Friday, November 06, 2015

TASTES OF GRAND SHANGHAI BANQUET



Imagine getting a set of piping hot Pork & Shrimp Dumpling (siew mai) and Pork Rib & Century Egg Porridge when you order any dishes price RM28 and above. Too good to be true? Such great deals are part and parcel of dining at Grand Shanghai Banquet in Seri Petaling.
 
According to owner Eujuan Teh, Grand Shanghai Banquet is just a few steps up from most neighbourhood Chinese restaurants. “We want to serve dim sum and typical ‘tai chow’ dishes in a comfy, air-cond environment for diners.”
He’s far too humble honestly. As befitting its name, the resto interior is more opulent than the average ‘tai chow’ eatery. With its gilded ceiling and modern Chinoiserie drum lantern lights, the interior looks as if King Midas has given it his golden touch.
Even though I rarely eat porridge, the resto’s smooth congee is palate-pleasing enough. Complementing it with delectable bites of siew mai makes it even better.
Naturally, you can order baskets of the steamed Pork and Shrimp Dumpling (RM7.50) separately.
 
The hefty serving of Fish Head Hot Pot with fresh Grouper fillet and Beancurd (RM48 – small & RM88 – large) is ample for groups of five or more. We love the soup’s tummy-warming goodness and clear sweetness; drawn from the milieu of assorted vegetable, sweetcorn, mushroom and yam added to it.
Thanks to a certain Hong Kong Michelin-starred dim sum resto, crusty char siew baos are now all the rage. Although the scrumptious Grand Shanghai Special Baked Bun with BBQ Pork (RM12.80) doesn’t have a queue up front for them, they are excellent. The buns’ sweet crumbly crust is not as greasy and the filling is truly satisfying.
Sliced chilli lends a zingy hot kick to the soft and gelatinous Steamed Chicken Feet (RM6.50). Steamed to falling off the bone, this delightful speciality is a ‘must try’ if you’re a fan of interesting texture and mouth feel.
More QQ bounciness to tickle the tastebuds is evident from the Steamed Fish Ball Dumpling with Seasonal Vegetable (RM6.50). Again its plain simplicity bears testament to the fish paste’s freshness. There’s no trace of any fishiness – a troubling sign of less than fresh fish paste.
Runny salty-sweet custard and salted egg yolk filling has us all a-wooing and ah-ing the minute we break the Steamed Custard Quicksand Bun ‘Hong Kong’ Style (RM7.50) into halves. The golden yellow liquidy centre makes it a little messy to devour but it is worth getting your hand dirty for this.
Xiao Long Bao or Steamed Pastries with Grand Shanghai Style in Superior Soup (RM9.00) is a mainstay here. Be careful when you pick up the hot soup-filled dumplings to avoid breaking the skin. 
Succulent scallops, springy prawns and robustly hot sambal ensure we make short work of the fab Fried Rice with Salted Egg and Assorted Seafood (RM19.80). Lightly flavoured with salted egg, the briny fluffy grains leave a favourable impression.
Memories of my Chengdu jaunt return when I sample the smooth poached Grand Shanghai Special Spicy Chicken (RM14.80). Topped with ginger and gritty robust Sichuanese chilli condiment, the tender meat is toothsome to the bite.
It is sublime when paired with the crunchy Stir Fried Kailan with Chinese Wine (RM15.80). The jade-green vege comes with wood ear fungus, soused in sweet rice wine and soy sauce for a heady accent.
Porky enthusiasts can go the whole hog with Braised Pork Belly with Brown Sauce & Chinese Wine served with Man Tou (RM28) or Grandma’s Traditional Stewed Pork (RM28). Set in a pool of unctuous brown sauce, the tung por yuk’s multiple layers of fat and meat look stunning. As expected, it’s sublimely rich.
The pork belly with salted fish in claypot begs to be eaten with plain rice. All the deep-seated, comforting meaty nuances should be doused over rice in order to derive greater enjoyment from it.
Acknowledging the Malaysian penchant for strong, piquant flavours, you’d find a dish or two laden with chilli and spice. The Claypot Assam Prawn (RM38) best exemplifies this approach.
For a refreshing finish to such a substantial meal, the dessert of choice has to be
Aloe Vera, Grass Jelly, Sea Coconut and Yogurt Pearls Jelly (RM30 - large, RM25 - medium and RM7 - single portion). We especially like the mildly tangy taste of the yogurt pearls which pop and burst on the tongue.

For reservations, call GRAND SHANGHAI BANQUET, tel: 03-8934 3852. Address:
No. 45, Jalan Radin Tengah, Sri Petaling, Kuala Lumpur. Business hours: 10am-10pm Monday-Friday, 9am-10pm Sat, Sun &PH

2 comments:

KY said...

please teach me how to make that braised pork belly!

Alice JomMakanLife said...

@KY - you gotta ask the chef. I just find it too much work...he he

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