SHANG PALACE’S NEW A LA CARTE MENU BY CHEF KEITH YEAP

 

Grounded in classical Cantonese technique, yet confidently layered with subtle Malaysian influences, the new à la carte menu at Shang Palace captures Chinese Executive Chef Keith Yeap’s two decade-long culinary journey.

 
There’s a quiet precision to that speaks volumes of the chef’s inimitable experience gleaned across Asia and the Middle East. Yeap is not one to tamper needlessly with tradition. “We want to distil the soul of Cantonese cuisine,” he says, “but also to tell a story.” His dishes are underpinned by structure and discipline, yet laced with warmth and a sense of curiosity.

 

You taste this immediately in the appetiser of Cherry Tomatoes with Aged Plum Dressing and Imperial Sichuan Pickled Mustard. The bright fruitiness of cherry tomatoes is heightened by delightfully tangy-sweet pickling juice of plums whilst the meticulously prepared, salty-sour-spicy zha cai pickles are mellowed through careful soaking, their intensity balanced by hints of sweetness and sesame seeds. 

Then there’s the Silk Lava Shrimp Ball, one of Yeap’s signature creations. Inspired by the colourful troll dolls he saw in an airport shop, the dish blends nostalgia with playfulness. 

Beneath the crisp, golden exterior of shredded spring roll skin lies a core of molten mozzarella encased in shrimp paste. Paired with a lightly sweet mango sauce, it’s an unexpected combination that works, both texturally and in flavour.

Simmered for eight hours, the Ficus Root Nourishing Brew is a masterclass in the Cantonese art of double boiling. Dried coconut strips, water chestnuts, ficus root, red dates, and chicken yield a clean, sweet and profoundly comforting broth, reminiscent of soups lovingly prepped by family matriarchs.

 
The unmistakable aroma of tong kwai (angelica root) heralds the arrival of a splendid Flame-seared Herbal Crispy Duck. We love the lacquered and crisp skin and the succulent flesh. The balance of herbal depth and roast duck richness is on-point.

 
Also notable is the Smoked Wagyu MBS 6 Beef Ribs, where jasmine tea leaves are used to gently perfume the already rich, stewed meat. The beef is first cooked low and slow, then smoked until it reaches that elusive, melt-in-the-mouth texture. The result: smoky, tender ribs with a lingering floral aftertaste that elevates the dish into something quietly luxurious.

 

Yeap also honours the Cantonese cuisine philosophy of allowing the ingredients to speak for themselves. His Golden Seared Hokkaido Scallops is an ode to the purity of flavour with sweet, plump scallops topped with shrimp paste and judiciously cooked until just set.

 

Texture takes centre stage in the Crispy Spiced Quinoa Oatmeal Shrimp, where light Sichuan chilli powder adds a flicker of heat to the quinoa-oatmeal crust. 

Meanwhile, the Steamed Fresh Australian Abalone, topped with the familiar pairing of ginger and spring onion, is timeless in its simplicity.

Dessert is a classic: Steamed Bentong Ginger Milk Custard. Yeap uses Bentong ginger for its signature heat and fragrance, creating a custard that is smooth, soothing and bracing all at once. It won’t please everyone, he concedes—but those who appreciate the purity of this Hong Kong staple will recognise its quiet brilliance.

Instead of theatrics, Yeap’s menu draws you in with its clarity, finesse, and depth of understanding. This is Cantonese cuisine viewed through a Malaysian lens—one that respects tradition while embracing thoughtful innovation.

 

Available daily for lunch and dinner from 11 June 2025, the new offerings at Shang Palace are a compelling reason to revisit what we think we know about Chinese fine dining.

For dining reservations and inquiries at Shang Palace, please contact tel: 03 2786 2378 or email: dining.kl@shangri-la.com

R-EEL DELIGHTS AT TIEN

 
Export-grade live eels from China took centrestage at Tien restaurant, prepared in four different ways as part of the month-long ‘Flavours of Suria’ dining experiences at Suria KLCC mall recently.

In keeping with its "Always Something New” tagline, Suria KLCC invited local media members to hands-on workshops and exclusive tastings at tenant restaurants: Din, Fuel Shack, Cili Kampung, TGI Fridays, Imperial Chakri Palace and Tien.

We sampled a special seasonal menu of fresh Chinese eels at Tien by Putien, where four distinctive eel dishes were served. Flown-in from Guangzhou, we learned the eels are also exported to Japan. 

Fed with codfish powder, the eels are raised in open-air, clean water ponds. Putien uses 70 cm long eels weighing 600-800g each as they are fleshier with better bite. It’s the second year Tien is promoting these eels and the promotional offerings will be available until end October.

Our lunch began with Fresh Eel Cooked in Spring Water. It only took about ten minutes to cook the eel in spring water with spring onion, goji berries and ginger. Once done, we tasted the eel chunks which were surprisingly chewy. Its natural clear sweetness was notable when we tasted the broth and meat.

Rich, savoury soybean sauce produced in the city of Puning was instrumental in the preparation of Baked Eel with Puning Bean Sauce. Stir-fried with garlic, ginger and onion, the delicately sweet eel chunks were superbly flavourful thanks to the beany sauce and aromatics. Not surprising it was the most popular dish last year with Tien diners.

