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

BOWLED OVER BY NOODLES AND SHANGHAI DIM SUM AT DORSETT GRAND SUBANG

Five Flavours Shanghai Dumplings (RM25 nett) was the headline offering to tease our tastebuds at the newly launched Impressively Shanghai promotion at The Emperor.

Served daily for lunch (12noon – 2.30pm), we feasted on six new Shanghainese dim sum created by Dim Sum Master Chef Chan Chee Loong.

Naturally coloured with beetroot (red), spinach (green), carrot (yellow) and butterfly pea flower (blue), the soup-filled chicken meat dumplings were delicious. Vinegar and shredded ginger dip is served on the side, to dial up the taste appeal.

We also enjoyed soul-satisfying Rice Rolls with Yam Bean and Dried Shrimps (RM13 nett). A fresh take on chee cheong fun albeit the flat rice rolls are broader and stuffed with scrumptious shredded yam bean (sengkuang) and dried shrimps. Simplicity at its best.

Drawn from an age-old recipe, Shanghai Traditional Glutinous Rice with Chicken Meat (RM15 nett) dumplings won us over with its clear, delicate nuances and pleasant grainy chewy texture.

Crispy with sweet oniony flavour, the Housemade Scallion Pancake (RM13 nett) proved on-point too. The wedges proved addictive as we found ourselves reaching for second and third helpings.

A nice departure from the usual steamed buns, we gave thumbs up to Pan-fried Shanghai Chicken Buns (RM16 nett) and Pan-fried Shanghai Dumplings (RM16 nett). The irresistible savoury filling and varied textures made fans out of us.

 
Always up for something spicy, the crowd-pleasing Prawn Dumplings with Chilli Oil (Rm18 nett) managed to hit the spot. Chilli fiends will enjoy the zingy heat contrasting against the scrumptious dumplings.

Noodle fans will find tangles of endearment from The Emperor’s hefty servings of Big Bowl Noodles. Available now until 31 August for lunch and dinner, the big bowls of thick or thin noodles come in three different permutations. Each big bowl can serve 2-3 persons.

Much to my surprise, I was besotted with the Deep-fried Giant Grouper with Special Vermicelli in Salted Vegetable Soup (RM128 nett per order). A riff on the currently popular suan chai yue – the regional Chinese dish of sour vegetable with fish, we eagerly slurped up every strand, morsel and drop in our bowls.

Surrounded by blanched bok choy, the tangy-sour broth stimulated our salivary glands into overdrive; teasing us with sweet slices of giant grouper, strands of salted vegetable amidst toothsome vermicelli noodles.

Turning up the luxe factor was Slipper Lobster and Seaweed with Shanghai Noodles in Superior Soup (RM148 nett per order). The umami-packed broth melded well with the sweetness of slipper lobster whilst straw mushrooms lent textural variation.

The viral ‘flying noodles’ also made an appearance here much to our delight. Both young and old alike should relish digging into the crispy noodles immersed in an eggy sauce. Pin-drop silence ensued when we were busy gobbling down the Flying Noodles with Deep-fried Fresh Water Prawns and Crab Meat in Egg White Sauce (RM188 nett per order). Proof it was an all-round winner in terms of presentation and taste.

For reservations and booking, contact The Emperor Restaurant, Dorsett Grand Subang, tel: 03-5031 6060 ext. 1954 or email:bookfnb.subang@dorsetthotels.com

NICE RICE AND MORE AT SPICED PUMPKIN CAFÉ

Nasi Maqlubah, Nasi Mandy and Lontong Kering are the ‘must eat’ dishes at Spiced Pumpkin Café.

Derived from the word maqlu which means upside down in Arabic, café owner Mas Zuhairin Zubir explains the maqlubah rice recipe came from her ex-business partner’s husband of Palestinian descent. 

 

According to Mas, “Our Nasi Maqlubah has to be pre-ordered as it takes time to prepare. Firstly, onion and garlic are sautéed with 14 herbs and spices such as nutmeg, cardamom and cinnamon stick among others to flavour the rice. Then we layer vegetables and protein (lamb or chicken) onto the rice. The whole pot is cooked over an open fire. Once ready, the pot is upended onto a plate – that’s why it’s known as ‘upside down’ rice.”

