FOODIES are in for a culinary treat at the Northam All Suite Penang?s Taipan Fins Chinese Restaurant with its lip-smacking dim sum and Cantonese fusion cuisine.
The fine selection of dim sum coupled with the warm and welcoming interior of the outlet has proven to be a hit with both foreigners and locals.
Weekends especially will see families joyously tucking into the baskets of delectable dim sum over hot cups of Chinese tea.
It is definitely love at first bite when it comes to the xiao long bao (soup dumpling) with superior stock and lao sah bao (gooey salted egg custard bun). The latter oozes liquid salty goodness that melts in the mouth.
The fare is available from 11am to 2.30pm on weekdays and from 9am on weekends. Other dim sum choices include king prawn dumpling, siew mai with crab roll, pig?s trotter in black pepper, steamed pork spare rib and Thai-style seafood roll.
Further satiate your appetite with lotus seed paste bun, barbecue pork bun, steamed bacon roll with meat, rice flour roll with shrimp, deep-fried dough ball, pan-fried turnip cake, mini egg custard tart and porridge with century egg.
Alternatively, diners can also opt for the enticing Cantonese fare from the a la carte menu that is served for both lunch and dinner (from 6pm to 10pm). Be sure to ask for the weekly/daily specials that are not listed in the menu.
The Taipan?s fried kai lan (Chinese kale) is a flavourful and healthy creation. Served with a sprinkle of fried anchovies, the leafy greens are deep fried till crispy while the stalks are stir-fried.
The kao yuk (braised pork) with pineapple, with its sweet and sour nuance, is another firm favourite.
Other bold-flavoured premium dishes include stewed whole South African abalone, braised sea cucumber with golden garlic and deep-fried tiger prawn a la Taipan.
Emphasis here is on the seafood with interpretations such as crispy yellow eel Szechuan style, braised padi chicken in brown sauce and leek, braised Imperial seafood platter in earthern claypot and stewed fresh scallop with asparagus and crabmeat.
Also indulge in roast Peking duck, kong poh chicken, stir-fried venison with ginger and spring onion, fried lotus root with celery and macadamia nuts, and stir-fried French bean with golden mushroom.
There are of course appetisers such as stir- fried crispy Chinese crullers as well as soups such as fresh beancurd seafood and double-boiled black chicken with ginseng.
For something light, there is yong chow fried rice, fried dry hor fun with seafood and deep- fried crispy noodle with seafood, to name a few while for the sweet tooth are indulgences such as steamed hasma with lotus seeds, steamed ginger tea with tang yuan, and kwai ling ko with honey.
All holders of major credit cards are entitled to a 20% discount when dining at Taipan Fins. Spending RM100 and above comes with a RM20 cash voucher to be used on your next visit.
The restaurant has a private room that can cater for up to some 30 people and a smoking area on the balcony. Business hours are from 11am to 2.30pm (starts from 9am on weekends) and from 6pm to 10pm daily. For reservations, kindly contact 04-3701 111.
