AMA-XIN-G FEAST

Behold, the X-Men cometh...Xin Cuisine's culinary trio all prepared to cook up a storm this CNY

It's all hands on deck for the peak CNY period with master chefs Wong Pak Seng, Ng Meng Loong and new kid on the block, Lok Meng Pak ready to unleash their culinary force for the rounds of festive feasting ahead.

We got a taste of the trio's prowess at a special CNY preview hosted by the Concorde KL starting with a vivid kaleidoscope of colours, flavours and textures in the Mini Octopus Yee Sang.

No CNY meal is complete without a platter of this delicacy to create a stir ...

Amidst boisterous stirring and tossing of this festive salad, we wasted no time in savouring the fine and delightfully tantalising mixture of shredded vegetables, pomelo, crackers, plum sauce and crushed peanuts. Definitely one of the better ones I had sampled thanks to its ample moistness and well-balanced nuances. You can also have it topped with abalone,  salmon, duck meat and wolf-herring in regular and large portions, priced between RM58.00++ and RM188.00++ per order.

Nah, these ain't franken-eyes but Xin's new dumplings with quail's eggs

Droves of diners will inevitably turn up on the 2nd day of CNY at Concorde KL for its stunning lion dance show featuring Malaysia's most titled champion troupe - Kun Seng Kheng no less! After that, they will pack Xin to the rafters and four Festive Dim Sum creations will make their celebratory yum cha all the brighter starting with the Prosperity Egg Dumplings.

It's basically siew mai (stuffed minced pork, prawns, seamoss and mushroom dumpling) turned on its head with the inclusion of a whole quail egg - needless to say we were sold at first bite!

Tasty clam-rolled dumplings to crave for

Next up was the Stuffed Diced Sea Cucumber with Sliced Clam - this luxurious treat really left us hankering for more...who in their right mind could pass up on pricey sea cucumber and clam fused together with smooth, springy fish paste? Not me!

Dream rolls of fish maw and succulent goodies

Our session continued on a roll with delectably spongy soft Dried Oyster Fish Maw Rolls that won us over with their clear, delicate accents and clever textural interplay.

Ready to have a ball?

If you're jaded by the usual woo kok (crispy yam puffs), the chef has a fresh solution to tempt you - Salted Egg Puffs! Cotton-light yet crisp to the bite, you'd have a real ball of a time devouring the mildly briny and scrumptious mashed yam puffs with bits of salted egg in them. Ho chiak!

A whopper to reel you in...

It's unthinkable not to eat fish for CNY right? After all, yue or fish symbolises abundance and excess wealth to us Chinese. Befittingly, you'd find a superb Steamed Garoupa with Soya Sauce in Xin's 9-course Prosperity Set Menus. We fell hook, line and sinker for the fish's marble-smooth flesh which was lightly bathed in soya sauce, chopped fresh spring onion and Chinese parsley.

Worth shelling out money for...stuffed dried oyster with broccoli and layered beancurd sheets

I finally found a dish of Stuffed Oyster, Mushroom & Sea Moss with Seasonal Vegetables that could rival my aunt's! For years, our family were lucky enough to feast on this treasured speciality but with her aging gracefully, the annual treat has since become a rarity. The chef did a fab job too...imaginatively half-stuffing the dried oysters with fish paste and seamoss so that they resemble sea shells! Crunchy blanched broccoli and braised tau kan (compressed layered of beancurd sheets) complete this masterpiece.

Rice so corny

I'm partial to corn and can never resist the whole cobs of sunny yellow kernels steamed or grilled with some butter. The loose kernels can also be added to stir-fries and to make Chinese style corn soup. Hence I was over the moon to find plenty of the sweet, crunchy kernels dotting the platter of Rice with Two Varieties of Chinese Sausage & Corn Kernels. The corn's natural sweetness is a nice counterpoint to the briny and winey lap cheong.

Sweet broth of mine

Chilled Seaweed Jelly, Osmanthus & Wolfberries brought our lavish dinner to a close. Subtly sweet but pleasant on the palate, it was a refreshing treat that went down a real treat.

Arise the king of fruits in this sweet sensation

The King of Fruits - durian made its presence felt the minute we caught a whiff of its intoxicating aroma when the generous plate of Chinese New Year Cake Selection was served. Still its cloying sweetness was thoroughly relished by one and all (we're Malaysians after all!) as paired with the nin koh, it wasn't too different from eating durian dodol!

I also enjoyed the sweet potato with crushed macadamia nuts enfolded in sticky layers of nin koh but didn't take to those that had the slightly tart pineapple filling with almond nibs. Here's to a sweet year ahead for 2013!

* Prosperity menus are priced at RM1,088.00++, RM1,288.00++, RM1,488.00++ per table of 10 persons

* Fortune Pot is sold for RM368.00++ (small) and RM648.00++ (large)

* The 4 New Year Four Dim Sum choices are available a la carte (promotion starts February 11 – 25, Chap Goh Mei)

For reservations or any menu, promotion enquiries, please call Xin Cuisine at 2144 8750, or email to fbkl@concorde.net *Xin Cuisine is closed on the first day of Chinese New Year.

Catch the World-Champion Lion Dancers from Kun Seng Keng on February 11, 10.30 am onwards (Hotel Lobby). Also witness fascinating acrobatic acts and yee sang toss where guests can also join in the fun! And special appearance by God of Prosperity (Choy San Yeh).