A Unique Xmas Eve Dinner - With Geoducks, Oysters and All ....

A short post, on a cool and lazy Friday morning ....

~~ THE XMAS EVE DINNER @ UNIQUE SEAFOOD ~~

Tis the season to be jolly .... no turkey ... but instead got us some geoduck, seafood and such ....

Mexico Geoduck Sashimi

Geoduck is a type of large clam living in salt water, boosting a rather .... obscene appearance. Ahem, I mean, just look at the size and structure of it. Refer 1st pic.

The texture of the meat is springy, with minimal hint of off-putting fishy taste commonly associated with clams. Eaten fresh and raw, the sliced meat of the siphon (neck) of the geoduck was served on a bed of shaved ice, and complemented by the accompanying Japanese soy sauce and wasabi for dipping.

If you're one who would squirm at the sight of something so un-cooked, armed with a pole in hand, no fret. Help's at hand ....

Steamboat of herbal soup base, with accompanying vegetables, tofu, and even noodles

Just slightly swish the piece of geoduck in the soup, and voila! Cooked meat in an instant, much akin to abalone in texture and flavour. But highly recommended to eat them raw though, to fully savour the bouncy texture and freshness of the meat.

Fresh Oysters on the Rocks, served with Lemon Wedges

It's Xmas eve, and some may wanna get down and dirty. Whoops, I meant, some may 'need' the extra zinc (or Zing!) in their (love)lives. Thus, raw oysters come to the rescue. Though a measly one piece won't do any good. Yet, I'm an oyster-addict, raw or baked with cheese, it's all green lights for me.

Boiled Live Tiger Prawns

Served with a garlic chilli sauce, and another plate of fiery dark chilli oil, the tiger prawns were fresh, and the flesh was sweet. But the sizes varied greatly, some S-size (more like a shrimp!), while some XL (mini slipper lobster-like). And they could've thrown in more, in the spirit of the holidays, generosity would be much appreciated. Some got one, some got two.

Crispy Roasted Chicken

Then things got downhill, sadly. The roasted chicken was NOT as crispy as claimed, and the meat was already cold, and far from tender. And I'm not referring to the breast meat even. With plum sauce, if I'm not mistaken.

Steamed Pak So Kong Teow Chew Style

Either Deep fried Soon Hock fish, or Pak So Kong steamed Teow Chew style. I was informed by the manager when I called and booked that they've ran out of Soon Hock. So left with no choice, we took up his offer on Steamed Pak So Kong.

A cheaper species compared to Soon Hock, the Pak So Kong came in a pair, with barely enough flesh to feed 10, let alone 13 of us. The set was for 10 pax, of course. The flesh reeks of muddy smell, a bane for fish lovers, and especially annoying when served in a restaurant of Unique's stature. The Teow Chew style of steaming did not save the fish in any way. Thumbs down.

Fried Rice

As we were seated in a VIP room, we were served by a rather attentive (if not obstructive) waiter, who even took great effort in scooping fried rice into the bowls for each and everyone of us. However, the rice was nothing to shout about, an everyday affair with no bells and whistles, even my grandma cooks better version. =P

Honey Sea Coconut with Longan

Dessert came in the form of extra-sweet Honey Sea Coconut with Longan, all from the cans, I suspect. Least we were not served fresh fruits platter, the easy way out for most restaurants. But they could've whipped up a (mini)storm and cooked some hot "tong sui" (sweet soup), or something special. The Chinese pancakes (Woh Peng) I had some time ago in Unique would be a welcome replacement.

The Special Geoduck and Oyster promo set is priced at RM398+ for 10 pax. Not exorbitant, yet not really enticing, given the choices. The meal came to roughly RM454, for the towels, nuts, and Chinese tea for all.

P/S : Funny celebrating Xmas eve with a seafood dinner at a Chinese restaurant? Hahahaha .... The very next day, me and my family had our Xmas lunch at a Japanese restaurant. Talk about irony .... ;)

Location : Restoran Perak Unique Seafood No 5, Persiaran Lagoon Sunway 1, 31150 Ipoh, Perak. Tel 05-5486010 / 016 2615622