Shangrila - Wedding Food Tasting (Hidden Meaning)

Wedding session is here again and I have lost count on the numbers of weddings I have attended this year. Chinese weddings are famous for it extensive 10 course dinner, where each course symbolizes something special. Let's try to figure out what each dish represents.

Shangrila Hot Cold Dish Combination - This plate usually consists of various meat and seafood. During our tasting, we were served 2 sliced abalones, 2 crab claws, yam nest with stir fried chicken and 3 slices of fish cakes. The Hot and Cold exhibit the Yin and Yang, symbolizing the balance of a new relationship.

Golden Pumpkin infused with Crab Meat and Dried Scallops - The appetizers is usually followed by a double boiled soup. The golden pumpkin indicates wealth, while the crab meats and dried scallops represent prosperity.

Deep Fried Boneless Chicken with Marmalade Sauce. Serving chicken denotes joy and celebration. Most of the restaurant will serve the entire chicken to connote completeness.

Eight Treasure Chicken in Gold Foil - We were given two choices of chicken to taste. I personally prefer the latter, as it is less fatty compared to the first chicken. Nevertheless, the bride and groom have decided to go with the fried chicken since there will be a lot of non-Chinese guests attending the wedding.

Vegetable Parcel topped with Wild Mushroom & Hokkaido Dried Scallop Gravy - The vegetable parcel symbolizes "money pouch", which translates into plenty of wealth and happiness.

Wasabi Prawn Salad and Grilled Buttered Prawn in "Bird Nest" - The big prawns represents liveliness.

Steamed Atlantic Cod Fish with Superior Soya Sauce. In Chinese, Fish means plentiful and abundance.

Glutinous Rice Wrapped in Lotus Leaf. While ordinary rice is the daily staple for Chinese people, glutinous rice is regarded as a bit of luxury in China and it is only eaten on special occasions such as a wedding reception. The grain of the glutinous rice tend to be whither and rounder compared to ordinary rice. It also tastes much sweeter. Glutinous rice are usually served in a Lotus Leaf.

A wedding reception will usually end with some red bean soup coupled with some pan fried lotus paste to wish the newlyweds a hundred year of togetherness. The sweet lotus paste symbolized fertility and many descendants. Nonetheless, we were charmed by the Baked Lychee Tart with Coconut Ice Cream. It was delicious.

The 10 course dinner which includes a bottle of white/red wine cost around RM2588++/ table. Overall the food was good and the plating was decent. Hopefully the quality of the food on that night will be equally flavorful.

Verdict: SOMEWHAT SMITTEN