Although the generous amount of garlic was welcomed, a lesser amount of Yangjiang soybean sauce for the Steamed Eel in Garlic and Soy Bean Sauce would have been great. But that’s my own preference as others may like how the chef prepped it.

Sichuan peppercorns, dried chillies, garlic and ginger bestowed this year’s new Spicy Pan-fried Eel with some tongue-tingling ‘ma la’ power and spicy heat. This was another crowd favourite as most of us enjoyed the dish’s robust chilli-hotness.

All the eel dishes are priced at RM138 for a regular portion and will be available until end October.

For reservations at Tien by Putien, call tel: 03 2181 2839. Address: Lot 434, 4^th Floor, Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur City Centre. For more information on Suria KLCC mall, visit www.suriaklcc.com.my or www.facebook.com/SuriaKLCCMall. 

CONCORDE KUALA LUMPUR AGLOW WITH MID-AUTUMN SPARKLES

Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur stays true to its game-changing form by thinking out of the box this Mid-Autumn Festival, with the introduction of its crackle glass light globes.

Meticulously handcrafted, the hotel’s exclusive 9-inch and 5-inch blown glass light globes with crackle effect and LED lights come in Sparkling Gold, Sparkling Blue and Sparkling Pink. Priced at RM138 nett per set, each 9-inch glass light globe with 4 x 180g mooncakes are sold in four different sets:

A.               Japanese Red Bean, White Pure Lotus, Pure Lotus Double Yolk & Golden Pandan Pure Lotus 

B.               Japanese Red Bean, Lotus Paste with Loh Hon Ko (new variant), Pure Lotus Single Yolk & Pandan Lotus Single Yolk

C.               Assorted Fruit Nuts, Yam Lotus with Single Yolk, Lotus Paste with Chestnut & Custard (new variant) & White Lotus Black Sesame

D.              Snowskin with Red Bean Paste, Snowskin with White Lotus, Snowskin with Pandan Lotus Single Yolk & Snowskin with Yam Lotus Paste Single Yolk

In conjunction with the Merdeka celebration, Concorde Hotel KL is offering a Merdeka Special promotion as shown:

Crowned by The Star newspaper as the best snowskin durian mooncake, Concorde’s Snowskin Musang King Durian Mooncake is also available at RM168 nett per set of 4 pcs. Customers who prefer the smaller glass light globes may buy a pair of the 5-inch glass light globes with 2 pcs of mooncakes at RM90 nett.

Alternatively, pretty lacquer jewellery boxes in red, pink, lilac and baby blue containing 6 x 90g mooncakes are available at RM148 nett. Flavours include Japanese Red Bean, Pure Lotus, Golden Pandan Pure Lotus, Yam Lotus Paste with Yolk, Chocolate Peppermint Paste and White Pure Lotus.

 

 

Sales are in full swing at Hotel Lobby from 10.30am-8pm daily until 13 September. A separate kiosk at Ground Floor, South Court of Mid Valley Megamall is opened daily from 10.30am-10pm.

SPECIAL MENU BY CHEF RICKY WONG

On your next visit to Xin Cuisine, remember to sample the specialities of new Chinese Chef Ricky Wong. With three decades of experience under his toque, Wong interprets familiar dishes using his own expertise and inimitable touch.

The Sweet & Sour Pork in Ice Bowl (RM40-small, RM60-medium, RM80-big) proves a winsome appetite-whetter; every mouthful an enticing balance of fatty and lean meat generously coated in a palate-pleasing caramelised sweet-sour sauce. A dusting of parmesan crumble gives the dish a savoury finish.

 

While most Chinese chefs prefer to stick to the tried and tested when it comes to steamed fish, Wong surprises us with his bold employment of a bright, assertive rempah blend for the Steamed Soon Hock with Nyonya Sauce (RM30 per 100g). Fortunately, the fish’s natural sweetness remains discernible despite the blanket of zingy turmeric-galangal-chilli sauce on top.

 

Blended spinach lends extra nutrition to the chef’s Spinach Beancurd with Special Sauce (RM35-small, RM50-medium, RM70-big). Topped with white Japanese mushroom, the delicate morsels pose a nice contrast to the heartier offerings. The notable dried scallop and oyster sauce deserves special mention.

 

Bentong ginger piques our interest, adding warmth and textural depth to the speciality of Baked Spare Ribs with Crispy Sliced Ginger (RM40-small, RM60-medium, RM80-big). Lightly battered, the ginger slices not only amp up the dish’s appeal but also counter the meaty richness and the slightly cloying sauce.

Although not new to us, the Stir-fried Hong Kong Kai Lan Two Styles (RM35-small, RM50-medium, RM70-big) is a welcome relief from the porky overload. The greens’ crispy floss and crunchy stalks make enjoyable mouthfuls from the usual blanched vegetables.

 

Nam yue (red fermented beancurd) plays a central role in enhancing the overall taste of the Braised Pork Belly with Fermented Beancurd Sauce (RM58). The resultant slab of gelatinous yet tender pork doesn’t bear ample testament to the arduous, multiple preparatory processes: searing, steaming, marinating and braising involved.

Remember to sample these new chef’s specialities when you next lunch or dine at Xin Cuisine.

For reservations at Xin Cuisine, call tel: 03-2717 2233. Address: Lobby Level, Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.