TIMELESS FLAVOURS, NEW SIGNATURES AT XIN CUISINE

Xin Cuisine at Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur has rolled out an exciting line-up of classic signature dishes, each paying homage to the rich traditions of Chinese cooking while offering delightful contemporary touches.

Helmed by Master Chinese Chef Foong Ah Kwai and his culinary team, the feast begins on a playful note with Lychee Cheesy Shrimp Balls.

This tantalising version surprises with a molten mozzarella centre that oozes with every bite — a clever twist pairing the briny sweetness of prawn with gooey cheesiness. A most addictive appetiser.

Chinese culinary heritage lovers will find the Pork Tripe with Whole Farm Chicken (RM250 nett) a weighty masterpiece. No less than six hours of preparation have gone into the painstaking cleaning of the pork tripe, stuffing it with a whole chicken then simmering it until all the flavours meld beautifully.

 
The resulting broth is deeply comforting — peppery, collagen-rich, and layered with subtle notes of yuzu, shallots, and ginkgo. Each heartwarming sip is a distillation of old-school techniques, perfected through patience and skill.

 
Making waves as a first in the local hotel dining scene is Xin Cuisine’s Signature Roasted Goose (RM420 whole; RM230 half). A celebrated Guangdong delicacy, the goose is marinated in a time-honoured blend of soy sauce, chosen herbs and spices before being roasted to achieve crackling skin and succulent meat.

 
Juicy and aromatic, this indulgent showpiece dish is available on Fri-Sun in limited quantity whilst three days’ advance notice is required for weekday orders.

 
Next, the Honey Glazed Iberico Pork Ribs (RM172 nett) showcase East-meets-West refinement. Steamed to preserve their tenderness and baked for delicate caramelisation, the ribs are finished with a glossy honey glaze. The balance of smoky savouriness and subtle sweetness makes them simply irresistible.

 
Chef Foong’s house-made beancurd shines in the Golden Beancurd with Abalone and Sea Cucumber (RM52 nett per person). Silken tofu is steamed, pan-fried to golden crispness, then elevated with braised 10-head abalone and sea cucumber. The interplay of textures — soft, bouncy, and tender — captures the essence of Cantonese finesse, each mouthful brimming with layered umami.

 
Seafood lovers will revel in the Wok-fried Flat Rice Noodles with Fresh Water Prawns & Scallops (RM85 nett). This comforting staple is transformed into a smoky wok hei star with satiny smooth flat rice noodles then blanketed under velvety egg gravy. Huge fresh water prawns and plump scallops act as the crowning glory, their natural sweetness enriching the dish.

 
To end, the Aiyu Jelly with Longan in Calamansi Lime Syrup provides a light, refreshing finale — a cooling contrast after such indulgence.

 
With its new signatures, Xin Cuisine strikes a beautiful balance between comforting classics and refined creations, making it a must-visit destination for Chinese food connoisseurs.

For more information and reservation, please call Xin Cuisine, tel: 03-2149 2778.
 

XIN-FULLY HORSE-PICIOUS EATS

Traditions are hard to break when it comes to Chinese New Year but Chef Wong Pak Seng and his team have no intention of putting the cart before the horse when it comes to dishing up festive specialities.

The Xin team left no stone unturned in setting the pace and giving us a galloping start to the Wooden Horse Year, starting with the ubiquitous yee sang (raw fish salad). With six variations available (RM68++ to RM198++ depending on serving size), the Prosperity Salmon Yee Sang is a perennial fave with the restaurant's die-hard regulars and CNY revellers.

Freshly shredded vegetables, frisky tangy pickles, frilly jellyfish and crispy flour crackers go into this terrific toss-up of a salad that is neither too dry or moist even after the dressing has been added. We give it our full stomp of approval.

Although I'm not the 'chicken soup for soul' kinda person, I'm akin to the proverbial horse that's led to water, to drink from the heartwarming bowl of Double-boiled Chicken Soup with Wolfberries. Clear and delicately sweet, I daresay soup fiends will lap up this up with gusto to the very last drop.

Upping the ante on this year's festive feast race, the Xin team jockeys for top position with a stunning show-stopper - Roast Goose with Special Sauce. Mildly gamey yet lusciously juicy, the firm, tender goose has us chomping on the bit. Surprisingly it wasn't fatty at all and we relish every delectable mouthful.

 

 

A huge, tissue-thin egg-based pouch ringed by broccoli florets impresses from the get-go. The fillings turn out to be a gastronome's dream: a braised hodge-podge of sumptuous sea cucumber, plump black mushrooms and alluring abalones. Aptly listed as Bountiful Abalones in Golden Pouch, this is a dish that grabs the limelight the minute the eggy pouch is cut open to reveal its deluxe contents.

According to chef Wong, there are a handful of new creations to mark the CNY but timeless classics such as Steamed Pomfret with Soya Sauce & Garlic Oil will never fall out of favour. The fish flesh is fine and smooth and barely needs much tricking up so trusty condiments like superior soya sauce, aromatic garlic oil, freshly chopped Chinese parsley and spring onion are preferred to jazz it up.

Horsing around with fruits resulted in a tempting creation of Wok-fried Prawns with Fresh Fruits & Sesame Sauce. A boon for those too lazy to bother with prawn shells, the crustaceans slicked with creamy, nutty sesame sauce are sublime; their bouncy texture likely to put a spring in your step after devouring them.

Another consistent best-seller for the Lunar New Year period is the 'xin-ful' treat of Waxed Meat Rice in Claypot. Most chefs have their own closely guarded trade tricks to ensure this cherished offering command a loyal following year after year and Xin's has remained consistently sought-after since the restaurant opened. Suffice to say the rice tastes so good that one bowl is never enough.

To sweeten up the celebrations, diners will find tong sui (dessert broth) such as Double-boiled Honeydew to wrap up their meal nicely.

There's no horse play when it comes to rustling up new nian gao (steamed sweet glutinous rice cake) dessert. This year, they turn to the dark side of chocolate...boldly blending bewitching cacao with earthy green tea for the Chocolate Paste Green Tea Nian Gao.

Our vote goes to the Deep-fried Hazelnut Paste Nian Gao which has sticky nian gao crusted with a crumbly, toasty batter coating and stuffed with some nutella-flavoured paste. Subtly sweet, the chewy cake releases the distinct hazelnut fragrance the longer one chews on it.

Special CNY dishes from the a la carte festive menu are priced from RM13++ to RM318++ per order. Families and groups of friends may prefer the Prosperity Set Menus that start from RM1,388++ to RM1,588++ per table of 10 persons.

Xin Cuisine, Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur, 2 Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03 2144 8750