Auspicious seafood for this festive season

Friends and family can feast together on a range of fresh seafood prepared in a variety of recipes at the Fusion Restaurant in Le Grandeur Palm Resort this festive season.

At the entrance of Xin Shan Long-Sobasei Fusion Restaurant
at Le Grandeur Palm Resort 

When Daphne told me about this seafood spread, I did not hesitate to accept her invitation to join her and a few friends to taste what Chef Steve Chew is serving in a mouthwatering menu that features whole fish, crabs, prawns, squid, clams and lala shellfish.

I’m familiar with this Fusion Restaurant which has sections designed to serve both Chinese and Japanese cuisine, including live-cooking stations to enjoy Teppanyaki.

Outside the restaurant, I pause to watch as a staff member is writing out on a chalk board, the options for recipe flavours in the choice of preparation for live Meat Crabs.

I read as he writes out the various options like the ever popular crabs in Chilli sauce, Kam Heong, Black Pepper, Salted Egg sauce, Cheesy Cream and crabs stewed in a Claypot with Chinese Wine.

A whole fish in the Seafood Combination Hot Pot

Mmm… I’m glad there is my favourite choice for crabs in this list but it will also be good to taste what Daphne has ordered for us to enjoy in this lunch.

I look closer at the display and am able to see the said Meat Crabs, some moving about and are very much alive, within an acrylic covered showcase!

With all of us seated at a round table, we ask the waiter to let the kitchen know that we are ready for the first course of our meal – the Seafood Combination Hot Pot.

I’m told that this serving is recommended for a minimum of four diners but of course, there is no such limit if two diners have a good appetite for seafood!

Chilli Crabs are served with a side of mantou fried buns

The hot pot is in fact, a rectangular shaped platter presented with a lightly fried whole Seabass simmering in a rich stock, surrounded by seafood and ingredients like prawns, squid, lala, mushrooms, Chinese cabbage, white radish and chunks of corn on the cob.

The soup stock is a hit among us and we cannot have enough of its rich flavour tinged with Chinese herbs and wolfberries, and the natural sweetness from the variety of seafood and vegetables.

As we tuck into the first dish, I make a mental note not to fill myself up with too much soup. I should pace myself as there are seven more items to enjoy in the menu and this is not counting the dessert!

My portion of the fiery pepper-hot Black Pepper Crabs

As a dessert person, I always look forward to the sweet ending of a meal and I must say that the dessert I was to enjoy later, is an absolute must-have in a Chinese restaurant.

When I look at our meal menu, I discover that there will be two dishes of Meat Crabs served in two lip-smacking flavours: Chilli Crabs and Black Pepper Crabs.

Eagerly anticipating this crab experience, I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and dig in with my fingers because crabs should be enjoyed, certainly not with forks or chopsticks!

The Chilli Crabs are served with a side of deep-fried mantou or buns, to dip into the tasty gravy.

Deep-fried Salted Egg Prawns

Later on in the meal, when I ate the Black Pepper Crabs, I was amused to find that this dish tasted so much more spicy-hot than the Chilli Crabs! It was fiery pepper-hot!

For the preparation of the prawns, there are options to cook them in Egg-Yolk Butter, Creamy Butter Sauce, coated with Cereal, Hot and Spicy, Black Pepper or in Salted Egg.

Our choice of prawns, deep-fried with Salted Egg, turn out to be so tasty that the crunchy prawns can be savoured along in its crispy shells!

This mild flavour is just a temporary respite from the explosion of appetizing flavours in the next few dishes.

Sambal Squid stir-fried with long beans

They are Sambal Squid stir-fried with long beans in fragrant belacan or fermented prawn paste, Kam Heong Bamboo Clams with a hint of curry powder, dried shrimps and lemongrass and Lala shellfish stir-fried in ginger and onions.

Everyone agreed that these flavourful dishes are best savoured with steamed white rice and we are happy to share a few bowls of rice among us.

Then someone asks, “Where are the vegetables?” That’s because, so far the entire menu is mainly seafood and there was no sign of a vegetable dish yet.

This question is answered when the next item served is whole sprigs of Siew Pak Choy stir-fried in garlic.

I sit back with a sigh of satisfaction while I listen to Daphne’s dessert recommendations and the others’ responses.

Adding a trickle of evaporated milk to my Mango Pudding

Then she turns to me and tells me pointedly that I must taste their Mango Pudding.

I’m no expert but I know what a good Mango Pudding tastes like.

Over the years, I have come across Chinese restaurants serving various versions of this pudding (that do not meet with my expectations!) so I should be forgiven for feeling rather skeptical about her recommendation.

I am however, open to trying what this restaurant has to offer and gratefully accept her suggestion.

When my portion of Mango Pudding is served, I’m glad it looks authentic enough.

As I top it with a trickle of evaporated milk, I’m hopeful that it will taste as good as it looks.

Then with the first spoonful still in my mouth, I turn to Daphne with a smile and a nod of approval because finally… I finally found a real Mango Pudding here!

Xin Shan Long - Sobasei, the Halal Chinese-Japanese Fusion Restaurant at Le Grandeur Palm Resort Golf and Country Club, is located on the lobby level, at Jalan Persiaran Golf, off Jalan Jumbo, 81250 Senai, Johor.

The Auspicious Seafood promotion is on throughout the Lunar New Year festive season.

For reservations, Tel: +607 – 599 6000. Website: www.palmresort.com