Yee Sang at Xin Cuisine, Concorde Kuala Lumpur

Hi! Have you done your house spring cleaning and prepare for Chinese New Year? As for me, the upcoming festive season for this year is full of surprises because many restaurateurs are showcasing their innovations and creativity in newly invented varieties of Yee Sang and Nian Gao.

Join the Nian Gao Party!

Synonymous to prosperity year after year, Chinese Glutinous Rice Cake, or better known as Nian Gao is definitely a must-have during this spring season. Xin Cuisine is one of the first to invent nice varieties of Nian Gao using different types of sugar, creating such an attention-grabbing platter! Just by looking at the beautiful delicacies, I am tempted to try them even before starting off my dinner!

Concorde Shah Alam has the restaurant by the same name, Xin Cuisine, where I sampled the Chinese New Year offerings last year. However, knowing that both restaurants are the separate entities that serve different gastronomical delights, I am more than delighted to experience a whole different culinary adventure at Concorde KL with a large group of foodies.

Beautifully ornamented with red lanterns, plum blossoms and Chinese wall paintings, Xin Cuisine manages to bring patrons back to the era of 1970s, experiencing an exquisite yet rustic chinese dining. Alongside with the grand and warm ambiance, we are greeted by abundance of fortune cookie upon stepping into Xin Cuisine. 

One of the eye-catching decors at Xin Cuisine is of course the delicately-crafted golden dragon pillar, 

portraying sense of wealth as I admire the excellent workmanship.

Being seated on a table of 10, I am not the first to appreciate the effort made by the marketing team for such wonderful table setting. Tied in a gold ribbon, our menu of the evening is presented in a scroll, just like what we used to have in the olden days.

#1 Prosperity Mini Octopus Yee Sang with Traditional Condiments

(墨鱼仔捞鱼生)

The first customary dish is no other than the crowd's favourite baby octopus yee sang. Aside from thin shreds of pickled condiments, pomelo, peanut, prawn crackers and plum sauce, Xin has incorporated some seaweed crackers to enhance the biting sensation for diners. Overall, it adds a crispier texture to the dish.

Unlike my usual favourite Chuka Idako in Japanese restaurants, the baby octopus in yee sang retains its original taste and moisture without much seasonings. All in all, the mighty octopus seeps in the plum sauce well and enhances the crunchiness of the yee sang.

At Xin, come and and usher the new year cheer with their latest 7 yee sang choices, in which two are new variations of the year--- Abalone Yee Sang, Salmon Yee Sang, Prosperity Duck Yee Sang and Prosperity Wolf-Herring Yee Sang with traditional condiments, just to name a few. Available in regular and large portions from RM58++ to RM188++ per order.

#2 Special Dim Sum

(特色点心)

As an appetiser, be sure to try the Festive Lunar Dim Sum offerings. Being a unique festive feature at Xin Cuisine, it will be available for the first 15 days of CNY (Until 25 February) alongside with Chinese New Year specialties lined up at the restaurant. 

The Salted Egg Puff features a very thin, crispy skin but firm enough to hold the marinated seafood in it. Comes in bite-sized pieces, each puff tastes great without being overwhelming. Perhaps the absence of yam filling really lifts up the flavours and texture of the petite dim sum. It is perfectly fried into crispy perfection and has a slightly salty aftertaste.

#3 Sea Cucumber with Abalone Roll 

One of the newest recipe is fish paste with sea cucumber, covered by slices of abalone roll. Drenched in a bath of superior sauce, the homemade fish paste absorbs the flavours well, while retaining its bounciness and moisture.

#4 Oyster Wrapped with Fish Maw

As its name suggests, this dim sum is prepared by forming the seafood paste with finely chopped vegetables and wrapping them with huge layers of fish maw. If you're looking for a light meal, the restaurant also has a vast selection of dim sum to satisfy your palate. 

#5 Prosperity Egg

Next is another work of art as each piece is lovingly made with great attention paid to its look and taste. Having the first mouthful, the juicy freshness flows out from the combination of prawns, sea moss and quail egg. The steamed dim sum is especially tasty as the outer shells are very thin and soft, unlike many which are usually thin and rubbery in texture.

#6 Steamed Sea Garoupa with Soya Sauce

(鱼江好景 | 清蒸海斑)

Moving on, the fish dish is quick to whip up from the table.  The garoupa is wonderfully steamed, it has a mild, but distinct flavor, and not fishy at all. Its meat is extremely delicate, lean and flaky, although part of it has turned slightly rubbery due to the long steaming process. Nevertheless, it makes one of my favourite dish of the evening because of its freshness and light sauce.

