Zesty prawns star of festive feast

The Stellar Prosperity Set is one of the set menus at Red Chinese Cuisine.

A golden crispy crust gives way to the plump, sweet flesh of the Jumbo Prawn, served with a tangy passion fruit sauce.

Encased in a crisp exterior, the sizeable prawns pack a tangy yet sweet punch.

This dish is a highlight of the Chinese New Year reunion set menus at Red Chinese Cuisine in Pullman Kuala Lumpur.

Executive chef Fong Teck Fei said the sauce combining passion fruit with Thai sauce, plays an instrumental role in delivering the tangy notes.

Among the restaurant’s other festive dishes is the Steamed Tiger Dragon Grouper with Superior Soy Sauce.

The fish’s delicate flesh is tender and moist, flaking effortlessly, while the savoury sauce enhances its natural sweetness.

The kitchen team appears to favour a philosophy of balance.

Roasted Five Spices London Duck.

Through restrained seasoning, the natural, umami richness of each premium component is allowed to shine.

This is best exemplified in the Double-boiled Chicken Soup with Fish Maw, Whole Abalone and Dried Scallops.

The collagen-rich broth is clear yet deeply flavourful, its sweetness drawn patiently from premium ingredients.

The Roasted Five Spices London Duck is aromatic, providing those who prefer bolder flavours warm notes of star anise and cinnamon.

Its crisp skin is evenly roasted while the meat remains succulent.

The five-spice blend balan­ces the duck’s gamey taste, allowing the natural richness to come through.

It is a well-­executed classic that anchors the feast with familiar, satisfying textures.

Abalone Oyster Crab Roe Poon Choy.

The Chilled Hawthorn Apple Syrup with Peach Gum and Snow Bird’s Nest is served as a light, delicately sweet, palate cleanser between the richer courses.

There is also the Braised Chi­nese Mushroom and Yunnan Mushroom with Bean Curd Roll, where the earthy flavours and savoury richness of the braising liquid is soaked up by the bean curd.

This is complemented by the Steamed Lotus Leaf Rice with dried oyster, a fragrant and filling staple.

Rounding off the spread, is nian gao (glutinous rice cakes). Here, some varieties offer a soft, sticky taste while others are pan-fried to achieve lightly crisped edges that contrast pleasantly with their tender centres.

Red Chinese Cuisine’s Home­coming reunion set menus are available for lunch and dinner until March 3.

The sets feature yee sang options, double-boiled soups with abalone and dried scallops, roasted specialities such as garlic chicken and five-spice London duck, steamed pomfret and grouper, wok-fried tiger prawns and braised abalone with sea cucumber.

Prices range from RM1,288 to RM3,588 per table, depending on the set and number of diners.

RED CHINESE CUISINE, Level 2, Pullman Kuala Lumpur City Centre Hotel & Residences, Pullman Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 4 Jalan Conlay, Kuala Lumpur (Tel: [phone]) Business hours: Lunch from noon to 3pm (Monday to Friday), 11am to 3pm (Saturday and Sunday); dinner from 6.30pm to 10.30pm.

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