Saturday November 7, 2009
Taiwanese temptations
Savour Taiwanese specialities by award-winning Chef Yu Kuo-Chuan at Zhen Shan Mei restaurant.
There’s more to Taiwan than meets the eye. Countless TV food shows have zoomed in on the island’s vibrant street food scene but no mention is made of its more refined specialities.
Since Taiwanese cuisine is fast gaining popularity in the local food scene, the timing could not have been better for Zhen Shan Mei — Klang Valley’s first fine-dining Taiwanese restaurant to make its début.
The circular dining room sports an orange and black colour scheme. Zhen Shan Mei, which means “perfect’’ in Mandarin, is the brainchild of Sean Wong, the restaurateur behind Michelangelo’s Italian kitchen. Ensconced in the Mont Solaris enclave, the outlet has a circular dining area that sports an orange and black colour scheme.
Its contemporary interior accents — oversized earth-toned tubular lights, plush banquette seats and wooden lattice screens — aptly reflect the eatery’s innovative approach.
For those who enjoy alfresco and do-it-yourself dining, tables in the patio are equipped with electric hobs and grill. In addition, three private dining rooms with karaoke are available for entertainment.
Presiding over the kitchen is Yu Kuo-Chuan, a master chef from Taiwan with 27 years of experience. Besides Penang, Chef Yu has also worked in China, Hong Kong and Japan.
The multiple-award winner even makes his own tidbits such as pickled winter melon and papaya, marinated lotus root slices and deep-fried peanuts with tiny sakura shrimp and sesame seeds to whet diners’ appetites.
His signature speciality, Wok-fried Scrambled Egg with Shark’s Fin, is memorable as it comes served on a paper-thin sheet of bitter gourd. The vegetable’s distinctly bittersweet nuance and crunchy texture lend a nice counterpoint to the rich, fluffy scrambled egg that has shark’s fin, mushroom, ham, carrot, onion and spring onion in it. The chef’s salted egg yolk and passion fruit reduction also adds to the overall taste.
Australian abalone braised with mushroom and greens. The Whole Australian Abalone Braised with Mushroom and Greens is totally different from the Hong Kong-style preparation we Malaysians are used to. Instead of the ubiquitous oyster sauce, the succulent shellfish is complemented by Chef Yu’s own concoction and a gossamer-thin crisp made from bamboo charcoal bread flour.
According to the chef, he braises the abalone for about eight hours in a ham and bacon-based broth prior to serving. When asked to elaborate on his secret sauce, he coyly tells us that black bean oil and Taiwanese soya sauce form the basis of it but declines to elaborate any further.
For his speciality of Deep-fried Prawns Wrapped in Cheese Vermicelli and Served with Mango Dressing, Chef Yu explains that grated cheese is mixed into the strands of rice vermicelli that wrap the prawns.
“Cheese makes the vermicelli crispier when deep-fried. I’ve also coated the whole crustacean with minced prawn paste and chopped water chestnuts for greater textural contrast.”
We can hardly wait to return to sample Chef Yu’s other specialities such as Three Cup Chicken, Hefeng (Japanese) Stewed Matsuzaka Pork Shoulder and Boneless U.S. Short Ribs Cooked on Hot Stones and Served with Black Pepper Sauce.
For a refreshingly light dessert, try the Mango Rolled in Mochi (Glutinous Rice Wrap) Coated in Desiccated Coconut which has a thin layer of glutinous rice encasing thick, mango slices.
Mango Rolled in Mochi o Citibank credit card holders who dine at Zhen Shan Mei will enjoy 50% off selected main courses: Buddha Jumps Over The Wall, Wok-fried Scrambled Egg with Shark’s Fin, Abalone Sautéed with Homemade Oyster Sauce, Whole Australian Abalone Braised with Mushroom and Greens, and Imported South African Abalone Braised in Homemade Supreme Oyster Sauce.
The offer is valid for dine-in on weekdays and only until 3pm on Friday. The offer is applicable until Jan 31, 2010 except on the eve of and public holidays. It is not valid with any other on-going promotion. Prevailing terms and conditions apply.
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