St Regis Kuala Lumpur’s signature yee sang has sliced fresh fruits and vegetables with assorted nuts, seeds and special sauce.
A well-crafted course meal, be it Western or Asian cuisines, should begin with mild, delicate flavours before delving into richer and more complex profiles.
This is to ensure the palate is not overwhelmed at the start of the meal while gradually building up anticipation for the next course.
With that in mind, St Regis Kuala Lumpur executive Chinese chef Cheong Boon Fai has curated a sumptuous Chinese New Year menu featuring auspicious dishes with vibrant flavours to capture the essence of the season.
Prosperity Tea Pot Cake is made with Hojicha Sponge, Long Jing Ganache and Long Jing Jelly with a chocolate base holding eight bonbons.
From subtle notes of bird’s nest soup to well-seasoned deep-fried sea prawns, the hotel’s Prosperity Set Menu presents a well-balanced Chinese set meal.
Start off your experience with St Regis’ signature yee sang featuring hotel owner Puan Sri Sharon Chua’s family recipe which has been handed down over the generations.
The colourful platter comprises sliced fresh fruits, julienned vegetables, assorted nuts, seeds and special sauce as well as a choice of four main ingredients.
Wok-fried fragrant rice with chicken, dried shrimps, mushrooms and ebiko.
These are abalone and jellyfish, yellowtail hamachi and jellyfish, salmon and jellyfish as well as vegetarian mixed nuts.
After happily tossing the yee sang and calling out for luck and prosperity, we delighted in a soothing serving of Braised Bird’s Nest Soup.
Rich with textural ingredients such as bamboo pith, egg white and minced chicken, the appetising soup warmed up the palate to welcome the next course.
Steamed Red Snapper Fish Fillet served in a pool of pumpkin sauce and topped with baby greens offered freshness in each bite.
The silky pumpkin sauce’s mild sweetness complements the earthy truffle bits peppered over the fish’s soft flesh.
Deep-fried Sea Prawns in Creamy Yuzu Sauce with a burst of citrusy notes is my favourite dish on the festive menu.
Steamed red snapper with bits of black truffle on a bed of pumpkin sauce.
Encased in a crisp and appetising batter, the firm prawns sit on a bed of fragrant yuzu sauce dotted with pomegranate beads.
Another savoury delight is the Braised Abalone, Spinach, Egg Tofu, Sea Moss and Vegetables.
Soft cubes of egg tofu combined with chopped spinach present contrasting textures when eaten with the chewy eight-head abalone, fatt choy and baby bok choy.
“The set menu is crafted with auspicious dishes in mind but we added a twist to the flavours in some dishes,” said Cheong.
“For example, we used yuzu sauce for the prawns but for the wok-fried rice, we opted for a more traditional taste.”
Just like Cheong explained, the umami-filled wok-fried fragrant rice is rich with dried oysters, chicken, dried shrimps and mushrooms.
For added texture, bright orange ebiko is thrown in for colour contrast.
Braised abalone topped with fatt choy served with egg tofu and baby bok choy.
Chilled Yellow Orchid Flower Tea with Dried Longan and Peach Gum proved to be a heavenly match with Deep-fried Homemade Yam Nian Gao.
Mild sweetness from the longan and gelatinous texture of peach gum make this a refreshing sweet treat.
Priced at RM432+ per person, the Prosperity Set Menu is available until Feb 12.
There is also a vegetarian set menu option. Both menus are being served at The Brasserie and private dining rooms.
There will also be an Auspicious Sunday Brunch on Feb 2 and Feb 9 priced at RM309+ per person as well as an Afternoon ProsperiTea until Feb 12 at RM177+ per person.
The yee sang selections, priced from RM205+ per set, are available until Feb 12.
A collection of gifting options ranging from traditional desserts and delectable tea-infused chocolates and cakes, created by St Regis Kuala Lumpur executive pastry chef Graff Kwok, are also available.
Among the highlights are Beau-tea cupcakes in Chinese tea cup as well as the Prosperity TeaPot Cake incorporating Hojicha and Long Jing tea, with hand-painted floral designs.
The collection also includes bonbons in four flavours namely Earl Grey, Jasmine, Pu’er and teh tarik.
THE BRASSERIE, The St Regis Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Stesen Sentral 2, Kuala Lumpur Sentral, Kuala Lumpur. (Tel: 03-2727 6696). Business hours: 6.30am to 11pm.
This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.
