A TIMELESS CULINARY JOURNEY AT SHANG PALACE

In tribute to Shang Palace’s four decades as a pillar of Cantonese fine dining in Kuala Lumpur, Executive Chinese Chef Keith Yeap has unveiled a special à la carte anniversary menu — paying homage to tradition, heritage, and the artistry of time-honoured flavours.

 
Since opening its doors on April 20, 1985, Shang Palace has been a bastion of refined Chinese gastronomy. With its intricately carved wooden doors, opulent carpets underfoot, and plush interiors evoking the grandeur of an imperial court, the restaurant continues to draw the city’s elite — from captains of industry to elegant society ladies.

 
Showcasing classic Cantonese dishes through Yeap’s techniques and know-how, the “Timeless Journey” menu brings diners on a nostalgic culinary trip, harking back to the 1980s interspersed with the chef’s contemporary touches.

 
The opening salvo of Shunde-style Shredded Fish Broth, a nod to the culinary prowess of Guangdong’s Shunde region, proffers silky hand-shredded fish in a creamy-white fish bone broth.

Accented with earthy black fungus, enoki mushrooms, luffa gourd, and the whisper of dried tangerine peel, the inherently sweet broth is a soulful curtain-raiser.

A showstopper brimming with delicate sweetness is Qilin-style Steamed Live Grouper. Doused in aromatic soy sauce and fried shallot oil, the tender grouper is uplifted by the punchy accents of ginger, spring onion, and coriander. Black mushrooms and carved carrot slices lend textural depth and finesse to the dish.

 
Crisp on the outside and springy to the bite within, the Golden Almond-Crusted Stuffed Crab Claws make for delightful mouthfuls. With toasted almond flakes adding nutty crunchiness, this dish proves to be a unanimous crowd-pleaser.

 
A sumptuous blend of shrimp, chicken, and salted duck egg yolk formed into oversized meatballs make the Braised Lion’s Head Meatballs with Crab Roe in Yellow Sauce an indulgent yet comforting speciality. We love how the golden crab roe sauce seduces our palate with its umami lushness.

The Ocean Harvest Hotpot, simmered with clams, crab, and chicken, delivers soul-nourishing depth. Ginger and scallion infuse the seafood and poultry with fragrant warmth — that tasty savoury broth begs to be relished with white rice.

Perfumed with the signature earthy aroma of lotus leaves, each Lotus-Wrapped Steamed Beef Cake whets the appetite at first bite. Imagine savouring tender minced beef punctuated by crunchy sweet water chestnuts and aromatic dried tangerine peel – it’s a flavoursome party in your mouth.

Chef’s vast experience is underscored by his creation of Stir-fried Canadian Wild Black Rice and White Rice. Every grain comes imbued with superb wok hei and further nuanced with a medley of nutty, chewy, and crisp textures from the inclusion of shrimps, edamame, and corn kernels.

No Cantonese meal is complete without dessert, and the chef’s choice of Ma Lai Go (steamed brown sugar sponge cake) and Peony Blossom Pastry are just the treats to conclude the culinary journey.

Spongy soft with a mildly caramelised sweetness, the Chinese cake is ethereally light. Meanwhile, the Peony Blossom Pastry is a visual and culinary delight: delicate layers of flaky pastry shaped into a vibrant pink and yellow blossom, cradling a rich lotus seed paste at its core.

 
Shang Palace’s 40th anniversary menu is more than just a celebration — it’s a reverent journey through the legacy of Cantonese cuisine, lovingly preserved and artfully reimagined.

 

For dining reservations and inquiries, please contact Shang Palace, Shangri-La KL, tel: +603 2786 2378 or email: 
dining.kl@shangri-la.com

GET SET FOR CHINESE NEW YEAR AT EQ

It was love at first bite the minute we savoured the Apple Wood Smoked Chicken Roulade with Barbecue Sauce. Served with Mashed Potato and Mixed Mesclun Lettuce, the show-stealer is one of Golden Phoenix’s Chinese New Year (CNY) menu specialities.

Light barbecue sauce enhanced the smoky-briny chicken roll whilst creamy potato mash and toasted sesame dressing laced mixed mesclun lettuce salad lent a refreshing spin to the dish.

The first salvo opened with a 10-head Abalone Yee Sang to herald a boisterous start for the impending Snake Year. Yee sang choices at EQ this year range from Norwegian salmon and jellyfish to advance orders of fresh Canadian geoduck and Austrian lobster. Portions start from RM128 for a small serving (4-6 persons), to RM668 for a large portion (6-10 persons).

 

Drawing from its 50-year-old culinary heritage, Golden Phoenix returns annually for Chinese New Year as a pop-up, serving familiar classics as well as debuting new dishes for the Year of the Snake.

 

Soul-satisfying umami flavours from Double Boiled Chicken Soup with Matsutake Mushroom and Fish Maw warmed our hearts and tummies with every sip. We relished the assorted ingredients’ contrasting textures and their warm, rustic depths.

Hot on its heels came Steamed Tiger Grouper with Cordycep Flowers and Red Dates. The fish’s fine flesh flaunted on-point doneness; its subtle sweetness dialled up by plump red dates with earthy cordyceps flowers providing textural variation.

