What to eat in Kuantan: Delectable meals at Oui Chef Restaurant - opening tomorrow!

* pork-free *

Yes! For those who have heard about this "new kid in town", you'll be delighted to hear that business begins tomorrow, 14th June 2016, for Oui Chef Restaurant in Kuantan!

Pronounced as "wee" (oui) "shef" (chef), which simply translate as "yes, chef!"in French, this restaurant's business is no child's play! Aiming to serve just the best, satisfying & worth-paying meals to all diners, Chef de Cuisine, Eugene Cheam, & his handful of kitchen staff, are looking forward to tomorrow for its doors to fling open & welcome curious, anticipating diners.

Certainly the best BBQ beef back ribs in town!

It was the star of the evening when I tried it :D Tender, juicy, 'falls-off-the-bones', & bursting in flavors, you have to try this sous vide (pronounced sue-veed) cooked beef back ribs when you're here for dinner. This full rack costs RM102.90, while the half slab costs RM55.90.

"Eugene has spent 11 years in the culinary world, 5 of which he spent in Grand Hyatt and Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, where he cooked for celebrities like Bill Gates, David Beckham, Wayne Rooney, Tom Cruise and other royalties. He also competed in the Emirates Culinary Guild in Abu Dhabi in 2011 and returned with Bronze medals.

He later spent two years in Cappadocia, Turkey, leading his team of chefs to achieve an award for Cappadocia's Best Tourism Restaurant 2015. The restaurant had also hosted Datuk K and Dato' Siti Nurhaliza.

Our chef's humble beginning was waiting tables at a local steakhouse. He also spent his earlier days in JW Marriott, KL. If you've never heard of him, it's because he believes every chef should be, "Humble, passionate and teachable." - taken from Oui Chef Restaurant's FB page.

The restaurant is located at the bustling area of Star City in Kuantan, right opposite the Nirvana Supermarket. Its decor boasts of a classic cum contemporary twist of earth colors, giving diners a homey yet lavish dining experience.

The menu is pretty straight-forward, where they serve breakfast/brunch & lunch from 11:00a.m. - 3:00p.m. & continues with dinner from 6:00p.m. - 11:00p.m. You can expect to find 3 types of delectable breakfast specials i.e. Big Breakfast, Cajun Chicken & Eggs Benedict & the rest of the dishes are available pretty much throughout the day unless stated otherwise. They currently serve 2 types of desserts, which I hope in time to come will have a greater variety to select from once they're more established. One thing I've to highlight is that Chef Eugene specializes in Chinese-style dishes during his hotel days, so I'm looking forward to try his Asian Specials tomorrow :D

Note: Update July 2016 - Menu is changed, so not everything in this 1st version of the menu is available now.

One of the highlights of this restaurant are their shakes, which are highly recommended if you're not lactose intolerant.

Matcha Tea Shake (RM12.90/glass)

Having a shake feels like having a meal by itself! It's really filling! All their shakes are "beautiful mess" with intense flavors, especially their matcha tea shake, where the green tea is infused for several hours & chilled before the shake is made & served.

Vanilla Shake (RM11.90/serving)

When we tried this, the flavor of the vanilla wasn't very evident. But the following day when another group of friends tried it, they said it's greatly improved & highly recommended :) Calories aren't allowed in the equation when enjoying any of Oui Chef's shakes!

Chocolate Shake (RM11.90/glass)

If you're a chocolate fan, this will keep you happy for the entire day, I reckon. I even licked up all the chocolate ganache from the brim of the glass! :P 

Cookies n' Cream Shake (RM11.90/glass)

I would have loved to have more chunks of cookies in the shake. When I had it that evening, I didn't give this a passing mark, but it seems like the feedback provided helped the team of humble chefs & staff to improve, so you can expect nothing less than satisfying when their business begins tomorrow :) 

Hot Chocolate (RM7.90/mug)

My BIL took a sip before the camera could get to it...hahaha...I think we have no complaints for the simple cup of hot chocolate. 

I hope that the drinks above did whet your appetite to find out more on what Oui Chef Restaurant has to offer. We tried as many dishes as our stomachs could fit, but there are just a lot more dishes that we have yet to try.

Mushroom Soup (RM8.90/serving)

This home-made assorted mushrooms soup is one of the best that I've had & I would dare say the best in Kuantan. Every mouthful of creamy soup comes with moderately-chopped chunks of mushrooms. This is a must order for mushroom fans & yes, it's vegetarian! 

Garlic Cheese Baguette (RM5.90/serving)

Crispy on the outside, soft & chewy on the inside & overall coated with the fragrance of garlic, herbs & cheese. What's not to like about this? :D 

Prawn Wasabi (RM22.90/serving)

Ok, this may seem quite expensive for an appetizer, but I tell you, it's DELICIOUS! You'll find a colorfully presented plate of plump, deep-fried prawns, topped with fresh mango salsa & Oui Chef's in-house wasabi dip for an extra "kick". I enjoyed the balanced flavors of savory, sweet, acidity & wasabi-spiciness.

Salted Egg Pasta (RM18.90/serving)

Are you a fan of salted egg & won't mind salted egg in every other dish? This is something you won't want to miss. The creamy salted egg sauce coats every strand of spaghetti & the aromatic curry leaves plus a slight tinge of spicy chili flakes sure gave the dish a good balance that you won't find this dish cloying. I personally feel that it pairs even better with the wasabi prawns for added chew & texture :P

Ribeye Steak (RM58.90/serving)

What you see on the plate isn't blood, but freshly pureed beetroot for an added layer of flavor to the juicy medium-cooked beef. Each serving comes with spinach, mushroom ragout & creamy mashed potatoes (to die for) with a side of sauce of choice i.e. black pepper, mushroom, or beef jus (pronounced as beef ju) - natural juices from the beef while being cooked.

Teriyaki Salmon (RM32.90/serving)

 I enjoyed their sous vide salmon as all the juices are locked-in & the skin is pan-seared for an added crisp. I find the teriyaki sauce a 'lil too sweet for my liking & prefer the miso salmon to this version.

Miso Salmon (RM32.90/serving)

 You may not be a fan of the salty miso, but this version of miso dip for a piece of meat like salmon  goes perfectly well! Who would have thought that the salmon & miso dip are such a great couple? :D It feels SO Japanese yet Western. Thumbs up!

Earl Grey Creme Brulee (RM8.90/serving)

I didn't get to try this as I was rushing off for my night meeting, but the feedback from the rest who tried this was "it was SOOOO good!" The taste of Earl Grey tea was apparently evident in this dessert. It's something that I would like to try soon!

For this week, the restaurant rests today & business begins tomorrow for an entire week. Their usual off days will be Wednesdays, so do check this place out once their doors are open tomorrow :) You may want to place your reservation if you intend to get a guaranteed seat/table for your meal or special function.

Oui Chef Restaurant
B28, Ground Floor, Star City
Jalan Seri Kuantan 81
25300 Kampong Kuantan
Pahang Darul Makmur
Malaysia.
Tel: (+609) 505 5004
FB: https://www.facebook.com/ouichefrestaurant/
GPS: 3.8242806,103.3347442


Oui Chef!