An ethereal white centrepiece at Restaurant Blanc, formerly known as the Dining Room at Macalister Mansion, set the scene for a serene wine pairing highlighting the wines of Château Pontet-Canet and Chef Takuya Yamashita's French-Japanese cuisine.
Not only were the organic-certified (Agence Bio/AB) wines transported from Pauillac to Penang specifically for the occasion; Justine Tesseron, co-owner of the Château, also took time off to visit the Pearl of the Orient.
The second guest of honour that evening was responsible for concocting flavours that would complement the prestigious wines. Chef Takuya Yamashita, Whitegrass Restaurant's affable head chef, let his love of 'la cuisine naturelle' shine through in dishes such as line-caught Japanese bonito, somen with Hokkaido crab, watermelon soup, and Murata Gyu, a crossbreed between Wagyu cattle and Holstein Friesians.
