MID-AUTUMN PASSION AT DORSETT GRAND SUBANG

 

Take a shine to new variations of Mini Premium Musang King Durian Crystal Skin Mooncakes (RM33 each piece, RM198 per gift set) or Mini Baked Dragon Fruit & Black Sesame Paste Mooncakes at Dorsett Grand Subang this Mid-Autumn Festival.

The festive delicacies make great celebratory gifts when packed in sustainable and practical Dorsett Deluxe Tiffin Gift Sets — pretty yet pragmatic 4-tier enamel tiffin carriers adorned with 2 different designs in baby blue, lilac or orange.

Chef Bryan Teh and his team require 2 days advance notice for the highly sought-after Musang King mooncakes as the luscious treats are made fresh to order. The aroma and taste of this indulgent creation comes close to the real deal.

In addition, Dorsett’s classic and crystal skin mooncake assortment (RM22 – RM36 per piece) will also be available from now until 13 September 2019.

PRIZE-WINNING SPECIALITIES

At the 2018 and 2019 Salon International De L’alimentation (SIAL) Shanghai, Executive Chef Bryan Teh triumphed with two of his signature specialities: Wok-fried Ribeye Beef with Grape Sauce and Deep-fried Chicken Wings stuffed with Otak-otak.

We like how the unctuous grape jus alleviates the ribeye’s rich meaty flavour. Dices of mixed capsicum and grapes lend fruity freshness, giving the dish subtle textural contrast.

Typical Malaysian spice accents dominate the chicken wings, turning them into drool-worthy nibbles. There’s a nice interplay of soft and crunchy textures too as we munch on the crispy fried chicken bits before the softer spiced fish paste stuffing hit our palate. Most delicious!

These culinary award-winners are now served at The Emperor for lunch and dinner from RM25 per serving until 31 August 2019.

Other notable house specialities to savour at this pork-free Chinese restaurant include Steamed Fish with Superior Soya Sauce and Shredded Ginger, Fried Brown Rice with Conpoy & Pine Nuts, and Poached Mandarin Fish with Sichuan Preserved Vegetables.

 

More durian indulgence beckons for dessert. Coated with airy light, crispy batter, the heavenly Deep-fried Durian Fritter with durian custard and durian ice cream filling is a surefire crowd-pleaser for durian fans.

For reservations at The Emperor, call tel: 03-5031 6060 x 1912 or email: bookfnb.subang@dorsetthotels.com

TIME TO MIX & MATCH AT THE EMPEROR

Tongue-tingling Poached Fish Fillet with Dried Chilli & Szechuan Herb Chilli Oil is one of the many sizzling Szechuan and Oriental dishes to set your palate alight in line with the current Mix & Match promotion at The Emperor Chinese Restaurant, Dorsett Grand Subang.

Ideal for groups of 4, 6 and 8 persons, the great value Mix & Match meal deal comes with complimentary soup of the day and dessert too. A 4-course menu, priced at RM298 nett for 4 persons, allows diners to select 1 meat dish, 1 seafood dish, 1 tofu or egg dish and 1 seasonal vegetable dish from the Mix & Match menu. 

For a table of 6 persons, the 6-course menu at RM498 nett entitles diners to pick 1 meat dish, 1 seafood dish, 2 poultry dishes, 1 egg or tofu dish and 1 seasonal vegetable dish. Likewise, the 8-course menu (RM698 nett) means a choice of 2 meat, 2 seafood, 2 poultry, 1 egg or tofu dish and 1 seasonal vegetable dish.

For our lunch preview, the comforting Lotus Root Soup and Chicken Soup won plaudits for its timeless, homey appeal; a nice opening volley for our pick of mains to follow. The broth would have Mum's approval as it was chockful of lotus root, chicken, wolfberries and peanuts.

 

Despite its lethal, blazing hot appearance, the Poached Fish Fillet with Dried Chilli & Szechuan Herb Chilli Oil was surprisingly addictive. Buried amidst the layer of dried chilli, sliced ginger and spring onion in Szechuan herb chilli oil were smooth, tender pieces of poached fish.

Amazingly, the fish’s delicate sweetness remained discernible even as pin-pricks of pleasant ma la numbness zip and bloom across our lips and tongue. We found ourselves returning for repeat helpings throughout the lunch, eager to relive the adrenalin ‘rush’.

Memories of a cherished Chengdu trip returned the minute we savoured the sublime Szechuan Style Deep-fried Crispy Chicken & Dried Chilli.

Again, don’t be intimidated by the generous heap of dried chilli as the deep-fried chicken dices proved on-point. The dried chilli merely imbued the delish meaty morsels with subtle heat whilst cashew nuts and sesame seeds lent crunchy and nutty appeal.

Prefer a more child-friendly or less spicy-hot option? We highly recommend Sweet & Sour Chicken, a notable classic offering designed to please both young and old alike. Lightly battered, the boneless chicken chunks complemented by red and green capsicum pieces, whetted the appetite with its tangy-sweet sauce.

Red meat lovers may like to try Braised Lamb with Preserved Vegetable. Served in a claypot, the tender lamb strips and briny preserved veggies formed a hearty, rustic casserole of sorts. Best eaten with plain rice for maximum enjoyment.

