TUAN YUAN THIS DRAGON YEAR AT LE MEI, LE MERIDIEN PUTRAJAYA

 

An impressive dragon-shaped yee sang and a romantic setting heralded the Chinese New Year sneak preview at Le Mei Chinese restaurant, Le Meridien Putrajaya.

The cosy affair saw pretty lasses in qi pao greeting us at the door with tempting pineapple tarts, mandarin orange macarons and peanut tartlets along with mocktails. With Valentine’s Day four days after the first day of CNY, the hotel's novel idea seemed timely and appropriate. 

The multiple course CNY Tuan Yuan (reunion) set menus featured Chef Lim Kian Meng and team’s traditional and contemporary specialities. Available now until 25 February 2024, Yee Sang selection is priced from RM60 – RM388 depending on portion sizes. Splendour and Luxurious set menus for table of 5 are at RM1,590 nett with a complimentary bottle of wine.

Our preview got off to a rousing start with everyone stirring up the dragon-shaped yee sang laid out; a boisterous experience as we all stirred and tossed the fresh salad with joyful shouts wishing for prosperity, abundance and fortune.

Sampling the Salmon, Tosaka Nori Green and Butter Fish Yee Sang, we found the well-balanced dish teased our palate with a mélange of sweet, tangy and refreshing flavours. The various crisp, crunchy and succulent textures melded cohesively.

 

The heartwarming Double Boiled Silkie Fowl Soup with Dried Scallops, Dendrobium and American Ginseng packed a bittersweet punch at first sip. My palate was instantly awakened but perhaps some diners may find it too strong for their liking. However, the hotel team had taken note of this feedback and once the amount of American ginseng used is adjusted, we are sure the nutritious soup should hit the spot.

 

You have to be a fan of interesting smooth and slippery textures with the epicurean speciality of Braised Whole 6-head Abalone with Fish Maw and Goose Web in Premium Oyster Sauce.

 

Although some may baulk at eating goose web, try and appreciate its soft supple texture and collagen-richness. Along with the marble-smooth and succulent fish maw and the toothsome chewiness of abalone, the entire ensemble is all about textural mouthfeel. Also, the nuanced marine flavours of the lustrous, savoury sauce packed so much depth it almost induced us to lick the plate clean.

A mutedly zingy black pepper sauce amped up the appeal of Wok Fried Australian Lamb Rack with Black Truffle. We like how the wedge of caramelised onion's crisp sweetness lent a subtle counterpoint to the meaty richness.

Lending a healthy spin to the festive menu was Fried Organic Brown Rice with Quinoa, Seafood and Sakura Shrimps. Slightly nutty with abundant savoury-sweetness coming from the seafood inclusion, this creation was a shoo-in palate-pleaser.

Old-school dessert of Double Boiled Almond Tea with Honey Locust Fruit, Snow Fungus and Black Sesame Dumplings brought the curtains down. The dessert broth's distinctly nutty accent could be a tad strong for non-almond fans but I personally enjoyed the interplay of different textures amidst the delicate creaminess.

 

For elevating good luck and prosperity, don’t pass up the chance to sample Deep-fried Golden Spring Roll of Glutinous Rice Cake, Yam and Sweet Potato. Crisp on the outside, the roll proved enticing with its filling of gooey- and powdery-soft textures.

For tables of 10 persons, Le Mei offers four set menus priced at RM1,988 nett, RM2,688 nett, RM3,688 nett and RM3,888 nett. Instrumental music performed live during weekends for dinner whilst a lion dance will be held from 12 noon onwards on the first day of Chinese New Year at Le Meridien Putrajaya porte cochere.

For reservations at Le Mei, call tel: 03 8689 6888 x 6868 or email: dining.lmputrajaya@lemeridien.com. More information at this link: https://lnk.bio/hDlm

 

GOOD LUCK, GREAT HEALTH AND EXTRA YUMMINESS WITH AN VIET 'S YEE SANG

 
Crunchy lotus seeds play a key role in Ăn Viet's Festive Yee Sang salad. According to the Chinese saying, “吃了 Ăn Viet 香脆 莲子鱼生, 包你捞了好运莲莲”, which means whoever eats Ăn Viet’s Yee Sang will enjoy continuous good luck throughout the year.

