A TASTE OF MACAO AT YUN HOUSE

When Michelin-starred guest chef Anthony Ho of Zi Yat Heen, Four Seasons Macao joins forces with Chef Jimmy Wong of Yun House in Kuala Lumpur, the result is more than a collaborative menu—it’s a culinary dialogue, rich in technique, memory, and homage.

 
Held from 3 to 6 July to mark Yun House’s seventh anniversary, the four-hands menu (RM668 per person) is a study in refinement. A medley of traditional flavours refracted through a modern lens, each dish is carefully composed to honour the past with whispers of the future.

Chef Ho, a son of Hong Kong steeped in two decades of experience, begins with a poetic overture: Fresh Crab Meat with Japanese Pine Needles and Caviar. 

It’s a dish of startling clarity: the delicate sweetness of crab imbued by ephemeral herbaceousness of pine needles juxtaposed against the saline pop of caviar. An ode to the purity of good produce in the confident and deft hands of Ho.

Another masterful composition is his Teochew-style Marinated Mackerel and Chilled Razor Clams, a distillation of the restrained elegance of Teochew banquets. The mackerel, cured just so, sings with refined subtlety, accented by a tiny dollop of fermented bean sauce.

 
Partnering it are slivers of delicious razor clams, served chilled with scallion oil and a glimmer of ice plant. The succulent coolness a seductive textural contrast that delights.

Veteran chef Jimmy Wong, known for his contemporary finesse, responds with an enticingly comforting dish: Braised Fish Maw in Millet Broth with Black Truffle. Simmered for six hours, the broth is deeply nourishing—savoury, complexly flavourful and edged with the aroma of truffle. Each spoonful is a revelation; the gelatinous fish maw and tiny orbs of millet speak of the chef’s time-honoured and masterful techniques.

Ho’s unforgettable Wok-fried Lobster with Dried Shallots and Macanese Black Olives is a conversation-stopper. Here, the brininess of the olives—brought in specially from Macao—mingles with the sweetness of shellfish in a lush umami crescendo.

The Stuffed Chicken Wing with Foie Gras, Abalone and Glutinous Rice is at once nostalgic and daring. Channelling the spirit of classic banquet dishes, the stuffing of foie gras melded with sticky rice adds richness, depth and a touch of indulgence. The luxurious chew of abalone elevates the mosaic of texture.

 
Dessert arrives in two thoughtful creations. First, a Chilled Pumpkin Soup with Nostoc Pearls—a soothing, lightly sweet elixir, its texture lifted by the surprising presence of nostoc, a rare cyanobacteria prized in traditional Chinese medicine. Rich in protein and Vitamin C, this anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory element casts the dessert broth in new light.

 

The final flourish: a golden and delicate Baked Egg Tart with Bird’s Nest and Saffron highlights saffron-scented custard with a topping of bird’s nest. It’s a befitting dessert exuding a sense of luxury without excess, a final flourish paying homage to a splendid set menu composed with world-class skills and a wealth of experience.

For reservations, please call Yun House, Four Seasons Hotel KL, tel: 03 2382 8602 or email: diningreservations.kualalumpur@fourseasons.com

A TIMELESS CULINARY JOURNEY AT SHANG PALACE

In tribute to Shang Palace’s four decades as a pillar of Cantonese fine dining in Kuala Lumpur, Executive Chinese Chef Keith Yeap has unveiled a special à la carte anniversary menu — paying homage to tradition, heritage, and the artistry of time-honoured flavours.

 
Since opening its doors on April 20, 1985, Shang Palace has been a bastion of refined Chinese gastronomy. With its intricately carved wooden doors, opulent carpets underfoot, and plush interiors evoking the grandeur of an imperial court, the restaurant continues to draw the city’s elite — from captains of industry to elegant society ladies.

 
Showcasing classic Cantonese dishes through Yeap’s techniques and know-how, the “Timeless Journey” menu brings diners on a nostalgic culinary trip, harking back to the 1980s interspersed with the chef’s contemporary touches.

 
The opening salvo of Shunde-style Shredded Fish Broth, a nod to the culinary prowess of Guangdong’s Shunde region, proffers silky hand-shredded fish in a creamy-white fish bone broth.

Accented with earthy black fungus, enoki mushrooms, luffa gourd, and the whisper of dried tangerine peel, the inherently sweet broth is a soulful curtain-raiser.

A showstopper brimming with delicate sweetness is Qilin-style Steamed Live Grouper. Doused in aromatic soy sauce and fried shallot oil, the tender grouper is uplifted by the punchy accents of ginger, spring onion, and coriander. Black mushrooms and carved carrot slices lend textural depth and finesse to the dish.

 
Crisp on the outside and springy to the bite within, the Golden Almond-Crusted Stuffed Crab Claws make for delightful mouthfuls. With toasted almond flakes adding nutty crunchiness, this dish proves to be a unanimous crowd-pleaser.

 
A sumptuous blend of shrimp, chicken, and salted duck egg yolk formed into oversized meatballs make the Braised Lion’s Head Meatballs with Crab Roe in Yellow Sauce an indulgent yet comforting speciality. We love how the golden crab roe sauce seduces our palate with its umami lushness.

