Rodriguez carving up perfectly seasoned slow-roasted beef for the feast at Latest Recipe, Le Meridien, Kuala Lumpur. — Photos: LOW LAY PHON/The Star
Roast turkey is the quintessential centrepiece of Christmas feasts.
While its golden, crispy skin is a delight, some may find the meat slightly tougher than chicken and less succulent.
This is where a chef’s culinary expertise comes into play.
In the hands of Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur executive chef Antoine Rodriguez, the traditional bird is elevated as he prepares a turkey galantine with bread stuffing, serving this with mixed nuts and grilled vegetables.
Turkey galantine.
“The turkey meat is brined to make it more tender and flavourful before it is slowly cooked for two hours with bread stuffing.
“It is served with grilled sausage and smoked beef with a side of giblet sauce and cranberry reduction as well as Yorkshire pudding,” he said.
Indeed, the dish is impeccably executed, with flavours from various meats combined into one savoury masterpiece.
This festive season, the hotel’s “La Fete” promotion presents a sumptuous buffet available from Dec 25 to Jan 1.
The menu showcases a delectable array of holiday favourites.
Another highlight is slow-roasted prime ribs and ribeye at the carving station.
Beneath a caramelised crust seared to perfection and seasoned with thyme, rosemary and black and red peppercorns, lies tender, pink, medium-rare beef.
Seafood on ice.
The hint of sweetness and tanginess from a light brushing of the meat with lemon and honey elevates the dish further.
To start their delectable festive meal, diners can enjoy cold appetisers such as smoked salmon and salmon roses, Christmas cold cuts, assorted tapas, beetroot mojito shots or steamed lobster and rainbow tomato salad.
Other festive dishes include roasted chat potatoes, smoked beef, sauteed onions Lyonnaise-style and freshly chopped parsley.
In addition to the festive options, the restaurant is offering its signature fare.
The tempura prawns, for instance, are a perennial favourite at Latest Recipe.
These firm prawns, coated in a crispy, appetising batter, are often snapped up the moment they are served at the tempura station.
I was fortunate to savour Rodriguez’s carbonara penne, prepared fresh at the pasta station.
Generously topped with sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts, the dish revealed a delightful balance of texture and flavour.
What’s Christmas without a decadent spread of desserts?
The Yule log by pastry chef Orange Chong encases layers of chocolate mousse, panna cotta and tiramisu.
Assorted tarts are among the Christmas treats on offer.
Meanwhile, the Christmas Forest cake, rich in chocolate, offers a surprising burst of tanginess from raspberry juice.
Guests can also indulge in the Orange Madeleine Christmas tree, French Croque en Bouche with vanilla mascarpone, chocolate fudge cake and apple tarte tatin.
The festive buffet dinner, served from Dec 25 to 30 and Jan 1, is priced at RM228nett per adult and RM114nett per child.
Meanwhile, the Christmas Eve Buffet Dinner is priced at RM288nett per adult and RM144nett per child.
The Christmas Day Brunch is tagged at RM238nett per adult and RM119nett per child.
For New Year’s Eve, the buffet dinner is RM308nett per adult and RM154nett per child, while the New Year’s Day Brunch Buffet is priced at RM218nett per adult and RM109nett per child.
LATEST RECIPE Le Meridien, Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Stesen Sentral, Kuala Lumpur Sentral, Kuala Lumpur. (Tel: 03-2263 7888) Business hours: 6.30am to 10pm daily.
This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.
