My impression of Yan Palace has always been that it's a family get-together type of place, probably because my 1st meal here was as a kid with my family and it has always been so (except I'm no longer a kid!).
I wanted to go for the dim sum but sadly, it's only available during lunch. Is it so unconventional to have dim sum for dinner??
Anyway, the Roasted "Pi-Pa" Duck ($35++) was the 1st to make an appearance. This was clearly everyone's favourite due to the crispy and fatty skin. I thought the duck was quite skinny though (not much meat).
The 1st comment when the Braised Deluxe Dried Seafood ($20++) was served? “Wa! Such a small bowl!” With delicacies such as sea cucumber and scallops in it, I dug in with gusto. Within minutes, the pot was wiped clean. Note to self: order a larger serving next time!
A common dish to be found in Chinese restaurants, the Sauteed Scallops with Broccoli ($22++) was faultless with the fresh ingredients used and simple execution by the chef.
The Fried Noodles with Prawns & Egg ($16++) came in a large portion. I like the runny scrambled egg with asparagus and mushrooms though the sodium level was a tad too high. Prawns were large and succulent too!
I love anything and everything pumpkin so the Braised Pumpkin Casserole with Seafood ($18++) is my personal favourite. Steamed till soft, the whole sweet pumpkin acts as a bowl to contain the savoury braised seafood. Two thumbs up!
I was fully prepared to like it but the Deep-Fried Yam Ring ($20++) didn’t make the cut. Everyone agreed that the yam was bland to the point of being tasteless. The only saving grace was the stir-fried mixture of assorted veg, chicken cubes and cashew nuts.
In my dictionary, no meal is complete without desserts. I was surprised to like the Chilled Mango Pudding ($3.50++) since it’s not as gelatinous as I had expected. Milk was added to complement the sweet mango.
I felt cheated when I saw the Chilled Sago Cream with Mango & Pomelo ($4.30++)! I thought it would be the type sold at “Ji De Chi” since its Chinese name on the menu reads “Yang Zhi Gan Lu”. This is more like honeydew sago cream with a change in fruits. Disappointing, to say the least.
A bitter dessert is an oxymoron but I take my Chilled Herbal Jelly ($3.80++) without honey since I like its bitterness. The best herbal jelly eaten in my life is in Hong Kong (tell me if you want the address!); this doesn’t even come close but it’s good enough!
It’s always a must to have the Yam Paste with Ginko Nuts ($3.80++) at every Cantonese restaurant. I like that the paste was not overtly smooth as I like texture in my food. Mixed with liquid lard and coconut milk, this is definitely artery-clogging in every bite but so worth it!
This being a weekday night, we practically had the whole place to ourselves. Which was great because it means the staff had only us to be attentive to! If there’s a chance, I’ll love to come back for a sample of its dim sum!
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