The Year of the Dragon is upon us. And aside from another well-deserved long break and the grand family reunion, we’re looking forward to what the city has to offer. And no, we’re not talking about which lion dance will be the best in town. Instead, we turn our attention to the best of Chinese New Year 2024 dining.
Who are we kidding? Food can really make or break the festive season, and this year, the spread is looking very jubilant. And while it’s super to have home-cooked delights, nothing beats the glamour of getting dolled up for the new year and the ease of whisking yourself and your loved ones to one of the hottest spots in town to ring in the new year. Plus, there’s nothing like a good meal to pair with the conversational dishes everyone will be serving at the family reunion.
So why not do yourself a favour, book a table (or two or more if you have a huge family) and let the gastronomic masters of KL serve up their best to wow your tastebuds, be it through a magnificent multi-course dining experience, or decadent buffets. One thing is for sure: this year’s reunion dinner is about to be one for the books.
The Best Restaurants to Go to for Chinese New Year 2024
Sunway Resort Hotel
Over at Sunway Resort Hotel, they are celebrating the new year across the property. But what perks our ears is the Emperor’s Banquet at the Sunset Terrace. Just as the title suggests, you’ll be embarking on a dining journey that’s fit for royalty. The buffet is available for both lunch and dinner bookings. The chefs have prepared both traditional Chinese dishes as well as original recipes, from Golden Bean Curd to Oyster with Fresh Peppercorn in Pumpkin Gravy. Aside from the succulent main offerings, you should also keep an eye out for their dessert counter, where a stash of Pineapple Tarts, Mandarin Chocolates, and more await.
Date: 15 January to 24 February 2024
Address: Sunway Resort Hotel, Persiaran Lagoon, Bandar Sunway, 47500 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Price: from RM158 per adult, and from RM68 per child
InterContinental Kuala Lumpur
If you’re looking for a restaurant that can cater to a variety of dietary needs, head on over to Tao Chinese Cuisine at the heart of town—it’s awarded the best Muslim-friendly Chinese restaurant. Head Chef Tommy Choong has successfully pulled a wondrous stunt, preparing not only one or two but six eight- to nine-course set meals for you to choose from. So what seasonal delights, pray tell, are available here? You can expect Steamed Live Dragon Grouper with Wan Fungus; Double-boiled Chicken Soup with Dendrobium Orchid; Kirin-style Roasted London Duck and Mandarin Orange, and more.
Date: N/A
Address: 165, Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur
Price: from RM988+ per table of four persons
Fifty Tales
Known for their “Cincai Dinner” menu, Fifty Tales is swapping that with a special, Chinese New Year-themed menu for the Year of the Dragon. Expect classic homecooked-style dishes, but elevated. In the menu, you’ll find tasty dishes to celebrate family with such as the Wensi Tofu Oyster Soup, Claypot Glutinous Rice, Pumpkin and Salted Egg, and Smoked Corn-Fed Chicken. The last one, in particular, borrows Taiwanese and North China influences on smoked chicken during the winter season. Fifty Tales then gave it their take with ginseng sauce, goji berry jam, and Szechuan pepper salt on the side. Of course, no CNY dinner is complete without some yee sang, and Fifty Tales will also have a yee sang dish that needs to be pre-ordered.
Date: 4 January to 26 February 2024
Address: 19, Jalan 21/11b, Sea Park, 46300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Price: from RM26 per dish
Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur
Want to wow your guests? Then book a table at the opulent Yun House at Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur—stat. It is, after all, a Michelin-selected restaurant in 2023 and 2024. The a la carte option is amazing, but why not experience the full meal deal, just as the restaurant’s Executive Chef Jimmy Wong intended you to? Each option comes with its own version of Yee Sang, and every element of the menu will be different, too. One thing stays the same across the board, and it’s the Yun House Deep-Friend Rice Cake, which we’re sure will please pretty much anyone.
Date: 8 January to 24 February 2024
Address: 145, Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur
Price: from RM598 per person
Four Points by Sheraton Chinatown
Ready to dance with the dragon in Chinatown? Then Four Points by Sheraton, Chinatown has just the deal for you. Aside from the must-have Golden Prosperity Yee Sang, we highlight the Bountiful Blessings Buffet at Quan’s Kitchen. Featuring your usual Chinese New Year dining suspects, this is a magnificent spread of culinary delicacies that you don’t want to miss. Plus, when the dinner (or lunch!) is over and done with, you can always head over to Jann to sip on Chinatown-inspired drinks. The spot is, editor-approved, after all.
