< Previous50 | ATLAS BY ETIHAD | August 2024 EtA_10Aug2024_EN_44-51_Travel-Antalya_13325257.indd 5018/07/2024 10:37antalya - 36.8969° N, 30.7133° E August 2024 | ATLAS BY ETIHAD | 51 Umbrella Street Explore the whimsical appeal of Umbrella Street, located within Antalya’s historic Kaleici district. This short lane, adorned with 600 colourful umbrellas suspended overhead, creates a magical canopy of shade and light. Umbrella Street off ers a kaleidoscope of colours against the backdrop of ancient stone walls and cobblestone paths. Whether you’re capturing the vibrant umbrellas casting playful shadows or posing amidst the quaint cafés and shops that line the street, every corner off ers a photo opportunity that exudes Mediterranean charm. Ideal for leisurely strolls and capturing the essence of Antalya’s cultural heritage, Umbrella Street is a must-visit spot that promises to elevate your Instagram feed with its charm. ETIHAD AIRWAYS OFFERS THREE FLIGHTS PER WEEK TO ANTALYA ETIHAD.COM Tip: If you want to get pictures without a lot of people in them, try to go early in the morning since the area is a popular tourist destination. IMA GE S: SHUTTERST OCK EtA_10Aug2024_EN_44-51_Travel-Antalya_13325257.indd 5118/07/2024 10:3752 | ATLAS BY ETIHAD | August 2024 How chef Darren Teoh is championing the bounty of Malaysian produce at his critically-acclaimed restaurant Dewakan By Steve Steinfeld BOUNTIFUL EtA_10Aug2024_EN_52-56_Feature-restaurants in Med_13325239.indd 5218/07/2024 10:37dining in kuala lumpur August 2024 | ATLAS BY ETIHAD | 53 IMA GE: SUPPLIED EtA_10Aug2024_EN_52-56_Feature-restaurants in Med_13325239.indd 5318/07/2024 10:3854 | ATLAS BY ETIHAD | August 2024 It’s been just over half an hour since we left the bustling metropolis’s center, and we’ve arrived at Bukit Beruang about 100 kilometres from Kuala Lumpur. The skyscraper-peppered skyline disappears to be replaced with the lush, damp and dense greenery of the jungle. It’s a blistering hot 40ºC, the air is thick with humidity, mosquitos buzz around our ankles and we begin our trek through this harsh terrain. We’re here with chef Darren Teoh, the founder of critically-acclaimed restaurant Dewakan, who is hosting a select group of foodies in his quest to show us what goes into his world-class craft. As part of the food-fi nding mission, we are being led through this wilderness by Temuan guides Ayah Inde and Pak Elok from the nearby village, who guide us through the trees with an ease the rest of us are struggling to keep up with. As we make our way through what is really just the outskirts of something much grander, greater and harder to navigate, we’re introduced to the edible plants, fungi and greens that the nature here provides, and bear witness to how hard the majority of it is to source and harvest. While the jungle appears lush and abundant, the truth is that the edible produce it off ers is scarce and diffi cult to fi nd, with most of its bounty now only forageable closer to its hard-to-get-to centre. As romantic as the notion of harvesting from the jungle may seem, it’s quickly clear that it’s a rigorous, strenuous and time-consuming exercise, and that whatever one manages to take should be treated with utmost respect. Man on a mission For Teoh, it is important that we experience the jungle, spend time with the people of the indigenous tribe and enjoy the traditional food so as to better understand what he’s doing at his Kuala Lumpur restaurant. Its name, a combination of the Malay words “dewa” (God) and “makan” (food), is a modern celebration of all that Malaysia has been blessed with – from the farms, seas, mountains and obviously the jungles. There, Teoh pays homage to all that we have experienced today, creating meaningful connections with people and representing the culture through each and every ingredient that makes its way to a plate. Since opening in 2014, Dewakan has gone on to receive much acclaim and is widely recognised as a leading innovator in Kuala Lumpur’s fi ne dining scene. The restaurant currently holds two Michelin stars, a feat it achieved in the 2024 Michelin Guide Kuala Lumpur and Penang, making it the fi rst Malaysian restaurant to receive this prestigious Previous spread: Ten years on, and Dewakan has gone on to receive much acclaim Clockwise from above: Belinjau and caviar; Darren Teoh; Tatus hitam crayfi sh with bamboo shoots EtA_10Aug2024_EN_52-56_Feature-restaurants in Med_13325239.indd 5418/07/2024 10:38dining in kuala lumpur August 2024 | ATLAS BY ETIHAD | 55 recognition. Its fi rst star came in 2021. Dewakan’s tasting menu showcases the pinnacle of local cuisine, though it comes at a premium at RM828.25 (about $177), excluding any drink pairings. Despite the