CNY 2015: Tai Zi Heen, Prince Hotel & Residence KL

A friend asked me last week to recommend a few pork-free restaurants to her for hosting a Chinese New Year dinner and without hesitation, one of the restaurants I recommended was Tai Zi Heen in Prince Hotel KL. The Cantonese fare there is consistently good, and their CNY menu is a mix of fusion and traditional, symbolic dishes. 

Three specially crafted auspicious 9-course CNY menus are available from 26 January to 5 March 2015 - the Spring and Happiness set menu at RM1488++,  the Everlasting Prosperity Menu at RM1888++ and the Wealth and Fortune Menu at RM2188++ for 10 persons. Furthermore on 26 January, there will be a special lion dance performance. 

Four Seasons Prosperity Yee Sang

This year, I had the pleasure to try out some of Chef Michael Wong's delicious CNY dishes again. To start, we tossed to good fortune and health with the signature Four Seasons Prosperity Yee Sang which is topped with butterfish, salmon, tuna and jellyfish. I particularly enjoyed the jellyfish which added a really nice texture to the salad. Other toppings available are abalone, hamachi, Canadian surf clam, salmon or snow pear.

Butterfish, salmon, tuna and jellyfish yee sang

Toss, toss, toss... the higher you toss, the better!

We also sampled some highlights from the CNY menus, starting off with the soup. The soups here are always good, and we really enjoyed the double-boiled chicken broth with whole abalone, dried scallops, bamboo pith and vegetables. Clear yet so flavorful, I instantly felt my body warm up and invigorated as I sipped the soup. The abalone is perfectly cooked and the bamboo pith has a lovely crunchy texture as well. Thumbs up!

A highly sought after dish during CNY, the braised Japanese sun-dried shiitake mushrooms with dried oysters and fatt choy. Oysters ("hou see") means "all good things and "fatt choy" means wealth and lettuce and "sang choy" means prosperity, making this an auspicious dish.

The baked salmon fillets with honey and onion rings was also a big hit. I am not usually fond of cooked salmon, but this was beautifully done, with a lovely honey and soy glaze. I wish I got more of the sauce though. Onions rings are an unusual touch for a Chinese restaurant, fortunately it was crispy and light. 

The wok-fried rice with diced lobster, tobiko and bonito flakes had plenty of wok hei and we love the addition of the tobiko and bonito flakes.

For dessert, we had the crispy deep-fried sesame balls with salted egg yolk custard and durian mochi. Instead of the usual coconut or red bean filling, the sesame balls were filled with salted egg yolk custard, which I liked a lot. Plus when you break it in half, it looks like flowing gold. Gold, gold, come to mama. The durian mochi was pungent, smooth and rich. Pretty good!

Tai Zi Heen's CNY menu is available until 5 March 2015. It is open throughout the CNY period. Reservations are highly recommended.





Pork-free.

Opening times: Mon- Fri 12.00pm - 2.30pm, Sat- Sun 11.30am - 2.30pm; Mon-Sun 6.30pm-10.30pm.

Location: Tai Zi Heen, Level 2, Prince Hotel & Residence Kuala Lumpur, 4 Jalan Conlay, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tel: 03-2170 8888 ext 8200

Website: http://www.princehotelkl.com

GPS Coordinates: 3.150179, 101.714516

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CNY 2015: Qing Zhen Chinese Restaurant, Novotel Kuala Lumpur

Usher in the Year of the Wooden Goat with one of three delightful Chinese New Year menus on offer at Qing Zhen Chinese Restaurant at Novotel KL. Available from 19 January to 7 March 2015, you can choose from Wisdom Set Menu (RM1088++ for 10 pax), Fortune Set Menu (RM1288++ for 10 pax, and Prosperity Set Menu (RM1888++). If you are dining in a smaller group, fret not as Qing Zhen also offers a smaller menu for a minimum of 6 pax. Full CNY menu can be viewed here.

CNY Decor at Qing Zhen

We had the pleasure of dining at Qing Zhen during our staycation here last year and last week, we were invited back here to sample their CNY menu.

Yee sang is always my favorite part of a CNY meal. Over here, you can choose to have smoked duck, lamb & salmon or smoked salmon & abalone yee sang. We had the latter, which is also part of the Prosperity Set Menu. Tossing yee sang is always fun, as we shout out auspicious wishes for the new year such as good health, more money, winning the lottery, etc.

Smoked salmon and abalone yee sang

Topped with salmon and abalone

Ready for the toss

First yee sang toss of the year! Yay. ;)

Next to arrive is the braised seafood soup, filled with treasures of the sea such as fish lips, sea cucumber, dried scallops, fish maw and crab meat as well as mushrooms. Although Qing Zhen is a pork-free restaurant, their dishes will not lose in the taste and flavour department  even when compared to a restaurant serving pork. Each mouthful of the soup is smooth and soothing to the tummy, all of us had second helpings and some even up to 4 bowls! Excellent soup.

