The Covid-19 pandemic is still raging on and as much as people would love to welcome the Year of the Ox with much fanfare, safety has to come first.

Thankfully, the reunion dinner is still something to look forward to, even if it has to be held on a rather small scale.

To adapt to current situations, many Chinese restaurants are offering delivery options that allow people to have bountiful feasts in the comfort of their own homes.

So, instead of braving the supermarkets to buy ingredients for the feast and slaving away in the kitchen, why not have a whole banquet delivered to you?

If that seems like a fantastic idea, then look no further as Ruyi is just the place that will treat you to a spread that’s fit for an emperor!

Ruyi, a household name in the affluent neighbourhood of Bangsar, is an award-winning modern Chinese restaurant that puts its own spin on traditional Chinese cuisine.

Not only is the food delicious and uniquely served, but it is also pork-free and thus, can be enjoyed by Malaysians from all walks of life.

So, what treasures has Ruyi’s kitchen, helmed by maestro and resident chef, James Ho, come up with this Year of the Ox?

No reunion dinner would be complete without the iconic food that is the platter of Yee Sang, a dish that is just as tasty as it is symbolic.

Plus, Ruyi has come up with its own take on Yee Sang – one that would make you reluctant to toss it due to how adorable it is.

The Golden Bull Yee Sang is beautifully designed, with a colourful assortment of vegetables, fruit and other goodies arranged around an ox’s head.

While almost too pretty to be eaten, you will still certainly appreciate this Yee Sang, with the choice of ingredients resulting in a scrumptious salad coated in sweet and sour plum sauce.

Unable to join your family for the reunion dinner this year? Then, perhaps, in your absence, you can still send something to the feast to remind your loved ones that you are still thinking of them.

There is no gift more perfect than the Ruyi Poon Choi, a pot brimming with a large assortment of delicious seafood.

One would be hard-pressed to not drool at the sight of this beauty, and it will be equally as hard to pick out what to gorge down first.

After all, there’s only abalone, shrimp, scallop, oyster, sea cucumber, eight treasure duck, fish maw, shark fin and mushrooms to choose from.

But that’s without mentioning the fact that ordering this Poon Choi will entitle you to receive a free warmer bag!

Perhaps you would prefer something less extravagant and more tailored to a budget?

Ruyi has a selection of bento boxes to choose from that will make for perfect and affordable meals this Chinese New Year.

One bento box to note is the Ruyi Dim Sum Executive Lunch set, which comes with a fish ball, a piece of siew mai, a braised egg, pickled radish, a slice of Peking duck, and nasi lemak sushi.

The latter is a specialty of Ruyi’s and while it may sound strange to have Malaysia’s national dish turned into an unusual form, it is surprisingly tasty with spicy sambal within.

All Ruyi’s bento sets are a perfect way to have a relatively simple but tasty meal with your loved ones.

As Ruyi is also offering options for a la carte dishes, one dish that you must certainly try is the Eternal Pagoda of Twirling Smoked Duck.

Featuring a long strip of smoked duck meat arranged into a little tower, it is simply a pleasure to unroll the meat and gobble it all up without cutting into it.

It also helps that the meat has a strong taste to it, with a juicy layer of fat that adds appeal to the tender texture.

Alternatively, if you are looking for something more filling, then the aptly-named Decadently Mixed Glutinous Rice Tossed in Cream Curry is the choice right for you.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that this is glutinous rice soaking in curry, though.

The curry itself is delicious on its own, but there’s also actually lobster – Boston lobster, to be exact – in this dish too! Once everything is combined, it makes for a rather lip-smacking yet filling meal.

Ruyi is also offering an all-inclusive Triple Wealth, Health & Happiness package for RM398, which is quite the bargain considering what’s included.

The package includes traditional Yee Sang, a serving of Soft Shell Crab and Namyu Fried Chicken as well as Radish Cake with Dried Scallops and Chinese Waxed Meat.

What’s interesting is the pair of Koi Fish “Nin Kuo”, which are Chinese New Year pastries beautifully designed to resemble a pair of ornamental koi fish.

Made from glutinous rice, the fish is filled with a sweet red bean paste and the dish comes together with gula melaka.

Don’t hesitate to indulge yourself by dipping the sticky rice cake into gula melaka and enjoy a sweet treat! It is a celebration, after all.

Speaking to FMT, chef Ho said that it was not easy coming up with a delivery menu for this Chinese New Year as some dishes are simply unsuitable to be transported around.

Yet, he hopes that people will continue to enjoy the simple pleasures of a reunion dinner even during these difficult times.

“I hope this pandemic can come to an end as soon as possible, so we can all start again,” said a hopeful Ho.

“Whether it’s restarting the economy or anything else, the most important thing right now is for everyone to be in great health.”