10After joining Yan Ting earlier in 2015, Executive Chef Tony Wun has finally revamped this well-known exquisite Cantonese restaurant menu with his own hand-crafted interpretation of gastronomy finesse.
The new a la carte menu features time-honored favorites as well as refreshing new dishes that carry the same pedigree of elegance.
Let’s have a look at the media tasting we had to sample some of the dishes from Chef Wun shall? Do note that most of the dishes below are in sampling portion and not representative of their true quantity.
Trio of Appetizers: Deep-fried Whitebait Fish with Salt and Pepper, Homemade Marinated Radish, Pan-fried Scallop in Teriyaki Sauce.
The whitebait is part of the set menu, while the Radish ($12) and Scallops ($28) can be ordered a la carte as well.
The whitebait fish was salty at times but very crispy nonetheless to start the meal with some vitality. Scallop was perfectly cooked as usual, but perhaps not that inventive with the use of Teriyaki sauce. And finally the crunchy radish was refreshingly sweet with a sourness that opens up the palate for more to come.
It’s recommended to start from the white bait and end with the marinated radish.
Double-boiled Abalone Consomme with Ginseng served in Teapot ($38).
Chef Wun’s soup-in-a-teapot concept gets a luxurious update with nutritious additions like the double-boiled Abalone Consomme with Gineng. I actually enjoyed its previous rendition that uses Sea Whelk and Black Garlic more, as this version tethers on atraditional classic Chinese soup.
Needless to say, the Abalone Ginseng soup was still thickly comforting with enough essence that would impress any Cantonese grandmother. Comes with a whole Abalone within the pot as well, so remember to fish it out!
Braised Superior Bird’s Nest with Black Truffle in Pumpkin Sauce ($76).
This was a very light broth that marries fragrant black truffle with the subtle sweetness of pumpkin. In terms of viscosity and flavouring, the stock was spot on. Texture-wise wasn’t as varying without any crabmeat or eggs added into the mix, which could have added a bit more dimension to the dish to make it perfect.
Steamed Seafood Dumpling with Egg White Sauce ($12).
There’s also chestnut within the seafood mix, which adds crunch to this seafood delight.
The dumpling skin is made with just egg white with cornflour for a springy and clean bite, blending the entire dish together with the crabmeat laden egg white sauce.
Pan-fried Chicken with Morel in Superior Soy Sauce ($48).
A pretty simple and flavourful chicken dish although the use of morel mushroom is more unusual for Chinese cuisine. The picture above of course, is only a small portion of the original serving size.
Baked Beef Ribs with Herbs ($38).
Although I didn’t clarify with the chef, this amazing beef tenderness probably comes from the Wagyu breed. The herbs are light enough to not overpower the beefiness, while adding some alternate interruption to the meat fattiness.
Ee-fu Noodles ($28).
Well, the ee-fu noodles weren’t overcooked or anything, with just that right softness to the bite. Tastewise though, it’s not anything spectacular and probably just a filler in case diners are still hungry – as with all Chinese dining tradition to serve a staple towards the end of the meal.
Jelly with Ice Cream Served in Coconut ($14).
More a Thai-inspired dessert, this was an amazingly generous coconut jelly filled with coconut juice and topped with a stunning vanilla icecream to add some body and creaminiess.
The sweet coconut flavours are damn good I must say. When the ice cream melts in, the fragrant taste is further enhanced.
Crispy Red Bean with Banana Fritters ($8).
Fried banana fritters by itself is already a winner to me, but stuffed with red bean, this becomes an Olympic champion. Might be a bit heavier than the coconut jelly though, so choose wisely.
Carrying on the heritage of premium Cantonese cuisine, Yan Ting definitely wouldn’t disappoint for those looking for a comforting Cantonese dinner.
Expected Damage: $60 – $100 per pax
Related Guide: Yan Ting Dim Sum Buffet Review
