It’s a well-known fact and we always have this issue whenever we dine at Ruyi: Executive Chef James Ho and team create dishes which are not only so good to eat, they are incredibly pretty to look at as well. In fact, some are just so pretty that we don’t have the heart to dig in! I mean, it’s like so sayang to eat up all that prettiness!
With the lunar new year festivities coming up very soon, we checked out some of the special dishes at Ruyi recently. First on the table was of course the Yee Sang. Like the past few years, Ruyi’s Yee Sang has always been works of art. And this year, to usher in the Year of the Rat, the Ruyi team has come up with their signature Mighty Mouse YU Sang!
Mighty Mouse YU Sang (RM168) is Ruyi’s exclusive 2020 design has salted eggyolk crispy fish skin, Atlantic salmon and sea caviar, crowned with edible gold. It is indeed a labour of love as everything is meticulously assembled when order is placed. Just look at those cute little mice – but what to do, we had to toss them up so that they can bring in the good stuff for the Chinese New Year!
Other options of Yee Sang range from the Prosperity YU Sang at RM128 (big portion) to the very deluxe Dom Perignon Champagne “Lou Hei” at RM1,188 with a 750ml bottle of Dom Perignon Vintage Champagne served with Atlantic salmon and abalones.
With the prosperity toss done, the next 2 dishes served set the festive mood further. Phoenix’s Cloud is a dreamy concoction of smooth silky double-boiled egg with foie gras and crab essence. Chawan mushi can’t get any better than this – in fact I think this is the ultimate version.
Phoenix’s Cloud (RM68/pax)
Boston Lobster and abalones make the best pairing, especially when they are braised in a thick umami sauce. It’s a great dish to make good impressions and we love the impression it made on our happy tummies!
Boston’s Big Sister (RM438) – thick sauce braised Boston Lobster & garlic-dusted Abalones
The common chicken wing was given a delicious upgrade at Ruyi. It’s deboned and stuffed with precious bird’s nest, smoothened by egg white. The puffy glistening wing was such a joy to bite into!
Bird’s Nest Chicken Wings (RM38 per pax, min. 2 pax)
Oysters are so necessary in any Chinese New Year meal due to its auspicious name in Cantonese which kinda sound like “good things”. At Ruyi, the “good things” – dried oysters are mixed with chicken glutinous rice and made into “Fortune Balls”! A brilliant and unique way to let dried oysters flavour up the rice.
Fortune Balls (RM28) dried oysters and chicken glutinous rice balls
Fish is always a favourite item to have during Chinese New Year as it’s tagged to “bountiful returns throughout the year!” So Chef Ho’s idea is fillet out an entire star grouper and steam the fish fillet with snow pickled vegetables and chopped chillies in little soya puffs. Aren’t these “money pockets” pretty and so easy to eat?!
Star Grouper Money Pockets (RM268) steamed with snow pickled vegetables and chopped chillies
If you like chewy Shanghainese Rice Cakes (which are actually thick pieces of rice dough), then go for this Shanghainese Rice Cake with Smoked Duck & Conpoy dish. I’m not exactly a fan and let’s just say I enjoyed the smoked duck more.
Shanghainese Rice Cake with Smoked Duck & Conpoy (RM38/portion)
Proven to be a runaway success last year, Ruyi’s Koi Fish Nian Gao is making a reappearance this year. Let me warn you: this is really too pretty to eat. But ate it we did and it’s so good!
Koi Fish “Nian Gao” (RM88/2 pieces) filled with red beans and coconut cream flakes
For this Chinese New Year, Ruyi offers special sets for small and big group dining. There are set menus for couples for RM138-RM728 per person to bigger groups like 4,6, 8 and 10 pax per table.
At Ruyi, the drinks are just as pretty – here are 2 of my favourites…
For reservations/queries, please call 603-2083-0288.
RUYI
4th Floor Annexe
Bangsar Shopping Centre
285 Jalan Maarof
59000 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2083-0288
Website: www.ruyiandlyn.com