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.

FRESH TAKE ON CHINESE CLASSICS AT KITCHEN RESTAURANT

Steamed fish used to be a staple favourite of my late Dad. As kids, we didn’t care much for it but now, I realise why Dad was such a stickler when it came to steamed fish dishes. Nothing measures up to the fine, silky smooth texture of an on-point steamed fish — the Steamed Pomfret with Deep-fried Ginger Shreds we relished at 文華輕小厨 Kitchen

Restaurant at Damansara Kim is an excellent example.

 

Just the show-stopping presentation of the dish alone elicits much ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ from our dining party. By the time the sumptuous fish hits our palate, we are well and truly hooked. Generously garnished with finely shredded deep-fried ginger and soused in fragrant superior soya sauce, the exquisite fish easily ranks as one of the most memorable ones I have had. Take note this signature dish needs to be ordered ahead of your visit though.

Now occupying the space where Extra Super Tanker used to be, Kitchen Restaurant is run by the same owners so expect your fill of hearty and comforting Chinese food, tricked up with inimitable touches of the resident chef’s.

While the pragmatic and functional setting is unlikely to hog the social media limelight, bona fide food lovers comprising neighbourhood residents, the white collar and family crowd are unlikely to grouse about the air-cond premise and low-key, casual vibes.

 

For curtain-raiser, we can vouch for the delightful Era Rojak Sotong. A winsome take on regular fruit rojak, with the inclusion of crispy deep-fried squid rings. Some may dismiss it as an odd combination but the lush sweetish-savouriness of the rojak sauce works cohesively well with the fresh crunchiness of pineapple, young mango, jicama, cherry tomatoes and cucumber interspersed with that of tender squid.

A whiff of the appetising saucy aroma is enough to make you drool and anxious in getting to grips with the house speciality of Baked Freshwater Prawns with Ginger and Spring Onion. To fully appreciate and savour the creamy roe and sweet, succulent meat of the prized crustaceans, it’s best to get your hands dirty.

Braised dishes are another forte of the chef here. My friend tells me the braised yam and pork ribs in claypot remains noteworthy but the current contender of Braised Tofu with Meatballs, Fish Maw and Mushrooms also ticks all the right boxes.

 

 

I’m partial to the utterly sublime pork meatballs. Bigger than golf balls, they incorporate minced prawns and diced waterchestnuts for extra texture and well-rounded flavours. Braised together with smooth, soft cubes of fried beancurd, spongy fish maw pieces and tender mushrooms, the resultant pot of homely goodies is transformed into a surefire crowd-pleaser.

 

The super crispy skin and juicy meat of the Roast Duck with Superior Sauce (Jiong Wong Siew Ngap) proves equally memorable. Instead of serving the sauce separately as a dip, the chef serves the duck on top of it. Hence each piece is touched by dabs of the house sauce, enhancing its meaty appeal and inducing one to eat more. This is another house speciality that also needs to be pre-ordered in advance.

 

 

Birthday celebrants may want to savour the signature Fried La Mian with Mushrooms, Egg and Pork Lard Croutons. Fresh hand-pulled noodles and crunchy dices of chee yau char play a key role in amping up the dish’s appeal. Slick with an irresistible, flavourful sauce with hints of zingy hotness, the delicious, slippery smooth noodles taste even more delicious with shredded omelette, white shimeiji mushroom and scallion.

For reservations at Kitchen Restaurant, call tel: 03-7732-1329. Address: 48, SS20/10, Damansara Kim, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Accessible via MRT Kajang-Sg Buloh line; disembark at the TTDI station.