Hennessy X.O Appreciation Grows with Chef Micheal Han @ St Joseph’s Novitiate, Gurney Paragon, Penang

After much anticipation from the first food hunt trail Hennessy X.O with Chef Micheal Han at the beginning of the month (click here), I was counting days to this much finale event. Keep wondering for the past 3 weeks how is the chef gonna deconstruct our Penang street food. As last round we get to know that the chef is amaze with some of the dishes especially the oh,chien. On my thought, it just would not jive along what is going to be serve tonight.

All of us are here again, truly honour to be invited again by both G2 and MHD to this exclusive event. Tonight we will be dining along with Chef creation on how he had deconstruct all our beloved Penang food to another level to pair along with Hennessy X.O.

As we were ask to gather around lobby at 7.30pm and guess what? Infront of G-Hotel, we were ferry by trishaws to our dinner location and its just another great level of experience that so many security blocking the road and all the trishaw uncle paddling their way there thru busy traffic in Gurney Drive.

Just right about 2 blocks away we had reach our dinner destination St Joseph’s Novitiate, a heritage building that had restore and being center of lime light under new construction Gurney Paragon.

I am amazed that they had transform the whole place into Hennessy X.O stuff with red carpet being roll out. For the first time felt like VIP. 😀

As right after registration, we were usher up to this wooden stair case that lit along with candles like, follow the light, you wont be lost.

Right at the entrance I saw Will Quah, of course will be the official Emcee for the night.

Time is still pretty early, and as early as 7.30pm we are all enjoying our glass of Hennessy X.O already.

Select your drinks sir, would you like it to be – neat, on the rocks, or with water

They will be moving around to ensure that your glass doesnt run dry.

I further venture around then there is this quartet serenades guests upon arrival. It reminds me of all those rich doing a high end charity like what you seen in the Hollywood movie with us chatting around and enjoying the soft music background.

Just love this area, its cozy, fitted with dark comfy sofa and just plunge yourself onto it will stuck there for a while.

upon drinking on my glass, I starred at the glass momentarily then only I realise the uniqueness of the glass, right at the bottom there is all the wordings. Love mine with little water and a cube of ice to just make it slightly chill.

With yeng kor Cheng Yi – Fatboybakes, leng chai Robert from G2, Anna – annna.net and me

As the time hit, we were ask to enter to the dining hall and my oh my, it instantly reminds me of Harry Potter movie dinning scene. With long tables that every one is seated and I thought, if every one in classic dressing like Harry Potter movie then it will be super cool. Nevertheless the most important is, the presence of Hennessy X.O drink with us all night long. 😀

Found my seating and greeted with a cool folded napkins in tuxedo style along with menu being clip in between..

Everyone is just so busy taking pictures along with cameras exchanging here and there.

This is what happen when camera are being exchange as I also do want to be in the picture. I do not have the tux so I borrowed it to look smart.

The whole event started off with Will Quah introducing and welcoming all of us.

A glimpse on Chef Han to those who have not seen him in person.

Menu for the night, it blows me away as what we sampling around on early month, it came out 90%. What a great challenge for the chef and just cant wait to get a bit on all those wonderful creation.

We set sail on our first dish of the night. Pie Tee – Chutoro and Ginger

It was presented on a huge cube of wood standing tall is this 2 pai tee that does not look much different from our local scene and one thing for sure, ingredient inside looks solid. Blends of eggs with fatty tuna mix with herbed mayonnaise, tarragon, parsley, chives and chervil, taste is light and I pop the whole thing in one mouth bite, then end with sip of Hennessy. Blends well in my thought.

Then every one started to chat about the dish, what do you think? Its like good, and lets continue to drink!

Then I manage to peek into the kitchen, that chef and his team are so busy preparing our second dish.

Here comes our Penang famous Rojak –  Violets and Carambola Flowers

Being deconstructed in a way that its too pretty to be eaten. Colorful to my eyes and start to wonder what is those mini roll. It is a mixture of fruits and vegetable, being cut finely then curl along with straws to make the size even. Add on with prawn paste, end with sprinkles of crunchy peanut, garnish along with edible flowers. Each plate are being serve with 30 cylinders. Every roll is crunchy and ‘heh kor’ is not too strong, just light enough to pair along with the vegetable and fruits. I find it goes better with neat rather than with some water.

