GOOD FEAST WITH A BITE AT FIVE SEN5ES

Award-winning Chinese Chef de Cuisine Tan Tzaan Liing and his team proved they have a lot of bite when it comes to rustling up Chinese New Year specialities for Five Sen5es to herald the arrival of the Doggie Year.

Welcome the CNY with a resounding bark of joy where three exquisite set menus, a selection of Yee Sang and an enhanced festive à la carte menu beckon until 2 March 2018.

Presented in a huge fire engine-red lacquer dish, the assortment of shredded vegetables, pickles and condiments formed the auspicious shape of a koi fish. Norwegian Salmon Yee Sang made quite a splash, enlivened by delicate fruity-sweet plum sauce – a house concoction. Thumbs up to the balance of fresh and dry ingredients brimming with sumptuous accents. Premium sashimi and abalone are the other Yee Sang variants available.

Heartwarming and restorative, the Doubled Boiled Dried Scallop and Morrel with Baby Cabbage Soup drew raves on its artful melding of East-West influences. The general consensus? A notable departure from the usual ho-hum broths especially with the inclusion of earthy morel into the equation.

Drawing inspiration from the Foochow culinary heritage, fermented red yeast rice joined the chef’s arsenal, to bestow a salubrious dimension to his Braised Duck with Red Yeast Rice and Peanuts. Complex, well-rounded sweet-savoury flavours suffused our palate as we relished every mouthful of the meltingly tender duck and soft peanuts.

The rave parade continued as we took a shine to the exquisite Honey Glazed Baked Black Cod – a large slab of boneless cod fillet which cut a definitive swathe among the sea of tried-and-tested steamed fish dishes.

According to Chef Tan, his Pan-Fried Scallop Stuffed with Minced Chicken and Topped with Citron Salsa was construed to symbolise togetherness and joy – an astute clarion call us foodies were happy to answer. From the plump tender scallops to the bits of candied citron used, every element fell into place harmoniously.

The tangy-floral nuances of hawthorn and osmanthus bloomed on our tastebuds as we devoured the Deep-fried Prawns with Hawthorn Sauce and Osmanthus. Created to evoke happiness as prawns denote laughter for the CNY celebration, the delicious crustaceans left us smiling from ear to ear.

After such a riotous show, more delicate flavours emerged from Stewed White Baby Cabbage with Dried Scallops & Slivered Garlic. We welcomed the coy offering to the fold as it then allowed the Fried Rice with Sesame Oil, Diced Chicken and Chopped Young Ginger to steal the show.

A notable speciality to ‘rice’ to the occasion, the hearty serving had us going for repeat helpings. Again, the dish tugged at our familial heartstrings, transporting us down the memory lane of nostalgia.

Wrapping up this fabulous sensorial overload were Chinese New Year Nian Gau and Sweetened Chilled Pumpkin Cream with Black Glutinous Rice & Ice Cream. We swooned over the Chinese ingot-shaped sticky rice cake coated with freshly grated coconut and gamely found tummy space for the dessert broth.

Prices for Yee Sang start from RM68 nett upwards per standard serving and the festive special will be available from now to 2 March, 2018. Three set menus comprising Happiness, Blessings and Abundance are priced at RM1,888 nett, RM1,988 nett and RM2,288 nett per table of 10 persons respectively.

For reservations or more information at Five Sen5es, please contact Westin Dining, tel: 03 2773 8338 or email westindining@westin.com

SPLENDOURS OF SPRING SHINE AT ZUAN YUAN

Since it opened, Zuan Yuan has been one of the better, more consistent pork-free Chinese restaurants in the Klang Valley. True to its name meaning ‘diamond garden’, Zuan Yuan has yet to disappoint this finicky diner.

It is timely One World Hotel has refreshed Zuan Yuan too late last year. After shelling out RM10million, the restaurant is now bigger and more impressive with its updated Chinoiserie ambience. Relocated adjacent to the hotel main entrance, the new Zuan Yuan can seat about 380 guests and has 6 opulent private dining rooms on premise.

