It still
takes an old chef to teach the industry new tricks. Upping the ante on good Chinese
food is none other than Chef Frankie Woo – one of the few Chinese chefs in
Malaysia with an almost cult-like following. The industry veteran turned consultant
chef now displays his mettle at Chinese Palace, a newish Chinese restaurant adjacent
to the stately, whitewashed Chinese Assembly Hall building.
Having
notched up decades of experience at several five-star hotels in Singapore, Hong
Kong and Malaysia: think Shangri-La KL, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, the Regent KL, and Concorde
Hotel Singapore to name but a few, and the now-defunct Gu Yue Tin restaurant, Frankie’s stellar reputation is now drawing hordes of admiring fans to Chinese Palace.
Tastefully
conceived, Chinese Palace’s interior combines classic Chinese and rustic Old
Malaya elements, amidst a soothing green and burgundy-red colour scheme to
splendid effect. A warren of seven private dining rooms accords privacy for
those who wish to entertain in discreet comfort.
Together
with Executive Chef Sam Loo, distinctive dishes such as Sliced Cold Pork Knuckle (RM38 per portion) reign supreme here. This Shanghainese ‘yuin thai’ (cold
pork knuckle) starter boasts Frankie's inimitable twist; the slippery-smooth and slightly gelatinous pork faintly perfumed
with aromatic star anise, cinnamon and cloves thanks to its being simmered in a braising broth of the said spices.
Another
exemplary speciality is Shanghainese-style Smoked Fish Fillet (RM38 per portion). Boneless smoked toman fillets come slicked in a glossy sauce of caramelised rock sugar, mustard
and Chinese vinegar.
The
Insta-worthy Sichuan-style Shredded Kampung Chicken in Chilli Oil (RM28 per
portion) is almost too pretty to eat. Succulent smooth shredded chicken is hidden
beneath a pretty dome of daintily cut ladies’ fingers. It’s
almost criminal, us destroying the nice presentation in order to mix the okra,
chicken and peanuts together with the piquant chilli oil (coarsely ground chilli-infused
oil with Sichuan peppercorn, black vinegar, and sesame seeds).
From
now until 30 April, Chinese Palace is promoting Hot Pot with housemade premium
ingredients. You can select Fish Maw Chicken, Beef Tendon, Hong Kong Style
Beef Brisket, Giant Garoupa Head with Yam, Spicy Mala or Dang Gui Gou Qi Zi for your hot pot of single or dual soup base.
During
our visit, we savoured *Braised Pork Tendons (RM88 per pot, *subject to availability). Braised with
superior stock for over 1.5 hours, the tender, toothsome pork tendons were superbly delectable whilst chunks of radish lent subtle sweetness.
We
had a field day loading up on the rich, gelatinous gravy and pork tendons before Frankie poured in more superior stock, elevating and transforming the dish into a hot pot.
The soup was further enriched when Lamb Slices and American Beef Slices (fei ngau or Hong Kong-style short rib slices) were cooked in it. For extra textural interest and substance, we enjoyed the inclusion of Handmade Prawn Dumplings, Handmade Prawn and Cuttlefish Balls, and Deepfried Beancurd Rolls. Mind you, these are not your run-of-the-mill prawn, cuttlefish or pork balls and beancurd rolls as everything is made in-house using fresh, premium produce. One bite and you'd detect the difference.
Maximising
on the flavourful stock, we added Hong Kong Ee Foo Noodles alongside two
types of mushroom, sliced beancurd, and fresh romaine lettuce to it,
transforming the hot pot medley into a most soul-satisfying offering. By now, the pork tendons had turned melt-in-the-mouth tender and went like a dream with the noodles and accompanying ingredients.
Two
housemade green and red chilli dips bestow some variation to your enjoyment of
the various hot pot ingredients but TBH, with such premium ingredients, there is
hardly any need for dips or sauces. After this incomparable hot pot experience, we agree Chinese Palace's version would be a hard act to follow.
For reservations, call Chinese Palace, tel: 03-2022 1339 or
016-833 6228. Address: 1, Jalan Maharajalela, Kampung Atap, Kuala Lumpur. Open daily: 11am to 2.30pm,
6pm to 10pm