Concorde's Melting Pot Offers Asian flavours

Hence, it is no surprise that Concorde Hotel Shah Alam sous chef Mohd Long Abd Rahman prefers to prepare and serve dishes from the region rather than Western ones.

“The thing about Asian dishes is that they taste as good as they look,” Mohd Long said.

Mohd Long who has been in the culinary line for 20 years said most Asians would prefer to have dishes from the region instead of Western offerings because of the unique flavour.

Alluring Asia: The promotion offers more than 60 dishes from various countries.

“All of the taste – sour, salty, sweetness - blend harmoniously in the dish, creating a burst of flavour once it gets into the mouth,” he added.

Realising the demand for Asian dishes among local diners, the chef and the kitchen staff at the hotel’s Melting Pot has prepared an array of dishes from Asia this month.

The special Asian flavour promotion at the Melting Pot Cafe is available until the end of the month.

Served during dinner in buffet style, the spread offers more than 60 dishes, which is different daily.

Mohd Long said that the Asian dishes promotion was also to meet their customers’ demand.

“We have tried a variety of dishes including Western but they don’t really sell. When we asked around, most of our diners say they prefer Asian dishes.

“So we want to give them the best of Asian cuisine,” he said, adding that the hotel wants to become the Asian food hub for the Klang Valley.

Especially for the promo: Mamak's style noodle dish using penne pasta.

Not only do diners get a chance to savour the local dishes like siput sedut masak lemak, fish head curry and ikan panggang, diners also get to try dishes from other Asian countries like Vietnam, the Philippines, Japan, Thailand, China and India.

A highlight of the promotion is food served on Mongolian hot plate and skewer.

Green and red peppers, onions, mushrooms as well as green vegetables are cooked on a hot plate accompanied by meat on skewers.

What is special about the dish is the sauce that it is served with.

“It is butter-based but full of flavour. We are also using the sauce to baste the meat on the hotplate,” he said.

At one look, the dishes from the Philippines are not much different from our Chinese dishes.

With its thick, starchy soy-sauce gravy, they resemble some dishes that are often served here.

But they do not taste the same.

“The difference is in the seasoning used in their dishes. Instead of just soy sauce and thickening agent, they use a combination of spices and vinegar,” Mohd Long said.

For the promotion, the chef has also created mamak-style noodle dishes using penne pasta.

The combination worked well as the pasta absorbs the seasoning well without getting soggy.

Another East-meets-West dish is the Singapore-style noodle using spaghetti, which is also a hit with noodle fans.

To refresh the palate after savouring all these Asian delights, diners can try Nature's Paradise - a mocktail specially created for the promotion.

It is a blend of kiwi, passion fruit, longan syrup and bitter lemon. It gives a burst of sourish and sweet taste once it touches the tongue.

“It is cooling as well as tasty and ideal for hot days,” he said.

Melting Pot Cafe, Ground Floor, Concorde Hotel Shah Alam, Jalan Tengku Ampuan Zabedah, Section 9, Shah Alam. Tel: 03-5512 2200. Business Hours: 24 hours daily.

Source : STAR
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