The MO Lucky Rabbit Yee Sang features a cute bunny.
SYMBOLISM in ingredients has always been significant for the Chinese community, especially for lunar new year meals.
At Lai Po Heen at Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur, the signature MO Lucky Rabbit Yee Sang was elevated by its cute bunny presentation, ingredients and the sauce.
“It comes with salmon caviar, crispy shredded treasures and blackcurrant-plum dressing,” said Lai Po Heen executive Chinese chef Michael Wong.
Glutinous Rice topped with Steamed Freshwater Prawn with Minced Garlic is rather appetising.
Candied tangerine added citrus sweetness to the yee sang while the thick sauce gave it a hint of sweet-and-sour berry goodness.
The restaurant has four exquisite set menus – Fortune, Prosperity, Wealth and Seasons Peace – priced at RM388+, RM528+, RM728+ and RM988+ per person, respectively.
We were treated to an eight-course sumptuous feast that included dishes from each menu.
This included the Double-boiled Fish Maw with Enpiko (mushrooms) and fish broth which had a gelatinous texture and was full of umami.
Braised South African Five-head Abalone with Kanto Sea Cucumber
“The texture and taste come from boiling fried grouper that’s rich with Omega-3 fish oils. So, it tends to be slightly gelatinous,” Wong said.
The savoury soup had delicate layers of flavour making it a memorable dish.
Meanwhile, the deep-fried cod fillet was appetising and flakey, served with deep-fried enoki (mushrooms) for a crunchy texture.
It was served in thickened double-boiled chicken stock drizzled with barbecue sauce that paired superbly with the fish.
Individual servings of Braised South African Five-head Abalone with Kanto Sea Cucumber followed.
Its thick, savoury sauce made the dish of firm abalone delightful.
The Stir-fried Hokkaido Scallops with Asparagus and Shrimp were cooked to perfection as the scallops were melt-in-the-mouth tender.
Another dish that I found exceptional was the Glutinous Rice topped with Steamed Freshwater Prawn with Minced Garlic served in a bamboo basket.
Often, Chinese New Year set menus typically include fried rice or glutinous rice served with waxed meats so Wong’s creative pairing of garlic-flavoured prawns and aromatic glutinous rice added a special touch to the festive line-up.
The stir-fried Hokkaido scallops with asparagus and shrimp is cooked to perfection.
Another dish we enjoyed was Brine-braised Free-range Chicken with Aged Soy Sauce.
The Double-boiled Almond Milk Tea with Egg White was the perfect ending to our meal.
The festive set menus are available until Feb 5.
The Fortune and Wealth menus require a minimum of four diners, while the Prosperity and Seasons Peace menu require a minimum of two diners, and each dish will be individually plated.
The restaurant also offers diners a selection of six enticing yee sang options priced from RM168 to RM260 for a half portion and RM336 to RM520 for a full portion.
The MO Lucky Rabbit Yee Sang is priced at RM1,000 for a full portion.
Yee sang is available for lunch and dinner.
LAI PO HEEN,
Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur,
Kuala Lumpur City Centre,
Kuala Lumpur. (Tel: 03-2179 8885)
Business hours: noon to 2.30pm (weekdays), 10.30am to 2.30pm (weekends), 6pm to 10pm, daily.
This is the writer’s personal observation and not an endorsement by StarMetro.