Halfway thru our dinner, we were greeted with this amazing voice that most of us turn our attention to her. Soft sweet voice that sings all classic songs with a few piece of classical instruments is the right blend that had been missing out.

As my attention was to that sweet voice but huge bowl and good expression by Ciki pull me back to my food. Next up on our table is Assam Laksa.  Two plump seared  scallops from Froya, garnished with herbs, and the most unique part of all is a 50ml bottle of stock in a medicine bottle. In first sight I thought what is that bottle all about that looks like cough syrup. Then we were told by the chef its actually the soup to be add on.

Just on my own thought, – how did the chef come out with all this idea. Just one of its kind on how to present Laksa in different level. The soup on the bottle is serve in room temperature as if its pippin hot we wont be able to hold it. If its served cold, the taste will not be perfect therefore room temperature was the perfect combination

After pouring all the soup, and the strong smell of the soup just float into the air, smells as good as the original laksa.

Putting first sip of soup base by tasting it, I pause for a while same to the rest, is the soup cold? Well, room temperature as we totally forgot about it whereby we are so used in eating laksa with its soup pippin hot. It would even taste better if the soup is warm, yet if the soup saltiness slightly tone down then its perfect. Never the less, the scallop is amazingly juicy, soft  and huge.

Laksa turns out to be my favorite dish of the night as many commented its too salty yet I still like it as it pairs well with my neat Hennessy X.O

Then Karen with the rest of MHD team members share their delights on how the whole process of engagement and how all of us enjoy the food.

We will never stop take pictures when alcohol keep flowing down . .:D

Or Chien – with Duck Eggs and Smoked Oil.

pre cooked in buttermilk, adding to its creamy texture, deep fried Panko (Japanese bread crumbs), to add onto that crispy texture, chives and the edible kelp, Kombu are place on top. Right after Anna finish this oyster, she starred at mine as I am still busy taking pictures of this then  I have to place both hands protecting it from being stolen.

I put the whole oyster in and only understand why she stared at the oyster.

Hokkien Mee – Sakura Ebi and XO Sauce.

Noodle was soft as the main ingredients in it is sakura ebi that I try to eat every bite with it that create a slight saltiness yet spicy just that its too oily.

When I saw the menu he have Nasi Kandar cook, I was totally amaze and really looking forward to it as our last food hunt with chef, he also fell inlove with the taste of spices. Amazingly, it took chef 3 days to marinate along with rendance saunce onto this awesome piece of  Wagyu Cheeks, Onions and Ash.

The tenderness and softness  of the wagyu cannot be describe as I found myself eating for the first time a meat that being marinate for 3 days. Apparently all this process have to be done in Singapore then air flew in as some of the ingredients he wants are unable to be located

ABC @ Horseradish, Hibiscus and Rose Hips

Ice Kacang turns out to be a whole new experience to be that condiments, such as rose hip, horseradish, and hibiscus will be a unique combination to me.

Right at the end of the dinner, Chef Micheal Han and team came out and I must say what a amazing experience that you have give to us. Really out of our imagination on the ingredients that you use that manage to pull it near to our favourite Penang street food yet to prepare dishes for so many guess on the night its absolutely amazing.

Next day, we were then gathered for a Q&A Session with Chef and Karen Marketing Director of Moët Hennessy Diageo Malaysia. Dinner for appreciation Grows are meant to be injected with new ideas, concepts and venue is one of a important factor for all their exclusive dining. By choosing some one who can relate onto their brand is a challenge yet cannot deny that, scouting chef talent is one of their expertise that Chef Micheal Han really able to come out with all the food into a new dimension. Its truly a new dining experience to me as the previous dinner on Hennessy X.O Appreciation night with Chef Edward Lee is totally different.

I am already looking forward for next installment. Can’t wait.