Food trends come and go but if there is one to jump on this second half of 2014, it is Scandinavian. Restaurants like Noma have catapulted the cuisine into the limelight from prior obscurity.

Chef Karl Jonas Grip

Among the first few to bring a taste this new haute cuisine to Kuala Lumpur is none other than Mandarin Oriental Hotel. From now till the 19^th of October 2014, 3 establishments of the hotel, namely Mandarin Grill, Lounge on the Park and MO Bar, will be serving up the finest in authentic Scandinavian cuisine, whipped up by guest Chef Karl Jonas Grip. A Swedish national himself, he looks forward to delighting food connoisseurs with an extensive ala carte menu that features ingredients imported all the way from Sweden like eel, reindeer and Camembert cheese.

Here we highlight some of the must-try dishes on the menu.

 

 

Smoked Eel with Egg Royal, Pickled Cress and Red Onion Jam

Seafood is ample in Scandinavia but during the winter months, going out to sea may not be the most ideal setting. As such, smoked fish is a big staple when it comes to the later parts of the year. Chef Karl’s smoked eel is done just right, without the fish getting too salty from dehydration. Served with a side of pickled cress and vinegared vegetables, the brininess of the eel is lifted with sharp, sour flavours of the latter. Helping the two contrasting flavours meet halfway is the rich, buttery egg royal. With texture like fresh soy tofu, it melds the two together, resulting in harmonious mouthfuls of fish and fibre.

 

Raraka bleak roe and Crème Fraiche

Another staple of Scandinavia, according to Chef Karl, is potato. Locals are not ashamed to pair seafood with the tubers, as seen with Chef Karl’s Raraka bleak roe dish. Served with a dollop of fresh sour cream, the taste of the sea is eliminated almost completely when roe and cream mix. To add texture and a savoury dimension to the dish, a potato pancake buffers the combination, lending it a nice chewy element.

 

Cauliflower Puree Soup with Parsley Buillon and Smoked Reindeer

Chef Karl’s cauliflower soup is a clever take on the traditional classic but tweaked with a drizzling of parsley buillon laced with truffle oil. What you get is a soup that still retains its creaminess but which flavour is heightened with an added muskiness. Bits of  smoked reindeer ham round up the dish with a slight gaminess that keeps the soup from tasting too green.

 

Duck Potato Crepe with Blueberries and Creamed Savoy Cabbage

Prepared in one of the simplest way possible – lightly grilled -- the duck delighted tremendously on both taste and texture. Tender and juicy, it explodes with flavour that intensifies the longer you chew. Fresh blueberries add a nice sharp spike to the meaty flavour with its tartness. Bringing the flavours back to earth is the mild potato crepe which creaminess lengthens the flavour of both duck and blueberries beautifully.

 

Deep Fried Camembert with Cloudberries and Deep Fried Parsley

If you’re a fan of deep-fried mozzarella sticks, get ready to have your cheese priority rearranged. Chef Karl’s deep fried Camembert is crispy on the outside but perfectly gooey and melty on the inside. Things are kept from getting too cloying with the mashed cloudberries that lifts the heavy brine of the cheese with its bittersweet fruitiness.

 

Norwegian Apple Tart with Dark Rye

Apple tarts are typically artificially saccharine sweet and lumpy but Chef Karl’s creation that is made of none other than the unassuming Granny Smiths is crisp with the natural sweetness of green apples carrying the whole dessert home. The pastry is unsweetened toasted rye bread, which lends it a fragrant note on the nose and a crumbly feel on the tongue. Even if you believe you do not have space in your stomach for dessert any longer, the slight sourness of the concoction will make space for itself.

 

The full menu boasts a long list of more Scandinavian delicacies that are sure to entice even the most discerning foodie like crayfish soup with leek pie and salmon gravlax with mustard sauce and cream potato and vanilla parfait with Swedish berries and almond crisps among others. Starters and soups are priced between RM38++ to RM95++ while main courses are between RM125++ to RM155++. Desserts are priced from RM34++ to RM56++. 

You can choose to dine at Mandarin Grill for the full fine dining experience with the restaurant's romantic ambience, or choose a more casual setting at Lounge on the Park or MO Bar. At Lounge on the Park and MO Bar, you can enjoy complimentary Scandinavian-inspired canapes in the evenings while being serenaded by live performance by 'The Erling Ribbing Duo' from 6pm to 10pm daily. 

For more information or reservation enquiries, please call 03 - 2380 8888 or email mokul-fb@mohg.com.

 

We recomend: 

• Mosaic's buffet lineup turns up the heat at Mandarin Oriental KL
• Sommelier Peter Tang debuts at Mandarin Oriental KL