A couple weeks ago I was invited to Di Wei Chinese Restaurant at Empire Hotel to sample their mooncakes for the upcoming Mid-Autumn festival as well as a few of their new fish dishes.

It was my second time visiting this rather classy non-halal Chinese restaurant, with the first time sampling some alcohol product that was never brought into the country commercially (Yuzu!), hence the lack of prior blog entry.

Di Wei Chinese cuisine restaurant at Empire Hotel, Subang Jaya
Di Wei Chinese cuisine restaurant at Empire Hotel, Subang Jaya

The restaurant is accessible from the hotel as well as directly from the top floor of the shopping mall. Like most Chinese restaurants, Di Wei carries a pretty decent selection of dishes, from bbq meat, traditional double boiled soup, dried seafood such as abalone and sea cucumber, live seafood, beef, pork, chicken, duck, beancurd, egg, vegetable dishes as well as fried rice and noodle.

On our review session, we sampled three new fish dishes as well as their mooncakes.

Braised Marble Goby Fish with Iced Beancurd and Pork Belly
Braised Marble Goby Fish with Iced Beancurd and Pork Belly

First dish was braised marble goby fish with iced beancurd and pork belly (RM 168++ per portion).

Marble goby is one of the most prized freshwater fish for its smooth texture and layering meat. The usual preparation method usually by steaming, but the chef at Di Wei decided to deep fry the fish and braise with special sauce with addition of pork belly and iced beancurd.

The beancurd, being frozen prior has many air pockets that soaks up the sauce, which makes for an interesting way to enjoy the dish. The fish did not lose it’s original taste with the deep frying process, but gained extra smoothness from pork belly. I love it.

Steamed Seabass in Assam Sauce
Steamed Seabass in Assam Sauce

Next up was steamed seabass in assam sauce (RM 122++ per 100 gram). It was basically a high class version of asam fish that is quite common in many Chinese restaurants, with seabass doing the major lifting in the quality department. This dish should be consumed quickly if served in the heated bowl, as the heat may otherwise overcook the fish over time.

Pan Fried Giant Grouper with Soy Sauce
Pan Fried Giant Grouper with Green Apple Sauce

Pan fried giant grouper with green apple sauce (RM 23++ per 100 gram) is a dish that may not get approval for giant grouper lovers who love to have this fish the traditional way – steamed with superior soya sauce.

I tend to agree, but pan frying the fish gives the skin a new and exciting texture to ponder about, with the addition of apple sauce making it pretty interesting. It is a bold attempt no doubt, but one that hasn’t surpass the traditional cooking method of this prized seafood yet, I’m afraid.

traditional baked mooncakes, RM 18-23 each
traditional baked mooncakes, RM 18-23 each

So then, lets move to mooncakes.

The traditional mooncakes from Di Wei we sampled are as follow:

  • pandan lotus single yolk
  • white lotus single yolk
  • black sesame single yolk
  • pure lotus single yolk
  • red bean
  • bamboo charcoal single yolk

My favorite being the bamboo charcoal and white lotus single yolk, and my complain is - why not double yolks? or even better, quadruple yolks?

snow skin mooncakes, RM 18-23 each
snow skin mooncakes, RM 18-23 each

As for snow skin mooncakes that are best chilled, we had the following:

  • snow skin white lotus single yolk
  • snow skin green tea single yolk
  • snow skin black sesame single yolk
  • snow skin bamboo charcoal single yolk

I like them all, but my favorites were black sesame and bamboo charcoal versions.

Di Wei's 3 meat platter
Di Wei’s 3 meat platter

Since mooncakes and three dishes of fish weren’t exactly fulfilling enough to our collective stomachs, we ordered Di Wei’s three meat platter as extra (small – RM40++, medium – RM60++, big – RM80++).

The BBQ pork (chasiu) was perhaps not the best I’ve had, but the roast duck very good, and roast pork turned out to be really excellent.

So if you’re into mooncakes, Di Wei offers some excellent choices, and for good quality fish in some non traditional cooking style, this is also a place you should check out.

Empire Mall map

Address:
Di Wei
L1, F20 & F21 

Empire Hotel, Jalan SS16/1,
Subang Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan
GPS: 3.082109, 101.582716
Tel: 03-5565 1228

KY eats – Fish and Mooncakes at Di Wei Chinese Cuisine Restaurant, Empire Hotel
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13 thoughts on “KY eats – Fish and Mooncakes at Di Wei Chinese Cuisine Restaurant, Empire Hotel

  • September 5, 2014 at 5:34 am
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    Oooooo…the 3-meat platter! I’d have that anytime over the mooncakes. Looks good.

    Reply
    • September 8, 2014 at 9:45 am
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      suituapui: can’t fault you on that!

      Reply
  • September 5, 2014 at 11:09 am
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    Green tea and Bamboo Charcoal snow skin look awesome!

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    • September 8, 2014 at 9:45 am
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      Ken: yah, really love the bamboo charcoal.

      Reply
  • September 5, 2014 at 1:41 pm
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    I find them dishes interesting but overpriced.

    Honestly,
    will you dine there if you have to pay for your food?

    Reply
    • September 8, 2014 at 7:29 am
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      wah, ah piak piak is challenging uncle, wat is uncle’s reply???

      Reply
    • September 8, 2014 at 9:45 am
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      PPKia: that’ll depend on occasions!

      Reply
  • September 5, 2014 at 6:04 pm
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    KY, great fishes dishes starter. I like the deep fried and braise fish the sauce coat the crust well on it. I notice you did not get mixed nuts mooncake. It the most costly one due many ingredients use to make.

    Reply
    • September 8, 2014 at 9:46 am
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      Vickie: I actually don’t like mixed nuts mooncake so much, mostly due to the fact that I’m getting my braces done and there are gaps in my teeth right now that makes eating nuts a not too pleasant affair.

      Reply
      • September 8, 2014 at 6:22 pm
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        KY, sorry about that. My sister and I had nice at the Moon Festival in San Francisco Chinatown and won some prizes at the games and got some free mooncakes. Boy the place was packs full of people walking around was not easy for sure.

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        • September 10, 2014 at 9:54 am
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          Vickie: haha nothing to be sorry about. We had a nice mooncake festival over a friend’s place too, with home cooked noodle and great company.

          Reply
    • September 10, 2014 at 9:55 am
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      The Yum List: I do too, only problem is you have to keep them in fridge.

      Reply

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