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.

NEW CHEF’S SPECIALITIES WITH PLAYFUL FLAIR AT YUN HOUSE

 
Familiar yet fresh. Inventive yet timeless. Chef Jimmy Wong and his Yun House team have rendered fresh Hong Kong-style twists to some classic recipes, resulting in visually striking and tastefully exquisite dishes with playful spins to captivate guests.

Presented on a chic canvas of modern tableware, we readily succumbed to Crispy Rice Vermicelli with Foie Gras and Oyster. How could we fault the artful melding of shatter-crisp texture with luxuriantly rich foie gras and the mollusk's plump suppleness?

Instead of the usual square deep-fried toast, we nibbled on lightly breaded, ball-shaped Prawn Toast with Caviar. Tiny pops of brininess from the lustrous caviar pearls heightened our enjoyment of the springy prawn stuffing and crispy toast.

Likewise, we enthused over the slick black vinegar sauce which exuded mellow, well-rounded tanginess; a nice masterstroke to complement the Mini Beef Steak, tempering its meaty richness.

The spongy-softness of fish maw segued to the delicacy of bamboo charcoal skin when we bit into the Fish Maw Dumpling with Cordycep Flower and Black Garlic. Umami accent from cordycep flowers merged with earthy complexity of black garlic on our palate the more we chewed.

Diminutive dices of barbecued duck lent an unexpectedly delicious twist to the filling for the red topped, wispy Deep-fried Yam Puff with Roasted Barbecued Duck. The faintly savoury-sweet taste of nam yue (fermented red beancurd) was discernible when we devoured the yam puff.

Primed up with a whole deep-fried Alaskan Crab Meat Wonton, we lapped up every drop of the stimulating Hot and Sour Soup with Sea Scallops and Tofu. Hats off to the chef for employing the scrumptious dumpling and scallops to level up the crowd-pleasing broth.

Equally stellar was Steamed Black Cod with Chopped Chilli. We were reeled in by the fish's natural sweetness and satiny smooth texture, touched with an aromatic superior soy sauce dressing.

Soul-satisfying Braised Hong Kong Ee-Fu Noodles with Wild Mushrooms and Truffle Paste left us replete. Nuanced with lush woodsy and musky accents, we slurped up every salubrious strand.

Miraculously, our close to bursting tummies found room to fit in the luscious Yin Yang Black Sesame Ice Cream with Chilled Almond Milk. Redolent with the distinct nuttiness of both ingredients, the alluring dessert proved too irresistible especially since I'm partial to almond milk.

Suffice to say, the selection of new chef’s specialities are befittingly worthy of the Michelin selected restaurant.

To reserve a table at Yun House, contact tel: 03 2382 8602 or email: diningreservations.kualalumpur@fourseasons.com.
 

EAT LIKE A VEGETARIAN AT ELEGANT INN HK CUISINE

In conjunction with the Nine Emperor Gods’ Festival, Elegant Inn HK Cuisine (E.I.) will proffer vegetarian cuisine for those who observe a vegetarian diet for the nine-day festival. Restaurateur Jeannette Han and her team have painstakingly created a Unique Vegetarian Set (RM138++ per person, minimum of 2 diners per table) and some a la carte dishes; available from 15 to 23 October.

Having sampled E.I.’s plethora of delicious offerings, I’d happily go vegetarian any day. Nice presentation and great taste are de rigueur here, starting with the platter of appetising Chilled Fresh Chinese Yam Konjac ‘Cherry’ with a centre of sour plum- marinated cherry tomato, a dainty Radish Flaky Puff and E.I. Crispy Vegetarian Rice Roll.

Every item drew our effusive praises as we savoured the chef’s delicate culinary handiwork. FYI, the konjac cherry and airy-light taro-radish puff can be ordered a la carte at RM23.80 per person (min 2 person per order), whilst the silky-smooth E.I. Crispy Vegetarian Rice Roll is RM6.80/pc (min 4 pcs per order).

Sweet and crisp wawasai blossom (miniature napa cabbage) took centrestage in the soup course of E.I. Double Boiled Soup of Murrill Mushroom (a la carte RM29.80 per person). Those earthy mushrooms lent flavourful depth to the salubrious broth, with organic soy beans providing delicate textural interest.

The inventive Fiery Cordyceps Flower Organic Beancurd with Lightly Spicy Cucumber Pickles (RM26.80 per person, min 2 person per order) was memorable for its soft and slightly crumbly texture. We love the discernible zing on our tastebuds as the tofu-cordycep flower mixture was spiked with a little chilli oil.

Presented in a square, chequered board pattern, the visually pleasing Braised Taro, Winter Melon and Hand-made Plant Based Patty with Hong Kong Liu Ma Kee Fermented Beancurd Sauce (RM23.80 per person, min 2 person per order) was a wonder to behold and savour. The masterstroke was the reddish discs of plant-based patty, made from quinoa, chickpeas, red yeast rice and beetroot. They formed an irresistible combination with the powdery soft taro and winter melon cubes, slickly covered by some glossy savoury sauce. 

Just when we thought nothing could outshine that, we encountered the show-stealing Truffle Oil Teriyaki Eggplant Steak with Organic Cabbage Rice (RM23.80 per person, min 2 person per order). Meltingly tender eggplant brushed with housemade teriyaki sauce and scented with truffle oil, the sumptuous ‘steak’ left us spellbound with its uncanny similarity to unagi kabayaki.

Housemade Cashew Nut Cream with Australian Pumpkin (RM19.80 per person) and Golden Banana Osmanthus Water Chestnut Cake (RM4.80/pc, min 4 pcs per order) brought our exquisite vegetarian meal to a sweet finale. The specialities’ ethereal sweetness and delicate textures left us on a heavenly high.

For reservations at Elegant Inn HK Cuisine, call tel: 03-2070 9399. Address: 2.01, 2nd Floor, Podium Block, Menara Hap Seng, Jalan P. Ramlee, Kuala Lumpur.