Hee Lai Ton @ Shaw Parade

We were invited to a celebration of some sort by a cousin (on my husband's side) which fell during Chinese New Year (CNY), so it was a double celebration or, more specifically, a 2-in-1 kind of makan.

I've been to Hee Lai Ton @ Shaw Parade before but it has been for dim sum in the mornings only...and I remember it to be good.  So, this was the first time I'm trying their CNY set meals.  Since this was an invite, I may not have gotten the names of the dishes 100% right though I did see a leaflet showing the various CNY set meals at their front desk (but our host did chop and change some of the dishes in the menu).

As with any CNY meal, it always starts with...what else.....but a Yee Sang dish, of course....and this was a Salmon Yee Sang.

I noticed a pair of extra long chopsticks on the table for the tossing ritual....oh, how nice.  I've never been presented with exceptionally long chopsticks just for tossing yee sang, so it was extra useful for that purpose.

Toss, toss, toss.....to wealth and prosperity for the coming year :)

The next two dishes arrived simultaneously right after we were done with the yee sang....a soup and a plate of Spanish Iberico pork chops with a side dish of ice plant.

The soup (which was apportioned for us) I believe was the Four Treasures Soup since it contained at least four treasures...of silkie (or black) chicken, mini abalone, dried scallops and Chinese mushrooms together with dried Chinese cabbage.  This soup was excellent...I absolutely loved the depth of flavour + it didn't have those herbal undertones that you'd associate with most silkie chicken soups.  It was one of the better soups I've had in a long time.  I had my husband's portion too since he doesn't like soups and maybe even an extra bowl...who's counting? ^o^  I didn't care if I'd be too full for the other dishes.

The Spanish Iberico Pork Chop were mostly tender slices of pork with a peppery hint in its seasoning.  It was topped with some kind of sauce that looked like gremolata.  Some of the fatty parts were slightly chewy though.  There's also a special house-made chilli sauce if you wish to dip your pork in for a bit of spice and tang.

The pork chop was served with a salad of (Crystalline) Ice Plant along with fresh cherry tomatoes in roasted sesame dressing.  It's probably so named because of its frosted look...especially the ice crystals on the stems.  I've heard of this ice vegetable before (which is quite the rage now) but this was my first time having it.  It was served chilled and had a crunchy and juicy bite to it.  So refreshing....loved it to bits!  And the bowl looked like it was made from some kind of dough...and can be eaten.  Not that anyone tried. :D

Next up was the fish dish.  I'm not sure exactly what fish it was as the waitress uttered it in Chinese...but I only managed to 'catch' two of the three words...loong and pan, so I assumed it was dragon tiger grouper. But the name on the menu was Steamed Brown Marbled Grouper with Black Fungus & Beancurd Sheet in Superior Soy Sauce.  I read somewhere that the dragon tiger grouper is a cross between the giant grouper and the brown marbled grouper.  Groupers are one of the most difficult to differentiate as there are so many hybrids being farmed in Malaysia.  Like any grouper, it has sweet, firm flesh with a delicate texture. The collagen-rich skin though was a tad too thick for my liking (even if it's supposed to do wonders for my skin)! ;D  And, surprise, surprise, the fish was served already cut up too (just like in phonghong's reunion dinner)...maybe because the skin may be difficult to get at.

I believe this was their Signature Prawn with Garlic (since the only other prawn dish on the menus was Ying Yang Prawns which would be prawns done two ways).  The sauce coating the pan-fried prawns was very tasty...lightly creamy, mildly sweet, slightly garlicky and tangy which made sucking the prawn heads that much more moreish.  It was a bit unusual to find the prawns served on a bed of fries though for a Chinese-style dish.  I suppose it's better to have prawns sitting on something you can eat other than something decorative in nature.

The vegetable component of our meal was a simple stir-fry of Baby Bok Choy Stir-Fry in Superior Stock. What elevated this simple bok choy dish, with garlic slices, dried prawns and dried wolfberries, was the accompanying stock that came with the vegetable.  The flavourful stock was delicious enough for you to want to drink it like soup.

