The Emperor

This article is part of my Chinese New Year 2020 compilation.

Special thanks to Dorsett Grand Subang for extending this food review invitation.

Today marks our second visit to Dorsett Grand Subang, a 5-star hotel in Subang Jaya. The hotel has several restaurants, one of which is The Emperor (皇帝宝中餐厅).

Located at the Mezzanine floor, The Emperor specializes in authentic Cantonese cuisine. The kitchen is helmed by Executive Chinese Chef Bryan Teh. Chef Bryan is a seasoned chef with a long resume of awards and accomplishments throughout his career around the world.

Upon entering the restaurant, customers are greeted by a majestic grandeur reminiscent of an imperial palace. The Emperor has 5 private rooms, namely Cheng Zu (成祖), Tai-Tsu (太祖), Tai-Tsung (太宗), Kang Xi (康熙) and Chien-Lung (乾隆). The rooms are named after famous emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Our visit to The Emperor this evening is to review the Lunar New Year Feast, which is served from 15 December 2019 to 8 February 2020. The restaurant offers 3 set menus: Prosperity, Wealthy and Happiness.

The Wealthy Set Menu is served today. Priced at RM1,388.00 net per table (8 to 10 people), the meal consists of 9 dishes including Prosperity Yee Sang. Each dish has been meticulously crafted by Chef Bryan based on his gastronomic philosophy.

Our meal begins with the tossing of yee sang (鱼生). "Yee sang" literally means "raw fish". Fish is considered auspicious because the Chinese word for "fish" (鱼) sounds similar to "abundance" (余). In addition, the Japanese-style Prosperity Yee Sang includes smoked salmon and crispy fish skin. A hint of wasabi can be added upon request.

The second course is a soup: Double-Boiled Matsutake Mushrooms. Matsutake mushrooms are prized for their earthy aroma. In fact, diners are greeted by tantalizing fragrance as soon as the soup is served. The soup also contains bamboo pith (竹笙) and chunks of free-range chicken.

Moving to poultry, Roasted Crispy Chicken is served with butter and sweet corn. I am quite impressed with the crispy chicken skin. Chicken and sweet corn also seem to blend well with each other.

This is followed by Hong Kong-Style Steamed Mandarin Fish. Mandarin fish (桂花鱼) is known for its sweet flesh and fine texture. The fish is served in superior soy sauce (头抽豉油) and garnished with coriander.

Wok-Fried Tiger Prawns is a classic dish that Chef Bryan included because it is one of his personal favorites. The crunchy shrimps are seasoned with a special blend of sweet-and-savory sauce.

Braised Black Mushrooms are served in concentric rings of dried oysters (蚝豉) and broccoli. The dish is garnished with sea moss, a silky substance that resembles hair. Sea moss is popular during Chinese New Year because its Chinese name, "fatt choy" (发菜), is a homonym of "striking rich" (发财).

Steamed Organic Brown Rice is introduced by Chef Bryan in response to diners' request for healthy dishes. Using a mixture of brown rice and glutinous rice, the dish is cooked with egg whites and mushrooms. Smoked duck on top provides much-needed saltiness to the otherwise-bland rice.

A bowl of Double-Boiled Red Dates is served as dessert. The soup contains jelly-like peach resin (桃胶) and snow fungus (雪耳). I enjoy the chewy texture of peach resin. However, I think the dessert is sweeter than necessary.

Deep-Fried Chinese New Year Cake concludes the meal on a sweet note. Popularly known as nian gao (年糕), the sticky cake is believed to elevate one to greater heights in the upcoming year (年高). Also included are pieces of pandan-flavored coconut milk jelly.

Customers who dine at The Emperor on Chinese New Year's Eve (24 January 2020) will get a gift bag from Lee Kum Kee (李锦记). The bag contains several bottles of Lee Kum Kee's products and 2 sets of ang pow packets. This offer is limited to one gift bag per table reservation.

The Emperor offers Prosperity Yee Sang for take-away too. There are 5 versions to choose from, one of which has been served this evening. There are 2 types of seasoning: traditional and wasabi. I recommend the latter if you are willing to tantalize your tongue!

Name: The Emperor (皇帝宝中餐厅)
Address: Dorsett Grand Subang, Jalan SS 12/1, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor
Contact: 03-5031-6060
Business hours: 10:00am-2:30pm, 6:00pm-10:00pm (Sunday), 12:00pm-2:30pm, 6:00pm-10:00pm (Monday-Saturday)
Website: https://www.dorsetthotels.com/en/dorsett-grand-subang/dining/the-emperor.html
Coordinates: 3.07987 N, 101.59679 E
Directions: Dorsett Grand Subang is located at Jalan SS 12/1, about 300 meters from Subang Jaya Medical Centre. The Emperor is a restaurant at the mezzanine floor. The hotel has open-air and covered parking.