Czech cuisine reigns at dinner in The Library, Ritz Carlton from now till Wednesday 11 April. Award-winning guest chef Pavel Sapik from Terasa u Zlate Studne or Terrace Restaurant in Prague gave us a lunch preview of his five-course Czech dinner on Monday.
Amuse bouche of Smoked Trout, Eel Mousse, Beetroot slices
What piqued my palate at this lunch of Czech cuisine were the Veal Tartare with goat cheese, dried tomatoes, glassy egg yolk, Bohemian Kuladja Soup and Duck Confit with sliced duck breast sous vide and red cabbage.
But first the Amuse Bouche of Smoked Trout Mousse and Beetroot Slices, which had a mousse of smoked trout and eel topped with orange jelly and a piece of perfectly smoked and delicious trout. The crunchy beetroot slices balanced the rich mousse, and the whole ensemble was finished with a creamy beetroot sauce.
Veal Tartare, Goat cheese, dried tomatoes, glassy egg yolk
My senses perked up with the Veal Tartare combined with dill, parsley, dried tomatoes and onions and crowned with goat cheese. The texture and flavours were amazing. The glassy egg yolk is actually quite hard and is edible dredged through the balsamic reduction.
Bohemian Soup Kulajda — creamy potatoes, fresh forest mushrooms, poached egg — amazing
The Bohemian Kulajda Soup of creamy potatoes, fresh forest mushrooms and poached egg channelled the essence of Czech cuisine, in a sublime way. The soup was sweet and sour and a textural delight. A poached egg sat in it, and cutting through oozed a runny egg yolk into the distinctive wild forest mushroom soup. Small cubes of potato added to its delightfulness.
Duck Confit, sliced duck breast sous vide, red cabbage and Carlsbad dumpling
Chef Pavel showed his deft hand with the Duck Confit, with the duck breast sous vide and served with Carlsbad Dumpling and red cabbage. The confit duck leg was rich and lovely, the duck breast delivered tender bites. Carlsbad is a town in western Bohemia and the dumpling is assembled in a mosaic design with bread fried in egg and butter. The red cabbage tasted like a sauerkraut but on the sweeter side, and helped cut through the richness of the duck.
Old Prague’s Pear Dumplings, marzipan, breadcrumbs, nutty butter
Dessert was Old Prague’s Pear Dumplings with marzipan, breadcrumbs and nutty butter. Dumplings are very much a part of Czech cuisine, and these dumplings were filled with pear confit and marzipan, and presented on nutty butter or caramelised sugar with butter. It was finished with thin, crispy pear slice.
All the five courses were paired with wines. I particularly liked the Cecchi La Mora Vermentino with the amuse bouche, the Zizola Nero d’Avola DOC which went to well with the Duck Confit and the lightly sweet and fragrant KWV Classic Collection Moscato.
Chef Pavel Sapik, right, and Chef Michael
Chef Pavel has been forging his path brilliantly through the culinary world and is considered an icon in Prague, having won numerous awards in the Czech Republic. He has received a Gold award at the Singapore Culinary Olympics. His family has been in the food industry since the 17th century!
To book the dinner, call +6032142 8000 or email dining@ritzcarlton.com.my.
See also: https://www.mzv.cz/kualalumpur/en/news_and_events/czech_culinary_experience_in_kuala_lumpur.html
https://www.mzv.cz/kualalumpur