oh{FISH}iee: Chinese New Year Dim Sum Menu @ Eastin Hotel Petaling Jaya

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR! Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Ushering the auspicious Year of Horse in 2014, family reunion is definitely a must according to the Chinese tradition. Besides having our annual Lou Sang (鱼生) gathering, this year we tried something different--- our very first dim sum get-together at Ee Chinese Cuisine (颐中餐厅), Eastin Hotel Petaling Jaya.

#1 Chinese Dumplings ("Sui Kow") in Superior Broth (水饺)

To begin our culinary experience of handmade dim sum, first to arrive at the table was an individually-portioned rich superior broth with 3 pieces of Chinese tortellini dumplings. The fresh prawns, served enclosed in the superbly light pastry, was sweet and well-suffused with herbal flavour.

There we had the perfect start to a delicious culinary adventure :)

#2 Seafood Paste with Abalone Slice

Among the wide varieties of steamed dim sum, we agreed unequivocally that the seafood selection was fresh and generously filled with top notch ingredients. Resting on a thick slice of abalone, the seafood paste was on a lighter note and tasted soft yet bouncy inside.

#3 Bacon Wrapped Fish Paste with Dried Oyster

Adding a twist to the seafood paste, the bacon roll was beautifully-infused with smoky flavour and every mouthful is so springy and smooth. It was such a heavenly combination with the fish paste.

#4 Steamed Garoupa with Thai Green Chilli

The simple taste and preparation did not overshadow the flakiness of the flesh, but at the same time the signature Thai green chilli paste added a zingy punch to the oceanic sweetness.

#5 Steamed Crystal Dumplings in Spicy Sour Sauce

The texture within the crystal dumplings were more refined with the soft, smooth chunks of prawns and Chinese chives topped with a sprinkling of fried garlic, served on a bed of tangy sauce with hints of spiciness. Delicately wrapped in a crystal clear skin, it was another crowd's favourite of the day!

#6 Walnut BBQ Pork Pie

Moving on to the deep-fried items on the dim sum menu, we were spoilt with a wide array of delicate pastries and puffs! Bite into the dainty shortcrust pie, and you'd discover the aromatic filling of minced BBQ pork melts beautifully in your mouth within seconds.

The flavourful BBQ pork together with crispy walnut

lent a noticeably robust dimension to the crisp buttery pie!

#7 Cheesy Shrimp Spring Rolls

Going halfway through my gastronomical adventure here, mistakes were indeed few and far between. Wrapped with crispy egg sheet, each spring roll was generously filled with shrimps, but we'd appreciate a heavier note of flavours from the melted mozzarella cheese.

#8 Golden Scallop Yam Puffs

Next up was the golden yam puff, that surprised us from inside out! It was definitely a welcoming change from the usual yam puff stuffed with roasted cashew nuts. Let's see what's inside this golden ball...

Topped with tobiko, half of the mini yam puff was already filled with gigantic fresh scallop!

These special handmade yam puff here would keep the guests glued to their seats.

#9 Black Pepper Diced Chicken Pastry

For those who love to go adventurous, a crispy thin pastry married with robust black pepper diced chicken filling was a stand-out.

#10 Fried "Cheong Fun" with Waxed Meat

Another familiar festive dish to look out for was the plate of wok fried fresh rice noodle rolls topped with Chinese waxed meat. I prefer this to the ordinary claypot rice with preserved meat, as the final result was light and healthy to my liking.

#11 Double Boiled Snow Lotus Seed with White Fungus

(雪耳白果炖雪莲子拼年糕)

When it comes to dessert, you can take comfort in the fact that most of the offerings here are refreshingly light yet full of beauty goodness. The nourishing dessert soup with sesame coated glutinous rice cake was just nice in terms of sweetness to satisfy us.

The CNY dining experience at Eastin PJ comprises not only great tasting food, but also encompasses
a luxurious atmosphere of the dining area, beautiful presentation of food and friendly services.

Chinese New Year Special Dim Sum Menu

Available from 2 February to 14 February 2014

Verdict:

1. Personally, the dim sum at Eastin Hotel PJ tops my favourite lists among hotels' restaurants.

2. Pricewise, it falls on a higher range, but it's a good premier restaurant to visit for Cantonese authenticity.

Ee Chinese Cuisine

Lobby Level

Eastin Hotel

13, Jalan 16/11,

46350 Petaling Jaya,

Selangor.

Contact: 603-7665 1111
Email: info.pj@eastin.com

Website: www.eastin.com