Food & Dining

It’s no easy feat to translate director Ridley Scott’s The Seven Worlds short film into flavours on plates, but we have to say that Chef Lroy Lim of Saint Pierre Kuala Lumpur has managed to do so in a seven-course meal, most tastefully and in a delicate manner too.

The Seven Worlds showcases each tasting note of Hennessy X.O in a creative interpretation described by Hennessy’s Comité de Dégustation as illustrations of the cognac’s taste and feel: Sweet Notes, Rising Heat, Spicy Edge, Flowing Flame, Chocolate Lull, Wood Crunches; culminating in Infinite Echo. Reflecting this is each course that highlights the tasting notes and rounds up the versatility of the cognac.

Saint Pierre Kuala Lumpur is the setting for the Seven Worlds of Hennessy X.O dinner.

We started out with a range of canapes, a selection of freshly baked bread, and three homemade butters (seaweed, lemon, and caper) which were a delicious introduction of what was to come. Following that, the Wood Crunches course was served – thin slices of smoked Japanese amberjack marinated in soy sauce, sake, and mirin.

Prepared raw on a ring of dashi-ponzu gel with chopped ohba (perilla leaf) and myoga Japanese ginger, it was a play on woody, fresh, and umami flavour with a cool texture. The smokiness of the dish brought out the wood flavours in the Hennessy X.O in a subtle manner.

Sweet Notes of Foie Gras.

Next came the decadent Sweet Notes in the form of foie gras served with apples and an old port jus, the blend of saltiness and sweetness enhanced by the candied fruit. The acidity in the apples and richness of the sauce harmonised the flavours in every mouthful while complementing the savoury and tender foie gras. It left us wanting more.

Flowing Flame of Lobster.

Following the foie gras, which was a tough one to top, was the lobster in Flowing Flame. Using a lobster in its shell and grilled over charcoal with a butter glaze, it was accompanied by a turnip trio of roasted turnip tea, a turnip puree, and a tower of cooked turnip glazed in butter.

The smoky charcoal aromas with the freshness of the perfectly cooked lobster was a standout and not overshadowed by the subtle taste of the turnip. Paired with the cognac, it brought out its warmth and depth of flavour.

Infinite Echo with black truffle.

The fourth course of Infinite Echo was a vegetarian version of a classic scallop and truffle mille-feuille (pastry of a thousand sheets) – filo pastry layered with salt-baked celeriac and black truffle, accompanied with an Earl Grey tea-infused celeriac puree and port wine and truffle jus. The fragrant black truffle and citrus notes from the tea was a surprisingly tantilising combination, lingering together with oaky sips of cognac.

Rising Heat – Duck.

When we finally approached the main course, we were curious as to what Rising Heat would bring. Aged Irish duck was cooked sous vide before being pan-seared for crispy skin and served with a spice mix of coriander seed, cumin, black pepper, and Szechuan peppercorns, making it a robust burst of flavours. With it were Belgian endives glazed with duck jus and sansho pepper oil which brought out heat without drowning the rest of the dish.

Spicy Edge.

Sweet endings to the meal were provided by the Spicy Edge and Chocolate Lull courses, the former being citrusy and spicy while the latter, a rich and smooth dessert. Spicy Edge was a refreshing sorbet inspired by festive spiced wine and its classic touches of cinnamon, clove, and orange peel, made with white wine instead of red. Fresh orange slices made it a joyful and light dessert.

Chocolate Lull.

This was followed by Chocolate Lull’s delicate chocolate shell shaped like an open log and filled with milk chocolate, milk gel, praline mousse, and hazelnut crumble with extra milky double cream ice cream on the side. The crunch of the shell and crumble together with the milkiness of the ice cream was certainly a fantastic finish to an elaborate meal.

The Seven Worlds experience is certainly an adventure for foodies and those looking to savour cognac paired with a decadent meal in a distinctive way. It’s available at Saint Pierre Kuala Lumpur from now until 1 December 2019 at RM538++ per person with Hennessy X.O at RM58++ per glass or RM950++ per bottle (700ml).

Related: The Seven Worlds of Hennessy X.O’s Odyssey Through the Eyes of Ridley Scott