LUCKY & LUSCIOUS: A NEW EIGHT-COURSE DEGUSTATION MENU AT MEI JIANG CHINESE RESTAURANT, THE PENINSULA BANGKOK

By: Christian Stan

Incorporating the auspicious number eight into culinary delights, Executive Chinese Chef Ball Yau introduces an exciting, new degustation menu, The Eight Elements. In the expert hands of Chef Yau, the eight carefully selected ingredients will be transformed into delicious and luck-inducing dishes. Available from 21 November 2019 onwards, this tasting menu is designed to allow guests to experience a modern interpretation of Cantonese cuisine.

BBQ Pig

The new degustation menu kick-starts with Raw Red Garouper presented sashimi-style with vegetables and pickles wrapped within. The crisp of cucumber and crunch of lotus root will serve as an interesting textural contrast with the raw fish. Marinated in eight different types of spices and sauces, the BBQ Pig is the smoky, full-flavoured starter that follows.

Crispy Beef

Rich and restorative, Boiled Chicken soup is an aromatic sip that has been simmered for X hours. The enriched broth is infused with all the nutritious goodness of Chinese yam, wolfberry, ginseng and lotus seed. The ingredients are antiaging superfoods which contain antioxidants, help prevent cancer and lower blood sugar levels. Topped with caviar and filled with a combination of the finest sea delicacies — lobster, king crab, blue crab, tiger prawn, crayfish and river prawn — the Steamed Dumpling is best described as a small bite of the ocean. Immersed in the bold flavours of eight spices, the Crispy Beef is a succulent steak not to be missed.

Steamed Dumpling

For a delectable balance, Chef Yau then serves a dish of eight Stir-fried Mushrooms, which includes snow fungus, morel, porcini and black truffle. The savoury journey concludes with a Wok-fried dish which features dried scallop, roasted duck, rich foie gras, bean sprouts and kai lan. With crisp scallions and signature Mei Jiang XO sauce, the dish is a wok star. To end the meal on a sweet note, Chef Yau has prepared the special dessert named Sweet Thailand. Made with eight tropical fruits — mango, coconut, papaya, mangosteen, banana, jackfruit, rambutan, and dragon fruit — the dessert is a refreshing end to a satisfying meal. To further elevate the dining experience, enjoy the tasting menu with a unique tea-pairing option where each dish is complemented with rare Chinese teas.

Stir-fried Mushroom

The Eight Element menu is priced at THB 5,888 ++ per person (EUR 176). Advanced reservation is required.

About Chef Ball Yau

During a career spanning almost 25 years, Chef Yau has gained impeccable experience at stellar Chinese restaurants and five-star hotels in Hong Kong, Macau and Mainland China. He has managed kitchens that won prized Michelin stars, and is the holder of a coveted Golden Chef Award. At Mei Jiang, Chef Yau delights diners with timeless Chinese culinary traditions combined with contemporary flair and innovative presentations. After a quarter of a century of refining his craft, he is passionate about using fresh Chinese and locally sourced ingredients to create classic yet elegant flavour combinations, such as the Cantonese double-boiled soups that he has been perfecting since childhood, crispy bean curd filled with assorted fresh mushrooms, and noodles with barbecued Iberico pork.