Modern multi-pronged lantern chandeliers serve as the focal point overhead in the private rooms; five of which are convertible into a large space for receptions catering up to 100 persons. Each room is beautifully adorned with bright, colourful backdrops inspired by Chinese mountainous paintings; a sophisticated venue for private celebratory dinners and business gatherings or even a wedding reception.

The main dining area is carvenous and pillarless, richly accentuated by a vibrant palette of deep blue, gold, white and black hues. Subtle Oriental motifs such as antique ceramics and collectibles are strategically displayed whilst the open kitchen concept showcases master chefs at work. Taking centre stage in the lavishly appointed restaurant is a high definition 15.1ft x 8.4ft LED screen.

Hence Zuan Yuan would be a most befitting locale to ‘lou sang’ with friends, family and business associates this Chinese New Year. Select from a choice of crispy Soft Shell Crab, Salmon, Abalone, Salmon Skin or vegetarian Fruit Yee Sang for the customary stirring up ritual to wish for good fortune and prosperity. Available until March 2, 2018 for dine–in or take away, the Yee Sang is priced from RM118 nett upwards for half portion.

Available from January 1 until March 2, 2018 for dine–in or take away, the Yee Sang is priced from RM118 nett upwards for half portion. Chinese Chef Loh Weng Lam and his culinary brigade have also created 7 and 9-course set menus at RM1,738 nett, RM1,988 nett and RM2,218 nett for a table of ten including a complimentary bottle of wine or a box of Pu Er tea for the festive celebration.

 

Our media preview opened with much fanfare as we tossed and stirred with gusto the Fruit Yee Sang with Soft Shell Crab. Shredded crytal pear lent a fresh sweetness to the plum sauce-dressed rainbow salad; the crisp chunks of deep-fried soft shell crab piling on the textural contrast. 

We were also treated to handpicked dishes from the various set menus to sample. Hot on the heels of the curtain-raiser came Braised Golden Pumpkin with Sea Treasures. It was a worthy option in place of shark's fin soup. We were besotted by the golden broth studded with bits of prawn and scallop; it was deliciously lush and full of sweet-briny nuances.

Zuan Yuan’s signature specialities of BBQ Roast Chicken & Duck had always been surefire crowd-pleasers and their inclusion for the festive occasion are apt. Both roasts wowed us with sublime crisp skin and flavourful juicy meat, a nice contrast with the accompanying serving of marinated jellyfish. A superbly on-point offering nobody would have an issue with.

Smooth progress is inevitable this Year of the Dog when you partake pau yue or abalone. The premium gastropod reeled us in, deftly prepared by the chefs as Braised Abalone, Mushroom & Garden Greens. We enjoyed the slick smoothness and concentrated rusticity of the prime ingredients interspersed with delectable pieces of compressed beancurd sheet, all glossed in sensuous brown sauce.

A blanket of crunchy oat sprinkles helped to lessen the guilt factor in the Spicy Fried Sea Prawns with Oats. Springy and succulent, the scrumptious crustaceans were delightfully buttery on the palate.

Of course, any CNY menu worth its salt will always include fish – yue – as the Chinese believes eating fish symbolically denotes ‘nin nin yau yue’ or yearly abundance. The Steamed Red Snapper with Ginger Sauce and Crispy Shredded Ginger was a worthy choice although the soft, fleshy fish was par for the course. 

 

Immediate satisfaction rocked us the minute we sampled the hearty Claypot Rice with Yam, Preserved Duck Meat & Sausage. This is one instant Zuan Yuan’s pork-free status gains extra cred. The waxed duck, liver and meat sausages suffused the rice with compelling fatty flavours. Diced yam and potato played a key role in tempering and absorbing the residual unctuous richness of this trad dish.

Sweetened Dried Longan with Six Treasures and Deep-fried Nian Gao with Sweet Potato brought the curtains down to our exclusive preview. Again, both dessert ticked the right boxes and should leave no cause for complaints, ensuring you leave on a merry note.

Zuan Yuan Chinese Restaurant remains open on the eve of Lunar New Year and throughout the festive period. For more information or reservations, please call Zuan Yuan, One World Hotel, Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya, tel: 03 7681 1159 or email zuanyuan@oneworldhotel.com.my