As Malaysians, we love our culinary traditions and the cultural celebrations that come with them. And in general, we love to eat out and experience either new delicacies or comforting and dependable fare. Even during the pandemic, one survey even found we spend more than an eighth of our monthly income on venturing out to savour our favourite treats. Truly, we are a nation of gourmands.
And as such, perhaps no more grand example of this exists than the vaunted Chinese New Year Reunion Dinner, a tradition as rich in symbolism as it is in flavour. Last year saw a slow return to form as friends and families returned to both older beloved establishments and newer, more hip restaurants alike as we passed the pandemic over.
And as we’ve mentioned before, spending a little more for this auspicious occasion doesn’t have to be a intimidating either.
With that in mind, we’ve assembled a list of excellent Chinese New Year dinner restaurants to bring your friends and family along and help you decide for some comfort and joy in this auspicious Year of The Dragon. So if you’re keen on dining out and you’re trying to figure out where to go for your Chinese New Year reunion dinner, this is the list for you!
Fine Dining
While most see the CNY reunion dinner as largely a traditional affair, those who wish to splurge and really treat their loved ones this year have the option to go out to one of these fine establishments.
If you’re feeling more than a little prosperous, we have the recommendations for you. Incidentally, these places are pork-free, so those with dietary restrictions can rest easy.
Way Modern Chinois
Image credit: Way Modern Chinois Facebook
As fine dining establishments go, calling your restaurant Way Modern Chinois might be a little bit on the nose. But they do have the chops to back their suave moniker. If you enjoy the finer things in life, their “Our Way To Prosperity” CNY dinner set for four diners has such luxuriant dishes as Prosperity Yee Sang with salmon, meguro tuna and pears.
Among the other dishes Truffle Roasted Duck and a grand Treasure Pot with no less than 12 premium seafoods and poultries at RM988++. If you’re looking to spend big, this swanky establishment’s fine fare is the way to go.
Address: Lot G343A, Ground Floor (Rainforest) at the 1Utama Shopping Centre.
Contact no: 03-30101888 or 019-9111886
Email: info@way.com.my
Opening hours: 11am – 10pm, daily.
Ruyi & Lyn
Image credit: Ruyi&Lyn Facebook
From their voluminous premises in the ritzy Bangsar Shopping Centre, this establishment walks a fine line between preserving traditional Cantonese and Shanghainese cuisine and giving its dishes modern refinements in technique and presentation.
Their gourmet Chinese New Year Reunion Dinner set, made for 10 pax, features such interesting twists on older dishes such as a White Bait Fish and Enoki Yee Sang, Steamed Patin with Fresh Abalone and Minced Chillies and Steamed Rice with Cured Duck among others for. RM1,588+. If you have a big party for your CNY dinner, this is the place for you.
Address: 4th Floor Annex of said Bangsar Shopping Centre,285, Jalan Maarof, Bangsar, 59000 Kuala Lumpur.
Contact no: 03-20830288.
Opening hours: 11am - 3pm; 6pm till 11pm, daily.
Buffets
There are many fancy buffets for you to choose for your CNY Reunion Dinner this 2024 and we have covered them them before.
And if you’re feeling a bit unconventional, there are quite a few Japanese-style buffets about town. But for something a little more accessible and still very lovingly presented, we’d like to highlight these two establishments.
Incidentally, both of these establishments are Halal, a great choice for our Muslim friends and relatives.
Nook, Aloft KL Sentral
Image credit: Aloft Hotel Facebook
If a CNY buffet dinner is more your speed, look no further than this elegant dining space. We have featured their very reasonably-priced buffets before and have yet to disappoint.
Accessible and unintimidating, Nook is usually known for luxurious twists on its varied regional dishes such as Wagyu Rendang and Sarawak Laksa. In keeping with easy fussless indulgence, it now offers a CNY dinner buffet fit for the occasion.
Their Lunar “HUAT AH!” Buffet serves whole roasted duck, whole roasted Pi-Pa chicken, claypot chicken rice, a yee sang station, desserts and many more. The price for lunch and dinner stands at RM148++ and RM168++ respectively.
Address: Level 1, Aloft Hotel, KL Central, 5, Jalan Stesen Sentral, 50470 Kuala Lumpur.
Contact no: 03-2723 1188 or use this Whatsapp link
Buffets times: 12am till 2pm, Mondays to Fridays; 6pm till 10pm, Saturdays & Sundays.
Quan’s Kitchen
Image credit: Quan's Kitchen Facebook
This achingly beautiful and wonderfully photogenic dining space in Sheraton’s Four Points, located in the ruggedly colourful Petaling Street Chinatown, is home to Quan’s Kitchen - a section that playfully recreates effortlessly refined version of Chinatowns most loved culinary delights.
