There’s nothing like an exquisite meal shared with good friends in pleasant environs; and that is exactly what Tunku Dara Tunku Tan Sri Naquiah organised to celebrate the birthdays of the “March hares” among her close friends and family: Tunku Naquiyuddin, Tunku Nurul Hayati, Tunku Shahabuddin, Che Engku Mahirah and Magda Vera.

The exclusive night of fine dining—courtesy of Tai Zi Heen, Prince Hotel & Residence Kuala Lumpur—was up for grabs during the Malaysian International Gourmet Festival (MIGF) Chefs’ Charity Auction during the Grand Finale of MIGF 2007, with all proceeds going to Yayasan Budi Penyayang.

Host Tunku Dara, her husband Tunku Muzaffar and their eleven guests revelled in the specially created 6-course gourmet feast by Chef Ricky Thein at Tai Zi Heen’s cosily elegant interior. This superb restaurant specialises in authentic Hong Kong Cantonese cuisine, featuring a delicious array of signature dishes and a fine selection of home-made dim sum.

Among the highlights of the charity dinner was the appetizer platter, which featured several flavourful morsels: Steamed Spinach Crystal, Prawn Dumpling with Cepe Mushrooms, Steamed Chicken and Shrimp Dumpling filled with Sea Urchin and Salmon Roe, and Crispy Money Bag filled with Prawns, Chicken and Black Pepper. The succulent mains featured more seafood: Oven-baked Cod with Parmigiano Cheese Crust and Wok-Fried Spinach; and Pan-fried Scallops with Beef Bacon and Tropical Fruit Salsa. The meal was wrapped up with the unusual yet delicious combination of Hot Crispy Green Tea Pudding with Vanilla-Red Bean Gelato.

The host and her guests clearly enjoyed the fantastic meal: “The dinner was superb and the presentation, formidable,” says Tunku Dara. “I have always enjoyed the MIGF and it gets better and more sophisticated every year. And the chefs are so sincere, and so delightful.”

The amiable Chef Thein has almost 20 years of experience in modern Cantonese and Asian cuisine. He is delighted to be given the opportunity to help others through his work. “I’m very happy to be able to participate in MIGF. And I’d like to say thank you to the winning bidder and host for supporting the cause, Yayasan Budi Penyayang, and Prince Hotel by bidding for this charity dinner. It’s a great thing to help people, and I hope I’ll have more chances to do so in the future,” he says.

Chef Rajesh was calm, sharing a joke or two with his staff, who were ready to dish out a banquet for Dato’ Ramli Kalam and his company of 18 guests. Could it be the pouring rain outside the Westin Hotel that was holding them up? Well, stormy weather or not, Dato’ Ramli Kalam soon arrived at QBa for a night of excellent food and company after winning a Chef Charity Auction bid at the Malaysia International Gourmet Festival—a bid that would go to Yayasan Budi Penyayang. He was soon followed by a cheerful—and stylish—group of his close acquaintances.

The evening started with a round of drinks at the cigar lounge where the group gathered in a fellowship of men at one end and a bevy of beautiful ladies on the other. Indeed, they had a lot to catch up on as laughter and chatter filled the air. Datin Normila, the ever so jubilant host, even managed to round up the whole gang, getting the gentlemen up on their feet—which would normally be an impossible feat—for a fun photography session. Dato’ Ramli Kalam was more than happy to oblige Datin Normila’s variety of events that night and agreed that his bubbly wife is a very good host, always putting her guests and the staff of QBa at ease.

“I like a casual and comfortable atmosphere wherever I go. My guests get to relax and be themselves. Then, the night will be more fun and memorable,” said Dato’ Ramli with a big smile on his face.

And it was certainly a fun night! Dato’ Ramli and his guests feasted on Kobe Beef Chuck and Double Roasted Pepper Salad, Poached Argentinian Eye Fillet, Pan-seared Porcini Mushroom and Quail Egg with Chorizo Tomato Salad. The Raspberry Souffle White and Dark Chocolate was a perfect closure to a fantastic banquet and Dato’ Ramli was again very impressed. He added, “I’ve been a regular at QBa since its opening and I haven’t been disappointed yet. The Chef is very creative and it’s a beautiful place to impress my guests and clients. So far, the feedback have been very positive.”

Of course, Chef Rajesh was all smiles upon hearing that. “It’s always a pleasure to present new things to Dato’ Ramli. He’s always open to trying new dishes and is a great host. Very down-to-earth and everyone loves him.”

Well, a picture tells a thousand words and the smiles of the muchloved couple and their guests proved how fun a night out in KL could be with
three ingredients - scrumptious food, superb company and a great
sense of humour.