying, preparing and cooking fish will be shared by Martyn Nail on July 11. The acclaimed spa cuisine of Thailand’s Chiva-Som will feature as another masterclass with Paisarn Cheewinsiriwat. For over a century Claridge’s has been practising the art of serving afternoon tea and the secrets to the perfect afternoon tea will be revealed, again by Nick Patterson. Celebrating the game season, the September 19 class explores different ways of preparing and cooking grouse, partridge and venison, with both classic and contemporary recipes. For the full program: www.maybourne.com

TRAVEL

Things to See & Do

The Arrival Of Pigafetta

Brunei HM Throne

One of the best times to visit Brunei is for the panoply and colour of the Sultan’s birthday celebrations This year, it takes place on July 15 and will mark His Majesty’s 63rd birthday. This is one of the most important events in Brunei’s national calendar, with activities and festivities held around the country. It begins with a nationwide mass prayer where the Sultan himself delivers a ‘titah’ or royal address. This is traditionally followed by an inauguration ceremony held at the Istana Nurul Iman palace, the spectacular home of the royal family. The event is also marked with gatherings at four important district centres where His Majesty meets the people. The capital Bandar Seri Begawan is spectacularly decorated for the celebrations; there are street parades and public and private parties. The popular monarch, HM Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah became the 29th ruler of his family line, making him one of the longest serving heads of state in the world. His family line actually dates back over 600 years, to 1405 when the first Sultan ascended the throne. The country became independent from Britain in 1984 and assumed the name Negara Brunei Darussalam (“Brunei, The Abode of Peace”). A full program of the events can be seen at Brunei Tourism’s website : www.bruneitourism.travel

HM Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah

If you are visiting Brunei, a couple of things on the must-do list:

Bandar Seri Begawan has a number of museums, highlighting the nation’s history. Best known is Royal Regalia Museum, where visitors can actually see the Sultan’s full royal regalia, including the throne, the crown and royal chariot, along with a vast collection of opulent treasures.

Must Do

3. 4.

Eating: try the most local of Brunei dishes is called ‘Ambuyat’ which is made from sago paste and is usually served with home-made dips such as ‘Tempoyak’ (preserved durian flesh) or preserved young mango mixed with chili and shrimp paste (belacan). Other side dishes include fried fish, spicy beef strips and local vegetables’. A boat-trip upriver to an eco-reserve A game of golf (or just a relaxing lunch) at the grand Empire Hotel.

Getting around is easy; the roads are good and taxis are plentiful.

TRAVEL

Bronze Cannon Signature Hole at Empire

Fireworks Over Bandar

The Brunei Open, an Asian Tour event, will run from July 30th - August 2nd. The US$300,000 Championship will be once again held at the highly acclaimed Empire Hotel and Country Club, voted by the players as the ‘Host Venue of the Year’ four years ago. Since its inauguration in 2005, the Brunei Open has attracted many of Asia’s top players including the likes of Chinese star Liang Wen-Chong, winner of the 2007 Asian Tour’s Order of Merit, and Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant. Now in its fifth year The Brunei Open has helped promote the development and popularity of golf in Brunei. As well as encouraging the uptake of golf amongst the younger generation in Brunei. The international exposure garnered from the event has attracted new golf tourists wanting to play the Empire Course and the other quality courses that Brunei has to offer. The Empire Hotel and Country Club, a signature course of Jack Nicklaus, offers breathtaking views and with its immaculate course conditions, the Brunei Open has become one of the most popular events amongst the Asian Tour stars and visitors and recently collected an award for Best Golf Resort in Asia during the 2008 Asian Golf Monthly Awards. www.theempirehotel.com www.bruneitourism.travel

GALLERY

RECORD CROWD FOR

HOSPITALITY EXPO D

espite current economic woes, some 850 participating companies eagerly showcased their products, expertise and services to Indonesiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growing food, hotel and tourism industry at the 11th International Hotel, Catering Equipment, Food and Drink Exhibition in Jakarta. This year, National Pavilions came from Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Korea, Peru, Taiwan, Turkey, the UK and the USA. The exhibition (over a total floor space of 10,578sqm) was officially inaugurated by Ir Firmansyah Rahim, Director General for Development of Tourism Destination on behalf of the Minister of Culture and Tourism of Indonesia.