Date: 27 January to 24 February 2024
Address: 2, Jalan Balai Polis, 50000 Kuala Lumpur
Price: from RM158+ per person
W Kuala Lumpur
Music to the ears: a table decked out with no-frills, good old Cantonese dishes. To start the auspicious year, YEN laid out a series of crafted menus, ala carte specialities and a variety of Yee Sang, and yes, they have something for the vegetarians too. A specific dish that tops our list has to be the double-boiled chicken soup, served with fish maw, morel mushroom and Hokkaido scallop that enhances the taste of the hearty dish—name us a better way to start the Chinese New Year if not a hot bowl of soup. One thing about these set menus is that they are usually meant for a bigger group but if you are looking for a cosy table for two, YEN offers four different menus for two, priced from RM 248++ per person.
Pre-payment and pre-order are required at the point of reservation.
Date: 2 January to 24 February
Address: 121, Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur
Price: from RM1388+ per table of 5 persons
Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur
If you want sumptuous, Lai Po Heen at Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur will give you sumptuous. Go all out with the Chinese restaurant’s MO Signature Yee Sang, which comes with Australian lobster and caviar, alongside the usual traditional yee sang ingredients. Start your night with that, and then continue with one of their five set menus, aptly named Seasons Peace, Wealth, Prosperity, Fortune, as well as a Vegan menu. For a change in pace, why not try dim sum for a CNY meal instead? Lai Po Heen has always been known for their dim sum prowess, and the Happiness Dim sum set menu just so happens to make a return for the festivities, albeit only for lunch.
Date: 28 January to 24 February
Address: Kuala Lumpur City Centre, P.O. Box 10905, 50088, Kuala Lumpur
Price: from RM228+ per person
Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur
Some restaurants may offer just one variant of yee sang, but at Jade Pavilion, the Cantonese restaurant at Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur, there are six to choose from—all filled with “prosperous” ingredients such as Alaskan scallops, abalone, and hokkigai (arctic surf clams). Then, there’s The Prosperity Set Menu, which offers nine courses of sumptuous Chinese dishes in a banquet-style. Every dish in the course is chosen with mindful intention of the festivities. Take the first three seafood dishes, for example, which signify abundance and good luck. If you want to bring in good fortune with luxurious ingredients, there’s also The Fortune Set, which has six courses but serves all the good stuff like bird’s nest, Australian lobster, abalone, and more.
Date: 2 January to 29 February
Address: 170, Jln Bukit Bintang, Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
Price: from RM358.80 nett per person
The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur
Here’s a little something that diverges from the rest of our Chinese New Year dining suggestions—an afternoon tea at The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur. With four options to choose from, each afternoon tea set promises to be a splendid treat to the tastebud. In the mix are the hotel’s iconic scones, traditional Chinese tidbits, as well as exclusively-curated festive delights. Perfect for a mother-daughter outing, or even a casual hang with your best girlfriends, the tea is an ideal option for when you want something lighter compared to the rest on this list.
Date: 19 January to 25 February 2024
Address: 5, Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin, Tasik Perdana, 50000 Kuala Lumpur
Price: from RM88 per person
EQ Kuala Lumpur
Missed out on the Golden Phoenix experience in years past? Well, this is your chance, because the pop-up is making a return by the end of January. Regarded as one of the hottest spots to go to for Chinese New Year dining, the restaurant will be situated at Level 1, dishing out lunch and dinner for excited patrons. Featuring recipes that originated 50 years back, you get to choose between the set experience or go at it on your own with a la carte options.
Date: 29 January to 24 February 2024
Address: EQ, Equatorial Plaza, Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
Price: from RM198 per person for the sets
Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur
We get it—we all go a little overboard with the festive cuisine sometimes. But here to balance out that scale is Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur’s fusion of Asian and Western cuisine at Lemon Garden. Of course, a staple at any table that’s marking the occasion, you’ll be getting Yee Sang, no matter if you choose a lunch or dinner buffet option. Whether you’re planning to fill up on the fresh sushi and sashimi here, or chowing down some quintessential Chinese flavours, a trip here is definitely one for the books come the festive season.
Date: 10 January to 24 February 2024
Address: 11, Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
Price: from RM118 per person
M Resort & Hotel Kuala Lumpur
Thinking of showering the fam with true opulence? Then head on over to M Resort & Hotel Kuala Lumpur and get yourself a whole table. There are three variances to choose from, and each come with a 9-course set menu that pays homage to the delightfully auspicious occasion. Available for both lunch and dinner service, the Feast of Fortune features delicacies that showcase traditional flavours as well as festive symbolisms. Dishes include Steamed Tiger Grouper with Scallion and Chinese Parsley with Chef’s Superior Sauce “Hong Kong” Style; Wok Fried King Tiger Prawn with Scallion; Braised Fish Maw with Bai Ling Mushroom and Broccoli with Superior Sauce topped with Truffle Oil; and more.
Date: now to 24 February 2024
Address: Jalan Damansara, Bukit Kiara, 60000 Kuala Lumpur
Price: from RM2,588 for 10 persons
The post Dine to Your Heart’s Content at These Spots in Town for Chinese New Year appeared first on Grazia Malaysia.