More delectable substance to supplement our Mix & Match meal came from fluffy Fried Omelette with Onion & Barbecued Chicken, and Deep-fried Crispy Beancurd with Chilli & Spiced Salt. Such evergreen specialities with mass appeal are guaranteed to hit the spot, whether you’re dining with the family or friends.

The seasonal vegetable ranges from Chinese spinach, choy sum, kai lan, French beans to siew bak choy. For our lunch, we had an extra a la carte serving of Green Dragon Chives stir-fried with beansprouts & garlic.

To cleanse the palate after the profusion of heavy flavours, choose from a choice of Herbal Jelly with Honey, Mango Pudding or Almond Beancurd Pudding for dessert. This is part and parcel of the Mix & Match deal, to leave you with sweet memories of your visit to The Emperor.

The Mix & Match promotion is available for lunch and dinner daily until 30 April 2019. For reservations, call The Emperor Chinese Restaurant, tel: 5031 6060 ext 1954. Address: Level 1, Dorsett Grand Subang, Jalan SS12/1, Subang Jaya, Selangor.

DESIRABLE DIM SUM FROM SI CHUAN DOU HUA

Chinese culinary wonders never ceased...recently we caught guest chef Peng Yi Chun from Si Chuan Dou Hua Singapore who dazzled us with the Sichuanese art of knife-shaved noodles at Park Royal KL's Si Chuan Dou Hua restaurant as part of its latest Dim Sum promotion.

Shredded love...knife-shaved noodles in chilli oil with minced pork and chopped scallion

It was quite a spectacle, watching the chef deftly shaving strips of noodles from a loaf of dough using a sharp blade in quick, successive strokes. The long ribbons can be enjoyed two ways, either in Sichuan Chilli Oil (pix above) or Chicken Broth (pix below).

The noodles' toothsome al dente texture was splendid; a perfect canvas that soaked up the hearty, robustly hot sauce and the meaty, clear broth. A comforting dish that you'd never tire of eating. This speciality is currently part of the special Dim Sum line-up that has been running from last November until 31 January 2015.

If you're a fan of these dainty savoury and sweet morsels, make haste to Park Royal KL and partake in the Dim Sum feast before the promo ends. Besides the classic offerings, the chefs are out to tempt you with a repertoire of 28 interesting creations at only RM58 nett per person. One of the most unique has to be Steamed Minced Chicken Dumplings wrapped in Banana Leaf (pix above).

 

Shaped like a fat cocktail sausage, the steamed glutinous rice flour dumpling flaunts a rich jade-green shade (culled from pandan leaf juice) and a delicious minced chicken and chicken floss stuffing. These dumplings may look simple but the tricky part is ensuring they're steamed just right - to achieve that appetising chewiness.

Another highly recommended item is Pan-fried Minced Chicken Dumpling with Chives. The pan-fried dumplings are served with a crisp, gossamer-thin layer of fried batter that resembles a golden lacey lid. The resultant textural contrast is better than expected.

More textural interplay appears in the Steamed Glutinous Rice Wrapped with Dried Shrimp & Yam. We were impressed by the simplicity of the dish which had a clump of glutinous rice studded with dried shrimps and yam wrapped up in a skein of cheong fun (flat rice flour roll). Delicately rich yet downright satisfying, this speciality would go down well with those partial to yam.

Delicate nuances also abound in the Steamed Celery Dumplings with Conpoy (pix above) and Steamed Chive Dumplings (pix below). The translucent dumpling skin is similar to that of ha gau (prawn dumpling) albeit the former is coloured bright orange with carrot juice.

 

 Green is in...these irresistible dumplings

Chilli fiends would rave over the Minced Chicken Dumplings in Chilli Oil (pix above) - a popular Sichuanese staple. Rest assured though that these little parcels look more lethal than they taste. You still get the zingy piquancy on the palate but not enough to render it numb.

Stronger accents prevail in the Deep-fried Vietnamese Rolls (pix above) and Pan-fried Pancakes with Chicken Floss (pix below) - both notable in their own way especially their outer layers. The latter is nothing like Western pancakes but more like a sturdy bun that's flecked with sesame seeds and some savoury chicken floss filling.

 

Even the Pan-fried Radish Cake stands out here. Honestly, I'm not fond of this dish as they tend to have more flour than radish so it is nice to find the ratio of flour to radish veers towards more radish and less flour.

 

What makes the dining deal really great value is selected mains such as noodles, rice and vegetables cooked in different styles, as well as a variety of soup and dessert are included in the menu. Signature specialities like Stir-fried French Beans with Minced Garlic, Braised Beancurd with Spicy Bean Paste and Braised Egg Plant with Hot Garlic & Chilli Sauce among others are listed.

Sweet dim sum options range from Steamed Lotus Paste Buns with Salted Egg Yolk, Steamed Glutinous Rice Balls with Purple Sweet Potato Paste and House Made Fine Beancurd with Wolfberries.

Rich & satisfying...lotus paste buns with salted egg yolk reminiscent of mooncake filling

 Purple sweet potato paste and sago pearls lend special touches to 

these glutinous rice balls

Perfect curtain call with a bowl of silky smooth tau fu fah & kei chi

Priced at RM58 nett per person, the Dim Sum Buffet Feast is available for lunch from 12:00 noon to 2:30pm from Mondays to Fridays, and for brunch from 10:00am to 2:30pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

For reservations, call Si Chuan Dou Hua - tel: 03 2147 0088. Address: Lower Lobby Level, PARKROYAL Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur