CNY 2024: The most unique yee sang platters to toss this festive season

Customary at reunion dinners, yee sang is without a doubt one of the liveliest traditions when it comes to Chinese New Year celebrations. Typical yee sang platters are made of ingredients that are seen to be symbolic to welcome the new year, namely raw fish like salmon, julienned carrots, daikon, pomelo, roasted peanuts, sesame seeds, pillow crackers, five spice powder, and plum sauce. 

Auspicious wishes—such as the all-time favourite nián nián yǒu yú (read: may you have abundance year after year)—are also yelled aloud while tossing the dish, welcoming good luck and fortune for everyone at the table. Bringing things up a notch, restaurants and chefs have taken it upon themselves to put their own spins on the dish, elevating and remixing the typical yee sang that we know. 

Whether you’re on the hunt for yee sang that is constructed with high-end ingredients such as Australian lobster or embellished with unorthodox toppings, there are plenty of options on the market today. To help you with your quest for a unique yee sang, here is our roundup of the eight most unique platters available this season. 

 

Fifty Tales

Known for its refined yet heartwarming takes on classic home-cooked Chinese dishes, Fifty Tales is feeling the festive spirit with its limited Cincai Dinner menu dedicated to the Year of the Dragon. Taking centre stage on the menu is the special red snapper yee sang. Red snapper isn’t commonly seen on the top of yee sang, yet Fifty Tales does it justice by lightly curing it in a salt mix. Though the rest of the dish is seemingly simple, this yee sang has a multitude of dimensions to it as it combines a range of textures and familiar flavours. Ingredients include but are not limited to white turnips, radish, honey pomelo, coriander shoots, pickled ginger, and fried yam—which tie the whole dish together. The sauce is a sweet and savoury blend of plum sauce, hoisin sauce, a special five-spice mix from Penang, and other secret ingredients. 

50 Tales Yee Sang 

When: From 4 January to 26 February 2024 | 5.30pm to 10pm

Price: RM58 (half portion) | RM98 (full portion) | RM108 (takeaway) | pre-order when booking table required

Reservations: Website

 

Jade Pavilion

Presenting another yee sang lineup with a more unique fish combination is Jade Pavilion at Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur. The restaurant goes beyond fish slices and includes Alaskan scallops, 16-head abalone, and hokkigai in its yee sang offerings this year. Order the Alaskan scallops rendition for a sweet and briny bite to your yee sang or go for the hokkigai for a mild and fresh addition to your tosses. The abalone option is a great choice for anyone who prefers a more classic—yet luxurious—yee sang platter. 

Auspicious Yee Sang

When: From now until 29 February 2024

Price: From RM95 nett

Reservations: Call +603 2117 2823 | WhatsApp +6010 977 7833

 

Yun House, Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur

With yee sang being such a hallmark of Chinese New Year traditions, being able to customise your tossing experience would bring a special personal touch to your meal. At Yun House, not only do you get to choose from a range of high-end yee sang options, but you also get to add on toppings of your choice. The standout platter of the season here is the local mantis prawns with sliced black truffle yee sang. The mantis prawns offer some sweetness and crunch in your yee sang, while the black truffle brings an aromatic touch to each lou. Also, don’t miss its impressive add-on options such as Mexican two-head wild abalone, local T’lur caviar, and salmon belly.

Prosperity Yee Sang at Yun House

When: From 8 January to 24 February 2024

Price: From RM198 

Reservations: Website | Call +603 2382 8888 

 

Table & Apron

Embracing Malaysian flavours in its yee sang is neighbourhood favourite, Table & Apron. Perfectly capturing the diversity and vibrance of our local flavours, this yee sang features ulam raja and murukku alongside a medley of fresh ingredients. For protein, the yee sang uses cold smoked salmon slices by a local smokery. The dish is tied together with toasted coconut flakes and a plum sauce made with asam jawa, cherry compote, and spices. 

Table & Apron’s Prosperity Yee Sang

When: From 25 January to 25 February 2024

Price: RM98

Reservations: Website | Call +603 7733 4000 | WhatsApp +6018 3235 146 

 

Lai Po Heen, Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur

While seeing a whole lobster on yee sang isn’t uncommon, having it paired with another luxe ingredient—caviar in this case—is no ordinary sight. Chef Michael Wong of Lai Po Heen is pulling out all the stops this Chinese New Year, most notably with the MO Signature Yee Sang. The platter is truly a showstopper, topped with Australian lobster and caviar. These two luxe ingredients not only provide an element of opulence to your meal, but also add incredible flavours and texture profiles to each bite. While the MO Signature Yee Sang is the headliner of the season, the other yee sang options are also worth perusing for your festivities: sea urchin and tobiko; Australian abalone; butterfish, salmon, tuna, and chuka hotate; silver whitebait; and salmon. 

Chinese New Year yee sang at Lai Po Heen

When: From 28 January to 24 February 2024 | Lunch – 12pm to 2.30pm (weekdays) and 10.30am to 2.30pm (weekends) | Dinner – 6pm to 10.30pm, daily

Price: From RM168 (half portion) | From RM260 (full portion) | RM888 (MO Signature Yee Sang full portion)

Reservations: Call +603 2330 8888 | Email [email protected]

 

Nobu Kuala Lumpur 

Nobu Kuala Lumpur’s Japanese-centric approach to yee sang warrants it a spot on this list too. With mekajiki toro (swordfish) sashimi and salmon sashimi as its two toppings, this yee sang dish stays on the luxe side of things. Aside from the usual fix-ins, the platter is also embellished with green apple slices, a sesame biscuit disc, and caramelised almonds. To finish it all off, it is drizzled with a fresh plum wafu dressing. When tossed together, each bite of this yee sang will be a tangy and umami delight.

Nobu Kuala Lumpur yee sang

When: From 26 January to 17 February 2024 | 11am to 11.30am (Wednesdays to Sundays), 5.30pm to 6.30pm (Tuesdays to Sundays)

Price: RM250++

Reservations: Call +603 2380 0028 | WhatsApp +6019 389 5085

 

One&Only Desaru Coast

We’re used to seeing yee sang platters topped with glimmering slices of raw salmon and juicy strips of jellyfish, but have you seen one served with luxurious cuts of toro AKA tuna belly? Head to One&Only Desaru Coast to feast your eyes and your appetite on this seasonal special, available at its Ambara restaurant. The addition of tuna belly will provide rich and deliciously fatty flavours to each mouthful. For one night only on February 9, the Ambara team will be presenting the A Taste of Abundance reunion dinner menu including the toro yee sang. 

A Taste of Abundance reunion dinner at Ambara

When: 9 February 2024 | 6pm to 10pm

Price: From RM420+ per adult | RM120+ per child (five to 11 years old; children under four dine for free)

Reservations: Call +60 7878 3400 | Email [email protected]

 

Sunway Resort Hotel

Sunway Resort’s signature yee sang makes the list, thanks to its star ingredient, Canadian propeller clam. Amongst one of the lesser-known yee sang toppings, the clam is delicately sweet and has a pleasant bite to it. The platter is further complemented by the usual suspects of yee sang ingredients and pairs perfectly with a signature plum sauce. Other yee sang options at the resort include salmon with jellyfish and snow pear with jellyfish. If you want to bulk up your yee sang, go for one of the add-on choices like premium soft-shell crab and lobster. 

Chinese New Year yee sang

When: From 20 January to 24 February 2024

Price: From RM118 (medium) | RM168 (large)

Reservations: Call +603 7495 1403 | WhatsApp 019 221 9390

 

 

For more Chinese New Year 2024 stories, click here.