A MANY SPLENDOURED FEAST

Come the frenetic CNY period, it will be on hands on deck at Noble Mansion. Similar scenarios are repeated throughout all restaurants under The Oriental Group where armies of service and culinary personnel battle gamely to withstand the overwhelming onslaught of diners throughout the CNY period.

By now Noble Mansion has received overwhelmingly positive response on CNY eve for all its reunion lunch and dinner sessions. Naturally the savvy Justin Hor wouldn't dream of allowing a single CNY to go by without ensuring the debut of new and inventive dishes to reel in diners.

This year, we were given first-hand sampling of the season's de rigeur salad - yee sang with seared salmon belly and white truffle powder (RM98++ medium, RM138++ large). Interestingly, the fish was lightly seared on the edges; the resultant faint smokiness melding unexpectedly well with the white truffle's lush, voluptuous musky nuance. Even after we had 'lou sang', subsequent mouthfuls of the refreshing salad still bore that distinct aroma and left a lingering aftertaste in its wake on the palate.

An edible work of art best described the individual servings of Crispy Icelandic cod with mandarin orange cubes (RM18++ per person). With such a collusion of complementary textures and flavours, what's not to like? The fish pieces were crisp on the outside and buttery flaky inside; the natural oiliness well-tempered by citrusy mandarin dices.

I will always equate pork trotter with the Chinese proverb - wang choi jau sau which means lucky fortune flows smoothly in hand - definitely something that we all want badly this year to counter the ever-growing price hikes.

One has to applaud the chefs for stuffing the trotter with eight delectable 'treasures' that range from diced mushrooms and dried oysters to water chestnuts and gingko nuts for the Braised eight treasures whole pork trotter (RM98++ per portion). Drenched in a lightly unctuous sauce, the trotter was meltingly, fall-of-the-bone tender with the various diced 'treasures' lending myriad textural interest to it.

Those who want a luxe touch to their CNY feast can't go wrong with Braised Boston lobster with Shanghainese rice cake and garlic (RM33++ per 100g). Cooked to springy doneness, the lobster's inherent sweetness coupled with the slightly charred garlic lend abundant flavours to the chewy pieces of rice cakes.

Hearty, homespun nuances reign in the splendid dish of Tiger Garoupa with Roast Pork and Mushroom (RM330++ each). A fab departure from the usual steamed fish, the rich gravy comes with shimeji and black mushrooms, spongy layered beancurd sticks, Chinese cabbage, roast pork slices and garlic - a superbly bowl-licking tasty sauce that begs to be complemented with bowls of white rice.

I'm a sucker for well-cooked 'sang chow lor mai farn' - stir-fried glutinous rice but Noble Mansion's indulgent version is in a class of its own. After all, few restaurants serve up Stir-fried glutinous rice in pumpkin with whole abalone (RM48++ per person). Not only the grains are nicely separate with a slight nutty centre, they contrast nicely with succulent bites of the abalone.

For the finale, we readily succumbed to the piping hot pot of Lap Mei Farn (RM68++ for 4-6 persons, RM108++ for 8-10). Apart from the sliced waxed pork and liver sausages, there are sliced waxed duck and belly pork as well as arrow head. A scrumptious, flawlessly prepared dish that will leave no cause for complaints. Unsurprisingly, this ranks as one of the best we had sampled in the run-up to CNY.

RM68++ for a small pot (4-6 pax) and RM108 for a big pot (8-10 pax). - See more at: http://pureglutton.com/gourmet-chinese-new-year-meal-noble-mansion#sthash.NBex2s7z.dpuf

Special menus are available for table of two to ten persons throughout the CNY at Noble Mansion. Reservations are highly recommended.

NOBLE MANSION, 1st Floor, Plaza 33, 1, Jalan Semangat, Section 13, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Tel: 03-7932 3288, 7960 8992

Noble Mansion
1^st Floor, Plaza 33
Section 13
Petaling Jaya
Tel: 03-7932-3288/7960-8992
- See more at: http://pureglutton.com/gourmet-chinese-new-year-meal-noble-mansion#sthash.NBex2s7z.dpuf

EXTRA SUPER SPECIAL CNY

After 11 years in the business, Extra Super Tanker restaurant recently embarked on a renovation programme of sorts; refurbishing its private dining space upstairs in preparation for the CNY feasting period.

Brightly lit and clad dominantly in wood, painted in jade green and firecracker red hues, the rejuvenated premise evokes a welcoming rustic ambiance; reminiscent of yesteryear Chinese restaurants that you would either gush effusively over or gasp in dismay. The long, wide passageway is spacious enough for standing cocktails and can double up as an exhibition space if required. Also sliding doors that divide each of the private rooms mean a larger banquet space can be created as and when the need arises. 

Now what else is new? With the Year of the Horse galloping up around the corner, veteran chef Chin aka Ah Wah Kor (brother Wah) has rustled up several delectable dishes in conjunction with the CNY celebrations.

Raising the festive spirit with White Bait Yee Sang - that ubiquitous salad platter given a different twist topped with deep-fried white bait instead of raw fish slices. Oh, the usual suspects: salmon or jelly fish are still available of course but these crispy lil fishies are way better for that extra crunch. If there's one thing we wanna nitpick on is the rather lacklustre, colourless salad. While it's great to omit any preserved or artificially tainted ingredients and only shredded fresh vegetables are used, some fruits and veges: carrot, purple cabbage, mango and pumpkin can go a long way in jazzing up the platter further.

Next go soup's up with a moreish Double Boiled Soup with Morel, Soft Bone Ribs, Fish Maw & Dried Scallops (RM48++ per individual bowl). At least a day's notice is required for this salubrious broth to be available so remember to call ahead and book if you want to slurp up the sweet, smooth  broth filled with soft boned pork ribs, spongy morels, a slice of velvet-smooth fish maw and a whole Japanese dried scallop. Enjoy the ingredients' sensuous textural variations and the soup's delicately sweet nuances.

In recent years, poon choi (big feast bowl) has been all the rage but suffice to say not all are created equal. Ah Wah Kor's Poon Choi (RM688++ for 10 persons) breaches the par excellence benchmark and get this - throughout the CNY period, only five tables of lucky diners (10 to a table) will have a chance to savour this classic treat each day. It's all about the chef's strict quality control and believe me, no amount of top dollar would make the chef go beyond his daily threshold of five pots.

This speciality definitely impresses at first sight; the top layer filled to the brim with pricey premium ingredients: abalone, prawns, sea cucumber, goose webs, black seamoss, mushroom and Japanese dried scallops. How can anyone pass up on these extravagant stuff? In our books, they are the bees' knees but wait, dig a little further down and you'd uncover stuffed dried oysters, deer tendons, soft boned pork ribs and chunks of roast duck. 

 It's akin to a mini treasure hunt where numerous goodies are craftily hidden away. The suckerpunch comes from the bottom - a pool of big, hearty and stupendously sublime flavours amidst carrot and pumpkin wedges, red dates and Chinese cabbage leaves. It is too easy to go potty over the voluptuous flavours and riotous textures that veer between  rubbery smooth to powdery-soft and tender succulence.

The Steamed Hybrid Tiger Garoupa Fillet Rolls Stuffed with Minced Pork and Prawn Paste (RM228++ per fish) is what my mom would call 'kung fu tau'; her term for an ultra-labourious dish. Yet it doesn't faze the chef one bit to whip up this stunning masterpiece that pleases the eyes and tummy. Take your time to savour those soft but tender fish rolls that come that distinctly springy-chewy stuffing. Enhanced with clumps of aromatic fried minced garlic and ebikko, this dish is definitely an exquisite show-stopper.

Regulars at this restaurant have always raved about the Iberico Pork Ribs but now the porcine bar has been raised even higher with the introduction of Iberico Char Siew (RM35, RM80). Sheathed in a dark and viscous, lacquer-like sheen, the streaky Iberico pork is juicy to the bite; its caramelised sweetness tasting faintly smoky on the palate. Again very limited quantities of this speciality is available so it's best to call ahead and reserve your share in case demand exceeds supply.

The final dish that rises to the occasion is Waxed Meat Rice (RM60 - serving for 6 persons, RM80 - serving for 10 persons). What makes it different? Scrumptious Hong Kong goose liver sausages that's what. Normally I'd eat a slice or two of liver sausages but golly, this is so exceptional that I found myself eating more than my usual ration. The other waxed delicacies: belly pork, duck and pork sausages are up to par too; their irresistible aroma and mildly winey flavour infusing the fragrant jasmine rice. Don't miss the crunchy, charred rice crusts at the bottom - ample proof that the rice is cooked in the claypot and not served in the pot for presentation purpose. 

Ah, the proof of the pudding is in its eating and Extra Super Tanker proves that its food remains in top ship-shape form. CNY Set Menus are available at RM838++, RM998++ and RM1488++ per table of 10 persons.

Extra Super Tanker, 48, SS20/10, Damansara Kim, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Tel: +603-7726 7768

FEASTS AHOY!

Abundance from the Sea...a succulent Sea Cucumber overflowing with delicious stuffing

Never mind if you don't have sea legs...Restoran Extra Super Tanker will ensure us landlubbers remain on course for a slap-up meal the minute we set foot on deck.

The CNY period is especially hectic for this Chinese restaurant with the resident chef who's fondly known as Ah Wah Kor storming the galley with a flood of hearty, unpretentious but irresistible and auspicious specialities that is guaranteed to make waves.

For a prosperous start to the Lunar New Year, reap Abundance from the Sea (Moon Joi Yue Qwai) - Sea Cucumber Stuffed with Diced Scallops, Mushroom, Water Chestnut, Celery, Carrot & Garlic (RM200). Thick, slightly gelatinous yet bouncy smooth, every mouthful of the 'jee poh sum', delicately accented stuffing and delightful amalgamation of textures left us at sea on how to describe its deep-seated, earthy deliciousness.

Turbot in Two Styles goes swimmingly well with a glass of crisp white wine

Enjoy Smooth Sailing All The Way (Yat Farn Fung Su'un) with the chef's sublime creation of 2 Styles Icelandic Turbot (RM12.80/100g; each fish usually weighs about 1-1.3kg). It was the show-stealer at our preview...fried to crisp, golden perfection we literally fought over the crunchy bones even as we were reeled in by sweet, tender pieces of Shao Xing wine-suffused fish and crunchy, wavy whorls of wood ear's fungus.

Nice change...Yee Sang with Crispy Whitebait

Another bait that should lure hordes of festive revellers is the evergreen Yee Sang (RM68 - half portion, RM88 - full portion) despite its less flamboyant colour palette. Not only is Ah Wah Kor adamant that only freshly shredded vegetables and fruits: cucumber, radish, mango, pomelo sacs, Chinese parsley, ginger, jelly fish, carrot, lotus root and kaffir lime leaves are used, he decided to go against the flow by adding deep-fried crispy Japanese white bait just before serving in place of the usual raw fish slices. The result? A refreshingly light fruity ensemble that boasts an edgy textural dimension that was sorely missing from other versions in the market.

Fit for a mandarin...Superior Bird's Nest & Fresh Crab Meat Soup

Instead of wading into controversial waters with servings of shark fin's soup, the chef charted a different course by offering Superior Bird's Nest Soup with Bird's Nest & Fresh Crab Meat Soup (RM48 per individual bowl) in its place. Unctuous and generously laden with thick strands of bird's nest, chunks of hand-extracted crab meat and roe, the bowl of Kou Kun Hei Yin or A Mandarin's Ascending Flight to Success tasted so exceptional that I daresay the thickened, flavourful broth took all the wind out of our sails!

Airy-light mashed yam basket that's overflowing with edible goodies

A well-loved staple of many Chinese restaurants, the ubiquitous yam basket (popularly known as fatt putt in Cantonese) is reinterpreted slightly. Filled with abundant goodies: scallops, snow peas, carrot slices, cashews, waterchestnuts, straw and black mushrooms, the aptly named Treasure Trove Yam Basket (RM48-medium, RM58-large) is fashioned out of thinner but no less scrumptious, melt-in-the-mouth mashed yam to prevent it from being overly cloying. With a poetic Chinese name, Phoon Moon Phutt Moon which means overflowing basin of abundance to boot, what's not to love?

Spiced prawns...such piquant pleasures

Fancy laughing all the way to the bank? Then you can't go wrong with a serving or two of Tiger Prawns with Chef's Special Sauce (RM10/100g minimum of 300g per order) - a dish that not only will evoke cheery smiles all around but also Hee Har Dai Siu or happy, rapturous laughter thanks to the splendid pairing of crustaceans and Ah Wah Kor's trademark sauce blend that has superior soya sauce, 'tau parn cheong' (spicy bean sauce), garlic and ginger in it.

A hearty delight that bowled us over

Adding further merriment to the extravagant CNY line-up is Hei Heng Yong Yong or Auspicious Happiness, a superbly rustic speciality of Braised Lamb Pot (RM80 for 12 pcs). You either give the gamey and rather gristly chunks a wide berth or push the boat out by picking the bones clean. Spiked with Chinese wine and ginger, us gluttons had no qualms wiping out the whole pot within minutes. I find the rib-sticking, voluptuous flavour good enough on its own though the side dip of 'fu yue' or fermented bean curd gives the meat a deeper, brinier and more pronounced dimension that tends to sear itself into the gustatory memory bank.

Waxed meat rice to woo the palate

If there's one dish that gets everyone into the same boat, it has to be Lap Mei Farn or Waxed Meat Rice (RM70 per pot for 4-6 persons, RM95 for 8-12 persons). Pork and liver sausages, belly pork and duck come together to bestow their big, bold and unabashed overtones onto claypot-cooked rice; its simple yet unpretentious goodness remain an irresistible allure come every Lunar New Year. At Extra Super Tanker, you'd find the unexpected but welcomed addition of 'nga ku' (arrowheads) to this treat.

Pear with me...

To soothe and sweeten the palate after the array of savoury specials, it's best to sit back and sip languidly on a whole Double-boiled Snow Pear with Hasma (RM16 per person). Don't cringe or balk at the thought of downing the snow frogs' opaque, subtly gelatinous glands as they're beneficial for replenishing one's vital essence in the lungs, kidneys, and improving skin complexion.

Stick with me pumpkin

Seal your feast with some deep-fried sliced Nin Koh with Pumpkin (RM4 per pc, minimum of 4 pcs) - a rewarding solace for fervent hopes that upwardly progress and success shall be yours once the golden pieces of batter-coated sweet glutinous rice cakes and sliced pumpkin are down the hatch.

In order not to miss the boat on these titanic temptations, it pays to call at least a day ahead and inform the restaurant that you'd like to sample all or some of the culinary masterpieces featured here. Bear in mind that with CNY still in full swing, it's best to put your oars in asap!

Extra Super Tanker Restaurant, 48, SS20/10, Damansara Kim, Petaling Jaya.
Tel: 03-77267768 / 03-77267769

LET'S GO POTTY

Di Wei doled out a potted feast of goodies for its CNY preview recently and we were among the lucky few who got a generous sampling of it.

The piece de resistance that took centrestage was Poon Choy. Literally translated, it means basin of goodies in Cantonese. Legend has it that this treasure trove of a feast was created to honour a Chinese emperor who sought shelter from a storm in a remote fishing village. Despite the rural folks'  own hardship, they managed to pool together their scant bounty in a wooden basin which resulted in an unexpected luxe offering that befitted their royal guest.

This hearty dish started to gain a local following during the CNY period a few years ago, with different chefs  lending his own touches to the speciality. Of course the presentation nowadays is more refined; the multiple layers yielding a veritable range of seafood, meat and vegetable items.

Chef Thian Taik Yong sets out to impress by placing premium seafood such as Australian abalone, dried scallops, sea cucumber, semi dried oysters, fish maw and prawns on the upper most layer. These sumptuous treats are sublime and hit the spot well; their deep-seated oceanic sweetness and cornucopia of slippery, bouncy and chewy textures soul-satisfying good.

 

Working our way through to the other layers underneath was like going on a treasure hunt ...every scoop elicited squeals of delight as we took turns digging into the huge bubbling pot. We found bamboo pith, fish cakes, mushrooms, pork knuckle, roast duck, roast pork, chicken, waxed meat, seamoss, tau kan, yam and radish. With so many ingredients thrown in, the gravy tasted out of this world. Priced from RM388++ onwards (available in two sizes), you'd need to give the restaurant a day's advance notice to order the Poon Choy for eat-in or takeaway. 

Earlier we had a boisterous round of loh sang to stir up hopeful wishes for prosperity, luck and fortune with a plate of Di Wei's Yee Sang. Featuring 18 ingredients and a special sauce concocted from green apple puree, we discerned hints of warming ginger and sweetness of snow pear amidst the hodge-podge of pickles, crisps and fresh julienne of vegetables.

Leaving nothing to chance, Carol Chin who's the Empire Hotel's marcomm lady ensured our lunch included a big claypot of Waxed Meat Rice - a customary delight that no rice-loving Malaysians can resist. Especially when it comes laden with waxed meat, liver and pork sausages and waxed duck. Laced with a fragrant concoction of soya sauce, you can scarfed down bowls of it in one sitting.

For the sweet toothed, CNY is the season for Nin Koh - the sticky sweet glutinous rice cakes that are sliced and either steamed and served with grated coconut or fried after being lightly dipped in egg batter. The chef opted to embellish rectangular pieces of the festive sweet with dessicated coconut and crushed peanuts while another serving came coated with sesame seeds.

To accompany this traditional delicacy, we were plied with Red Bean Soup with Glutinous Rice Ball (its centre has a liquidy filling of black sesame paste). A perfect round-off to our prosperous feast!

The above dishes were taken from Di Wei's CNY menus which are for 4 - 10 persons at RM388++ to RM1688++ until February 25. For reservations, call tel: 03-5565 1288.