Shao delivers a taste of China in his Lunar New Year menu at Hyatt Regency Kuala Lumpur at KL Midtown. — Photos: ART CHEN/The Star
It is a rare occasion to witness the weaving of northern Chinese flavours into local festive traditions.
Executive chef Alan Shao, hailing from Qingdao, China, celebrates his heritage this Lunar New Year with traditional northern-style beef dumplings on the festive menu at China House, Hyatt Regency Kuala Lumpur at KL Midtown.
The dumplings are served with a dipping sauce of chilli oil, vinegar and sesame oil for a perfect balance of heat and tang.
The inclusion of Rambutan Wood-Fired Peking Duck is a clever touch, setting the tone for a refined festive feast.
Crisp-skinned and aromatic, the duck anchors the menu with a sense of occasion while raising expectations for the courses that follow.
Roasted lamb shank.
Instead of just cucumber and spring onions, common ingredients served alongside Peking duck, China House’s version comes with garlic, savoury-sweet sauce, diced onion, cucumber and rock melon.
Shao favours rambutan wood for smoking, which burns hot and slow while imparting a distinctive citrus hint and tropical perfume.
Diners are encouraged to “play with their food”, wrapping the Peking duck in steamed flour wrappers with the sauce, diced onion or garlic paste.
Another option is to eat the succulent, fat-rendered duck skin with sugar – which is simple and satisfying.
My favourite is adding garlic, as its sharp pungency offsets the duck’s gentle gamey flavour.
His Fengshengshuiqi Yee Sang with Poached Qingyuan Chicken and Salmon features crunchy walnuts, pickled shallots, white sesame and fried peanuts.
Steamed Spotted Red Garoupa with Sichuan Pepper and Chilli Soy Sauce.
“We do not toss yee sang back home so it was interesting having to design one that meets the approval of local taste buds.”
Shao further lifts the dish with slices of red onion, tri-colour capsicum, fragrant calamansi lime zest, carrot and leek.
The addition of the restaurant’s signature honey walnuts brings a gentle, sweet finish.
Fresh onions, pickled shallots and leek lend sweetness and gentle heat, at times slightly sharp, to the yee sang which features a striking dome of salmon and chicken at its centre.
Double-boiled Chicken Soup with Abalone, Sea Coconut and Dried Matsutake Mushrooms features imported ingredients, from Brazilian matsutake mushrooms to small abalone and wolfberries from China.
Double-boiled for hours, the soup offers a rich, comforting warmth.
Marinated in a rich paste of Chinese herbs and spices, the roasted lamb shank is defined by the earthy warmth of cumin and chilli.
Shao said the lamb is marinated overnight, braised for 1½ hours, then roasted at high heat for 25 minutes.
This meat-heavy 10-course festive menu introduces another heavy weight – the restaurant’s signature Barbecued Honey-glazed Wagyu Beef.
Melt-in-the-mouth and succulent, the beef carries a sweet-savoury glaze of soy, spices and honey.
The tender, marbled Wagyu is at its best savoured without the accompanying sauce.
Shao’s signature dishes on the menu are Steamed Spotted Red Garoupa with Sichuan Pepper and Chilli Soy Sauce; Braised Cod Fish with Ginger, Garlic and Black Bean Chilli Sauce and Crispy Sesame Chicken with Ginger and Chinese Five-spice.
Other signature dishes are Wok-fried King Prawn in Rice Vinegar, Sesame Oil and Chilli Oil; Wok-fried Long Bean with Minced Beef, Pickled Vegetable and Dried Chilli as well as Traditional Handmade Northern Beef Dumplings.
Grape-like clusters of fresh green Sichuan pepper contrast beautifully with the white flesh of the steamed garoupa.
Icy Jelly Winter Melon with Bird’s Nest.
Biting into the peppers delivers a sharp, intense numbing sensation, accompanied by a herbal aroma that may take a moment to get used to.
On the other hand, Wok-fried king prawns with lantern chillies offer gentle, lingering sweetness.
After a hearty festive meal, the Icy Jelly Winter Melon with Bird’s Nest is the perfect finale – for its light and refreshing taste.
It is clear that Shao draws on familiar ingredients from his northern Chinese roots in crafting this festive lineup of dishes.
China House has two specially designed set menus – for four to six diners priced from RM2,288 and 10 persons from RM3,988.
The menus are available until March 3.
CHINA HOUSE,
Level 1, Hyatt Regency Kuala Lumpur at KL Midtown,
Jalan Dutamas 2. (Tel: 03-3093 1234).
Business hours: 12.30pm to 2.30pm (Mondays to Fridays), 11.30am to 2.30pm (weekends); dinner from 6pm to 9pm daily.
This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.
