A STABLE OF CNY SPECIALS BY THE ORIENTAL GROUP

A playful yet auspicious centrepiece – a horse head-shaped ceramic pot by Color King – cradling the Takeaway Poon Choi steals the limelight at The Oriental Group’s recent Chinese New Year preview.

 
Priced at RM688 inclusive of the charming keepsake pot, this festive indulgence requires a minimum three-hour pre-order. Lift the lid and you’ll find a layered bounty to level up your family reunion meal.

 
Whole five-head abalone, sea cucumber, fish maw and dried scallops anchor the poon choi with deep umami accents. Dig deeper to uncover delectable chunks of free-range chicken, roast duck, roast pork, prawn balls and squid.

 
Rustic and comforting treasures: dried oysters, fatt choi (black sea moss), lingzhi mushrooms, yam, Chinese cabbage and gluten complete the picture — each ingredient chosen not just for symbolism, but for how it absorbs and enriches the broth. Collectively, the poon choi emerges as a tasty communal dish.

 
No CNY table is complete without loh hei, and diners are spoilt for choice with seven variations of Yee Sang. From Crispy Fish Skin (Medium RM118, Large RM158) and Soft Shell Crab (M RM138, L RM178) to Salmon & Anchovies or Grilled Iberico Pork Neck (both M RM138, L RM178), each version leans into palate-pleasing textures and flavours.

At the preview, a surf-and-turf pairing of soft shell crab and grilled Iberico pork neck stood out. Crisp, succulent and meaty elements intertwined seamlessly, unified by a house-made,  sweet and tangy plum sauce.

In homage to the Year of the Horse, culinary craftsmanship results in Roast Treasure Duck (RM78 half, RM148 whole), deftly carved and creatively reassembled into a galloping steed. Beyond its visual flourish, the duck impresses with crisp, lacquered skin and juicy flesh. A delicate stuffing of lotus seeds and chestnuts adds soft, nutty contrasts to temper the richness.

 
Equally impressive is the ‘Prancing Year of the Horse’ Farm Chicken (RM168 each). Smoked over fragrant pu-er tea leaves, the free-range chicken is tender and aromatic with the muted tea smoke lending a refined bitterness that showcases chef’s restraint and understanding of balance.

 
My personal favourite has to be the stellar Iberico Golden Pork Cheek (RM88 per portion). Pan-fried until meltingly tender, the pork cheek is coated in subtly sweet, glossy chef’s special sauce (industry speak for house-made saucy recipes). Cubes of Californian honeydew provide a refreshing counterpoint, cutting through the richness with its natural juicy sweetness.

 
Designed to spark joy around the table, the Abundance Claypot Rice (RM188 for four persons) came crowned with sizeable freshwater prawns, fried garlic mince and spring onions. Each grain of rice exudes enticing prawny sweetness and heady aromatics, making the whole pot of rice irresistibly moreish.

 
Traditionalists will appreciate the Evergreen Blooming Cabbage (RM118), a dish symbolising continuous growth and prosperity. Those tender braised pork tendons, soft beancurd sheets and dried scallops wrapped within tender cabbage leaves are deeply satisfying, elevating a humble vegetable dish into an epicurean delight.

 
The Steamed Nian Nian You Yu Soon Hock (seasonal price) also left a lasting impression with its notable garnishing of chopped Chinese black olives, three types of aged radish and preserved vegetables. 

Mildly salty and umami-laden, edged with subtle hints of aged mandarin peel, the condiments enhance the fish’s natural sweetness — a mark of confident Cantonese cooking.

 
To end on a sweet note, the customary Deep-fried Nian Gao with Yam & Sweet Potato makes its appearance. Crisp on the outside while remaining soft and chewy within, the festive treat carries heartfelt wishes for progress and success, appealing equally to the young and the young at heart.

 
The Oriental Group’s Chinese New Year set menus range from RM1,888 to RM9,888 per table of ten. Smaller families and intimate gatherings can opt for Individual Set Menus priced between RM198 and RM598 per person (minimum two persons). Thoughtfully crafted and rich in symbolism, this is a celebratory feast honouring tradition while showcasing culinary finesse.

For reservations and further information, please contact The Oriental Group of Restaurants through the official website: https://www.orientalrestaurants.com.my/
 
 
 

ORIENTAL GROUP'S 26TH ANNIVERSARY GRAND BANQUET SERIES

 

The rich cultural and culinary legacy of pairing and infusing Chinese liquors into gourmet creations takes the limelight for Oriental Group’s 26^th Anniversary Grand Banquet Series.

