Wowzers! Chinese New Year is just less than 3 weeks away! Have you planned on your CNY celebration dinner? Be it family reunion, friends gathering or Sao Gong Zao (a reunion dinner where the boss buys staff dinner before CNY)?
Celebrate the Year of the Snake and usher in the Lunar New Year at Celestial Court, Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur and feast your eyes, satisfy your senses and whet your appetite with a variety of sumptuous delights.
Celestial Court , Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur
Celestial Court is a redefined imperial dining Chinese restaurant and was voted Winner in the “Best Chinese Restaurant” category at the recent 2012 Time Out KL Food Awards, by readers of Time Out KL magazine. Guests are welcomed into an elevated royal dining affair with personalised au fait services, familiar Cantonese a la carte favourites and new delicious additions, represented with a modern twist.
The Lunar New Year is the most important date in the Chinese calendar and is an elaborate celebration in many parts of Asia. Additionally, there are 12 Chinese Zodiac signs and for the year 2013, it is the Year of the Snake. The Snake carries the meaning of malevolence, cattiness and mystery. In certain places or culture, people believe that if they found a snake in their court, the family will be delighted. Also, people like to paste the paper-cut ‘Fu’ (wealth) character in an upside down position on their doors or windows, combined with a snake twisting around a rabbit as a popular pattern to indicate wealth.
During the CNY set menu review, the Yee Sang we had was quite a special one, Yee Sang with combination of Crispy Soft Shell Crab, Norwegian Salmon, Japanese Octopus and served with Mango Plum Sauce a creation by Executive Chinese Chef, Ho Boon and Dim Sum Chef, Ken Liew.
Quite a contemporary and Japanese fusion Yee Sang and also there’s a pattern of a Snake in the Yee Sang in accordance to the Snake year we’re celebrating, we should be delighted!
There’s even caviar in the Yee Sang! Spot the black caviar on the Snake’s eye and body.
The Japanese fusion Yee Sang. Although the sauce used was mango plum sauce, there’s only a very mild twist of mango taste.
And for those who would like to toss to goodness in privacy, there are 12 spacious and elegant venues.
You’ll find this Braised Assorted Dried Seafood and Sea Moss in many CNY set menu in many restaurants. However, here in Celestial Court, the Braised Assorted Dried Seafood & Sea Moss is served in a winter melon instead of a claypot. Everything is edible!
A very delicate dish of Wok Fried Assorted Seafood with Macadamia Nut served in nest which I believe is deep fried mee hoon (vermicelli). I would prefer yam basket though
A simple yet delicious wok fried dish consisting celery, carrots, fish fillet, prawns topped with crispy macadamia nut. If you noticed the yellow thingy around the nest, that’s salted yolk. I quite enjoy that the most.
The Roasted Chicken with Ginger, Garlic and Spicy Flavour reminds me of a fish dish because the sauce tasted like one of the spicy sauces I normally had for steamed fish in Old Klang Road. Nonetheless, I had quite a number of the crispy skin and tender chicken meat as the sauce was very appetizing. Not forgetting the bonito flakes which was on top of the chicken.
Quite a Japanese fusionised dish as bonito flakes are normally found in Japanese cuisine.
This Braised Yu Fungus, Bamboo pith with Australian Asparagus & Japanese Bean Curd is simply new to me. I’ve never tasted Yu fungus before. It is tasteless and the texture is somewhat like a mushroom. It is said the Yu fungus is one of the expensive fungus you can find in the market. Instead of enjoying the expensive fungus, I enjoyed the bamboo pith and Australian asparagus Both the pith and asparagus were crispy and delightful.
A very unique seafood dish, Sauteed Osmanthus Clam, Shrimps with XO Sauce & Garden Greens, everything in it is crunchy and springy – shrimps, osmanthus clam, asparagus and leeks.
At first, I thought the Osmanthus Clam is squid as the texture is like a squid, but when the chef mentioned that it’s a type of clams, everyone concluded that it’s bamboo clam because of its longish figure. Later, when interviewing the Chef, we got it all wrong. Heh..