 

For the lamb version, the meat is roasted before it’s added to the rice whilst the chicken is spice-marinated. The original version uses cauliflower but to suit local tastebuds, eggplant, potatoes and carrots are used instead. Raisins, peanuts and almonds are included as well.  

Aside from mixed salad, Nasi Maqlubah also comes with house hot sauce (concocted with chilli, salt, sugar and pepper) and ‘daqqus’ (a mixture of lemon juice, Chinese celery stalks, mint and pepper) for those who like extra heat and piquancy. A mini pot of Maqlubah Lamb (enough for 3-4 persons) is priced at RM95 while a mini pot of Maqlubah Chicken costs RM65.

Formerly a trainer for the housekeeping department at Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Mas first ventured into the food business by serving mostly healthy salads, soup and sandwiches out of a rented kitchen in an old bungalow, for patrons of a yoga studio in the same premise.

 

Then she ran a small café at SACC Mall’s indoor kids’ playground before partnering with another home-based caterer to open Spiced Pumpkin Café in 2016.

 

Now she is the sole proprietor after her business partner opted out due to unforeseen circumstances. “I’ve maintained her husband’s Middle Eastern recipes such as Nasi Maqlubah and Nasi Mandy but I’ve also added some Malay specialities into the menu.”

 

Mas says Spiced Pumpkin’s Nasi Arab Mandy Chicken (RM21) stands out from the competition as she infused the rice with charcoal smoke before serving. Tinged with the aroma and colour of saffron, the fluffy long grain rice has an enticing, subtly sweet smokiness to it. We enjoyed every mouthful accompanied by the tender, lightly spiced chicken.

 

The other show-stealer has to be Lontong Kering Rendang Daging (RM14.50). Mas explains it’s a Johorean way of serving lontong, with cubes of nasi impit stir-fried with her signature serunding kelapa (fried and spiced coconut floss), sambal tumis, peanut sauce, fried shallots and hardboiled egg halves.

 

Eaten together, the dish is akin to a flavoursome party in one’s mouth. Other variations of it include dendeng paru (dry curried beef lungs) and beef, chicken or fish serunding.

Signature light bites such as Pita Nachos Cheese (RM16.50) and Tres Quesos PJBB (RM17.90) are also available to tease the tastebuds of peckish diners. Here, pita bread is cut into triangular pieces then fried until crisp to resemble nachos.

The former comes laden with the house special sauce, melted cheese, hot sauce and chilli flakes. Cheese lovers can relish the latter as the nibbles are topped with three types of melted cheese, beef bacon bits and chopped jalapeño.

 

To please the younger set, Creamy Pumpkin with Pasta and Beef Bacon (RM17.00), and Spaghetti with Butter Salmon in Salted Egg Yolk Sauce (RM28.90) are among the crowd-pleasing selection featured here. All the sauces are made on-premise by Mas so her extra efforts help to dial up the appeal of her pasta offerings.

Having gone viral on social media, kunafa – a popular Middle Eastern treat made from finely spun phyllo threads drenched with syrup and crushed pistachios – proves to be a compelling dessert at this outpost.

 

Mas levels up her Kunafa with Tres Leches (RM16.50): mozzarella and cream, orange blossom syrup, dried rose petals and crushed pistachios. The whole ensemble is creamy, mildly sweet and nutty; with pleasing whiffs of orange blossom and rose.

She also bestows similar treatment to Kuih Lopes with Tres Leches and Ice Cream (RM9.50). Coated in coconut flakes, the wedge of pandan-infused glutinous rice pairs marvellously with gula Melaka, cream and vanilla ice cream. Ditto for the Sago Pudding with Tres Leche and Gula Melaka (RM7.50).

 

Somehow, we couldn’t wrap our head around the South American-inspired Tres Leches Cake (RM15). Dry sponge cake is traditionally soaked in cream, milk and fruits, but Mas improvises hers slightly by immersing the sponge cake into milk prior to serving. Topped with canned fruit, this dessert fails to hit the spot for us.

For reservations at Spiced Pumpkin Café, call hp no:019 2728317. Address: Lot 291, Kompleks KPPMS, 2, Jalan RU 3/9a, Shah Alam, Selangor. Business hours: Mon-Thurs 12 pm –7 pm, Sat 12 pm – 930 pm. Closed on Sun.