Peony Jade’s Eight Rhapsodies of Spring 精彩年菜迎羊年！

With our modern day hectic lifestyles, it is often difficult for extended families to meet, let alone slow down and enjoy a hearty meal together. Which is why whenever families meet and dine, particularly for a family celebrations or festivities like Chinese New Year, we want to make it extra meaningful, extra significant, extra enjoyable. Therefore the selection of food, location and service is important.

Peony Jade is one of our ‘go-to’ restaurants when we feel like an indulgent meal on celebratory occasions. Besides their renowned Teochew Flaky Yam Mooncakes, they are also well-known for their tasty Cantonese cuisines and good service. Our family also like the cosy dining atmosphere amidst its modern chinos ambiance. Imagine our delight when we received an invite for its CNY Food Tasting. Together with several other media friends, we were treated to an unparalleled gastronomic feast which kept us talking for days.

To usher in an abundant and prosperous year of the sheep, Peony Jade has specially commissioned “Eight Rhapsodies of Spring” to make that all-important family meal extra memorable so that families can talk about the occasion long after the meal is over. Featured are 8 simply delectable dishes:

1. Bonsai-shaped Monies Tree Yu Sheng 风生水起,花开富贵发财盆栽摇钱树齐捞生

吉星拱照齐捞生, 捞到八方来财, 生意起

Bonsai is well-regarded as a centurion plant which represents longevity, harmony, peace and hope. This Yu Sheng is topped with 6 types of abundant premium seafood – Alaskan crab claws, lobster, tuna belly, Atlantic salmon, sweet shrimp, and ‘umi’ urchin – then tossed with Peony Jade’s unique sweet sauce, citrusy yuzu juice, and truffle oil. Homemade deep-fried thin lotus root chips, crispy fried vermicelli, roasted pine nuts, and toasted sesame seeds are added for an extra delicious crunch to enliven the dish. Everyone at the table concurred this is one of the best Yu Sheng we have ever tasted!

For instant enormous windfall, good health and longevity!

Priced at S$198.88, this yusheng serves up to 15 guests, and is available for dine-in at Keppel Club only.

2. Hand-crafted Goat-shaped Deep-fried Hum-Soi-Kuok 三羊开泰, 洋洋得意

The pastry team endearingly gave the traditional dim sum delight – ‘hum soi kuok’ or fried crescent dumplings – a new personality to welcome the new year in style. Each is filled with glutinous rice, finely diced savoury pork and shitake mushrooms, and the outer layer is fried perfectly to a crispy and chewy mochi-like texture. A favorite among the children and adults who love dim sum! This dish tastes as amazing as it looks. It is also a testament of the chef’s intricate skills in deep frying these ‘goat-shaped’ dumplings without losing the clear features.

For a prosperous & smooth sailing year!

Priced at S$9.88 per order of 3 pieces, this platter is for dine-in only. 1-day advance order is required.

3. Steamed Black-eyed Pea Cake with Golden Pumpkin 蒸黑眉豆金瓜发财糕

The traditional carrot / yam cake or ‘woo tau koh’ is a Cantonese favourite associated with soaring great heights – a pun on the word “koh” 糕 (高). At Peony Jade, it is reinvented with the additions of golden pumpkin, mushroom and jin hua ham. The gold in the sweet golden pumpkin, symbolizes prosperity and abundance, and the naturally salty ham enhance the flavour of the handmade yam paste. While it looks ordinary, one bite and you will discover that they are incredibly savory and delicious!

Priced at S$38.88 (serves up to 15 guests, and approximately 1 kg in weight)

4. Hong Kong Roast USA Goose with Chef’s Special ‘Fa Cai” Broth 接宝财富到, 包群贺寿满事成首创灌汤靓烧鹅

The first and only roasted goose with “fa cai” broth in Singapore, the pre-marinated 3.8kg grain-fed goose (weight before roasting) is infused with the brand’s noble broth rich with Chinese herbs like Angelica root (当归), spices like star anise (八角) and more, before being roasted for 2 hours to perfection. This is another unforgettable dish – Goose never tasted so good and succulent.

Priced at S$188.88, this serves up to 12 guests. 1-day advance order is required.