As with any Chinese meal, it usually ends with rice and I was glad our host replaced it with something other than waxed meat rice (which was on all the set menus).  I will call this Seafood Fried Rice with Ebiko since the fried rice had prawns and crab meat in it.  This was an excellent fried rice because the rice was well fried and then there was the burst of crunch provided by the ebiko but as I took more spoonfuls of the rice, I realised the crunch came from something more.  Initially, I thought it was those tiny fried silver fish but it didn't have that saltish aftertaste.  It was only when writing this (and taking a closer look at the photo I took, the lights were too dim at the restaurant) that I realised they were some kind of crispy puffed rice. That crunchy texture made the fried rice so much more scrumptious.  I'd usually be full by the time the rice dish emerges but I wasn't going to give up on this delicious fried rice...I had seconds...hee..hee. ^.^

A sweet ending of Chilled Sea Coconut with Longan & Peach Gum ended our meal on a high.  I'm usually not a fan of a chilled sea coconut dessert but I did enjoy the inclusion of peach gum (with a jelly-like consistency that's actually the resin secreted from the bark of the Chinese peach tree) in this tong sui.

Of course, let's not forget a little one's first birthday, we had a chocolaty cake...what else but a Mickey Mouse cake in the Year of the Rat.

My Personal Opinion

Hee Lai Ton is a long established name that's probably more well-known to the older generation before us. Judging from the crowd, it's obvious their reputation (and taste) has not faded over the years (though, at times, their service may be slightly wanting).  We occupied a private room with two tables and we didn't experience any lack of service that day.

There wasn't a dish I didn't like...but my favourite dish had to be the Four Treasures Soup (I've not had soup that good for a long time) followed by the fried rice and steamed fish...and the ice plant too.

The place may be an old classic (so look beyond the old-fashioned decor and ambience) but they still dish out good food.  Certainly wouldn't mind returning for more meals! ^.^

Hee Lai Ton Restaurant (Pudu)
3rd Floor Shaw Parade
Jalan Changkat Thambi Dollah
Off Jalan Pudu
55100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2148 8666

A Reunion At Home

For the second year in a row, we had a home-cooked reunion lunch at one of my sisters-in-law's house and brought my mother-in-law from the nursing home to join in the festivities.

Last year, I cooked five dishes but since my sister-in-law made three (and added one more later), I was only required to contribute two this year.  So, here were the dishes that graced our reunion table that afternoon....everything from chicken to duck, pork to prawns, mushrooms to vegetables.

#1 - Yee Sang

In conjunction with any CNY celebrations, it's common to see Yee Sang making an appearance.  It's always a good omen to start with a toss to prosperity for the coming year.

So, lo hei....or toss as high as you can while uttering auspicious wishes for good luck and fortune ahead! ^_~

#2 - Roast Chicken Wings

When you see a dish of Roast Chicken Wings, it has my name all over it.  It's a sweat-free and fail-proof dish that I've made many times...and, most importantly, it uses the oven...so, no splattering of any kind and with very little cleaning to do...ah, my kind of dish to make! ;)

It's just a matter of changing up the seasoning for a different taste.  This year I went with a more western approach using garlic & black pepper seasoning, paprika, cayenne pepper and chilli flakes.  I cut them into drumettes and wingettes (and discarded the tips) for easier eating.

#3 - Lou Ngap

My sister-in-law made lou ngap (braised or stewed duck) to take to her husband's family but took out a small portion for our lunch.  This, I believe, is quite a tedious dish to prepare...and I wouldn't know where to start. It's a dish that can be prepared ahead as the longer it sits, the flavours get even better.

#4 - Braised Nam Yue Pork Ribs with White Radish

It isn't very wise to attempt something new for CNY, something you've not cooked before, in case the dish doesn't turn out as expected.  But I went against my own advice and attempted a new dish I've never cooked before of Braised Nam Yue (Fermented Beancurd Paste) Pork ribs with White Radish after watching a cooking show.  Luckily, nothing untoward happened during the cooking of the dish and I thought the reddish colour of the dish with its auspicious undertones makes it ideal for CNY.

#5 - Soy Sauce Prawns

This next dish of prawns, I'm not sure exactly what seasoning was used....perhaps we can call it my sister-in-law's version of Soy Sauce Prawns.  There was a lot of fragrant shallots on top.  My only disappointment...the heads were missing...but that's where all the flavours congregate! >_<  This dish is somewhat similar to the prawn dish I cooked for last year's reunion dinner.

