Jade Pavilion restaurant, at Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur, celebrated its 2nd anniversary by holding a Chinese New Year-themed get-together on the 12th day of the Lunar New Year. We were lucky enough to be among the invitees!
Upon arrival, we were escorted to Jade Pavilion’s outdoor dining area, where we were served cocktails, mocktails and the festive-favourite, Pineapple jam tarts. This was proceeded by a variety of events: a mini workshop for making tea trinkets; live performances – including a vintage Chinese jazz showcase by The Shang Sisters; an exuberant silk fan dance; and an auspicious lion dance.
A relatively new Cantonese specialty restaurant, Jade Pavilion is inspired by the elegance and allure of traditional Chinese gardens. The outlet exudes an air of serenity, with its seamless blend of modern designs and traditional components which house 8 individual dining rooms (the biggest of which can accommodate up to 20 diners), and a common eating area with an open kitchen.
Since its opening in January 2021, Jade Pavilion has become a leading hotel restaurant serving authentic, pork-free Cantonese cuisine, including freshly-cooked dim sum and exquisite dishes like traditional Beijing duck, double-boiled soups, golden-fried Hokkaido scallops, braised sea cucumber, and more. The concept of Jade Pavilion is inspired by the Chinese Imperial Gardens, namely the Summer Palace, with its decadent yet tranquil setting.
Our Dining Experience
The grandiosity of Jade Pavilion is apparent as soon as you walk through the huge doors. A red carpet-lined corridor leads up to the main dining space, with private chambers lining either side of the corridor. From the elegant centerpiece flower arrangements at each table to the exquisite embroidery at the back of each chair and the intricate floral and natural interior elements that are dotted throughout the space – every detail and small component in the restaurant has clearly been chosen with careful consideration.
While dining in the solitude of one of the private rooms, we enjoyed a fantastic 6-course dinner from the Chinese New Year Fortune set menu, which was especially created for the auspicious month and Jade Pavilion’s 2nd anniversary.
We began our meal with Jade Pavilion Salmon Yee Sang topped with snow pear, crispy fish skin and other ingredients. The yee sang plate looked so colourful, and resembled a rabbit (how cute!). One of the staff members combined all the ingredient and sauces, and off we went tossing our way to good luck and fortune for the new year. Taste-wise, the yee sang was super fresh, crispy, sweet and sour – basically, a lot of flavours in one go.
The next course was Triple Boiled Black Chicken Broth with Sun Dried Porcini Mushroom, Supreme Fish Maw and Australian Abalone. This soup, in our opinion, was decadent! What we loved most about it, besides the flavour, was that you could enjoy it hot, right up until you finish. This soup is served in a small ceramic pot with a fire lit underneath it. Definitely a smart thing to do, because who drinks cold soup anyway? We couldn’t stop slurping the incredible flavours, and the fish was so tender and juicy.
The next dish was the Steamed Wild Catch Soon Hock Fish with Ginger and Spring Onion Soy Sauce. Steamed fish has to be cooked properly so that you don’t taste the fishiness. At Jade Pavilion, the steamed fish was cooked perfectly! The soy sauce was also amazing, and gave the fish so much flavour.
Next, we had the Slow Oven-Roasted Duck topped with Fragrant Sesame and Scallion Hoi Sin Sauce. This dish was undoubtedly the bomb because of its shiny, crispy, caramel-colored skin and luscious, moist duck flesh. The sauce truly enhanced the flavour, which was on the delightfully sweet side.
Then we had the Slow Oven-Baked King Tiger Prawn with Butter Milk. You can’t go to a Chinese restaurant without having king prawns, especially the buttered ones. The buttery egg floss and melted mozzarella-covered crimson shine prawns added a luxurious touch to the meal. The prawns were juicy and meaty, and had a fresh flavour. Because they had cut open the prawns for us, we enjoyed this dish, hassle-free. It had an epic sauce, and we just wanted more and more!
Last but not least, DESSERT! Chinese desserts are always unique, and almost anyone would enjoy it as much as we did. We had freshly-baked pastry which featured traditional nian gao with cheddar cheese, topped with almond flakes and Chilled Lotus Seed Syrup with Lily Bulb and Quail Egg. Though small in size, the pastry had incredible taste. The pasty itself was soft, flaky and buttery. The Lotus Seed Syrup, which is similar to what locals call “Leng Chee Kang”, was refreshing and helped us cool down after all the intense food flavours we had earlier.
A sanctuary for the senses, the Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur, run by Banyan Tree, promises daily excitement, joy, contentment, and peace of mind. And its restaurant, Jade Pavilion, gives soul to every dining experience by attempting to satisfy the palate with mouthwatering flavours.
We had wonderful experience – the ambience was lovely, and the food, spectacular. It was a gastronomic experience we won’t soon forget!