The prettiest, and my favorite dish of the afternoon is the steamed Pacific cod fish. Each piece of cod is topped with a large pan seared sea scallop with green ginger sauce. Utterly delicious! And lucky me for getting two portions of this ;)

The wok fried king prawns boasts huge, fresh prawns which are deep fried until the skin crispy, while retaining the taut, juicy flesh within. It is served with wolf berry, red dates and a sauce made from dried Chinese yam "Wai San" style.

Lamb is not something you always see on Chinese menus, and this wok fried lamb loin was certainly a breath of fresh air. Furthermore with this CNY being the year of the goat/lamb. We were really impressed with the tender, flavorful lamb meat which is coated in aromatic premium coffee sauce. Assistant Chinese Chef, Jerry Kong explains to us that he uses lamb tenderloin and we also expressed how we liked that the dish did not display a strong lamby taste. The lamb was delicious eaten on its own or wrapped with the flower bun and lettuce.

A well-loved dish during the CNY period, the braised Mexican abalone, mushroom, sea cucumber and dried oyster with scented abalone sauce was delicious. Discerning, health-conscious diners will be happy to learn that Qing Zhen's menu is pretty low in sodium, but without comprising on the taste as all the dishes were very well-flavoured and tasty. 

The steamed aromatic buttered rice in lotus leaf got the approval of my fellow diners, and they were impressed that such a delicious version could be made without any pork. Chef Jerry uses dried mushrooms, waxed meat (duck) as well as his own-made chicken char siew for this. Furthermore, rice instead of glutinous rice is used for a lighter, healthier version.

To end our meal on a sweet note, we had Chinese New Year cake, also known as nian gao. The nian gao is coated in a light, thin batter and deep fried until the skin is crispy and the nian gao is warm and gooey.

Thanks to Novotel KL for having us, we thoroughly enjoyed the meal! :)



The Chinese New Year menus are available for both lunch and dinner from 19 January to 7 March 2015. However please note that the restaurant will be closed from 19-22 February 2015. For reservations or enquiries, email H6324-FB3@accor.com or call 03-2147 0888.

Pork-free.

Opening hours: Mondays to Saturdays - Lunch: 12.00pm – 2.30 pm; Dinner: 6.30pm – 10.00pm. Closed on Sunday.

Location: Qing Zhen Chinese Restaurant, Novotel Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 2 Jalan Kia Peng, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tel: 03-2147 0888

GPS Coordinates: 3.151861, 101.719673




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The Deli, MiCasa All Suite Hotel, KL

We used to dine quite regularly at The Deli in the past, especially when we had errands to run in KL city. Last week, I had to go to the hospital for a follow-up check-up and I remembered this place, so we dropped by for a quick lunch.

There has been some change since we last visited: a lot more tables, much busier, more items on their menu and they even provide complimentary Wifi now. The prices have only been increased slightly. 

What seemed to be really popular here were the sandwiches/burgers, pastas as well as the braised Wagyu with pasta. So many people seem to have ordered the latter. Oh and they serve most of their food in Staub cookware (since they share same kitchen as Cilantro). How posh!

The Deli Menu

We stuck to our favorites, the duck leg confit (RM18) as well as fish and chips (RM21). We were extremely satisfied with our order- the duck leg confit was very tender with crispy skin. The fish and chips was also perfectly executed - the fish was moist with crispy skin and the chips were really good.

We also had the strawberry meringue (RM11), sadly a little too hard for my liking this time. We had great difficulty cutting into it with our spoons. The last time we had it, it tasted really great.

Verdict: Food still tastes great as ever, except for the slight disappointment with the dessert. Not too pleased though that they no longer offer complimentary parking for their customers since January this year, hence we had to fork out RM7 for parking.

Opening times: 11am to 7pm. Closed on Sundays.

Price: Total bill RM53.

Location: The Deli, Micasa All Suite Hotel, 368B, Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tel: 03-2179 8082 ext. 7082

GPS Coordinates: 3.162273, 101.719548




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Baby Sumo Birthday Week #3: Lunch @ Prime, Le Meridien KL

Been a while since we had lunch at Prime KL, so we chose this as our last stop for my birthday week. For lunch, other than their a la carte menu, they also do a value-for-money Business Set Lunch (RM75 for 2-courses and RM92 for 3-courses) or Rush Hour 2-course express set lunch for RM70. The set lunch menu changes every 2 weeks.

Originally, I wanted to order my favorite Master Kobe oyster blade steak from their a la carte but I was swayed by the choices on the Business Set Lunch. So, set lunch it is this time.

Fantastic complimentary bread to start with 3 types of butter

The restaurant was very busy during lunch time, but we still managed to get a table in one of the private booths in the restaurant. To start, I ordered the Tian of Apple and Celery, Jumbo Crab with Coriander Lemon Prawn with Guacamole, Cress Mix and Crispy Tuile. Firstly, love the exquisite presentation of this dish. A light and appetizing dish, love the combination of flavours and textures. I enjoyed eating this very much too. And yup, no crab shells this time ;)

Hubby chose the Truffle Scented Coddle Egg, Grilled Brioche and Rocket Salad Lemon Dressing.

