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Dining with dragons

Prawns coated with fresh and fried garlic

For over 40 years, two royal, five-clawed dragons have ruled Xin Cuisine. Now, writes TAN BEE HONG, they have been given a new, gleaming coat of gold

The brinjal is a recipe from Foong’s mother

Wokfried mee sua has lots of ingredients

FOR a whole month, regular customers of Concorde Hotel’s Xin Cuisine fretted as they could not get their favourite dim sum and dishes. But it was well worth the wait as, after the RM1.8 million refurbishment exercise, Xin looks refreshingly retro.

The entrance is marked by a grand red fortress door with gleaming gold knobs. Inside, the decor is classic Chinese but without the usually suffocating overdose of chinoiserie. Rosewood chairs are understated, with a central back panel of gold floral satin while the carpet is soothingly subdued in earthy hues.

I notice happily that the two stately dragon columns, the focal points of the outlet, are still standing guard. Not only that but the ornate, hand-crafted dragons now look unmistakably royal with a new coat of gold.

The changes are not all cosmetic. Master chef Foong Ah Kwai has come up with a nostalgic menu to reflect the new look, opting for simple, home-style dishes reminiscent of the 60s and 70s. His dishes emphasise hand-picked, market-fresh organic ingredients with flavours enhanced by natural spices and herbs.

Foong, who has spent 34 years honing his skills in Cantonese cuisine, says: “The idea is to inject a touch of nostalgia into the menu. Old-fashioned dishes require long preparation times, so most people today don’t bother to cook them. But now, they can get them here.”

Many of the recipes are from his childhood. For instance, Brinjal With Spicy Vinaigrette is a dish his mother used to cook. Served as a cold appetiser, the steamed eggplant is skinned and served with a dressing of lime juice and soya sauce with chopped garlic, chili and scallions. Refreshingly chilled, the dish is zesty enough to immediately perk up the tastebuds.

“For some dishes, there are no shortcuts,” says Foong. You realise what he means after the first mouthful of Braised Sharksfin Soup With Crabmeat And Roe (RM40). The crab roe gives the thickened soup a rich, orangish hue.

But it is the chunky bits of crabmeat that take the glory here. Foong says the kitchen staff shell the crabs in the Xin kitchen. “We never use frozen crabmeat,” he says emphatically.

By the way, Foong is an expert in sharksfin dishes and had even been invited to do a sharksfin cooking demonstration by the Guilin (China) Tourism Board in 1991.

One can actually taste the fresh sweetness of crab with each bite. Never mind if you find the occasional bit of shell. It’s a small price to pay for such elegant flavours.

Another wholesome, home-style dish is Stewed Pork Tendons (RM40). The tendons are stewed in a claypot with plenty of garlic cloves, cinnamon and star anise. You may find yourself asking for extra helpings of rice to enjoy the thick, rich gravy.

Those who like fish will appreciate Pomfret In 2 Styles. The meat of the fish is sliced thinly and rolled up with strips of ham, celery, mushroom and waterchestnut. These fish rolls are steamed with just a light soya sauce to bring out the flavour.

Nothing is left to waste. The bones are chopped into small pieces, battered and deepfried to a crisp.

Wok-roasted Fresh Water Prawns is a garlicky dish. Foong uses both freshly chopped garlic and browned garlic to bring out the best side of the prawns.

Xin is also known for rice and noodles. I love the Wokfried Mee Sua (RM25). This is a dry dish of wheat vermicelli fried with lots of beansprouts, shredded cabbage, black fungus as well as extra large prawns and julienned chicken meat. With so many ingredients, it’s a bit difficult to find the vermicelli.

The dessert has the usual listings of red bean soup, chilled honeydew and crispy pancakes. But don’t be boring. Go ahead and get the Black Sesame Ice Cream With Banana Pancake (RM15). It’s guaranteed to give you a tingle that reaches down to your very toes. Definitely a change from the usual fruity flavours, the black sesame ice-cream is extremely nutty with a distinct fragrance of sesame seeds. The hot pancakes, stuffed with sweet, ripened bananas, provide a contrast in both flavour and temperatures.

Xin is open for lunch from 11.30am to 2.30pm and for dinner from 6.30pm to 10.30pm. On weekends, it offers dim sum from 10.30am (Saturday) and 9am (Sunday). During the lunch hour, musician Lee Keah Hee plays the pipa and quzhen.

XIN CUISINE (non-halal)
Concorde Hotel
2 Jalan Sultan Ismail, KL
Tel: 03-2144 8750
phoenixbee@nstp.com.my

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