Text Raina Ng | Photography Loy Seng Kit, SK

Chinese culinary art is hardly practiced by small to medium-sized restaurants claiming to serve Cantonese cuisine, but with a team of expert chefs from Canton, China, Guan Di provides patrons with the luxury
of such a cuisine. With an evolving menu and carefully named dishes, the head chef’s creativity and skill is utilised fully at this cosy restaurant in Kota Damansara and serving dishes with names that make you
feel like you are dining with the emperor himself, dining at Guan Di does make you feel as if you have dined at an official’s residence in Canton.

Uninspired was I for lack of creativity in the fast food that has been going through my belly in the past few weeks, and unexpectant of much, I walked into quite an ordinary Chinese restaurant, which was decorated tastefully without the usual eye-catching pains that are gaudy or awkward. The neutral tones calmed me down from the crankiness I felt creeping up my back due to the ridiculously scorching heat outside. I noticed the usual marble top tables and wooden chairs, and the usual wooden shelves that are filled with
china. Invited to a table upstairs I trudged up the stairs and was greeted by a wooden plague with the Chinese characters ‘Guan Di’ and Chinese scrolls. I was immediately coaxed into forgetting that I was in Kuala Lumpur, trying to satiate my hunger and escape the heat. My eyes and ears tricked myself into half believing such and I allowed my imagination to run wild. Of course my imagination is limited with my half-baked knowledge of Chinese history but nevertheless the food that mingled with my taste buds did carry me further into this historically, and probably, geographically incorrect scenario of dining with the Justice Bao himself.

The not so Chinese wait-staff poured me a cup of “tai mak cha” or roast barley tea which had a smoky, coffee-like flavour as the food orders were made. Served first with the sugar-cane prawn which was crisp, fragrant and fresh, my appetite returned to me and all expectations were raised for a series of well-presented, creatively designed, well-cooked, quality food.

The egg-plant stuffed with minced pork was a delicacy for any egg-plant lover. The sauce was not overbearing, allowing for the flavours of the egg plant to be a part of the mouthful I had. The sizzling beef was a tasty combination of leek, garlic, red pepper, onion, and beef schnitzel, served on a hot plate. Not letting myself get carried away with the excitement due to my satisfaction with its taste, I slowly chewed my food while savouring its taste, quite gracefully.

I cannot but rave about the braised tofu in pumpkin. The home made egg-tofu pieces were just the right consistency and the soft pumpkin provided a full and whole flavour as I took a mouthful of the dish. Made with minimal flavourings or added sauces, each individual ingredient enhanced the taste of the other creating a full combination and a flavoursome dish. Wide-eyed I found myself for once delighted, voluntarily, in a healthy and wholesome dish. Guan Di’s chefs are skilled specially in using fruits in their dishes. The stir-fried mixed vegetable was served in watermelon skin. The dish included rock melon, stir-fried with a combination of gingko nuts, celery, seafood and cashew nuts. It was fresh and simple, in the sense that no extra flavouring was needed to satisfy my demanding taste buds. Vegetables, nuts and fruits, a wholesome and flavourful mix in itself, quite a pleasant surprise for one who is so used to dunking my food in chillies and sauces.

The Beijing garoupa is a dish with a Szechuan influence. The head and tail of the Garoupa is first removed and steamed, and the body of the fish is filleted and fried. The combination is pieced back together, quite nicely, onto a dish and topped with coriander, chilli and a spicy sauce. This dish was created by the chefs that were keen to celebrate the Beijing Olympics, and is now a popular dish among Guan Di’s patrons.

With my meal over and my imaginings of the Justice fading, I lingered at the wooden basin washing my hands. Curious as to what other dishes Guan Di offered I notice that set lunches are available to the working lunch crowd from RM 9.90 onwards. Cantonese egg-noodles with roast pork are one of the dishes offered in the set lunch. Walking back into reality, I was still calm and satisfied, probably because I felt like I had not just a holiday, but a mini excursion to a luxury meal with the Chinese officials. Ah, the sweet workings of imagination, and of course a satisfied belly, and adequately satiated taste buds.