Meat-free delights at Samplings on the Fourteenth

SAMPLINGS on the Fourteenth at Berjaya Times Square Hotel offers vegetarians a fine-dining experience with its new Gastronomic Green Delight menu.
Veggie lovers can look forward to delightful textures from crisp peppers, meaty mushrooms, and leafy greens.
Leading the kitchen at the hotel's award-winning Samplings on the Fourteenth restaurant is chef de cuisine Valmurugan Subramaniam.
Chef Val, as he is fondly known to regulars, says that the “fusion vegetarian concept” utilises ingredients that are typically and mostly Asian but dishes are presented in more refined and elegant western styles.
He added: “We want to upgrade vegetarian food, so presentation-wise it’s [fine-dining] restaurant-style. I play with the ingredients to make [the dishes stand out].”
The wholesome plant-based menu can be sampled in a comprehensive five-course meal at RM118 nett per person, seven courses at RM148 nett, and a hunger-quelling nine-course dinner at RM168 nett.
Meanwhile, ala carte dishes are also available, starting from RM18 nett.
For a flavourful warm appetiser, try the seared haloumi and breaded camembert with pickles and sesame dressing.
The citrussy element from the sliced oranges brings out a sweeter side to the warm and crusty stinky cheese, while the slightly tart pickled onion counteracts the saltiness from the firm haloumi.
An entree worth mentioning is the maple glazed pumpkin with king mushroom and spinach, sprinkled with toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds.
The three variations of the orange plant – glazed pumpkin, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin seeds – on the same plate offers not only a good mouthfeel when eaten together, but comforting flavours as well.
A light maple glaze coats the mushy pumpkin, which is only made better with roasted garlic and flecks of black pepper, pairs well with the king mushroom; almost like an elevated vegetarian version of steak and mashed potatoes.
An unmistakable hint of Thai basil perfumes this next dish of steamed dumplings stuffed with sweet turnip and beans, which relies on the seaweed and two-seed bed it is served on for added texture.
The main course entails a play on Chinese rice dumplings, where it is served deconstructed and minus the bamboo leaf wrapper.
The usual fixings of meat is replaced with diced yam and carrots to complement the soy sauce from the rice, topped with a slice of boiled lotus root and a crispy chip version.
Dusted with gold powder, dessert is a course arguably everyone will love unless, of course, they don’t fancy chocolate.
The sweet end to your meal comes in a form of rich chocolate mud cake served with a smear of butterscotch and row of raspberries, grapes, and orange slices.

Luscious chocolate and marshmallow cream filling coupled with cake makes for a decadent spoonful that is best to alternate between butterscotch-dipped fruit for a mini palate cleanser.
Be sure to have a cup of coffee or tea for a happy ending to your meal.
Samplings on the Fourteenth restaurant opens every Monday to Saturday, from 6.30pm to 10.30pm.
For more, visit berjayahotel.com/kualalumpur, call 03- 2117 8000 (ext. 8131) or email bth.diningreservations@berjayahotel.com.