CNY Dinner @ Dragon Star Seafood Restaurant..

This will be the tenth time we are having Yee Sang for dinner.

Tonight it was at Dragon Star Seafood Restaurant, one of my favorite restaurant.

The Salmon Yee Sang @ Rm40 for half portion was only just average, saved for those cashew nuts that we added to it which added some nutty flavor with every bite.

The rest of the dishes were consistent with what they usually served and was up to our expectations except for the Tofu. 

Overall a great and affordable dinner to end the CNY !

Salmon Yee Sang (1/2 portion)-was average with a sweet plum sauce-we added our own Cashew nuts for more crunchiness-Rm40/

Braised Pig Trotter with Fatt Choy (black moss)-well marinated with soft tender meat and a bouncy skin-Rm38/

Braised house made Tofu stuffed tough fishpaste, topped with a shrimp and doused with a egg gravy-a big disappointment-Rm22/

Blanched stemmy,leafy, and crunchy Hong Kong Kai Lan-Rm24/

Steamed Loong Tan fish  (giant Garouper fish) -thickly sliced with collagen skin in a superior soy sauce/peanut oil-Rm120/

Wok fried generously sized Sea Prawns-fused with superior soy sauce-fragrant but not juicy-Rm60/

Green Dragon Vegetable-leafy with a pungent aroma-Rm24/

Total bill:Rm365/
Location:54a-54b, Jalan SS1/22,
Kampung Tunku, Petaling Jaya,
Tel:03-7877-6673.

Restoran Hao Yi Lou

The CNY festival continued with a three tables dinner at Restoran Hao Yi Lou, Tapah, Perak.

My brother in law, Kam was the paying host for this dinner gathering among our relatives.

Restoran Hao Yi Lao is located just 2 km left from the Tapah toll plaza exit and is one of the best and newest restaurant in Tapah.

It is owned and run by a young, friendly and formidable couple- Chef Leong and his wife Sim.

As it was the first day of the CNY, the restaurant was packed to the rim and business was brisk.

Parking is a breeze.

Me, talking to Chef Leong (hands on hip ) about tonight's dinner dishes.

Waiting at our table.

The hand written menu in Chinese.

Started with the usual Loh Sang-a Salmon Yee Sang-wish for a better business year.

Sang Cheong-stir fried with ginger/spring onion/soy sauce combination-very crunchy and good exercise for the jaws.

Steamed wild frogs with chopped ginger/spring onion/Chinese wine/ sesame oil was everyone's favorite-the flesh was smooth and sweet tasting-plenty of it because of the dry weather.

Clams with Curry powder-spicy, fresh and meaty.

Koong Poh Padi field's Eel-stir fried with onion/dried red chillies/spring onion and a dash of Chinese wine-the coarsely sliced eel meat was springy and meaty.

Tung Poh pork belly- well marinated and braised until the meat absorbed all the spices flavors-garnished with cilantro-the gravy was perfect with rice.

Steamed river prawns with egg whites and Chinese wine-garnished with finely sliced ginger and cilantro-fresh, juicy and succulent-the star of the night!

Buttered Tilapia-the meat was filleted and cut into bite sizes before it was wok buttered fried with egg and curry leaves-very crispy-a good snack with beer.

Ended the meal with a quick stir fried Kangkong (Water Convolvulus)) with Sambal chillies -a local favorite.

Total bill: Rm700/
Location: 1 & 2, Persiaran Tapah Indah 1/3,
Taman Tapah Indah 3,
Tapah, Perak.
Tel:05-401-8148/012-463-5590/016-532-8678.

Ah Yat Abalone Forum Restaurant.

I attended my friend's lavish birthday dinner which was held at Ah Yat Abalone Forum Restaurant in Jalan Kemajuan, Petaling Jaya.

As the CNY was a just a week away, Yee Sang was part of the set dinner.

Parking is horrible with two other restaurants side by side of it but car jockey is available.

Name of the restaurant engraved on wood.

Glass display of Shark's fin and Abalone.

Salmon Yee Sang-with very fresh shredded ingredients-one of the best that i have eaten.

Braised Shark's fin soup with crab meat and bird nest-a notch above others!

BBQ Whole suckling pig-someone stole a piece before I could snapped the photo-crispy skin with a layer of fat and some lean meat-dip in brown sauce for added flavor.

Stir fried fresh Prawn with sliced white squid and sweet pea beans-a light and very refreshing dish.

Stewed fresh Abalone with goose web seated on blanched Bok Choy and delicious brown sauce-chewy abalone and gelatinous-like goose web.

Steamed Tiger Garoupa with superior grade Soy sauce and peanut oil and garnished with cilantro and spring onion-fresh and fine textured.

Deep fried crispy Chicken-well marinated -crisp skin with moist and tender meat.

Fried glutinous rice with preserved meat garnished with egg omelette and chopped spring onion-wrapped in Lotus leaf-fragrant and fulfilling !

Red bean soup with glutinous rice ball-fine and smooth and not overly sweet.

Sweet pastries of beautifully designed red bean paste rolls and Wolfberries/Longan jelly.

Location: Lot 98-3, Jalan Kemajuan,
Section 13, Petaling Jaya,
Tel:03-7960-4988.

Reunion Dinner @ Dragon Star Seafood Restaurant.

This year's reunion dinner is the first time that we are eating out.

The two ladies chefs of the family are getting old by the year and the hassles of preparing and cleaning up for my family of eighteen, is no laughing matter !

We choose Dragon Star Seafood Restaurant over others was because of their food consistency and reasonable pricing.

This dinner set menu is their top of the range.

Service was not as efficient as normal and the staff were running all over the place.

Prosperity Salmon Yee Sang-we added some cashew nut to it-the plum sauce was not overly sweet and the shredded fresh and pickled ingredients were crunchy with every bite,

Shark's fin soup with scallop & crab meat-not much of shark's fin to be found - the broth was smooth and of the right density even though it's was thickened with corn starch-generous amount of crab meat and tiny bits of scallop..

Steamed Pomfret fish-star of the night-fresh and fleshy bathed in superior grade soy sauce and peanut oil-garnished with scallion and cilantro.

Half roasted Chicken & half roasted suckling piglet-pig's skin was crispy with a thin layer of fat while the chicken meat was tender and muscled with a real crisp skin-served with some prawn crackers.

Stewed Abalone with sea cucumber & mushroom-felt cheated with such mini abalone-Shiitake mushroom was of inferior grade while the sea cucumber was crunchy and thick-served with blanched brocolli and smooth gravy.

Baked crystal prawn with lemon sauce-the sea prawns were fresh, juicy and of above average sized with a sweet and zesty lemon sauce.

Bailing mushroom with vegetables-mushroom were sliced into small sizes served with blanched broccoli, "wu har" (konnyaku) and tied tau kan (soft and smooth beancurd sheet) and smooth gravy.

Fried rice with waxed meat-glutinous rice was not too sticky served with waxed duck, Chinese sausage and duck's liver sausage infused with wine-very fulfilling ! my mum's favorite dish.

Chinese new year fancy duet-was basically yam/sweet potato/nian guo-lightly batter and deep fried together-very good textures.

Sea coconut with Longan with some lemon juice-the sea coconut was too tough and the canned longan was passable-a refreshing touch to end a great reunion dinner.

Total bill:Rm781/
Location:54A & 54B, Jalan SS1/22,
Kampung Tunku, Petaling Jaya,
Tel:03-7877-6673.