Toh Yuen @ PJ Hilton Chinese New Year 2012 set menus

This is my 1st visit to Toh Yuen at PJ Hilton and admittedly, it turned out to be one of the better Chinese New Year menus that I have sampled so far.

Maybe its the opening piece, the majestic Dragon Yee Sang, priced at an equally grandiose price of RM888++ that jolted me out of my dulled culinary senses.

Yes, Chinese New Year dinners has so far been a bore. Where are my unconventional yee sang and culinary genius inspired dishes???

Anyhow, my dinner at Toh Yuen uncovered a few recommend-worthy dishes.

Starting with the Yee Sang (well, at RM888+ it obviously got to be good), the painstakingly handcrafted Dragon Yee Sang comprises of the usual assorted condiments, each with its symbolic references.
Crackers represents happiness, peanuts and sesame symbolises harvest, oil represents wealth and pomelo means good luck.

Never a fan of the overly sweet yee sang and its deep fried sides, this Dragon Yee Sang hit the spot for me with its canny potpourri of fresh fruits and seafood.

Mango, pears and passionfruit slices layers plus fresh salmon and genuine abalone slices made this a luxurious and thoroughly enjoyable yee sang.

We tossed high in wish for abundance & prosperity for 2012!! :)

Dinner was off to a good start. I sat back and flipped the menu in anticipation of more delectable dishes to come.

Our next course, the Braised Chicken Soup with Chinese Herb Chong Chao Hua and Sea cucumber was a tummy-warming and nourishing consomme, as it rightfully should be.

If youre like me, whos tired of the usual fried/pan-fried/roasted chicken, you would appreciate this Claypot Braised Herb Chicken with Black Fungus. Delicious, hearty and infused with the goodness of chinese herbs, the bird was marinated for 6 hours prior to being braised in a claypot for another few hours, resulting in a flavourful pot of chicken essence and tender bird.

I was dissappointed with the fish dish at both Zuan Yuan ! and West Lake Garden. And the fish dish is the most important dish of the whole 8 course quantum to me. Here, I was rewarded with beautiful flaky fresh sea garoupa, thankfully not overcooked.

Sea Garoupa with Spicy Garlic Sauce.

The next few dishes were ordinary but since I was satiated by now, I took sampling portions just for taste.

Braised Sea Cucumber with Mixed Mushrooms.

Sauteed Fresh Prawns with Black Pepper Sauce.

Sauteed Toh Yuen Fried Rice wth Seafood.

Desserts: ( Oh yea!! ) Deep Fried Crispy Chinese New Year C! ake (Nian Gou) and washing it all down with the Double Boiled Red Dates with Papaya and White Fungus; which incidentally was regrettably sounded very good but was way too sweet.

Toh Yuen offers 3 different set menus for Chinese New Year 2012. The above menu goes for RM1388++, minus the Dragon Yee Sang which is separately ordered at RM888++. The 2 other menus are RM988++ and RM1188++.

All 3 set menus will be updated on my blog by tomorrow once I get my hands on the soft copy.

Centrepiece: Ushering in the year of the Dragon!

I walked off a few calories taking some ambiance shots, testing out both the Sony Nex-7 against the Samsung NX11. Toh Yuens layout and diningsymmetry offers comfortable distance between table and I love the circular entrance to the private dining room.

Cosy and intimate for a private dining session.

Lovely isnt it? Uncluttered and spacious.

I might back again next week for a corporate dinner with clients. Lets hope I get to sample the other menu and you can expect another blogpost! :)

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