DRAGONITE FEAST AT DORSETT HARTAMAS KUALA LUMPUR

 

We had a rousing start with the ritualistic tossing of a multi-coloured Salmon Yee Sang, to kick off our sampling of the 10-course Golden Blossom set menu (RM1,188 nett per set for 6-8 persons) at Table Talk, Dorsett Hartamas Kuala Lumpur.

The refreshing curtain-raiser heralded everything auspicious for the upcoming Dragon Year, perked up by an enticing strawberry and blackcurrant sauce. For the first time ever, Dorsett Hartamas KL is offering four value-for-money set menus, featuring dishes with symbolic connotations befitting the Chinese New Year celebration.

Every spoonful of the Eight Treasure Seafood Soup yielded dried scallops and oysters, diced prawns and surimi crabstick in the thick marine-flavoured broth. It was rather tasty albeit a tad heavy on the salt.

 

Tender to the bite, the big flavours from the Kung Pao Beef with Cashew Nuts had us chomping at the bit. However, a zingier accent to the overall dish won’t be remiss but that’s strictly my personal take.

Subtly sweet with nicely charred edges, the delectably juicy Char Siu Chicken with Special Sauce garnered praises all round. A definite crowd-pleaser that hit the spot.

From sweet we traversed to the savoury spectrum with lip-smacking Butter Prawns. Cooked to on-point springy doneness, the crustaceans were thoroughly enjoyable, with a blanket of fried crispy cereal-oaty bits lending some crunch.

Fresh and fleshy, the Deep-fried Barramundi with Sweet and Sour Sauce piqued our interest with the fish’s natural sweetness shining through. Kudos to the chef for his judicious use of the bright, tantalising sauce to enhance rather than overwhelming the fish.

No surprises from the compelling serving of Stir-fried Broccoli with Mushroom and Bean Puffs. The crunchy broccoli florets integrated well with the softer, toothsomely tender textures of both the fungi and bean puffs.

Hearty and comforting bowls of Yong Chow Fried Rice with Brined Fish followed, leaving us utterly replete.

The winsome pairing of Sea Coconut with Dried Longans and Snow Fungus accompanied by piping hot Steamed Nian Gao with Freshly Grated Coconut was excellent. Both dessert treats were light enough with acceptable sweetness level.

Chef Lai Chan Meng has outdone himself with his festive parade; from Salmon, Jellyfish and Smoked Duck Breast Yee Sang (RM98 nett for ½ portion, RM178 nett for a full portion) to three other set menus available from now till 24 February 2024.

The 8-course Prosperous Beginning set menu at RM388 nett is ideal for 2-3 persons inclusive of yee sang. For a party of 4-5 persons, the 9-course Joyous Spring set menu is RM688 nett. Lastly, the Spring Fortune set menu at RM1,688 nett per table caters to 8-12 persons.

Table Talk restaurant is open daily for lunch and closes at 6pm. For dinner reservations of 3 tables and more, the Dorsett Hartamas KL team will be more than happy to cater to your needs. 

For further information and reservations, call Dorsett Hartamas KL or WhatsApp: +60 12 6883 043 or email to: fnb.hartamas@dorsetthotels.com

EQ PRESENTS CELESTIAL TREASURES FOR MID-AUTUMN FEST

Rabbit motifs take pride of place on EQ mooncake gift boxes this year. Referencing the Chinese folklore where the rabbit was immortalised by the Emperor of Heaven for its selfless act, the rabbit once again was the icon of choice for EQ's Mid-Autumn Fest gift packaging.

Origami-style rabbit motif hot-stamped in gold played a central role in my Longevity Collection gift box in vibrant red. Inside, I found 4 traditional baked mooncakes (RM198). Should you prefer snowskin, a set of 6 snowskin mooncakes (RM228) is available too.

Featuring blind-embossed elements of the moon and other decorative motifs, the understated gift box can be repurposed into a keepsake or jewellery box post-celebration.

Headlining the array of baked classic mooncakes is EQ’s Signature Pearl of Harmony. Featuring a combination of black sesame paste, mung bean paste and salted egg yolk, it was meant to resemble a full moon glowing against a night sky. The delicate nutty sweetness of black sesame was balanced by the savoury richness of the salted egg yolk.  

 
We also like the mildly sweet Low Sugar White Lotus Paste with Single Yolk. Equally agreeable was the Pandan Lotus variant with a discernible fragrance of pandan whilst the perennial Red Bean filling proved on-point.

