TOH YUEN @ Hilton Petaling Jaya

Year of Blooming Abundance

January 8, 2019

For the coming Lunar New Year of The Pig, Toh Yuen’s Chef Ric Teoh is all excited about the three set menus he has crafted. All the 9-course menus are for tables of 10 and have yee sang as the starter de rigueur. Naturally.

Yee Sang with sliced raw salmon and crispy salmon skin

But not all yee sang are the same. All Toh Yuen yee sang feature sliced fresh salmon but variations come in the addition of crunchy snow pear, crispy deepfried salmon skin or soft shell crab and top shell abalone.

At a recent preview, the media and bloggers sampled dishes from the three menus. First, we tossed up a coming year of luck and happiness with Yee Sang With crispy salmon skin & fresh salmon. 

Then we soothed our palates with Double Boiled Wolfberry With Minced Chicken & Dried Scallop Soup (鸿图大展道四海) 杞子干贝炖鸡盅. The minced meat, with wolfberries and a whole scallop, is doubled-boiled for hours to get a crystal clear soup bursting with nutritious goodness. While the minced chicken is quite tasty, I find greater joy in just sipping the delicious brew.

Sweet clear flavours in this double-boiled minced chicken with scallop and wolfberry soup

The next item is a treasure bowl of Braised Sangkan (gluten), Oysters Balls, Sliced Shell Abalone, Hericium or Monkey Head Mushroom, Black Moss & Broccoli (包你丰收发大财) 蚝皇发财螺片猴头菇生根蚝士丸. The thickened oyster-based sauce clings to the ingredients to add another level of flavour. I love the oyster balls in particular, with the semi-dried oysters blanketed in fish paste.

Treasure bowl of braised gluten, oyster ball, mushrooms, shell abalone and broccoli

In fact, I prefer this to Steamed New Zealand Orange Roughy Fish With Yellow Bean Sauce (如意得水吉星照)酱䒱长寿鱼. This deep sea fish is low in fat and has high levels of Omega 3 fatty acids as well as other minerals and vitamins but I am not too enamoured of its strong fishy flavour which unfortunately, the yellow bean sauce doesn’t help to mask completely.

NZ orange roughy with yellow bean sauce

The Braised Oriental Style Duck Served With Steam Flower Bun (十二金鸭齐贺年)古法红烧鸭拼花卷 though, is exactly what I’ll come back for. Preparation for this dish can be a tedious job, best left to professionals. Chef Ric explains how the duck is marinated, deepfried and then braised for hours to get the meat softly tender. Then, just before serving, the whole duck is plunged into hot oil once more to make the skin crispy. And it is crispy, despite the sauce drizzled over it. The duck is served with mantou (bun). It’s such fun to make your own mini “duck burger” at the table.

Braised duck is served with mantou

Make your own duck burger at the table

The next dish looks like it’s designed by a Barbie fan. The delicate pink hues of Deep Fried Tiger Prawn Meat With Red Dragon Fruit Mayonnaise (春色满园花争艳)火焰沙律虾球signify good luck. I love how the prawns are peeled, then lightly battered and deepfried before they are tossed in the salad dressing with cubes of chewy natta de coco. No messy fingers, so no risk of dirtying that New Year outfit. Hehehehe…

I'm so delighted with peeled Tiger Prawns served with dragon fruit mayonnaise

We are a little surprised by the rice dish, Braised Seafood & Five Grain Rice & Yam “Hock Chew” Style (五谷丰收太平年)福州芋头海鲜五谷饭. Sitting on the rice is a big bowl of prawn, fish and asparagus braised in thick yam “broth”. To eat, one pours the yummy yam broth on the healthy multi-grain rice.

Braised seafood and 5-grain rice is a healthy way to start the Year Of The Pig

Frankly, I am feeling satiated at this point but there’s dessert (or 2) on the way. Nian gao is a must and it’s a combo of Crystal Jelly Red Pomegranate Fruit With Crispy “Nian Gao” (锦绣前程步步升)红石榴菓冻拼年糕. The chilled pomegranate jelly helps to cleanse the palate after all the rich food. The nian gao balls are coated with mashed purple sweet potato, battered and deepfried.

Crispy Nian Gao balls with pomegranate jelly

Hot brew of ginseng, red date, chrysanthemum and wolfberry

Next is a bowl of Hot Ginseng, Red Date & Chrysanthemum With Wolfberry Tea (大吉大利笑开颜)热菊花参须红枣枸杞茶. Somehow, a hot dessert broth after a satisfying Chinese meal always seems a splendid idea that envelops me with a warm, fuzzy feeling.

TOH YUEN CHINESE RESTAURANT (halal) 

Hilton Petaling Jaya

2, Jalan Barat, PJ, Selangor

Tel: 603-7955 9122 

Website: www.zestPJ.com.

Opening Hours

Lunch: Noon to 2.30pm  

Dinner: 7pm to 10.30pm  

Promotion

Feb 8-28

9-course Set Menus for 10 pax 

Everlasting Happiness RM1,988 nett

Luck & Joyfulness RM2,288 nett

Abundance & Prosperity RM2,888 nett