#7 Stuffed Oyster, Mushroom with Fatt Choy & Seasonal Vegetables

(好事发财 | 发菜酿蚝士豆根扒时蔬)

One definitely can't go wrong with this symbolic new year dish. To give a different approach to the traditionally symbolic dish, the fish paste crowned with oyster gives a nice addition to the braised platter of chinese vegetarian bean curd. The sauce is rather light, mild and thin in consistency, definitely a great choice for the healthy goers.

#8 Wok-Fried Rice with Two Varieties of Chinese Sausage & Corn Kernel

(金银满堂 | 金米双肠炒饭)

Another staple dish at Xin Cuisine is the wok-fried rice with Chinese waxed meat. This dish is a combination of two types of Chinese preserved sausages, incorporated with abundance of corn kernel which adds a pleasure biting pleasure to diners. These are all finely chopped and mixed in the bed of soft rice. The savory flavours of different meats is complemented by the fragrant rice, giving patrons a sense of fulfillment.

#9 Chilled Seaweed Jelly with Osmanthus & Wolfberry

(喜气洋洋 | 桂花枸杞海燕窝)

The best is last to come. Osmanthus has always been a popular premium ingredient for making tea and Chinese dessert, and one of the best I have sampled in Xin last year was their delicate osmanthus jelly with goji berry. Now they have turned it into a chilled, soothing dessert with abundance of silky smooth seaweed jelly.

The amount of osmanthus flowers is just nice to bring out its aroma, and its slight bitterness is well-balanced with the subtle sweetness. Ladies simply shouldn't miss a second helping of this dessert that provides beauty benefits!

#10 Chinese New Year Sweets

(新春美点)

Another stunning dessert of the evening is the special nian gao that comes in 3 flavours---

Sweet Potato Nian Gao with Macadamia Nuts (RM 9.80++ per order)

Pineapple Paste & Almond Nian Gao (RM 9.80++ per order)

Durian Paste Nian Gao (RM 12.00++ per order)

They are thick layers of glutinous rice cakes enveloping smooth gooey fillings of various flavours. Closest to the basic nian gao is the sweet potato which enhances the sweetness of the rice cake without being overcloying. Definitely makes into my list of favourites of the evening too. 

Left: Durian, Middle: Pineapple, Right: Sweet Potato

The pastry-like, mildly sweet pineapple nian gao reveals a zingy flavour as its crust is made of thick pineapple paste, with a crunchy coating of finely chopped almond. On the other hand, our king of fruit, Durian also manages to reveal its distinctiveness in its rich aroma and taste. If you're up for durian mooncake, then durian nian gao would be the best delicacy for this season!

Special thanks to the culinary team led by Chef Wong Pak Seng, Chef Ng Meng Loong and Chef Lok Meng Pak for the irresistibly authentic chinese cuisine to usher the Year of Snake!

For a cosy setting, Xin Cuisine has private ballrooms as well as about 40 tables in the hall.

The dinner in Xin Cuisine is more than perfect! The host has been really thoughtful by bringing in the Chinese New Year mood. The melting good almond biscuit is one of the most enjoyable tidbits besides other myriads of sweets and light bites.

#11 Almond Biscuits

How courteous the marketing team is! Before calling it a night, we are presented a bag full of goodies--- One box of lunar new year cookies, two mandarin oranges and two ang pow packets made of silk woven cloth.

Fortune Pot

Duration: Now till 25 February 2013

Price: RM368++ (small) and RM648++ (large)

Chinese New Year Prosperity Menu

Duration: Now till 25 February 2013

Price: RM1088++, RM1288++, RM1488++ per table of 10 persons
Xin cuisine is closed on the first day of Chinese New Year

For reservations, please call 03-2144 8750 
or email fbkl@concorde.net

Verdict:

1. Although we didn't get to try a full set menu for CNY, the dim sums and few symbolic dishes have left me totally smitten! 

2. Recommended: Wok-Fried Rice with Two Varieties of Chinese Sausage & Corn Kernel and Chilled Seaweed Jelly with Osmanthus & Wolfberry

3. Pricewise, it is definitely a steal, for a luxurious reunion dinner within the city centre.

Xin Cuisine
Lobby Level
2, Jalan Sultan Ismail,
50250 Kuala Lumpur.
Contact: 603-2144 8750
Fax: 603-2149 2619
Email: kl@concorde.net
Website: KualaLumpur.ConcordeHotelsResorts.com

Business Hours
Mon-Fri: 11.30am - 2.30pm / 6.30pm -10.30pm
Saturday: 11.00am - 2.30pm / 6.30pm -10.30pm
Sun & Public Holidays: 9.00am - 2.30pm / 6.30pm -10.30pm