Elite Seafood

SETTING

Situated along Jalan Kemajuan in the heart of PJ, the restaurant is easy enough to find. Parking is limited unless you park along the main road the restaurant faces, but a jockey service is available for RM7 and effectively solves this problem. On stepping into the premises, one is immediately reminded of a classy yet typical Chinese restaurant ambience. From the head server to the décor, the uniformed wait staff to the table clothed chairs, everything emanates an unmistakable aura of good service and good food to come. Which means it’s a venue that’s appropriate for family and group dinners. Add to that the vast hall, and you’ve got a more than suitable venue for holding weddings and grand gala dinners. The tables are spaced well enough apart, the lighting conducive and air-conditioning just right.

FOOD

Naturally, marine-based meats and delicacies are the highlight here, seeing that this is a seafood restaurant after all. An aside is the unadulterated freshness and variety of marine creatures available, which are all sourced from its sister company – Unique Seafood – which is conveniently situated two doors down from here. If you’re unsure of what sea creature you wish to savour, the head wait staff is more than happy to oblige you with a ton of suggestions and cooking styles to go with it, and may even suggest taking a walk down the many rows of tanks in Unique Seafood to stumble upon some inspiration.

You can’t go wrong with fish, a Chinese seafood restaurant staple. Here, it can be cooked in a whopping 12 different styles, but do try it steamed in the signature Nyonya style. The fish is split in half, then laid on a hotbed awash with Nyonya gravy; the sauce is a well-balanced blend of tanginess, sourness, sweetness and heat that goes delightfully well with the fresh and lightly firm meat.

Likewise, diners can choose whatever cooking style to their liking for all other marine creatures on offer. Prawns are great Nestum-style – deshelled and deep-fried with generous oatmeal flakes awash over the good-sized prawns. Accompany the meal with soups, specifically the double-boiled chicken soup with fish maw. Served in single-serving porcelain bowls, the clear soup is tasty and nourishing.

Try the Hong Kong kai lan in two varieties for the greens. It is cooked in two ways, with the leaves shredded and deep-fried while the stems lightly stir-fried. The dish is garnished with fried tiny anchovies. Flavourful and generously portioned, the overall crunch factor for this is over the top! If you wish for an additional dish to accompany the meal, but something not too meaty, the braised tofu with vegetables is a good choice. Served in a claypot, the homemade tofu has spinach on one side and is complemented with mushrooms, carrots and tasty chunks of siew yoke (roasted pork).

Save the house speciality for last. The braised abalone in special sauce is fresh as the sea, its texture just nicely so, every bite giving a good mouthfeel without being overly chewy. Diners can choose from different quality and price points for the abalone; again, the head wait staff is knowledgeable and more than happy to assist diners on this.

A refreshing end to the feast, the double-boiled longan sea coconut is sweet yet cooling with its slices of sea coconut and heaps of longan.

DRINKS

The restaurant has a respectable wine list, evenly split between whites and reds, with one sparkling on offer. They are from many of the top wine producing nations such as France, Italy, Spain, Australia, Chile and Argentina, though wine by the glass is not offered. Price per bottle starts from over RM100.

SERVICE

Service is impeccable here. For newbies to the restaurant who aren’t familiar with the menu, fret not because the head wait staff is very knowledgeable with every item on offer and even those not listed on the menu. Extra points to them for expertly recommending the appropriate portion sizes and the best way to cook certain meats and dishes. Additional points too for taking the time to explain any dish or things diners weren’t sure of. Wait staff are prompt and efficient when clearing plates and refilling of drinks (even if it’s just plain water and Chinese tea).

PRICE

The bill came up to about RM650 for three adults and a kid. As far as Chinese restaurants go, this is a reasonable price, taking into consideration the exotic marine-based delicacies that were ordered, the quality, freshness and taste of the food and the excellent service. Ordering plates to share is highly recommended because even the so-called ‘small’ sized portions are pretty generous. Having said that, the restaurant has of a variety of other menus such as the individual set menu, set lunch menu and wedding menu as well.