Gong Xi! Gong Xi!
I know it’s pretty early for Chinese New Year wishes but hey, Guinness Malaysia kick-started the festivities as early as mid-January – and so will I! Talk about being excited, eh? Woots!
Awesome festive decor that greeted me inside.
Tonight, we welcome the Year of the Goat in a bold and auspicious manner this festive season with GUINNESS®, Malaysia’s favourite stout.
Bringing the tradition back this year, brands and media (We are, after all like family & friends in the industry, right?) gather together and partake in a ‘reunion dinner’ feast signifying longevity, harmony, peace, happiness, and prosperity for the year ahead. 
In marking this auspicious time of year, GUINNESS® has teamed up with the Grand Imperial Group of restaurants to create a special GUINNESS® banquet menu, available at all 6 Grand Imperial restaurants across Malaysia.
I’ve personally been to a Grand Imperial restaurant before, for a friend’s wedding. 
The food there? Top-notch, if I do say so myself.
Festive decor fills the air in Grand Imperial, Bangsar Shopping Centre
Love all things festive!
Guinness’ media & VIP Chinese New Year dinner began with a speed Chinese calligraphy performance by a dear friend Haze.
So proud of her! Keep doing the artsy things you do, girl.
I had no idea you could write in Chinese! Okay, now I feel a tad inadequate. LOL 
Can anybody tell me what this means? 🙁
I assume it says Happy Chinese New Year?
Guinness directors stamping a traditional Chinese seal, to complete the work of art.
Official picture. Fantastic how everyone is dressed so aptly to suit the occasion!
Of course, I made sure I looked the part too.
Wore a Cheongsam top with a high waisted skirt and bright pink heels.
If you’re wondering why my Cheongsam top doesn’t look like a Cheongsam top, it was because my Mandarin collar’s button decided to snap a mere 3 hours before the event. 🙁 Drats.
Let the Guinness festivities begin!
With my mates, ready to celebrate CNY – Guinness style!
But first let me take a selfie 😉 Bryna & I.
A brew rich, full, and flavoursome, GUINNESS® is the perfect beer to savour throughout the holiday period, accompanying good food and good times with friends and family. 
Typically, Chinese New Year feasts are synonymous with a round table x red cloth combination. Here are my round table mates with fellow bloggers & media!
For our dining pleasure, 8 sumptuous courses are paired with GUINNESS® stout served in different ways to complement and bring out the full flavours of each dish, providing a tantalising sensation for the tastebuds befitting the spirit of prosperity and celebration of the New Year festivities.
With no surprise, let me introduce the starter of every Chinese New Year dinner!
Yee Sang with Silver Fish!
Toss it as high as you can for prosperity, longeivity & auspiciousness!
Us ravaging the Yee Sang. Louuuu ahhhhh!!! 😀
Next up – Braised Bird’s Nest with Fresh Crab Meat.
I was so glad it wasn’t Shark Fin’s Soup!
It’s great that more and more restaurants are supporting the cause of shark-saving.
The soup was delicious and hearty! I finished it in a jiffy. 
While waiting for the next dish to arrive, my fellow blogger buddies took the chance to catch up and of course, take selfies. 😉
The next dish that arrived was another popular dish in Chinese dinner banquets.
I apologize in advance to all my Muslim readers, as this is a non-halal dish.
Roasted Whole Suckling Pig.
Admittedly, while I’m not much of a pork-fan myself, my mates at the table loved it to bits. It’s crispy skin was much talked about.
Less man more share, eh? It’s a good thing I’m not eating it – more for you guys to savour! 😀 😀
Random selfie while everyone else gobbles down the piglet.
Accessories by The Wild Things. I’m also wearing their inspired Pandora charm bracelet.
You can’t see it in this picture but let’s see if you can spot it in the rest of my pictures!
P/S: Look them up for beautiful handmade fashion pieces.
The next dish made me a very happy girl.
Yup – Jessicat loves her fish!
Traditional Style Steamed Golden Pomfret
This is absolute love! I devoured this like a starved cat. LOL
As usual, pair everything with a glass of Guinness!
What came as the next meal certainly made an impression.
You may not notice it now but…
Fresh Water King Prawn in Casserole
What’s so special and impressive about this dish, you ask?
Well… let’s just say, size DOES MATTER. 😉
It was a big as my head… and mind you, I don’t have a tiny head.
Everyone was amazed at how sizable these King Prawns were.
What have they been feeding on? WOW. Two thumbs up! 
The next dish looks vegetarian but it’s actually not. Enter:
Braised Sliced Abalone with Black Moss and Dried Oyster
I enjoy the way Grand Imperial finds ways to surprise us with their menu.
When this dish first arrived, only the meats & vegetable portion came. We were wondering what dish this is supposed to be? 
As most restaurants, if not all, served their claypot rice in one giant bowl with the the rest of the ingredients.
A minute later, the claypot rice came! All in individual bowls, portioned perfectly.
Claypot Rice with Chinese Sausage (Lap Cheong) & Dried Meat – Hong Kong Style
Like we did tonight, diners will experience GUINNESS® in ways in which they may not have tried before, unlocking the complex flavour profiles of the bold beer.
Surprisingly refreshing when served at sub-zero temperatures, moving to full and rich when served warm, the GUINNESS® Master Brewers and team of Grand Imperial chefs have painstakingly matched each course and serving style to create the perfect pairing.
My cute little bowl.
Hopped over to the next table to have a Guinness toast with my fellow blogger pals!
I was really stuffed but hey, don’t we all have an extra stomach for dessert? 😉
We were served not one, but two desserts!
Chilled Fresh Mango Puree with Sago & Pomelo.
This was such a refreshing dessert!
It was smooth, sweet and bursting with the prominent taste of fresh mangoes!
Please sir, may I have some more? 😛
Deep Fried Nian Gao & Sweet Potato Pastries
I enjoyed the sweet potato pastries so much!
The pastry melted in my mouth upon contact and the aroma of sweet potato was an absolute delight.
Gong Xi Fa Chai to all!
You’ve made us extra happy (and extra prosperous LOL) & beyond satisfied tonight.
Tonight’s CNY dinner was definitely crafted to perfection.
As you can clearly see, each dish has been designed not only to match and enhance the accompanying GUINNESS®, but is imbued with meaning and tradition, symbolising longevity, harmony, peace, prosperity, and happiness in the coming year.
Thank you for having me, dear Guinness Malaysia & Grand Imperial!
You’ve set the bar high and made the first of many CNY feasts to come a pleasurable one.
Click on here where I visited the House of Guinness, the Phat Barrels in Publika KL.
————————————————
For more information on Guinness Malaysia & Grand Imperial Group of Restaurants:
Look them up on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/guinnessmalaysia
If you’re keen to celebrate your Chinese New Year reunion dinner with your friends, family or even with your colleagues for a company dinner, my CNY dinner tonight is called the Special Guinness New Year Banquet Menu and is priced at RM1888 nett.
Enjoy! And Gong Hei Fatt Choi to you and you and you! 😀
Hi! Welcome to TheJessicat.com - an urban lifestyle blog established since 2005, written from the perspective of a Malaysian blogger. Discover the latest and all that the city has to offer! Do bear with her occasional rants & musings though. Happy reading! ❤
104,253 views
Leave a Comment