YUMMY OLD AND NEW EATS FOR CHINESE NEW YEAR AT DORSETT GRAND SUBANG

Oishi is the word that comes to our lips as we savour the multi-colour Japanese Style Prosperity Yee Sang with Crispy Fish Skin & Salmon (RM98++ half portion, RM138++ full portion) at The Emperor restaurant.

Available with a choice of traditional plum sauce or Japanese wasabi sauce, this celebratory salad platter is the tip of the CNY culinary parade rustled up by Executive Chinese Chef Bryan Teh and his team.

Pix courtesy of Chasingfooddreams.com

Having won three Gold Medals: from Shanghai International Top Chefs Invitational Competition, the 2019 Malaysia World Elite Chefs Championship and the 2019 Asian Culinary Exchange competition in Japan, in addition to a Silver Medal from the 2019 World Master Chefs Competition for Cantonese Cuisine held in Macao, the jovial chef and his team are ready to cook up a storm of old and new dishes for Chinese New Year.

Right off the bat, the Yee Sang gets a resounding thumbs up. Other variants to tickle your tastebuds include Jelly Fish & Fresh Fruits (RM68++ half portion RM108++ full portion), Salmon & Korean Pear (RM68++ half portion RM138++ full portion), Baby Abalone & Korean Pear ((RM138++ half portion RM168++ full portion) and Soft Shell Crab (RM88++ half portion RM168++ full portion).

Pix courtesy of Chasingfooddreams.com

CNY celebrants can also feast to their hearts’ content with three set menus available: Prosperity Set Menu (RM1,188 nett), Wealthy Set Menu (RM1,388 nett) and Happiness Set Menu (RM1,688 nett), each catering to a table of 8-10 persons.

The festive specialities in the Wealthy Set Menu are proof why The Emperor still rules as a favoured haunt for dining like kings among the corporate crowd and Subang residents. Especially after they slurp up a salubrious bowl of Double Boiled Matsutake Mushroom with Bamboo Pith and Farm Village Chicken.

Every spoonful of the nutritious, wholesome broth is more enjoyable and beneficial than popping supplements. Palate-pleasing textures emerge when you nibble on the earthy matsutake mushroom; a subtle contrast to the soft, spongy bamboo pith and chunks of fall-off-the-bone chicken.

A believer of the ‘old is gold’ adage, Chef Bryan Teh decides a timeless serving of Roast Crispy Chicken updated with Sweet Corn & Butter won’t go remiss for familial CNY feasting. He’s right.

 

Crispy skin- checked. Juicy meat – checked. The pile of buttery sweet corn niblets bursting with delicate sweetness, transforms the dish into something to crow about.

It’s wise of the chef to go with the usual flow when it comes to the perennial fish dish on such a significant occasion. Thanks to his own saucy concoction using superior soya sauce from Lee Kum Kee, the noteworthy Hong Kong Style Steamed Mandarin Fish with Superior Soya Sauce makes quite a splash with us. We appreciate the fish’s natural sweetness remains discernible, complemented by the aromatic soya sauce.

 

More soya sauce wizardry is apparent from the scrumptious Wok-Fried Tiger Prawns with Superior Soya Sauce. Slicked like shellac, the dark savoury glaze enveloping each crustacean entices us into much finger-licking and shell-sucking before the prawns are duly devoured.

Good things not only come to those who wait but also to diners who savour the auspicious-sounding dish of Braised Black Mushroom with Dried Oysters & Sea Moss. Plump and succulent, the black mushrooms paired with smoky dried oysters and fine hair-like seamoss are always eaten with gusto throughout the festivities – as hou si, fatt choi denotes the ushering in of good things and prosperity.

 

Instead of waxed meat rice, modernity and growing health-consciousness prompted the creation of new, almost guilt-free Steamed Organic Brown Rice with Glutinous Rice & Smoked Duck. A most mouth-watering speciality with a healthy spin yet suitably tasty for festive feasting. 

A sweet conclusion to the celebratory meal is Double Boiled Red Dates with Sweet Peach Resin & Snow Fungus. Refreshing and light, the cooling broth ensures diners will succumb to the dessert duo of Deep Fried Chinese New Year Cake & Pandan Coconut Milk Jelly.

Receive a Lee Kum Kee goody bag (while stocks last) when you reserve a table on the eve of and first day of Chinese New Year at The Emperor. Should you decide to partake the Wealthy Set Menu, you stand to win a special Gift Box courtesy of Lee Kum Kee (limited to 2 sets daily).

Pix courtesy of Dorsett Grand Subang

Advance reservations is compulsory from the eve of Chinese New Year until 8 February 2020. Call The Emperor, tel: 03-5031 6060 or email: bookfnb.subang@dorsetthotels.com or visit www.dorsetthotels.com/malaysia/subang

PROSPEROUS BEGINNINGS AT TOH YUEN

Chef Rick Teoh of Toh Yuen, Hilton Petaling Jaya and his team will pull out the stops to ensure diners welcoming the Year of the Rooster sit down to a choice of three festive set menus, to ensure a prosperous beginning to the Lunar New Year.

