Chinese New Year is a time for family, friends and (let’s be honest) good food. I don’t know what it is that gets me so excited to indulge in the many courses that a reunion dinner promises and choosing where to celebrate is all part of the fun.
This 2017, why not splash out that little bit more for a gourmet reunion dinner to remember. Peony Jade at Keppel Club is offering a CNY menu that’s pretty darn festive – just wait till you see the spread!
Specialising in traditional Szechuan and Cantonese cuisine, Peony Jade offers an elegant dining experience that will seriously get you into the CNY mood. The menu consists of innovative Chinese dishes with a twist and the focus is definitely on the premium ingredients used.
The very creative and prosperity-fueled dish names are enough to get you excited and certainly do not disappoint in terms of presentation. One of the highlights from the CNY menu has to be the “Instant Enormous Windfall, Good Health and Longevity” Rooster-shaped Yu Sheng ($268.88), which serves 10-12 people.
A medley of high quality ingredients like lobster, abalone, conch, Norwegian salmon (sashimi grade), poached blue swimmer prawns, fresh blue swimmer crabmeat, crabmeat sticks, crispy silver bait, champagne jelly, caviar, lychee pops and edible gold leaves made this the fanciest yu sheng I’ve ever had.
Tossed in the Chef’s homemade fresh apricot and peach jam dressing, deep fried taro strips, roasted pine nuts and toasted sesame seeds, this dish had us chiong-ing for seconds. It was an excellent way to start a celebratory Chinese New Year meal.
I thought the premium yu sheng would be a difficult dish to follow, and then out came the “Prosperity and Smooth Sailing” 18 LUXE ingredients Poon Choi with Australia Premium Whole Abalone.
This claypot of awesomeness consisted of –wait for it– Eight head Australia Whole Abalone, half roasted goose, a whole pork knuckle, golden oysters, roasted pork, South African spikes sea cucumber, fresh whole scallops, pork tendons, fatt choy, fish maw, king-sized prawns, whole shiitake mushrooms, homemade sea grouper fish dace, whole golden dried conpoy, beancurd skin, radish and broccoli.
Talk about a feast for the eyes.
Served with extra sauce on the side, I particularly loved the inclusion of fresh scallops and roasted goose. The only slight letdown was the sea cucumber, which I thought could have been more tender.
That’s pretty much your whole reunion dinner sorted.
Another standout dish was the “Eminence Prosperity” Braised & Sautéed Abalone & Baked Chicken Skewer ($38.88 per guest with a min. order for four guests). I was slightly dismissive of this dish at first because, how good can chicken skewers be right?
VERY good apparently. The teriyaki flavours were on point and the addition of abalone made the dish that bit more luxurious.
The “Reaping Prosperity” Baked Norwegian Salmon and Cod Fish Dace with Chestnuts and Black Truffles stuffed in half baby pineapple ($38.88 per guest with a min. order for four guests) is a dish exclusive to the Keppel Club branch and was very interesting to eat.
The fusion flavours were completely elevated to the next level with the Chef’s special piquant rojak sauce. I kinda felt like it was a local take on the flavours of Hawaii, with the marriage of premium seafood and pineapple, complemented by the spicy and tangy sauce.
Another Peony Jade Keppel Club exclusive is the “Progress & Advancement Wealth” Sautéed Boston Lobster Meat with Blue-Swimmer Crabmeat in Avocado Wrap topped with Fish Roe and Caviar ($168.88, serves up to six).
I wasn’t a huge fan of the dough-like layer that encased the lobster and crabmeat mix, but I’m a sucker for anything avocado related and enjoyed the filling.
If you thought the yu sheng was impressive, just take a look at the “Triumphant Harvest, Contentment & Longevity” Dessert Gift Set ($98.88, serves eight to ten).
This Mother hen, eight Molten Salted Egg Yolk Custard filled little Cheeky Chicks and chocolate golden eggs are available for dine-in and takeaway at both Peony Jade branches and at Takashimaya Basement 2. Since only 38 sets are available, you know this is one exclusive dessert.
While the cute dessert chicks stole my heart, the highlight of the desserts was Peony Jade’s Signature “Wish Fulfilling” Prosperity Gold Bar 100% Pure Mao Shan Wang Durian Layered Nian Gao ($98.88, serves eight to ten), which is also available for dine-in and takeaway at both branches and at Takashimaya Basement 2.
This has got to be the most decadent CNY dessert out there and will obliterate any hope you had of keeping your pre-CNY figure, but you know what? It’ll be so worth it.
Other impressive durian filled desserts include the Premium Mao Shan Wang Durian Pudding Prosperity Fish ($118.88, serves eight to ten) and the “Over-flowing Wealth & Bountiful Harvest” Gift Set ($118.88, serves eight to ten, only 38 sets available).
The fishes are decorated with edible gold (talk about prosperity) and the latter features layers of durian rolls shaped into mahjong tiles and a premium organic black gold mao shan wang durian nian gao.
For something lighter (haha who am I kidding), order the Duo of Prosperity Fish, Mango Sago with Pomelo Pudding and Lychee Pudding paired with Glutinous Rice Nian Gao Gift Set ($78.88, serves eight to ten). The lychee pudding was my favourite as the flavours really came through, and was the perfect end to quite an epic CNY meal.
I told you to expect fancy and Peony Jade at Keppel Club is really the place to go for a vibrant CNY atmosphere, excellent service and food that will satisfy the gourmet foodie in you.
It’s one of the few popular Chinese restaurants that’s open throughout the Lunar New Year Period, so make your reservations for your reunion dinner today.
Expected Damage: $80 – $200 per pax
