Paradise Dynasty, Bangsar Village 2: Back for Fortune Pot and 8 Flavours of Xiao Long Bao!

The Opulent Poon Choi is now Available All-Year Round!

It’s a much talk-about one glorious lavish pot of ingredients, used to be savored only if not probably once a year. Today, it’s different due to the demand of foodies that this glamorous pot of land and sea treasures be made available. Not many restaurants offer this fortune pot all year but when one is craving for this, at least one doesn’t have to wait a whole year to enjoy this now.  After all, we celebrate precious moments every day and as Malaysians, what better way to celebrate any occasion than to indulge in our favorite pastime of eating?

I am glad to be back at Paradise Dynasty, a restaurant famous for their signature 8 flavours Xiao Long Bao under the Paradise Group. The restaurant is one of my favorite places to satisfy my likings of dumplings, pastries and La Mian. Read about my first visit here. Recently, Paradise Dynasty opens its second outlet in Bangsar Village 2. Echoing its original outlet, the second outlet oozes with the same exquisiteness and elegance of its original.

I always feel the open kitchen upfront of a restaurant is a brilliant concept. It never fails to entice my appetite when I see food being whipped up in front of me, especially when I am not even hungry. The Oriental themed interior exudes Zen ambience the moment one walks in. The interior is dressed in a lot of dark wood but cleverly incorporates glass and half globe crystals to bring in a beautiful edge to the Oriental cum contemporary ambience. Gray terracotta tiles, wood panels and soft glow of lights etching a design around the restaurant are harmonious and tastefully executed. This outlet also has two private dining rooms for private functions.

We are here on a mission, a Fortune Pot mission. Paradise Dynasty had been offering their Poon Choi or Paradise Fortune Pot during the Chinese New Year festive with many enjoying it at the restaurant or as takeaway. With much demand, the Paradise Fortune Pot is now available all year through with a pre-booking of 2 days in advance due to the complexity of the ingredients and preparation. Available in two sizes, regular feeds 4 -6 pax while large feeds 8 – 10 pax.

Our Paradise Fortune Pot is filled with 16 ingredients. Ranging from the highly prized Abalone to Scallops, Goose Feet, Sea Cucumber, Crystal Prawns, Fish Maw, Dried Oysters, Chicken and more, it is a feast fit for a king’s ransom. Almost all the ingredients are braised in the savory rich brown sauce. The sauce has a refine flavor and is not overwhelming. The ingredients are nicely braised with some lending a nice firm texture while others are soft and silky smooth.

If you’re looking for a feast with a conversation piece, the Fortune Pot is it. Hearty, lavish, luscious and pampering, it’s a dish to impress anyone. Another great part of the Fortune Pot, sharing it with lots of company… great food is always meant to be shared!

In the Fortune Pot lies all the luscious gravy and it is recommended to order the Steamed or Deep Fried Silver Buns to mop up the sauce in all its full glory.

Besides the Poon Choi, we must have some signatures of Paradise Dynasty. And there is no better way than to indulge in Paradise Dynasty’s all-star 8 flavour Xiao Long Bao. For those who had not had a taste yet, Paradise Dynasty serves up 7 twists on the original Xiao Long Bao. The dumplings are just so pretty to look at and the consistency is there as I have had this many times at the restaurant. The subtle hints of Foie Gras, Black Truffle, Cheese, Garlic, Szechuan, Ginseng and Crab Roe makes it an enjoyable and exciting experience while the original will always be an all-time favorite.

A little sliver of fresh ginger, a dash of black vinegar with soy sauce completes the famous Shanghainese dumpling. Some of the flavours do not even need it as the vinegar may overpower it. I like the dainty 18-folds on each dumpling, all hand crafted in the open kitchen.

Soup, as always, is a must in a Chinese meal. Our Wantan Soup with Bamboo Shoot & Vegetable sounds fairly simple but flavours are really delicious. The restaurant makes great broths with beautiful flavours and that alone is already a winning one. That said, the plump wantan is good with the crisp bamboo pith and tender bok choy.

Poached Chicken in Szechuan Style is a gutsy dish with bold flavours. The Chinese name for this dish is literally translated to Saliva Chicken, aiming to make diners salivate upon a taste of the spicy tongue-numbing sauce in the dish. Chilled tender poached chicken is pumped up with the unctuous and heady spicy sauce with a liberal sprinkling of crushed peanuts and scallion. It’s a great dish to whet one’s appetite.

Another classic Szechuan dish is the Deep Fried Chicken in Szechuan Style. Though not as spicy as the earlier one, this one still packs loads of punchy spicy notes. Crispy boneless chicken is perfumed with lots of dried chili to give it its aromatic distinctive Szechuan flavour. Love this and I can never get enough of this…

We also enjoyed Sauteed Beef with Assorted Mushroom. Tender thin slice beef makes a lovely meal with mushrooms, bell peppers, onions and leeks. The black bean sauce is savory and goes really well with a bowl of white rice.

I had raved about the Radish Pastry before and I will rave about it again here. Yes, some may think I have gone berserk as it’s a pastry encasing radish but this is so perfectly executed that I order it whenever I am at Paradise Dynasty. The pastry is just so buttery and flaky, melting at the very first contact of my mouth. The sweet julienned radish is cooked till juicy and luscious, making a perfect balance of sweetness and savory in the pastry.

I am selfish when it comes to this dish… I am reluctant to share this dish…

We were told it will be on the menu soon, Baked Water Prawns with Garlic & Butter, artistically arranged to represent the feathers of a peacock. Large fresh water prawns are cooked beautifully with a creamy butter and garlicky sauce. Its aromatic, its juicy, its succulent and it is so buttery.

The garlic is not overpowering but is very well controlled to give one enough garlic essence. The prawns are just so sweet and the head of the prawns are an ultimate sin on its own with the presence of creamy roes. This dish stole the hearts of many that night. To be safe, you may want to check in advance if they have it or order it in advance. Crustacean lovers, you do not want to miss this dish.

The night had to end and it did with desserts. Paradise Dynasty showcases their classics of Pan Fried Pumpkin Pastry, Souffle Egg White with Red Bean & Banana, Almond and Mango Pudding.

The Pan Fried Pumpkin Pastry resembles the classic sticky chewy Nian Gao but with a nice sweet pumpkin flavour. The Souffle Egg White with Red Bean & Banana is very light and sweet, perfect for a light ending.

I like puddings, especially when they are well made. While the Almond if enjoyable, the Mango Pudding is my favorite with its creamy milky and sweet ripe mango flavour.

A feast indeed, Paradise Dynasty lives up to its name for a food paradise with a touch of elegance.

PARADISE DYNASTY

Lot2F-17, Level 2,

Bangsar Village 2

Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur

Tel: +603 2201 7022

Website: www.paradisefnb.com.my

Facebook: www.facebook.com/paradisegroupmalaysia

*More photos available at my Facebook: Chasing Food Dreams