This year, they’re having their Bountiful Blessings Buffet, a Chinese New Year Eve Reunion buffet that features roasted duck, wok-fried chilli mud crabs, steamed sea bass and much much more - all for RM158++. Their Golden Prosperity Yee Sang starts at RM118++ for a half portion and RM188++ for a full one.
Address: Level 8, Four Points by Sheraton, No.2 Jalan Balai Polis, City Centre.
Contact no: 03-2035 7333 or use this link.
Opening hours: 7am till 10.30pm daily.
Traditional Fare
These are the establishments that specialise in the old ways. Whether they’ve been around for a very long time and serve as a time capsule to a culinary methods past or whether they create dishes from a unique time-honoured tradition, these are the restaurants you go to if you want a dollop of nostalgia with your dishes.
Sek Yuen
Image credit: Dennis Chong@Facebook
This restaurant is practically a historic monument, having been around since 1948 (though unofficially, the brother’s who originally sold wanton mee claim to have been doing business since before WW2).
It also claims to have created yee sang, which even today is a far simpler dish here- raw snakehead tossed lightly in plum sauce and ginger strips and served with pears.
It might not be the fanciest place on earth to have a CNY reunion dinner in 2024 in KL, but for simple, tasty, unpretentious and straight-forward fare, let’s just say there’s a reason we respect our elders.
Address: No.131 Jalan Pudu .
Contact no: 03-92229457 ( be prepared for a bit of a language barrier if you don’t speak much Chinese)
Opening hours: 11am till 2pm, 5pm till 9.30pm, closed on Mondays
Wun Nam Homemade Recipe
Image credit: Wun Nam Homemade Recipe Facebook
Another earnest old-timer restaurant, this one goes back over 40 years. As Ethan Lau of the Malay Mail points out, Wun Nam straddles a thin line between dai chow shops like Sek Yuen above and banquet-style restaurants.
According to Ethan, dishes like Pig Stomach and Sea Cucumber have strong wok hei and crispy, crunchy textures - in contrast with other styles of the same dish, while dishes like the Chickens and Clams are sharp, peppery, sweet and aromatically complex.
They also have a Chinese New Year dinner menu. You can have a banquet for 8-10 people that has Sea Whelk Slice Yee Sang, Abalone with Cordyceps Flower and Scallops as well as Steamed Patin in Superior Soy Sauce and other dishes for RM1,099.
Address: No.23-1, No.23-2 and No.23-3 Jalan PJU 8/5H in Bandar Damansara Perdana,Petaling Jaya.
Contact no: 011-63323889.
Opening hours:11.00am till 2.30pm, 5pm till 10pm.
Baba Ho Liao
Image credit: Baba Ho Liao Facebook
If you’re looking for a change from the usual Chinese fare, feel nostalgic about the cuisine of Melaka or just looking for a style of cooking that has spicier, more intense flavours for your Chinese New Year reunion dinner, this restaurant’s authentic Peranakan dishes are sure to shake your palate up a little bit.
Baba Ho Liao hits the culinary nail on the head with classic heritage dishes such as Pai Tee, Ayam Pongteh, Otak-Otak and delicious Fish and Pineapple Curry. This restaurant is also halal.
Address: No. 129, Jalan Aminuddin Baki in Taman Tun Dr Ismail.
Contact no: 03-7731 6122
Opening hours: 11.30am to 3pm and then again from 5pm till 9.30pm.
Ying Ker Lou
Hakka cuisine doesn’t get as much attention as its Cantonese counterparts and it really should get more love.Simple and pragmatic, this style really focuses on the freshness and flavour of the ingredients. Started by a group of Hakka chefs and managers.
For your Chinese New Year dinner, consider this restaurant's tantalising offerings, with classic Hakka dishes like Hakka Drunken with Rice Wine, Hakka Yam Abacus and the ever loved Lei CHa. If you’re looking for something a little different for your CNY reunion dinner, try this restaurant for a change.
Their branches are all located within shopping malls, which is perfect if you’re looking to make a day of it and watch a movie with your family and friends.
Address: Level 2 of the Gardens Mall; G Floor’s middle section (Unit G27) at CITTA Mall; Unit 2F-01 at the Quayside Mall.
Opening hours: 11am to 10pm.
Conclusion
For your CNY Reunion Dinners this 2024, we hope that this list will help you decide where to usher in this prosperous and promising Year of the Dragon. But no matter what you choose, we have the credit cards to help you spend wisely at your eatery of choice.
| Best Dining Credit Card | Features |
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Standard Chartered Simply Cash
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Besides providing you with a hassle-free payment method, a credit card also comes with additional benefits such as cashbacks, e-vouchers and complimentary gifts.
We hope you have a safe, happy and bountiful CNY. Bon appetit, friends.
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