Eatery’s take on classy Chinese favourites

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Eatery’s take on classy Chinese favourites.

WALKING along Jalan Hussein in Ipoh, one will not miss the Garden Restaurant.

Judging by the miniature waterfall and lush greenery at its entrance, one might assume that food at the Chinese restaurant costs an arm and a leg.

But meals at the recently opened restaurant at the new wing of Ritz Garden Hotel is anything but expensive.

Great presentati on: Chef Mun holding the Braised Pork Belly.

The creations by executive chef Mun Choong Hoe are as pleasing to the eye as they are to the palate.

The Prosperity Duck Soup, a whole duck slow-boiled for six hours with dong quai, wolfberry, and a mix of other nutritious Chinese herbs, is a must-have after a hard day’s work.

“The soup promotes blood circulation in the body, warming it especially on cold days.

“What is unique about the soup are the chicken eggs that are poached in the soup for 10 minutes before being served.

“The yolk is semi-solid inside while the white is crunchy to the bite,” said Mun.

Hearty dish: The delicious Prosperity Duck Soup together with poached chicken eggs.

A good Chinese meal is of course incomplete without pork.

Mun does a wonderful job with his Braised Pork Rib.

The meat is marinated with just the right amount of ingredients to ensure that the sweetness of the meat is retained and cooked long enough for the meat to fall off the rib and the fat to melt in the mouth.

On the other hand, the Braised Pork Belly, which is served with fluffy mantao buns on the side, tastes somewhat like char siew but better, with some added five-spice powder to give it more oomph.

Another interesting dish is the Portuguese Style Turbot – a smooth and sweet fish grilled in a hot and spicy sauce with okra, dates and long beans in aluminium foil.

Spicy: The Portuguese Style Turbot Fishes.

Fans of vegetables will love Mun’s Buttered Japanese Pumpkin, an innovative dish using high-quality Japanese Pumpkin from Cameron Highlands.

The pumpkin is cut into wedges and fried with its skin intact before milky sweet butter sauce is poured over it.

Mun said the variety of pumpkin is mainly exported to Japan due to its nutritional value, which is why he cooks them with their skin intact.

Another good vegetable dish is the Lotus Root with Salted Egg Yolk, where the sweet root is thinly sliced and stir-fried in a salted egg yolk and margarine paste. Crispy and salty, the dish is best complemented with a bowl of good rice.

Last but not least, there is the Claypot Kwong Si Noodle, a traditional delicacy from the Guangxi province in Southern China.

The special imported rice noodle has a springy texture and the soup filled with pork belly, enoki mushrooms, sliced ginger and vinegar.

Abalone is also a favourite in Chinese cuisine and the restaurant does not disappoint.

Mun’s experience as a chef is evident when one bites into the springy texture of the abalone and savour its deep flavours, which is achieved after long hours of stewing.

The abalone is currently offered as a set with shark fin soup at just RM58.80 by the restaurant.

The other signature dishes are also part of the lunch and dinner sets offered by the restaurant, ranging between RM38.80 and RM108.80.

Another ongoing promotion at the restaurant is the sale of dried South African abalone, which is priced from RM650 onwards including the cost of preparation.