WE did a rousing “lou sang” last week at Han Room in The Gardens Mall in Kuala Lumpur.

The yee sang with traditional ingredients such as pomelo, pickled ginger, radish, carrot, fresh coriander, spring onion and jellyfish made a colourful ensemble. To these were added abalone slices and crispy fish skin to signify prosperity and abundance in Year of the Rabbit.

The plum sauce to toss these with was subtly sweet and light. Together with the crushed peanuts, sesame and crackers, the dish was a delightful, auspicious start to our lunch.

You could also order the deep-fried silverfish, soft shell crab and even grilled iberico pork neck to add a contemporary touch to the yee sang.

Poon choi, or Chinese casserole in a basin, was presented bubbling in a black claypot. Abalone, salt and pepper fried king prawn, sea cucumber, dried scallop and roast pork were among the 17 premium ingredients that went into the pot.

We turned up goose web, dried oyster, fish maw, smoked kampong chicken, roast duck, cuttlefish, a variety of mushrooms, yam, broccoli and Chinese cabbage. We savoured each item, luxuriating in their textures and flavours. My favourites were the fish maw and springy sea cucumber, goose web, mushrooms and yam, drenched in the lovely sauce. The dish is enough for eight to 10 people. 

The poon choi somewhat filled us up but we proceeded anyway to dig into the stir-fried mixed vegetables with conch and golden shimeji mushrooms. Slices of fresh sweet conch topped the dish of snow peas, celery, black fungus and mushrooms, stir-fried with lots of garlic. I liked the crunch of the snow peas and celery, combining well with the conch.

I caught the aroma of truffle as the roast London duck with wild mushrooms and black truffle was served. I enjoyed the golden crispy skin and flavourful, juicy meat of the duck.

Lap mei fan, or claypot rice with waxed meats, is a must-have for Chinese New Year, even if it arrives after I am stuffed. We breathed in delicious aromas as the waxed duck, Hong Kong liver and pork sausages were tipped, together with a bowl of sauce, into the claypot of hot, steaming rice. The result was delicious rice drenched in sweet and salty juices.

Dessert was nin gao, one portion steamed and rolled with grated coconut and the other deep-fried, sandwiched between a slice of yam and sweet potato.

Han Room and other Oriental Group restaurants offer festive menus that range from RM188 to RM398 per person and RM1,588 to RM4,988 for a table of 10.

The menus are available at orientalrestaurants.com.my. Han Room is at T-216A, The Gardens Mall, Kuala Lumpur. – January 14, 2023.

* Eu Hooi-Khaw has been writing about food for the longest time, covering all aspects, from restaurant reviews to cooking and recipes, as well as the healthy side of it. She has written for major newspapers and magazines, published the cookbook Fresh Ingredients, and also writes for her website hooikhawandsu.com.