Steamed Live Garoupa

Wok Fried Shrimp in XO Sauce

Master Joseph Chau may be a renowned geomancer, but he probably did not predict that he would be seated at a table full of curious female writers. As soon as we arrive at Mandarin Oriental’s Tin Hau, we spy Master Joseph Chau being asked to sit at the table, and he happily obliges. We are excited to sample some of the dishes that will be served at Mandarin’s annual Chinese New Year celebration, but being seated next to a master geomancer adds something extra, for sure!

As a trio of appetizers arrive, so do the questions. What is the forecast for the Philippines in 2013? Will it be a good year for business? Why is this Peking Duck Roll so good? The last one is asked by us, silently, as we savor the crisp duck skin enveloped in a thin pancake. The hoisin sauce coats our tongue with its sweetness and the scallions add a bite towards the end. As we swallow, we realize that the balance of flavors is the answer. Curiously enough, Master Chau was also talking about balancing one’s dominant element with its opposing element. As a water dog born in winter, I chose to interpret that by digging into the Ngo Hiang Rolls. Tender and piquant with a whisper of five-spice powder, it goes well with the slightly spicy Szechuan Style Marinated Jelly Fish, an old favorite. Looks like we’re starting the meal, and the year, right!

The next source of fire comes from the Braised Assorted Seafood with Crab Roe and Tofu Soup. At this point, the talk around the table heats up, too. We hear words like “relationships”, “boys”, and “cougars” and see Master Chau attempting to answer too many questions at once, but we are too busy admiring the silky texture of the crab and the tofu in the soup. Of course, seafood has always been important in Chinese celebrations because it symbolizes many good things. As we drain our bowl of the taste and texture-filled soup, it’s easy to see why. If this soup were to be served in every celebration, we’d make it a symbol for all that is good, too.

The Wok-fried Prawns with X.O. Sauce quickly follows suit. Shrimps and prawns are said to represent liveliness, happiness, and well-being. The prawns on our plate look as if they had been lively, happy, and feeling a sense of well-being mere minutes ago. Such was their freshness. The sweetness of the prawns complements the complex, savory X.O. sauce. The vegetables add some crunch to the perfectly tender crustaceans, again, showing how important it is to achieve balance in everything.

The Steamed Live Garoupa that arrives next has been cooked in homemade soy sauce. As we marvel at the mildness of the soy sauce, and at how it never attempts to overpower the flavor of the fish, we find ourselves agreeing with Master Chau as he discusses the importance of getting rid of superfluous clutter. This fish is definitely a good example of that philosophy. Remove the unnecessary garnish, and you are left with the purity of fish, scallions and soy sauce. There’s a holy trinity, if there ever was one.

We have never been big fans of chicken, but Chef Hann Furn Chen may well change our opinion. The Poached Chicken with Spring Onion and Ginger Sauce is a classic in Chinese cuisine, but very few have mastered the art of keeping the chicken moist and tender. Each bite sings of the flavors of the aromatic ingredients, but the chicken’s natural flavor is not lost in the mix.

The next dish is another favorite. The Braised Black Moss and Bailing Mushrooms in Vegetables in Oyster Sauce may look a bit scary at first glance, owing to the appearance of the black moss, or hair vegetable. Some say that the black moss represents wealth, so we take the opportunity to ask Master Chau about our financial forecast for this year. It sounds good. That means more dishes with black moss for us. As with many ingredients in Chinese cooking, the black moss provides more texture than taste. Thankfully, the bailing mushrooms have an earthy, meaty taste that goes well with the oyster sauce.

Finally, the rice arrives. The Fragrant Rice with Dried Seafood Treasure in Lotus Leaf lives up to its name. Looking like a box full of treasures, the rice is heavily dotted with shrimps, vegetables and sausage. Rice is served at the end of the meal to make the diner feel very full. This is supposed to signify abundance, and truly, we feel blessed with the bounty of both earth and sea.

Dessert is accompanied by Master Chau’s predictions for various zodiac signs. The Sweetened Creamed Pumpkin alternates between sweetness and savoriness. The pumpkin’s flavor is accentuated by a hint of coconut milk, making it a rich concoction. The Glutinous Rice Dumpling with Sesame Paste appeals to the fried food lover in us, but it manages to retain the fried flavor without being too oily. Of course, it’s not Chinese New Year without tikoy! Mandarin Oriental has always been famed for its tikoy, and it’s easy to see why. It is sweet, without being cloyingly so. The stickiness is just right, and when it goes down, it does so lightly.

We regret that we are unable to finish Master Chau’s talk, but we are glad that we had a sneak peek at the table, and that we had the good fortune to eat a balanced Chinese meal, too.  From February 9 to 17, Prosperity menus will be offered at Tin Hau. Master Joseph Chau will conduct a Prosperity talk on February 12. These will be held in conjunction with the hotel’s annual iconic Chinese New Year festivities, and will be open exclusively to Tin Hau lunch and dinner diners at no charge.

Mandarin Oriental is located on Makati Avenue. Call 750 8888 for more information on Mandarin Oriental’s Chinese New Year festivities.