Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur is known for their breathtaking views, attentive hospitality and interactive dining experiences at the THIRTY8 restaurant, wine bar and lounge.

After our romantic five course adventure with them on Valentine’s Day, we decided to return for a grown-up version of a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory adventure.

High on Sugar: Chocolate Finesse is a cocoa-rich afternoon tea buffet featuring over 40 chocolate inspired recipes using chocolates sourced from Malaysia, Belgium, France and Switzerland.

Grand Hyatt uses chocolate from notable brands like Callebaut, Valhorna and Felchlin.

Brownies and chocolate chip cookies made from four types of chocolates.

Executive Chef Rolf Knecht spilled the (cocoa) beans on the differences and similarities between the four types of chocolates used to produce this dessert finesse.

Firstly, all four chocolates used the same cocoa beans. It’s their roasting and processing methods that produces different characteristics in the chocolates.

Chef Rolf also shared how the Malaysian chocolate, which originates from small cocoa bean farms in Pahang, are his personal go-to snack. He would also opt for the Pahang chocolate when whipping up a chocolate dessert for his children. He added that by purchasing from local sources, it encourages sustainability, supports local businesses and produces smaller carbon footprints.

For instance, Callebaut, a form of Belgium chocolate, is a sustainable brand that’s big on going against deforestation.

From a chocolate tasting section to a guilt-free corner and plated chocolate savouries served hot, here are the 6 dishes that caught our attention.

1. Crème Brûlée

Pahang Chocolate and freshly-burned traditional crème brûlée

Part of the experience of this chocolate buffet is the pleasure of watching your desserts being made in front of your eyes.

Traditional crème brûlée being torched

The traditional crème brûlée was custard soft with a delightful crackly sugar top. Not too sweet, not too creamy, the flavours are nicely balanced.

Pahang Chocolate crème brûlée

If you’ve never had a chocolate crème brûlée, this one’s worth a shot. With the torched layer of sugar on top, it tasted like a roasted chocolate custard, perfect for those with an affection for a smokey aftertaste in their food.

2. Belgium Chocolate Raspberry Gateau

More often than not, chocolate cakes tend to either be too airy, too dense or sickly sweet and spammed with buttercream. But this moist chocolate cake topped with silky smooth Callebaut chocolate nailed the texture just right.

It’s soft enough to be easily sliced through with a fork, but firm enough to hold its shape. The sweet tartness of the raspberries add an extra depth to the chocolate cake, reigning it back from the pitfalls of being ‘just another chocolate cake’.

3. Pahang Banana Chocolate Cake

Another personal fave was the Pahang Banana Chocolate Cake. With a more chocolate to banana ratio, it could very well be a chocolate cake with bananas, but we’re not complaining!

A slice of Pahang Banana Chocolate Cake on a plate with an assortment of other cakes

It’s essentially a chocolate cream with fresh banana chunks sandwiched between two thin layers of chocolate sponge. Then, more chunks of fresh bananas are topped on before a decadent chocolate ganache unifies it all.

4. A La Minute Menu

White Chocolate Baba Ghannouj, Shepherd’s Pie, Black Angus espresso

Regardless whether you start or end your meal with the desserts, this chocolate buffet’s hot food menu is also worth the tummy space.

The Shepherd’s Pie has a juicy minced beef base and a flavoursome baked mash on top—your typical pie done right with balanced measurements of each ingredient.

It comes with a Black Angus espresso, which is essentially a cocoa beef meatball dish. It has a rather interesting dark cocoa flavour profile to it. The gravy, mash and sautèed peppers complimented the firm meatballs that held its form with each bite.

However, the real show stealer was the White Chocolate Baba Ghannouj.

Dictionary Time: Baba Ghannouj is a Levantine dish made by mashing cooked eggplant with tahini and olive oil. It is often enjoyed with a side of pita bread.

