Soiree at Tropique

Tropique is hosting a Soiree set in the charming, chill-out backdrop of Ekoflora’s Spring Labs to showcase the café’s unique appeal to discerning diners.

A section of the dining hall at Tropique

This elegant soiree planned for Friday evening on August 3, aims to bring together groups of people to enjoy the experience of a carefully crafted menu of food and cocktail pairings in a spectacular setting.

Good food and pleasant conversation with old friends is just what hardworking folks here need to wind down for the weekend.

Weeks ahead of this evening event, I’m among the privileged few at a preview of the three-course degustation meal with two side items, paired with a choice of four exciting cocktails

The setting sun is casting long shadows across Tropique’s upstairs dining hall as I study the menu of cocktails that features local fruits like mango, mangosteen, pineapple and even jackfruit.

Chef Joseph Teoh at Tropique

It’s taken the team at Tropique about eight weeks to come up with the menu and cocktail pairing and now I’m about to sample them in one sitting.

I will have the first taste of cocktails creatively named Mango Milk Punch, Mangosteen Sake, Tropic Jungle and For Jack’s Sake, presented by the JWC team.

True to its names – with a clever play on words – the cocktails called Mangosteen Sake and For Jack’s Sake, are made with a splash of Japanese sake.

The flavour of the Mango Milk Punch is highlighted by a sprinkle of spices while the sweetness in the Tropic Jungle is supplied by dash of Gula Melaka or palm sugar.

The man behind the ideas for the Soiree menu is no stranger to fans of casual fine dining in Johor Baru because he’s Chef Joseph Teoh, the chef who introduces himself as a JB boy who just loves to cook.

With almost a decade of culinary experience garnered from working with restaurants in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, Chef Joseph is back in JB and ready to bring something extraordinary to the table at Tropique.

A citrusy appetizer with Sashimi Crudo

He has created an interesting menu, designed to change the diners’ perception and let them develop a taste of his special touch in modern cuisine.

As the first course of a citrusy appetizer of Sashimi Crudo is served, I can appreciate how it pairs with the sake infused cocktails.

This dish has slices of fresh Salmon and White Maguro, tossed in triangles of Grapefruit and Pickles, and flavoured with the zesty taste of Yuzu Ponzu.

The next course is a medium-rare portion of Marbled Australian Beef Tenderloin drizzled with Chicken Jus and garnished by Potato Mille-Fuille, Charred Pineapple and Onion, Lily Blossom and Garlic Chips.

A serving of Beef Tenderloin

While much effort has gone into its plating and presentation, care was also taken on the doneness of the meat to ensure that diners can savour its texture and natural juices.

Chef Joseph tells us that diners who do not take beef will be served duck, as the other meat option.

The menu servings continue with two side items, elegantly dubbed Small Plates.

As its name suggests, Date Jam on Toast is a delicate jam made from fresh dates and flavoured with fried shallots and fresh chives, spread on pieces of toast.

The other side item is a Japanese style Mini Hand Roll of a seaweed wrap filled with salmon tartare, fresh leek and grated horseradish for added taste.

A delectable dessert of Chocolate Delice

To end the meal sweetly, Chef Joseph has created a delicate chocolate dessert he calls,

Chocolate Delice.

This is a piece of dense and delicious chocolate cake topped with dollops of Coffee Mousse, drizzled in Chilli Chocolate Sauce and garnished with Chilli Chocolate Crackling.

I like how the rich chocolate and coffee taste blends together with each fragrant mouthful, along with the zing of spicy chilli from the chocolate sauce and crackling!

The Soiree at Tropique on Aug 3 is presented in two sessions with the first, from 6pm to 8pm, followed by the next from 8pm to 10pm, limited to only 30 seats per session.

Tickets are fast selling at RM200/person or RM700 for four persons.

Contact, Tel: +6012 – 5477886 for your reservations.

Tropique Café & Restaurant is at Lot D, Jalan Ekoflora 1, Taman Ekoflora, 81100 Johor Baru, Johor. [No pork products are used in kitchen.]

From August 2018, Tropique is open for brunch and afternoon tea from 10am to 6pm; Dinner from 7pm to 11pm. Closed on Tuesday.

For promotions and updates, check out Facebook: @tropique.jb