It feels like every time Chinese New Year beckons, Malaysia's Oriental Group of Restaurants rolls out another branch in another shopping mall.
Only last year, The Han Room stormed The Gardens, becoming a swift, sturdy success. Anticipating the Dragon's reign, the Oriental Group has now infiltrated Viva Home, enlarging a commonwealth of Chinese cooking that includes The Ming Room, Maju Palace & Noble House.
A symbol of the season: our first yee sang of 2012, vamped up with prawns, salmon sashimi & soft-shell crab. RM48++ for the smallest serving, sufficient for three of us.
Braised goose web (fleshier than scrawny chicken feet), a classic recipe with 10-head abalone & broccoli. If you've enjoyed the food at the Oriental Group's other outlets, rest assured that the same standards apply here, extending to the service & menu selection.
Waxed duck with "seng kua." A complementary coupling of meat & veggies, with the salty fowl punching up the flavor of the satin-smooth sponge gourd.
Whole pork trotter with sea cucumber. A whole lotta meat (tender as can be), a whole lotta fat (sinful as it comes), a whole lotta fun (certain as the sun).
Our full-out favorite, 'lap mei fun,' supremely satisfying. We'd love an extra string of the creamy liver sausage, which eclipses all other waxed meat in its peerless, perfumed richness.
Raging for more rice? This fried one is a curious but comforting creation _ wet like claypot rice, baptized in a mix of raw egg & abalone sauce.
A narrow but nicely priced range of wine is available by the bottle, starting from RM110++.
Oriental Viva @ Viva Home Shopping Mall,
Jalan Loke Yew, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-9283-8833
