As we welcome the year of the Ox there have been a plethora of different dishes and desserts to help you celebrate this auspicious occasion. We have picked a variety of luxurious offerings that are not your run-of-the-mill selection, from foie gras claypot rice to the tastiest XO sauce we have come across. Here’s 10 of our favourites pick’s so read on to find out why we like them.
Beta Foie Gras Claypot Rice
Out of the kitchen of Raymond Tham, the claypot rice here pays homage to a traditional Chinese dish, the lap mei fan (臘味飯). However, the ones here are no regular claypot rice, it’s a Beta’s luxurious claypot rice mixed with house make chicken bakkwa in a soy-based rice, with layers of socarrat adding that crunch we know all too well, but what really takes it to the next level are the generous lobes of foie gras flecked with gold leaf.
Beta KL
Unit 3 & 3A,
163 No. 10, Jalan Perak,
50450 Kuala Lumpur
+603 2181 2990
Beta / Skillet Beepit
The Resort Café Black Garlic Truffle Roast Duck
There are many amazing roast ducks in Kuala Lumpur, with many others also offering truffle roast ducks, but the one from The Resort Café has tickled our fancy with their black garlic truffle roast duck. The flavours and aroma are intensified and heightened with the sweet molassy umami of the black garlic, with the truffle playing on the higher notes. This dish is perfect for those looking to luxe up their Chinese New Year dinners at home.
The Resort Café
Sunway Resort
Lobby Level,
1, Persiaran Lagoon,
Bandar Sunway,
47500 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor
+603 7495 2009
Concubine Yee Sang Burger
One of the most unique offerings this Lunar New Year would be the Yee Sang fish burger from Concubine. The burger comes with a thick seabass fillet, pomelo aioli, crispy gyoza skins and yee sang sauce made with hoisin, plum, pineapple juice and 5 spice, making quite an original take on the auspicious dish. The burger even comes with a bowl in which you can toss the vegetables with the sauce, giving a very original homage to the dish.
Concubine KL
Lot 2, Jalan Panggong,
Chinatown,
50000 Kuala Lumpur
+6011 6090 2416
Concubine Umai
Yang Kee Kitchen Abalone Lor Mai Kai
Quickly becoming famous amongst the dining community is Yang Kee Kitchen’s Abalone Lor Mai Kai. The elevated humble dish comes with a abalone, free range chicken, lap cheong, shiitake mushroom and a secret marinade, which is really what make it stand out. One of the better ways to luxe up your breakfast, or even as a snack for tea.
Yang Kee Kitchen
+6017 210 0366
My Asian Kitchen Pineapple Tarts
One of our favourite pineapple tarts we have come across this year, the Signature Pineapple Tarts from My Asian Kitchen lives up to its name. Made with extremely fragrant high quality butter, the pineapple tarts here are sweet, but not too sweet, and perfectly crumbly.
My Asian Kitchen
My Asian Kitchen Instagram
Zhai Fu Bakkwa
Zhai Fu is an artisanal bakkwa purveyor, which has one of the tastiest bakkwa we came across, where the bakkwa grillers have only 3 selections, chicken, minced pork and sliced pork. The meat is grilled in small batches and has the most amazing aroma from the secret seasoning, with an intensified umami fragrant flavour, and a crisp char on all the surfaces. We highly recommend the sliced pork.
Zhai Fu
Zhai Fu Shoppee
Jenny Bakery Butter Cookies
The iconic Jenny’s Butter Cookies from Hong Kong lives up to its name, with its buttery and fragant cookies. The signature box comes with Butter Flowers, Shortbread, Coffee Flowers and Raisin Oat cookies. It is easily one of the most luxurious tasting cookies, with its knock and they will break softness and light texture which melts in your mouth. For the lunar new year, there is special edition box with their iconic bears in Chinese costumes, so try to get those.
Jenny Bakery
Jenny Bakery Webshop
Playte XO Sauce
Playte is known for its contemporary cuisine, but what they have done really well is create a beautifully flavoured XO Sauce. The traditional Cantonese sauce is our favourite condiment this year, perfect for having it with tossed in noodles, fried in rice or steamed with seafood. The umami and mildly spicy condiment is definitely something you should have in your Asian pantry.
Playte
G.01, Republik,
Jalan Medan Setia,
Bukit Damansara,
50490 Kuala Lumpur
+6011 2698 5562
Playte Beepit
Shoyu Bros Soy Sauce
The soy sauce by Shoyu Bros brings to you a unique and premium shoyu which had a very deep umami flavour of aged soy and garlic, and has an aroma reminiscent of kulim and truffle. This dish is a great sauce to add to your pantry as they are great for enhancing hearty dishes such as claypot rice, braised pork, and red braised fish. Also good for dipping if you are into stronger flavours.
Shoyu Bros
Shoyu Bros Instagram
Glenfiddich Chinese New Year “The Great Homecoming” Special Edition
For the Chinese New Year of 2021, Glenfiddich has released their special edition telling the story of “The Great Homecoming”, in essence a part 2 of the storytelling from their 2020 edition. The tale is a continuation of Wang’s reimagined the royal stag icon and the century-old epic journey of Charles Gordon (son-in-law of Glenfiddich founder William Grant) where he embarked for Asia with a few cases of whisky and a dream to bring the Speyside Scotch whisky to the world. The 2021 special edition bottle honours his triumphant return home to Scotland a year later, having won the hearts of whisky lovers across Asia. The special edition bottles are available for the 12, 15, 18 and 21 years.
Glenfiddich
Glenfiddich SEA Instagram
For more related articles, see Chinese New Year.
For our Instagram Chinese New Year reviews, see #FFTCNY.