price, demand remains high attracting local and international guests. A seat at the table Once we’re back amongst the high-rises, the leech bites treated and we’re freshly showered, we make our way up the 48th fl oor of the Skyviews, Naza Tower for dinner, where we enter the multi-accolade restaurant. It’s a fascinating space. The entrance leads you straight into the kitchen where the chef’s team is hard at work preparing the tasting menu across a host of prep stations. We walk among them, meeting the team and getting glimpses of what’s to come. This includes being taken through a cornucopia of indigenous and locally-sourced ingredients in raw form, which will make up our menu for the evening. It’s then past the display wall of beautiful ceramic jars of exotic and interesting ferments, and into the dining room. The fl oor to ceiling glass windows perfectly reveal the majestic vista of the illuminated skyline, with all four of Kuala Lumpur’s tallest buildings on show. However, from the moment the food arrives, all attention is fi rmly on the plates in front of us, with the occasional glance up for the equally special wine pairings. The menu runs 12 courses long and tells a beautiful culinary story of the region, the communities, the traditions and of course, the food. It’s all incredibly intelligent and concise cooking, each of the dishes a celebration of the fi nest local produce – from crab to caviar, roasted pigeon and banana leaf. There’s the warm cup of broth, with the chef creating a deep and intense brew of blue swimmer crab and Javanese pepper, which is served with a slightly chewy fruit leather made from indigenous soursop topped with a green banana reduction and edible fl owers. Next up, the origami frog made from edible Belinjau seed paper and a nutty, tangy, pickled Perah purée that arrives loaded with a healthy IMA GE S: SUPPLIED EtA_10Aug2024_EN_52-56_Feature-restaurants in Med_13325239.indd 5518/07/2024 10:3856 | ATLAS BY ETIHAD | August 2024 serving of Malaysian caviar. It’s a dish which delivers these three local fl avours through a stunning mix of textures, the crunch of the seed paper, the smooth purée and of course the delicate caviar pearls. The slipper lobster is worth mentioning too, undoubtedly one of the stars of the show. It sees the delicate crustacean coated with an earthy and deeply fl avourful nutmeg glaze and lightly grilled over charcoal fi re. It is then served atop a breadfruit fl our fl atbread with noni (a tropical superfruit) emulsion, adding elements of acidity and a pleasant bitterness, with bamboo shoots for texture and sweetness. It’s a beautifully balanced dish and, once again, a testament to Teoh’s understanding of local produce, fl avours and how they can be elevated. The same is true for the pigeon. The plate arrives with Adan rice that has been stirred Above: Eggs with Kelulut honey ETIHAD AIRWAYS OFFERS 14 FLIGHTS PER WEEK TO KUALA LUMPUR ETIHAD.COM through with an umami rich spiced clam butter and a host of local condiments. It is accompanied by pickles, fruit and vegetables – before the pigeon is dished up table side atop it. The bird, breast and leg together with the head and claw, has been beautifully roasted in the josper before being dusted with lacto fermented onion and kulim powder. It’s a dish which merges modern cooking with traditional methods, and off ers up layers upon layers of rich, spicy and fresh fl avours. And so, the menu progresses with each course a demonstration of Teoh’s prowess. At his world-class establishment, the chef executes an elegant mix of culture and heritage with his fi ne style of modern cooking. Each dish is a carefully considered chapter in the great, grand and proudly Malaysian story. dewakan.my IMA GE S: SUPPLIED EtA_10Aug2024_EN_52-56_Feature-restaurants in Med_13325239.indd 5618/07/2024 10:3858 | ATLAS BY ETIHAD | August 2024 From unputdownable to unexpectedly educational, here are this month’s top books THE BIG READS The smart, non-saccharine romance You are here, David Nicholls (HarperCollins) Nicholls fans had been anticipating the release of You are Here for months. Happily, the hype was justifi ed. While not on the level of his ultimate ‘it made me ugly cry uncontrollably’ hit, One Day (if you watched the recent Netfl ix adaptation, By Sarah Buitendach you know what we mean), You are Here is still a complete delight. Picture a ‘meet cute’ between two Brits, who’re on either side of the big 4.0. and then thrown together on a walk across the UK. Will they fall for each in their hiking boots? Is this a story that proves happy endings do exist? You’ll have to read it to fi nd out. If you think this book sounds like a big, shmaltzy EtA_10Aug2024_EN_58-59_Books_13325237.indd 