MAKAN MAKAN MALAYSIA AT THE ORIENTAL GROUP OF RESTAURANTS

Paying homage to Malaysia’s treasured ingredients, regional specialities and enduring food heritage, The Oriental Group of Restaurants turns the spotlight on some of Malaysia’s finest produce for its Makan Makan Malaysia: Chapter 1 Grand Dinner series.

 

Scheduled from 17 to 28 August, the special showcase of locally sourced ingredients is adroitly interpreted through the restaurant group’s refined lens of contemporary Chinese cuisine.

An enticing trio of appetisers inspired by flavours from across Peninsular Malaysia leads the way with Smoky Iberico Pork Neck Satay, the chefs’ elevated interpretation of Kajang’s iconic satay.

Succulently tender Spanish Iberico pork neck, marinated in an aromatic blend of spices, is skewered and chargrilled to lightly smoky perfection. It tastes even better with the chunky, rich and perfectly balanced peanut sauce.

Another standout is the Crispy Muar Seafood Otak-otak Roll, where Muar’s celebrated seafood otak-otak takes centre stage. Wrapped in an impossibly light, crisp pastry, every bite seduces our palate with fragrant spice nuances, delicate seafood sweetness and irresistible crunch.

Simple yet surprisingly addictive, the Fire-roasted Cameron Highlands Sweet Corn emphasises the natural sweetness of premium highland corn. Lightly charred then dusted with sesame seeds, chilli flakes and aromatic spices, the juicy corn “ribs” prove addictive.

A refreshing contrast follows with Forest-picked Paku-Pakis Salad with Traditional Dressing. Harvested from our lush rainforests, the crisp fiddlehead ferns are tossed in a refreshing dressing and complemented by crispy cuttlefish, resulting in a wonderfully textured salad that cleanses the palate without sacrificing flavour.

Sarawak’s famed white pepper lends its unmistakable warmth to the Double-boiled Sarawak White Pepper Shark’s Fin in Cameron Highlands White Radish Soup. 

Simmered for eight hours, the exceptionally comforting and gently peppery broth yields generous chunks of Cameron Highlands white radish, shark’s fin and pieces of fresh local pork stomach. A restorative soup that lingers long after the final spoonful.

From the rivers of Tanjung Tualang in Perak comes one of Malaysia’s most prized delicacies – fresh water prawns. The Large Tanjung Tualang Fresh Water Prawns with Chef’s Special Sauce features the magnificent crustaceans sautéed in The Oriental Group’s premium 18-month first-draw light soy sauce and a restrained blend of seasonings. The dark, sticky sauce enhances the prawns’ inherent sweetness instead of overwhelming it.

Steamed Pantai Remis Pomfret, Qilin Style ensures prized pomfret catches from the Perak coast remains front and centre. The fish is expertly deboned and sliced before it’s paired with celtuce, Yunnan ham and abalone slices.

Steamed in the chef’s signature sauce, the fish remains silky smooth and delicately sweet. For added textural contrast, the fish bones are deep-fried until delightfully crisp, ensuring nothing goes to waste.

Marinated in a proprietary blend of more than 20 spices and aromatic curry powder before being charcoal roasted, the Signature Nanyang Curry Roasted Suckling Pig emerges with crackling-crisp skin and juicy meat. The distinctive Malaysian curry seasoning lends the classic roast an unexpected yet agreeable twist.

Comfort arrives in the form of Local Organic Free-range Chicken with Ipoh Beansprouts & Melaka Rice Ball. Tender poached organic chicken is served alongside Ipoh’s famously crunchy beansprouts and hand-shaped Melaka-style chicken rice balls.

Unpretentious yet immensely satisfying, the dish pays homage to one of Malaysia’s most beloved culinary traditions while reminding diners true classics never go out of style.

No Malaysian culinary celebration would be complete without Musang King durian. Silky and luscious with a texture reminiscent of panna cotta, the luxuriously smooth Musang King Durian Pudding allows the King of Fruit’s unmistakable richness to shine.

The finale, aptly named Happiness Forever, offers a contemporary interpretation of a classic Nanyang dessert. Beneath its translucent sago pearl-studded exterior lies a delicately soft, mochi-like purple sweet potato layer. At its heart is a winsome filling of gently caramelised gula Melaka and fragrant stir-fried grated coconut, delivering a sweetly befitting conclusion to the meal.

Priced at RM2,600++ per table of 10 persons, the Makan Makan Malaysia: Chapter 1 Grand Dinner will be available at selected outlets of The Oriental Group of Restaurants throughout the promotional period.

More than simply a banquet, this thoughtfully curated menu is a tribute to Malaysia’s rich bounty of local produce and distinctive flavours in a celebration that’s proudly local and unmistakably refined.

