Oversea Jalan Imbi Chinese New Year Set Menu

Oversea Jalan Imbi Chinese New Year Set Menu

It must be a very long time since I couldn’t remember the last time dining at any Oversea restaurant. This is not sponsored review or advertorial as it is one of the casual pre CNY (Chinese New Year) celebration dinners with my group of close friends.

There is no need of introduction for Oversea restaurant at Jalan Imbi. They have been around for more than two decades and still going strong. Thus, they are household name for Chinese banquets and Chinese cuisine in Klang Valley. The main reason we choose to dine at Oversea restaurant because of the “lap mei fan” or boiled rice with waxed meat in claypot. Hence, we ordered the RM 728++ Chinese New Year set menu but it missing the “lap mei fan” as they include glutinous rice with waxed meat. Well, money can solve almost everything and we paid quite a hefty price to change it “lap mei fan”. Only the set of RM 1888+ comes with “lap mei fan” and now you understand why it is the superstar of Oversea restaurant.

During this festive period, the restaurant is packed with customers celebrating pre-Chinese New Year dinners with friends, family and colleagues. In Malaysia, we celebrate CNY with a special local dish, Yee Sang. Read more about the origin of yee sang.

Salmon Fish Yee Sang

Salmon Fish Yee Sang

This is the traditional type of yee sang with salmon instead of “sang yee”. The picture definitely didn’t do justice for this dish as most the crackers covered the sliced raw salmon. Even though is not a very big portion but it makes sense as there are plenty dishes to come.

Braised Shark’s Fins Soup with Assorted Dried Seafood

Braised Shark’s Fins Soup with Assorted Dried Seafood

For those who dislike shark fins, you can scroll down and start reading from the Steamed Turbo Fish with Olive.

You definitely won’t find any fake shark’s fins (translucent shark fins made from gelatin) in your bowl of shark’s fins soup. The soup is thick but not starchy and full of treasures. This is one of the better shark’s fins soups I had for some time, nothing really fancy with the taste but bold and strong with dried seafood. This is simply gorgeous. No offense intended though for shark lovers.

Steamed Turbo Fish with Olive

Steamed Turbo Fish with Olive

There is no thing as turbo fish, it should be turbot fish. Turbot fish is originated from Europe and popular for its delicate flavour. There are various Turbot fish farm around the world namely France, Spain, Chile, Norway and China. Turbot fish makes its presence in the Malaysia market a few years ago. They are highly recommended for Chinese wedding banquets as the cost of the popular fish starts to get pricier. For its meat, it has a rougher texture compare to promfret fish but it has more flesh. When you steamed it with olive, you have nothing to complain. It is simple and yet delicious.

Braised Pork Knuckle with Sea Cucumber

Braised Pork Knuckle with Sea Cucumber

Braised pork knuckle with sea cucumber is a popular festive dish. Another great reason to dine at Oversea is the quality of its food. You can tell from the picture of the size of the sea cucumbers. Even though the taste is flavourful but it went well.

For the braised pork knuckle, well you don’t complain for the excessive fat. It is sinful but when you put it (including the pork fat and skin) in your mouth, it will literally melt in your mouth. The meat texture is soft and you won’t mind taking a piece or two even with the pork fat and skin.

Deep Fried Crystal Prawn with Crunchy Cornflakes and Sesame Sauce

Deep Fried Crystal Prawn with Crunchy Cornflakes and Sesame Sauce

With the increase of seafood prices especially the prawns at this time of the year, I’m surprised with the size of the prawns for this dish. At certain parts of KL, one kilogram of prawns as this size cost over RM 100 per kg! Of course, restaurants have their own supplier with lower prices but these prawns are huge. They are XXL in size.

The prawns are deep fried to perfection and stir fried with crunchy cornflakes and sesame sauce. Thus, there is something is missing from the description, the spiciness. In short, the prawns are extremely fresh with crispy texture of its skin and the cornflakes with spiciness and hint of sesame sauce, absolutely delightful.

Braised Oyster and Fatt Choy with Chinese Cabbage

Braised Oyster and Fatt Choy with Chinese Cabbage

This is another festive dish, braised oyster and fatt choy with Chinese cabbage. Fatty choy if you translate in Chinese, it means prosperity and it is in black in colour and has an appearance like hair. The braised oyster is gorgeous and same goes to the Chinese cabbage. It comes with generous amount of the thick broth and again the picture doesn’t do any justice for this dish.

Boiled Rice with Waxed Meat in Claypot (Lap Mei Fan)

Boiled Rice with Waxed Meat in Claypot (Lap Mei Fan)

The superstar of the night and the main reason we dine at Oversea restaurant, the “lap mei fan” or Boiled Rice with Waxed Meat in Claypot. We topped up almost RM 60 from our set menu for this and it comes handsomely with one plate of waxed meat, Chinese sausage and Chinese Andouillette and boiled rice in a claypot.

While many Chinese restaurants usually mixed them together in a claypot or on a plate, there are a few good reasons for separating them. With the waxed meat on a plate, you can tell how much the portion of waxed meat, Chinese sausage and Chinese Andouillette and if you cook the meat together with the rice, the rice will absorb the oil from the meat and makes the rice oily.

The waiter will ask you whether you want to have them separately or mixed them together for you. It is your choice.

The waxed meat, Chinese sausage and Chinese Andouillette are imported from Hong Kong and they are unbelievable scrumptious! Chinese Andoillete is the dearest among the ingredients and it is a must have for “lap mei fan” lovers.

Crispy Chinese Pan Cake

Crispy Chinese Pan Cake

This is a traditional Chinese dessert with lotus paste filling inside the pan cake and deep fried to crispiness. It is addictive for sure.

Cold Pamelo Juice with Seaweed

Cold Pamelo Juice with Seaweed

Lastly, the feast ends with a unique dessert. It is cold pamelo juice with seaweed or (sea bird’s nest). This type of seaweed is extremely cheap in East Malaysia namely Sabah but I found cheap ones in Miri too.

The taste comes with hints of citrus and the seaweed is soft and tangy. Hence, it is not easy to cook this seaweed and remove its pungent smell.

Overall, this is the best Chinese New Year dinner set menu I have for 2014. The service is good and the food serving time is excellent too despite the madness of the festive crowd. The food taste is good and the portion is generous.

Parking for this restaurant is located opposite of the road and it is flat rate of RM 5. The open air parking lot is located right before the traffic light junction of Berjaya Times Square and the road to SMART tunnel and Pandan Jaya.

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Oversea Restaurant Imbi Opening Hours:

11.30 am – 2.30 pm

5.30 pm – 10.30 pm

Oversea Restaurant Imbi Address, Contact, Tel and Website:

84-88, Jalan Imbi,

55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Tel 603 – 2144 9911

Fax 603 – 2141 7741

Parking Facility Street / Parking Lot

Website: http://www.oversea.com.my/

Wilson Ng