Our dinner preview hosted by the Hilton PJ Marcomm team led by Brin Vinda saw us tossing with gusto the platter of colourful Prosperity Yee Sang (raw fish salad) with Fresh Salmon, Hokkigai (surf clam) and Top Shell.

 

As expected, the succulent slices of raw salmon, surf clam and top shell blended well with the mixture of pickles, crisps, shredded vegetables and condiments. The salad had the right amount of sauce and oil; every mouthful deliciously well-balanced in texture and taste.

As tradition dictates, every festive banquet would invariably feature soup. Although yours truly hardly bother with broth or soupy stuff, I am partial to certain thickened version like the Brasied Superior Broth with Bamboo Pith, Sea Cucumber, Fish Lips, Egg White & Crabmeat served. Velvety smooth thanks to the chunks of egg white and endowed with rich nuances drawm from the luxe melange of premium items, few diners would pass up on savouring this.

One of my fave dishes of the eve was Steamed Canadian Cod with Dried Orange Peel & Julienne Ginger. The milky white flesh - delicately scented by the strips of dried mandarin peel - was marble smooth while the flavourful soya sauce and fish jus proved good enough to lap up.

I have yet to come across any CNY menu without the ubiquitous 'hou see fatt choi' and it's a good thing too as the dish is cherished for its auspicious symbolism of 'good tidings and burgeoning prosperity'. Hence everyone thoroughly relished every morsel of the Braised Shell Abalone, Mushrooms, Dried Oyster & Seamoss offering. Slicked with glossy brown sauce, this was a surefire crowd-pleaser through and through.

Happy laughter is sure to follow when there are prawns on the dining table. Despite the high prices, most CNY menus would include crustaceans with chefs giving their creative touches to them. Thumbs up to the dual platter of Fried Tiger Prawns with Oriental Sauce and White Prawns with Mango & Mayonnaise. We love the strong, robust flavours from the sauces used and the prawns' fresh bounciness were unmatched.

The musky aroma of dried oyster permeated the hearty parcel of Hong Kong-style Glutinous Rice with Dried Oyster in Lotus Leaf. A salted egg yolk lent it scant richness. best of all, the overall savouriness was balanced ingeniously by a spoonful of subtly sweet chicken floss and chopped spring onion.

Dessert fortunately came in manageable portion: a piece of Crispy Fried Nian Gao accompanied by Chilled Creamy Yam Puree with Vanilla Ice Cream. I'm partial to yam so both treats hit the spot without leaving any cloying feeling.

Available now until 17 February, Toh Yuen's three sets menus are Everlasting Happiness (RM1,888 nett), Luck & Joyfulness (RM2,188 nett) and Sea of Prosperity (RM2,688 nett).

For reservations, call Toh Yuen, Hilton Petaling Jaya, tel: 03-7955 9122 x 4073.

RICE DUMPLINGS GALORE AT TAO

Celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, Duan Wu Jie for the Chinese community is celebrated with the making and eating of chungs (rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves) and dragon boat races. The occasion is believed to serve as a tribute to a brave poet cum minister in exile Qu Yuan who drowned himself in the Miluo River, in his protest against the dismal state of affairs in the ancient Chinese kingdom.

This year, Tao's master dim sum chef Lo Tian Sion commemorates the festival with five varieties of rice dumplings which will available until 9 June 2016.

Handmade fresh daily by the chef who has over two decades of experience, the most impressive variant has to be abalone sea treasure rice dumpling (RM72.80 nett per piece). Instead of the customary ginger powder, Chef Lo has used five spice powder to give the humongous chung a different accent.

We had a sneak sampling of the gigantic dumpling which came packed with roast duck, salted egg yolk, baby abalone, dried scallop, dried oysters, sea cucumber and other delectable ingredients. Chockful of hearty flavours, it was the day's crowd fave as the huge portion was left us replete and happily satisfied.

Personally, I found the mini red bean paste dumplings (RM14 nett for two pieces) a classic winner. The plain sticky rice was compact enough and boasted a generous filling of mildly sweet red bean mash.

Another savoury version consists of dried oyster with braised peanuts and black eyed beans (RM22 nett per piece) wrapped in an elongated parcel. Traditionalists will enjoy this tasty offering which stays close to the familiar ham yuk chung (savoury meat dumplings) taste of yesteryear.

The chef's inventive streak rises to fore in the spicy Nyonya rice dumpling with dried shrimps and diced chicken dumpling (RM24.80 nett). Boldly accentuated with homemade Nyonya sauce - a robust blend of dried shrimps, dried chilli and five spices powder, the rice dumpling should appeal to those partial to strong, piquant flavoured food. The purist in me yearns for the sweetish nuance of candied wintermelon which makes Nyonya changs so distinctly different.

Mindful of health-conscious diners, Chef Lo has created mini rice dumplings with preserved winter melon, maraschino cherries, dried strawberries, raisins, lotus seeds and dried mango (RM14 nett) for them. I had expected it to be sweet but thankfully it was not. Some mango sauce is served with the dumplings for moistness.

Diners are welcomed to sample the rice dumplings at Tao Chinese Cuisine, InterContinental KL, Jalan Ampang, KL for dine-in and takeaway. For reservations or more information, call tel: 03-2782 6128.