For more information and reservations on the Makan Makan Malaysia Grand Dinner series, visit The Oriental Group of Restaurants website: https://www.orientalrestaurants.com.my/home
 

ORIENTAL GROUP'S 26TH ANNIVERSARY GRAND BANQUET SERIES

 

The rich cultural and culinary legacy of pairing and infusing Chinese liquors into gourmet creations takes the limelight for Oriental Group’s 26^th Anniversary Grand Banquet Series.

Scheduled from 13 August to 9 September at different restaurants under Oriental Group, the exclusive Grand Banquet menu curated by Noble House Senior Executive Chef Wong Chin Leong, Oriental Pavillion and Noble Mansion Senior Executive Chef Paul Lee Kim Yew, Oriental Treasure and Han Room Executive Chef Jay Chan Meng Heng, The Ming Room and Ruyi Executive Chef Vincent Ong Chee Sin, and Oriental Pavilion BBQ Chef Kent Yam Kean Boon will flex the versatility of rose flower baijiu, Japanese plum wine, sake and whiskey in masterfully crafted dishes.

According to Dato’ Sri Philip Siew, founder and chairman of the Oriental Group, “the grand banquet series brings special dishes for our loyal clientele to savour whilst pushing the envelope and enabling our chefs to go beyond their comfort zone.

“Instead of inviting guest chefs this year, our chefs have created a special menu focusing on the use of wine and liquor in Chinese cooking which goes back thousands of years. Our chefs have experimented with Shao Hsing, Moutai (Chinese distilled spirit), sake, brandy and whisky, matching the liquors with premium and quality ingredients.”

At RM2,988++ per table of 10, discerning diners will be savouring the hallowed legacy of Chinese gastronomy, elevated by the artful harmony between food and spirits.

 

Delicate sweet-sour accents from umeshu (Japanese plum wine) tickle our tastebuds as we nibble on the pretty opener of Pickled Radish Roses. Immersed for 4-6 hours in umeshu, the crunchy radish slices leave a pleasantly rounded tartness on the tongue.

 

That paves the way for a classic handcrafted Spring Rolls with Chinese Wine. This painstakingly made appetiser consists of pig’s caul stuffed and rolled with handchopped pork mince, prawns and waterchestnuts flavoured with Chinese white wine. It's moreish, biting into the crisp outer layer before the delicious meaty filling hits the palate.

Balsamic vinegar pearls add playful pops of muted sourness to the Drunken Chicken with Vinegar Pearls. First marinated then poached with Shao Xing wine and baijiu, the chicken is then pressed until firm without affecting its succulent smooth texture.  

 

Due to logistical issues, we didn’t have a chance to sample the Chilled Japanese Sake Sea Clams but presumably the dish will undoubtedly delight food lovers.

More painstaking efforts goes into the making of the XO Cognac Stuffed Duck with Whole Abalones and Fin. Imagine a whole duck meticulously deboned, stuffed with shark’s fin, diced yam and whole abalones then braised for 6 hours. The duck bones are then simmered with base stock to make a flavourful gravy-like sauce.

Suffice to say the duck meat rendered with the distinct taste of XO cognac instantly captures our hearts and mind. We love how the varied textural contrasts of the impossibly tender duck alongside toothsomely resistant abalone and tender shark’s fin level up the dish’s sublime appeal. That sumptuous rich sauce pulls it all together superbly.

Instead of soy sauce, fragrant 8 Year Aged Hulu Shao Xing is used to infuse its complex, delicate sweetness to the Steamed Wild Sultan Fish. Although there’s barely sauce, the fine fish flesh oozes with sweet richness – a melding of fish jus and the aged Chinese wine. Perking it up further is aromatic chopped and oil-scalded spring onion.

Earthy and mutedly sweet nuances make the Stuffed Prawn Paste in Morel Mushroom especially enticing. Sautéed with House Made Dried Scallop Sauce, the heap of sauteed asparagus, celtuce, Chinese yam (huai san), ginkgo nuts, fresh lily bulb and baby corn levels up the enjoyment of nutritious vegetables.

Sticky glutinous rice with Mei Kwei Lou (distilled fermented sorghum spirit infused with rose) marinated chicken is rolled up with deboned suckling pig then roast until crisp for the Suckling Pig with Glutinous Rice Rolls masterpiece.

We also relish squares of delectable Cinnamon Whiskey Braised Pork; meltingly tender layers of fat and lean pork exuding enticing hints of cinnamon and whisky.

Doubled boiled for 3 hours in coconut, the next level Red Bean Paste with Guangzhou Aged Tangerine Peel wins the day with its timeless old is gold allure.

Oriental Group’s award-winning Taro Puffs complete the stellar culinary session. The Teochew style treat of airy-light pastry dome encasing decadent yam paste is rave-worthy; a most befitting finale to the grand banquet experience.

For more information or table reservations, call +6012 811 8812 or visit orientalrestaurants.com.my.