Besides the inclusion of lotus seeds for nutty taste and extra crunch, we like the fact only 100% fresh, natural vegetables and fruits are used to compose the colourful salad.

Shredded radish, carrot and young mango form the central base. Little tubs of Vietnamese radish and carrot pickles, sweet corn kernels, fresh mint leaves, shredded lettuce, roasted peanuts, snow pear chunks, cherry tomatoes and promegranate seeds are arranged inside the platter. This is to ensure minimum mess and for easy assembly prior to serving. Fresh lime wedges, smoked salmon and a house-made citrusy sauce act as the crowning glory to complete it.

For takeaway, Ăn Viet’s Crunchy Lotus Seeds Yee Sang comes in a nifty platter with a transparent lid. The outer wraparound packaging is designed for easy hand-carry.

To enjoy, simply squeeze the lime juice over the Yee Sang then place the smoked salmon on top. Then pour the citrusy sauce all over the salad and invite everyone to toss and stir the Yee Sang accompanied by declarations of ‘loh hei’ or ‘loh sang’ and other auspicious sayings.

We give two thumbs up to Ăn Viet’s Crunchy Lotus Seeds Yee Sang as the overall taste is delightfully refreshing. All the various components blend harmoniously; the layers of textures perked up by the tantalising citrusy sauce.

You can purchase Ăn Viet’s Yee Sang from 20 January – 24 February 2024. Large portion for 4- 6 persons is priced at RM68.88++ and Small for 2-3 persons at RM28.88++.

For more information, please contact any of the Ăn Viet restaurants as per the details given above.

 

 

 

CHINESE NEW YEAR MENUS AT ELEGANT INN HK

 

Fresh, natural ingredients form the mainstay for the customary Bountiful Harvest Salmon Yee Sang at Elegant Inn HK Cuisine (E.I.). 

Never mind about the muted colours; at least the whole platter was a natural composition of shredded carrot, radish and cucumber with pickled onion and ginger, pearl clams and sesame seeds. A dedicated member of the E.I. kitchen team painstakingly prepares this speciality throughout the celebratory period.

In addition to the house-made sauce, the raw salmon slices are sliced on premise, to ensure food safety and hygiene standards are met. Every mouthful of the delicious salad with its myriad of textures and flavours left us raving with sheer delight.

To welcome the Dragon Year with a bang, E.I. is offering 8 special CNY menus for groups of 4-10 persons and 3 individual set menus, available from 8 January (minimum 3 days prior notice) and throughout the festive period from 22 January onwards.

During our sneak preview, we sampled festive offerings selected by lady boss Jeannette Han from the different celebratory menus. A traditional soup of Double Boiled Spare Ribs with Night Blooming Cereus, Fresh Cordyceps, Organic Black-Eyed Beans and Topshell came hot on the heels after the yee sang salad.

 

The edible night blooming cereus is said to be rich in antioxidants; to help protect the body from free radicals, reduce inflammation, boost the immune system, improve digestion, and reduce the risk of certain diseases. Together with E.I.’s cachet of fresh cordyceps, topshell clams, black eyed-beans, Yunnan ham, chicken feet, dried conch and dried scallops, the resultant broth was soul-satisfyingly sweet.

Specially sourced from a Penang farm, the Free-Range Chicken cooked with Fish Maw, Lotus Root and Wild Termite Mushroom in Premium Soy Sauce wowed us with its impossibly tender and toothsome texture. We like the slightly resistant bite of the flesh; a far cry from the mushier mass farm-raised chickens. Of course, we couldn’t pass up the chance to lap up the slick, savoury-sweet sauce with all that chicken jus.

Fluffy-soft, crisp and succulent textures integrated nicely in the Trio Seafood Platter. The delicate, flake-like Fried Japanese Dried Scallops and Golden Coin Shark’s Fin is meant to resemble osmanthus flower petals hence the dish’s Cantonese ‘kwai fah chi’ name. A tricky dish that demands deft handiwork on the chef’s part, to prevent the scrambled egg from clumping into large clods.

Airy-light crunchy E.I. Salt Pepper Fried HK Silver Fish contrasted nicely with the earlier appetiser. Completing the tasteful trinity was delectable Hokkaido Scallop Bacon Roll.

