UNICEF Ambassador Ms Carly Paoli Officiates the Launch of Starhill Gallery's Christmas Charity Drive with Dignity for Children Foundation

The Dignity for Children Foundation (Dignity), a learning centre with 1,000 poor and vulnerable children age 2 to 17 years old, today received strong endorsements from British mezzo-soprano Ms Carly Paoli and Starhill Gallery as part of Starhill Gallery's Christmas Charity Drive.

Ms Carly Paoli is a UNICEF ambassador and one of the most talented singers rising fast in the world of classical music. Having performed at a string of high profile events including her recent performance at the Caracalla for UNICEF concert in Rome, Italy with the legendary Jose Carreras and Andrea Bocelli, the young musical prodigy is in town to perform at the upcoming Tourism and Culture Gala Night:Watch and Jewellery of the Year Awards Presentation alongside Italian tenor Alessandro Safina which was held on 27 November 2015, marking the finale of the on-going A Journey Through Time IX.

The month long Christmas Charity Drive was launched at the Christmas activation event when Ms Carly Paoli activated a Christmas ferris-wheel followed by giving away gifts to 30 children from Dignity. The children's wishes are fulfilled by generous donation of Starhill Gallery and its esteemed tenants, namely Bedat & Co, Carrera y Carrera, Cecil Purnell, Cortina, Garrard & Co, Gubelin, Hermes and Mouawad.

Video : https://instagram.com/p/-oZvGKSbZE/

Starhill Gallery's special guests at the event, the children from Dignity for Children Foundation were treated with special performance by the sensational Ms Carly Paoli who mesmerised everyone in attendance at Newens Tea House.

Pic credit Tatie.
We capped the lovely afternoon with afternoon tea admist the festive sounds of Christmas carollers.

Patrons of Starhill Gallery are invited to participate in the Starhill Gallery's Christmas Charity Drive by visiting the Christmas Tree located next to the Starhill Gallery's Concierge at Indulge Floor. Patrons may pic from the Christmas tree, wish-cards of the children from Dignity to help purchase the gifts for them. The gifts are then to be passed on to the Starhill Gallery's Concierge by 18 December 2015. The gift will be deliver to the foundation before Christmas so that the children could end the year on a high note.

The month long Christmas Charity Drive is part of the Starhill Gallery's corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative under the YTL Group's objective to grow and nurture the potential of Malaysia's future generation of achievers. These have been carried out through various programmers which include engaging and supporting the local community groups, social institutions and non-profit organisations as well as supporting educational initiatives to develop future generations of leaders.


Website : www.starhillgallery.com
Facebook : www.facebook.com/starhillgallery

Pak Loh Chiu Chow Introduces New Dishes @ Feast Village, StarhillGallery KL

Established in 1967, Pak Loh Chiu Chow in Hong Kong has long since forged a name for itself uncompromising on authentic high-end Teochew cuisine. Reputed for serving the most authentic Teochew cuisine, Pak Loh Chiu Chow delivers a wealth of delicious flavours associated with China's gastronomical capital of Guangdong Province. The restaurant insists on using only the finest ingredients, condiments and culinary method in its cuisine. 

Among its popular dishes includes Chilled Pork Jelly, Slow Braised Bean Curd and Chiu Chow Fresh Cold Crab. The new menu at Pak Loh Chiu Chow will see the addition of over 40 new recipes, covering items such as refreshing soups, chicken, beef, pork, seafood, medicinal bird's nest, rice, porridge, noodles and desserts.
Chaozhou (Chiu Chow in Cantonese) is a subgroup of the Han Chinese people live in the eastern coastal of Guangdong. Their cuisine is well known for being a healthier alternative among other Chinese cuisine. Signature dishes are often prepared over a slow fire, stewed, steamed, stir-fried or pickled to perfection, to bring out the best in Chaozhou dish without heavy flavourings.

Pak Loh Chiu Chow, Starhill Gallery, dubbed the Golden Sister of the famed Hong Kong brand opened its doors to the public in 2005. 

The kitchen helmed by Executive Chinese Chef Alex Au, who are born and bred in Hong Kong. He is recently named one of the Asia's Top 20 Chefs. Chef Alex Au introduced 40 new Chiu Chow dishes at Pak Loh Chiu Chow, Starhill Gallery which will be available starting from 5th December 2015.

Private dining that caters to about 12 paxs.

Various teas and Chinese tea pots display.

Ganghu Tea
It is a tradition to have a cup of Oolong tea prior meal.

Baked Bombay Duck Fish with Plum Sauce RM25.00
Crispy on the outside yet soft and tender inside, flavourful fish fillet.