Scheduled from 13 August to 9 September at different restaurants under Oriental Group, the exclusive Grand Banquet menu curated by Noble House Senior Executive Chef Wong Chin Leong, Oriental Pavillion and Noble Mansion Senior Executive Chef Paul Lee Kim Yew, Oriental Treasure and Han Room Executive Chef Jay Chan Meng Heng, The Ming Room and Ruyi Executive Chef Vincent Ong Chee Sin, and Oriental Pavilion BBQ Chef Kent Yam Kean Boon will flex the versatility of rose flower baijiu, Japanese plum wine, sake and whiskey in masterfully crafted dishes.

According to Dato’ Sri Philip Siew, founder and chairman of the Oriental Group, “the grand banquet series brings special dishes for our loyal clientele to savour whilst pushing the envelope and enabling our chefs to go beyond their comfort zone.

“Instead of inviting guest chefs this year, our chefs have created a special menu focusing on the use of wine and liquor in Chinese cooking which goes back thousands of years. Our chefs have experimented with Shao Hsing, Moutai (Chinese distilled spirit), sake, brandy and whisky, matching the liquors with premium and quality ingredients.”

At RM2,988++ per table of 10, discerning diners will be savouring the hallowed legacy of Chinese gastronomy, elevated by the artful harmony between food and spirits.

 

Delicate sweet-sour accents from umeshu (Japanese plum wine) tickle our tastebuds as we nibble on the pretty opener of Pickled Radish Roses. Immersed for 4-6 hours in umeshu, the crunchy radish slices leave a pleasantly rounded tartness on the tongue.

 

That paves the way for a classic handcrafted Spring Rolls with Chinese Wine. This painstakingly made appetiser consists of pig’s caul stuffed and rolled with handchopped pork mince, prawns and waterchestnuts flavoured with Chinese white wine. It's moreish, biting into the crisp outer layer before the delicious meaty filling hits the palate.

Balsamic vinegar pearls add playful pops of muted sourness to the Drunken Chicken with Vinegar Pearls. First marinated then poached with Shao Xing wine and baijiu, the chicken is then pressed until firm without affecting its succulent smooth texture.  

 

Due to logistical issues, we didn’t have a chance to sample the Chilled Japanese Sake Sea Clams but presumably the dish will undoubtedly delight food lovers.

More painstaking efforts goes into the making of the XO Cognac Stuffed Duck with Whole Abalones and Fin. Imagine a whole duck meticulously deboned, stuffed with shark’s fin, diced yam and whole abalones then braised for 6 hours. The duck bones are then simmered with base stock to make a flavourful gravy-like sauce.

Suffice to say the duck meat rendered with the distinct taste of XO cognac instantly captures our hearts and mind. We love how the varied textural contrasts of the impossibly tender duck alongside toothsomely resistant abalone and tender shark’s fin level up the dish’s sublime appeal. That sumptuous rich sauce pulls it all together superbly.

Instead of soy sauce, fragrant 8 Year Aged Hulu Shao Xing is used to infuse its complex, delicate sweetness to the Steamed Wild Sultan Fish. Although there’s barely sauce, the fine fish flesh oozes with sweet richness – a melding of fish jus and the aged Chinese wine. Perking it up further is aromatic chopped and oil-scalded spring onion.

Earthy and mutedly sweet nuances make the Stuffed Prawn Paste in Morel Mushroom especially enticing. Sautéed with House Made Dried Scallop Sauce, the heap of sauteed asparagus, celtuce, Chinese yam (huai san), ginkgo nuts, fresh lily bulb and baby corn levels up the enjoyment of nutritious vegetables.

Sticky glutinous rice with Mei Kwei Lou (distilled fermented sorghum spirit infused with rose) marinated chicken is rolled up with deboned suckling pig then roast until crisp for the Suckling Pig with Glutinous Rice Rolls masterpiece.

We also relish squares of delectable Cinnamon Whiskey Braised Pork; meltingly tender layers of fat and lean pork exuding enticing hints of cinnamon and whisky.

Doubled boiled for 3 hours in coconut, the next level Red Bean Paste with Guangzhou Aged Tangerine Peel wins the day with its timeless old is gold allure.

Oriental Group’s award-winning Taro Puffs complete the stellar culinary session. The Teochew style treat of airy-light pastry dome encasing decadent yam paste is rave-worthy; a most befitting finale to the grand banquet experience.

For more information or table reservations, call +6012 811 8812 or visit orientalrestaurants.com.my.