Yeah, I know there’s more than one “super” in the title of this post. But when it comes to Extra Super Tanker Restaurant, we’ve never had a bad meal there. And that’s really saying something. No matter how busy the restaurant is, our dining experiences there have always been pleasant and food quality maintained stringently by Chef Chin aka Ah Wah Kor.
We can still recall the superb Chinese New Year treat here last year. All too soon, another year – the Year of the Horse will be galloping our way. Recently we had a chance to check out what Chef Chin has to offer for the coming CNY celebrations. This time round we were ushered up to the 1st floor where some extensive renovations had taken place. The newly constructed private dining rooms with their fresh green walls and bright red skirtings and panels welcomed us. The contrasting colour combination is like something out of an ancient eating house. The wide passageway is spacious enough for pre-dinner drinks & canapés before guests are ushered into the private dining enclaves.
We checked out some dishes offered in their CNY Set Menus as well as A La Carte Menu.
As it is a CNY feast, the obligatory Yee Sang made its appearance. It is exactly the same serving like last year’s as Chef Chin still maintains his principle of serving vegetables without any artificial coloring. As a result, the entire platter of shredded cucumber, radish, spring onions, parsley and deep-fried yam looks a bit pale. Oh, there’re also thick-cut strips of juicy pear in the mixture. Jellyfish and fried white bait are tossed in. I would actually prefer just the jellyfish as the whitebait didn’t add much taste to the salad. Perhaps more vibrant colored vegetables and fruits can be included to jazz this up a bit – carrots, mangoes, pineapples, purple cabbage and dragonfruit are good examples.
Our individual bowls of Double-boiled Soft Bone Pork Soup with Fish Maw and Morel are served piping hot. This is the kind of soup that goes straight down to your tummy and spreads its delicious nutritious warmth all over. The spongy morel, fish maw and Japanese dried scallops exude their sweet nuances into the soup after hours of double-boiling, resulting in a moreish soup that had us slurping up every single drop. The other best thing is that the pieces of soft bone pork are still tasty with tender textures and soft cartilages. Each bowl of this delicious soup is priced at RM48++.
Poon Choy – Cantonese for “big basin feast” is a popular item to order during Chinese New Year, simply because the premium ingredients used for this One Pot Wonder signify abundance and prosperity. At RM688++ per pot for 10 pax, the price justifies the quality of the ingredients. Fresh jumbo sea prawns, thick sea cucumber, mushrooms, abalones, goose webs, stuffed dried oysters, deer tendons, Japanese dried scallops, soft bone pork, roast duck and black seamoss make up this delectable hot pot of delicacies. At the bottom of the pot, sweet Chinese cabbage, pumpkin, red dates and yam have absorbed all the gorgeous flavours and every piece of these are eagerly polished off.
To maintain the high quality of this Poon Choy, Chef Chin prepares only 5 pots (each pot for 10 people) per day. So, be sure to call ahead and book your pot if you wish to enjoy this during the CNY festive period.
When the Steamed Tiger Dragon Garoupa Fillet Rolls were served, we gasped at the skillfull work done for this dish. Each piece of the fish fillet is stuffed with minced pork and prawn paste and topped with fried garlic and ebikko. Biting into the sweet tender succulent rolls, we can appreciate the time and labour that went into creating this visually appealing dish. At RM228++ per fish, it’s value-for-quality and a dish that’s bound to impress.
Mention Iberico and pork lovers will swoon at the thought of the premium black pigs from Spain. In Extra Super Tanker Restaurant, grilled Iberico Ribs is a staple on their a la carte menu. However, during this CNY period, Chef Chin is offering Iberico Cha Siu (RM35++/RM80++) as well, in limited quantities each day.
When the plate of shiny cha siu was served, we felt like a slice of pork heaven has descended on the table. The slices of evenly layered fatty & lean meat are topped with a glossy sheen from the caramelized malt marinade. The meltingly tender fatty bits are crystal-like in appearance and each bite is more than swoon-worthy. Please call ahead to book, due to the limited quantities available each day.
To round off the meal, a pot of Waxed Meat Rice (RM60++ for 6 pax; RM80++ for 10 pax) fills us over and beyond our tummy capacities. The platter of waxed meats include Chinese sausage, waxed duck, waxed pork, pork liver sausage and even Iberico sausage! My favourite is the pork liver sausage – very smooth, aromatic and melts in the mouth.
These are dishes that are available in their CNY Set Menus, ranging from RM838++ to RM1,488++. Do be quick to make your bookings as I was told they are pretty full on most days during Chinese New Year.
Restaurant Extra Super Tanker
48 Jalan SS20/10
Damansara Kim
47400 Petaling Jaya
Tel: 03-7726-7768/69, 7726-9969
Fax: 03-7726-7782