CNY Menu 2020 @ Le Mei, Le Meridien Putrajaya

Celebrate New Beginnings at Le Mei

A New Lunar Year signifies new beginnings. Le Meridien Putrajaya is set to usher in the festive Chinese New Year with a specially curated menu to bring diners togethers for sumptuous gatherings. Le Mei, the hotel’s Chinese restaurant, is well-known for exquisite contemporary Chinese dining. Step into a fine and elegant ambiance of traditional Chinese art and culture while savoring fine Chinese cuisine this festive season.

Le Mei welcomes a new Chinese Executive Chef Lim Kian Meng this festive season. Diners are in for a gorgeous festive menu as Chef Lim brings a repertoire of over 20 years of culinary experience from his international stints from Macau, Russia and Malaysia. His contributions to his culinary team in Bi Ying Restaurant was key in the outlet being awarded the Recommended Restaurant by GHM Cordon Bleu in Hong Kong in 2016. The following year, Chef Lim was once again instrumental in Bi Ying Restaurant being awarded the Recommended Restaurant in 2017 Michelin Guide Hong Kong/Macau 2017,

When asked what inspired his festive set menu this year for Le Mei, Chef Lim concurred that festive get togethers are made even better with comfort flavours. Hence this year’s menu features classic and comfort flavours to celebrate the warmth of many family and friends get togethers.

Yee Sang, the obligatory dish of the season, remains a must-order at most tables to usher is good blessings and prosperity. The Salmon Yee Sang remains a constant favorite yearly. At Le Mei, the sublime slices of salmon are generously and beautifully plated along with the classic condiments.

Accompanied by words of good wishes, tossing of Yee Sang is always the fun element of the festive meals!

The first taste of the Shunde Style Traditional Shredded Fish Soup was utterly soothing and tasty. Chef Lim uses carp, flesh and bones, to make the broth. After long hours of simmering, the cloudy and creamy broth is further enhanced with seabass, finely shredded snake gourd, carrot and black wood ear. Each spoonful of the thicken bisque oozed with much pleasurable comfort of familiar flavours.

‘Loong tang’, the highly prized fish, when cooked right is texturally delicious. The Sabah Giant Grouper Steamed with Premium Soy Sauce already won some brownie points from the beautiful appearance of the thick slices of steamed fish on a pool of aromatic sauce and finished with copious fresh scallions and cilantro. The classic and minimalist dish really showed off how fresh and sweet the fish is. The chewy gelatinous skin gave the dish a delectable textural element unlike any other fish.

The Wok-Fried Scallops with Asparagus & Fresh Mushroom in Extraordinary Sauce had everyone at the table eyeing it lusciously. Large and plump, the scallops were well-seared and so juicy. Each bite is tender and so delicious. Coupled with the crunchy asparagus, bell peppers and Shimeji mushrooms, the dish was polished off in a jiffy. Complex and robust flavour profile with a solid bite of heat, the XO sauce is what makes the dish so ravishingly tasty.

The highlight of the evening was the Stewed Sea Cucumber with Free Range Chicken & Black Truffle in Clay Pot. The pairing of sea cucumber with black truffles was brilliant albeit unusual. The heady and earthy aroma of black truffles made its mark as the air was gloriously perfumed, making delicious signals to our senses. The chicken pieces had good firm bites and was smooth and tender while the sea cucumber is beautifully tender with its signature gelatinous texture. Both ingredients soaking up the black truffle sauce so well that everyone was raving how sumptuous the dish is. 

Excellent must-order dish for this festive season!

Inspired by the Hong Kong style Typhoon Shelter dish that usually features seafood covered in copious amount of garlic, shallots and chilies, Chef Lim made a twist and featured Wok-Fried Lamb Racks with Crispy Garlic & Chili. The lamb rack, marinated in herb juice, is exceptionally tender and juicy. Light seasoning batter, the lamb is fried and then wok fried with loads of garlic, shallots, chilies and more. Still pink and juicy, the lamb has a strong kick of heat as well as umami notes that will surely ignite some fireworks in your mouth.

Taking a healthy approach, the Wok-Fried Organic Brown Rice with Seafood & Tobiko makes a solid carb filler. Red rice has much nutritional benefits and is a healthier option. However, since the texture of the rice is dense, white rice is added to give the dish a fluffier and lighter texture. A generous addition of special dried prawns is added to the rice to give it the scrumptious umami note along with a good breath of wok. Fish and prawns and flying fish roe are also added.

The evening dinner ended with Pan-Fried Glutinous Rice Cake curated by Master Dim Sum Chef Yau Fong Peng. House made using Peen Tong (Chinese brown sugar and candy) and Wong Tong (Brown Sugar), the texture of the Nian Gao is unlike the norm. It has a light firm and chewy texture but doesn’t stick to the teeth like the classic dessert. The dark and aromatic caramelized flavour is well-pronounced and the additional pan-fried method gave the dessert a nice crisp layer contrasting to the inside of the Nian Gao.

The above dishes are selected from various CNY set menus at Le Mei. A la carte is also available should your dining party be smaller than 10 pax.

Choose from three CNY set menus priced at RM1688nett – Spring & Happiness Set, RM2388nett 0 Everlasting Prosperity Set and RM3388nett – Wealth & Fortune Set. Each set menu for ten diners come with a complimentary bottle of wine. Yee sang options are available from RM50nett onwards.

For diners who prefer a myriad of choices during the Chinese New Year celebration, all-day dining restaurant, Latest Recipes, invites you to dine in a setting that combines a vibrant atmosphere with fantastic flavours. Buffet lunch (8 January – 8 February) is priced at RM118nett per adult and RM59nett per child. Buffet dinner (8 January – 8 February) is priced at RM138nett per adult and RM69nett per child. On 24 and 25 January, the buffet dinner is priced at RM158nett per adult and RM79nett per child. Guests will enjoy complimentary yee sang with reservations of 10 adults.

For information or to make a reservation, please call 603-8689 6888/6847/6868 or email dining.lmputrajaya@lemeridien.com

LE MEI

Le Meridien Putrajaya

Lebuh IRC, IOI Resort City

62502 Putrajaya, Sepang

Selangor

Tel: +603 8689 6888

Fax: +603 8689 6899

Website: www.lemeredien.com/putrajaya

Facebook: www.facebook.com/lemeridienputrajaya

GPS: N 02 58 W 101 43

Business hours:

Lunch 12noon to 2.30pm

Dinner 6.30pm to 10.30pm