Celebrate with elegance at Wan Li

 

It was good to be back at the Renaissance Johor Bahru again where I was warmly welcomed and ushered into a private dining room in Wan Li Chinese Restaurant.

 

Ingredients for the Yee Sang salad, also
served with a topping of Crispy Fish Skin

The culinary team at Wan Li has specially curated elegant set menus to celebrate the Lunar New Year and it was our pleasure to have a preview experience recently.

 

Among the media friends seated at the same table for the preview was a family with two young daughters, whom I dubbed The Princesses when we were introduced.

 

Keeping the tradition of family reunions and festive feasting, Wan Li continues to delight diners with set menus designed for six to 10 persons, served from the eve of Lunar New Year, January 28, right up to February 12, 2025.

 

Yee Sang ingredients are added
along with the recitation of
traditional auspicious phrases

Led by Chinese Head Chef, Jerry Tee, the team drew upon their combined culinary experience to present three set menus planned in festive themes aptly named, Auspicious, Prosperity and Happiness.

 

The Lunar New is the time of year where the Chinese traditionally indulge in feasting on high-value ingredients and food that has shapes or names that sound auspicious.

 

Tables were adorned in auspicious colours of deep Red with settings for a traditional banquet that will kick off with a prosperity toss of Yee Sang (Cantonese), a phrase which literally means raw fish.

 

Yee Sang is a salad dish created by four local chefs in Singapore as a symbol of prosperity and good health for the lunar new year back in 1964 when Malaysia and Singapore were then, still one country – Malaya.

 

A serving of warm and comforting
Double-Boiled Village Chicken Soup

It was a dish designed for businessmen who wished to toss the salad to great heights, an act at the start of the new year which is believed to augur well for greater prosperity and wealth in the year ahead.

 

Originally, Yee Sang was eaten on the seventh day of the first month in the new lunar year but due to its popularity, many restaurants like Wan Li Chinese Restaurant in Renaissance Johor Baru, will serve this dish throughout the festive season and is even available for takeaways. 

 

The poultry dish comprised of Cantonese
Roasted Duck [Right] and Lemongrass
marinated Roasted Crispy Chicken [Left]

I was delighted to see that Wan Li has added a third choice of toppings to the popular choices of Abalone or fresh Salmon slivers because the topping was Crispy Fish Skin for the Yee Sang salad.

 

This prosperity toss is dubbed Lo Hei (Cantonese) simply translated as ‘Tossing for Greater Wealth' in an activity that can be quite boisterous when diners participate with great gusto while chanting phrases like, “Huat-ah!” “Heng-ah!” the Teochew or Hokkien words for ‘prosperity’ as they tossed the salad higher and higher.

 

At the next table, their chanting while tossing Yee Sang was so “lively” that the younger of the two Princesses was rather alarmed by the loud yells.

 

This menu includes an auspicious vegetable
dish with high-value ingredients like abalone

She was curious and uncomfortable about the uproar that I overheard her asking her mother, “Why did they yell like that?” and mimicked that “roar” we heard from the next table…

 

As the serving staff recited traditional, auspicious sayings while she added each of the ingredients to the salad, I was pleased that the Yee Sang platter was topped with generous toppings of Crispy Fish Skin, a delightfully different ingredient that added extra texture and crunch to this dish.

 

The warm and comforting Double-Boiled Village Chicken Soup brewed with American Ginseng served in individual bowls, was so palatable that – I observed – everyone finished the soup to the very last drop.

 

A whole Silver Pomfret poached with tasty
pickled radish and coriander in soya sauce

The poultry dish was served in a two-compartment platter for a portion of Cantonese Roasted Duck along with a portion of Lemongrass marinated Roasted Crispy Chicken served with a side of Thai chili dip sauce.

 

As whole fish is an auspicious dish for this festive season, Silver Pomfret from Pontian, poached with pickled radish and coriander in soya sauce, was served.

 

The taste of pickled radish and coriander flavour was such a hit among our friends who decided to keep the generous serving aside (after eating all the fish!) to savour with other dishes.

 

King Sea Prawns wok-fried with
Crispy Garlic and Dried Chili for a hint of spice

Another auspicious item for the new year must be whole prawns so the mount of King Sea Prawns, wok-fried with Crispy Garlic and Dried Chili, simply evoked wide smiles around the table.