5. Australian Premium Whole Abalone Poon Choi 生财聚宝盆 (澳洲原粒发财鮑魚花开福贵盆菜)

“Poon Choi” is a traditional peasant dish that originated some 900 years ago where Chinese peasants used to layer and stack as many ingredients as they could harvest or barter in a huge wooden basin cooked over pits of fire during the break of spring.

At Peony Jade, its modern Poon Choi contains 18 premium ingredients which include whole 10-head Australian abalones (原隻10 頭澳洲发财鮑), whole Sakura Chicken (原隻樱花雞), whole pork knuckle (豬手1 隻), golden oysters (蚝豉), roast pork (腩仔肉), South African spikes sea cucumber (海參), fresh whole scallops (鲜帶子), pork tendons (蹄根), fatt choy (發菜), fish maw (魚肚), king prawns (大蝦), whole shiitake mushrooms (北菇),homemade sea-grouper mousse cake (大海班魚球), whole golden dried conpoy (柱甫), taro (芋頭), beancurd skin (枝竹), radish (蘿蔔), and broccoli (西蘭花). Unbelievably rich and flavorful! Every item was richly smothered in the rich sauce, a decadent treat for the family who have worked hard the entire year.

This takeaway Poon Choi Pot is priced at S$468.88 for the Mini Premium Pot Package (serves 6 guests) and S$598.88 for the Premium Pot Package (10 guests). 1-day advance order is required.

Pan-fried glutinous rice with lup cheong, liver lup cheong, preserved meats, and mushrooms – complimentary with any takeaway Poon Choi Set.

6. Slow-Fire Stewed Lamb with Bamboo Shoots and Beancurd Skin 双东焖洋腩

In TCM, lamb is often savoured to ‘warm’ the body in traditional Chinese medicine. At Peony Jade’s kitchen, the grass-fed lamb cutlets are blanched in hot water, then wok-braised with star anise, garlic and onions, sliced fresh ginger, fresh bamboo shoots, whole shiitake mushrooms and beancurd skin for 1.5 hours before achieving that melt-in-your-mouth velvety texture!

Priced at S$78.88, this serves up to 6 to 8 guests. 1-day advance order is required.

7. Prosperity Goats Gift Set 一羊(样)发财!

This sweet and savoury gift set comprises 8 realistically lovable handcrafted goat-shaped snow-skin pastries filled with salty egg custard. This exquisite masterpiece is bound to be a talking point at your reunions!

Priced at S$88.88, while stocks last! 1-day advance order is required.

8. Glazed Kumquat with “Fa-Cai” Vanilla Beans 五谷豐收, 黄金聚满屋

Epitomising wealth and abundance, the kumquats with their skins intact are cooked them for 45 minutes over boiling water before candied in sugar syrup for 7 days, to absorb all the sweet goodness. They are further infused with vanilla pods before serving. Each bite bursts forth with citrusy, sweet and tangy sensations. A refreshing end to the reunion dinner!

Priced at S$18.88 per jar, 1-day advance order is required.

Special New Year Dessert:

For a healthier option, Peony Jade presents the “Triumphant Harvest and Joyous Contentment’” Gift Set, 风生水起花开富贵发财盆栽

Preservative-free artisan peony shaped floral dazzlers filled with premium low sugar white lotus paste with Salted Egg Yolk & Macadamia Nuts. Gorgeous presentation to usher in a bountiful spring and its taste reminiscent of their Teochew flaky Yam Mooncakes which we all love!

S$78.88 for a box of 8 pieces.

The Peony Jade’s “8 Rhapsodies of Spring” Menu will be available from 6 January to 5 March 2015 at both its outlets (Keppel Club and Clarke Quay). They also have a “Fa-Cai” Divine Ala Carte Spring Festivals Dinner Buffet from 19 January to 12 February 2015; 19 February to 22 February 2015. Check out its mouth-watering menu here and credit card promotions here.

For those who enjoy DimSum, Peony Jade is THE restaurant to go. Gather your colleagues and loved ones for their “Unlimited Prosperity “Fa-Cai” Ala Carte DimSum Buffet at Peony Jade Keppel Club from 14 January to 22 February 2015. Dishes include: Atlantic Salmon “Lou-Hei” with Caviar, Eight Treasures Shark’s Fin Broth and Hong Kong style Deep Fried ‘Soon Hock’ Fish! Check out other items on the DimSum Buffet Menu here.