GALLERY

A particularly popular feature of the event was the Salon Culinaire cooking competitions, which attracted 318 young chefs competing in 18 culinary classes - ranging from fruit and vegetables to ice carving to butter sculptures. There were also live cooking competitions and table display events, including the traditional Indonesian lesehen. This year’s event also saw the national selection for the upcoming Asian Pastry Cup. Another hot event was the 3rd Indonesian Barista Competition, organised by the Indonesian Specialty Coffee Association and was fought out by 49 of Indonesia’s top baristas. In the pursuit of green tourism, the German-Indonesian Chamber of Industry and Commerce (EKONID) staged a one-day seminar called the “Eco Hotel Conference” and attracted the participation of some 70 delegates. Delegates from all over the world were delighted with the event – its infrastructure, attendance and, most of all, potential sales. “We are happy to be here again, good quality trade visitors, serious buyers and a well organized show with professional and caring staff!” – from Margaret Say, Regional Director of the US Poultry & Egg Export Council. And from Maria Adelaide Cassani, President of Rightway Asia: “Much better than we expected, we will be in Bali next year.” The 2010 event will be Food, Hotel and Tourism in Bali 2010, March 11-13 . We were very happy with the numbers of visitors to the Viva Asia Travel & Food stand. Thank you to all of you who visited us and signed up for annual subscriptions to Viva Asia Travel & Food Magazine. Congratulations to Ibu. Lie Sylvia Winoto who was the lucky winner of two nights accommodation at the Kamuela Villas in Seminyak Bali. A special thanks to Aston International, who manage the Kamuela Villas, for providing the prize.

GALLERY

uggage is a thing of the past – at least at hotel in China.

The Four Seasons in Shanghai has launched its Feather-weight Traveller Program where businessmen on the go can choose to leave an entire wardrobe of clothing where it will be stored until their return visit.

and its contents will be freshened on request. The wardrobe is wheeled into the room well ahead of arrival and at no charge. Gives a whole new meaning to travelling light – especially in view of all the new airline luggage charges. www.fourseasons.com

The hotel has introduced portable wardrobes (in hand-crafted oak) that hold up to 10 business suits, 8 pairs of shoes, drawers for undergarments, neck-ties and accessories. Each wardrobe bears the name of its owner

PLEASE START MY SUBSCRIPTION TO VIVA ASIA Mr / Mrs / Miss / Ms : First Name Surname Company Name Address

Return this form by • Fax to +62 21 5292 1637 or send to • VIVA ASIA PT. Artha Cipta Pratama Jl. Setiabudi III/2A Setiabudi, Jakarta-Selatan 12910, Indonesia

Annual Subscription (6 issues) Individual: Rp 250,000 Transfer payment to PT. Artha Cipta Pratama at Bank Mandiri Plaza DM Jl. Jend. Sudirman Kav.25, Jakarta Account name : PT. Artha Cipta Pratama A/C 122-00-0885555-6

GALLERY

Orient Express E x p a n d s i n J

Bali

imbaran Puri (one of two Orient Express properties in Bali) is celebrating the opening of 22 new villas, each with private pool.

Idyllically set on one of the island’s rare white sand private beaches, the resort boasts ‘simplicity and comfort coupled with Balinese tradition’ so the new villas are airy, spacious and superbly designed for maximum use of space. Special feature is their signature oversized Balinese day bed in the living rooms which all give onto a tropical garden. Villa guests will have a dedicated butler, afternoon high tea each day and a special ‘jet lag massage.’ Stay tuned for the revamp of the Nelayan restaurant which specialises in locally-caught seafood and FrenchMediterranean cuisine. www.orient-express.com

Kitchen

The InterContinental

BY THE BOOK

s InterContinental’s chief executive Andrew Cosslett says in his foreword to this large and colourful book: “The InterContinental will take you on a global culinary journey from London to Los Angeles, Madrid to Mexico City and Nairobi to New Delhi. With the turn of a page, transform your kitchen into a world-class epicurean workshop.” True to this word, the book contains recipes from every continent, some easy, some a little more complicated – but almost all user-friendly to the cook at home. Surprisingly, after a quick check, none of the ingredients is difficult to obtain in Asia any more; just a matter of finding the right boutique outlet. (Think Bali Deli in Bali, Kemchiks in Jakarta and other specialty shops, such as the Japanese supermarket in Blok M and Middle Eastern deli at Pasar Festival). If not, you can easily improvise – for example, we have ready-packed coconut cream here you could use instead of coconut powder for the Muscati fish dish. Along with very attractively-presented main courses, the book also includes many minor dishes for which each hotel has become famous. Add to these, a tasty selection of soups, salads and desserts (and a great selection of signature cocktails) and you not only have thoroughly enjoyable reading but a handy guide to cuisine that is truly international.

The InterContinental Kitchen InterContinental Hotels & Resorts Pub: Feeding Frenzy, Cookbook Division, USA

Special mention should go to Graham Walters for his art direction and design; and to John Ormond for his wonderful photography. To whet your taste buds, VIVA ASIA brings you a small sample of InterContinental food. Serves 8.

www.ihg.com

FISH IN COCONUT MILK (From the Bustan Palace in Muscat)

200g ghee (clarified butter) 1¼ cups diced onion 1 1/3 cups peeled, seeded and diced tomato 3 tbsp chopped garlic 1 tbsp ground cardamom 1 tbsp ground cinnamon 1 tbsp ground turmeric 1 chopped green chilli 500g coconut milk powder 2 cups water 1 kg king fish fillet, cut into cubes Vegetable oil for frying the fish Salt & pepper to taste Red bell pepper, cut into strips Cilantro for garnish In a large saucepan, heat the ghee over medium heat and sauté the onion until golden brown. Add the tomato and garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes, then add the spices. Combine the coconut milk powder with water, adding more water if needed to make it a thick cream. Add to the pan and simmer over low heat for a few minutes. Meanwhile, deep fry the fish pieces in the vegetable oil until just browned. Drain, add to the sauce and simmer until fish is cooked through. Season to taste and serve garnished with red pepper and cilantro.

BY THE BOOK MAKLOUBIT BATINJAN

Serves 8.

(UPSDIE DOWN EGGPLANT CASSEROLE) (From the InterContinental Abha in Saudi Arabia) 1 ½ cups vegetable oil 3 large eggplants, cut into 1 cm slices 2/3 cup pine nuts 300g ground beef or lamb Salt & pepper to taste 2 cups long grain rice 2 medium tomatoes, sliced 2 tbsp tomato paste 1 litre hot water Set aside 2 tbsp of the oil and heat the rest in a deep skillet until very hot. In batches, add the eggplant slices and fry until golden brown. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. In another pan, sauté the pine nuts in the remaining oil until brown. Remove with a slotted spoon. Add the meat to the pan and sauté until browned; season. Preheat oven to 190ºC. Rinse and drain the rice. Place half the tomatoes in the bottom of a deep baking pan. Arrange half the eggplant slices on top. Top with half the meat and half the rice. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Dissolve the tomato paste in the hot water and add to the pan. Season to taste. Cover and bake until the rice and vegetables are tender. Remove from the oven and let cool 5 minutes. Carefully invert the dish onto a serving platter and sprinkle with the pine nuts. Garnish with parsley or other greens. Serve hot.

SHEPHERD’S PIE

Serves 8.

(From the InterContinental London Park Lane) 5 tbsp unsalted butter 4 med. onions, finely chopped 1kg ground lamb 4 cloves garlic, crushed 2 tbsp tomato paste800g fresh or canned tomatoes (drained, chopped – preserve liquid) ¼ cup Worcestershire Sauce 1 bay leaf 1 sprig thyme 1kg floury potatoes, peeled & quartered 7 tbsp heavy cream 3 tbsp milk Sauté the onions over medium heat in 2 tbsp of the butter until soft but not coloured. Increase the heat and add the ground lamb and garlic and cook until the meat is nicely browned. Stir in the tomato paste and then add the chopped tomatoes. Add the Worcestershire Sauce, the bay leaf, thyme and slowly simmer 20 mins, stirring occasionally. If the mixture becomes too dry, add some of the tomato liquid.

Boil the potatoes, covered in salted water about 20 minutes. Drain and mash with the remaining butter and cream. If desired, mix in the milk for a creamier texture. Preheat oven to 200ºC. Spoon the lamb mixture into a baking dish and top with mashed potato. Bake in the oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

BY THE BOOK PANAMANIAN STYLE CHICKEN AND RICE (From the InterContinental Playa Bonita in Panama)

Serves 6.

3 tbsp. butter or olive oil 1.75kg boneless chicken breast, skin removed 1 onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 4 tomatoes, diced 4 green capsicum, chopped 2 bay leaves 1 litre water 1 small can tomato paste 455g Arborio rice 1 small jar red peppers, diced 2/3 cup green olives ¼ cup drained capers 1 cup peas Salt & Pepper Quartered hard boiled eggs for garnish Parsley Place a large skillet over medium heat and melt the butter. Sauté the chicken briefly and then add the onion, garlic, tomatoes, bell peppers, bay leaves and cook 3 minutes. Add the water and tomato paste, bring to a simmer until the chicken is just cooked through, about 15 minutes Remove the chicken from the skillet, chop into pieces and set aside. Add the rice to the skillet, lower the heat and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. To serve: toss the rice with the sliced red peppers, chicken, olives, capers and peas. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with eggs and parsley.

DARK CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING 12 large eggs 4 cups heavy cream 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract ¼ cup chocolate sauce or syrup 3 cups cubed whole-wheat bread Preheat oven to 175ºC. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth. Add the cream, sugar, vanilla and chocolate sauce. Mix until smooth. Grease the sides of 8 small oven-proof molds. Fill each to the top with cubed bread. Pour the liquid mixture slowly, fill to the top. Bake until the middle of the pudding is firm and not runny, 15-18 minutes Turn out onto a plate and garnish with additional chocolate sauce and sliced strawberries or other fruit. Serve hot or cold.

GALLERY

GORDON RAMSAY, THE NEXT EXCITING EPISODE... T

he chef with the colourful phrasing, not to mention quite a few restaurants and even more stars cannot seem to win a trick these days. Latest tirade comes accusing Ramsay of serving meals, not cooked on-site but in a factory outside London. Dishes such as coq au vin, braised pig cheeks and desserts like an orange chocolate tart, they accuse, are prepared in bulk and then transported in plastic bags by unmarked vans to several of his restaurants across London. The celebrity chef is said to use this central kitchen near Clapham to provide food for his three upscale pubs. The meals are allegedly also wheeled to Foxtrot Oscar (old army types will know what that really means), his bistro in Chelsea, The Narrow in Limehouse, the Warrington

ON THE AIR, IN THE AIR Qatar Airways and OnAir have joined to provide Mobile OnAir in-flight passenger communications services on board the airline’s single-aisle fleet. Passengers will have access to the Internet and be able to use their own mobile phones or BlackBerry-type devices to send and receive text messages and emails. Qatar CEO Akbar Al Baker said that while the airline is stopping short of providing voice calls to passengers, www.qatarairways.com

in Maida Vale and the Devonshire in Chiswick. Ramsay’s own team admits 50 per cent of their meals are prepared offsite, but this does not include any fresh produce such as cuts of meat to be prepared a la minute. Diners can pay £3.50 for a sausage roll that costs just 75p to produce. All sort of goes against one of Ramsay’s own maxims when he was heard to say “My food hell is any ready meal. It’s so easy to prepare a quick meal using fresh produce ... but people still resort to ready meals that all taste exactly the same.” Guess the compromise is that it is OK if the sausage roll tastes gourmet, gourmand, fresh, crispy delicious. Otherwise, Foxtrot Oscar...

GAY BARCELONA

The picturesque Spanish city is about to become, well, gay as a Spanish fiesta. Barcelona is host this month to the Mediterranean’s most important Gay Pride event: Pride Barcelona’09. It is a free and non-profit making, week-long celebration that will show the best the city has to offer, along with the other attractions of Catalonia. The billboard includes film, culture, entertainment, art, literature, sport and some serious issue-debating – all ending with a gala parade and a huge party with some surprise star performers. O-lay, indeed. www.pridebarcelona.org

