A couple of weeks ago, we had the pleasure of spending an entire Friday afternoon swirling and sipping the extremely delicious Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc while hopping from one restaurant to another for a delectable seafood tasting trail.
The Sauvignon Blanc is one of Cloudy Bay’s most iconic wines – an elegantly refined, fleshy yet focused and refreshing wine from New Zealand’s renowned Marlborough region, the 2013 vintage is ranked amongst the top five in the Drinks International ‘Our World’s Most Admired Wine Brands 2013’ supplement. As if any form of persuasion was needed – I’ve had many a glass of Cloudy Bay and I’ve yet to be disappointed.
From 1st May till 30th June 2014, you’ll be able to savour the Cloudy Bay Sauvingnon Blanc & Seafood tasting trail where 19 dining establishments will partake in a food pairing of a generous glass of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc and seafood. These acclaimed restaurants will serve a special seafood creation to accompany the equally acclaimed Sauvignon Blanc. The gorgeous flavours along with the elegant palate of the wine will take your dining experience to the next level. Wine enthusiasts, we’ll pause to let you drool on your keyboard.
1. Las Carretas
We started our food trail at Las Carretas (Subang Jaya) where the friendly owner Victor walked us through our first dish of the day.
Pan Seared Norwegian Cod Presented on a Bed of Home Made Mash & Broth of Sun-Dried Tomatoes Topped with Bonito Crumbs and Served with Zucchinis paired with a glass of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2013, price TBD.
Skrei, also known as Norwegian Cod takes center stage in this dish. The flavours were delicate – unlike what we expected of Mexican dishes – with a light, refreshing aftertaste thanks to the texture of the zucchinis. The wine matched this rather nicely, achieving a harmonious balance between the fruity flavours of the 2013 vintage and the freshness of the dish.
2. Black Market
Next, we adjourned to Black Market at Jalan Tun Razak. This time, black truffles and a cooked-to-perfection cod dish was just to die for. For me, this was hands down the best pairing of the day. The cod fish was cooked beautifully with black truffles and the chef employed a grill and steam method for this unique dish. The subtle flavours packed an aromatic punch without being too overwhelming for the Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc. This dish demonstrated a harmony and symmetry of flavours which brought out the best in both the wine and the dish.
Black truffle cod fish paired with a glass of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2013, RM98++
3. Caffeinees
Just a few steps away from Black market was Caffeinees, our third stop of the day. If you’re here for the Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc seafood tasting, this is what you’ll be served.
Grilled salmon steak c/w Half Dozen US Fresh Oyster paired with a glass of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2013, RM100 ++
Fans of salmon and fresh oysters, this is going to be a real treat for you. While there’s no doubt that the oysters complemented the wine beautifully, the sauce on the salmon finished in a rather tart aftertaste with the wine.
4. Tanzini @ GTower
Our final stop was at Tanzini, GTower, where Head of F&B, Chef Johhny Fua played host and served us a refined and elegant dish aptly named, The Quartet Platter.
The Quartet Platter:
1. Alaskan Snowcrab Homemade Otak Otak in Locally Infused Dressing
2. Brittanny Blue Ceviche with Starfruit
3. Chargrilled King Prawn in Herbed Oil
4. Hokkaido Scallop en Croute with Catalan Pistachio
5. Fine Mix Greens & Assorted Tosaka Seaweed in Citrus Dressing
Among all the dishes we savoured on the trail, Chef Johnny’s was the most well presented, from the attention-grabbing King prawn centerpiece to the minute details of the entire dish, this was truly a treat of fresh and well put together ingredients. Tanzini’s farm to table concept was hard to miss in this dish, thanks to the fresh produce. The samplings on the Quartet Platter were a melange of seafood and citrus flavours that served as a delectable echo to the Sauvignon Blanc’s sparkling character. According to Chef Johhny, “Food is an experience and journey”, and we couldn’t agree more.
‘SNAP & SHARE’ TO WIN A 3D/2N STAY FOR TWO IN LANGKAWI
The Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc & Seafood Tasting trail is having an exciting Instagram contest from 1st May to 30th June 2014. To stand a chance to win a 3D/2N stay for two at an award winning 5 star hotel in Langkawi, all you have to do is follow the steps below:
1.Follow cloudybaymsia on Instagram and simply share your best Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2013 and paired seafood menu at participating restaurants.
2.Don’t forget to hashtag #cloudybaymsia and tag @cloudybayseafoodtrail.
3. The instagrammer with the most photos of paired seafood menu from as many participating restaurants WILL win!
*A full list of participating outlets can be viewed on cloudybaymsia Instagram site. Terms & conditions apply.
