Designed to meet high expectations

ENTER the wood dragon!

The creature appearing in the folklore of many cultures is held in high esteem among the Chinese for its power and intelligence.

Hence, after a 12-year wait it is not surprising to see many going to great lengths to usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon heralded as a time for growth.

At Chynna@ Hilton Kuala Lumpur, the fuss and excitement are obvious as its Chinese New Year menus sync with Hilton’s national campaign aptly titled “Reign of the Dragon”, which banks on elevating traditions and grandeur.

Executive Chinese chef Lam Hock Hin knew he had to up the ante this year in meeting expectations of discerning diners.

Four auspicious reunion set menus were created after weeks of brainstorming with the culinary team.

They have come up with the Prosperity Set at RM1,388nett per table for five persons, Fortune Set at RM1,688nett per table of five, Wealth Set at RM2,388nett for five diners and opulent Grand Fortune set priced at RM699nett per person.

Yes, you read it right. The Grand Fortune price may seem steep but ingredients for superior dishes do not come cheap.

Expect silky flavours in the Braised Jumbo Crabmeat with Premium Dried Seafood. Then there are Stewed Wild Abalone, Black Garlic Dumpling with Jumbo Alaska Scallops, and Stewed Hong Kong Eefoo Noodles with Italian Truffle, Portobello and Button Mushrooms.

More premium offerings follow. Bird’s Nest and Chinese Wolfberry are served in Snow Pear Soup and then there is Steamed Koi Fish Nian Gao with Musang King Durian Filling.

Of course, Lam has put a lot of thought in designing Chynna’s yee sang platters too.

This year’s signature yee sang features Tasmanian Ocean Trout and Wasabi Longan as well as Tasmanian Ocean Trout with Crispy Rice and Assam Chilli at RM168nett for half portion and RM318nett for full portion.

Chynna’s Signature Buttermilk Prawn with Five Spices and Crispy Rice.

The popular Salted Egg Fish Skin, Soft Shell Crab Yee Sang is RM178nett for half portion and RM328nett for full portion.

Both versions offer a merry unison of sweet, tangy, savoury and umami flavours.

Lam said, “We use fresh and premium ingredients in our cooking and for visual presentation as well.

“We paid meticulous attention to detail in arrangement, colours and overall aesthetic appeal. These are hallmark of Chynna’s culinary approach.”

After tossing and calling for all things good in the Year of the Dragon, we dug in and appreciated the explosion of flavours in the yee sang with Tasmanian trout.

The creamy Cauliflower Soup with Seafood is akin to a Western-style soup, which is rather unusual for a Chinese New Year menu.

Lam said he wanted customers to have something different from the usual herbal and traditional double-boiled varieties.

A typical Cantonese treat is none other than the Poached Free-range Chicken with Guang Xi Sauce.

Here, Lam pays tribute to Guang Xi province in China with the poached bird’s simplicity in taste complemented by ginger and chive sauce.

The tea master skilfully pouring tea at Chynna, Hilton Kuala Lumpur.

The fish course presented fleshy grouper stewed with salted vegetable, tomatoes, ginger, pickled chilli, dried shrimp and chicken.

I felt there were too many ingredients in the stewed fish that masked the fish’s freshness and sweet taste.

The festive mood continued with plump prawns coated in buttermilk with crispy rice, giving an indulgent taste which cannot be had in just one bite.

Lam loves introducing bran to his vegetable dishes so expect to taste it in the Stewed Abalone with Fish Maw, Sun-dried Oyster, Fatt Choy, Monkey Head Mushroom and Bran Gluten.

However, the Unagi Fragrant Fried Rice with a combination of flavourful fried unagi, sesame, macadamia nuts, tobiko and ginger dazzled and triumphed as the star of the menu.

Indeed, the fried rice’s enticing flavours stayed fresh in our minds days after the meal, and that says much about the impression it made.

Simpler flavours in the form of Peach Gum and Papaya with Snow Fungus Red Bean, with Coconut Milk Cake on the side, ended our Chinese New Year experience on a happy note.

For diners who prefer poon choy, Chynna also has the Supreme Assorted Hotchpotch (RM268nett per person, for a minimum of five diners) featuring fresh and premium ingredients.

CHYNNA, Hilton Kuala Lumpur, 3 Jalan Stesen Sentral, Kuala Lumpur. (Tel: 03-2264 2264) Business hours: Noon to 2.30pm, 6.30 to 10.30pm.

This is the writer’s personal observation and not an endorsement by StarMetro.