With the lunar new year coming up in less than 3 weeks (?!! Who else is still on a post-christmas high or is it just me?), it’s time to start planning for the big reunion dinner, y’know, the one dinner that trumps all other dinners throughout the year.
If you’ve ever had to panic over a last-minute reservation, you probably already know that all the best restaurants will be booked solid for 除夕, so it’s not too early to have a few options in mind right about now.
We just had a sneak preview of the Chinese New Year set dinner at The Cathay Restaurant and behold, it was good. Very good indeed.
When I told my mom that we’d be doing a super early reunion dinner at The Cathay Restaurant, she remembered it to be the Cantonese restaurant that has been around for a really long time. I just didn’t know how long – it’s been around since 1940, way before my parents were even born. And it’s not just the heritage, these guys really know their Chinese cuisine, as is evident from the quality of the food.
The interior is both chic and modern, with little touches here and there to suggest a throwback to a different era.
Guess who enjoyed their dinner? These 3 munchkins, that’s who. How did they get this adorable?
The menu for the day was the Chinese New Year Affluent Set Menu, which came with 9 courses. I looked at each dish that was served and wept a little inside because they all looked so, so good. My normal, non-pregnant self would have been all over that but with my pregnancy hormones messing with my taste buds, I could only manage tiny sampling portions of each dish. Good enough, I guess.
At least, everyone else seemed to really enjoy the food.
Every proper reunion dinner has to start with a large, juicy pile of colourful vegetables, called Yu Sheng.
This particular plate of Abalone and Salmon “Lo Hei” Yu Sheng was topped with plates of beautifully fresh abalone and salmon, then sprinkled with golden crispy pieces and drizzled with sweet sauce that was just the right amount of sweet.
Braised Fish Maw Soup in Golden Broth
We’re in the no shark’s fin camp so they swapped out the usual shark’s fin soup for something equally delicious – a fish maw soup with chunks of fish maw and dried scallops bathed in a rich, golden broth.
Sauteed Fresh Scallop with Seasonal Vegetable
Who doesn’t love fresh, bouncy scallops? Not us, for sure. This dish of sauteed scallops with asparagus served in an edible basket was the perfect combination of fresh and light and crunchy.
Steamed Fillet of Sea Perch with Black Fungus and Lily Bud
I wasn’t sure what a sea perch was but it tasted remarkably like cod (my favourite fish!), both in texture and taste. It was steamed just right, and it was hands down, the favourite dish of the night for the kids.
Braised South African Abalone with Sea Cucumber, Dried Oyster and Black Moss in Truffle Oil
Ok, sea cucumber and dried oyster aren’t quite my thing but the abalone was enormous and extremely well-flavoured. My mom loved it though – I think this dish will probably be a hit with the parents or grandparents, basically anyone who’s of the um, slightly older generation.
Cathay Crispy Roasted Chicken
Can I just say that this is one tasty crispy chicken? Crispy on the outside, soft and juicy on the inside, exactly like how crispy chicken should be. And the little flakes on top? Divine.
Fried Glutinous Rice with Chinese Sausages
So you’re probably like “glutinous rice…meh” and this photo might not look like much but OMG this is a ridiculously delicious plate of glutinous rice. Every mouthful of this came with bits of tiny dried crispy shrimp, it basically stole the show for me. We were all pretty stuffed by the time we got to the glutinous rice but it’s the kind of dish that gives you reason to dig deep and find that spare stomach space.
Chilled Harsma with Coconut Jelly & Nian Gao
Desserts came in the form of nian gao (coated with peanut, shredded yam and sweet potato) and chilled harsma with coconut jelly. It was a brilliant way to end off an excellent dinner – just enough to hit that sweet spot.
Even in my nauseous, pregnant state, it was an amazing dinner with the folks. I can only imagine how good it could have been if my taste buds weren’t all wonky.
After all, reunion dinners are all about great food, great ambience, great company and lots of great conversation, all of which were present at our little advance reunion dinner gathering.
*Receive a $100 return dining voucher to The Cathay Restaurant when you quote “Mother, Inc.” with any order of the festive set menus from $888++ for 10 persons. Limited to the first 3 readers on a first-come, first served basis.
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