Chef Kuan Lai is not to be messed with. He has an eye for detail, barks orders like a war is about to break loose and only stops to answer a question or two once every single dish is plated, just right. His flavours, are magic. Think Honey Glazed Pork Belly that you can eat plain or between spongy bao buns with the crunch of fresh coriander stems. Flame Grilled Sugarcane Chicken, succulent and caramelised served with mini rice cakes laced with the sweet goodness of coconut milk.Or how about a medley of mushrooms in a salad marrying mushrooms of different textures and sizes — black fungus, white fungus and shimeji... all tossed in zesty fresh lemon and soya dressing.
Nostalgia meets Nyonya
The latter, he tells us, is from the North Peranakan community, a taste of the Nyonya cooking, he grew up with in Malaysia. Now a consultant based in Cape Town, the 39-year-old is constantly on the move, and this month makes a stopover in our city for a Nyonya Fusion festival at Stix, Hyatt Regency Chennai which promises a curated menu of the not-often-explored Nyonya cuisine alongside his signature specials. This along with a pairing of cocktails and mocktails like the Iced Jasmine Tea Lemonade we find ourselves slurping on through the meal.
Peranakan story
Nyonya cuisine for those wondering, comes from the descendants of early Chinese immigrants who settled in Singapore and Malaysia, therefore leading to a coming together of Chinese ingredients and cooking techniques and spices used by the Malay community. The new people of mixed heritage that was formed as a result came to be known as the Peranakan community. Look out for dishes like a Peranakan Fried Rice and Nyonya-style Sour Prawn Curry with Pineapple. “Interestingly, the Peranakan people have what they call achar as well, except theirs isn’t spicy,” says chef Kuan, as we dip a cracker into a creamy bowl of peanut achar, golden courtesy the turmeric in the mix and with a hint of tang from a squeeze of tamarind juice.
Empress and her treasure
We also enjoy the Chef’s Chinese ‘Nourish Wellness Desserts’. The Eight Treasure Coconut Jelly is inspired by folklore of a stressed out empress who simply couldn’t sleep. “As the story goes, this dessert was created to cool her down,” he tells us with a laugh. Also, not to miss is the concoction of Chilled Almond Milk Curd, Snow Fungus and Longan, which tastes like clouds in a cup, while the classic Asian Mango Sticky Rice arrives topped with grated coconut tossed in jaggery for bonus points on sweet indulgence.
Meal for two with beverages at INR 2,000. For lunch and dinner. On till June 25.