Fine Cantonese food from a Chinese master chef taught us a few things about how far the cuisine has come.

Chef-Fei.jpg (original size)Foie Gras Cherry | Photo: Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur

Jiang by Chef Fei’s food is a modern take on Cantonese cuisine, featuring inventive cooking plated elegantly, bringing an ancient cuisine into the 21st century.

We managed to taste Chef Fei’s cooking on the first day of his residency at Lai Po Heen, Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur, and was blown away by our lunch experience.

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 Soup.jpg (original size)Photo: Tien Chew/Malaysia Tatler

 1. Dishes Can Appeal To Your Sense Of Nostalgia

Soup in Cantonese cuisine is easy to enjoy and it can come packed with an incredible depth of flavours. While Chef Fei’s chicken broth with matsutake mushroom is a wholesome dish that plays with familiar and new tastes, it still takes us back to all the times we enjoyed a hot bowl of boiled soup growing up. It’s comforting, nourishing and nostalgic.

Chicken.jpg (original size)Photo: Tien Chew/Malaysia Tatler

 2. It's All About Flavour

Cantonese cooking is famed for its focus on strong yet balanced flavours. Chef Fei's take on the classic roasted chicken gets taken up a notch with the use of flax seed and Wenchang chicken, a free-range bird from Hainan famed for its quality meat. The skin was incredibly juicy and well seasoned, making the meat all the more tasty. In fact, the chicken was so tasty we refrained from using any sauces for fear of messing with the dish's natural flavours.

Lobster.jpg (original size)Photo: Tien Chew/Malaysia Tatler

3. The Cuisine Is Very Inventive

Crayfish cooked in a mixture of condensed milk and garlic opened our minds to the possibilities of how a sweet ingredient typically used for milk tea and sweet buns can be used for something savoury instead. While the meat of the crustacean was already a winner, the slightly milky garlicky sauce made the dish even more satisfying. Although we aren't strangers to Cantonese food, the cuisine never ceases to amaze us with new and original tastes.

Abalone-Rice.jpg (original size)Photo: Tien Chew/Malaysia Tatler

 4. Using Foreign Influences Without Compromising Signature Tastes

One highlight of the meal was braised abalone with Japanese rice and superior soy sauce. Chef Fei selected a mix of Chinese and Japanese ingredients (scallops, dried shrimps, wood ear fungus, etc.) to make a broth that he would then cook the rice with instead of water. Despite using foreign ingredients, the final taste was distinctively Cantonese, with its focus on a delicate balance of flavours without being too greasy.


Chef Fei's cooking gave us the chance to take another look at a cuisine through a meal we thought wouldn't hold any surprises. These four dishes are part of a seven course tasting menu.

Remember, Chef Fei is only in town until July 23. If you want to make dining reservations, please contact 603-2179 8797, 603-2179 8798 or email mokul-fb@mohg.com.

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