Wong stirring and giving the Steamed Rice with Chinese Waxed Meat a good mix before serving it. — Photos: YAP CHEE HONG/The Star
Classics never go out of style, especially when it comes to food during a festive celebration as meaningful as Chinese New Year.
Every ingredient tells a story, centred around tradition and symbolic importance.
While modern trends often introduce bold twists and creative techniques, the Grand Imperial Group takes pride in honouring tradition.
The lineup of festive dishes this year is a heartfelt tribute to time-honoured flavours, said Grand Imperial chief chef Anthony Wong Chee Yoong.
“Abalone, for instance, represents good fortune. It is also said to bring abundance for the year.
“Another must-have is whole fish, which is usually steamed. Served in its entirety, it is meant to symbolise ‘surplus’ and ‘prosperity’,” he said.
This year, Grand Imperial has readied seven set menu options for a table of 10 diners, priced from RM1,588++ to RM4,388++.
There are also sets suitable for a table of six and four diners, as well as individuals.
For a lunar new year meal, the first dish is the most anticipated for all the excitement it brings to one’s festive dining experience.
I am, of course, referring to the yee sang. At Grand Imperial, the Yee Sang with Dry-aged Salmon, Silver Bait and Gold Leaf features crisp almond flakes and buttery cashews.
The dry-aged salmon adds hearty depth, while the overall freshness of mixed fruits and vegetables shines through, making this appetiser an irresistible blend of flavours with a satisfying crunch.
There are five different types of yee sang, priced from RM128++ for half portion and from RM178++ for full portion.
Monk Jumps Over the Wall is a luxurious yet delicate soup.
Another savoury welcome is Monk Jumps Over the Wall, a luxurious yet delicate tasting soup featuring eight-head whole abalone as the star ingredient.
Infused with goji berries, morel mushrooms, dried scallops and meat, this soup is a labour of love.
Simmered for four hours, the pork broth is enriched with proteins, earthy and fruity ingredients for an additional four hours, resulting in a beautifully balanced flavour.
Despite the number of premium ingredients in it, the soup remains light and refined, never overpowering.
The requisite meat on the set menu is Pan-fried Iberico Pork Fillet accompanied with chilled ice plant.
Pan-fried Iberico Pork Fillet with chilled ice plant.
This is a personal favourite.
In fact, this dish elevates staple kitchen ingredients into something extraordinary.
The meat is mixed with lemongrass, soy sauce, galangal, Chinese wine and fish sauce, then marinated for half a day.
The tender pork loin, fully infused with the marinade’s aromatic flavours, is finished with a beautiful char that adds a smoky depth to complement its succulence perfectly.
The Steamed Orange Roughy Fish is often compared to cod for its delicate texture and mild flavour.
For this presentation, the orange roughy is paired with preserved vegetables and tender shredded meat.
A light drizzle of superior soy sauce enhances the fish’s natural sweetness, allowing its freshness to take centre stage.
Deep-fried Lobster with Carrot Cake and Special Sauce.
Deep-fried Lobster with Carrot Cake and Special Sauce is another dish that leaves quite an impression.
An essential dish for Chinese New Year when dining at Grand Imperial is the Steamed Rice with Chinese Waxed Meat, also known as lap mei fan.
This crowd-pleaser features Hong Kong waxed meat which infuses the rice with subtle sweet fragrance and hints of saltiness.
Clockwise from bottom: Double-boiled Peach Gum with Snow Pear, Deep-fried Nian Gao with Sweet Potato, and Yam and Chilled Wolfberry Red Dates Jelly.
A combination of desserts – Chilled Wolfberry Red Dates Jelly, Double-boiled Peach Gum with Snow Pear and Deep-fried Nian Gao with Sweet Potato and Yam wrapped up our meal.
Grand Imperial’s Chinese New Year set menus are available at all its outlets until Feb 12.
Another auspicious dish on the menu is the Grand Imperial Premium Poon Choy, which is ideal for six to eight diners.
The yee sang features dry-aged salmon that offers contrast in texture against the mixed fruits and vegetables.
Priced at RM688+, it is also conveniently available as a frozen, packaged take-away option.
The dish consists of whole abalone, fish maw, sea cucumber, scallops, fish roe fortune bag, prawns, beancurd, mushrooms and conch meat among its ingredients.
GRAND IMPERIAL RESTAURANT, Hartamas Shopping Centre, Lot F33-F35, First Floor, No.60, Jalan Sri Hartamas 1, Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur. (Tel: 03-6201 3777) Business hours: 11.30am to 3pm (Monday to Saturday), 10am to 3pm (Sunday and public holidays), 6pm to 10.30pm (Monday to Sunday).
This is the writer’s personal observation and not an endorsement by StarMetro.
