Check out the table setting for the dinner that night.
First we were served the Chef's recommended Chinese Tea. I supposed the tea was carefully selected by the Chef to accompany and lift taste of the whole course of 9 dishes ( Chinese believes 9 dishes bores a very lucky and blissful meaning- Chang Chang Jiu Jiu ( in my own words it means , " Together Forever" ) to be served for the dinner. I am layman when it comes to food or tea but i thought the tea was very nice. It displays an elegant hue of violet and a very subtle chinese tea smell. I should really stop talking abt the tea else dear gonna say i'm getting more and more uncle ;)
Anyway the tea served was "Pu-er" or like dear's dad puts it, "paul-lay"-in Cantonese. At some point i really thought the tea was a fusion tea between a traditional chinese tea and perhaps an English tea. Hey hey, like i said, i'm layman already didn't i? Well at least it dun taste like hot chocolate to me ( winks at dear ) . Now whos' the one with the chocolate craving huh huh huh.
1st dish - Supreme Cold Dish
On the actual dinner, the dinner for the VIP table will be served individually. A very personalised touch i would say. The 1st dish was the Cold Dish ( Leng Pan ). There were sharks' fin ommlette, baby squid in a sweet a spicy sauce, sliced boiled prawn in a unidentifed sauce ( salad dressing/mayo), and "Wu-Xiang".
The prawn was very fresh and even thou it's a half a prawn, the size was quite substantial ( 4/5 ).
The baby squid was another interesting dish. A very unconventional dish as baby optopus would be more popular choice. Nevertheless it was very re-freshing ( 4/5 )
The "Wu Xiang". Nothing to shout about except the fact that the it provided a much needed contast in texture for the first dish. ( 3/5 ).
Shark's Fin Ommlette. I agree with dear that this was very nice. However the way i see it is, a Shark's Fin Ommlette has to have Shark's Fin isn't it? There were strands of Shark's Fin but i tot it could have done with a bit more Shark's Fin. ( 3/5 ).
2nd dish - Shark's Fin Soup
Served in a very elegant looking bowl, it gives off an air of prestige. Kind of like the Imperial Dinner ( Yu Shan ). The soup was very flavourful. Loads of shredded dried scallops were used, strands of finely sliced ( hand-torn ) chicken breast or pork. Beautiful... ( 3/5 )
3rd dish - Scallops and Asparagus
This dish should be considered a very "safe choice" for the dinner. Anyone hates scallops? However this dish caused quite a major discussion in and abt the round table. Personally i found the asparagus were a tad over-cooked and the scallops a tad under-cooked. Comments from the ground was that if the scallops were under-cooked, it could upsets some stomachs that evening. Taste-wise it was pretty conventional, nothing spectacular. ( 3/5 )
4th dish - Roast Chicken topped with sesame seed and peppercorn paste
As a "Chicken Person", i was expecting the the dish to provide a safe and comforting "half-time" in the course of the dinner. i was served the drumstick but dear and i exchanged as she loes drunstick and i adores chicken wings. Anyway i found the topping abit too salty. The hidden peppercorn packs a powerful punch considering the pepper were nowhere to be seen!~!~ Terrorists i say!~!~! Shiok Shiok!~!~! ( 3/5 ).
5th dish - Abalone with Spinach
Dear was looking very forwards to the Abalone dish. After watching the "Zhong Guo 8-Da Ming Chai" show on TV, she sort of gotten hooked with the idea of promoting the politically correct way of eating Abalone. Utilising a toothpick, 1 is supposed to pick up the abalone using it, and bite the way thru. ( Tai She Ci leh bey ) Like that per table will be adjusted upwards to $3000!~!~! Jeffery's abalone slices seemed a bit too green. Perhaps it was due to the cooking process. My take was the dish has been cooked way before hand and only reheat before serving hence it gave the abalone time to soak up the chlorophyll of the spinach. Anyway the glow u see on the picture is not photoshoped. It's quite oily actually. ( 3/5 )
6th dish - Steamed Live Groupa with Superior Sauce
This dish is yet another blockbuster, the well-recieved Steamed Live Groupa. Very traditionally done so can't really comment on the presentation nor the style of cooking. The fish was very fresh and, thankfully , cooked just right. Eaten together with the Superior Sauce, the freshness and sweetness of the fish was throughly presented out ( 5/5 ).
7th dish - Baked Pork Ribs, Capital Style
This dish is very well executed. The meat is tender yet jam-packed with flavour. The outside was fried ( or baked ) to a crisp yet the inside is till juicy and tender. Ho Jia!~!~! ( 4/5 )
8th dish - Ee Noodles
The 8th dish was one of a simple yet elegant dish of Stir Fried Ee Noodles with straw mushrooms. Not a big fan of Ee noodles but this dish is simple and yet delicious. This goes to show sometimes simplicity works magic. Food not necessarliy has to be cooked in a very extravagant way, presented in grand fashion to win people's heart ( and stmoachs as well ). At times we just long for that familar comfort food. ( 3/5 )
The finale - Chang Chang Jiu Jiu - Bai Nian Hao He
The dessert for the night was a traditional Chinese hot dessert commonly served during weddings and festives occasions. The "Lian Zhi" signifies Childrens ( blessing the couple with good fortune and have child soon ) Bai-He ( Lotus leaf petals ? ) meant togetherness and wishes the couple's love for each other last as long as the "Sea Cries and Stone Breaks" . Sincerest best wishes, Jeffery and Grace!~
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