So prettily stacked, this portion of "pen cai" is. So neat and tidy, standing strong.
Feels like I could eat it all in one mouthful.
This Pun Choy or Pen Cai is from Yan Ting at St Regis. It features 12 treasures including abalone, dried scallops, dace fish balls, pork belly, fish maw, prawns, roasted duck, soya sauce chicken layered on white radish and cabbage.
Some people think that this dish is a lazy way of tossing everything into one pot and reducing it to a stew. Nothing is further than the truth. Each individual ingredient often has to be cooked separately, because of different cooking times. Some will get soggy or overcooked quickly, and others need a longer time. So the best pen cai is one that has every element thoughtfully prepared, before one final festive infusion together.
What I liked about this was the inclusion of fish dace balls (oh, so reminiscent of Hong Kong) and the very good roast duck that gives a smoky elegance to the rest of the seafood.
Prosperity Yu Sheng with Snow Pear, Abalone and Salmon
This year Yan Ting decided to replace the radish with snow pear for a subtle natural sweetness for the yu sheng.
Yan Ting also has some new chefs on board, so there will be new creations as well as familiar favourites. The list includes Roasted Whole Suckling Pig, Steamed Marble Goby "Soon Hock" with Soya Bean Floss, Prosperity Moss with Sliced Abalone and Dried Oysters, and Braised Whole Bird's Nest Broth.
King Prawn with Plum Sauce
On the a la carte menu for Chinese New Year, this giant prawn deep-fried and doused with a rich, tangy plum sauce. I think this may suit Western palates better, as the sauce is quite strong. Most Chinese with traditional tastes would prefer the prawn's own sweetness to stand on its own.
Steamed Sea Perch with Special Coral Sauce
This colourful dish is also on the a la carte menu. Fresh fillet of sea perch lightly poached, and doused with a vegetable and egg white medley that makes it look like a coral garden.
Beef Brisket Stew
Oh this stew is so, so, so very good. Made with a premium cut of beef and clearly stewed for many hours for that tender, melt-in-the-mouth sensation. What intense flavours...a must-have if I go back again.
I've always liked Yan Ting's Nian Gao - new year cake made from glutinous rice. It's got a crisp batter coating that contrasts well with the soft and sticky cake inside. I think there's a water chestnut version too, which is equally addictive.
Chinese New Year set menus are available from 1 to 24 Feb 2013. Six course set lunch and dinner menus (minimum two guests) range from S$98++ to S$328++. There are eight course sets also for tables of 10 guests, from S$1088++ to S$2688+. Vegetarian options are also available.
Each takeaway Pun Choy order also gets you a complimentary salmon "Yu Sheng" with Fish Roe, and Fried Glutinous Rice with Preserved Meat.
YAN TING
St Regis Singapore
29 Tanglin Road, Singapore 247911
Tel: 6506-6866 for reservations
Open daily 11:45 AM - 3:00 PM;
6:00 PM - 11:00 PM (last order at 10:30 PM)
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