Maju Palace

Despite the absence of pork, the food at Maju Palace is pretty satisfying _ but that’s no surprise, since it belongs to the Oriental group of restaurants.

Crab meat with pomelo sauce in whole oranges. A light, refreshing starter, with the tangy fruit nicely complementing the tender crab meat. Easy to scrape out.

Lobster broth in pumpkin. Naturally sweet, decadently creamy.

Soft-shell crab in ‘moneybag’ parcels. Warm and crisp; a fuss-free snack.

Empress Chicken. Superbly executed; the paste was juicy and aromatic, while the coating of almonds gave everything a pleasant crunch.

Braised bean curd with spinach & shimeiji mushrooms. Melts in your mouth, not on your spoon. Irresistible, really (and healthy too!).

Smoked farm chicken. Fairly flavorsome; in another meal, this could be the star of the evening, but it was eclipsed by the other more flamboyant dishes here.

E-fu noodles with mushrooms & veggies. Soft and slippery, but not greasy; went well with a hearty spoonful of crushed garlic on the side.

Peking Duck, Part I. Decent, but forgettable; not the best in town, that’s all.

Peking Duck, Part II. The only flop in this meal. Too salty to recommend.

Maju Palace,

Maju Junction, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.