Festive Set Menus @ Zuan Yuan, One World Hotel

I never knew being proven wrong could be so delicious....

Hey there, happy new year!.... :)
Just to give you a head's up, this is an invited review:
(Here are my usual disclaimers)
1) I have not been paid to write this, but neither have I paid a cent for my meal,
2) I will still be as objective as possible re. the food/ restaurant, and
3) If I go back to the restaurant incognito and find that the food/service is horribly different from this experience, I will amend my ratings here...

Amazing how fast time flies - 2010 has ended and now, Chinese New Year is just around the corner!
The doorway to Zuan Yuan....
Anyway, just last week I was invited to sample the new festive menus available at Zuan Yuan, One World Hotel.

Looking at the different menus on offer, there is an interesting mix of food items - with an array of classics (eg. Braised Shark's Fin with Dried Scallop and Crab Meat) and classics with a twist (eg. Roasted Chicken with Lemon and Mint Sauce).
(Note: We were presented with items from a few different sets)
Sophisticated, beautiful ambience with a strong Chinese touch....
- First up, the CNY "must have" item - Yee Sang with Seaweed and Assorted Fresh Fruits:
A fun CNY tradition :) Lou ah, lou ah!....
Overall, it was a deliciously crunchy mix, with the fresh fruits like the juicy pomelo sacs adding a refreshing twist to this festive classic.
(Nice)

- Next up, the Roasted Duck with Unique Spicy Sauce:
Crispy delicious duck....
Mmmmmm.....
The moment my fork poked into it and I heard the CRUNCH of the skin, I knew I would like it. :)

Tasty meat, tender enough but still with some bite to it, and crispy skin with a small layer of fat. The sauce was also interesting, spicy instead of the usual savoury sauce....

- Wok-Fried Prawn Hong Kong Style:
Crustaceans, all lined up on the plate....
The prawns were fresh and fairly juicy, accentuated by the addictive pieces of fragrant minced hae bee (dried shrimp).

- Steamed Coral Fish with Pickled Radish and Chili:
RAWR....
To be completely fair, the fish was ever so slightly overcooked, but the most important thing is that it was fresh, with the flesh firm and complemented well by the slightly spicy soya based sauce.

- Braised Diced Sea Treasure, Dried Oyster and Sea Moss in Golden Bag with Green Garden:
(Wah lau, what a long name. lol..)
Yummy parcels of seafood....
A tasty mix of succulent savoury cubes of sea cucumber and assorted goodies in a slightly sweet inari skin.
(Again, an interesting twist on the usual dish....)

- Steamed Lotus Leaf Rice with Assorted Preserved Meat and Chicken Chinese Sausage:
The classic presentation for Lotus Leaf Rice....
Calories? It's ok if it's worth it....
No pork in it? Didn't care. The liver sausage added a velvety texture, while the rice was fluffy and fragrant. All in all, a delicious bowl of carbs.

Yum.
No, really!: YUUUUMMMMMM.

- Lastly, we were served 2 desserts, the Double Boiled Sea Coconut and Organic Birds Nest, Red Dates and White Fungus....
Bowls of double boiled goodness....
- ..and the Deep Fried Avocado Custard and Ninko with Katafi Filo:
Crispy golden brown strands of filo....
Nothing wrong with the Sea Coconut dessert.... but the it was the deep fried avocado custard filo that really stood out for me.

First of all I really liked that the smooth avocado and ninko mix inside was not too sweet... and the filo. OMG. While the strands have a heavy/ dense texture (in a good way), it was so crispy that it was a real pleasure to eat.

Me? Enjoying a PORK FREE** Chinese meal?
I never thought it would happen. :)
(** If I'm not wrong, they serve wine/alcohol here so they are not 100% Halal if you measure it by the strict standards)

Still, I don't mind being proven wrong, especially when its done so deliciously.
:D

DETAILS OF FESTIVE MENUS:
- Appreciation Set Menus (aka. "sau gong chau" - to celebrate the end of the year)
(Available: 1 - 31 Jan 2011)
3 nine course set menus to choose from, priced from RM 888++
(Promotion: Add 120++ for 2 bottles of wine)

- Auspicious Lunar New Year Set Menus (aka Chinese New Year Set Menus)
(Available: 1 - 20 Feb 2011)
Also 3 special nine course menus to choose from, priced from RM 988++
(Promotion: Add 120++ for 2 bottles of wine)

- Prosperity Yee Sang
(Available: 21 Jan onwards)
4 different types of Yee Sang (Seaweed and Assorted Fresh Fruits, Salmon and Shredded Sweet Turnips, Chuka Hotate (scallops) and Jelly Fish OR Sliced Abalone and Snow Pear), priced at RM55++ per half portion and RM110++ per full portion.

Last but not least - SHOUT OUT:
- Thanks to Florence and Crystal of One World Hotel for being such lovely hosts that night,
- Thanks to Bangsar-bAbE for extending the invite,
- and to all the others there that night *HUGS*: Nice seeing you all, and sharing my first lou sang with you! :)


Overall: Sophisticated restaurant in the 5 star One World Hotel, good range of Pork Free classic Chinese dishes and classics with a twist BUT nothing much bad to say - while not everything was perfect, there were some stand out dishes that made me wanna go back soon and it has changed my mind about Pork Free Chinese cooking :)....

Summary Sheet:

Zuan Yuan @ One World Hotel, PJ

One World Hotel, Ground Floor, First Avenue, Bandar Utama City Centre, Petaling Jaya

Telephone No.: 03-7681 1159
Opening Hours: (Open daily for lunch and dinner) 11am - 2.30pm, 6.30pm - 10.30pm
Parking: OK

NO PORK SERVED

OTHER REVIEWS:
- alilfatmonkey
- Cumi dan Ciki
- thenomadGourmand
- Fat Boy Bakes
- Pillow Talk with Bangsar-bAbE


TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Restaurant, Chinese, One Utama, One World Hotel, Reunion Dinner, CNY Set Menu, Chinese New Year