This year the Mid Autumn Festival falls on 30 September 2012 which is the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, according to the Chinese calendar.
For some restaurants and bakeries, months before this, mooncakes have already been baked and offered for sale.
In preparation for this important festival, Zuan Yuan Chinese restaurant has come up with a stellar range of traditional oven-baked mooncakes as well as the non-baked snowskin mooncakes. The list may not be as extensive as some other establishments but whatever is on the list, they are all pretty good stuff.
The list features most of the very traditional must-have flavours and fillings, like the White Lotus Paste with Eggyolks, the Mixed Nuts, the Red Bean Paste and the Black Sesame Paste. I grew up eating mooncakes with these fillings and they have remained evergreen for decades. I like it that Zuan Yuan has chosen to maintain tradition and stick to these oldies but goldies.
What stood out for me in a recent mooncake tasting in Zuan Yuan is their White Coffee Lotus Paste with Walnuts mooncake – a new item for this year, which is available in the oven-baked and snowskin versions. You can’t blame me as I’m a true-blue Ipoh-mali person who just adores white coffee! Chef Chin Chee Heong, that affable ever-smiling Dim Sum Chef from Zuan Yuan, explains that he uses authentic white coffee blend to flavor the lotus paste resulting in a rich creamy-milky caffeine-laced aroma that’s unmistakable. Oh, and the walnuts give it an added crunch and bite – simply delicious.
White Coffee Lotus Paste with Walnuts
Sweetened Red Beans with Green Tea Paste
The snowskin mooncakes are available in regular size as well as mini size. Do check out the new fruity fillings – the bubblegum-like Honeydew and citrussy Orange pastes … very dainty and very refreshing. Other new flavours for this year are the Red Bean Paste with Pumpkin Seeds, Pandan Lotus Paste with Salted Mungbean and Red Beans & Greentea paste.
White Lotus Paste with Single Yolk
Supreme Mixed Nuts
Mini Snow Skin
The mooncakes are available in beautiful gift boxes which can hold 4 or 8 pieces mooncakes, from now until 30 September 2012. The mini snowskin mooncakes are priced at RM10 each while the regular-sized ones are priced at RM18 upwards per piece.
Chef Chin Chee Heong with his Mid Autumn Festival creations
For orders or enquiries, please call Zuan Yuan at 603 7681 1159.
Zuan Yuan Chinese Restaurant
Lobby of One World Hotel
First Avenue
Bandar Utama City Centre
47800 Petaling Jaya
Tel: 03-7681-1111
missyblurkit says
The mini snow skin ones were lovely. a very happy feel to the flavours too especially the orange!
Sean says
white coffee with walnuts! that sounds very tempting. i wouldn’t mind that as an ice cream flavor too! 😀
Florence says
Great photos and review!
Pureglutton says
Thank you, Florence! 🙂