For mains, there was a choice of either salmon, beef rump stew or tenderloin steak. Obviously, we both went for the steak - an 8oz Charcoal Grilled Beef Mignon, served with Beef Cheek Croquette, Crusted Vegetables Tian and Truffle Jus. One arrived slightly charred on the outside... well, how did they know that was how my Hubby likes his steak? The perks of being a regular..... or just lucky. LOL! The steaks were cooked to a beautiful medium, very very juicy and delicious indeed.

And then, the waitresses appeared with balloons and a birthday platter and also sang "Happy Birthday". What a lovely, wonderful surprise. Hubby has secretly arranged for "Happy Birthday" to be written on my dessert but kudos to the team for making the extra effort.

Fudge brownie with vanilla ice cream - Hubby's dessert

Complimentary birthday slice for moi, the birthday girl

Thank you Hubby for the birthday treat once again!

Pork-free.

Opening times: Monday to Friday: 12.00pm to 2.30pm (Lunch); Monday to Sunday: 6.30pm to 11.00pm (Dinner)

Service: Excellent.

Price: RM75 for 2-courses and RM92 for 3-courses. No SPG discounts for set lunch.

Location: Prime Steak Restaurant, 5th Floor, Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur, 2 Jalan Stesen Sentral, 50470 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.


Tel: 03- 2263 7555

GPS Coordinates: 3.135685, 101.686524

Website: http://www.lemeridiendining.com.my

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PSA: Bintang The Bear Charity Campaign with Starwood KL Hotels

Starwood Hotels in Kuala Lumpur are teaming up in a joint effort to raise funds to financially support local children born with congenital heart defects. The initiative first mooted by Lé Meridien Kuala Lumpur saw great success in its first year in 2013. This year, four Starwood hotels in KL, Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral, The Westin Kuala Lumpur, Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur and Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur will coordinate efforts to raise funds for this worthy cause this Christmas.

Founded in 1996, ‘A heart for a heart’ charity programme was set up by Gleneagles Hospital to help children with critical congenital heart defects, who needed urgent financial aid due to limited financial means, and undergo corrective surgery at the Gleneagles Cardiac centre. This also enables children in critical condition from being on the waiting list.

Each hotel is selling “Bintang” the Bear soft toys, priced at RM50 each. The bears all feature four distinctive T-shirt designs reflecting the unique characteristics of the four brands and hotels. All proceeds from our “Bintang the Bear” Christmas Charity effort will be channeled to Gleneagles Hospital.

To learn more about the “Bintang the Bear” Christmas charity campaign, please approach the hotel associates at the respective hotels’ front desks or call the hotels directly at:

· Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral: +603 2723 1188
· Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur: +603 2263 7888
· Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur: +603 2717 9900
· The Westin Kuala Lumpur: +603 2731 8333




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Baby Sumo Birthday Week #1: Cilantro Restaurant, KL

Every year for my birthday, Hubby would spoil me to a few nice meals in the run up to the actual day. The first venue that we picked was Cilantro KL, having had many nice meals here in the past.

Every Fridays, they do a 4-course lunch for RM150 nett, which includes a glass of Prosecco as well as coffee/tea. And of course, not to be missed here is their amazing truffle butter... don't be shy and slather on your bread. You could always ask for another and they would happily oblige ;)

The amazing truffle butter

To start, we had the Cold Capellini with Hirame and Aosanori. This was my favorite dish of the afternoon - loved its simplicity yet bursting with umami flavours. The delicate fish was topped with some kickass wasabi and crunchy seaweed. Fantastic!

The second course is a warm starter, Nipah Crab with Piment d'Espelette Soufflé. I wasn't too impressed with this dish, especially since the souffle was tiny and looked deflated, and I found not one, but three pieces of crab shell in my plate. Certainly not acceptable for a fine dining restaurant.

For mains, I had the Grilled Angus Beef with Mushrooms while Hubby went for the French Pigeon with Foie Gras. I enjoyed the grilled beef, very nicely cooked, but next to the grilled beef there was also a piece of braised beef (not sure which part) but it was tough and felt a bit out of place. I would have been happier if it wasn't there. Hubby's main course was good and a nice change since it's not everyday that he gets to eat French pigeon.

Dessert was also a non-event for us, Roasted Apple with Caramel Ice Cream and Tuile. All I got from eating the ice cream was a burnt aftertaste (we've had their caramel ice cream before and it definitely doesn't taste like this). Hardly exciting.

So, we ended up going to The Deli (also in Micasa Hotel and operated by Cilantro kitchen) and ordered a strawberry meringue with vanilla ice cream. A sure-winner, this definitely perked our moods up again.

Thanks Hubby for the birthday treat!


Opening times: Lunch - available on Fridays only. (12.00pm -2.00pm). Dinner - Monday to Saturday (6.00pm - 10.30pm). Closed on Sundays.

Service: Good.

Price: RM150 nett per person inclusive of glass of Prosecco

Location: Cilantro Restaurant & Wine Bar, MiCasa All Suite Hotel, 368-B Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tel: 03-2179 8082

Website: http://www.cilantrokl.com/ (Lunch menus updated weekly)

GPS Coordinates: 3.162273,101.719548



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