Metro

Wednesday November 4, 2009

Portuguese flavours in PD

By CHITRA S NATHAN


IF you are looking for a quick weekend getaway far from the hustle and bustle, the Avillion Admiral Cove in Port Dickson may be just the place for you.

Situated near the Admiral Marina and Leisure Club, the hotel has 156 seafront rooms and another 160 to be completed by the end of the year.

Tempting: De Silva with the Lamb Admiral (left) and the baked prawns on caramelised pineapple

But the view, facilities and access to the beaches next door are not the only things the hotel has on offer.

The food here is good, too, a bonus for guests and visitors who do not want to venture outside the comfortable confines of the hotel to satisfy their hunger pangs.

Hotel general manager Alan Kay said besides the usual hotel fare of local and international standards such as nasi goreng, mee ‘Mamak’, sandwiches, pasta and the ubiquitous chicken chop, this place has something extra that will please jaded palates - courtesy of its newly-appointed chef Ignatius De Silva.

Malacca-born De Silva, he said, has jazzed up the standard menu by adding items that reflect his culinary heritage with the liberal use of spices and herbs in fusion dishes with both Portuguese and Peranakan influences and flavours.

“The new additions are inspired by the food I grew up with - Malaccan Portuguese fare and Peranakan food, too. Our aim is to provide good food in a relaxing ambience that will make your holiday complete,” said De Silva, who is fondly known as Chef Iggy, during the launch of the new menu recently.

Spicy treat: Nyonya chicken curry is set to be a hit with patrons.

Passionate about food, the 46-year-old chef has more than 25 years of culinary experience and comes from a family of cooks, with brothers and cousins also in the industry.

During a recent visit, we sampled some of De Silva’s creations including ‘Muji’ Caesar salad (so named for the chef’s assistant Muji), chicken and yam in preserved soy bean soup, Nyonya chicken curry, baked prawns on caramelised pineapple, pasta olio with beef roulade and banana crumble ala mode.

The show-stealer, was of course, his rendition of Portuguese baked fish, a favourite with those who like the spicy cuisine of the Malacca Portuguese community.

The fish, a red snapper was marinated and cooked with ground spices and fresh herbs which enhanced its flavour.

The Nyonya chicken curry was just as good and came with Mantou buns to mop up the delicious gravy with.

We were also served Lamb Admiral, another signature dish of De Silva’s creation.

A favourite: Baked red snapper, marinated and cooked with ground spices and fresh herbs Portuguese style.

The tender cuts of New Zealand Lamb were marinated with a blend of both Western and Eastern spices and then grilled to perfection which made the dish a winner.

We finished off the meal with the banana crumble, a welcome treat after the spicy meal.

De Silva has already concocted a list of additional items for the menu including traditional Eurasian staples and Assam Pedas dishes which are another Malaccan favourite.

“It’s all about creativity. We have to experiment with different herbs and spices and cooking methods before coming up with a winning combination that has both local and international flavour to please all our guests.

“Next in line are curry seku (meat cooked in spices) and Devil’s Curry as well as Assam Pedas dishes. Some of these items will be part of our buffet line starting next month,” he said.

The chef, whose career include stints in restaurants and the kitchens of other hotel chains hoped that people would be adventurous enough to try the hotel’s jazzed up menu.

“You won’t have to go all the way to Malacca if you are hankering for a taste of their Portuguese fare as we have it right here.

Chef’s creation: The pasta olio with beef roulade.

“It’s also a great place to be where you can wind down with the beautiful view and a cool drink after your meal,” he said.

The hotel also has conference facilities and amenities for teambuilding activities besides packages for casual travellers and families.

For the school holidays, a special Kiddies Treat Package is available at RM510++ per family.

Apart from the Avillion Admiral Cove, the Avillion Hotel Group operates three other properties - the Avillion Port Dickson, Avillion Legacy Melaka and Avillion Layang-Layang.

For enquiries or reservations at the Admiral Cove, contact the hotel at 06-647 0888.

● TRADERS’ FOOD SHOP, Avillion Admiral Cove, Batu 5 1/2, Jalan Pantai, 71050 Si Rusa, Port Dickson. (Tel: 06-647 0888) Business hours: Breakfast (7am-10.30am), lunch (noon-2.30pm), dinner (6.30pm-9.30pm).

■ This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.

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