Soaring to greater heights with Westin DC

 

I have always enjoyed the Lunar New Year season not only for family reunions with feasting and the fun of meeting our cousins again but also because I liked receiving many Red Packets of lai-see (Cantonese for fortune money) and it was that time of year when I learnt a great deal of auspicious Chinese phrases or proverbs.

 

Pastries fashioned as miniature mandarin
oranges with auspicious Chinese character for
"fook" or good fortune, deliberately turned
upside-down to read as 'good fortune comes!'

Our late grandmother was among the Chinese girls who had the privilege to receive a formal education so she could read and write, and sprout auspicious phrases to match any occasion, addressed to children, married couples or career people like me.

 

After grandmother left us at the ripe old age of 103, there was no longer an elder in our extended family who could continue with this tradition of expressing auspicious words and wishes at Chinese New Year.

 

So when I saw that the theme for the Lunar New Year celebrations at the Westin Desaru Coast Resort was, “Soar to greater heights…” my thoughts flashed to our dear grandmother who wished me an auspicious phrase in Cantonese with a similar meaning.

 

Adding ingredients to top off
the Yee Sang, raw fish salad,
each with an auspicious phrase

I fondly remembered that on the first day of Chinese New Year, grandmother would present me with her lai-see and wished me, “Po po ko sing,” meaning that I should progress with every step in my career.

 

Looking back to grandmother’s well wishes, I believed that I have indeed progressed step-by-step to where I am now in my writing career.

 

One such proof is in the reading corner at the lobby of the Westin Desaru Coast where the resort keeps a set of the trilogy of My Johor Stories there for their guests’ reading pleasure.

 

With a decoration that features a dragon in the centre of the lobby, the resort is ready to welcome the lunar year of the Dragon which dawns on February 10, this year.

 

Ingredients in the buffet spread
for diners to make their own
Yee Sang salad mix

Guests at the resort can look forward to a traditional Lion Dance performance in the lobby at 11am on Friday, February 16, to usher in good fortune and good health with well-wishes to everyone, to soar to greater heights in their own lives.

 

The resort’s wish to diners to soar to greater heights was further expressed by the tradition of tossing a platter of Yee Sang, a raw fish salad that comes with a series of auspicious Chinese phrases while each ingredient was being dramatically topped onto the salad.

 

When all the ingredients have been added, diners tossed the salad using chopsticks while shouting, “Huat-ah!” a wish in Hokkien/Teochew dialect which augurs well for good health, good fortune and endless happiness.

 

The culinary team at Seasonal Tastes led by Sous Chef and Chinese Master Chef Theam Khee Phung, has specially curated a menu of Cantonese-style specialties like Braised Lamb with Herbal Ginseng Sauce, and Hot and Sour Chicken and Fish Maw.

 

A large platter of Hor Yip Fan or Glutinous
Rice wrapped in Lotus Leaves with
Roasted Leg of Lamb

The much-anticipated Reunion Buffet Dinner spread includes large platters of a Seafood Hotpot made up of a variety of seafood and Hor Yip Fan or Glutinous Rice wrapped in Lotus Leaves with Roasted Leg of Lamb.

 

The bountiful spread continues in this all-day dining restaurant which serves up a myriad of Chinese dishes during the Prosperity Buffet Dinner such as Peking Duck, Broccoli and Abalone, and the all-time favourite, Steamed Grouper Fish with Supreme Sauce.

 

In addition to an attractive festive spread of Chinese specialties, Seasonal Tastes also serves a range of appetizers, Malay and Indian dishes, along with seafood-on-ice and Japanese sushi to meet the tastes of diners.

 

Pastry Chef Kiki presents an array of
festive desserts in the buffet spread

I was pleased to meet Pastry Chef Kiki who graciously accepted my compliments for her effort in meticulously crafting the festive spread of puddings, cookies, cakes and tarts that included pastries fashioned as miniature mandarin oranges.

 

At Seasonal Tastes, the real mandarin oranges, ‘gold coins,’ and fortune cookies on the dining tables and the appearance of the God of Fortune who distributed sweets and chocolate ‘gold coins’ to diners, further enhanced the festive mood.

 

Check out the message from
my Fortune Cookie!

This Lunar New Year season, the resort offers a refreshing staycation for guests to experience rest and rejuvenation while reuniting with family and friends. The two packages for a stay in the resort’s large guestrooms feature Westin’s Signature Heavenly Bed that comes with panoramic views of the South China Sea from the private balcony.

 

The Prosperity Buffet Dinner Room Package includes daily breakfasts and two seats at the Prosperity Buffet Dinner worth RM168 nett/person. To book, log into westindesaru.com and insert promo code: ES7.

 

The Reunion Buffet Dinner Room Package includes daily breakfasts and two seats at the Reunion Buffet Dinner worth RM258 nett/ person. To book, log into westindesaru.com and insert promo code: XPK.

 

Prosperity Buffet Dinner

Served 1 - 8 February & 12 - 29 February

From 6.30pm – 10.30pm

Rate at RM168 nett per Adult RM88 nett per Child (Ages 4 - 12)

 

Reunion Buffet Dinner

Served 9 - 11 February

From 6.30pm – 10.30pm

Rate at RM258 nett per Adult RM128 nett per Child (Ages 4 - 12)

 

Meet the God of Fortune

Yee Sang platters prepared at Seasonal Tastes from 1 to 29 February, is available in five exclusive selections for dine-in and takeaway. Priced from RM100 nett onwards.

 

For reservations and further information, call Tel: +6019 755 0283 or email fb.westindesaru@westin.com

 

Seasonal Tastes is on the lobby level of The Westin Desaru Coast Resort at Jalan Pantai 3, Desaru Coast, 81930 Bandar Penawar, Johor.

 

For more information on room packages, call +607 838 3333

For more information, visit website: westin.com/desaru