Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur,
Jalan Pinang, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2179 8885
Business Hours: (Lunch) Mon-Sat: Noon to 2.30pm,
Sunday and Public Holiday: 11.00am to 3.00pm (Dinner),
daily: 7.00pm to 10.30pm.
CHEF Ricky Thein of Lai Po Heen restaurant, has been known to come up with new dishes that challenge his creativity, showing off his years of experience in the kitchen.
With that being said, Thein has made sure his dishes remain true to the restaurant’s theme by serving classic Cantonese creations and contemporary dim sum.
Seated casually in a private room, many of us were looking forward to Thein’s creations.
The first dish was the Seven Spices Scented Soft Shell Crab Rolls.
This California roll-like dish was carefully stuffed in a ring of watermelon and honeydew to give diners a refreshing aftertaste.
Thein said the soft shell crabs were deep-fried before being tossed in garlic, ginger and Chinese five-spice mix, then wrapped in a crepe and served with a small portion of ginger jelly.
Next, was the Double Boiled Kung Fu soup with baby abalone, cordyceps, fish maw, morel mushrooms and baby cabbage cooked in a superior stock for four hours with chicken and dried seafood such as scallops and cuttlefish.
As we tucked in, we were served another dish, the Oven Baked Black Cod Fillet with Butter and Cheese Crust.
A touch of fusion: Oven Baked Black Cod Fillet with Butter and Cheese Crust, served with as paragus and deep fried mushrooms.
Instead of steaming the fish in the conventional Chinese style, Thein made a bold move by baking it and topping it with cheese, a method hat has been used in some Hong Kong styled restaurants.
“In this fusion dish, we used Parmesan cheese and turkey ham to give the fish more flavour and to make it more fragrant,” said the executive Chinese chef.
A favourite among guests was the Jasmine Tea Leaf Smoked Chicken served with Ginger and Spring Onion Dip and the Seared Prawns with Spicy Lemongrass Sauce.
Although one can hardly smell or taste the jasmine tea, the chicken was certainly tender enough.
The ginger dip also came in handy as I matched it with a selection of chilli sauce prepared by the restaurant.
Thein said the spiciness of the prawn dish came from a Vietnamese chilli powder, which had been mixed with some Thai basil leaves, coconut milk and orange juice.
To keep a balance between the meat and seafood dishes, a plate of Stir Fried Seasonal Vegetables with Honey was served.
“We serve different vegetables each day (four types), and guests can enquire what we have in the kitchen before ordering,” said Thein.
To end our meal, the much anticipated Fresh Durian with Whipped Cream wrapped in a thin crepe was dished out. It was simply what I had envisioned after a close friend told me about the restaurant’s “must-have” dessert.
“We serve this 365 days a year,” Thein said, adding that the restaurant relies on its trusty durian supplier to ensure that guests are served the best D24 durian.
This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.
