Mandarin Grill, one of Tatler's top 20 restaurants in 2020, reopened its doors on November 11, 2020 after an eight-month-long hiatus induced by Covid-19
While some were preoccupied with Single's Day sales on 11.11, the Tatler Dining team was busy testing the waters at Mandarin Grill in Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur. The brand spanking new menu, which executive chef Luigi Stinga has been raring to release for months now, takes diners on a tour of Stinga's Italy—no Vespa required.
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Albeit Mandarin Grill's long absence from March 17 through November 10, 2020, Stinga saw a silver lining in the situation; it was finally time for him to explore his new turf and with it, Malaysia's tasty local cuisine.
"Since moving to Malaysia, I had barely left the hotel, but during lockdown I had the opportunity to try many special local products," he gushed. "As typical of most chefs, I tried to think of ways to incorporate my findings in new creations."
Channelling his restless energy into productivity, Stinga came up with the following new dishes and more:
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