#6 - Braised Mushrooms with Fish Maw, Dried Scallops & Hoe See

She also made her signature Braised Mushrooms with Fish Maw, Dried Scallops & Hoe See (Dried Oysters), a dish she cooks almost every CNY.  Personally, I don't add dried oysters to my braised mushroom dish as I'm not a fan of it + too much of it can sometimes overpower the taste of the mushrooms as they're like sponges that soak up all flavours.

#7 - Jiu Hu Char with Sang Choy

The vegetable dish of Stir-Fried Jicama with Carrot & Dried Cuttlefish (Jiu Hu Char) was served with sang choy (lettuce), another vegetable with prosperous connotations for CNY.  You can eat the jiu hu char on its own or  eat it wrapped in lettuce.  This was my favourite dish of the four (she cooked) for the vast amounts of crispy cuttlefish used (there was so much of it that the dish resembled meehoon...*wink wink*).

So that was what we had for our reunion lunch at home.  How was your CNY feast this year?  Eat in or eat out.....or a little of both?  Either way, I'm sure it was good....food always tastes better when eaten in the company of family and friends. ^_~

This was one year that even if you don't cook, there's no problem of finding food...only thing you might have to pay extra for it.  I was quite surprised just how soon the restaurants and coffee shops were open...some as early as the second day of CNY while most would open by the third day.  This is something unheard of years ago.  Gone are the days when they would close for at least a week to 10 days (there were some who would even close for the entire 15 days).  With trying business times ahead, many can't afford to stay close and need every last bit of profit to tide them over projected weak business conditions and escalating costs.

And if they open during the festive season, they can make a killing.  We found Madam Leow open on the second day and they charged an additional 10% on their prices.  Eating at Kanna Curry House (though they didn't raise prices) turned out to be a mistake as service suffered big time.  They were so crowded that tables filled onto the walkway.  Some of the eateries in my neighbourhood even upped their prices by RM1 for a bowl of noodles!  What to do...we have to endure it once a year. >:(

It's going to be a squeaky new year ahead.....

It's the start of a squeaky new year as the Year of the Rat descends upon us.  Could this be Cookie's favourite year? ;)  Well, some of us could end up living like rats (!) this year....fighting for scraps amidst already weakened business conditions (now made worse by the coronavirus outbreak)...or scavenging for food with miserly salaries (that don't seem to go up in tandem with rising prices of goods and services).

A tell-tale sign I noticed was probably just how quiet the shopping malls and supermarkets (even wet markets) were ahead of Chinese New Year (CNY) when I was doing my shopping with literally no queue at the cashiers' counters (even during the week prior to CNY).

A reunion makan at home is obviously the most cost-saving option + the chaotic scenes at restaurants is a deterrent to eat out on the eve of CNY.  I hear of restaurants running two shifts (some even three...yikes!) for CNY eve to maximise profits, so you have to be on time, eat gobble down the food and then leave get chased off discreetly and politely. :D

Similar to last year, we had a reunion at home (in KL) this year so that my mother-in-law could join us from the elderly care facility.  It was a reunion lunch (instead of dinner) as one of my sisters-in-law has a reunion dinner engagement with her husband's family.  So, what dishes can you spot on our reunion table?  I'll let you in on them in another post.

So, after a full lunch, dinner was just the three of us....a simple dinner of braised pork ribs with mushrooms, abalone & dried scallops (which I made earlier for my next door neighbour and hairdresser), nothing elaborate.  I added a minced pork omelette and a plate of stir-fried greens (kai lan) coz we weren't keen on eating the leftovers (of what I cooked for our earlier reunion lunch that day) so soon.

And with every CNY, there'll be some eating in interspersed with some eating out (of course) but that will be another story for another day.

What is CNY without festive snacks, right?  But nope, I didn't bake any, fry any...nor buy any this year.

But before you give me a deserving pat on my back, I couldn't resist the temptation of buying my once-a-year snack...ah, my favourite chicken logo! ^.^  Bak kwa (dried meat) this year retailed at RM115 a kilo (up from RM109 last year...would there be any other outcome than up!).