In every food review, I always learn something new about food or some other things. In this review, I learnt something quite peculiar about Sea Cucumber. You know how Sea Cucumber looks like? I always thought they’re like a wood plank that floats in the ocean. But I was wrong, it has organs! Apparently, the Sea Cucumber releases its intestines when it tries to run away, as how a squid would release its ink when it’s in danger. So, this intestines is called “Osmanthus Clam” or in Cantonese, “Gwai Fa Pong“. No idea why it’s called a clam when it is not.
According to Chef, this particular “clam” is a popular ingredient in China and Hong Kong. You can’t find any restaurants in Malaysia which sells this.
The Deep Fried Prawns served with Minced Nutmeg, Sesame and Mayonnaise Dressing is a must have when you dine here! Highly recommended by me The prawns are done perfectly! Crunchy and springy~
For dessert, we had Pumpkin Puree served with Coconut Ice Cream, Red Bean & Pistachio, a type of chilled sweet soup dessert. Always find pumpkin made to soup but this is the first time having it as a dessert. It’s pretty good.
This special dessert was served has a unique presentation, like double boiling but this is double chilling. Crushed ice at the bottom to keep the puree cold on the top.
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The Chinese New Year menus will be available from 7 January to 24 February 2013. The a la carte Chinese New Year dishes are priced from RM38++ onwards each. Alternatively, there are 3 exclusive, prosperity 9-course set menus – the Wealth Set Menu (RM1,488++), Fortune Set Menu (RM1,688++) and Happiness Set Menu (RM1988++) per table of 10 persons. All these menus are inclusive of a complimentary bottle of wine. For diners who were born in the Year of Snake and hold an event during the Chinese New Year period with minimum spend of RM1,000, diners will receive a cash voucher worth RM300 nett!
Celestial Court is open for lunch from 12noon to 2.30pm, Mondays to Saturdays. On Sundays and Public Holidays, lunch is served from 10.30am to 2.30pm. Dinner is served from 6.30pm to 10.30pm, daily. The restaurant will be closed on the first and second day of Chinese New Year, February 10 and 11, 2013.
Celestial Court also serves dim sum, ala carte and set menus for lunch from 12 noon till 2.15pm, Mondays to Saturdays, and from 10am till 2.30pm on Sundays and Public Holidays; and for dinner, Celestial Court is open from 6.30pm till 10.30pm, 7 days a week.
For more information or to make reservations, please contact Celestial Court at +603 2717 9900 (ext 6933) or e-mail to firstname.lastname@example.org.
For real time reservations, visit www.eatdrinkandmore.com/sheratonimperialkualalumpur.
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Confirm your Chinese New Year (CNY) Dinner with Celestial Court and enjoy many goodies such as get one table for free for every 15 paying tables, free corkage for one bottle of wine or liquor per table (with minimum 15 tables and above) and SPP members stand to earn double points for this special period. The special CNY deals are only valid from 1 to 28 February 2013. Terms and conditions apply. To find out how you can book your celebratory meal, please call +603 2717 9900 (ext 6014/6817/6824) or email at email@example.com.
In addition to the dining and event deals, the hotel will be offering a special Chinese New Year room package, inviting everyone to stay and have a marvelous commemoration during the Chinese New Year. Guests who confirm their stay with Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur Hotel between 1 January and 17 February 2013, will enjoy a whole lot of extra goodies such as Celestial Court 4-course set menu including a Salmon Yee Sang for 2 persons, a complimentary 30-minute shoulder or foot massage for those born in the year of the Snake and complimentary breakfast for 2 persons (daily). This package is priced from RM398++ per room per night onwards. Any further queries or to make your room reservation, please contact the hotel’s Reservation department at +603 2717 9900 (ext 6821) or e-mail to firstname.lastname@example.org .
Also not to be missed is the spectacular Lion Dance performance which will take place on February 16, 2013 at 12.00pm at the Lobby of Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur Hotel. It is believed that when performed well, the lion dance chases away evil spirits, and at the same time opens the door for all good things: health, happiness, wealth and prosperity. So come on and join this momentous celebration and start off the year with good luck and fortune!
Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur Hotel
Jalan Sultan Ismail
50250 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +603-2717-9900 (ext.6933)
Website : www.spgrestaurantsandbars.com
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