 

This is because the Cantonese word for prawn, Har, when repeated sounds like, Ha! Ha! Ha! … the sound of laughter and happiness.

 

The auspicious vegetable dish comprised 10 head of abalone, sea cucumber, Chinese mushrooms, dried scallops, black moss and seasonal vegetables, braised in a tasty sauce.

 

Finally, there was fragrant Fried Rice dotted with bits of Chinese Sausage, dried oysters and chestnuts, served wrapped in Lotus Leaves. While dried oysters may be an acquired taste, this auspicious combination of flavours tasted just right.

 

Fragrant Fried Rice served wrapped 
in Lotus Leaves

The meal came to a sweet end with double desserts of Chilled Lemon Jelly with Peach Gum in Osmanthus Sweet Soup, and Deep-Fried Nian Gao Balls. Nian Gao is a traditional sticky rice cake made with glutinous rice also known as Kueh Bakul.

 

Another dish by Wan Li which is popular this festive season is Cantonese Poon Choy or Choi, a dish best described as a Banquet-in-a-Basin.

 

This elaborate dish is said to have originated in Hong Kong during the late Song Dynasty (960 – 1279) when Mongol troops invaded China and the young Emperors, brothers Zhao Shi and Zhao Bing, fled to the area around Guangdong and Hong Kong.

 

Double Desserts of Chilled Lemon Jelly with
Peach Gum in Osmanthus Sweet Soup [Left]
and deep-fried Nian Gao Balls [Right]

The brothers and their imperial entourage were welcomed by the local people and to feed them, they collected and cooked a variety of their best ingredients.  

 

But they did not have a bowl large enough to serve all the food. The only large receptacle was a big wooden basin, traditionally used to wash clothes. And this was how the big basin banquet or Poon Choi was invented.

 

Poon Choi soon became associated with events that involved the whole community, usually held in a courtyard or open space in the village. 

 

In traditional village celebrations like religious festivals, rituals and weddings, Poon Choi was served in metal wash basins simmering over stoves, large enough to feed 10 to 12 persons. 

 

Eating from a common bowl is a symbol of village cohesion that removed class and status differences as everyone was considered equal. 

 

The Wan Li Abundant Treasure Pot
served in a large clay-pot

At Wan Li, the Wan Li Abundant Treasure Pot is served in a large clay-pot with its top layer attractively arranged with heads of abalone, whole prawns from the sea and broccoli florets topped with black moss.

 

Among the auspicious ingredients in the treasure pot are slices of sea cucumber, Chinese mushrooms, fish maw, dried scallops, dried oysters, village chicken, roasted duck, white radish, Chinese Tianjin cabbage and lotus root, stewed in the rich flavours of golden garlic and abalone sauce.

 

Like the Yee Sang, the Poon Choi by Wan Li is served in two sizes, Small and Large, and are available for dine-in or takeaways.

 

On Lunar New Year Eve, Jan 28, the elegant Reunion Set Menus come with one bottle of house Red Wine, served in two dining sessions at 5pm and 8pm.

 

Wan Li Auspicious Set Menu prepared for table of six persons at RM1,488 nett and table for 10 persons at RM2,288 nett.

 

Wan Li Prosperity Set Menu prepared for table of six persons at RM1,788 nett and table for 10 persons at RM2,788 nett.

 

Wan Li Happiness Set Menu prepared for table of six persons at RM1,988 nett and table for 10 persons at RM3,188 nett.

 

Entrance to Wan Li Chinese Restaurant at
the lobby level of Renaissance Johor Bahru

Three choices of Prosperity Yee Sang are served in two sizes: Abalone Yee Sang, RM148 nett (Small) and RM238 nett (Large), Fresh Salmon Yee Sang, RM118 nett (Small) and RM168 nett (Large), Crispy Fish Skin, RM106 nett (Small) and RM158 nett (Large).

 

The Abundance Treasure Pot (Poon Choy) is also served in two sizes at RM688 nett (Small) and RM1,188 nett (Large).

 

Wan Li Chinese Restaurant is on the lobby level of Renaissance Johor Baru, at No. 2 Jalan Permas 11, Bandar Baru Permas Jaya, 81750 Johor Baru, Johor.

 

For reservations to dine-in or for takeaways, Tel: +607 – 381 3388 or send WhatsApp to: +6012 – 771 9056. Email: henry.lee@renaissancehotels.com

Celebrate Chinese New Year at Hop Sing

 

It is still early in the season but I am back at Hop Sing, the Chinese Restaurant in Ponderosa Golf & Country Club for a preview of the Chinese New Year menu of banquet dishes.

