Fresh take on seasonal Shanghainese classics

Deep-fried Mandarin Fish with Shanghainese Sweet and Sour Sauce — Photos: SAM THAM/The Star

INNOVATION in food keeps foodies interested and coming back for more — a lesson that executive Chinese chef Wong Wing Yeuk has taken to heart.

A Shanghainese native, Wong is aware that while diners crave authentic food, he must also think of ideas that keep his dishes interesting and appealing to old and new diners

“There are many places that serve similar Chinese and Shanghainese-style dishes, so what makes one better than another?

“I hope to keep dishes fresh without compromising on taste, ” he said.

Wong, who spearheads JW Marriott Kuala Lumpur’s Shanghai Restaurant, is pulling out all the stops in his dishes for the Chinese New Year menus.

The Shanghainese Lunar New Year classics are available until Feb 8, for lunch and dinner.

Stir-fried Seasonal Vegetables with Assorted Mushrooms and Wheat Gluten Casserole.

One bite of Wong’s Prosperity Yee Sang and it was apparent that this was one of the dishes that had been given a new lease of life under his expert hands.

Crowd-pleasers like fresh salmon and fruits were still incorporated into the dish, which interestingly had mustard in the homemade sauce.

It helped to tone down the sweetness of the traditional plum sauce and enhance the flavours of the other components.

Local fruits like jambu air added texture to the dish.

Another noteworthy dish was the Deep-fried Mandarin Fish with Shanghainese Sweet and Sour Sauce.

Although a pretty common dish in many Chinese restaurants, Wong’s addition of red bell peppers, green peas and pine nuts was a nice touch as it gave the dish plenty of crunch.

While the sauce was a bit on the sweet side, the red pepper helped to give a bit of heat.

Traditional Rice with Chinese Waxed Meat and Vegetables.

Most people these days forgo the traditional braised pig’s trotter dish for being too fatty and having a strong taste.

Here, the Braised Spanish Pig’s Trotter with Sea Moss in Brown Sauce was tender and balanced in flavour.

The sauce had a nice umami flavour and the addition of lettuce gave the dish some freshness.

Diners can look forward to three specially-created menus in conjunction with Chinese New Year.

Starting from RM318 nett per person, these menus include dishes such as Double-Boiled Superior Soup with Fish Maw, Dried Scallops, Cordyceps Flowers and Chicken; Steamed Spanish Pork Ribs with Rice Powder and Spices Wrapped in Lotus Leaves and Sweetened Cordyceps Flowers with Snow Fungus.

Available on the a la carte menu are dishes like the Shanghainese Family Hot Pot with Assorted Dried Seafood in Casserole; Deep-fried Bean Curd Stuffed with French Goose Liver and Truffle Paste; and Deep-fried Crispy Glutinous Rice Cake with Yam.

SHANGHAI RESTAURANT, JW Marriott Kuala Lumpur, 183, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. (Tel: [phone]). Business hours: Noon to 2.30pm, 6.30pm to 10pm (Monday to Saturday); 10.30am to 2.30pm (Sunday and public holidays).

This is the writer’s personal observation and not an endorsement by StarMetro.

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