3 days ago
Modern refresh for Cantonese classics
Szechuan Style Sliced Seabass Fish offers a satisfying crunch and fragrant spicy sauce. — Photos: ONG SOON HIN/The Star
Updated menu at KL restaurant offers mix of familiar favourites alongside novel creations
TRADITIONAL Cantonese cooking gets a fresh take at this stylish city spot where authentic flavours are preserved, but presented with a lighter, more contemporary touch.
YEN, the Chinese restaurant in W Kuala Lumpur, has recently updated both its menu and decor to better reflect this philosophy.
The dining space is now open and filled with natural light, designed to make the most of the Kuala Lumpur skyline.
The airy layout is complemented by sleek private dining rooms and a dramatic banquet table, adaptable for everything from quiet gatherings to special celebrations.
Executive Chinese chef Tan Kim Weng has curated the menu to reflect a balance of tradition and innovation.
Drawing inspiration from Cantonese cuisine, he brings in refined techniques and ingredients to elevate familiar dishes while also introducing new creations that align with evolving diner preferences.
Tan has curated the refreshed menu to reflect a balance of tradition and innovation.
'The refreshed menu offers a mix of familiar favourites alongside a selection of new dishes.
'Many diners today are looking for more than just a good meal,' he said.
'They want an experience and that is what we have tried to deliver through our presentation and flavours.'
One of the notable additions is the Szechuan Style Sliced Seabass Fish, a flavourful appetiser that comes highly recommended.
Tan said the fish was air-dried for 48 hours before being deep-fried with spices and coated in a mildly spicy sesame sauce.
The result is a dish that is crisp, aromatic and nicely balanced.
The Shunde Spring Onion Pancakes are surprisingly moreish as they are crispy on the outside with a soft, almost bread-like interior.
Despite being deep-fried, they are light and not at all greasy.
Double-Boiled Chicken Soup and Shunde Spring Onion Pancakes (below).
The spring onions give a gentle, herby flavour, while the sweet and tangy chilli dip ties everything together.
Served on a metal rack, the presentation adds a fun, playful touch to the table.
The YEN Golden Duck is a signature dish that puts a spin on the classic Peking duck.
Roasted until the skin is beautifully crisp and golden, it is paired with a thin bean curd sheet for an extra layer of crunch.
Served with hoisin and sesame paste, fresh cucumber and soft mantou buns, each bite offers a nice balance of textures and flavours.
Finished with a touch of caviar and served tableside, the dish has a subtle hint of luxury without feeling overdone.
Available in full or half portions (requiring 48 hours' notice), the duck is also reinterpreted into a second dish of Wok Fried Diced Duck Meat with Dioscorea Yam, Black Fungus and Truffle Sauce.
Here, earthy tones and textures mingle with crunch from snap peas and a hint of umami-rich truffle.
The soup course is given a theatrical touch with the Double-Boiled Chicken Soup, served in a teapot.
Despite the playful presentation, the flavours are grounded; hearty yet clean, enriched with fresh ginseng and liver-nourishing herbs, plus a hint of scallop sweetness.
Rounding off the experience is a luxe take on comfort food: Wok Fried Rice with Diced Miyazaki A5 Wagyu Beef.
Tossed with spring onions and a rich XO chilli sauce, this dish delivers just a touch of heat and a satisfying wok hei that speaks of skillful hands at the stove.
We also sampled a few dim sum offerings, with the Fish-Shaped Prawn Dumpling being the stand out.
Served in a savoury pumpkin sauce, the dish is colourful and playful in presentation.
The prawn filling is fresh and tender, while the creamy sauce leans more savoury than sweet in a subtle twist that works well with the dumpling.
YEN, W Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur. (Tel: 012-347 9088) Business hours: noon to 2.30pm (weekdays), 11.30am to 3pm (weekends); 6pm to 10pm daily.
This is the writer's personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.
