Zuan Yuan @ One World Hotel

Joy of Spring

January 09, 2018

The newly relocated Zuan Yuan @ One World Hotel

Wall detail and teapot decoration

2018 marks a “rebirth” for Zuan Yuan which has just moved to bigger, spanking new premises at one side of the main entrance to One World Hotel.  

Watch the chefs at work through the glass window

Through the glass window, customers can watch Chinese Chef Loh Weng Lam and his kitchen team hard at work preparing dim sum, hot dishes and noodles. 

Arty chandeliers add to the ambience

View of main dining area through lattice grill divider

The new Zuan Yuan is spacious, with chandeliers hanging from the tall ceiling. Fish tanks line part of one wall, dividing the kitchen from the dining area while on the other side, diners in smaller rooms are assured privacy with a corridor and metallic lattice grill divider. Hanging on the walls are framed small china objects, including old-fashioned teacups and saucers.

One of the bigger private rooms available

Here’s a bit of good news. Zuan Yuan will be open daily throughout the CNY festive period, so you can have your reunion dinner there too as well as celebrate on the 1st and 2nd days when most places are closed.

Fruity yee sang with deepfried soft shell crab (bottom left)

There are three set menus (for tables of 10) to welcome the Year Of The Dog. The Longevity menu has 9 courses. It is interesting to note that while the Happiness and Harmony menus have only 7 courses, one of the dishes is Hong Kong-style Deluxe Poon Choi which has basically all the celebratory ingredients, including prawn, dried scallop, abalone, roasted duck, mushroom, vegetables and more. 

Golden pumpkin soup with seafood

Naturally, dinner starts with Fruit Yee Sang topped with Soft Shell Crab, Salmon or Salmon & Crispy Fish Skin. 
I am excited to see that chef is using the more delicate coriander sprouts in the yee sang. Our sneak CNY review platter comes with Deepfried Soft Shell Crab, a crispy change from the usual raw salmon. 
For those not indulging in the set menus, Yee Sang is available in half (from 118 nett) and full portions (from RM188 nett) with the various toppings. 
Then we had Braised Golden Pumpkin Soup. Smooth and silky, the thickened soup is a lovely tinge of golden yellow from the pumpkin and lots of prawn and chunks of peeled crabmeat. I so totally love crab when I don’t have to deal with the fiddly shells. 

Two birds at once: BBQ Roasted Chicken & Duck Platter with marinated jellyfish

BBQ Roasted Chicken & Duck Platter is a signature Zuan Yuan dish. I love how it caters to those who have preferences for one fowl over the other. No more yielding to the majority of tastebuds. I salivate at memories of the duck. It’s well marinated and so patiently roasted to render the skin crispy. But I have to admit the chicken holds its own too where taste is concerned. And just in case someone doesn’t eat chicken or duck, there’s jellyfish nestled in a corner, marinated with sesame oil and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Scrumptious.

Spicy Wokfried Sea White Prawns

Personally, I prefer not having to deal with crustaceans that demand I get down to work with my fingers but as it is CNY, prawn (he he har har or lots of laughter) is a must. Spicy Wokfried Sea White Prawns are crunchy and fresh though, with the shells left on, they remain quite untouched by the spicy oat coating.

Steamed Red Snapper with a blanket of fresh ginger paste

I’m saving myself instead for the Steamed Red Snapper. The fish is fat and firm and I can taste the sweet freshness. It comes laced with a dash of soya sauce and a thick blanket of fresh ginger paste on top which I scrape off as I’m not too fond of the root herb.

Another auspicious dish: Braised Abalone, Mushroom, Beancurd Sheets and Broccoli

Braised Abalone, Mushroom, Beancurd Sheets & Broccoli is another CNY must-have for all the auspicious names of the ingredients and the jade-green of the broccoli. 

Claypot Rice with preserved duck & sausage as well as pumpkin and yam cubes

Claypot Rice with Yam, Preserved Duck & Sausage is part of the Splendour Of Spring menus. The yam is cut into small cubes and chef has also added pumpkin for an auspicious dash of golden yellow. The fragrant aroma makes me forget what I had said about being “so full” just two minutes earlier. 

Deepfried CNY nian gao and Sweetened Dried Longan soup with Six Treasures

Dessert is the ubiquitous nian gao. The CNY sticky cake is paired with golden sweet potato and deepfried to a crisp. Goes well with the tong sui, Sweetened Dried Longan with Six Treasures that include red date, white fungus, peach resin and lotus seed.  

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Zuan Yuan (no pork served)

First Avenue
Bandar Utama City Centre
Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Malaysia
Tel: +603-7681 1159
Email: zuanyuan@oneworldhotel.com.my


OPERATING HOURS 
Open on CNY Eve and throughout CNY

PROMOTION PRICES
Set Menu: Happiness (RM1,738)
Harmony (RM1,988)
Longevity (RM2,218)
All prices nett, inclusive of a bottle of wine or a box of Pu Er tea.
Available from Jan 25-March 2