I’ve always been a traditional, baked mooncake kinda guy.
I will take the old school lotus paste mooncake with yolk (double the happiness if it’s double yolk) over the snow skin variant anytime.
Suffice to say, those new fangled, fancy-ass [insert truffle/yuzu/earl grey] flavours have no place in my heart (and my stomach) during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
So my dear business colleague had to pardon my lack of interest when she asked me to review Eu Yan Sang’s Premium Bird’s Nest mooncakes.
I mean, isn’t that just another fancy-ass mooncake?
Boy, was I wrong.
The packaging
First things first, although this is a sponsored post, this review is 100 per cent honest.
Okay, back to regular programming.
When I first placed my calloused hands on the mooncake box, I was pleasantly surprised because it felt very much like leather.
The packaging’s gold trimmings and red drawer design added to the whole unboxing experience, even though I’m someone who’s more used to a no-frills, square tin box kinda design.
The first layer of the box housed two good looking traditional baked mooncakes and some fancy metal cutlery.
Photo by Melanie Lim
The imprint of the Chinese characters “燕” and “余仁生” on each mooncake added a classy touch and gave a hint of what one might look forward to after cutting and biting into the mooncakes.
Photo by Melanie Lim
I was about to open the box encasing the mooncake when I read this:
“Artisanal mooncake using premium quality ingredients. 100 per cent Eu Yan Sang Bird’s Nest, unbleached white lotus paste. No pork lard. Exclusive mooncake recipe. Less Sweet. Ideal gift for loved ones.”
As my mind drifted to the discovery of unbleached white lotus paste, I was jolted back to my senses by the words “ideal gift for loved ones”.
I have to admit, the package looked good as a gift and even better as a gift for business partners, whom I sadly do not have.
But if I do have business partners one day, I’m quite sure I will buy this for them.
Satisfied by the first layer of the box, I ventured into the second layer, where I had initially expected to see more mooncakes.
What greeted me instead were two bottles of Eu Yan Sang’s Majestic Premium Cave Bird’s Nest, adding some serious points to the overall premiumness of this experience.
Photo by Melanie Lim
I mean, I expected bird’s nest mooncakes but not bird’s nest bird’s nest.
The taste
As we all know, looks can be deceiving and the proof of the pudding (or mooncake) is in the eating – I was fully cognisant of that as I began my review.
In one bite, five words, here’s my mooncake review: Not cloying, can eat more.
Usually, traditional mooncakes have me raising the white flag after just half a mooncake because there’s just something about the greasiness and sweetness (apart from the calories) that puts me off.
Not for these mooncakes though.
The Eu Yan Sang Premium Bird’s Nest mooncake with orange peel was surprisingly very light, with its sweetness dialled down considerably – not surprising since Eu Yan Sang is all about taking care of your health.
Photo by Melanie Lim
Encased by a traditional baked crust and subtly sweet smooth white lotus lightly scented with orange peel, I “discovered” a generous heart of premium bird’s nest as I cut into the mooncake.
I later found out that the bird’s nest used in the mooncakes are handpicked by Eu Yan Sang’s team of bird’s nest specialists.
Nice.
I reckoned that I could eat at least one of these mooncakes at a go.
Then again, I could only be 99 per cent sure of this because my kids polished it off for me even before I could take a third bite.
I managed to steal a bite of the Red Dates White Lotus Bird’s Nest mooncakes before my kids took off with it.
Photo by Melanie Lim
Visual wise - the rich reddish hue of the red dates lotus paste complemented the translucent heart of bird’s nest and tastewise, the mellow sweetness of the red dates lotus paste matched the bird’s nest filling perfectly.
My only grouse? I wished I stole a bigger bite before my kids wolfed them all down. Again.
And you know what? This marks the first time Eu Yan Sang is launching mooncakes.
The obvious efforts that went into perfecting the bird’s nest mooncakes, packaging and the finishing touches, is evident of the brand’s desire to nail it right the right time round.
Next, I moved on to the Majestic Premium Cave Bird’s Nest – something my working-class palate is not quite used to tasting.
Photo by Melanie Lim
One swig, five words bird’s nest review: Luxurious, indulgent, smooth, fragrant, nice.
The last time I had bird’s nest was another lifetime ago.
While I have always wondered why folks would shell out top bucks for bird’s nest, I do know bird’s nest lovers swear by it for youthful beauty, better skin and lung health.
I took a swig, then a gulp, yet another and saw the bottom of the bottle. Dare I say, this stuff is pretty good.
Photo by Melanie Lim
This time, the kids had no chance. Dad 1: kids 1.
Perfect as a gift
Eu Yan Sang’s Premium Bird’s Nest mooncakes come in two unique flavours: Chen Pi aka Orange Peel and the Red Dates white lotus paste version.
Both are traditionally baked with reduced sugar lotus paste, and both flavours feature a core filling of premium bird’s nest.
According to my sources, premium quality red dates and orange peel were specially selected to form the base after extensive rounds of R&D to perfect the recipe.
Said Managing Director of Eu Yan Sang Singapore, Ms Serene Seow:
“The inspiration behind Eu Yan Sang’s Mid-Autumn Premium Bird’s Nest Mooncakes stems from the brand’s roots in tradition. Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional festival that has been cherished over generations. More than just a traditional delicacy, mooncakes symbolise families coming together to enjoy the special occasion, a time of just being together over the partaking of mooncakes and tea. The act of gifting mooncakes to our closest friends and relatives is also a gesture that expresses the cherishment of familial bonds.”
Indeed.
Eu Yan Sang’s Mid-Autumn gift sets are now available for purchase at all Eu Yan Sang stores and online.
Choose from gift sets that include two pieces of mooncakes with two bottles of Majestic Premium Cave Bird’s Nest or Superior Bird’s Nest Goji Berry Snow Fungus; mooncake lovers can choose from the “mooncakes only” gift sets.
Photo by Melanie Lim
Promo prices start from S$88 for Eu Reward Members and S$98 for Non-Members (Regular Price: S$138).
Click here to impress your business partners.
This sponsored post by Eu Yan Sang made the writer hungry for mooncakes. And bird’s nest.
Top images by Melanie Lim