Thread fin Fish Soup with Coriander and Leek RM98.00
Hearty, milky rich, sweet and tasty soup. Must try! Fish are pan-fried prior to boiling to remove its fishy smell and enhance the flavours.

Authentic Top Shell with Preserved Vegetables RM108.00
The top shell is thick, but a tad chewy and hard for me. Flavour wise is delectable.

Traditional Steamed Tiger-Toothed Croaker with Pork, Ham and Garlic, wrapped with aromatic Chinese Cabbage RM98.00

The fish fully wrapped with Chinese cabbage.

Once unwrapped, we are have two stunning, fresh and succulent Tiger-Toothed Croaker fish.

Classic Chiu Chow Wok Fried Assorted Seasonal Vegetables RM32.00

Braised Spring Chicken Stuffed with Glutinous Rice, Garlic, Ginger and Straw Mushrooms RM45.00

Soft and tender chicken meat due to the slow braised cooking technique. The glutinous rice are flavour packed too.

Authentic Smoked Bacon cooked with Yellow Chives RM45.00
With the right combination of fat and smoke, this smoked bacon will tantalize your taste bud to a whole new level. Trust me, I am never a fan of fatty pork, but I simply adore this. Must try!

Braised Pumpkin Bean Curd with Wild Mushroom and Dried Scallop RM42.00
Super silky smooth bean curd though the sweetness of the pumpkin could be a little overwhelming. Must try if you are a pumpkin lover.

Flat Rice Noodle Soup with Threadfin Fish and Preserved Vegetable RM35.00

Rich flavourful soup with the flat rice noodle simply amazing. 

And it's even more amazing when you find a beautiful carrot carving in the soup. Oh my... satisfaction to the max.

Authentic Crispy Bananas with Golden Cream RM24.00
Do you know, many dishes at Pak Loh Chiu Chow bear with them a unique story behind its creations. One fine example is this! Legend has it that during a cooking competition, the two finalist Chef's ran out of ingredients to cook after a gruelling competition. One of the Chef's saw some bananas and decided to use it as a main ingredient, which then become the winning dish for him. When asked for the name of the dish, the Chef could not think of a proper name at such short notice and decided to name it 'not in time'.

It was an interesting dining experience at Pak Loh Chiu Chow with beautiful dishes fit to serve the emperors. You may also catch the talented Chef Alex Au in action in the open kitchen. In conjunction with the launch of the new menu, Pak Loh Chiu Chow will be running an Instagram contest throughout December 2015. Diners would have to take a picture of a dish at Pak Loh Chiu Chow with an interesting caption and hashtag #paklohchiuchow tag @feastvillageshg in order to be in the running to win a Chinese New Year 2016 family set menu.

Hurry visit Pak Loh Chiu Chow from 5th December 2015 onwards to check out its new menu offerings and don't forget to snap lots of picture. Good luck!

Pak Loh Chiu Chow
Feast Village, Feast Floor,
Starhill Gallery,
181, Jln Bukit Bintang,
55100 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel : 03-2782 3856
Business hours :
12.00 noon - 11.00 pm (Daily) Last order at 10.45pm

Website : www.feastvillage.com

A Journey Through Time IX - A La Carte Menu @ Shook!

Opened since 2015, Shook! is Starhill Gallery's most notorious restaurant and most ethnically diverse restaurant of Feast Village. The diverse restaurant continued to captivate guests with its world class elegance and fine dining finesse.

In conjunction with "A Journey Through Time IX', Feast Village's new Executive Chef at Shook! - Chef Richard Sawyer had specially curated menus for the event. I am honoured to be invited to it's 'a la carte menu' sampling preview recently and it definitely takes my gastronomic pleasure to a whole new level. Hailing from England, Chef Richard has 26 years of culinary experiences. His distinguished career has taken him across Europe, the United States as well as Asia.

Appetizer  

Seared Maine Sea Scallop RM68.00

Perfectly seared juicy scallop with a dash of saffron infused cauliflower mousse line.

Beetroot Cured Salmon RM58.00
Dainty and lovely presentation. Served with dill creme fraiche, toasted fennel seeds, watercress and zesty lemon. Simply adores its slight firm texture and well-balanced taste.

Main Course

Roasted Australian Lamb Loin RM168.00
Perfectly done with muesli and mint crust served on a bed of honey, rosemary & edamame puree. Noticed the cute stuffed tomato? So adorable rite!

Baked Fillet of Cod RM138.00
Delicate cod fillet on a bed of heavenly herb risotto with tender thick green asparagus, Australian mussel and saffron cream. Just amazing!