Unlike last year, the chilli bak kwa this year is vacuum-packed individually.  I don't like this kind of packaging as there's a tendency for the oil to stick between the packaging.  Also, if I were to nitpick, the packaging for each individual piece of bak kwa adds to the overall weight and you tend to lose one piece for every 300g. Not only that, with digital measurement, if the weight goes slightly above your intended purchase weight, you get charged for every single gram that passes your order weight (but they conveniently forget about the extra weight caused by the packaging)! >_<

Even though I don't really need to buy any festive snacks coz, in the spirit of giving and receiving, I'd still end up receiving snacks every year...and this year I got crab stick crackers, mini crispy prawn rolls, bee hive crackers, seaweed crackers, bak kwa, chicken floss, pineapple tarts, cookies and cashew nuts from friends and family.  Let me highlight just two of them.

Homemade bak kwa (and chicken floss) from my neighbour's daughter who returned from Australia for the holidays (made by a friend of hers, not her).

A sister-in-law gifted me this one in very nice packaging with three different types of goodies.  I prefer a variety of goodies in small amounts for obvious reasons...to promote less eating + we won't get sick of eating too much of the same thing.

As for the spirit of giving, I went with gifts of Mandarin oranges this year coz all the snacks weren't very exciting, the same old same old ones.  I saw that Ikea offered a packaged deal for their Mandarins together with a nice-looking basket (at just under RM50), so I opted for them.  I bought all 3 colours of blue, red & white (I kept the blue one for myself).  They're great for storing oranges during CNY and can double up as a carrier for my packed food after that.

At just under RM20, I got these cute-looking packets of Mandarin oranges sold by Aeon.  Each auspicious wu shou lou (bearded man) bears 3 oranges.  Yeah, they may seem more expensive than buying mandarins in boxes but you can't deny that the nice packaging makes them ideal giveaways for CNY.

Also in the spirit of giving and receiving is the tradition of giving and receiving angpows.  So, these were some of the angpow packets that came my way this year.

The best ones were these from Dolly (a clothing brand) in my opinion.  Comes in a packet-of-six where all six designs were different and very colourful too.  Not only that but the print design was embossed on glossy, thick, quality paper.  This one is a keeper (sayang to use it-lah).

Caring chose to go with the rat design...four different rat designs to be precise.  Not particularly a pretty-looking graphic interpretation of rats though.

This one by Affin Hwang (an asset management company), the texture of the packet felt regal, almost silk-like.  Different from the usual paper-type packets for sure.

Ikea also went with the rat design.  The angpow packet design I got turned out to be a different one from what was seen in their print adverts.  Hmmm, strange...a mix-up, perhaps.

OCBC's theme focussed on environment this year with 3 designs calling for the preservation of earth's precious resources.

And in a case of east-meets-west, even Mickey Mouse wants to get into some kung hei fatt choy action.  It was surprising to see even Family Mart giving out angpow packets.

Cookie: Well, I didn't get any angpow this year (or any other year) but I did get a new collar.  You get new clothes, I get new collars.  Let me tilt my head up for you.  Can you see my shiny blue collar with its sparkly green bell?

How do I look? ^_~

What the......??  Yeah, I know this is the year of the rat.....but that doesn't mean I need more rat toys, mommy.

And yes, I do remember rats were my favourite toys when I was little...but I'm all grown up  now...big boy already....and big boys don't play with toys! :P

Haiz, how fast they all grow up!  I remember the time when he would bat and chase the rat (toys) all over the house like it was just yesterday. :'(

A little update: Since going into 'retirement' mode, I've been encouraged by the few first-time comments left by some readers of mine...and of their appreciation for my 'work'.  Knowing that they found my reviews to be useful in some way and their hope for new write-ups (however infrequent) gives me just that little bit of motivation to continue writing even if the posts are few and far between.

Looking back, I've enjoyed the last two months of 'freedom'....of writing when I want, without a prescribed schedule, and putting out 1 - 3 posts a month doesn't seem too burdensome...I think I can manage that.  So I guess I'll continue that way (while still enjoying my 'semi-retirement'...and my coffee) and see how far that takes me.  Looks like I can't stay away from blogging altogether after all! :P  Well, I know of 'someone' who will be thrilled with this arrangement as he's not about to give up on his 15 minutes of fame yet! :D :D