The Ocean Harvest Hotpot, simmered with clams, crab, and chicken, delivers soul-nourishing depth. Ginger and scallion infuse the seafood and poultry with fragrant warmth — that tasty savoury broth begs to be relished with white rice.

Perfumed with the signature earthy aroma of lotus leaves, each Lotus-Wrapped Steamed Beef Cake whets the appetite at first bite. Imagine savouring tender minced beef punctuated by crunchy sweet water chestnuts and aromatic dried tangerine peel – it’s a flavoursome party in your mouth.

Chef’s vast experience is underscored by his creation of Stir-fried Canadian Wild Black Rice and White Rice. Every grain comes imbued with superb wok hei and further nuanced with a medley of nutty, chewy, and crisp textures from the inclusion of shrimps, edamame, and corn kernels.

No Cantonese meal is complete without dessert, and the chef’s choice of Ma Lai Go (steamed brown sugar sponge cake) and Peony Blossom Pastry are just the treats to conclude the culinary journey.

Spongy soft with a mildly caramelised sweetness, the Chinese cake is ethereally light. Meanwhile, the Peony Blossom Pastry is a visual and culinary delight: delicate layers of flaky pastry shaped into a vibrant pink and yellow blossom, cradling a rich lotus seed paste at its core.

 
Shang Palace’s 40th anniversary menu is more than just a celebration — it’s a reverent journey through the legacy of Cantonese cuisine, lovingly preserved and artfully reimagined.

 

For dining reservations and inquiries, please contact Shang Palace, Shangri-La KL, tel: +603 2786 2378 or email: 
dining.kl@shangri-la.com

ALIYAA SHOWCASES SRI LANKAN CUISINE

 

Cinnamon, cardamom, chillies and coconut are essential building blocks of Sri Lankan cuisine. Tamarind and curry powder are also favoured in the arsenal of spice mixes for Chef Sivarajah Suppiah of Aliyaa.

Hailing from Nuwara Eliya also known as Little England, the tea growing hills of Sri Lanka famed for its cool climate and colonial era bungalows, Chef Siva started cooking at 18 years old. As the eldest child, he was responsible for preparing family meals when his parents were at work.

Chef Siva was recruited to join Aliyaa in 2008 and worked hard to eventually spearhead the Aliyaa team in 2012. He was instrumental in promoting the diverse flavours of Sri Lanka to the restaurant’s local clientele. “From our famous crab sambal to soul-warming kothu, Aliyaa strives to showcase Sri Lanka’s vibrant food scape through the intricate use of spices and techniques passed down through generations.”

The homespun Kothu (RM30-RM45) is a compelling must try offering. An ingenious way of using leftover string hoppers, roti or puttu (steamed cylindrical-shape ground rice cakes layered with grated coconut), it’s cooked with chicken, mutton, seafood or vegetables in addition to egg, onions, and chillies. Stir-fried in a heated stone pot, the comforting kothu’s enticing charred smokiness and mouth-watering medley of flavours and textures are similar to that of char kway teow.

Earlier we had devoured some golf ball-sized Fish Cutlets (RM24), crisp yet tender orbs of flaked mackerel fish and aromatic spices dipped into luscious onion sauce. No prizes for guessing why this dish remains a favourite among Aliyaa customers.

Another classic hit is Crab Meat Curry (RM185) in which chunks of sweet crab meat comes served in slightly creamy, robustly flavoured curry. Such bliss to enjoy sumptuous bites of crab meat minus the hassle of cracking shells and extracting bits of crab meat. The curry’s stealthy heat also left us hot under the collar.

Named after Sri Lanka’s beach resort with its time-honoured seafood and ancient fishing traditions, the speciality of Tiger Prawns Negombo (RM38 per 100g) proudly stood up to scrutiny. Huge, succulent tiger prawns in thick, aromatic curry reeled us in; capturing our hearts and tummies with a symphony of winsome flavours and texture.

We then relished scraping out the soft pulp from long, slender Moringa pods in a notable Drumstick Curry (RM22). Dousing the turmeric-accented gravy over rice, we were gratified to know drumsticks are good for digestion, high in fibre and rich in calcium and iron.

A gastronomic journey to Sri Lanka can be sampled via the Aliyaa Experience set menu (RM128 per person, minimum 2 persons per table). Crab Samosa and Atukkal Rasam served as the opening salvo.

The isle’s vibrant food heritage will be revealed to you as you work your way through the small portions of Fish Sothi, Prawn Varuval, Devilled Chicken, Mutton Curry, Cashewnut Paal (brinjal) Curry, Brinjal Moju (pickle), Nethili (dried anchovies) Sambol, Vallarai (medicinal herb also known as daun pegaga) and Carrot Sambol, Papadam and Chilli, along with Nei Soru (ghee rice) and string hoppers.

Completing the sensorial tasting party are warm, fluffy soft Sweet Appam sprinkled with palm sugar.

To cap off our Sri Lankan culinary adventure, we indulged in Wattalappam (RM15), a classic steamed custard pudding of coconut milk, eggs and spices delicately sweetened with jaggery.

For reservations at Aliyaa, call tel: 017-883 3738. Address: 48 G&M, Jalan Medan Setia 2, Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur.