Unconventional meals to celebrate Chinese New Year with friends

After the flurry of celebrations and near over-indulgence, I rounded up some friends at the Dining Terrace of The Exchange TRX for a palate cleanser

Traditional Chinese dishes eaten during Chinese New Year produce some amazing meals, but maybe you’re looking for something different and refreshing—especially if your yee sang count is in the double digits.

To increase the diversity of my recent palate, I headed over to The Exchange TRX over the Chinese New Year holidays and had a few not-so-conventional festive meals on the Dining Terrace. Let’s face it, although delicious, over-indulgence is a common occurrence during this period of time, and was definitely the case for me.

After the majority of the first wave of celebrations completed, I rounded up some friends and indulged (in moderation) in some meals that nodded to the celebrations in theme, while also providing some much-needed relief from the traditional Chinese dishes.

In case you missed it: Chinese New Year 2025: Festive flicks to get into the spirit of the celebration

Quivo

Above Duck Pizza at Quivo

Above The Golden Emperor Chicken Burger at Quivo

Duck Pizza at Quivo

1 / 2

Quivo at The Exchange TRX is a vibrant, modern spot, complete with a DJ booth, and their special Chinese New Year menu had plenty to try. The Golden Emperor Chicken Burger and Great Wall-gyu Burger, both towering and generous, brought an interesting medley of flavours encapsulated between fresh homemade brioche buns. A highlight was their Prosperity Duck Pizza, with tender morsels of duck scattered on a crisp base, topped with a flurry of fresh herbs, bringing a great brightness and florality to the fatty duck.

Quivo

Address: L2.49.0, Level 2, The Exchange TRX, Persiaran TRX, Imbi, 55188 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur. +6011 1579 9350

Las Meninas

Above Duck Paella at Las Meninas

Above Sangria at Las Meninas

Duck Paella at Las Meninas

1 / 2

The beautiful, bright interior of Las Meninas captured the essence of a Barcelona fiesta to continue the festive feel seamlessly. This is a great spot for sharing tapas and sangria; I tried out their signature Paella De Pato (Duck Paella). Made traditionally, topped with fresh herbs and duck, it’s a great dish that perfectly complements their refreshing Mandarin Orange Sangria, made to share.

Las Meninas

Address: Dining Terrace, Menara Exchange, L2T.07.0 & L2T.07E.0, Level 2, 106, Lingkaran TRX, Tun Razak Exchange, 55188 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur. +6011 4004 3466

Cafe Colombo

Above Duck Biryani at Cafe Colombo

Duck Biryani at Cafe Colombo

1 / 2

The smell of freshly ground spices immediately envelopes you as you walk into Cafe Colombo, past their appam stall where freshly made appams are made to order. Their usual signature dishes include aromatic curries, biryani, as well as their thali platter.

For the Lunar New Year, I shared the Prosperity Duck Biryani, presented in the traditional style in a handi, the traditional vessel to cook biryani, sealed with dough to allow for a moist, flavourful biryani. The dish was served with a great array of accoutrements, and I paired it with devilled lotus root, a refreshing raita, and other sauces.

Cafe Colombo

Address: L2T.08.0 & L2T.09.0, Level 2, Dining Terrace, Menara Exchange, 106, Lingkaran TRX, Tun Razak Exchange, 55188 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur. +6012 763 1596

Elementary

Above Salted egg lotus root at Elementart

Above Roast Duck at Elementary

Salted egg lotus root at Elementart

1 / 2

Decked out in red lanterns and vintage South Asian inspired posters, at Elementary I was transported into a typical London pub, embellished with pops of red. A live carving station by the entrance greeted me, complete with traditional hanging roast ducks for their exclusive Chinese New Year offering.

A riff off a typical roast you’d find on Sundays in a pub, a few protein options were available, including the roast duck with hoisin jus, Sichuan pepper beef striploin, roast chicken, and Chimichurri leg of lamb. To complete the plate, there was wok fried broccoli, Yorkshire peking pudding, and a personal favourite, salted egg lotus root chips.

Elementary

Address: L2T.10.0, 2nd Floor, Dining Terrace, The Exchange TRX, Menara Exchange, 106, Lingkaran TRX, Imbi, 55188 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur. +6011 4004 3751

NOW READ

Iconic dining duos: How these three business partners maintain a healthy working relationship

Chinese New Year 2025: 7 elegant red furniture pieces that will last beyond the festive season

12 new restaurants, cafés, and bars in Malaysia to visit in February 2025

Credits

Photography: Courtesy of respective restaurants

Keandra H'ng

Writer, Dining & Travel, Tatler Malaysia

Keandra's expertise lies within writing deep dives into the culture and anthropology of food, sometimes with a philosophical twist. With a background in London's F&B consultancy scene, she's excited to be back in KL to champion the local dining scene.