More of the appetising dark soya sauce would have ensured the Fried Tiger Prawns with Dark Soya Sauce leave a more robust impact. Luckily that element can easily be adjusted.

 

Little ‘money bags’ – fried tofu skin pouches filled with diced water chestnuts, carrots and seafood – amped up the festive speciality of Braised Sea Cucumber with Dried Oysters and Sea Moss. The smooth, translucent sea moss-laden sauce sheathing the sea cucumber’s slippery supple texture was notable. Hints of the ocean emerged as we sampled the dried oysters.

Instead of melding seamlessly, the subsequent Braised Seafood with Noodles in Crab Meat Sauce tasted disparate. Also, the noodle strands appeared disconcertingly short and dry, making this particular offering underwhelming.

Things went swimmingly well with the fish-shaped Golden Phoenix Rice Cake. Accompanied by a delicate Baked Peony Lotus Seed Paste Pastry and a bowl of winsome Chilled White Peach with White Fungus and Red Dates, these dessert treats drew rave reviews.

The Hong Kong-style rice cake had some crushed peanuts and desiccated coconut to dial up its taste. Top marks for the paper-thin layers of lotus seed paste pastry too.

 

Golden Phoenix’s celebratory set menus will be available for the Reunion meal. The Happy Reunion menu is priced at RM288+ per person, Prosperous Atmosphere menu at RM388+ per person, Wealth Treasures menu at RM488+ per person, and Great Prosperity menu priced at RM688+ per person. A vegetarian menu, priced at RM188+ per person, is also available.

For more information, contact EQ Kuala Lumpur via https://www.eqkualalumpur.equatorial.com/chinese-new-year/

 

CREATIVITY RULES AT NEWLY REFRESHED TOH YUEN

Familiar yet fresh sums up the newly renovated Toh Yuen restaurant. Modern elegance with contemporary touches blends artfully with traditional accents of red and understated decorative elements to create a serene, sophisticated dining space.

 

With a seating capacity of 150 and four private dining rooms, Toh Yuen is ideal for casual and special outings.

Among the culinary gems awaiting diners is Roasted Peking Silver Hill London Duck (RM168 nett for half duck, RM268 nett whole duck). The Wagyu of ducks are meticulously roasted using a customised oven then carved tableside. Wrapped in delicate pancakes, the meltingly tender duck is accompanied by fresh cucumber strips, spring onions, and rich hoisin sauce; a delectable treat you’re unlikely to forget.

The remaining duck meat is then transformed into delicious Braised Shredded Duck with Ee Fu Noodle. Truffle oil adds a luxe touch to the silky noodles. Crisp cornets stuffed with duck meat and other dishes are available from the restaurant too.

For an overview of its dim sum repertoire, Toh Yuen offers a Dim Sum Lunch Set at RM99 nett per person. The culinary team puts a lot of efforts into creating exquisite morsels such as the goldfish-shape Steamed Cod Dumpling with Chicken Broth (so good I was tempted to lick the plate clean), Steamed Siew Mai with Hokkaido Scallop (an on-point showcase of bouncy-tender textures), and delicate Steamed Spinach Dumpling with Shrimp and Wolfberries (love the translucent skin yielding to a clean vegetal nuance touched with the fleeting sweetness of shrimp and wolfberries).

One of the show-stealers to gain two thumbs up is Baked Chicken Tart with Abalone. The flaky pastry encasing a mildly sweet-savoury chicken filling topped with mini abalone is memorable for its resemblance to char siu sou.

Even the soup course is levelled up with a mini pumpkin filled with Braised Crab Meat Broth with Scallop and Asparagus. Delicate flavours aplenty, with subtle crunch of the asparagus and supple-soft diced scallop bestowing textural interest.

Should you decide to go à la carte, we highly recommend sampling Toh Yuen’s signature offerings. Notable specialities such as Sweet and Sour Diced Chicken with Figs stood out for its enticing sauce and palate-pleasing fried chicken pieces paired with fresh sweet figs, and the supremely tender Stir-Fried Wagyu Beef with Porcini Mushrooms and Trio of Peppercorn.

Sweet with on-point doneness, the Steamed Pomfret with Pickled Red Chillies and Minced Ginger is divine. Kudos to the chef for the tantalising combination of robustly flavoured toppings.

The springy Golden Butter Prawns with Cashew Nuts appears par for the course. I’d wish the chef has given this offering a little twist, just to set it apart from the competition.  

It’s nice to conclude on a high with a distinct Egg Custard Pastry (deliciously flaky and custard-soft filling win every time). Even the Chilled Mango Puree with Sago and Pomelo finds favour with its just-nice sweetness.

Open daily from 12.30 pm to 2.30 pm and 6.30 pm to 10 pm, reservations at Toh Yuen are highly recommended. 

To book a table or more information, contact Toh Yuen, Hilton Petaling Jaya at tel: 03 7955 9122 or WhatsApp 016 216 0414, or email PETHI_FB@hilton.com, or visit eatdrinkhilton.com.