Dragon year honours the lobster
LOBSTER, a premium seafood ingredient called loong har in Cantonese, takes the spotlight in the Chinese New Year (CNY) menu of a Kuala Lumpur hotel in celebration of the Year of the Dragon.

“We wanted to create a ‘wow factor’ by offering something special at Red Chinese Cuisine this year,” said Pullman Kuala Lumpur City Centre Hotel and Residences executive chef Fong Teck Fei.

“Loong means dragon, so what better way to mark the occasion than by showcasing an ingredient closely associated with the Chinese zodiac animal.

“We will be using Boston lobster in the Sashimi Lobster Yee Sang and a selection of a la carte dishes,” Fong said.

He added that an entire lobster would be available in a full portion of yee sang, with its succulent flesh served fresh and thinly sliced.

Chinese head chef Ngoi Siok Kong said the set menu at Red Chinese Cuisine would focus on “value for money” this year.

Ngoi, key person behind the CNY menu.

“We were conscious of not pricing our CNY menu too high, yet wanted to offer something different to entice our regulars,” he said, citing lobster as an ingredient customers would want to try.

Golden Jade Treasure set menu, which was served during a media preview, began with a Sashimi Lobster Yee Sang followed by Double-boiled Superior Chicken Broth with Dried Scallop, Fish Maw and Matsutake Mushroom.

Then came the symbolic seafood dishes – Steamed Wild Solomon Star Grouper with Cordyceps Flower, Sliced Mushroom and Superior Soy Sauce, Deep-fried Crispy Prawn Meat with Mango Salsa as well as Braised Whole Abalone, Yun Nan Mushroom and Treasure Bag with Dried Scallop Sauce.

Steamed Wild Solomon Star Grouper with Cordyceps Flower, Sliced Mushroom and Superior Soy Sauce.

Prawns are associated with happiness, fish with abundance, and eating abalone is believed to usher in good fortune.

“We prefer to use grouper sourced from local seas, rather than farmed or frozen versions, as the wild fish flesh is sweeter and firmer.

“As for the sauce in the prawn dish, we incorporated a little bit of wasabi but it’s mild enough that people of all ages can enjoy the dish,” said Ngoi.

Next was Mini Lotus Leaf Rice with Dried Oyster, before the meal ended with dessert in the form of Chilled Hawthorn Syrup with Snow Bird Nest, Aloe Vera and Roselle, as well as Chinese New Year cakes which included nian gao (glutinous rice cake).

Red Chinese Cuisine is offering four versions of the set menu.

These are priced between RM1,088 and RM2,388 per table of five people and between RM2,088 and RM3,388 per table of 10.

The yee sang menu offers five options, such as Wild Mushroom Treasure Yee Sang (Vegetarian), Salmon Trout Yee Sang and Australian Abalone Treasure Yee Sang.

They are priced between RM68 and RM288 for a half portion, and between RM128 and RM488 for a full portion.

Diners can also choose to order additional ingredients such as smoked duck and shredded sea cucumber at RM38 per portion.

It is also offering Abalone Oyster Crab Roe Poon Choy for dine-in or takeaway from RM468 per pot, signature a la carte dishes for dine-in from RM48 per portion, food sets filled with symbolic ingredients for takeaway from RM258 per platter, and CNY gift hampers from RM120 per basket.

CNY-themed afternoon tea at Junction lobby lounge.

Those who prefer to indulge in a Chinese New Year-themed afternoon tea can head to the hotel’s Junction lobby lounge.

Priced at RM90 per person, the afternoon tea set features an all-you-can-eat concept where customers can enjoy a free flow of sweet and savoury treats.

“Our CNY-themed set incorporates ingredients such as kumquat, mandarin orange and Earl Grey Tea.

“For example, we have a gold ingot-shaped praline that has white chocolate and kumquat.

“The set comes with a goldfish-shaped, orange-flavoured jelly that children will enjoy,” said pastry chef Mohd Tasnim Mansor.

Pullman Kuala Lumpur City Centre’s CNY menu is available until Feb 25.

RED CHINESE CUISINE, Level 2, Pullman Kuala Lumpur City Centre Hotel and Residences, Jalan Conlay, Kuala Lumpur. (Tel: 03-2170 8888/ WhatsApp 016-290 3864). Business hours: Lunch, noon-3pm (Mon-Fri), 11am-3pm (Sat, Sun and public holidays); dinner, 6.30pm-10.30pm (Mon-Sun). Pork-free.

This is the writer’s personal observation and not an endorsement by StarMetro.
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LOBSTER, a premium seafood ingredient called loong har in Cantonese, takes the spotlight in the Chinese New Year (CNY) menu of a Kuala Lumpur hotel in celebration of the Year of the Dragon.