CHEFS CORNER

“I

have been using Rational combisteamers for more than 15 years; they have always been part of my kitchen,” says Salans. “They supply heavy duty assistance to chefs in the kitchen for miseen-place – and in most parts of Asia, that means (power, speed and consistency. I can guarantee the result – it is faster and needs fewer staff,” he adds. “Rational also supplies technological expertise with varied cooking techniques. Thanks to its temperature control, for example, which ensures precise cooking temperature control and a whole variety of programs, it is usable for all cooking methods needed in any kitchen.” “I have found, furthermore, that Rational is a serious company that cares about its product and therefore offers great, continuous support and after-service which, in a country like Indonesia, is primordial,” he laments. “Last (and by no means least) the new versions are all self cleaning so you don’t even have to worry about long and difficult scouring after “abusing” the combisteamer.” Rational SelfCooking Center® “It would be difficult to describe all of the occasions for which we have used the SelfCooking Center®. The answer is, of course, all the time. As one example, here at Mozaic, a 60-cover restaurant, we use the Rational for pre-steaming shellfish for mise-en-place, roasting bones for stock, baking, low temperature cooking, all sous vide cooking, overnight baking or roasting and the regeneration (called Finishing by Rational) of products.” “And I repeat that if it were not the best we would not have been using it for 15 years now.” Why Rational over other market brands?

“While each environment is different, each has different needs for preparation (miseen-place) and service of foods, they will all be looking for different things from the Rational combi-steamer. But maybe that is why the Rational combi-steamers are so great: because they offer all of these types of business solutions - tailor-designed to their needs – all in one unit! There is no need to buy different equipment for different needs.” “The Rational SelfCooking Center® will do it all in one – where ease, speed and consistency are the key words, whether it be for preparation, regeneration (called Finishing by Rational), reheating, banquet service, mass production, everything. And all this is within HACCP standards, which is especially important for large production facilities,” says Salans. “And with all these advantages, you don’t need as many staff to do it all. You can produce better meals (because of the technology encased in the Rational SelfCooking Center® and the pre-set cooking processes) so staff don’t have to be technical whizzes to operate it.” Rational SelfCooking Center® can expand your business. “Because of the trust we put in the Rational combi-steamers and the support that it gives to us technically, we have indeed been given the confidence to expand our services by offering Mozaic quality foods outside of the premises. We now have Mozaic’s Exclusive Catering services which takes out business further than the restaurant itself,” says Salans. “Also, the Rational SelfCooking Center® has been a great addition to our Workshop, Mozaic’s cooking school. It has allowed us to increase the professionalism of our classes, giving us more confidence to invite very well-known specialists to the school, offering more professionallyoriented curricula, such as sous vide cooking, specific recipe development for banqueting, pastry making and baking.”

“The truth is Rational picked me!” says Chris Salans. “But if I must answer, it is because of its historical track record and because of its after service facilities in Indonesia. And I can happily recommend it over other brands. “And I should mention that the Rational SelfCooking Center® is relevant for all professional kitchens. Not just restaurants and hotels but also caterers, hospitals, fast-food chains and food manufacturers.” he adds.

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

F STOP

Padang Bai

bout one and half hour’s drive from Kuta lies the charming little fishing village Padang Bai. It is the ferry port for Lombok and Nusa Penida. And it is a hotspot for backpackers, divers, snorkelers – and people who just want to get away from the bustle of Kuta and Seminyak. It has a white sandy beach ringed by little hotels, home-stays and cafes, all within walking distance. (Topi Inn, Puri Rai and Marco Inn are worth a look – expect the basics only). Many of the restaurants boast fresh seafood and a couple of groovy bars stay open late. It is safe to swim and just ask a boatie to take you to a reef to dive or snorkel. Best thing to do: absolutely nothing. The fresh sea air is made for relaxing. If you feel like an excursion, Candi Dasa is just up the road and for a bit of luxury, Alila Manggis and Amankila are a few minutes away.

F STOP

RESTAURANTS

BESTof

TheBEST T

he eagerly-awaited San Pellegrino list of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best restaurants this year has included some old favourites and a couple off the beaten track. Much to the chagrin of the French, who still believe France is the centre of world gastronomy, the best they could do was clock in at Number 7. The Number One slot has again (for the fourth consecutive year) gone to El Bulli on the Costa Brava in Spain. Adding insult to injury, it was followed by The Fat Duck (for the third year in a row) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in England, of all places. VIVA ASIA brings you the full list.

