Posh nosh

What say you on the issue below?

You don’t have to be born with a silver spoon to appreciate the finer things in life at Café Stelle by Raffles Hotels & Resorts.

Café Stelle is not your average café. Nestled within the Couture Pavilion precinct of Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, it is the only outlet I know that has a 40m, elevated fashion runway as its centre aisle.

Add inventive offerings like Porcini Mushroom Ice-cream and Crème Caramel Tea, and you have a chic eatery that is anything but ordinary.

Cream Of Wild Mushroom.

Managed by Raffles Hotels & Resorts, Café Stelle boasts a stylish setting abounding in natural wood and metallic finishes, warm hues and sleek furnishings. Patrons who don’t fancy formal table seating can opt for the cosy ottomans and lounge settees instead.

According to Café Stelle’s director of operations, Maniraja Marimuthu, “Stelle means ‘stars’ in Italian. Hence, the café is named in tribute to Bukit Bintang as a modern and thriving commercial haven.”

Chef de cuisine Elson Cheong is responsible for dishing up the café’s Italian-inspired menu, a task in which he takes great pride. Despite having been in the industry for only a decade, Cheong has won many awards, including that of Best Chef in Asian Cuisine at the 2008 Food and Hotel Asia Culinary Challenge.

Cheong, who credits his former mentor, Otto Weibel, as his biggest influence, says he places as much emphasis on food quality as he does the overall taste and presentation of every dish.

“Personally, I’m partial to Singaporean and Malaysian street food. That’s why I enjoy finding new ways to modernise popular specialities without affecting their original flavours. Coming up with unusual dishes is akin to creating a piece of modern art.

“The same philosophy applies at Café Stelle. Whether it’s healthy gourmet salads, divine soups or freshly baked paninis, my team is focused on using only the finest and freshest ingredients to replicate the traditional and contemporary delights in our menu. Everything that’s served here has to look and taste good to please our discerning clientele,” Cheong stresses.

“As part of Raffles’ commitment in providing exceptional service to customers,” Mani interjects, “even chefs are required to interact with guests and serve at the frontline in our outlets. This way, any compliments or complaints go directly to them, leaving little room for miscommunication.”

Confit of Salmon, Mango Salsa and Crunchy Baby Salad.

Chef Cheong is someone who doesn’t believe in doing anything in half measures. For the starter of Confit of Salmon, Mango Salsa and Crunchy Baby Salad, for instance, he actually takes the trouble to slow-cook a slab of marinated salmon at 40°C for 30 minutes.

Served with warm olive oil, the fish tastes sublime with its inherent richness tempered by an aromatic marinade of herbs, garlic, onion, dill, salt and pepper. In addition, the zesty mango salsa speckled with tiny dices of red chilli, fragrant vanilla oil, briny green olives, tart orange wedges and sweet aged balsamic vinegar add colour, flavour and texture to the artful composition.

Having heard the rave reviews of the café’s Cream of Wild Mushroom from food-loving friends, I decide to try it. Well, their praises are indeed justified. The soup’s scrumptious secret apparently lies not in the fresh button, wild shiitake and portobello mushrooms used in its preparation but the inclusion of mascarpone.

Chef Cheong reveals that the unctuous broth is thickened with potato instead of flour, and he adds several drops of truffle oil to give the soup a rich and musky aroma.

The Rack of Lamb with Feta Crust and three types of Caramelised Vegetables, accompanied by Lamb Jus with Shallots comes with a nice surprise — goose liver in a crispy, golden coating of breadcrumbs. Juicy and tender, the lamb remains slightly pink in the centre, which is exactly the way I like it. It is one of those rare dishes with a balanced mix of full-bodied and light flavours, briny and sweet accents.

Chef de cuisine Elson Cheong.

Chef Cheong’s final trump card is equally imaginative; after all, how many chefs do you know makes sorbet out of avocado? The contrast in flavours is further heightened by the accompanying Marinated Strawberries with Balsamico and Pepper.

Tea connoisseurs should make it a point to order a pot of TWG tea. The brand’s refined selection encompasses choice blends like Grand Wedding (black tea with white flowers and exotic fruits aroma), Moroccan Mint, Magic Flute (black tea with citrus fruits and hints of red berries), Emperor Sencha and Royal Darjeeling.

Café Stelle also serves a three-course set lunch priced at RM68. Starters are from RM18, soups from RM17.50 and sandwiches from RM19.50. Pasta dishes range between RM29 and RM38 while main courses are around RM40 and RM90 with dessert at RM15.