GET SET IN MARCH AT ELEGANT INN

Life’s a continuous feast at Elegant Inn Hong Kong Cuisine. March looks set to be marvellous with the debut of two special set menus: Bountiful Harvest and Golden Harvest at this city’s arbiter of fine Cantonese cuisine.

Highlighting a judicious selection of familiar favourites and newer creations, we were accorded a taste of the Golden Harvest menu recently.

Things got off to a happy start with us savouring Crispy Soft Shell Crabs in Light Spicy Sauce, Hokkaido Scallop Bacon Rolls and E.I. Crispy Vegetable Rice Rolls for openers.

Plump Hokkaido scallop wrapped in crisp, tasty bacon stirred our gastronomic juices with the scallop’s oh-so-delicate sweetness amplified by the bacon’s savoury richness.

Nice contrasting textures came into play from the Hong Kong-inspired jar leong. Instead of yutiao (fried fritters), the smooth flat rice rolls were filled with crispy taro strips. Drizzled with a little soy sauce, this delicious morsel made for a sublime mouthful.

I’m not a fan of deep-fried soft shell crabs so this appetiser was par for the course for me. Dressed in a tantalisingly spicy sauce, there were also crispy onion rings amidst the crab chunks.

Known for its salubrious soups, Elegant Inn reinforces its stellar reputation with a superbly Braised Twin Fish Maw with Sakura Ebi in Flaky Fish Winter Melon Broth. 

We lapped up every drop of that viscously silky broth whilst relishing the slippery suppleness of the fish maw strips. Lending it subtle crispiness and umami accent was some sakura ebi for that perfect finish.

Deserving a gold medal IMO was the serving of Golden Fried Sea Crystal Prawns in Salted Egg Yolk paired with Golden Prosperous Chicken Meat Balls. Springy to the bite, the big prawns had us hooked at first bite thanks to the attendant richly flavourful salted egg yolk crust.

Equally raveworthy were yummy chicken meat balls, reminiscent of classic hai jou (deep-fried crab and pork mince balls). The hearty bites brought back such nostalgic feels.

Heralding a sense of celebration in its wake was the show-stealing Braised Five Treasure Pork Belly with Whole 9-head South African Abalones, Black Garlic, Lotus Seeds and Chestnuts.

It was a stellar showcase of varied textures juxtaposed against a supremely lustrous, full-bodied sauce. We thoroughly relished soaking it all up with deep-fried mantou.

After all those heavy hitters, we readily welcomed the subtler nuances exuded by the Braised Vegetarian Assortment with Cordycep Flower and Housemade Tofu. Spongy and custardy-soft melding with gelatinous and tender textures ruled here.

Claypot Rice with Sea Star Garoupa Fillet, Hong Kong Dried Prawns and Tung Choi instantly garnered effusive praises once we dug into the scrumptious rice. Possibly the next best thing to Elegant Inn’s famed lap mei farn (waxed meat rice), this fish-laden version dialled up the appeal factor with a generous topping naturally umami-sweet HK dried prawns and preserved vegetable.

Lunch finished on a splendid high with exquisitely dainty Bird’s Nest Egg Tartlets and irresistible Nutty Sesame Balls. The latter deserved special mention as each chewy ball was stuffed with coarsely crushed peanuts and sugar, to deliver better mouthfeel. A treat worth going nuts over!

We chased those dessert treats with refreshing bowls of Double Boiled Fresh Pineapple with Lily Flower and Snow Fungus. An on-point, cooling broth to counter the current hot and hazy weather.

The Golden Harvest is priced RM1,188++ for 4 persons, RM1,688++ for 6 persons and RM2,788++ for 10 persons and will be available until end March.

For reservations, call Elegant Inn Hong Kong Cuisine, at tel: 03-20709399 or 03-67379399 or WhatsApp 012-7223518.

SSSSPECIAL CNY OFFERINGS AT SHANGRI-LA KL

Auspicious Yee Sang primed up with 2-head abalone, Hokkaido scallops, poached lobster, and Scottish smoked salmon will elevate your Chinese New Year celebration. We had first dibs of this fab opening salvo for the 9-course Immense Wealth Set Menu at Shang Palace recently.

 

Hints of kaffir lime leaves emerged as we sampled the luxurious combo of premium ingredients embodying opulence, vitality, joy, and unity.

Warming up the celebratory meal further is Double Boiled Chicken Soup with Chinese Herbs, Fish Maw and Red Dates. Redolent with savoury-sweet marine flavours and subtle aroma of Chinese herbs, the nutritious soup bears testament to the painstaking care put in by Executive Sous Chef Chew Tai Beh (left) and his culinary team.

Abundance is assured when you savour Steamed Soon Hock with Crystal Noodles, Tangerine Peel and Black Bean Sauce. This year, the fish is locally sourced in line with Shangri-La’s environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) efforts.

The notable use of crystal noodles is a masterstroke as the slippery strands absorb the fish’s delicate sweetness nicely. Also noteworthy is the sumptuous sauce nuanced with aged tangerine peel and black beans, dialling up the dish’s overall deliciousness.

Easing the way for fortune and prosperity is a sumptuous platter of Braised 6-head Abalone with Sea Moss and Sun-dried Oysters. Brimming with alluring umami richness, we reckon you’d enjoy the varied textural delights of this classic speciality.
 

Tender with an irresistible mouthfeel, the chicken coupled with the slightly crunchy black fungus in the Simmered Locally Sourced Yellow Chicken in Ginger-infused Sauce with Black Fungus proved to be another stellar offering. We find the punchy sauce superbly addictive, with delicate goji berries' sweetness coming through.

