This article is part of my 2019 Cameron Highlands trip series.
Special thanks to Copthorne Cameron Highlands for extending this food review invitation.
Millennium Garden is a Chinese restaurant in Copthorne Cameron Highlands. The eatery is located at Level 2, which is directly above Coffee Shop and next to Teratak Spa. Arriving customers are greeted by a red-and-gold phoenix emblem at its entrance.
Millennium Garden specializes in authentic Cantonese, Teochew and Sichuan cuisines. The restaurant features an opulent setting with panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. Alternatively, there several smaller rooms for diners who prefer some privacy.
The cool weather in Cameron Highlands makes steamboat a particularly delightful meal. Two types of soup are typically served at Millennium Garden: clear soup and tom yam soup. The latter is quite spicy, so inform the restaurant if you prefer a less spicy version. Other types of soup can be prepared upon request.
The steamboat meal this evening covers seafood items such as grouper, prawns and scallops. Meanwhile, mushroom varieties include shiitake, shimeji and button mushrooms. Fish balls, crab balls, mushroom balls, fishcake, seafood tofu (海鲜豆腐) and tofu skin (腐皮) are popular items to go with steamboat too.
Millennium Garden serves steamboat in a semi-buffet setting. Besides the abovementioned items, customers can supplement their meals with noodles, seaweed and eggs. This arrangement is great because the restaurant minimizes food wastage as customers only take what they need.
As for greens, diners can help themselves to fresh produce like romaine lettuce, Chinese spinach, pea sprouts, cabbage and watercress. Most of these vegetables are sourced from local farms in Cameron Highlands.
Should customers prefer medicinal flavors, the clear soup can be infused with Chinese herbs such as scented Solomon’s seal (玉竹), Chinese yam (山药), wolfberries (枸杞) and Mongolian milkvetch (北芪).
Another vital aspect of steamboat are the dipping sauces. Millennium Garden prepares several condiments like seafood sauce, sweet sauce and steamboat sauce just to name a few. Furthermore, garlic oil greatly enhances the steamboat’s aroma.
Spicy Diced Chicken (香辣鸡丁) can be ordered from the à la carte menu. The bite-size chicken chunks are wok-fried with spices, culminating in a gentle hint of pungency. All in all, the chicken is seasoned pretty well. In fact, the dish can be consumed without rice.
On the other hand, Kam Heong Fish Fillet (甘香鱼片) takes on a sweeter tone. The fish is presented on yau mak lettuce (油麦菜) to serve as counterbalance. I can certainly feel the “fiery aroma” (镬气) imparted to this dish.
Hainanese Spring Roll (海南春卷) is a signature dish of Chinese Chef Ong. The snack is made of jicama (sengkuang), mushrooms, carrots and dried cuttlefish. The ingredients are wrapped with pastry skin and then deep-fried to golden perfection.
Yong Chow Fried Rice (扬州炒饭) is cooked with prawns, eggs, green peas and scallions. Fried anchovies are added to provide a crispy mouthfeel. Yong Chow Fried Rice is best enjoyed when it is hot from the wok.
Mini Pudding (迷你布丁) is served at the conclusion of our meal. The dessert is garnished with fresh strawberries. As a matter of fact, Cameron Highlands is famous for its strawberry farms, some of which are just within walking distance from the hotel.
Millennium Garden also serves Chinese course meals in a banquet setting. The dining hall can accommodate around 20 banquet tables, making Millennium Garden the largest Chinese restaurant in Cameron Highlands. This explains why Millennium Garden is very popular among locals.
Name: Millennium Garden
Address: Copthorne Cameron Highlands, Kea Farm, 39100 Cameron Highlands, Pahang
Contact: 05-496-1777
Business hours: 6:30pm-10:30pm
Website: Click here
Coordinates: 4.50525 N, 101.40872 E
Directions: Copthorne Cameron Highlands is located at Kea Farm, a small farming village halfway between Brinchang and Tringkap. Millennium Garden is located at Level 2 of the hotel. Customers may park in the hotel’s basement levels.
