Wine dinner series @ Lai Poh Heen, Mandarin Oriental Hotel

Our lil exclusive group of wine kakis
We have this Wine Dinner series hosted by the members themselves on a weekly basis. Errr only recently it became weekly.......but Monkey is not complaining.

Victor the host asked Monkey a few weeks ago about her thoughts on Lai Poh Heen, I gave him the horror look!!! My last visit was back in 2008. And so after some discussion, we are going to give this place another chance since there's a new Executive Chef and a New menu.
*you may read about my last visit in 2008 here*

A pretty appetizer, consisted of their signature highlights:
clockwise from the top
a cube of watermelon with scallions
oven-baked scallop with butter cheese sauce
superior bamboo pith dumpling broth with dried scallop
chicken roll served with spicy garlic sauce
stir fried sliced clam with XO sauce
friend crispy crab stick with sesame

in case you are wondering, this place is pork free.


This was presented to us before they prepare it.
it's not a chicken
it's a QUACK QUACK!!!!!

u can imagine JS's face turned into a ducky duck duck....pouting.....
:-||

Preparation was done on the side....under the watchful eyes of the captain


Also OUR watchful EYES
O.O
must be so stressed huh?

Look at MW Maho and Viola's EYES
as if they disapproved :P
KEKEKEKEKEKEKEKE


After much anticipation and Anxiety for some
2 pieces of carefully wrapped crepes were presented
Ta-DA!!!!
Traditional Beijing duck served with condiments


it was EXCELLENT
one of the key highlights for me that evening, apart from the wines
the meat was moist and juicy with crispy skin and bits
even the cucumber lent some crunch and texture to this dish. The sauce were not over-powering, just subtle enough.

and JS donated one of his crepe to Dr. Epicurean
hehehehehehehehe


Braised sea treasure soup with American ginseng and chinese cabbage
there was an abalone which was soo soooo soooo darn sweet and a delicate piece of fish maw in the middle...can I have 3 pieces please :)))))))))))

wines from private collection were displayed, carefully opened and served
served by the diners themselves....coz they were so So so So so SO adamant about it that it must be poured delicately for they are really old wines....to be handled like an old lady -_-"

a 1964 and a 1962
yeah...really old....definitely way before I was born


steamed cod fillet with whole abalone and wood mushroom
there were also slices of dates which made the dish so so so sweet
fish was steamed to perfection. Very Good I must say.


Dr. Epicurean and JS....
discussing about the food and wines....
yeah u don't come to just eat and enjoy yourselves...Must do your homework too....
lots of deliberation, discussion and controversies
hahahahahah but I would really love it if there's scandal added to the discussion :P

main course of braised sliced abalone with fish may, sea cucumber and broccoli..
this was quite similar to our braised sea treasure soup. Very similar profile.

a 1938 bordeaux....
WAHHH
this one everyone CONCURRED and CONFIRMED it's older than ALL of them
75 years old!!!!
surprisingly it was still fresh with some berries noes
Bordeaux wines can really age so well. So if I am buying some 2009, can definitely keep to be open during my jubilee :))))

Dinner then proceeded with crispy egg noodles with king prawn in cheese broth
don't like the cheese broth so much
it's almost like sang har meen but a fusion one.
I don't really like chinese fusion unless if it's Bo Innovation then I can really accept that.

the Men complained it's not enuff...so they needed another dish with carbs innit
most of them play golf so they needed this for next morning's workout.

Nom NOm NOm CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP

Alcoholic Anonymous ST was almost sleeping in this pic
He was longing for the comfy couch that was inside this private room..

He stared at it...the couch stared back lovingly with all its comfy red pillows
WUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Finally another fusion black sesame panna cotta with apricot sorbet
It would be nice if there's some black sesame dumplings in hot ginger soup instead :)))

The other bottles that we had...
but my favourite and wine of the nite has got to be the Chateau Rayas Blanc
it was so so so sweet and excellent nose. I need this to be inside our cellar now...

Thank you to Viola and Victor for hosting this Wine dinner series
looking forward to another non-tribes non-spare parts dinner in the near future

Lai Poh Heen Chinese Restaurant
Mandarin Oriental Hotel,
Kuala Lumpur City Centre,
50088 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 603 2179 8885
http://www.mandarinoriental.com/kualalumpur