5818/07/2024 10:38books August 2024 | ATLAS BY ETIHAD | 59 yarn, it’s important to know that what you’ll read is far more sophisticated than that. Nicholls always writes witty tales of characters who seem so real and ‘normal’. They have the same fl ashes of doubt, sadness, excitement and longing that everyone is familiar with. Add to that the fact that this novel is every bit as much about the landscape, the weather (ah British weather), the challenge of getting out into the countryside and putting one foot in front of the other, and you’ve got a compelling mix. Plus, it might give you ideas for that next active holiday. The one for enquiring minds Cloudspotting For Beginners, Gavin Pretor-Pinney and William Grill (Penguin) You’ll never see the Atlas team say this again, but, put this magazine down and peer out the window. Can you see any clouds? Are they engulfi ng, incandescent balls of cotton wool or is that just a hint of a whisp you can see far below? To really compute what clouds you’re looking at, nab this charming collab conjured by the founder of the Cloud Appreciation Society, Gavin Pretor- Pinney and top illustrator, William Grill. The littlies in your life will love it, but, equally, no big person should resist a joyfully rendered volume that will clue you up on a sky full of amazing. You’ll learn about all the major cloud types and fancy, unusual ones, like the wavy ‘fl ucut’ and lucky ‘horseshoe vortex’. There’s also a mix of other amazing phenomena that you’ll certainly be familiar with, but probably couldn’t name – like crepuscular rays and refl ection bows. Quiz night foes, beware! The big-name sports biography Searching for Novak: The man behind the enigma, Mark Hodgkinson (Octopus) Irrespective of whether you’re on Team Novak or not, this is a book to devour in straight sets. Hodgkinson did major research and countless interviews with friends, coaches and even former rivals to put this bio together. As a result, it is broad-ranging and equally interesting for the mildly tennis curious and diehard Novak Djokovic fans alike. Of course, the new release off ers a glimpse into the mind of this legendary, 24-time Grand Slam champion but it is also a snoopy survey of the Serb’s life. Stories range from his memories of the NATO bombing of Belgrade in the late 90s to his friendship with the late baseball great Kobe Bryant. There are also some good rallies on his extreme diet and those infamous days he spent in a Melbourne immigration detention centre for refusing to get vaccinated against Covid. The recipe book that’s more than a recipe book A Celebration of Palestinian Food, Fadi Kattan (Hardie Grant US) This beautiful and useful cookbook also serves as a timely reminder of how culture, memories, understanding and love are entrenched around tables and sharing meals. Food is a unifier holding so many memories, and this book by well-known Franco-Palestinian chef Fadi Kattan is an ode to his upbringing in Bethlehem, illustrating all this, and more. Perhaps you have eaten at his acclaimed London restaurant, Akub, and so know that his menus are a celebration of Palestinian culinary gems and produce. As is evident at Akub, passing plates of mansaf (lamb and rice), red lentil moutabal and fava beans is always a good idea. Now, for his book, Kattan has dished up the details of similar morish homegrown meals, but also offers vignettes of food makers, growers, family members and ancestors. The delicious, rich and spicy publication should be an immediate addition to the library of anyone who’s serious about culinary anthropology, or simply, eating glorious food. The genre-defying hit The Ministry of Time, Kaliane Bradley (Hodder & Stoughton) The reviewers are right – it’s hard to put Kaliane Bradley’s debut novel, The Ministry of Time into a box. Is it sci-fi or a romance? Is it a comedy, a thriller, or even a historical adventure? Basically, it’s all the above and great fun. If that sounds a bit confusing, fear not, because what you’re ostensibly dealing with is a gripping and often funny time-travel caper that involves some brave individuals and a big chunk of chemistry. That one of the main character/love interests was on a 19th century arctic expedition before he was propelled into the now, is all part of the magic. If you liked Douglas Adams’ classic The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, this should appeal too. Plus, it’s undeniably very Dr Who-ish, if that iconic television show fl oats your boat. Truly, we wouldn’t be surprised if this new book gets made into a series too, but read it fi rst – it’s a brilliant bit of long-haul fl ight escapism. IMA GE S; SUPPLIED EtA_10Aug2024_EN_58-59_Books_13325237.indd 5918/07/2024 10:38Next >