1 El Bulli, Spain 2 The Fat Duck, UK 3 Noma, Denmark 4 Mugaritz, Spain 5 El Celler de Can Roca, Spain 6 Per Se, USA 7 Bras, France 8 Arzak, Spain 9 Pierre Gagnaire, France 10 Alinea, USA

RESTAURANTS

11-30 11 L’Astrance, France

12 The French Laundry, USA 13 Osteria La Francescana, Italy 14 St John, UK 15 Le Benardin, USA 16 Hotel de Ville, Switzerland

Tetsuya

17 Tetsuya’s, Australia 18 L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, France 19 Jean Georges, USA 20 Les Creations de Narisawa, Japan 21 Chez Dominique, Finland 22 Cracco Peck, Italy 23 Die Schwarzwaldstube, Germany 24 D.O.M., Brazil 25 Vendome, Germany 26 Hof van Cleve, Belgium 27 Masa, USA 28 Gambero Rosso, Italy 29 Oud Sluis, Netherlands 30 Steirereck, Austria

31-50

31 Momofuku Ssam Bar, USA

32 Oaxen Skargardskrog, Sweden 33 Martin Berasategul, Spain 34 Nobu, UK 35 Mirazur, France 36 Hakassan, UK 37 Le Quartier Francais, South Africa 38 La Colombe, South Africa Chez Dominique

39 Etxebarri, Spain 40 Le Chateaubriand, France 41 Daniel, USA 42 Combal Zero, Italy 43 Le Louis XV, France 44 Tantris, Germany 45 Iggy’s, Singapore 46 Quay, Australia 47 Les Ambassadeurs, France 48 Dal Pescatore, Italy 49 Le Calandre, Italy

Mamofuku Ssam Bar

50 Mathias Dahlgren, Sweden

MIXOLOGY

SIGNATURE COCKTAILS T

he SkyBar at the Traders Hotel, Kuala Lumpur is this editions destination for intoxicating views and stunning cocktails. The SkyBar offers guests the ultimate in cool drinks in a very chic and cosmopolitan atmosphere. Guests can gaze at the glow from the illuminated towering twin wonders of the Petronas Towers while listening to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;straight chillâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and upbeat music

Kwitini Ingredients 1 Kiwi Fruit 20 ml Belvedere 5 ml Sugar Syrup 120 ml Moet & Chandon Process Muddle flesh from kiwi fruit in shake. Pour over vodka and sugar syru. Shake with ice and double strain in to flute. Top up with champagne

MIXOLOGY

Mata Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;or Ingredients 10 ml Grenadine 80 ml Passion Fruit Puree Red Bull Process Pour in grenadine syrup to the bottom of the glass, followed by passion fruit puree,Top up with Red Bull. Garnish.

MIXOLOGY

Raised In

Manhatan Garnish - Canadian Club infused raisins Ingredients 40 ml Canadian Club Infused Raisins 20 ml Martini Rosso 5 ml Maraschino Wet w. Angostura Bitters Process Chill martini glass and prepare garnish. Pour all ingredients except bitters in to Boston glass (no ice). Discard ice from glass and wet with bitters, pour out excess. Add ice in Boston and stir. Strain into chilled martini glass and garnish.

MIXOLOGY

Selangor Sling Garnish

- Lemon Wedge and Maraschino Cherry

Ingredients 30 ml Tanqueray 20 ml Cherry Brandy 25 ml Lemon Juice 25 ml Pineapple Juice 20 ml Sugar Syrup Dash of Angostura Bitters Soda 5 ml D.O.M Benedictine (Float) Process Prepare glass and garnish. Shake all ingredients except for Soda and D.O.M. place garnish and serve

WHERE IN THE WORLD ?

Royal Kamuela Villas Nusa Dua

In each edition of VIVA ASIA we feature a photograph from a hospitality establishment somewhere in the world. So take a close look at the photograph above; The question is â&#x20AC;&#x153;Which award winning Bali Restaurant & Nightspot is pictured above?â&#x20AC;? If you know the answer send an email with your answer to info@vivaasiamagazine.com We will draw two winners who will each receive a 700 ml bottle of Hennessy XO courtesy of Moet Hennessy Asia Pacific.

Moet Hennessy Asia Pacific Indonesia Representative Office Sentra Mulia Building suite 708 Jl. HR Rasuna Said Kav X-6. No. 8 Jakarta 12940 Phone: +62 21 5279228