 

The evening’s show-stopper of Braised Five Treasures Stuffed Pork Belly with Black Garlic, Chestnuts and Lotus Seeds garnered rapturous praises among our dining party. We found the black garlic’s fleeting licorice-like nuance lent a muted sweet earthiness to the meaty, collagen-rich sauce.

Almost too indulgent to savour, the expertly prepared slab of pork with its alternating streaks of fat and lean meat was sumptuously moist and sweet with rich, lustrous flavour. The chestnuts and lotus seeds lent a delightfully subtle crunch.

From the individual menus, the lady boss indulged us with Aromatic HK Liu Ma Kee (LMK) Red Beancurd Pork Belly and French Beans on Sesame Sauce, and Braised Fish Maw with Pork Cartilage Ribs and Prosperous Chicken Meat Ball in Crab Roe Sauce.

The first reminded me of an amped up version of Hakka jar yoke (fried pork); the pork belly marinated with Hong Kong’s famous and established LMK nam yue (fermented red beancurd) then fried to light crispness. Utterly yummy without being too cloying thanks to the crunchy French beans dressed in sesame sauce to balance things out.

Some clever textural interplay made the latter porky dish memorable, especially the tender meat which came off easily the soft cartilage bones. The varied softness of the velvet-soft fish maw and chicken ball with seamoss heightened the dish’s overall appeal.

To fulfill our quota of greens, we tried Fish Maw with Organic Spinach, Silky Egg White and Crab Roe. Primed up with pricey fish maw and crab roe in addition to custardy-soft egg white, the Japanese spinach would certainly induce even non-veg fans to succumb to its allure.

Instead of 'lap mei farn' (rice with waxed meat), the lady boss chose to treat us to a winsome Claypot Rice with Chicken Fillet, French Goose Liver and Fish Maw. Personally, I love it as a nice departure from the tried-and-tested. With the supremely rich-tasting foie gras oil coating the fluffy rice grains, each spoonful was a sheer joy to eat.

 

Tender boneless chicken fillet, dulcet smooth fish maw pieces and dices of melt-in-the-mouth foie gras added extra appeal to the offering. We also clamoured for the charred, smoky rice crust scraped up from the bottom of the pot.

We wrapped up our lavish preview with a light yet befitting dessert treat of Double Boiled Fuji Red Apple with Organic Apricot, Chinese Almonds and Snow Fungus. It was clear, nutritious with delicate textures; a sweet ending to another outstanding experience at E.I. 

Prices for the CNY Menus start from RM1,688++ per table of 10 persons. Festive set menus for 6-10 persons from RM2,088++ upwards and individual menus from RM228++ upwards per person are also available.

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.

 

 

CNY HIGH TEA PARTY WITH DESIGNER CARVEN ONG

A pristine white dress inspired by Karl Lagerfeld stole the limelight at the recent Chinese New Year high tea party hosted by designer Carven Ong.

Modelled by beauty queen Miss Universe Malaysia 2023 Serena Lee, the resplendent creation was exclusively designed by Carven Ong for a client who wore the original to last year’s Met Gala in New York City.

 

According to Ong’s spokesperson, the white, multi-layered dress was based on the event’s theme of “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty”. Featuring a distinctive shirt collar on the bodice, the black and white dress also included painstakingly hand-drawn designs of all 180 pieces of Lagerfeld’s fashionable sketches.

As a tribute to Lagerfeld’s fondness for bling bling, Ong had also incorporated lights into the dress, giving it an ethereal glow and a touch of glamour.

Ever the impeccable host, Ong and his team pulled off his CNY high tea party with aplomb; roping in the support of various sponsors and giving his guests ‘ang pow’ redeemable for their fashionable purchases at his boutique.

Ong also unveiled his showcase of Chinese accented apparel to herald the upcoming CNY celebration. Vibrantly coloured materials adorned with intricate embroidery drew the eyes and induced fashion-conscious guests into purchasing his designs for the festive season.

Aside from the plethora of local tea treats, they also sampled freshly brewed coffee by new local brand, byNanas. Guests didn’t leave empty-handed as they were proffered goodie bags in appreciation for their attendance.

For more information on Carven Ong Couture’s CNY collection, call tel: 03 2162 8232. Visit Carven Ong Couture Boutique at Lot 2-09, 2^nd Floor, The Intermark, Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur