Few restaurant in KL can lay claim to the immersive ambiance of NEO Tamarind where the restaurant brings us with the unique and relaxing experience with the lush greeny environment in the heart of the town. The restaurant brings us the contemporary elements for a “NEO-rotic” experience with the elegant, cosy and intimate experience.
Rustic wall with the exposed stoneword, hypnotic liquid partition and not just that, Neo Tamarind brings you an inimitable interior. The heart of the restaurant where Chef Sombat Kokasemkul weaves his magic and preparing you the savory Thai-twist and western creations that emerge from his kitchen. And this year, Neo Tamarind again participating in the MIGF 2014 with the great menu.
Started with the Canapes ; where we are served with the Blow-torched Tuna with Tom Yum Cream where the raw tuna is being pasteurized and then it is being torched. The raw delights is being served together with the teriyaki sauce with the combination of tomyam paste with it. The tuna is amazingly delicious with the melts in the mouth texture and every mouthful is divinely delicious. I love the way the raw tuna dancing in my mouth.
Comes next is the Beef Tartar with Strawberry and Garlic Chip. The well done beef tartar without any gammy taste in it is served with the garlic chips on top and strawberry slice in between. Put them together in your mouth and you can get the right blend of the sourish mix of beef tartar with the sweet sourish strawberry blend in it . I love it so much especially the sweet sourish bites together with the fragrant crispy bites of the garlic chips.
Chicken Liver Terrine Tart comes in the ball shape where it is rolled and glazed with the crispy chips around it. It is then being topped with the red wine jelly ontop. The Liver Terrine tart comes pretty unique blend with it.
The Canapes is served together with the Cape Mentelle, Sauvignon Semillon, Margaret River Wine where the wine is widely produced in France. The wine provides herbaceous, green fruit flavours, perfectly complemented by the heady lemon blossom aromas of Semillon.
Moving to the Amuse-Bouche*; we are served with the Blow-torched Watermelon, Alaskan Crab and Dried Bonito Flakes. The Watermelon is being blow-torched and it is topped with layered of Alaskan crab as well as fish roe on top. Served together with it is the dried bonito flakes and the combination comes pretty unique. The sweet and juicy blend of the watermelon combined with the dried bonito flakes brings us with the touch of freshness on the start and then combined with the sweetness of the Alaskan crab. The bonito flakes bring us with the light twist of saltiness and you can feel the bonito flakes dancing in the mouth then.
Coming to the Appetisers, we had the Sea Urchin Shooter, Uni with Cold Soba Noodle Salad, Uni Sushi. The Sea Urchin Shooter comes simply unique where the raw quill egg is being served with the beef jus’ and also home made plum sake. It is then being topped with the Sea Urchin on top with the small spoonful of grinded scallions. The flavours comes pretty unique with the touch of sweet, and sourish blend. The taste is amazingly beautiful and special to us.
As for the Soba Noodles, it is well done with the added punzu and sesame oil with it. The slurpy temptations noodles with the uni on top comes simply delicious with the slurpy cold sensation.
As for the Uni Sushi, the sushi rice is served with the crispy crumbs and also with the strips of soba noodles with it. The uni sushi comes crunchy every bites.
Another appetizers set would be a combination platter of Fresh Tomato Salad with Ginger Flower Vinegar, Smoked Duck Salad and the Grilled Mushroom with Truffle Oil.
The Fresh Tomato Salad with Ginger Flower Vinegar is where the cherry tomato and fresh huge tomato is cut and marinated with olive oil, salt, vinegar, bunga kantan, and ginger. The marinated tomato comes with the scent of the light fragrant bunga kantan in it and every mouthful is indeed give us with the appetizing and yet refreshing sensation with it. It is then being decorated with some rocket flower together to create a better myriad of colors to the dish.
As for the Smoked Duck Salad; it is where the smoked duck comes well marinated 24 hours with the Cinnamon powder and it is then being smoke in the charcoal oven. Wrapped with the vegetables which includes rocket salad together with it; it is then being topped with grilled small cubes of tomato with scallion and balsamic reduction with it. The blend of light charcoal taste in the smoked duck brings us with the moist and fragrant blend.