 

Tossing for higher prosperity at Hop Sing
with fresh Mango Yee Sang
 

The culinary team at this restaurant has earned a fine reputation for serving up Chinese cuisine in homestyle cooking, prepared with ingredients sourced from Halal food suppliers and acquired many loyal diners who enjoy the pleasure of savouring both dine-in and takeaway banquet meals.

 

Whether it was for business or with families and friends, the Chinese have many superstitions and traditional practices that augers well for good health, happiness and abundant wealth at the start of the New Year.

 

Entrance to Hop Sing on level
one of the Clubhouse

Hop Sing is familiar with the tastes and traditions of regulars who like to host corporate dinners at the restaurant, before the dawn of the Chinese New Year as well as for celebrations over the first fifteen days of the Chinese New Year.

 

Chinese companies often thank their staff ahead of the Chinese New Year holiday break with an appreciation meal, traditionally known as sau kong farn (Cantonese) which simply means, a meal together to mark the close of business for the year.

 

When staff returned to start work after the Chinese New Year break, some Chinese managements share the festive fun by hosting hoi kong farn (Cantonese) which simply means, a meal together to kick off an auspicious business year.

 

A portion of double-boiled Chicken Soup 
with Cordyceps Flowers and dried scallops

To celebrate the Year of the Snake in 2025, Hop Sing has prepared three banquet menu choices under menus dubbed Harmonious (RM488++) that serves four to six diners, and Majestic (RM938++) for eight to 10 people per table.

 

Several years ago, Hop Sing created their signature Prosperity Mango Yee Sang that features fresh slivers of mango fruit instead of raw fish that was well received by diners.

 

Now Hop Sing continues to present refreshing Mango Yee Sang as the first dish of each set menu for the prosperity toss during the Chinese New Year season.

 

Savour pieces of roasted chicken with
a sprinkle of salt

The goodness of double-boiled soup is presented in Double-boiled Chicken Soup with Cordyceps Flowers. The pieces of chicken, with skin removed, are slowly brewed with Cordyceps Flowers and dried scallops to yield the sweetness of a superior soup.

 

A whole fish augurs well for prosperity, so a whole grouper topped with fragrant preserved radish was steamed Hong Kong-style. When it was served, diners chose their favourite parts of the fish to eat, drizzled with sauce and bits of tasty preserved radish.

 

A traditional favourite must be 
Braised Broccoli with whole Mushrooms
and Pacific Clams

At Hop Sing, whole Crispy Roasted Chicken was served garnished (the old-fashioned way!) with curls of crispy crackers and a side of flavoured salt. It was pure nostalgia to enjoy this traditional way of savouring pieces of roasted chicken with a sprinkle of salt.

 

Another traditional favourite for Chinese New Year must be the vegetable dish of Braised Broccoli with whole Mushrooms and Pacific Clams. I have always enjoyed this dish along with the taste of braised dried beancurd soaked in the delicate sauce.

 

Fragrant Yam Fried Rice with Chicken
and Dried Shrimps

Whole prawns are another auspicious item in Chinese New Year banquets and Hop Sing serves a tradition har-lok dish (Cantonese), Superior Soy Sauce Prawns.

 

Then to close of the meal, came the Yam Fried Rice with Chicken and Dried Shrimps, a savoury item traditionally served to fill up any space that may be left in the stomach.

 

This meal ends sweetly with Auspicious Nian Gao coated with desiccated coconut. Pieces of traditional kueh bakul are steamed and tossed in desiccated coconut for a rich, sweet and sticky end to a sumptuous meal.

 

Pieces of Auspicious Nian Gao coated
with desiccated coconut

The Year of the Snake banquet menus are open for reservations from now and will be served from January 29 to February 16, 2025.

 

Hop Sing, the Chinese Restaurant [No pork and no lard] is at Ponderosa Golf & Country Club, No. 3 Jalan Ponderosa 1/1, Taman Ponderosa, 81100 Johor Baru, Johor. Open from 11am to 3pm for lunch and from 6pm to 10pm for dinner.

 

For reservations, Tel: 019 – 758 0058 or 019 – 779 9841 or email: enquiry@ponderosagolf.com.  For more info, visit website: ponderosagolf.com