Wine lovers may wish to sample Clarendelle Bordeaux 2017, a ruby-red wine with vibrant fruity aroma and notes of blackcurrant and cherries on the palate. The wine label even features the Shangri-La logo thanks to a collab between the Hotel and Domaine Clarence Dillon. It’s a well-structured wine with smooth tannins, noticeable minerality and a wonderfully long finish.

Sichuan influences are the rage among Chinese chefs currently. This is  reflected in the Sauteed King Prawns and Asparagus in Golden Yam Ring; the burst of zingy-heat when we bit into the prawns is unmistakable.

A generous sprinkling of Sakura Prawns topped the Organic White and Red Rice with Minced Seafood. The crunchy-crisp crustaceans add splendid contrast and depth of flavour to the nutty rice grains mixed with bits of seafood.
 

Concluding the special menu is Sweetened Broth of Snow Fungus with Six Flavoured Glutinous Rice Dumplings. Complementing the dessert broth are delightful Deep-fried Crispy Rice Paper Wrapped Nian Gao with Yam and Sweet Potato, and a piece of Steamed Trehalose (a type of naturally and commercially produced sugar used as sweetener) and Coconut Nian Gao.

Available from 6 January to 12 February 2025, Shang Palace’s Chinese New Year promotion feature special Yee Sang creations (from RM148 nett upwards), classic Chinese delicacies, and festive set menus (from RM228 nett per person), crafted for family, friends, or business celebrations. Also available will be simplified à la carte and Dim Sum menus  from 29 to 31 January 2025.

For dining reservations and inquiries, contact Shang Palace, Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur, tel: 03 2032 2388 or email: enquiries email: dining.kl@shangri-la.com

BOUNTIFUL CHEF’S SPECIALITIES AT NEW HARVEST

 

Not all chicken rice are created equal. In Klang, it's no secret if you wish to eat Chef Simon Lee's signature Chicken Rice (half chicken RM70 small, RM80 medium, RM90 large; whole chicken RM125 small, RM135 medium, RM145 large), you need to pre-order the dish at least a day in advance.

Using free range chicken weighing about 2kg, Lee said he sourced the Dutch breed of chickens for his speciality dish. We had the chance to sample the delectable chicken recently: its corn-yellow skin and tender, succulent meat proved scrumptious to the bite. It made perfect pairing with Chef Lee's aromatic and deeply flavourful chicken rice.

Accentuated with pandan, ginger and shallots, the rice was good enough to be eaten on its own. Rice lovers will find it hard to stop at just one bowl. 

Lee honed his skills as a disciple of a veteran Chinese chef who made a name for himself in the local Chinese restaurant scene back in the day. Having garnered a wealth of experience under his torque, Lee now holds court at his own New Harvest restaurant in Klang.

Those in the know considers New Harvest an 'old is gold' dining bastion; a haven where pricey specialities of shark’s fin and abalone command leading roles, sharing the stage with comforting chicken rice and familiar homey braised dishes.

Looks can be deceptive as the air-conditioned, austere interior of New Harvest appears like any other neighbourhood Chinese restaurant. It's simple and pragmatically furnished yet its pulling power is undoubtedly the chef’s la sau choi (signature specialities), boldly depicted on the colourful wall-to-wall backdrops.

Our lunch commenced with Stir Fried Scrambled Egg with Crab Meat (RM12 per person, minimum 3 persons per serving). Those old enough to remember will find much pleasure to taste this crowd-pleasing opener which had dominated Chinese banquets in the yesteryears.

Wrapped up in fresh iceberg lettuce, the fluffy-soft egg embedded with dices of sweet, crunchy water chestnuts and toasty pine nuts stirred up some nostalgic memories for us.

Then New Zealand shark’s fin, fish maw and Japanese dried scallop formed a luxurious combination to entice us in Chef Lee’s Braised Superior Small Shark’s Fin Soup with Dried Scallop (RM48). The unctuously gummy and superbly flavourful broth warmed our hearts, tummies and palates profusely.

According to Chef Lee, 5 kilos of chicken feet along with old chicken, lean pork and Yunnan ham were used to simmer the soup for 12 hours before it yielded the desired results. Aside from the fins, we also relished those umami-packed dried scallops and spongy fish maw.

 

The culinary bar was raised further with the Braised Australian 3 Head Abalone with Goose Web (RM118). One look at the lustrous sauce was proof enough the dish befit a king.

We were in gastronomic heaven once we bit into the toothsomely resistant abalone, contrasting against the meltingly tender goose web. Coupled with that incomparable sauce, the whole ensemble had me counting my blessings and lucky stars.

Who would have thought peanut butter was the unlikely secret ingredient to Chef Special Stewed Pork (RM48)? Similar to ‘tung por yoke’ (braised pork belly named after Song Dynasty’s famous writer, poet and calligrapher Su Dong Po), Chef Lee made his version with tong gwai, garlic, ginger, cloves and star anise. The silky, luscious sauce was soul-satisfyingly yummy although the pork belly was a tad on the lean side.

 

Stir Fried Mixed Vegetables with Almonds (RM25) lent some balance to our meal. Water chestnuts, baby corn, shimeiji mushrooms, celery, sweet peas and almond flakes formed a sublime combination, teasing our tastebuds with a medley of varied crunchiness and delicately clear accents.

By now, our tastebuds were already saturated by the earlier spectrum of unapologetically huge flavours. Still, the plate of notable Fried Prawns with Pumpkin and Butter Milk Sauce succeeded in snagging our approval as we got our hands dirty, devouring the drool-worthy crustaceans. It was such fun, licking off the creamy sauce off the prawn shells before we sunk our teeth into the sweet springy meat. 

Slices of Klang homegrown Eng Kee pineapple and cantaloupe wrapped up our lunch on a delightfully refreshing note. 

For reservations at New Harvest, call tel: 03 3345 2288. Address: 19, Jalan Goh Hock Huat, Klang, Selangor