As for the soup, I had the Red Capsicum Bisque with Salmon Ravioli where the Red Hot Chef (“The Theme of MIGF 2014”) – Chef Sombat Kokasemkul made a twist of the usual soup to the capsicum soup instead. As the theme is Red Hot Chef for this year, Chef Sombat had made the soup comes with the elegant red color soup where the fragrant creamy soup is amazingly lovely. Creamy texture and not too spicy but making the soup takes a lot of work though.
Chef Sombat explains : “The Capsicum is being soaked in olive oil ; and it is later being roasted and removed the skin. After removing the skin, the capsicum is being blend till it becomes puree’. It is then being cooked with onion and celery together”
The Palate Cleanser comes with the kick of spiciness in ir. Alike Virgin Mary; the palate cleanser is done using vodka, gin, tabasco and also tomato juice in it. Hot and spicy sensation!
Moving to the mains, we are served with 3 petite size of seafood delicacies which are Pan Seared Red Snapper with Pineapple Salsa, Grilled Snow Fish with Strawberry Balsamic and Roasted Tiger Prawn with Gorgonzola Polenta Babich. Accompanied with the dish is the – Pinot Noir, Marlborough wine from New Zealand.
The red snapper is being pan seared till perfectionist and it is being served together on top of the mashed potato. Well done red snapper and what’s nice is it is added with zesty divine from the pineapple salsa which is a combination of chopped pineapple capsicums, and also topped with the rice cracker on top.
Next is the Grilled Snow Fish with Strawberry Balsamic where the snow fish comes flaky and moist. It is topped with the cubes of strawberry where brings you with the zesty blend with it. The overall taste is simply refreshing. It is such a awesome combination!
Roasted Tiger Prawn with Gorgonzola Polenta Babich is where the tiger prawn is well grilled till perfection and laid graciously with the touch of torched lychee with it. It is then being glazed graciously with the passionfruit with it. The fragrance is resistable with the twist of zestiness in it.
The second main which is being served is the Pan Roasted Duck with Chocolate Chili Sauce, Duck Confit with Couscous and Kumquat and Pan Seared Foie Gras with Mango Miso.
Pan Roasted Duck with Chocolate Chili Sauce is served medium rare wih the chocolate chili sauce which brings a kick of spiciness in it. The duck comes slightly rare to me.
As for the Duck Confit with Couscous and Kumquat; it brings up the sourish blend of taste from the kumquat and the duck confict remains its juiciness in it. Awesome.
Not to be missed is the Pan Seared Foie Gras with Mango Miso where the foie gras is served with the mango miso sauce and the aftertaste of the sweet and sourish mango can be tasted. It is amazingly good and the sauce had made a good match with the foie gras.
The last mains would be the Braised Beef Cheek with Scallion Oil, Grilled Bone Marrow in Porcini Risotto, and Pan Seared Wagyu Beef (MB7) with Beef Jus & Garlic Bulb. It is served together with the wine: Terrazas, Malbec, Reserva, Mendoza from Argentina.
As for the desserts, we are being served with the Spicy Churros, Mint Chocolate Truffle, Strawberry Cheese Cake, and Chili Sakae. The churros is being deep fried with crispiness and it is being seasoned with the cinnamon, sugar and chilly flakes with it. The taste comes spic after-taste.
As for the Strawberry Cheese Cake; the cheese cakes comes moist and it is well accompanied with the chocolate dipped strawberry with it.
The Chili Sakae is one of creation from the chef himself. Bringing you the HOT and SPICY aroma, the sakae makes perfect at the right aroma. It is indeed brings you a kick!
Charges (RM)
MIGF 2014 Full Festival Menu
RM350 nett per person with wine
RM290 nett per person without wine
MIGF 2014 Light Menu
RM305 nett per person with wine
RM245 nett per person without wine
Neo Tamarind Restaurant
19, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Bukit Bintang, 50250 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
+60 3-2148 3700
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