“White chocolate is deemed as the unwanted stepchild of chocolates to chefs as it mainly consists of cocoa fat,” shared Chef Rolf. However, it incorporates well with savoury food in creating a rich and creamy texture while naturally enhancing flavours.

Containing lesser calories than most ingredients that are usually in a baba ghannouj, white chocolate is added to create a rich and creamy texture. It also apparently goes well with any dish that has tahini too.

Hence, this Baba Ghannouj was creamy but light and flavourful with a burst of refreshing sweetness from the pomegranates.

5. Hand-whisked chocolate milkshake by the Chef

Chef Rolf’s deep knowledge on chocolates and the ways of the wok combined with his charisma makes him an absolute delight to be around. With his jovial grin, he would talk to anyone that makes eye contact or shows a spark of joy in their eyes.

If nothing at the dessert bar impresses you, feel free to request for a hand-whisked chocolate milkshake made with Pahang chocolate. Using vanilla ice-cream as a base, he whisks it with melted chocolate and whipping cream to create a milkshake so smooth, it’s akin to a fuller and creamier chocolate milk.

BONUS: Compressed Watermelon Salad

Honestly, the chocolate buffet spread can seem pretty daunting even to a sweet tooth like me. While I appreciated and enjoyed the chocolate treats, it got a little sickly after five desserts. Hence, it was really thoughtful of the chefs to create fruit based palate refreshers.

Among the pineapple meringue pies, blue berry tarts and mango mille-feuille (a custard pastry), these salted and spiced cubes of watermelon were a breath of fresh air.

Imagine this; a tinge of salt with a hint of mixed herbs, garnished with a single mint leaf and half a green olive combined with the natural sweetness of watermelons.

Mindbogglingly delicious but according to science, salt makes watermelon taste sweeter through a sweet and salty contrast.

High On Sugar – Chocolate Finesse

Price: RM160 nett (Adult), RM80 nett (Child)

When: 1–30 April 2019, 12pm-5pm: Every Saturday, Sunday & Public Holidays

Where: Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, 12, Jalan Pinang, Kuala Lumpur, 50450 Kuala Lumpur

Website: Thirty8

Reservations can be made at 03-2182 1234 or [email protected].

 
 
Also Read
We tried all 5 canned kombuchas from this M’sian brand, here’s what we liked about them

We review all 5 flavours of MATCHARO Malaysia's canned kombuchas which can be purchased online, as well as from AEON and NSK Grocer.

This tea gallery in KL serves up a unique experience of Western food & Chinese tea pairings

We review Tannin Hill, a Chinese tea gallery in Sentul that does food and tea pairings through breakfast and high tea course sets.

Here’s how you can go on a gastronomic journey in KL, inspired by M’sian folklore and fables

We review St. Regis Kuala Lumpur's Malaysiaku 2023 folklore-inspired menu, here's what we thought of the food, drinks, and experience.

Chef Liang x ZEN by MEL: An impressive 9-course Chinese menu from a Michelin-trained chef

We review the ZEN by MEL x Chef Liang 9-course Chinese fine dining dinner menu at Pavilion Bukit Jalil, which costs RM350++ per pax.

We tried all 12 tea-based gelato flavours at this parlour in Cheras, here’s what we thought

We review Forest Floor's premium tea-based gelatos at its parlour in Cheras. It currently has 12 flavours, some traditional, some unique.

ZEN by MEL’s 3-course lunch that’s RM188/pax is just a taste of what they can really do

We review Zen by Mel's 3-course Niisho lunch menu served in the Bukit Jalil fusion Japanese restaurant, at the price of RM188/pax.

Komugi M’sia launched a new cafe in Shah Alam with an extensive menu, here’s what we tried

We review the Komugi cafe at AEON Shah Alam which has dine-in seating and a new, extensive menu of pastries, desserts, and drinks.

This new KL grill bar has a wild side with masterful bold flavours & a rainforest theme

We review Ferria KL grill bar, a rainforest-themed restaurant in The Westin KL, Bukit Bintang. Are its food and drinks worth the visit?