Where Flavours Live

Post date: Jun 22, 2010 11:57:47 PM

By ELAINE DONG

starmag@thestar.com.my

Here’s a chain of Chinese restaurants that’s doing things a little differently.

HAVE you ever had the embarrassing experience of happily ordering your favourite seafood dishes only to be shocked out of your chair when the bill arrives at the end of the meal? Not a nice feeling....

If you’ve ever faced that situation, you’ll be glad to know that at Dynasty Dragon restaurants, the price of the seafood is clearly stated in the menu to avoid just such a pickle.

There are other ways in which this Klang Valley restaurant chain stands out; for instance, while the decor in the IOI Mall outlet in Puchong is traditional, there are stylish contemporary touches in the beautiful chandeliers and the bold wallpaper all around.

The restaurant is open and spacious, with the tables spaced a comfortable distance from each other. You don’t get the crowded feel you would in a typical Chinese restaurant.

Part of it is cordoned off for weddings, and there is a stunning water wall feature for the bridal party. The area can seat up to 1,000 guests.

In the restaurant, there are decorated tanks in one corner that are brimming with live fishes, geoducks (a type of large clam), prawns, clams, lobsters and a selection of other seafood. There is also an open kitchen, where you can see the chefs preparing meals.

The menu has something for everyone – there is dim sum (until 5pm daily) and an extensive a la carte menu. According to owner Stanley Yap, the restaurant is for everyone, hence the rather reasonable pricing.

Another way in which this chain stands out is that its outlets are not cookie-cutter copies of each other: there are four Dynasty Dragon restaurants in the Klang Valley and each has its own speciality.

“I let the head chef at each outlet determine their best dishes. If a chef is good at a particular type of Chinese cuisine, then that drives the menu in that particular outlet,” says Yap.

“This way, our customers have a lot to choose from. If they don’t like the style of food in one outlet, they can always try out another.”

One of the restaurant’s signature dishes is the “combination dish”, essentially a one-pot meal that is a scrumptious array of scallops, abalone, various other types of seafood, kampung chicken and more.

One order serves four, and the highlight of the meal is the rich, aromatic stock that the food is steeped in. It is made fresh daily, and is boiled for hours on end to extract the maximum flavour from its ingredients.

According to executive chef Tan Moon Hua, this dish is very popular. And at only RM188 a pot, I think it is a steal! A family that is dining out will be able to sate their appetite quite satisfactorily on the combination dish along with a few side orders.

Tan reveals that for regular customers and those in the know, they also serve up a more expensive version of the dish. The premium combination dish is charged at RM100 per head, and contains more expensive ingredients like premium abalone, huge prawns, prized fish maw, scallops and more.

“Anyone can order the premium combination dish, you just have to ask your waiter. It’s not in the menu because we do not want to intimidate customers.

“Besides, the RM188 dish in the menu is great value for money because we use only the best quality ingredients. Usually, for special family gatherings or business meetings, customers have the choice of ordering the more expensive version,” explains Tan.

The restaurant is also known for its roast meats – char siew (barbequed pork), roast pork, roast duck and roast chicken. Each is served with an accompanying dipping sauce that brings out the full flavour of the meats.

Another firm favourite with the crowd is the Dynasty Dragon’s bite-size egg tarts. Their dim sum selection is expansive, and customers order them throughout the day, even with their meals.

“Dim sum is very popular on the weekends,” says Yap. “Families often come in for dim sum breakfast or brunch. Our dishes are priced very reasonably, with generous proportions, so you will get great value for money.”

To cap off a wonderful meal, the menu has a refreshing array of hot and cold Chinese desserts. The waiters always recommend a jelly dessert that hits the right spot after a heavy meal – the jelly is served with crushed ice and lime juice.

Another crowd favourite is the herbal jelly, or guilingao. Besides that, there are also double-boiled sweet soups, mango and sago pudding and cold beverages.

You know the restaurant must be good when its owner eats there regularly! Yap does this to ensure the quality of the food remains consistent and that waiting staff are up to par.

Of course, I want to know which outlet is his favourite – but he diplomatically replies that he doesn’t have one, as each restaurant has its own speciality.

Dynasty Dragon outlets can be found in the Klang Valley at Berjaya Times Square (03-2145 1628), IOI Mall (03-8075 0326), Klang Parade (03-3344 7386), Summit USJ (03-8024 9620). An outlet will also be opening in the SStwo Mall that is currently under development.

Maybank card holders, get 10% off your total bill (on a la carte menu only; not applicable for wedding packages or other promotions) at any Dynasty Dragon outlet between Oct 1 and Dec 31, 2010.