Desserts

Red Velvet
A delightful mixture of taste and texture, from sourish to sweet, chewy soft marshmallow to crispy sugar coat. Truly an interesting desserts.

Shook!'s romantic ambiance of sparkling wine glasses, stylish water features and unique casbah seating areas is akin to its motto of 'dining without borders'  whereby diners could watch the chefs as they perform in action.

Recently, Shook! is awarded gold in the Home Grown category by The Kuala Lumpur Mayor’s Tourism Awards 2014 in a ceremony which identifies and rewards the crème-de-la-crème of the business industry. Shook was also praised for its creative cooking and culinary excellence and for enhancing the reputation of Kuala Lumpur as a culinary destination of choice.

Thank you Shook! for having me. I'm looking forward to attend the upcoming "A Journey Through Time IX" - Asia's premier watch and jewellery showcase. Don't forget to check out the amazing 'a la carte menu' by Shook! only available from 20th - 27th November 2015. Cheers!

Facebook : www.facebook.com/pages/Shook

Disclaimer : Please note that my photo do not reflect the actual portion size. These are only sampling portion and guests who dine with Shook! will receive a more sizable serving. 

A Journey Through Time IX - Asia's Premier Watch and JewelleryShowcase @ Starhill Gallery

Yeah..... It's back! The ninth edition of A Journey Through Time - Asia’s premier watch and jewellery showcase. Starhill Gallery, Malaysia’s ultimate destination for premium lifestyle, fashion, beauty, art and dining is proud to host this year event which will take place from 20th - 27th November 2015.

Watch and jewellery enthusiasts can look forward to the showcase of 125 international watch and jewellery brands to be previewed this year. There will be something for everyone from young beginners to seasoned collectors. In addition to the exhibition of rare private collections, first-in-market editions and exquisite pieces by the world’s leading watch and jewellery brands, guests will be treated to an myriad of events from fashion parades by eminent designers to black-tie dinners, thematic high tea sessions and rousing live performances.

Making a debut at A Journey Through Time IX will be iconic British fashion designer Julien Macdonald whose fashion showcase will feature pieces that will be created exclusively for A Journey Through Time IX along other show-stopping pieces by the eminent designer.

Gareth Gates

Elevating the experience, guests will be entertained with captivating performances by British mezzo-soprano queen, Carly Paoli and pop-idol heart-throb, Gareth Gates.

Workshops by distinguished experts in luxury watches such as horologer Eric Ong and collector Dr. Bernard Chong will take place throughout the event. A series of watch talks will cover topics for beginners, intermediary collectors, as well as the art of fine watchmaking for the affluent connoisseurs. 

Mühle-Glashütte

This year, A Journey Through Time will feature international watch brands such as Bedat & Co, Breguet, Cecil Purnell, Hermès, HYT, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Maîtres Du Temps, Moritz Grossmann, Mühle-Glashütte, Omega, Speake-Marin and Zeitwinkel. 

Gubelin Entourage

Exquisite jewellery brands participating including Ceres, Emperor’s Fine Jewels and Gübelin, just to name a few. Not to be missed is the exclusive Omega watch exhibition which will showcase the limited edition James Bond collection for the first time in Malaysia. 

Gubelin Kashmir Sapphire

The ninth installation will see highlight pieces from Mühle-Glashütte starting from RM5,000 to show-stopping pieces from Gübelin worth up to RM6 million. Swiss ultra-luxury watch manufacturer, Patek Philippe will also be launching in Starhill Gallery in line with A Journey Through Time. 

Chef Richard Sawyer

To heighten the experience, guests will also enjoy specially curated menus for A Journey Through Time by Feast Village’s new Executive Chef at Shook! – Chef Richard Sawyer. A veteran with over 26 years of experience, Chef Richard has worked in two Michelin-star restaurants in London and his gastronomic delicacies will be made available at Feast Village from 20^th to 27^th November 2015.  I had the chance to preview some of the a la carte menu offerings and it was truly amazing. 

A Journey Through Time will come to a grand conclusion with Starhill Gallery’s Watch of the Year Awards. Determined by an esteemed judging panel, nominated watchmakers will have a chance to be crowned the best of 2015 under seven categories.

YTL Hotels together with Starhill Gallery has put together a series of stay packages at its myriad of exclusive hotels. These include JW Marriott Kuala Lumpur, The Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur and the Majestic Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, plus its five resorts across Malaysia; Pangkor Laut Estates, Pangkor Laut Resort, Tanjong Jara Resort, Cameron Highlands Resort, and The Majestic Malacca Hotel.  

For further details, log on to www.ajourneythroughtime.com.my