NOVEMBER, 2019 | The HEALTH
HEALTHY EATS
The vegetarian platter,
suitable for those who are
trying to lose weight or do
a meat cleanse for a day.
A healthy dish to satisfy
one’s appetite.
By SyeD ZaiD
T
O Be honest, I’ve always thought
‘healthy food’ as a not-so-market-
able term in general. In my mind,
the term usually comes with the
expectation of the food to be taste-
less, bland and boring. It’s ironic
since I’m writing for a health magazine but
I still haven’t grown out of my sugar-loving
phase. However, I still like to keep an open
mind – and the culinary world has made its
stride in terms of healthy food preparation.
Located at Th e Sphere in Bangsar South lies
Parklife, a Mediterranean restaurant which
aims to provide wholesome, good, delicious
and nutritious food. Th e Health team was
welcomed by the founder, ewen Lim – an
entrepreneur with a passion for food and
sports.
With the vision and taste profi ling from
Chef Ling with decades of gourmet experience
under his reign – and that is an understate-
ment, Parklife is set to be an innovative move.
It is to usher the new age of healthy, yet deli-
cious cuisine, catering to all customers.
Welcoming food
Th e restaurant features a welcoming front.
Th e terrace is fi lled with luscious greenery,
decorated with green painted beams, which
creates an ambience to calm the mind.
It generates a contrast to the hustle and
bustle of city life surrounding it. Th e wooden
bench and table décor gives Parklife its rustic
atmosphere. Th e display window features 12
varieties of scrumptious vegetable dishes.
Located next to it, is the pastry section, an
island of home-made desserts with vegan and
gluten-free options.
Upon reaching there, we were welcomed
with a small chit-chat session with ewen Lim.
She said: “I want to promote something
I am passionate about. I am very into sport,
I realised that athletes’ performance stems
from a good diet.”
Th at said, Lim’s goal is looking to make
the athletes’ diet to become the staple for the
general public.
The vegetarian platter
After a cooking demonstration from Chef
Ling, we were presented with a vegetarian
platter – served on a paddle. An untraditional
combination that feature grilled zucchini,
eggplant, Portobello mushroms and capsicum
slices, along with raw frisee and radicchio let-
tuce, accompanied by a plate of tahini sauce,
hummus, and the Romesco sauce, grilled
halloumi cheese and raw goat cheese cut into
25
What
actually is the
Mediterranean
diet?
a mixed
platter
of health
Inspired by the song name by blur, Parklife is
set to be a trendy, hip food establishment for
everyone. From carnivorous meat lovers to
vegans and everything in between
cubes. To top it off , the platter is decorated
with pomegranate and chickpea, seasoned
with mixed herbs and various spices.
We started the platter with the halloumi
cheese as recommended by Chef Ling.
Th e grilled cheese gives off an aroma that
reminds you of the sea. It has a chicken-like
consistency, chewy on the outside and thick
on the inside. Th e caramelised surface of the
grilled exposed surface creates an additional
fl avour to the sour, yogurt-y taste of halloumi
cheese. On the other side of the plate; I still
remember the way that the goat cheese
Dynamic Duo: Chef
Ling and Miss Lim
at the entrance of
Parklife.
i want to promote something i am
passionate about. i am very into sport, i
realised that athletes’ performance stems
from a good diet.”
– Ewen Lim
THE word “diet” normally puts a
bad taste in some people’s mouth.
Some would hate how restrictive
most trendy meal plans are, and
most would not be convinced
they’re actually good for you.
However, the Mediterranean
diet isn’t about counting calories or
cutting out entire food groups.
A typical Mediterranean diet
includes l ots of vegetables, fruits,
beans, cereals and cereal products.
Wholegrain bread, pasta and brown
rice for example. It also contains
moderate amounts of fi sh, white
meat and some dairy.
It’s the combination of all these
elements that seems to bring the
coveted health benefi ts, but one
of the key aspects is the inclusion
of healthy fats. Olive oil, which is
a monounsaturated fat, is most
commonly associated with the
Mediterranean diet.
Research into the traditional
Mediterranean diet has shown it
may reduce our risk of developing
conditions like type 2 diabetes,
high blood pressure and high
cholesterol, which are all risk factors
for heart disease. Researchers have
also found that people who closely
follow a Mediterranean diet may live
a longer life and be less likely to put
on weight.
To put it simply, the
Mediterranean diet has no
preservatives. It is freshly picked,
plucked and cooked. — The
Health
crumbled in my mouth.
The grilled vegetables were something
worth talking about – grilled enough to ten-
derise the vegetable but not to lose its texture
as the chef doesn’t take lightly to overcooked,
mushy vegetables. I especially like the grilled
eggplant slices. Th e fl esh is cooked well and
the skin holds the consistency together – so
that it doesn’t fall apart when lifted. Th ey go
well with the tahini sauce especially. Th e sweet
and sour taste of the sauce compliments the
well-seasoned eggplant slices.
Finally, their signature hummus holds up
to the hype. It has a great consistency to latch
on to the pita bread. A splash of olive oil and
fresh pomegranate makes a great dipping
sauce for everything on the plate. It had excel-
lent consistency and texture that goes well as
a condiment with anything. We had some to
take home and have them with a slice of white
bread. Th e hummus tasted as fresh as it was
after a day in the refrigerator.
To wash the meals down, we were given
a serving of kombucha and lemon fl avoured
water kefir. All in all, the experience was
worthwhile, from the well-thought out
concept to the chef’s vision and the founder’s
afi cionado in making an impact in the overall
Malaysian diet. needless to say, Parklife is
truly admirable and has won my interest
when it comes to healthy meal restaurant
options. While it doesn’t do much for my
personal palette, I would defi nitely recom-
mend the establishment for those who are
seeking healthier options where they do not
compromise on taste. 7/10. — Th e Health