Tuesday, August 26, 2014

'MUST HAVES' FOR MID-AUTUMN FEST



Instead of the moon, choose mooncakes to represent your heart this Mid-Autumn Festival. With a mind-boggling array in the market, the sweet confectionery is selling like hot cakes (well, cold cakes if you prefer the snowskin version…LOL) from now until 8 September.
Crystal Durian Paste Mooncakes are one of the hot hits at Eastin

True to tradition, Ee Cuisine offers more than 15 flavours to entice mooncake lovers this year. Besides baked and snowskin versions, the mooncakes come in regular and mini sizes. The latter feature distinct fillings of durian, corn with custard and blueberry to tease modern tastebuds. Health-conscious folks can even opt for the low-sugar white lotus paste with single yolk variant.


Naturally the classics such as mixed nuts, lotus paste with single or double yolks, and pandan-infused lotus paste are perennial best-sellers. You can buy them individually from RM11+ each or in tastefully designed gift boxes of four (regular size mooncakes) and eight (mini mooncakes).

Families looking to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival together can look forward to sampling Chef Yong Kam Wah's special dishes created just for the occasion. I can vouch for the scrumptious Gratinated Canadian Oyster with Lemon Cheese Sauce an exquisite West meets East appetiser that marries the mollusk's inherent succulence with a mildly tangy yet creamy sauce that enhances its natural sweetness. The second morsel of Deep-fried Stuffed Prawn Dumpling is a surprise in itself; biting into the crisp exterior, the superior broth within is released in a delicious squirt that amplifies the crustacean's flavour. 

 The Fish Broth with Mushroom, Lotus Root and Fish Mousse in mini claypot treads that fine line between East-West borders again. Slightly unctuous and creamy on the palate, the broth yields slippery smooth glass noodles, springy-soft fish paste quenelles, wolfberries and toasted garlic flakes. A daring, unusual combination that piques one's interest.

Taking a retro turn, the chef proffers Baked Stuffed Chicken Wing with Savoury Sauce. Generously stuffed with squid paste, the plump chicken wing came sheathed in a sweet-tangy-umami-accented lacquer-like sauce that will leave you licking your fingers and plate clean. Crunchy pickled papaya slices and a sole lychee complemented the dish, to add subtle bursts of flavour and to temper any overly cloying aftertaste.

Delicate nuances prevail in the Charcoal Beancurd with Crispy Enoki; a clever intergration of soft and crunchy textures with simpler, low-key tastes that totter close to blandness. Again it's a dish that should have everyone Instagramming it at once.

If you aren't a big eater, you'd be hard pressed to find tummy space for the Baked Cod with Garlic Fried Rice. Such an indulgent dish is hard to appreciate after the earlier succession of rich, big-flavoured offerings. I suspect some rice lovers would beg to differ though ;)

For a sweet conclusion to your celebratory meal, the Eight Treasure Broth is light enough to please or you can always sample the restaurant's mooncakes to wrap things up. The special menu is available with prior reservations only. Price: RM150++ per person

 


For further information or reservations, call Ee Chinese Cuisine, tel: 03-7628 7338 or visit www.eastin.com

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