 
Visit https://www.eqkualalumpur.equatorial.com/celestial-treasures-mooncakes/ for more details on EQ’s other Mid-Autumn Festival gift boxes and mooncake selection. Otherwise, drop by EQ Kuala Lumpur, Kampachi and IPPUDO restaurants, Pavilion KL Centre Court or Thyme Out Café, AICB Building to purchase and view the Celestial Treasures available.

For more information, please WhatsApp EQ Kuala Lumpur: +60 12 278 9239 or email: dineateqkl@kul.equatorial.com 

CONCORDE HOTEL KL’S MID-AUTUMN ELEGANCE

Bold red and classy orange hues reign in Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur’s elegantly handcrafted Mid-Autumn Elegance mooncake gift boxes this year.

The square and rectangular lacquer boxes in multiple layers of vibrant high-gloss finishing, come adorned with a dainty LED touch sensor light decorative panel. These gift boxes can be transformed into elegant storage boxes or repurposed as light-up displays in the home post-Mid-Autumn Festival.

In celebration of familial reunions and communal togetherness, Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur’s Mid-Autumn Elegance gift boxes come with a set of 4 x 180g mooncakes (RM188 nett per set). Take your pick from different mooncake variants to suit your tastebuds.

My red lacquer square box contains Set A consisting of Pure Lotus Double Yolk, Pure Lotus Paste, Pandan Pure Lotus and  Japanese Red Bean – classic baked variants ideal for the traditionalist in me. I’m happy to note the mooncake fillings aren’t overly sweet; the smooth paste with the requisite taste of red bean, pandan-infused lotus and classic lotus pleasantly delicate.

 

Should you lean towards the Lacquer Rectangular (RM188 nett per set), each box will come with 5 Mooncakes (1 x 180gm & 4 x 120gm).

Visit Concorde kiosks now to purchase those Mid-Autumn Elegance gift boxes:

Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur (Lobby) until 29 Sept, 10am – 8pm

·  1 Utama Shopping Centre (Centre Court, Ground Floor) until 1 October, 10am – 10pm (Sun – Thurs) and 10am – 10.30 pm (Fri & Sat)

Enjoy 20% Discount for CIMB, Citibank, HLB, MBB, OCBC, PB, RHB, SCB, UOB cardholders.

For more information, call/WhatsApp: 012 399 5021 or email to fbkl@concorde.net 

TOUCH OF FINE ART FOR MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL AT FOUR SEASONS HOTEL KL

Acclaimed contemporary ink artist C.N. Liew has added his fine art touch to this year’s limited-edition Four Seasons Mid-Autumn Festival (MAF) gift boxes.

Filled with handcrafted mooncakes by the talented Yun House team, the bespoke designs featured on the MAF gift box come from Liew’s Beyond the Border series, which was showcased at ART SG 2023 in Singapore. Liew is the first Malaysian artist whose works have been exhibited at Art Basel, Fine Art Asia and Art Miami.

The vibrant red MAF gift box incorporates a twilly scarf of Liew’s eye-catching artwork tied onto the handle, and a double-tier ‘drawers’ to fit eight mooncakes bearing the iconic Four Seasons logo.

“The custom of gifting and sharing mooncakes signifies harmony, happiness and good fortune,” says Jimmy Wong, Executive Chef of Yun House. “Our limited-edition mooncake gift boxes are the perfect way to share the festive spirit with family, close friends and valued business partners.”

Available in a variety of flavours, ranging from the traditional to the innovative, the classic Baked Mooncakes such as Red Bean Paste with Almond Flakes; Pandan with Single Egg Yolk; and Puer Tangerine with Lotus prove their timeless appeal never wanes. We sampled them at a lunch recently and each variant lived up to expectations.

Partial to Snow Skin Mooncakes? We highly recommend the delicate Bird’s Nest with Black Sesame and Almond - a winsome filling with a pleasant tinge of luxury. Equally stellar is Chocolate Lotus Paste with Himalayan Salt and Egg Yolk Custard - the fleeting chocolatey accent and mildly sweet egg yolk custard heightened by a touch of salt. The popular White Lotus Paste with Seaweed Black Sugar and Macadamia Nuts manages to hold its own. Of course, the sumptuous Musang King Durian Snow Skin Mooncake rules them all with its creamy indulgent taste and fragrant aroma.

Priced from RM42 to RM78 per piece, and from RM336 to RM624 per gift box containing 8 mooncakes, only one thousand of the exclusive MAF gift boxes are available for pre-order now, while stocks last.

To place orders for Four Seasons Hotel KL’s MAF gift boxes and mooncakes, call tel: 03-2382 8888 or email: yunhouse.kualalumpur@fourseasons.com