Restaurant review: YAN @ National Gallery (City Hall) - Dim Sum Lunch with signature Peking duck

27/08/19

Came here for a dim sum lunch with my family at 1330H as the restaurant was offering off-peak vouchers with a discount of 30% through Chope. It is located on the fifth floor of the National Gallery. Leading up to the restaurant, you will pass by a beautiful garden with the Supreme Court in the background, beautiful scenery.

As the restaurant is quite spacious lengthwise, it is quite difficult to miss it and you will be greeted with a minimalistic exterior, decorated only by the restaurant's intricate logo.

The interior of the restaurant is vibrant, draped in red and gold with the sides of the restaurant lined with circular tables and sofas.

Even their chopsticks are well-designed

Their dim sum menu can be found on Chope through this link or you can find their full menu on their website. I took a picture of their Bicentennial menu below, in case it is taken down from their website.

Only available from 01/07/19 to 31/08/19

Some spicy peanuts were served at the start of the meal at $1++ / pax, these were really tasty and a good change to the typical braised peanuts found at most Chinese restaurants. We tried most of their dim sum excluding their dim sum specials but including their Bicentennial National Day Specials. As it was YAN's signature and we're a big fan of Peking Duck (Who isn't?), we had to get it as well ($45 for half). At this point, I should add that the service was really good. After asking if I could film them preparing the Peking duck, they readily shifted their area of work to one with better lighting while waiting for a few seconds at times for me to take pictures though unbeknownst to them, I was taking a video :)
Yàn Peking Roast Duck served with Homemade Crêpe & Traditional Garnishes ($45 for half; 2nd course was served with the duck meat by itself hence no extra charge for the 2nd course)

The meat itself was tender but could have been more moist

The roasted Peking duck (was what you would expect with the meat of the duck being moist and more tender than average. Overall, it was quite tasty. After which, we ended the meal on a sweet note with the traditional Deep-fried Chinese Pancake filled with Red Bean Paste ($14++).

Loaded with sesame seeds, thick subtly sweet red bean filling

Dim Sum

1) Steamed Fresh Prawn Dumplings (4 pcs) ($8++)

'Har Gau'

Inside was too dry but I like the fresh, juicy and plump prawns

2) Steamed Pork and Prawn Dumplings topped with Fish Roe (4 pcs) ($8++)

Surprisingly good; Loaded with meat and mushrooms

3) Steamed Xiao Long Bao with Minced Pork and Premium Stock (4 pcs) ($5.80++)

Very rich umami broth with lots of pork meat

Lots of broth within with a thin slice of carrot beneath it

4) Steamed Longevity Buns with Barbequed Pork (3 pcs) ($6++)

Thick pieces of char siew within a soft bun but would have preferred a thicker char siew glaze and slightly more meat

5) Deep-fried Beancurd Sheets with Shrimps and Chives (3 pcs) ($6.80++)

Not oily

6) Steamed Salted Egg Yolk Custard Buns (3 pcs) ($6++)

Generous amount of filling that was thick, saltish and sweet

Bicentennial Specials

1) Steamed Xiao Long Bao with Bak Kut Teh Stock (4 pcs) ($5.80++)

Bak kut teh broth had lots of flavour but would have preferred it to be more peppery; Huge portion of meat within

2) Deep-fried Mutton Satay Spring Roll (3 pcs) ($6.80++)

Again, not too oily; Like the satay sauce as well which was loaded with peanut flavour and again, was not overly oily

Really flavourful mutton, not too gamey

3) Pan-fried Singapore Chilli Crab Meat Buns (3 pcs) ($9++)

The sesame seeds surrounding the entire bun added another dimension of flavour

Thick chili crab paste with a very strong zesty lime taste

4) Steamed Carrot Cake with Chinese Sausage, Dried Shrimp and Radish ($5.80++)
Sorry, no pictures for this but it is served in a cylindrical bowl and looked something like porridge but with a much thicker consistency.
5) Steamed Hainanese Chicken with Sticky Rice wrapped in Lotus Leaf (1 pc) ($4++)

The sauces were really good, particularly the ginger but felt that there was too little Hainanese chicken

Overall, I found their dim sum a hit-and-miss affair. I liked their unique creations such as the Steamed Carrot Cake with Chinese Sausage, Dried Shrimp and Radish ($5.80++), Deep-fried Mutton Satay Spring Roll (3 pcs) ($6.80++). Some of the traditional dim sum fared quite well as well - Steamed Pork and Prawn Dumplings topped with Fish Roe (4 pcs) ($8++) and Steamed Xiao Long Bao with Minced Pork and Premium Stock (4 pcs) ($5.80++).
Their fried dim sum items including the dessert, Deep-fried Chinese Pancake filled with Red Bean Paste ($14++) were thankfully not too oily.

However, other dishes could be improved and were average at best.
Steamed Longevity Buns with Barbequed Pork (3 pcs) ($6++) - Could have had a fluffier and thinner exterior as the bun-to-meat ratio was too much. The bun was felt a bit too dense. There were thick pieces of char siew within the bun as well but would have liked more filling and a thicker glaze.Steamed Fresh Prawn Dumplings (4 pcs) ($8++) - Could have been more moist though the prawn was plump and tasted fresh
Steamed Xiao Long Bao with Bak Kut Teh Stock (4 pcs) ($5.80++) - Had lots of flavour but would have preferred it to be more peppery else I would not have identified this as Bak Kut Teh.

Having tried countless dim sum including renowned restaurants located in Ipoh, I would say that this restaurant serves above average dim sum but definitely not near the top of my list. I would definitely not pay original price for this but may come back again with the discount for the lovely ambience and prompt service.

Price: 5/10 (Without any discount; Passed due to its central location and the ambience)
Taste: 6/10 (Won't say that there will be much I can recommend to others if I come here again)
Ambience: 8.5/10
Overall: 6/10 (Nice place to come for a special occasion or just to try out some of their unique creations but I will probably patronise another Chinese restaurant instead)